THE URBAN TIMES NEWS chronicles the national, regional, and local topics affecting urban communities.
With nearly 4 million registered to vote in southern Sudan’s referendum on independence, and over 60% turnout confirmed, it is to be expected that voters would come from all aspects of society. Everyone from a 115-year-old woman to a murder convict has cast a ballot in what they say is a vital vote for southern Sudan's future.
At the Sadaka primary school polling center, Rebecca Kadi comes to cast her ballot. She looks frail as she arrives in her wheelchair – with good reason. At an estimated 115 years old, she is thought to be the oldest person to vote in southern Sudan’s referendum.Rebecca Kadi Loburang Dinduch, believed to be the oldest south Sudanese, left her polling station after casting her vote in Juba on January 12, 2011.
Kadi has seen many changes in southern Sudan in her lifetime. The country has gone from colonial rule to civil war and now, she hopes, to independence. She waves a secession flag at the crowds who have gathered to watch her cast her vote.
“We are voting for the referendum and it’s our goal. There is nothing else we need to do but separate from the north,” she says. “Let Salva Kiir lead people as God wants because there is not any other way we can stay with Arabs.”
Her granddaughter, Sarah Modi, says Kadi has always talked about the importance of independence from the north.
“She is saying that she is not voting for herself but for the young ones because she would like to leave the young ones in peace by the time she is not alive,” says Modi.
A bill sponsored by the Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, Senator Ronald L. Rice, and caucus member Senator Sandra Bolden Cunningham received final legislative approval. It will require the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) to report on the number of contracts awarded to minority- and women-owned businesses.
“Women- and minority-owned contractors bring a different perspective to their work, and deserve fair treatment under our State’s contracting guidelines,” said Senator Cunningham, D-Hudson. “New Jersey’s set-aside rules exist particularly to combat the entrenched prejudices which often deny opportunities to hard-working and capable contractors. This bill ensures that we honor New Jersey’s contracting rules when going out to bid for work on much-needed repairs and renovations to our public schools.”
Text Messages Show Governor Christie is “Plain Wrong”
TRENTON – On behalf of the members of the Legislative Black Caucus, Senator Ronald L. Rice, the chair of the caucus, called on Governor Chris Christie to apologize to Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, a Caucus member, whom the Governor called a liar in response to her remarks that she had sought meetings with the Governor to discuss his “tool kit” measures and reach a compromise with him on arbitration reform. Electronic communications between Speaker Oliver’s staff and the front office support the Speaker’s assertions.
“We think the Governor is just plain wrong in his assertions, and we think he owes the Speaker a sincere apology,” said Senator Rice. “It’s understandable for two well-intentioned people to disagree over policy, but character assassination over whether someone sought meetings or not is completely unacceptable, particularly coming from our State’s top elected leader.
As of Wednesday morning, snow is on the ground in 49 out of the 50 U.S. states.
The lone state without a single snowflake? Florida.
Even Hawaii has snow covering its mountaintops, with about 7 inches of snow atop Mauna Kea, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
"As of Jan. 11, 69.4 percent of the contiguous United States is covered by snow," NOAA posted on its website. "This is more than double the snow cover from last month."
Florida may be flake-free, but elsewhere, it's a much different story.
The northeastern U.S. is expected to get a big visit from a Nor'easter, part of the same storm system that left icy roads and bitter cold across the Southeast, including Atlanta, which has caused thousands of flight cancellations in the last week.
Up to 15 inches of snow is forecast for some areas of New York, and officials have begun getting emergency plans in place.
In Chicago, the Windy City has become the "Snowy City."
Officials sent 174 trucks to clear the streets of Chicago as the snow continued to fall.
Traffic has been a nightmare in several spots, and the snow has also caused problems at Chicago's airports.
A disturbing petition swirls about the Web claiming the African American commemorative stamps so proudly released by the US Postal Service will soon be discontinued. Fortunately the rumors of their demise are gravely exaggerated.
“Nothing could be further from the truth," explained David Failor, Executive Director of Stamp Services, U.S. Postal Service. "These rumors continue to resurface around this time of year."
This year once again, there was a deluge of inquiries about the possible discontinuance. The release of a new Black Heritage stamp regularly sparks this insecurity. Similar rumors can be seen online from 2005, 2007, and 2009. In 2011, this hapless albatross continues to circle new editions. This year the featured release commemorates legendary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (D-TX). This stamp will join the memorials of 2009 featured African American notable Julia Anne Cooper, who at the age of sixty-five, became the fourth black woman in American history to earn a Doctorate of Philosophy degree, and the 2010 featured stamp of director/producer Oscar Micheaux, the first African American feature filmmaker, the latest in a long list of historic portraits. Sources at the Postal Service calmed this philatelist’s apprehension, but fans of cultural history can rest assured too.
"As a main component of our annual stamp program, the Black Heritage series is alive and well, and here to stay,” Failor said. “Black Heritage stamps, as with all commemorative stamps, generally remain on-sale for one year or as long as supplies last. If a local Post Office has sold out, and has yet to replenish its supply, customers can easily order all stamps online at The Postal Store (www.usps.com/shop) or by phone at 800-STAMP24."
To locate hard to find Black Heritage stamps or stamps featuring African Americans, also visit www.blackhistorystamps.com.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Parents and Communities United for Education (PCUE) will be expressing dismay with the JCPS district for failing to develop a lead remediation plan/timeline to correct the long overdue lead problem in Jersey City public schools.
ReplyDeleteSince September 2006, when the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notified Jersey City School District about high level of lead in drinking water in public schools, PCUE has been battling for better more responsible action from the School Board and Superintendent. It looks like they will make their displeasure known at this meeting.