By TERRY TANG

PHOENIX (AP) — A Phoenix woman arrested after leaving her two kids in a hot vehicle during a job interview is fighting to clear her name in court, with the support of a New Jersey woman who has raised more than $91,000 to help her effort.
Unemployed and on food stamps, Shanesha Taylor went to the job interview last month at a Scottsdale insurance company.
The 35-year-old wasn’t able to find a sitter, so she left her 2-year-old son and 6-month old baby in her Dodge Durango with the key still in the ignition and the windows rolled down an inch.
A witness found the infant crying hysterically and sweating profusely as temperatures inside the SUV exceeded 100 degrees.
Taylor was arrested after returning to the vehicle, and her tearful mugshot later caught the attention of 24-year-old Amanda Bishop of New Jersey.
Bishop said she was inspired to set up a fundraising web page for Taylor because she could relate to growing up in a family that doesn’t have a lot of money.
“I had a mother and family in general who struggled raising us and had to rely on other resources to provide for us and sometimes made not the greatest choices,” Bishop said.
Taylor pleaded not guilty Monday at her arraignment.
Prosecutors point out that her actions put the safety of her children in danger.
According to court documents, Scottsdale firefighters found the vehicle’s windows rolled down only an inch and no running air conditioning to keep the children cool.
The baby was described as wearing a short-sleeve shirt over a long-sleeve shirt, as well as a blanket. Taylor arrived back at the vehicle more than an hour after her interview time, the documents said.
“Everything is focused on the mother and understandably so. It seems to be a very compelling human interest story,” County Attorney Bill Montgomery said at a recent news conference. “But I’m equally concerned and compelled about the circumstances those two children were in.”
Montgomery said it’s too soon to determine if Taylor will receive a prison term or face losing custody of her children. Her offenses could amount to a sentence ranging from probation to seven years in prison, prosecutors said.
Neither Taylor nor her court-appointed attorney has responded to requests for comment.
Bishop established the fundraising site on YouCaring.com with the goal of raising $9,000. She was flabbergasted when the site reached the goal in four days and then exceeded it by tens of thousands of dollars.
The site also has received more than a thousand comments, some of which accuse Bishop and other supporters of endorsing child abuse. Bishop said Taylor should not be condemned for one bad decision.
“She could have been at a bar or at a club and leaving her children in the car,” Bishop said. “Here’s a woman who is an example of someone who is trying — who is trying to better her situation and doing what she can to provide for her children.”

By Emma Lacey-Bordeaux and Kisa Mlela Santiago, CNN

(CNN) – A body found in an Indiana lake has been identified as that of Teleka Patrick, the Michigan doctor who’s been missing since December, the Porter County Coroner’s Office confirmed.
Her body was discovered Sunday in Lake Charles, west of Gary, Indiana, officials said.
The cause and manner of death are still pending further investigation, but are consistent with drowning, the coroner said in a statement Tuesday. An autopsy revealed no trauma, the statement added.
Mysterious disappearance
The 30-year-old medical resident failed to show up for work on December 6 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The night before, her 1997 Lexus was discovered abandoned more than 115 miles away in a ditch off of Interstate 94 in Indiana, directly south of the lake where she was ultimately found.
Police brought out dogs to track Patrick’s scent. They led investigators out of the ditch where Patrick’s car rested to the highway. There, the scent went cold.
“We looked everywhere,” Sgt. Rick Strong of the Indiana State Police told CNN in December.
Videos provide clues
Surveillance video and home videos uploaded to YouTube provided investigators with clues about Patrick’s movements in the weeks, days and hours before she vanished.
The YouTube videos showed Patrick talking, cooing and singing to someone unnamed and apparently unknown. Patrick’s mother told CNN she wasn’t aware of any romantic relationship her daughter may have had. But the videos have an intimate feel to them.
“Hi, baby,” Patrick says in one. “I am just coming to you to say ‘hi’ and tell you about my day.”
In another video, Patrick shows a table set for two with omelets and pancakes.
“If you were here, this is what would be your plate,” she coos.
In a surveillance video from a Radisson hotel in Kalamazoo, not far from where she worked, Patrick is seen on the night of December 5 around 7:30 p.m., hours before police found her car in Indiana.
She spent about 10 minutes talking with employees at the reception desk but ultimately left. There’s no audio on the video, and it’s not clear why Patrick failed to book a room.
But at 7:48 p.m., she strode across the hotel’s tiled floors, out the door and onto a hotel shuttle bus.
Those are the last known images of her.
Her family says Patrick, who had just moved to Michigan, bought a plane ticket to come visit them for the holidays in Florida.
In January, family members urged investigators to remain focused on the possibility that foul play was involved in her disappearance, after reports surfaced that gospel singer Marvin Sapp had filed a personal protection order against Patrick in September.
In court documents, Sapp said Patrick “has claimed him as her husband, had moved from California to Michigan, joined his church, had contacted his children and had been to his home.
“I have at least 400 pages of correspondence from her which I have never responded,” his complaint reads.
Questions remain
While the discovery of Patrick’s body answers some questions, it leaves many more unanswered for the grieving family of a young doctor described as “wonderful,” “beautiful” and “talented.”
Investigators have said they have no evidence of foul play, but they also don’t have conclusive evidence that Patrick’s movements on December 5 were voluntary.
“We have scoured, searched and looked at everything we could possibly look at – all the exits, all the businesses, all the hotels,” Strong said late last year. “We posted fliers; we talked to neighbors (who live near the highway). We did a full-blown, on-the-ground search in the wooded area north of where the car was.”
Carl Clatterback, a private investigator hired by Patrick’s family, told CNN that investigators are looking into the videos. A central question: Who was Patrick talking to in the videos and does that person know anything about what happened to her?
CNN’s Tiffany Campbell and Julia Lull contributed to this report.

It’s amazing that Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama and Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama were not included in this list

This month the U.S. News & World Report released its 2014 edition of the Best Colleges Report. Included are several ranking lists. Among them is the HBCU rankings. It is important to note that a total of 70 of the 105+ HBCUs are ranked on this list. According to the publication’s ranking methodology, there are a total of 81 eligible HBCUs and of them — 11 HBCUs were unranked. Visit the US News and World Report’s HBCURankings Methodology for more details.
The ranking data includes tuition, enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and college admission test scores. The HBCU rankings list does not reflect the opinions or views of HBCU Lifestyle. Students interested in attending HBCUs should consult with parents, guidance counselors, teachers, and mentors to help in selecting the HBCU that is the right fit for them. Start by visiting the prospective university with family or registering for an HBCU College Tour.
HBCU Rankings 2014:
RANK                                                    UNIVERSITY                                              LOCATION
1                                                                  Spelman College                                     Atlanta, GA
2                                                              Morehouse College                                    Atlanta, GA
3                                                             Howard University                                     Washington, DC
4                                                             Fisk University                                            Nashville, TN
5                                                        Tuskegee University                                        Tuskegee, AL
5                                                     Xavier University of Louisiana                         New Orleans, LA
7                                                         Claflin University                                            Orangeburg, SC
8                                        North Carolina A&T State University                          Greensboro, NC
9                                                  Clark Atlanta University                                       Atlanta, GA
9                                               Delaware State University                                       Dover, DE
9                                                Florida A&M University                                         Tallahassee, FL
12                                                   Dillard University                                               New Orleans, LA
12                                              North Carolina Central University                       Durham, NC
14                                         Johnson C. Smith University                                      Charlotte, NC
14                                          Tennessee State University                                        Nashville, TN
14                                               Tougaloo College                                                     Tougaloo, MS
17                                     Winston- Salem State University                                   Winston-Salem, NC
18                                      Elizabeth City State University                                      Elizabeth City, NC
18                                         Morgan State University                                              Baltimore, MD
20                                       Alabama A&M University                                             Normal, AL
20                                            Lincoln University                                                     Lincoln University, PA
22                                             Bennett College                                                          Greensboro, NC
23                                        Oakwood University                                                      Huntsville, AL
24                                        South Carolina State University                                  Orangeburg, SC
25                                         Bowie State University                                                 Bowie, MD
25                                      Fayetteville State University                                          Fayetteville, NC
25                                        Jackson State University                                              Jackson, MS
25                                      Kentucky State University                                             Frankfort, KY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Bill Haslam, the 49th Governor of the State of Tennessee, will deliver the keynote address during Tennessee State University’s spring commencement exercise on Saturday, May 10.
The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. in Hale Stadium, with the Gentry Center serving as an alternate location in case of inclement weather. This is the second year the ceremony has taken place at the newly renovated stadium with more than 1,000 candidates expected to receive diplomas.
According to TSU President Glenda Glover, Gov. Haslam has been a steadfast supporter and welcome friend of the University, as well as higher education.
“Our graduating students will be very fortunate to have the opportunity to hear him speak about his experience and can benefit from his advice,” said Dr. Glover. “His successes in both the private sector and the political arena will be invaluable to the Class of 2014 as they prepare for the next chapter in their lives. We are honored to welcome the governor to our campus.”
Born and raised in Knoxville, Tenn., Haslam began serving his current term as governor on Jan. 15, 2011. A graduate of Emory University, he began his career in business, joining his father managing a small chain of gas stations. He later rose to the rank of President of Pilot Corporation, one of the fastest growing independent energy logistics companies in North America, now employing more than 24,000 people at over 650 retail locations.
In 2003, he entered into a career of politics at the urging of friends, and successfully ran for Mayor of Knoxville. Haslam served two terms from 2003 until 2011. In January 2009 he declared his candidacy for Governor. He was elected November 2, 2010, with 65 percent of the vote – winning 90 of 95 counties and securing the largest victory of any non-incumbent gubernatorial candidate in the state’s history.
Having celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary in 2013, Haslam and his wife, Crissy, have three children, a daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law and a new grandson.

For more information about commencement, visit tnstate.edu/records/commencement.

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (AL-7) sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder requesting that the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate potential voting rights infringements in Greene County in light of the March 31 raid of four bingo halls.

In her letter, Congresswoman Sewell renewed her appeal to DOJ requesting a reexamination of the potential voting rights violations citing that “the people of Greene County have been repeatedly targeted by the State in politically motivated raids in violation of their constitutional rights.”  Sewell argued that “the issue is that the citizens of Greene County in 2003 overwhelmingly voted in favor of state constitutional amendment 743 to authorize electronic bingo and through a series of Alabama Supreme Court cases the rights of the citizens of Greene County have been systematically nullified.”

Sewell issued the following statement in response to the March 31 raids of four bingo halls in Greene County:

“It is unfortunate that the State of Alabama continues to ignore state constitutional amendment 743 that was overwhelmingly passed in 2003 by the citizens of Greene County to allow the usage of electronic bingo.  It is equally disturbing that the type of machines and manner in which they are being used has not been found to be unlawful,” said Rep. Sewell. “The four Greene County bingo halls involved in raids have been a critical source of economic development and job creation for the 7th Congressional District.  Greene County’s unemployment rate has decreased by more than 7.3 percent since 2010, the largest decrease seen in the 7th District. The closing of these bingo halls serves as a tremendous threat to current and future employment resulting in the loss of more than 1,000 jobs county-wide.  This is why I renew my commitment to working with my constituents to urge the Justice Department to investigate potential voting rights infringements and to get the more than 1,000 people affected by these raids back to work.”

Below and attached is a copy of the letter dated April 4, 2014 sent by Congresswoman Sewell to Attorney General Eric Holder.

###

Attorney General Holder:

In light of the recent March 31 raids of four bingo halls in Greene County, Alabama, I am writing to renew my appeal dated June 21, 2011 requesting that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate potential voting rights infringements carried out by the State of Alabama. As you will recall, the issue is that the citizens of Greene County in 2003 overwhelmingly voted in favor of state constitutional amendment 743 to authorize electronic bingo in the County. Through a series of Alabama Supreme Court cases the rights of the citizens of Greene County have been systematically nullified.  While the DOJ did not find cause to intervene after the June 2011 raids, I believe the recent raids warrant a reexamination by the Department of Justice.  The people of Greene County have been repeatedly targeted by the State in politically motivated raids in violation of their constitutional rights.

On Monday, March 31, 2014, Alabama State Troopers under orders of Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange raided four bingo halls in Greene County, Alabama resulting in the loss of more than 1,000 jobs county-wide. Since the raids of two Greene County bingo halls in June 2011, owners of the facilities have been compliant with state law by purchasing and installing lawful bingo machines. As representative of Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, I share the concerns of the citizens of Greene County that the raids are politically motivated and that the voting rights of the people of Greene County have been systematically ignored by the State of Alabama.

On behalf of the citizens of Greene County, Alabama, I am writing to renew my request that the US Department of Justice reexamine potential voting rights infringements in Greene County. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and I look forward to your response. Should you have any questions, please contact my office at 202.225.2665.

Sincerely,

Terri A. Sewell
Member of Congress

Associated Press

WASHINGTON –  An Idaho man who pleaded guilty to firing an assault rifle at the White House in 2011 has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
A federal judge in Washington sentenced Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez on Monday.
Prosecutors had asked he spend 27 ½ years in prison for the shooting. No one was injured, but prosecutors say Ortega-Hernandez hit the executive mansion about eight times and did nearly $100,000 in damage.
Ortega-Hernandez’s lawyers argued he was suffering from extreme depression and mental stress at the time of the shooting and was under the misguided belief that Armageddon was coming. They asked for a 10-year sentence.
Prosecutors initially charged Ortega-Hernandez with attempting to assassinate President Barack Obama but agreed to drop the charge as part of a plea deal last year.

ATLANTA (AP) — Hank Aaron was more relieved than jubilant after he broke Babe Ruth’s home-run record on April 8, 1974.
The 40-year anniversary of his 715th homer provides a different perspective.
Aaron’s record-breaking homer will be celebrated on Tuesday night before the Atlanta Braves’ home opener against the New York Mets.
Hate mail and threats made it impossible for him to savor the chase of Ruth’s revered record, but on Monday he said he’ll enjoy the anniversary because such old friends as former teammate Dusty Baker will return for the pregame ceremony.
“I guess that’s just about what it’s all about, really,” Aaron said in a telephone interview. “That’s it. The moment itself has passed. The home run was hit and whatever else. It’s just enjoying some moments with friends.”
Aaron, 80, said he has a greater appreciation for fans who still celebrate his career.
“It does. It means an awful lot to me,” Aaron said.
“I’m not one to go around bragging about certain things. I played the game because I loved the game. … I am quite thrilled that people say that he, whatever he did, should be appreciated. That makes me feel good.”
Aaron said he is pleased with his recovery from partial left hip-replacement surgery in February. He hurt his hip when he slipped on ice and said he’s still in rehab, but can walk.
“I think I am doing just about as well as I can be,” Aaron said. “I tell everybody it’s an 80-year-old leg and it’s just going to take time before it gets well. I told my wife I promised I was not out there doing an ice dance or anything like that.”
The Braves will wear an Aaron 40th anniversary patch on their uniform sleeves this season. An outfield sign at Turner Field also will mark the anniversary.
Baker had the best seat in old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium — the on-deck circle — as Aaron launched the landmark homer against the Dodgers’ Al Downing. For Baker, it was like watching an older brother or even a father figure make history.
“People ask me, ‘What was the highlight of your career?’ That was it,” Baker told The Associated Press.
Baker said Aaron watched over him and another young outfielder, Ralph Garr.
“Hank told my mom he would take care of me like I was his son,” Baker said. “He would make us eat breakfast.
“He was our defender. If you were wrong, he would tell you. If you had a legitimate beef, he would back you. Ralph and I were with him every day. Half of what I got about taking care of players came from how Hank took care of us.”
Aaron finished his career with 755 homers, a mark topped by Barry Bonds’ 762. Bonds’ career was tarnished by steroids allegations.
 Aaron was efficient as he put the record chase behind him at the start of the 1974 season. He tied Ruth’s record with his first swing of the season at Cincinnati, against Jack Billingham. Four days later, he set the record with his first swing of the year at home.
Before hitting the homer into the Braves’ bullpen beyond the left-field wall, Aaron told Baker what was about to happen.
“That I can remember like it was yesterday,” Baker said. “It was a cold, cold night in April. Hank told me, ‘I’m going to get this over with now.’ He knew every pitch that was coming. He had total recall of pitch sequences. He was as smart as they came.”
Aaron confirmed Baker’s tale on Monday: “I think that was right. I think I made that remark and made it to Dusty maybe three or four times. I just felt within myself that eventually before the night was over I was going to hit a home run.”
The homer was a defining moment for such young kids as Terry Pendleton, who was 13 and dreaming of playing in the major leagues.
Like other fans across the country, Pendleton rushed to his TV to watch every at-bat as NBC broke into its normal prime-time programming to follow the home-run chase.
“I still feel so fortunate to have seen it on TV,” said Pendleton, the Braves’ first-base coach and the NL MVP with Atlanta in 1991. “What a thrill and it meant so much to Black kids like me hoping to play baseball. I still am amazed every time I get to talk to Hank. … I don’t think players today understand what he went through and what it all meant to people back then.”
For Aaron, the home-run record was not his greatest achievement. He takes the most pride in holding the record with 2,297 RBIs and never having 100 strikeouts in a season.
“There was absolutely no time that anybody could say, ‘well he hit a lot of home runs but he struck out a lot of times,’” Aaron said. “That was not to be. That was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, to go to the plate and strike out once or twice and not be able to make contact.”
Aaron joked he long ago learned he no longer can swing a bat or throw a ball very far. But he said he’ll cherish the memories with friends during the anniversary celebration.
“I’m going to enjoy myself as much as I can,” he said.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A Tennessee State University expert on higher education online training and consulting has returned from Europe where she participated in two mobile-learning conferences sponsored by the United Nations.
Dr. Nicole M. Kendall, an associate professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, took part in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Mobile Learning Week in Paris Feb. 16-21, where participants explored how mobile technologies can meet the needs of educators and help them improve their effectiveness.
Under the theme, “Empowering teachers with technology,” the UNESCO Mobile Learning Week, called MLW 2014, considered the benefits and challenges associated with mobile learning, such as ensuring equity of device, online safety, limited mobile – friendly content, and the need for teacher training.
Kendall said the conferences provided a positive spotlight on the global desire to implement what she called m-learning initiatives.
“The U.S. is at an advantage (in m-learning) in that its application of mobile learning is beyond cellular devices and includes tablets, gadgets, and intricate standards to support teaching and curriculum development,” she said. “It (the conference) further positions higher education institutions to model m-learning measures that would attract international and millennial students.”
Following her weeklong stay in Paris, Kendall went onto to Madrid, Spain from Feb. 28 – March 2, for UNESCO’s Mobile Learning 2014 International Conference, where she joined other participants in discussions on how to develop mobile learning research that illustrates developments in the field.
Kendall, a former online mentor and instructor for the Tennessee Board of Regents Online Degree Program, described the Madrid conference as “research-centered on the impact of mobile learning” on teaching and learning.
“It is refreshing to see aspects of legal, culturally social and, instructional commonalities that countries are facing with the use of mobile learning,” Kendall said, adding, “It supports the need for a strategic plan at all levels so that student retention and instructional effectiveness is not compromised.”
Dr. Kendall, who returned home recently, also serves as a senior member of the National Education Association’s Content Quality and Review Board, which recommends online professional development courses to the NEA Academy.