University Of Missouri President Leaves Over Race Complaints

The president of the University of Missouri system stepped down Monday amid criticism of his handling of student complaints about race and discrimination.

President Tim Wolfe said his resignation was effective immediately. He made the announcement at the start of what had been expected to be a lengthy closed-door meeting of the school's governing board. He largely pre-empted that session in a halting statement that was simultaneously apologetic, clumsy and defiant.

"This is not the way change comes about," he said, alluding to recent protests. "We stopped listening to each other."

He urged students, faculty and staff to "use my resignation to heal and start talking again to make the changes necessary."

A poor audio feed for the one board member who was attending the meeting via conference call left Wolfe standing awkwardly at the podium for nearly three minutes after only being able to read the first sentence of his statement.

The race complaints came to a head over the weekend when at least 30 black football players announced they would not participate in team activities until Wolfe was gone.

For months, black student groups have complained of racial slurs and other slights on the overwhelmingly white flagship campus of the state's four-college system. Frustrations flared during a homecoming parade Oct. 10 when black protesters blocked Wolfe's car, and he did not get out and talk to them. They were removed by police.

Black members of the football team joined the outcry on Saturday night. By Sunday, a campus sit-in had grown in size, graduate student groups planned walkouts and politicians began to weigh in.

Until Monday, Wolfe did not indicate that he had any intention of stepping down. He agreed in a statement issued Sunday that "change is needed" and said the university was working to draw up a plan by April to promote diversity and tolerance.

The Tigers' next game is Saturday against Brigham Young University at Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, and canceling it could cost the school more than $1 million.

"The athletes of color on the University of Missouri football team truly believe 'Injustice Anywhere is a threat to Justice Everywhere,'" the players said in a statement. "We will no longer participate in any football related activities until President Tim Wolfe resigns or is removed due to his negligence toward marginalized students' experience. WE ARE UNITED!!!!!"

Head football coach Gary Pinkel expressed solidarity on Twitter, posting a picture of the team and coaches locking arms. The tweet said: "The Mizzou Family stands as one. We are united. We are behind our players."

Practice and other team activities were canceled Sunday. A statement issued by Pinkel and Missouri athletic director Mack Rhoades linked the return of the protesting football players to the end of a hunger strike by a black graduate student who began the effort Nov. 2 and has vowed to not eat until Wolfe is gone.

"Our focus right now is on the health of Jonathan Butler, the concerns of our student-athletes and working with our community to address this serious issue," the statement said.

The protests began after the student government president, who is black, said in September that people in a passing pickup truck shouted racial slurs at him. In early October, members of a black student organization said slurs were hurled at them by an apparently drunken white student.

Also, a swastika drawn in feces was found recently in a dormitory bathroom.

Many of the protests have been led by an organization called Concerned Student 1950, which gets its name from the year the university accepted its first black student. Its members besieged Wolfe's car at the parade, and they have been conducting a sit-in on a campus plaza since last Monday.

Two trucks flying Confederate flags drove past the site Sunday, a move many saw as an attempt at intimidation. At least 150 students gathered at the plaza Sunday night to pray, sing and read Bible verses, a larger crowd than on previous days. Many planned to camp there overnight, despite temperatures that had dropped into the upper 30s.

Also joining in the protest effort were two graduate student groups that called for walkouts Monday and Tuesday and the student government at the Columbia campus, the Missouri Students Association.

The association said in a letter Sunday to the system's governing body that there had been "an increase in tension and inequality with no systemic support" since last year's fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, which is about 120 miles east of Columbia.

Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old, was shot and killed by a white police officer during a struggle, and his death helped spawn the "Black Lives Matter" movement rebuking police treatment of minorities.

The association said Wolfe heads a university leadership that "has undeniably failed us and the students that we represent."

"He has not only enabled a culture of racism since the start of his tenure in 2012, but blatantly ignored and disrespected the concerns of students," the group wrote.

Concerned Student 1950 has demanded, among other things, that Wolfe "acknowledge his white male privilege," that he is immediately removed, and that the school adopt a mandatory racial-awareness program and hire more black faculty and staff.

One of the sit-in participants, Abigail Hollis, a black undergraduate, said the campus is "unhealthy and unsafe for us."

"The way white students are treated is in stark contrast to the way black students and other marginalized students are treated, and it's time to stop that," Hollis said. "It's 2015."

The school's undergraduate population is 79 percent white and 8 percent black. The state is about 83 percent white and nearly 12 percent black.

Wolfe, 56, is a former software executive and Missouri business school graduate whose father taught at the university. He was hired in 2011 as president, succeeding another former business executive who also lacked experience in academia.

Lawmakers and elected officials began to weigh in Sunday. The chairman of a Missouri House higher education committee, Republican Rep. Steven Cookson, said in a statement that Wolfe "can no longer effectively lead" and should leave his post.

Joining him in calling for Wolfe's resignation was Assistant House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty, the highest-ranking black member of that chamber.

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Associated Press Writer Ralph D. Russo in New York contributed to this report.

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Zagier can be reached at https://twitter.com/azagier .

United States Can't Rule Out Terrorism In Russian Plane Crash In Egypt

The United States say it can't rule out the possibility of terrorism in the crash of a Russian plane in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. 

White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the U.S. hasn't determined what brought down the Metrojet flight last Saturday, killing all 224 people on board. 

Earnest says he can't discuss what U.S. intelligence officials have learned so far. 

He also says the administration is reviewing what steps it can take to enhance security on commercial flights to the United States from certain countries. 

Islamic State militants are taking responsibility for the crash - as a response to Moscow's recent military intervention in Syria against the extremist group. But IS hasn't provided any evidence to support that claim. 

On the C-4 Show on WBAL NewsRadio 1090, Maryland Second District Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger says that it is plausible that ISIS may have bombed the plane.  

He says it may have been in retaliation for Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to send Russian troops into Syria to fight ISIS.

Source WBAL

T-Boz Addresses TLC Kickstarter Controversy

TLC started a Kickstarter campaign in January of this year, looking for funding to create their final group album, independently. With a goal of $150,000, the ladies quickly surpassed that – and after the 30 day period, ended up with a whopping $430,000!

Donations came from fans all over, including a generous $5,000 from Katy Perry. As incentives for the donations, prizes ranged from a signed copy of the album when it’s made, all the way to a sleepover party with T-Boz. However, nearly a year later, many of the prizes have yet to be fulfilled, and as far as an album – even a single?! Nowhere in sight. Needless to say, people are getting restless.

Earlier this week, T-Boz responded to a fed up fan on social media who’d tweeted, “T-Boz, where is my money? Yall owe me $5 for that Kickstarter album,” by writing:


“Call Kickstarter and tell em yo give it bk.”

This led many to believe she was saying that they’d ripped fans off and no album was ever coming. It even led to a slanderous hashtag called #TLCGoingToJailParty, but finally, T-Boz is clearing up the rumors. Calling in to The Rickey Smiley Show yesterday, she explained that the album is still very much on the way. Misinformed people just like to run with things, she noted, and that they’ve updated Kickstarter donators weekly since the beginning. Listen in full below. As per the Kickstarter page’s last update, the album is due in 2016.

Source IFWT

Lil Wayne Reacts To Police Raiding His Home

Last night, Lil Wayne’s Miami Beach home was raided by local police, and millions of dollars worth of artwork and plaques were taken to satisfy a $2 million judgement against him he’d yet to pay. The judgement came down in September, stemming from a lawsuit from The Signature Group, who claimed Wayne did not finish paying his 3-year contract with them for leasing their private jets.

Wayne was in Los Angeles at the time, and later took to Twitter with a few somber words on the matter.

“It’s days like 2day dat make me ? everything,even myself But I guess dis is da thx I get. Sum times it’s tough 2b tough & even tougher 2b me. I ain’t shit but my mother, my kids & their mothers r EVERYTHING & dat I know, so on the days ? everything, I use dat as the answer 2 it all.”

If you need a translation: Situations like this make me question everything, even myself – despite the fact that I have a successful career. But I guess this is what happens when you have a career in the public eye. It’s not always easy to have thick skin, and it’s even harder to be Lil Wayne. I know I’m not the greatest guy, but I do know that my mother, my children and their mothers (Toya Wright, Sarah ViVan, Nivea and Lauren London) are everything. This is a fact. So on the days I’m really questioning life and what I’m doing, I just reflect on the fact that I have an amazing family, and that is all I need.

Police Searching For Driver In Crash That Killed 1-Year-Old Boy

WBAL-TV 11 is reporting that the driver of a Mercedes who allegedly led police on a brief pursuit before causing the accident that killed a 1-year-old boy Sunday was somehow released from the hospital, and police are looking for him.

Baltimore City Police have identified Wayne Anthony Green, Jr., 38, of 3416 Mayfield Avenue, Baltimore as the person suspected of leading police on a pursuit that led to the crash that caused the death of 1-year-old Jeremiah Perry on Sunday in northeast Baltimore. Green is 5’8”, 210 lbs. He is now wanted for negligent manslaughter with an automobile, attempt by driver to elude police in official police vehicle by failing to stop, driving on a revoked license and privilege, and driving without a license.

If you know Green’s whereabouts, you are asked to call 911.

Jeremiah Perry was killed Sunday in northeast Baltimore when the driver of the Mercedes hit the back of a Volvo near the 5300 block of Moravia Road. The Volvo jumped a curb and hit the child, who was in a stroller at a bus stop, police said.

Police said the driver of the Mercedes was trying to escape from police after he rear-ended a Baltimore County police cruiser following an investigation into a pedestrian who was struck and killed earlier that evening along Pulaski Highway in Rosedale. 

The driver of the Mercedes was then taken into custody and was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

City police spokesman T.J. Smith said he would only confirm that the Mercedes driver was not accidentally released from the hospital by the Baltimore Police Department.

Authorities: Illinois Police Officer 'Carefully Staged Suicide,' Committed Crimes

A northern Illinois police officer whose fatal shooting triggered a large manhunt carefully staged his death to make it look like he was killed in the line of duty and had been stealing for years from a youth program he oversaw, authorities said Wednesday.

Lake County Major Crimes Task Force Commander George Filenko, who led the two-month investigation into the Sept. 1 death of Fox Lake police Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, said the popular officer embezzled thousands of dollars from the Fox Lake Police Explorer program for seven years. He said Gliniewicz spent the money on things like mortgage payments, travel expenses, gym memberships and adult websites.

"We have determined this staged suicide was the end result of extensive criminal acts that Gliniewicz had been committing in fact he was under increasing levels of personal stress from scrutiny of his management of the Fox Lake Police Explorer program," Filenko said at a news conference announcing the investigation's findings.

"Gliniewicz committed the ultimate betrayal," he added.

On the day he died, Gliniewicz radioed in that he was chasing three suspicious men in a swampy area near Fox Lake, which is north of Chicago. Backup officers later found the Army veteran's body about 50 yards from his squad car.

Gliniewicz's death set off a large manhunt, with hundreds of officers searching houses, cabins and even boats on area lakes. Helicopters with heat-sensing scanners and K-9 units scoured the area for days. Around 50 suburban Chicago police departments and sheriff's offices assisted, racking up more than $300,000 in overtime and other costs, according to an analysis that the Daily Herald newspaper published in early October.

Authorities said in October that Gliniewicz, 52, was shot with his own weapon. Authorities released only the vague description of three suspects that Gliniewicz had radioed in. They tracked down three men captured on a home security video system, but all were cleared and no one was ever arrested.

Gliniewicz took elaborate steps to try to make it look like he died in a struggle, including shooting himself twice in the torso.

He was struck by two rounds, one that hit his ballistic vest with the force of a "sledgehammer" and another that pierced his upper chest, Lake County Major Crimes Task Force Commander George Filenko said earlier in the investigation.

The officer's death also became part of the national discussion about excessive force by police and he was held up as a hero who died doing his job in a dangerous environment.

An outpouring of grief swept Fox Lake, a community of 10,000 residents located about 50 miles north of Chicago. Signs with the officer's picture hung in storefront windows and flags flew at half-staff in honor of the 30-year police veteran.

The tattooed officer with a shaved head was described by those who knew him as tough when needed, but also as sweet and a role model to youngsters aspiring to go into law enforcement.

More than 100 investigators stayed on the case for weeks, though questions arose in mid-September, and investigators began to concede that they could not rule out suicide or an accident.

One hint came when Lake County Coroner Dr. Thomas Rudd announced that Gliniewicz was killed by a "single devastating" shot to his chest. That prompted an angry response from Filenko, who said the release of such details put "the entire case at risk."

Gliniewicz's family dismissed the suggestion of suicide. His son D.J. Gliniewicz said his father "never once" thought of taking his own life, and described how his dad spoke excitedly about what he planned to do after retiring.

Gliniewicz had four children.

Source WBAL

Four Dead In Colorado Springs Shooting

Sadly, mass shootings seem to be the norm. Another day, another shooting. A mass shooting in Colorado springs leaves four people, including the shooter dead. This was not the first shooting Colorado has seen. Remember when James Holmes went and shot up a movie theater killing 12 and injuring 70 back in 2012.


According to police, a man opened fire killing three this morning. A call was made to police around 8:45am when they found a person dead upon arrival. Police found other bodies on different streets. When they finally caught up to the suspect, he opened fire on the police.. They shot back killing him.

Ross Trottier was a witness caught in the crossfire between police and the suspect.
He says,


“The cop pulled up and said drop your gun and as soon as I heard that I got on my stomach in the median and they started shooting at each other and the bullets went over me.”

According to the police, the suspect had more than one weapon on him. Streets are locked down just to be cautious of any other scenarios although the suspected shooter is dead. Not sure why these shootings are so common now, but lets continue to stay cautious and pray for these families that have just lost loved ones this morning.


SOURCE:KRDO