Cheryl K. Chumley
Columns by Cheryl K. Chumley
Boston-area parents incensed after Santa pulled from school concert
A Cambridge, Massachusetts, school yanked Santa from its planned Christmas and holiday concert after a parent complained and board officials went into a closed-door session to discuss the matter. Published December 15, 2014
George W. Bush makes surprise visit to 9/11 memorial museum
Former President George W. Bush made a surprise visit to the 9/11 museum in lower Manhattan on Sunday, walking silently for an hour among the Ground Zero exhibits with his security agents. Published December 15, 2014
Belgium police storm apartment to end hostage situation
Belgium police stormed an apartment complex early Monday, putting to end a reported hostage situation involving a gunman and one victim who was safely rescued. Published December 15, 2014
Obamacare puts free health clinics on the chopping block
Free health care clinics in 28 states and Washington, D.C., have been shuttered due to Obamacare and the fallout of funding shortfalls. Published December 15, 2014
Marco Rubio, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen banned from Nicaragua
Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen have been banned from entering Nicaragua by President Daniel Ortega. Published December 15, 2014
Virginia billboard, ‘Nobody is born gay,’ sparks activist backlash
A billboard along Interstate 95 in Virginia that says "Nobody is born gay" sparked some backlash from the gay-rights community, and about 400 assembled in downtown Richmond to take a group photo to circulate on social media to protest the highway message. Published December 15, 2014
James Bond screenplay for new ‘SPECTRE’ movie stolen by hackers
The producers of the James Bond movie series, Eon Productions, said their newest screenplay called "SPECTRE" was among the stolen documents in a recent cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment. Published December 15, 2014
Steve Cohen labels Peyton Manning, Eli Manning as sexual attackers
Rep. Steve Cohen, Tennessee Democrat, has gone on the defense after suggesting that football quarterback greats Peyton Manning and Eli Manning committed acts of sexual assaults against their wives. Published December 15, 2014
Sydney gunman demands chat with Prime Minister Tony Abbott: report
Australian police monitoring social media say that the gunman holding hostages inside a Sydney cafe is demanding a telephone audience with Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Published December 15, 2014
Australian, 18, killed by shark on Great Barrier Reef
An 18-year-old Australian man was killed during a shark attack Monday while spearfishing on the Great Barrier Reef, police said. Published December 15, 2014
Sarah Palin on budget: GOP chiefs ‘flipped American voters the bird’
Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor, issued a scathing assessment of the Republican-dominated House vote to pass the $1.1 trillion budget bill, despite the inclusion of funding for President Obama's executive action on amnesty: The GOP flipped off the American voters, she said. Published December 12, 2014
Martin Stutzman, Indiana lawmaker: GOP chiefs duped me into voting for budget
Rep. Martin Stutzman, a Republican congressman for Indiana, said he wouldn't have been one of the deciding vote factors that led to the passage of the $1.1 trillion budget bill — except that his GOP leadership duped him. Published December 12, 2014
Tokyo restaurant bans Christmas Eve couples so workers don’t feel sad
One restaurant in Tokyo was so concerned about staffers' feeling that managers outright banned couples from eating there on Christmas Eve — because they thought the cozy partnerships might depress their workers. Published December 12, 2014
Bill de Blasio, ‘mayor of the people,’ builds higher privacy fence around home
New York City's Bill de Blasio, who's put himself forth as both mayor and man "of the people" with progressive-minded principles, has nonetheless build up his privacy fence around his Gracie Mansion home. Published December 12, 2014
Native American reservations get federal OK to grow, sell marijuana
Native American reservations have just been given the legal federal authority to grow and sell marijuana. Published December 12, 2014
St. Louis Rams wrap Ferguson protest — ‘Hands up’ — field fiasco by giving money to police group
The St. Louis Rams haven't apologized for the "Hands up, don't shoot" gesture made by five of their players while taking the field at a recent game — but they have decided to donate some money to a police organization. Published December 12, 2014
Tom Coburn’s final stand, with emotion: Please remember the Constitution
Sen. Tom Coburn concluded his final speech in the U.S. Senate with a somewhat emotion-laden appeal to his fellow Senate members to please remember the Constitution — that strict adherence to its principles is the only way to save the republic. Published December 12, 2014
Caitlyn Ricci, 21, sues parents again for failing to pay Temple University tuition
A 21-year-old woman, Caitlyn Ricci, who's already been to court once to get her parents to pay her college tuition is now back before the judge, arguing her mom and dad — Michael Ricci and Maura McGarvey — have failed to follow through and cough up the money. Published December 12, 2014
California mudslides, storm waters, sweep away entire homes
Powerful wind and rainstorms pummeled parts of Northern California, dropping nine inches of rain and causing enough flooding and mudslides so that entire house were swept away and destroyed. Published December 12, 2014
Islamic State terrorists behead 4 Christian kids for sticking with Jesus
Islamic State terrorists in Iraq beheaded four Christian kids who refused to renounce their faith and become Muslim. Published December 12, 2014
