PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDITION
Volume 122 No. 52
AUGUST 2, 2014 - AUGUST 8, 2014
Liberians in U.S. Worry about Ebola Outbreak
Forum in Capitol Heights Raises Awareness about Hepatitis C
By Amy Forliti Associated Press
A town hall forum was held to discuss the importance of Hepatitis C and to urge people to get tested immediately at The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square in Capitol Heights, Md. July 29. Hepatitis C has been an ongoing problem in the United States since the mid-1940s. “The main purpose of this event is to really get the word out and educate primarily baby boomers,” Dr. Pernessa C. Seele, Founder/CEO of The Balm in Gilead told the AFRO. The Balm in Gilead, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health of the African Diaspora by building the capacity of faith communities to address life-threatening diseases, was one of the main contributors for putting this event together. Today there are 3.2 million Americans that have this bloodborne virus, 75 percent not knowing they are infected, and 106,000 of those Americans coming out of Maryland. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), baby boomers – individuals born between 1945 and 1965 – are most at-risk for hepatitis C. The disease is also more common amongst African Americans than any other racial group. Within the African American community, chronic liver disease, which is often Hepatitis C-related, is a leading cause of death among people between the ages of 45 and 64. The CDC predicts that deaths from Hepatitis C will double,
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An outbreak of Ebola in West Africa may seem like a distant threat to many Americans, but it is causing some to cancel travel plans and stirring fear in Minnesota, which has the largest Liberian immigrant population in the United States. The potentially Ebolarelated death last week of a Liberian government official whose wife and children
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By Courtney Jacobs AFRO Staff Writer
live in Minnesota has heightened concerns and inspired a fundraising drive to send medical supplies to Liberia. State health officials also have been meeting with community members to talk about recognizing the disease and how to travel safely. More than 670 AP Photo people have died Decontee Sawyer, wife of Liberian government official Patrick during the recent Sawyer, a U.S. citizen who died from Ebola after traveling from outbreak in West Liberia to Nigeria, cradles her 1-year-old daughter Bella. Africa. But no cases of Ebola have been confirmed in the Nigerian health officials Press on Tuesday that he had United States, and the Centers reported Friday that Liberian planned to come home for for Disease Control and government official Patrick two of his three daughters’ Prevention said Monday it Sawyer died from the disease birthdays next month. poses little risk to the general after traveling from Liberia “He came close to coming U.S. population. to Nigeria. The World Health here,” she said. “For us here “It is killing people Organization has not yet in the U.S. to think it’s on that like crazy,” said Prudence confirmed the cause. Sawyer side of the world ... Ebola can McCabe, a Brooklyn Park was a former Minnesota come here. I don’t want that resident of Liberian heritage. resident and naturalized to happen.” “Everyone is trying to call American whose wife and The Centers for Disease family members ... we are children still live in suburban Control has said the risk of trying to send money right Minneapolis. Ebola spreading to the United away. ... All we can do is pray His wife, Decontee States is remote. The isolation and be helpful.” Sawyer, told The Associated Continued on A4
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My Girlfriend’s House Celebrates Three Years of Service By Maria Adebola Special to the AFRO My Girlfriend’s House, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help at-risk women and girls develop self-worth while advancing their career and academic skills, celebrated its third year of service on July 26 with an evening filled with delicious food accompanied by live music and exciting
presentations “A lot of the girls that come into our program are either from low income communities, shelters or group homes,” said Shanae Newman, program coordinator. “Our goal is to have them become strong members of the community through building their leadership skills and their self-confidence.” According to Newman,
“Our goal is to have them become strong members of the community through building their leadership skills and their self-confidence” - Shanae Newman
Black Detective Acquitted in Maryland Shooting of Man Who Allegedly Used Racist Threats
Photo by Shanae Newman
Mentees at My Girlfriend’s House participate in a business plan workshop this year was a big year for the organization; it introduced two new programs. The alternative school suspension program works with girls in middle and high school in Prince George’s County by providing a safe and productive haven for the girls. Rather than be home without supervision, the girls
go to My Girlfriend’s House and do school work and talk to facilitators who will help them understand the reason for their suspension and work through the issues to prevent future suspensions. The spring break college tour is another recently implemented program. Continued on A4
Photo courtesy of WBALTV
Joseph Walker By Associated Press
A jury has acquitted a New Jersey detective in the fatal shooting of a driver during a case of road rage in Maryland. Forty-one-year-old Joseph Walker was found not guilty on all counts on Wednesday in Anne By Andrea “Aunni” Young Arundel County Circuit Special to the AFRO Court. The investigator for the Hudson County, New The legendary Ben’s Chili Bowl restaurant opened a new Jersey, prosecutor’s office, location at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Virginia on July had been charged with 23, in the DCA B/C Terminal pre-security area. first-degree murder in the “He would be very proud, he would really be very proud of death of 36-year-old Joseph his boys,” said Virginia Ali, owner, when asked what her late Harvey of Landsdowne, husband Ben Ali would say today. “He never thought any one of Maryland. the three would have had such a passion for the Chili Bowl.” Walker also had been All three brothers, Sage, Kamal and Nizam, and their wives, charged with secondVida, Sonya, and Joytika, are committed to the operation of degree murder, voluntary
Ben’s Chili Bowl Debuts New Location at Reagan National Airport
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The CDC predicts that deaths from Hepatitis C will double, even triple, in the next 20 years.
Ben’s Chili Bowl opened a new location at Ronald Reagan National Airport.
Copyright © 2014 by the Afro-American Company
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