Cheryl K. Chumley
Columns by Cheryl K. Chumley
Louisiana gas well explodes, sending workers fleeing
Emergency responders on Wednesday were still trying to douse the flames from a natural gas well that exploded off the coast of Louisiana, evacuating 44 workers, the Coast Guard said. Published July 24, 2013
Black Caucus member: America treats blacks inferior to whites
A member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Yvette Clarke, said Monday evening that the George Zimmerman acquittal proves one thing: America puts less value on black lives than on white lives. Published July 23, 2013
Pope Francis’ security team blamed for chaos by Brazilian officials
Let the finger-pointing begin. Security teams for Pope Francis were in turmoil on Tuesday, blaming each other for the lapses that led to a wrong turn down Rio de Janeiro streets, a rush at the pontiff's car and a halt to the procession — safety compromises that don't bear well for the city that's supposed to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. Published July 23, 2013
Michelle Obama takes up anti-gun mantra to youth
First lady Michelle Obama — leader of the federal government's healthy eating initiatives — has found a new cause: Next up, gun safety and gun control messages to youth. Published July 23, 2013
Cop who leaked Dzhokhar Tsarnaev photos placed on restricted duty
The Massachusetts State Police photographer who released photographs of Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's capture was placed on desk duty Tuesday while internal affairs investigates his action to see what rules, if any, he broke. Published July 23, 2013
New York LaGuardia Airport back in business, after landing snafu
New York City's LaGuardia Airport was up and running, fully operational Tuesday after a plane skidded off the runway amid a landing gear snafu. Published July 23, 2013
Texas police arrest 2 illegal immigrants in gang-rape of girl, 13
Police in Austin, Texas, arrested two Mexicans and held them on immigration detainers, after a 13-year-old girl came forward last week and claimed she was gang-raped by up to 13 men. Published July 23, 2013
Federal appeals court bars Texas city law limiting housing rentals to illegals
A federal appeals court issued a ruling Monday that in effect opens the door wider for illegal immigrants to lawfully rent housing in at least one Texas suburb. Published July 23, 2013
Dream Defenders, angry at Florida Gov. Rick Scott, to hold own legislative session
Protesters angry over a jury's acquittal of George Zimmerman and upset that Florida Gov. Rick Scott won't order the state Legislature into special session to scale back 'stand your ground laws' are convening their own — a mock legislative hearing to analyze Trayvon Martin's killing. Published July 23, 2013
U.S.-funded U.N. camps teach Palestinian kids: Jews are ‘wolves’
A video has revealed that youth camps run by a United Nations body and funded in part by the United States teaches Palestinian children to hate Jewish people. Published July 23, 2013
Cory Booker’s boast: My fame will make me a good senator
Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker said he won't be a wallflower if elected senator. Rather, he vows, he will use his New Jersey fame as a catapult for passing legislation that's favorable to state residents and true to his progressive-minded ideology, the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press reported. Published July 23, 2013
Lifeline company on PR drive to counter anti-Obamaphone views
One of the companies tasked with providing free phones under the federal Lifeline program has taken to the Internet for a public relations push to counteract negative Obamaphone perceptions. Published July 23, 2013
MSNBC’s Ed Schultz: Teach race relations in every school
MSNBC television host Ed Schultz posed this question at the end of a recent broadcast: Should race relations be a required course in every public school? And his answer: "Now I'm going to vote yes on this," he said. Published July 23, 2013
Ex-Justice Department official: Agency tainted by ‘racial favoritism’
A former director of a unit within the U.S. Department of Justice — the Community Relations Service — said he regularly issued warnings to employees who favored advocacy over law or used their positions to push personal agendas based on perceived biases. Published July 23, 2013
Trayvon Martin’s mom and Eric Holder to speak at National Urban League
Trayvon Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder are scheduled to speak at a key civil rights conference organized by the National Urban League each year. Published July 23, 2013
Beauty finalists in Malaysia forced to drop out due to Muslim fatwa
Four Muslim beauty queens were forced to drop out from the finalist round of Miss Malaysia World 2013 pageant because of a fatwa that deems such events a sin. Published July 23, 2013
3 Americans killed in IED attack in Afghanistan
Three American military members were killed Tuesday in an improvised explosive device attack in eastern Afghanistan, local authorities reported. Published July 23, 2013
Southwest plane’s ‘bang and a bounce’ landing injures 10 at New York’s LaGuardia Airport
The number of injured in the plane-skidding incident at New York's LaGuardia Airport rose from four to 10 on Tuesday as investigators with two federal agencies flocked to the scene. Published July 23, 2013
Pope Francis’ car forced to a halt as security struggles to beats back Brazilian crowd
Thousands of Catholics, curious pilgrims and Brazilian residents swarmed Pope Francis on Monday, his first overseas trip as pontiff aimed at marking the biennial World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. Published July 23, 2013
Gen. Martin Dempsey: U.S. in Syria would cost $1B a month
Taxpayers would pay about $1 billion a month to send in the military to Syria's ongoing civil conflict, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey told congressional members in a letter released Monday. Published July 23, 2013
