The world renown Dance Theatre of Harlem will bring its spectacular talent to Fresno's Saroyan Theatre 7:30 p.m., Friday, February 5th. Aenchanting, family-friendly production.
Haitian leaders estimated Wednesday that tens of thousands of people have died in the aftermath of the earthquake that throttled this impoverished Caribbean nation.
Ever since President Barack Obama was sworn into office as the 44th President of the United States of America, the Republican right-wing conservatives have vowed to "take their county back."
Fresno 2010 MLK Celebrations
In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday as a national day of service.
The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed in 1986. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.
After King's death, United States Representative John Conyers (D-Michigan) introduced a bill in Congress to make King's birthday a national holiday. The bill first came to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979. However, it fell five votes short of the number needed for passage. Soon after, The King Center turned to support from the corporate community and the general public. The success of this strategy was cemented when musician Stevie Wonder released the single "Happy Birthday" to popularize the campaign in 1980 and hosted the Rally for Peace Press Conference in 1981. Six million signatures were collected for a petition to Congress to pass the law, termed by a 2006 article in The Nation as "the largest petition in favor of an issue in U.S. history."
Click on the link below to download this complete issue containing a summary of MLK events occuring throughout the week.
U.S. officials are laying out a massive military response to the Haiti earthquake, saying Wednesday that ships, helicopters, transport planes and a 2,000-member Marine unit were either on the way or likely to begin moving soon.
One of the U.S. Navy's large amphibious ships, the USS Bataan, was ordered to Haiti with a Marine expeditionary unit aboard. The ship is one of more than a half dozen, including frigates, a destroyer and a guided missile cruiser, being sent to the Caribbean nation.
Gen. Douglas Fraser, the head of U.S. Southern Command, said at a news conference that other U.S. military forces are on alert, including a brigade, which includes about 3,500 troops. He said the Pentagon is "seriously looking at" sending thousands of Marines to assist with disaster relief efforts and security in Haiti.
The dispatched troops would aim to keep the peace in the event of post-disaster unrest as part of a larger international effort overseen by the United Nations, whose peacekeeping operation headquarters was destroyed in the quake. About 100 U.N. personnel are believed to be trapped in the ruins.
President Obama promised Wednesday to mount an all-out rescue and humanitarian effort to help the people of Haiti overcome a "cruel and incomprehensible" tragedy." He said the U.S. government is working to account for Americans who were on the island nation when the disaster struck Tuesday.
Mr. Obama sought to show a swift and united disaster response with the United States as an assertive leader, but he said the effort must be an international one.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton cut short a trip to the Asia-Pacific region to oversee U.S. relief efforts.
How You Can Help
Financial gifts may be made to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other means to help those in need. Donations to the International Response Fund can be sent to American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013, or made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or online at www.redcross.org.
The Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina recommends that donations be made to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund through www.er-d.org, by calling (800) 334-7626, ext. 5129, or by mail to Episcopal Relief & Development, P.O. Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. Write "Haiti Fund" in the memo line of all checks. More information about the diocese's relief efforts in Haiti can be found at www.edusc.org/Cange.
TrueNorth Church in North Augusta partners with www.watermissions.org, which works to provide clear water in Haiti. Donations are accepted online.
Catholic Relief Services is readying food and other aid to help families in Haiti. To help with relief efforts, donate via phone at 1-877-HELP-CRS or text RELIEF to 30644, online at www.crs.org, or by check with the memo line "Haiti Earthquake" to Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief, which has had a long-standing relationship with Haiti through the Methodist Church of Haiti, is accepting donations at gbgm-umc.org/umcor.
World Reaches Out to Haiti
The U.N. is releasing $10 million from its emergency funds and the European Commission has approved $4.37 million for humanitarian aid. Here is a selection of other efforts:
Britain: Search-and-rescue firefighters, dogs and 10 tons of equipment
Canada: A military team to assess needed household goods, tents and sanitation packages
China: $1 million
France: Doctors, food, medical equipment, rubble clearing specialists and sniffer dogs
Germany: Rescue team, $2.17 million
Iceland: 37 search-and-rescue specialists
Ireland: Telecommunications company donates $5 million to help repair phone network
Israel: Elite Army rescue unit of engineers, rescue workers, doctors and medics
Mexico: Will send doctors, search-and-rescue dogs and infrastructure damage experts
Netherlands: Rescue team, $2.91 million
Spain: 100 tons of relief equipment, $4.37 million
Taiwan: Rescue team, 2 tons of relief aid and equipment