Week In Review

ABOVE PHOTO:  Meek Mill  (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)   associated press Philadelphia-born rapper Meek Mill rang a replica Liberty Bell at center court of the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round clinching playoff game Tuesday less than two hours after being released from prison while he appeals decade-old gun and drug convictions. Following a five-month campaign by his supporters…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Police Comissioner Richard Ross associated press [See update to response here] Philadelphia’s police commissioner on Saturday defended officers who arrested two black men at a Starbucks, prompting accusations of racism on social media, concern from the mayor and an apology from the company. Videos posted online show officers handcuffing the men in the…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  A Starbucks cup of coffee (By focal point / shutterstock) By now, you may be aware of a disheartening situation in one of our Philadelphia-area stores this past Thursday, that led to a reprehensible outcome. I’m writing this evening to convey three things: First, to once again express our deepest apologies to the two…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Protesters gather outside a Starbucks in Philadelphia, Sunday, April 15, 2018, where two black men were arrested Thursday after Starbucks employees called police to say the men were trespassing. The arrest prompted accusations of racism on social media. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson posted a lengthy statement Saturday night, calling the situation “disheartening” and…

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ABOVE PHOYO:  Actress Nicolle Rochelle, who appeared on several episodes of “The Cosby Show,” is detained as Bill Cosby arrives for his sexual assault trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse, Monday, April 9, 2018, in Norristown, Pa. Rochelle of Little Falls, N.J., was charged with disorderly conduct. (AP Photo/Corey Perrine) By Michael R. Sisak ASSOCIATED…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  This image released early Sunday, April 8, 2018 by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, shows a child receiving oxygen through respirators following an alleged poison gas attack in the rebel-held town of Douma, near Damascus, Syria. Syrian rescuers and medics said the attack on Douma killed at least 40 people. The Syrian…

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Philadelphia Works announced that 12 different local organizations are the recipients of new grant funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to support the startup and expansion of Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.  The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry awarded the grants, which will be distributed through Philadelphia Works, the local Workforce Development Board for…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  This March 15, 1999 file photo shows the sibling group The Staple Singers, from left, Pervis, Cleotha, Pops, Mavis, and Yvonne at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in New York. Cleotha Staples, the eldest sibling in the highly influential gospel group The Staple Singers died Friday, Feb. 22, 2013,…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Winnie Madikizela-Mandela   (Photo: Superikonoskop/ Wikimedia Commons)   Associated Press JOHANNESBURG— Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, an anti-apartheid activist in her own right whose reputation was sullied by scandal, has died. She was 81. Madikizela-Mandela will be honored by a state funeral on April 14, preceded by an official memorial service on April…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Former Veterans Affairs secretary David Shulkin  (Photo: Ricky Harris, Official White House) By Hope Yen Associated Press WASHINGTON — Former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin downplayed concerns about his potential successor’s lack of managerial experience Monday, saying the key for improving the VA will be surrounding White House doctor Ronny Jackson with a…

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