News

  The African American woman who called Dr. Laura Schlessinger for advice and heard the radio talk show host use the n-word 11 times said Thursday that she was confused and hurt by the call.

Democrats are poised to pass a bill today that will provide $26 billion in additional funding to help states cover Medicaid expenses and teacher salaries. To pay for the bill, however, they are accelerating the scale-back of food stamp payments — at a time when a record number of Americans are relying on food stamps.

The Schott foundation study showing that less than 50 percent of black males are graduating from high school is astounding and depressing – but not a revelation to many in the African American community.

  New applications for unemployment insurance reached the half-million mark last week for the first time since November, a sign that employers are likely cutting jobs again as the economy slows.

Police in the Washington state city of Bremerton say a pit bull reported as a menacing dog was just protecting its owner who had suffered a heart attack and died on a sidewalk while the two were out walking.

Civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton vowed this week to file a federal inquiry into the death of Mitrice Richardson, a missing 25-year-old woman thought to be mentally ill whose remains were found last week. She had been allowed to leave a sheriff’s station nearly a year ago against the wishes of her parents.

Kendrick Meek faces numerous questions in his quest for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat. Can he survive a primary challenge by billionaire Jeff Greene? Can a little known Congressman from Miami beat a Republican star (Marco Rubio) and a popular sitting governor (Charlie Crist)?

The W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research presents its annual lecture series at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown this evening, beginning at 5 pm.