WI Web Staff
Mayor Vincent Gray said late Monday, that while proceeding today with the celebration of the District's Emancipation Day, he and city officials continue to monitor the situation that took place at the Boston Marathon.
The mayor added that in commemoration of the day on which schools are closed and city employees get time off as a paid holiday, extra precautions are in place to ensure the safety of the city, its residents and visitors.
"The District of Columbia celebrates each April 16 as Emancipation Day where we commemorate our nation's hard-fought battle for freedom and equal justice under the law," Gray said in a statement. "In a modern context, Emancipation Day also provides time to reflect on the District's current struggle for budget autonomy and full representation in Congress."
The D.C. Compensated Emancipation Act, which officially abolished slavery in the nation's capital in 1862, was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, and paid D.C. slave owners up to $300 to give up their slaves and ultimately freed more than 3,000 slaves, according to the U.S. Senate website.
The act set a precedent for the Emancipation Proclamation that would come several months later, according to City Councilman Vincent Orange, who is the chair of the event's oversight committee.
"It's the only time in history that the federal government paid $1 million in 1862 to free the slaves," Orange told ABC News. "Clearly, that was part of Lincoln's strategy to win civil war."
This year, the city will be honoring the day through the standard parades and fireworks, and even a battle of local university bands and workshops on the day's history, organized by Orange.
Emancipation Day was made an unpaid furlough day in 2011 to save the city much needed funds. Almost 22,000 city employees were eventually paid back after the city ended the year on a fiscal surplus, according to the mayor's office.
(Source: ABC News)
A town hall meeting that will focus on ensuring teacher success will be held from 12 noon to 3 p.m., Thursday, April 18 at the Howard University Blackburn Center.
The event titled, "Diversifying the Nation's Teacher Workforce," is sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and will consist of a panel of experts poised to tackle concerns such as the role of teacher education programs in preparing teachers to educate diverse populations; the impact of school closings on students and the community; and federal and state educational policies' effectiveness in preparing teachers.
Panel members will include David Johns, executive director, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans; Marietta English, vice president, American Federation of Teachers; Chance Lewis, founding executive director, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Urban Education Collaborative; Amy Wilkins, senior civil rights fellow, College Board and Ivory Toldson, Ph.D., senior research analyst, CBCF.
The town hall will be streamed live at www.cbcfinc.org. Join the conversation on Twitter @CBCFInc and @AFTUnion #DiversifyEd.
President Barack Obama is continuing to monitor the explosions that took place April 15 at the Boston Marathon which left two people dead and more than 100 injured.
According to a White House statement, the president has "directed the full resources of the federal government to help state and local authorities protect our people, increase security around the United States as necessary, and investigate what happened."
Said Obama:
"We still do not know who did this or why. And people shouldn't jump to conclusions before we have all the facts. But make no mistake -- we will get to the bottom of this. And we will find out who did this; we'll find out why they did this. Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice.
"Boston is a tough and resilient town. So are its people. I'm supremely confident that Bostonians will pull together, take care of each other, and move forward as one proud city. And as they do, the American people will be with them every single step of the way.
"You should anticipate that as we get more information, our teams will provide you briefings. We're still in the investigation stage at this point. But I just want to reiterate we will find out who did this and we will hold them accountable."
Two Dead, Nearly 100 Injured in Boston Marathon Blast
Monday, 15 April 2013 20:46 Published in National
BOSTON — A series of explosions was reported near the finish line at the Boston Marathon on Monday, leaving two people dead and at least two dozen injured, according to the Boston Police Department.
The explosions from two bombs went off more than four hours after the start of the men's race, which meant that there were still several thousand runners yet to finish the race.
A third explosion was heard just before 4 p.m., about an hour after the first two blasts. The police were apparently aware of that device before the explosion occurred.
The blasts took place about four hours after the start of the men's race, which meant that there were still several thousand runners yet to finish the race. One senior counterterrorism official said it was too soon to tell whether the explosions were related to terrorism.
The Boston Marathon is one of running's most storied events, established in 1897 and one of the six World Marathon Majors. The event typically attracts an estimated 500,000 spectators and requires certain qualifying times for runners to compete.
(Source: The New York Times)
Breastfeeding Initiative offers Moms Knowledge, Support
Monday, 15 April 2013 17:45 Published in Health
U. S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin has announced the launch of "It's Only Natural," a public education campaign to raise awareness among African-American women surrounding the importance of breastfeeding and its associated benefits.
"One of the most highly effective preventive measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant and herself is to breastfeed," said Surgeon General Benjamin. "By raising awareness, the success rate among mothers who want to breastfeed can be greatly improved through active support from their families, their friends and the community."
Breastfeeding offers mothers and their babies a healthy start, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 80 percent of all women in the United States—regardless of status, race, or income — start out breastfeeding.
Among African-American women, the breastfeeding rate is almost 55 percent — up from just 35 percent in the 1970s. However, while these rates are improving, breastfeeding rates among African-American women remain lower than the rates of other ethnicities in the U.S., particularly among those living in the south.
This gap may indicate that African-American mothers face barriers meeting breastfeeding goals and need additional support to start and continue breastfeeding, and as a result, "It's Only Natural" was also specifically designed to provide materials that reflect the experience of African-American moms.
"It's Only Natural" will equip new moms with practical information and emotional support from peers, as well as tips and education about the benefits of breastfeeding and how to make it work in their own lives. All of the material is uniquely crafted for African-American women.
Materials include:
•video testimonials from new moms talking about the challenges they have overcome, providing breastfeeding tips, sharing their individual stories, and much more;
•articles on a variety of topics ranging from laws supporting breastfeeding to how to fit breastfeeding into your daily life;
•two fact sheets, which contain proper holding and latching techniques, as well as information on managing discomfort and how much milk is enough; and
•radio public service announcements.
To learn more about the campaign, visit www.womenshealth.gov/ItsOnlyNatural.
Catania Won't Reinvestigate DCPS Standardized Test Cheating
Monday, 15 April 2013 15:08 Published in Local
D.C. Councilman David Catania, chair of the council's education committee, said he has no plans to reinvestigate allegations of standardized test cheating at District public schools. The allegations, which came to light in 2009, involved the erasure of wrong answers on test sheets by teachers.
Although school officials were aware at the time of possible widespread cheating, Catania said in a recent interview that it would be impractical to revisit the allegations, and that it makes more sense to tighten test security. He added that he wants to focus instead on improving the integrity of future tests.
Meanwhile, the at-large council member has introduced a bill -- for which an April 18 hearing is slated -- to make cheating illegal.
Catania's decision to not follow up on the cheating allegations, is in contrast to a similar situation that took place in Atlanta, where several educators --accused of erasing students' incorrect test answers and replacing them with the correct choices -- recently turned themselves in to law enforcement authorities.
At the request of D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), President Barack Obama's fiscal year 2014 budget includes a legislative provision that would give the District budget autonomy, or the permanent authority to spend its local funds without congressional approval and to set its own fiscal year.
While President Obama has included narrative statements in his prior budgets supporting budget autonomy, no president had ever included a budget autonomy legislative provision in his budget.
"The President's historic budget proposal not only amplifies his past public advocacy for D.C. equality, it takes it to an entirely new level," Norton said. "It also builds on the unprecedented bipartisan, bicameral progress we made on budget autonomy last Congress, and gives new momentum for a budget autonomy bill."
The legislative provisions in the president's budget serve as the starting point for the annual appropriations bills. The budget also reiterates Obama's commitment to work with Congress to give D.C. budget autonomy.
During the last Congress, Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA), chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which has jurisdiction over D.C., indicated his support for D.C. budget autonomy, introduced a budget autonomy bill in the Senate.
The power of the president's budget to shape appropriations bills was demonstrated by Obama's fiscal year 2013 budget, which included a legislative provision that would have permanently authorized D.C. to spend its local funds and remain open if the federal government shuts down.
The Senate Appropriations Committee-passed fiscal year 2013 D.C. Appropriations bill included the shutdown-avoidance provision. The committee report to the companion House bill encouraged Congress to pass legislation to avoid such shutdowns.
"Having come so close to achieving shutdown-avoidance legislation last year," said Norton, "this is the year to finish the job."
(Source: www.norton.house.gov)
Survey: African-Americans Optimistic about their Financial Future
Monday, 15 April 2013 13:42 Published in Financial LiteracyAfrican American investors report high levels of confidence in their financial future, along with optimism about the political and economic future of the country, according to a recent Wells Fargo nationwide survey. Despite proactive planning and intentional cuts in spending, African American investors remain focused on day-to-day living expenses, with a large majority concerned about having enough money to retire.
Three in five (60%) African American investors express confidence in their own financial future, slightly higher than the national response (52%), while half (52%) report they are better off now than they were three years ago, same as the general population.
"The optimism and confidence articulated by African American investors is encouraging, particularly as those surveyed are feeling financially better off than they were three years ago," said Jeff Cosby, Financial Advisor and Vice-President, Investment Officer in the Bloomington, Minnesota office of Wells Fargo Advisors, Wells Fargo.
"Where we see the biggest opportunity is helping people really consider how they are approaching saving and planning for retirement. It is important for financial advisors to help investors think through long-term strategies for investment planning, while also providing guidance on common concerns like how to balance paying off debt while continuing to save for retirement."
While African American investors have made progress in retirement planning and preparation, most are concerned about having enough money to retire. African American investors are taking necessary steps toward preparing for retirement, as 45% of those surveyed have cut back on their spending to put away money for retirement (compared to 36% of the national population), and two in five (40%) non-retired African-American investors have a retirement savings plan in place (similar to the national population, 42%). Among non-retired African-Americans, having a plan is most prevalent among those earning over $100,000 annually (68% earning more than $100,000 have a plan vs. 35% of those earning less than $100,000.).
Compared to the US overall, African American investors are less likely to consider themselves financially comfortable (38% vs. 51% overall). More than a third (36%) of non-retired African American investors surveyed report that their biggest financial concern is paying their monthly bills; saving for retirement ranks second at 22%, followed by healthcare costs at 15%. Three in five African American investors are more focused on debt reduction (59%) than saving for retirement. And just over half (52%) of those surveyed are concerned they won't have enough saved for retirement (similar to all adults). African-American investors less than 50 years old are particularly concerned (64%, vs. 39% of those ages 50 and over).
Just over a third (36%) of African American investors are confident in knowing where to invest in today's market (similar to the national population, 31%).
"All investors -- regardless of age or level of savings -- should be focused on planning for retirement, and turning plans into actual saving and investing," said Cosby. "Many African American investors, much like the general population of overall investors, find investing in today's economy daunting. It's important to seek advice from a trusted professional to help navigate the ups and downs of the market, with an eye on long-term financial goals. It can be scary, but with all the resources and tools available, it can be done."
Living in multi-generational households also has a significant impact on African American investors' savings, as a number of respondents are caring for their own children, as well as aging parents or grandparents. One in five (20%) African American investors surveyed report living in three-generational households. Three in four (77%) African American adults surveyed who live in three-generational households are concerned they will not save enough to support themselves in retirement, compared to just 46% of those outside of multi-generational households.
Almost three quarters of African American investors (73%) are optimistic about the political direction of the country, significantly higher than the general population (43%), while four in five (83%) feel the U.S. economy will improve in the next two years (compared to 47% of the general population). Seventy-two percent of those surveyed expect their local economy to improve in the next two years (compared to 45% of the overall adult population), and nearly three in four see improvements in their local housing market (71%, vs. 54% nationally).
As part of Wells Fargo's proactive outreach to the segment, the company is focused on providing financial education for African American consumers to empower them to achieve financial success. Wells Fargo has developed a comprehensive financial education platform that offers guidance on financial topics that resonate with the segment.
Through relationships with national and community organizations and media outlets nationwide, Wells Fargo uses print, digital and workshop formats to deliver financial solutions to a broad range of audiences. An additional Wells Fargo resource is My Financial Guide, an online resource consisting of articles, videos and tools aimed at helping consumers become more confident and knowledgeable in money management.
These survey findings are based on an online survey conducted November 9 - December 3, 2012 among adults nationwide (N=1,105) and African American adults (N=500). Qualified respondents were non-students, ages 25-75, who are the primary or joint financial decision-maker in the household with household investable assets of at least $10,000. Survey results are weighted to reflect Census data for gender, age, race/ethnicity, region and household income to ensure representativeness. Assuming no sample bias, the maximum margin of error for the National sample is � 2.9% and � 4.4% for African American adults. Complete survey results are available upon request.
First Lady Michelle Obama will address Bowie State University (BSU) graduates at the 2013 spring commencement ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, May 17, at the Comcast Center in College Park, Md.
Mrs. Obama will address approximately 600 graduates and receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
"It is an extraordinary honor for Bowie State University and the Class of 2013 to welcome First Lady Michelle Obama as an honored guest at our Spring Commencement ceremony," said BSU President Mickey L. Burnim. "She is an outstanding role model who will add even greater significance to this celebration of achievement for our graduates and their families."
This will be the first time that Mrs. Obama has addressed a Bowie State University audience. President Barack Obama has twice visited the campus, once as a senator in 2006 and again as president in 2010.
Burnim will also confer honorary degrees on music icons Nickolas Ashford (posthumously) and Valerie Simpson for their exceptional accomplishments as internationally renowned songwriters, producers and performers for close to 50 years.
He will award the President's Medal of Excellence to Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, for his outstanding leadership in higher education, especially his work supporting minority students to excel in the sciences.
The commencement will be a ticketed event.
Robin Kelly, a Democrat from Matteson, Ill., has been sworn into office as her state's new congressional representative. She replaces her beleaguered predecessor, Jesse Jackson Jr., who was forced to resign earlier this year amid an investigation into how he spent campaign funds.
In her first remarks Thursday on the floor of the House of Representatives, Kelly, 56, said that although children should be protected from gun-wielding criminals, 2nd Amendment rights should be preserved.
"We can do both," she said in reference to the ongoing gun debate.
Kelly, 56, won a special election on April 9 to replace Jackson ,47, who was once a political ally.
He currently awaits sentencing in June for using thousands of campaign dollars for personal expenses. His wife, former Chicago Ald. Sandi Jackson, awaits sentencing on a related income-tax violation.
(Source: The Chicago Tribune)
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