One man has pleaded guilty in the murder of an East End teenager five years ago, and a second will go on trial in June.
Prosecutors said Michael Mandrell Johnson, 20, of Marmet pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with the use of a firearm in the death of Leland Chace Miller, 17, near his Lewis Street home in 2007.
Miller was shot and killed just before he was to begin classes at West Virginia State University. Police were thwarted in their investigation because no one would talk about the incident.
Johnson and Marcus Dewayne Wesley, 25, of Renaissance Circle were indicted by a grand jury late last year. Both men were scheduled to go on trial this week for that murder.
Ed Rebrook, defense attorney for Wesley, requested a postponement of that trial in Kanawha Circuit Court Monday. Circuit Judge Charles King agreed and set the date for June 25.
“Can I offer you a drink?” A co-worker asked this question and I laughed during another experience of what is adequately described as “the thirst.”
When it comes to dating, please don't listen to this guy.
“Thirsty” or “thirst” can be defined as a male or female that portrays a certain level of desperation to get what they want. Also, most commonly, it is their way to “do the most” in hopes of gaining attention.
Although nothing is wrong with wanting attention from someone you have interest in, the tactics used are what characterizes one as “thirsty.”
Liking someone no longer involves being up front, either. Everyone uses discreet ways of grabbing someone’s attention. For instance, guys use the excuse of borrowing a female’s book for class as a way of pursuing more than just notes.
Social networks are the most common methods used when wanting that glass of water. Examples are things such as: playing the numbers game on Facebook or Twitter, mentioning someone in a Tweet (Ex: “S/O @SOULful_M– — USE, #NF #followback'”) or the new trend where people over-exaggerate with the greater-than sign (“@SOULful_Muse avi >>>>>>>>”). If they’re really bold, they send a direct message via Twitter or a Facebook message (“Check your DM, beautiful.”) Don’t you hate it when you forget that you’re logged into Facebook Chat and someone you don’t want to talk to hits you with a “Hi stranger.” I’ve been a stranger for a reason! All these strategies exemplify a person suffering from dehydration.
What about the member of your group project who you exchange numbers with and then out of the blue, you get a text message from him/her asking “WYD?” (What you doing?). Is that not the most disturbing and questionable approach, especially after midnight? The group project is over, it’s late at night, why are you texting me? They are not asking for notes or what they missed in class, but getting very personal and annoying.
I spoke with a male who wishes to remain anonymous, and asked him if he has ever been thirsty. His reply was “yes, I’ve been thirsty; I did a lot of tricking.” Tricking is a term used to describe one’s method of spending money on another person because they have the money to do it.
I then asked him after all that tricking, do you feel like she was worth it all? He replied, “No, we did not work out.” Some would call that being thirsty or a “sucka, others would call it just being nice and showing how much you are into someone.
In a number of situations, attempting to quench one’s’ thirst is not the case. Some are genuinely sincere in their approach and not looking for more than only borrowing your book. We all want to pass with an “A” right? Sometimes we can be looking too much into requests or compliments.
Many can attest and agree that the word “thirsty” has become very popular yet overused. Although we all have had our moments where we just need a sip to cool us down, some want a glass or two. Therefore, stop looking for others to obey your thirst.
The site of a former Maryland plantation field is on route to become an 85-store outlet mall, and local black residents of the area are speaking out against it.
Residents of the Prince George County community in Maryland are displeased with the thought of a renowned historic cite of black resistance to slavery being stripped of its connection to Black history and to the Civil War for “economic development opportunity”.
Salubria, the name of an ex-plantation cite in Maryland, is where a 14-year-old slave girl name Judith poisoned her master’s children, and was later sentenced to death. The event took place in 1834, and she is believed to be influenced by Nat Turner’s slave rebellion in South Hampton, Va. in 1831. The young insurgent is listed in the Maryland Archive as the first Maryland woman who was reported to have resisted slavery, and may be the youngest woman ever to be executed in the United States.
It is yet another “tragic event in the story of Salubria,” according to some of the local residents. Bonnie Bick, organizer of the Reinvest in the Heart of Oxon Hill, Maryland, says that the former plantation cite is eligible to be registered as an historical marker but instead, the cite where many Black residents gain pride from is being promoted as a place for the community to shop.
“We [the community] were reviewing archeological information that said Salubria was eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.The vote was taken by the Historic Preservation Commission to take away, not to nominate it for the national register, but to take away its entire historic designation,” said Bick.
“What really gets me is that Milt Peterson—the developer—purchased [the] National Harbor property for $10.3 million, and he’s already gotten $500 million subsidy for his entrances and exits from the taxpayer. So, it just seems so wrong for them to take away the Black history, and subsidize it with taxpayer money. It would have a tremendously negative impact on a Black neighborhood,” Bick said.
The historic landmark is now designated to become commercial development property after an early January vote by the Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Commission. County Park and Planning Staff concluded that the best way for the site to be preserved is through archaeological removal since the site has “few remaining physical structures that can be restored or preserved.”
“I’m an African-American woman, and I’m sick of my history being obliterated. Nothing that matters to African Americans has been preserved,” said Joyce Hawkins, a 69-year-old Tantallon, Maryland resident.
Commissioner Robert H. Schnabel said it was “unfortunate” that the structures on the land had not been maintained properly, but what seems to be more unfortunate is the fact that an historic landmark that is deeply rooted in Black Americans’ perseverance through slavery will be ripped to shreds for the purpose of what the Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Commission sees as an opportunity for lucrative expansion.
Alcorn State University’s mistake, Percy Norwood said, has now been rectified.
Melvin Spears, former Alcorn State University football coach.
Melvin Spears, the school’s controversial, boastful and recently suspended football coach, was fired this week.
“Sometimes in life you make mistakes,” said Norwood, president of Alcorn State’s national alumni association. “You have to accept that. We made a mistake. We’re rectifying it.”
Also on Friday, Alcorn announced the hiring of Patric Simon from Langston University in Oklahoma City as the school’s athletic director. Simon takes a job that was vacant for nearly a year.
Spears’ firing wasn’t all that surprising – it came more than a month after The Clarion-Ledger reported in January that Spears’ faced a pre-termination hearing.
Still, it was met by a roaring applause when Alcorn President Christopher Brown made the announcement in front of several hundred purple-and-gold clad Alcornites who attended Friday’s alumni conference at the Vicksburg Convention Center.
“You show your knowledge and character, or you go from the Alcorn campus,” Brown bellowed to an applauding audience.
Just a year ago, Alcorn fans cheered in the downtown Jackson Marriott when Spears’ hiring was announced.
That seems so long ago.
In between, Spears, who did not return a call seeking comment, had one tumultuous ride in Lorman.
The Braves won just two games and lost eight in a season rife with bumps. There was a preseason, on-campus argument with a player’s father, sagging attendance (Alcorn got a combined 3,000 at its final two home games), the dismissal of once-star quarterback Brandon Bridge and a season-ending 51-7 loss to rival Jackson State University.
The result: the school’s fifth different coach in the last six years.
Todd McDaniel, the team’s defensive line coach and a former Wingfield High School coach, is taking over in the interim, but a national search to replace Spears will be conducted.
This is the second time in six years Spears has been fired by a school.
Two years ago, Spears was awarded about $600,000 in a wrongful termination suit against Grambling State University, which fired the coach in 2006 after three seasons.
Spears has two years left on a contract at Alcorn paying him about $130,000 yearly. But Brown said Spears was terminated “with cause” and that he isn’t owed any of the money.
Asked what Spears did, Brown said Spears violated the school’s “code of conduct” but did not get more specific.
NORFOLK, Va. — “No parent expects to send their child to a campus and get them back in a coffin,” said Wayne Dawkins, a professor a Hampton University. This quote took the audience’s attention at the anti-hazing forum hosted by Norfolk State University.
Spike Lee plays HalfPint in "School Daze", the first movie to depict Black Greek Life.
The forum, “National Task Force on Anti-Hazing,” took place at the 14th annual National HBCU Student News Media Conference. During the forum, representatives from Florida A&M University’s The Famuan and Southern University’s The Southern Digest joined The Gramblinite’s Jessieca Gafford.
“Our students wanted nothing to do with us [after reporting on the hazing incident],” said Jorge Rodriguez-Jimenez, editor-in-chief for The Famuan. Robert Champion, a 26-year-old drum major of FAMU’s “Marching 100,” Champion, was reportedly beaten by an organization associated with the band as an initiation process. He died within the hour.
When The Famuan published the story, the staff received a massive amount of backlash. “People aren’t going to like what you’re saying even if it’s the truth,” Rodriguez-Jimenez continued. “People are failing to realize that we have a job,” said Kristin Broner, a writer for The Famuan.
“The role of the media is to tell the truth. We’re not here to make people look good.” Broner continued, saying that people are more concerned with the negative things their newspaper prints, rather than the positive. “If we turn a blind eye to something just because it portrays our school in a negative light, we’re no longer credible,” Broner said.
Although Champion’s death was publicized, FAMU isn’t the only school associated with the hazing process.
“[Students] weren’t surprised,” said Evan Taylor, editor-in-chief of The Southern Digest, when speaking on their previous hazing incident. The incident left three students hospitalized with two landing in intensive care. Seven students were arrested and kicked out of school because of the incident. Because of this, the Southern Jukebox has implemented an anti-hazing contract.
“The band culture can be more powerful than the Greek culture,” said Erica Taylor. “Some schools are centered around the band. If LSU’s band is dismantled, they’ll be fine. If Southern’s band is dismantled, they’re closing their doors.”
Gafford talked about another problem associated with hazing. “At Grambling State, we take ‘no snitching’ to a new level,” she said. Gafford noted that students are more concerned with staying on the good side of the Greek-letter organizations than being willing to speak out against something they know is wrong.
Some students think if they speak on others, or themselves getting hazed, they won’t have a chance to join any Greek-letter organization. Despite the fact that people have died as a result of hazing, she doesn’t believe that it would stop it from occurring. “We know something else is going to happen,” said Gafford.
The panelists delivered this message (and most in the audience agreed): If you are hazed, or know of someone getting hazed, speak out. It won’t stop if nothing is done.
Toyota says it will contribute $75,000 toward the effort to build a bronze statue of Medgar Wiley Evers at Alcorn State University.
Wil James, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, made the announcement Friday.
The 50th anniversary of the June 12, 1963, assassination of Evers is next year. Alcorn State has begun a campaign to raise funds to build a statue honoring Evers, who graduated there in 1952.
John H. Jones, national chairman for the Medgar Evers Statue Campaign, has said the group hopes to raise $200,000 to $250,000 by August so the statue can be finished in time for a Black History Month event in February 2013.
The statue is expected to be placed on campus outside the university’s new dormitories, the Medgar Wiley Evers Heritage Village.
Hampton University senior guard Jericka Jenkins was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America ® Division I Women’s Basketball Third Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Jenkins (Lancaster, Texas), a Criminology/Criminal Justice major with a 3.71 GPA, has started in 24 games for the Lady Pirates this season. This is the first time that Jenkins has been named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Women’s basketball Division I Third Team.
Jericka Jenkins of Hampton University's Lady Pirates Basketball team (Hampton Pirates/Capitol One)
She is averaging 13.7 points a game and 7.9 assists per game, which ranks first in the NCAA in assists per game. She is also 14th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (2.33). Jenkins is just the second player in program history to have 500 career assists. Jenkins currently has 589 career assists, which is second in school history and a Div. I program record.
The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. chapter was recently suspended from the campus of Johnson C. Smith University. The suspension came about after the chapter had been accused of underground pledging, which has been abolished by the fraternity. Many opinions on the matter were expressed and feelings were thrown out in the open, but how did members of the fraternity react?
A brother of Alpha Phi Alpha at Johnson C. Smith has stated that JCSU President Carter exposed too much of the fraternity's business to the public.
Graduating senior Kamil Gailiard, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, sat down and expressed his feelings regarding what has been the latest breaking story on campus. Kamil has been a member of Alpha Phi Alpha for three years now and is very dedicated in committing his time to the community.
Kamil explained his concerns regarding the suspension stating “I feel like Dr. Carter [president of Johnson C. Smith University] exposed too much private information to the campus, let alone the community.”
The fraternity known for its outstanding leadership and community work is now left with unanswered questions of what is going to happen now and why. Kamil explained how the judicial board was both unethical and unlawful. “The judicial board was very unethical, they did not grant us due process and the judgment changed based on Dr. Carter’s emotions,” Kamil stated passionately as you can begin to hear the sincerity in his voice.
So where does this leave the fraternity? “And with the amount of evidence found, [we should not have been suspended for] all acts,” said Kamil. This fraternity is still in good standing regarding its past history with JCSU, as several past SGA presidents were members of the organization.
“Right now we are building back our community’s faith [in us], for those who lost it in Alpha Phi Alpha and [we’re] working towards getting its strength and passion to help with the work of the Democratic National Convention.” As stated by Kamil, only the future knows what is next for this outstanding fraternity.
Johnson C. Smith University senior Sharelle Hatley has been named the 2012 “Excellence in Leadership” Award recipient. Sharelle Hatley is a women’s volleyball student-athlete and was recognized by the U.S. Marine Corps for great academics, community service, and leadership in sports.
Academically, she stays strong with a GPA of 3.33. Her community work is impeccable with helping with such events as: The Red Flag Campaign, March for Dimes, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and The JCSU Community Cleanup. Upon graduating from JCSU, Hatley wants to pursue higher education and obtain a master’s in social work. She currently is interning in the area of social work with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Mental Health Department for jail inmates.
Sharelle Hatley will be presented her honor on February 25th within Brayboy Gymnasium. Congratulations Sharelle Hatley!
Jason Kornwitz has reported that Ron Thomas, director of Morehouse College’s Journalism and Sports Program, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism from Sport in Society this summer.
Ron Thomas, Director of Morehouse College’s Journalism and Sports Program
“Sports,” Thomas recalled believing, “was the one place where black people’s achievements couldn’t be denied.”
But a Sports Illustrated exposé on racial discrimination against black athletes, which was published when Thomas began studying at the University of Rochester, forced the young sports fan to reconsider. “I realized there was racism in sports and how virulent that discrimination could be,” he explained.
The Democratic National Committee and Obama for America hosted an HBCU Summit to encourage young adults to head to the polls in November in support of President Barack Obama.
The event took place on February 21, in the Henderson Student Center of Clark Atlanta University, one of the prestigious institutions in the Atlanta University Center, which also includes Morehouse College, Spelman College and Morris Brown College. Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson was joined by entertainers such as Janelle Monae and Keshia Knight-Pulliam in an electrifying mobilization effort targeting students who were so instrumental to Obama’s historic 2008 win.
Don’t forget to send us your pictures showing your support for President Obama. Go to www.hbcubuzz.com/OBAMA for more information on how HBCUs can help President Obama’s reelection campaign.
Growing up in Pine Hills, Fla., Florida A&M University (FAMU) alumnus Maurice Allen’s father always encouraged him to play golf. For Allen, he says it was not in his plans, but the naturally talented 28-year old made his mark in the golf world his own way.
“A friend bet me that I wasn’t athletic enough to hit the golf ball a certain distance,” he said. “With my seven iron (club), I hit the ball 230 yards.”
In January 2010, Allen broke a world record for swing speed — swinging his club 161 miles per hour. On, Feb. 16, Allen broke his own record. The feat was filmed for the Golf Channel.
“My dad was there and he’s a big golfer,’ Allen said. “I think it meant more to him than it did to me. He was very happy about it.”
Allen, who earned his degree in biology in 2010, will be featured on the Golf Channel in August for his record. The disciplined athlete has traveled throughout Europe, Central America, the Bahamas and all around the United States for various competitions.
Allen cites God and his parents for being his driving forces.
“Everything I’m doing now is because of the people who came before me,” he said.
Allen was an All-American on the Men’s Track Team. He ran in the Olympic Trials in 2004.
He is a member of the Minority Golf Club; YMCA in Tangelo Park in Orlando, Fla., the OMYGA (youth golf group in Orlando), and First Tee in Orlando. He says the best part about his profession is being able to speak to kids and letting them know they can make a difference.
He said, “I tell them to ‘Follow your gut. Don’t tell people your dreams because they may try to wake you up.”
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Charlotte Alumnae Chapter will host its first Sorority Greek Health Olympics March 17.
The competition starts at 10 a.m. at Johnson C. Smith University’s Erwin Belk Complex as part of the sorority’s annual Sisterhood Month activities.
“This event is a great opportunity for Delta members and other Greek sorority members to exercise in a competitive, yet fun environment,” said Melody Harris, second vice president of the Charlotte Chapter and co-chair of Membership Services.
Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sigma Gamma Rho and Zeta Phi Beta will compete in several events. Some, like sprints and power walking, are Olympic-themed; others, like beanbag toss, tug-of-war, obstacle course, and four legged race are for fun. The sororities will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in addition to bragging rights.
Harris said the idea of a Sorority Olympics was borrowed from another Delta chapter who successfully held such an event, and “to promote healthy living and to bond with our Greek sisters. “What better time to do so than Sisterhood Month?”
Sisterhood Month activities conclude with the annual Sisters on the Square event to promote sisterhood and solidarity. During this hour-long event, all four sororities will collect donations to benefit women in the community.
The D.C. Department of Health is investigating a possible outbreak of Norovirus at Howard University.
Officials from the school say they reported “a number of cases of gastrointestinal illnesses among our students” to the health department. “Additionally, we have notified our students, faculty and staff to take precautions to prevent contracting this illness.”
Noroviruses are a group of related viruses that cause acute gastroenteritis in humans,according to the Centers for Disease Control. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. The illness is spread from person to person, through contaminated food or water, and by touching contaminated surfaces.
About 85 similar cases were reported by students at The George Washington University between Feb. 13 and 16.
Prosecutors said Michael Mandrell Johnson, 20, of Marmet pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with the use of a firearm in the death of Leland Chace Miller, 17, near his Lewis Street home in 2007.
