by Janel Martinez

April 7, 2011

In the News: Government Shutdown Fears; NYC Names New NYC Schools Chancellor; NBA Star Carmelo Anthony Inks Deal with JPC

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• Possible Government Shutdown Approaches

Little progress was made after the White House emergency budget meeting last night. Majority Leader and Senator of Nevada Harry Reid said Thursday he was not optimistic about avoiding a Saturday shutdown, The New York Times reported. If the GOP and Democrats don’t come to a resolution before the clock strikes midnight Friday, it will be lights out on Capitol Hill.

The potential government shutdown stems from the Republicans and Democrats battle over Washington’s role in the U.S. economy, more specifically spending issues on abortion, health care and the environment.

The hostility was evident at Tuesday’s White House meeting, and again on Capitol Hill, as House Speaker John Boehner and Reid exchanged words over short-term and long-term government funding plans.

• Deputy Mayor Walcott Named New NYC Schools Chancellor

Cathleen Black‘s three-month tenure as New York City Chancellor came to a halt today when the former Hearst Magazines executive stepped down, upon Mayor Michael Bloomberg‘s request. Mr. Bloomberg announced at the news conference Black will be replaced by Deputy Mayor Dennis M. Walcott.

“For the past nine years, Dennis has been a key part of all our education reform issues,” Bloomberg said. “He has been involved in our schools at every level, as a student, as a teacher, as a parent and a deputy mayor.”

Walcott describes the opportunity as a blessing. “To me, the great equalizer in society is ensuring that every child receives a quality education, especially a quality education.”

• Donna Brazile Steps In As Interim DNC Chair

Former Clinton administration adviser Donna Brazile will serves as interim chairwoman for the Democratic National Committee until Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida is officially elected to the position, according to Politico.com.

Brazile, whose term is set at two weeks, is filling in the gap in leadership left by Tim Kaine who is running for Senate in Virginia.

• Opposition Forces Storm Presidential Residence in the Ivory Coast

Forces aligned with Ivory Coast’s elected President Alassane Ouattara stormed the residence of his rival, Laurent Gbagdo, on Wednesday, according to a spokesman for Ouattara–the official winner of last year’s presidential elections. While he remains in a bunker within his home, French forces rescued the Japanese ambassador, whose residence is in close proximity to Gbagdo’s compound.

The motive for the attack was “to seize Gbagdo physically and, if he is alive, to bring him to justice,” said spokesman Apollinaire Yapi, according to The Times. The onslaught comes after Gbagdo refused French and United Nations appeals to leave.

Japan and the U.N. called for the French to intervene, rescuing the Japanese ambassador and seven others, Wednesday night.

The Nov. 28 presidential election sparked the country’s second civil war in a decade.

• CDC Confirms Japanese Radiation Scare is at Bay

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Thomas Frieden confirmed Tuesday that the small amounts of radiation detected stateside does not pose a risk to Americans.

Friedman ensures that agencies such as U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, including the CDC, are all actively monitoring the air, food and the water supplies in the U.S. for any traces of contamination.

“We do not expect radiation to reach problematic levels,” said the CDC director on a conference call with reporters.

• Health Magazine Lists Top 10 Most Depressing Careers

The day-to-day stress factors at one’s job can get a little out of hand (at times), but are some careers just down-right depressing?

According to Health magazine, which ranked the top 10 (out of 21 major job categories) depressing jobs, full-time workers are most likely to report a depression-linked episode in a given year, there are. The glossy’s list includes: nursing home/child-care workers; food service staff; social workers; health-care workers; artists, entertainers, writers; teachers; administrative support staff; maintenance and ground workers; financial advisors and accountants, and salespeople.

• NBA Star Carmelo Anthony Inks Deal with JPC

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony signed a multiyear deal as the corporate spokesperson for ethnic hair care pioneer Johnson Products Company, promoting the company’s Ultra Sheen Men line.

The deal with Carmelo will feature the athlete in marketing, community outreach programs, advertising and promotional campaigns, as well as personal appearances for the brand.

“I am very excited about joining the team at Johnson Products Company. I have fond memories of Ultra Sheen products from my childhood days and they have such a long-standing and rich reputation that it was very easy for me to agree to be a part of this new effort,” said Anthony, in a press report. “Being a part of the Ultra Sheen Men launch and influencing young men to ‘Step Up Their Game’ in every aspect of their lives is truly what I am all about.”