Jordin Sparks, 'Sparkle' Star, Recalls Whitney Houston's Death

As press begins to take place in preparation of the August 17 release of Whitney Houston’s final film, “Sparkle,” the singer’s co-star, Jordin Sparks, is beginning to shed light on her tragic demise.

During a recent interview with the New York Daily News, Sparks recalls her initial plans of walking the Grammy Awards red carpet alongside Houston before receiving the news from her publicist.

“It was my publicist, who told me, ‘Whitney’s gone.’ I said, ‘What do you mean? Did she leave the hotel already?’ And she said, ‘No — Whitney’s passed.’ I was so shocked I couldn’t even move,” she said.

“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t go to the Grammys that night, and I canceled a lot of appearances after that. I didn’t want people asking me about her. I just didn’t think it was my place to say anything.”

“I ended up being secluded; I cut myself off for a couple of months. I was just crying,” the “American Idol” winner continued. “I was so devastated. And I’d only known her for the two months we worked together. I can’t imagine how her family and friends who had known her for a long time felt. She was very loved.”

Prior to her death on February 11, the six-time Grammy Award-winner expressed how much fun she had while filming the classic remake.

"Part of the fun of making this movie is definitely the costumes and the hairstyles," she said to People Magazine in January. "The movie is set in 1963, and we had a great wardrobe, hair and makeup person and I loved wearing the outfits."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/jordin-sparks-sparkle-whitney-houston-death_n_1749146.html?utm_hp_ref=black-voices

(WWJ) – Analysts are predicting a turnout of 20 percent or less as Michigan voters head to the ballot booth Tuesday to decide some races and millage proposals while paring down candidates in other political races.

One of the hottest issues in Metro Detroit is a millage increase in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties to support the Detroit Institute of Arts. If passed, the millage would reportedly cost a homeowner less than $20 a year with a home valued at about $200,000.

In Detroit, the primary is expected to draw a 10 to 15 percent voter turn-out, although election officials say participation could be higher in at least one part of the city due to a hotly contested race in the newly redrawn 14th Congressional District.

WWJ Newsradio 950′s Vickie Thomas spoke with Community Coalition Chairman Ernest Johnson who is urging all registered Detroit voters to participate on Tuesday.

“We don’t vote in the right numbers … like, the City Clerk’s saying, they’re looking for 15 percent turnout. That’s not acceptable,” said Johnson. ”You know, you go around the world and people (are) voting in long lines … That’s why we lose everything because we don’t vote. We gotta vote. There is nothing more important than getting out the vote.”

Do you know where to vote? Find your polling place and a sample ballot at this link. There, you’ll also find an election calendar, absentee voter information and instructions on how to use voting equipment.

Polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. til 8 p.m.

“I don’t know where this is coming from. What’s wrong with my hair?” said Olympic champion Gabrielle Douglas yesterday to Associated Press. “I’m like, ‘I just made history and people are focused on my hair?’ It can be bald or short, it doesn’t matter about hair.”

Douglas isn’t the only one confused. I though India.Arie settled this in 2005, but no. When a major historic achievement, in this case by a Black female, is tossed of the rails by trivia, one wonders why. The distraction? A nuclear device detonation or an al-Qaeda attack? No. It was her hair. One wonders: Are some Black people so insecure with their place in the world that a tied back pony-tail can set them into a tailspin? With all the perms, weaves and wigs walking around I’m not sure why Douglas was singled out for special attention.

The “controversy” was built on a dubious premise: That everything said on twitter matters. The second dubious premise: That every move someone makes is political. It was 25 years before Douglas’ birth that Black power and pride connected with politics at times symbolized by a prominent afro. Nothing wrong with that. But does it mean that a 16-year-old tumbling on the floor is attempting a counter statement with her pony-tail?

Note the focus on women. Obsession with look is all ours. Men can simply put on pants and shirt and step. We don’t look back and question the conks of Nat King Cole or Duke Ellington and attach their hairstyle decisions to their character or politics. Just as the obvious inescapable European standards of beauty are entrenched in American life now as they were then everyone makes individual decisions regarding acceptance and presentation. But a 16-year-old is more likely to be focused on flopping and being slammed to the floor by a mistake in front of millions than her hair-do.

Melissa Harris Perry has time for roundtables on hair featuring all natural participants? That’s entertaining. But Gabby Douglas’ mother reportedly just filed for bankruptcy in Virginia Beach. With the Black unemployment rate, wealth gap and incarceration rates at record highs there would appear to be a few pressing matters facing the Black community. Obviously Douglas’ focus on her own business has yielded success. Perhaps there is much to be learned from a 16-year-old.

http://politic365.com/2012/08/06/gabby-douglas-is-not-her-hair/

DETROITERS INVITED TO PROVIDE INPUT ON DRAFT STRATEGIES DEVELOPED BY
DETROIT WORKS PROJECT LONG TERM PLANNING STARTING TUESDAY, AUGUST 7

DETROIT, August 5, 2012—Draft Economic Growth Strategies developed by Detroit Works Project Long Term Planning will be shared during an Open House at the project’s HomeBase on Tuesday, August 7 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The HomeBase is located at 2929 Russell Street in Detroit’s Eastern Market.

Tuesday will be the first of five consecutive weeks of Open Houses that Detroiters are being encouraged to attend to provide their input before the Strategic Framework Plan is completed in late October.

Each week will feature a different set of Draft Strategies, which have been developed from countless hours of research, analysis and community engagement, and separated by the project’s Five Planning Elements: Economic Growth, Neighborhoods; Public Land and Facilities; City Systems, Infrastructure and Environment; and Land Use Zoning and Urban Design. The schedule is as follows:
· Tuesday, August 7: Economic Growth;
· Tuesday, August 14: Neighborhoods;
· Tuesday, August 21: City Systems, Infrastructure and Environment;
· Tuesday, August 28: Land Use, Zoning and Urban Design; and
· Tuesday, September 4: Public Land and Facilities.

The Open Houses will have a workshop-type atmosphere with some of the draft strategies being exhibited on the walls. Project representatives will be on-hand from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. to give tours, explain the details, and gather input. Formal presentations will be given at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at every Open House.

The Open Houses are just one of the many ways Detroiters will be able to review the draft strategies and give their input between now and September 20, the end of the final round of civic engagement before the Strategic Framework Plan is completed in late October. Other ways include: Community Conversations; the Roaming Table; and inviting Long Term Planning representatives to attend a community meeting. Find out more by calling 313-259-4407, visiting www.DetroitLongTerm.com, or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

About Detroit Works Project Long Term Planning
Detroit Works Project Long Term Planning is “one of the World’s most innovative and inspiring urban infrastructure projects” according to KPMG International’s second edition of the Infrastructure 100: World Cities Edition. It was one of only 14 projects located in U.S. to be named to the prestigious list.

Detroit Works Project Long Term Planning is developing a Strategic Framework Plan, a comprehensive, action oriented roadmap for near and long-range decision-making that includes recommendations for a physical vision, public policies, recommended implementers; and strategies for:

· economic growth and attracting new job opportunities for residents,
· stabilization and growth of neighborhoods and employment centers,
· more efficient practices for improving city systems and infrastructure, and
· reforms to zoning that accommodate modern and innovative land uses.

When completed in October of 2012 implementation will be the duty of Government, Businesses and Investors, Neighborhoods and Community Organizations, Philanthropic Groups, and other Non-Governmental Organizations.

To learn more about Detroit Works Project Long Term Planning visit www.DetroitLongTerm.com; stop by the project’s HomeBase located at 2929 Russell Street in Detroit’s Eastern Market between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or call 313-259-4407

As the old adage goes, “all things must come to an end,” and for comedian Steve Harvey this week marks an end to a fraction of his 27 year comedy career.

On August 2 the original “King Of Comedy” will headline his final stand-up show, "Steve Harvey’s Grand Stand-Up Finale," at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The two hour special, which also kicks off Harvey’s annual Hoodie Awards Weekend, will air live on Pay-Per-View at 11 pm et/ 8 pm pt.

“It’s been a wild ride over these years on stage, radio, TV and more, and taking the stage for my final show," the New York Times Bestseller stated in a press release. "I will have a special blowout performance in store for everyone in Las Vegas and watching at home that will be bigger than any show I’ve done so far.”

“The road to this final show has been an amazing journey doing stand-up for the past 27 years, and I can’t thank fans enough after reflecting on all those years on stage, and the unforgettable moments and jokes we’ve shared,”

While he may be closing one chapter in his career, the media maverick is only opening another. He is also gearing up for the premiere of his syndicated daytime talk show, "Steve Harvey," which debuts September 4 on NBC.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/steve-harvey-grand-stand-up-finale_n_1730387.html?utm_hp_ref=bv-pop-culture#s312400&;title=Steve_Harvey

DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit police are investigating a shooting following an altercation overnight at the Detroit Princess riverboat, which was docked along the Detroit riverfront.

(WWJ Photo/Mike Campbell)
Police told WWJ Newsradio 950 seven people were shot after the boat docked at about 1 a.m. Monday.

Detroit Police Sgt. Alan Quinn said the incident was sparked by an argument on the boat. A woman who was part of the group went to her car to get a gun during the dispute and when she returned she opened fire on the crowd.

Victims suffered only minor injuries, police said.

Quinn said it’s going to take time to figure out exactly what happened because hundreds of people were on the boat at the time.

No suspects are in custody.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/08/06/7-people-shot-following-detroit-princess-cruise/

DETROIT (WWJ) – Fans of American Coney Island will soon have a new place to enjoy the restaurant’s world-famous coney dogs.

Starting with the Lions first exhibition game scheduled for August 10th, American Coney Island’s coneys will be available at every Lions home game. The American Coney Island stand will be located on the lower level near Gate B, NW corner of the stadium near the Brush St. entrance. The stand will only sell coneys, pop and chips.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/08/06/american-coney-island-expanding-to-ford-field/

President Barack Obama expressed sadness in a statement responding to the mass shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin on Sunday.

"Michelle and I were deeply saddened to learn of the shooting that tragically took so many lives in Wisconsin," he said. "At this difficult time, the people of Oak Creek must know that the American people have them in our thoughts and prayers, and our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who were killed and wounded."

Obama continued, "My Administration will provide whatever support is necessary to the officials who are responding to this tragic shooting and moving forward with an investigation. As we mourn this loss which took place at a house of worship, we are reminded how much our country has been enriched by Sikhs, who are a part of our broader American family."

The tragic shooting resulted in numerous deaths and left multiple victims in critical condition. The gunman was among those killed in the incident.

Addressing the tragedy in a statement, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said, "Ann and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the victims of today’s shooting in Wisconsin." He added, "This was a senseless act of violence and a tragedy that should never befall any house of worship. Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and the entire Oak Creek Sikh community. We join Americans everywhere in mourning those who lost their lives and in prayer for healing in the difficult days ahead."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/05/obama-wisconsin-shooting-_n_1744692.html

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama celebrated his 51st birthday on Saturday with a round of golf, then was to head to the Camp David presidential retreat for a quiet evening away from the campaign trail.

Obama, an avid golfer, played at Andrews Air Force Base.

The White House did not release details of the president's evening plans, or the menu for the birthday meal he was expected to share with wife, Michelle, at the retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains.

Their daughters were at summer camp this week and it was not immediately clear whether they would be present at the rustic getaway.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/04/us-usa-obama-birthday-idUSBRE8730F820120804

LONDON – The little country of Lithuania has given the rest of the world a small glimmer of hope.
The United States, especially if they can't make their free throws, is vulnerable. The Americans certainly struggled against basketball crazed Lithuania, which has a few current and former NBA players on its roster. But whether U.S. can be beaten is another story.
Lithuania wasn't in awe or intimidated by the presence of LeBron, Kobe and company. On the contrary, Lithuania took the fight right to the Americans and nearly pulled off the upset. The U.S. twice trailed in the final seven minutes but rallied for a 99-94 victory.
LeBron James scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half and made several key baskets in the final four minutes as the U.S. improved to 4-0 in the tournament. Carmelo Anthony scored 16 of his 20 in the first half and Kevin Durant added 16. Brooklyn's Deron Williams added 12.
Linas Kleiza, Anthony's former teammate in Denver and a current member of the Toronto Raptors, led his country with 25 points. The U.S. struggled from the foul line, making just 19 of 31 shots.
The win for the U.S. comes less than 48 hours after they broke several scoring records in a 156-73 win over Nigeria. But in their first game since recording an 83-point victory, the U.S. didn't score its 83rd point until Chris Paul's 3-pointer gave them an 85-84 lead with 5:31 left in regulation. Lithuania twice held the lead in the fourth quarter and each time the U.S. had a response.
Lithuania's passing and movement caused trouble for the U.S., which had no interior presence on the defensive end when Tyson Chandler was on the bench. It was a peculiar decision by Mike Krzyzewski to play Chandler just four first half minutes. Chandler wasn't in foul trouble, presumably he wasn't hurt and yet he played just four minutes while Lithuania made 20 of 36 shots.
The Americans had no problem scoring either. They led 55-51 after 20 minutes and sank 20 of their first 42 shots. Anthony, again, was in a good rhythm. He began on the bench for the fourth straight game and needed just nine seconds after entering the game to take, and make, his first shot.
Anthony was the lone U.S. player in double figures with 14 points while his former Nuggets teammate, Kleiza, had 16 by intermission. Lithuania was leading 56-55 early in the third quarter after former Maryland guard Sarunas Jasikevicius hit an open 3-pointer. But the U.S. answered with seven unanswered points including a three from Durant and LeBron's fastbreak lay-up.
But just when it appeared the Americans were about to pull away they started missing their free throws and began forcing shots. Lithuania drew even again at 69 before the U.S. closed out the quarter on a 9-3 run.
Lithuania's final lead came with 5:38 to play and Paul erased it by draining a three. Two possessions later, Paul fed Williams for a lay-up. Darius Songalia hit a jump hook in the lane but LeBron hit a three and then converted a turnover into a dunk with 3:40 left to make it 92-86.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/olympics-2012/olympics-2012-lebron-james-big-late-team-usa-rallies-lithuania-99-94-stay-perfect-london-article-1.1128954#ixzz22bASL0sX