culture

  • Jason Collins, the NBA’s 1st Openly Gay Player, Says He’s Retiring From Basketball

    On Wednesday Jason Collins said that he is opting to retire from the NBA, the New York Post reports. The announcement comes a year and a half after he became the first openly gay athlete actively playing in one of the four major American professional sports leagues.   “It just made perfect sense,” Collins told the…

  • Disagreements Between Liberian Officials and Aid Groups Affect Efforts to Contain Ebola

    There have been reports of infighting among aid organizations and local officials in Liberia about how to contain the Ebola outbreak, and it’s affecting efforts on the ground, according to a report in the New York Times. According to the report, Liberian officials and the several dozen countries and aid organizations that are working together in…

  • On Motherhood and the Pain of Ferguson

    Here we are again.  Waiting on a decision from a grand jury about the fate of a white man who has killed a black man. This time, it’s Ferguson, Mo. The black man who died is named Michael Brown, and his killer is named Officer Darren Wilson.  That word “killer” makes you cringe? Makes me sound…

  • Secret Service Arrests Iowa Man Near White House

    An Iowa man was arrested near the White House on Wednesday after authorities discovered a file and ammunition in the car that he had reportedly driven from his hometown of Davenport to Washington, D.C., the Washington Post reports. According to the report, 41-year-old R.J. “Renae” Kapheim was taken into custody after walking up to a…

  • Overnight, Police Arrested Ferguson Demonstrators Who Chanted ‘Indict That Cop’

    Law-enforcement agencies and protesters in Ferguson, Mo., are already facing off, leading to six arrests overnight after six individuals reportedly tried to block off a street while demanding that police Officer Darren Wilson be indicted for the shooting death of unarmed teen Michael Brown on Aug. 9, Reuters reports. Dozens of protesters assembled outside the…

  • Milwaukee Man Charged in Sexual Assault of 101-Year-Old Woman

    A 20-year-old Milwaukee man has been charged in the rape of a 101-year-old woman, whom he intended to rob, WISN12 reports. Charges against Antoine Devon Pettis, 20, include burglary, aggravated battery and second-degree sexual assault for the early-September incident. According to reports, the elderly woman woke up early on the morning of Sept. 1 after…

  • Watch: Bill Cosby Tells AP Reporter ‘I Don’t Talk About’ Sex Assault Allegations

    Late Wednesday the Associated Press released video of a Nov. 6 interview in which comedian and TV icon Bill Cosby responded to a reporter’s question about a series of sexual assault allegations made against him by saying, “No, no, we don’t answer that.” Cosby appeared in the video with his wife, Camille, to discuss the…

  • Black-Owned Food Trucks Give New Meaning to Meals on Wheels

    Once a month from April through October, in a vacant Washington, D.C., lot near the famed Nationals Park, about 20 food trucks convene for an evening of music, food and dancing. Hundreds of D.C. locals have the opportunity to purchase everything from lobster rolls to Korean tacos, from homemade ice cream to gourmet hot dogs.…

  • Police Arrest Suspect in Sunday’s NYC Subway Shoving Case

    Police have arrested a suspect with an extensive rap sheet in the fatal New York City subway shoving that occurred over the weekend, the New York Daily News reports. According to the report, 34-year-old Kevin Darden was taken into custody near his mother’s Bronx home after investigators disclosed that he was also wanted for another…

  • Can Calif. Really Prosecute Rapper Tiny Doo Just Based on His Album Cover?

    A California man may be headed to prison based solely on his rap CD, reports ABC 10 News. Along with 14 other alleged gang members, San Diego-based Brandon Duncan, better known as rapper Tiny Doo, is facing attempted-murder charges in a “gang conspiracy” involving nine local shootings since 2013, according to ABC 10 News. But…