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Why Black Players Are Deserting Baseball

With ticket sales and attendance at an all-time high, Major League Baseball (MLB) has never been so popular. Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, who played in 12 All-Star games, won seven Gold Glove titles and helped power the Toronto Blue Jays to a World Series win during his 22-year career, is at a crossroads with the game he loves so much. Winfield is concerned that baseball has lost its appeal among blacks both on and off the field. In his new book, Dropping the Ball: Baseball's Troubles and How We Can and Must Solve Them, Winfield blames blacks' fading interest in baseball on economic and cultural factors. He also says if the problem isn't addressed, soon there will be no black players in the big leagues. Read more.

FDNY Sued Over Hiring Practices

Just when the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) was trying to improve its hiring practices, it has come under fire in a lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) for unfair hiring practices among blacks and Latinos. The DoJ maintains that the FDNY administers tests that do not accurately determine whether an applicant will be able to perform as a firefighter and disproportionately screens out large numbers of qualified black and Latino applicants, which may explain why, statistically, this group fails the exam at much higher rates. Compared with Los Angeles and Philadelphia fire departments, who are more than 40 percent black and Latino, only 8 percent of the FDNY's 11,000 firefighters are black and Latino. Read more.

Married in Mass.? N.Y. Same-Sex Couples Get Legal Status

Some same-sex couples in New York can finally rest easy knowing they are eligible for spousal insurance coverage. A groundbreaking court ruling in Boston has found that any same-sex marriage that took place in Massachusetts, the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, from May 2004 to July 2006 is a legally recognized marriage in the state of New York. Even though it may seem like a victory for some, questions remain about the extent of the benefits and protections, including health insurance, pensions and property. It's estimated that nearly 200 couples are affected by the ruling; however, the number is likely to be higher. Read more.

Imus Producer Dropped Again

Don Imus' former executive producer is still unemployed. Bernard McGuirk, the now infamous Imus sidekick responsible for calling the Rutgers University women's basketball team "hardcore ho's," was dropped from WRKO's list of guest co-hosts. The radio station decided to cancel McGuirk's appearance because of several criticisms. George Regan, a spokesperson for Entercom Communications, the parent company of WRKO, said, "After careful deliberation, [WRKO] decided that it would not be appropriate for Bernie to be a co-host at WRKO at this time." Read more.

Michelle Obama Says She's a Wife First

What's the priority with Michelle Obama? (See also: Who Is Michelle Obama?) Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's wife, according to a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune, said contrary to what people may think, she is not her husband's closest adviser. A Harvard-trained lawyer like her husband, she says her main role in her husband's presidential campaign is offering the public a personal view of her husband. "I'm really trying to make sure people understand who Barack is from the person who knows him best, giving people a sense of who we are," she said. While Sen. Obama tours the country, his wife tours with a residential program for women being treated for substance abuse, reports The Chicago Tribune.

Immigration Bill Stalls

Despite a fierce debate, Senate leaders have agreed to postpone any final decision on a bipartisan plan to give millions of undocumented workers legal status until after the Memorial Day recess. In the meantime, supporters and opponents of the looming immigration bill are concerned about how the new law ultimately would affect business protocol. Some major corporate worries include how the temporary-worker and employer-verification programs would be implemented. Businesses are also concerned about the temporary-worker program's requirement that participants return home for one year between two-year terms. Read more.

Mortgage Lenders Sued for Discriminatory Practices

A major consumer group has filed a lawsuit against a mortgage lending company for refusing to write loans on central city row houses, which violates fair-housing rules. The lawsuit, filed by National Community Reinvestment Coalition against NovaStar Mortgage in Washington, D.C., is charging that NovaStar has repeatedly violated the Fair Housing Act by refusing to write loans on row houses in downtown Baltimore on homes located on Native American reservations anywhere in the country that may be used to shelter and care for adults with disabilities. The coalition contests that such bans illegally discriminate against blacks, Latinos, Native Americans and people with disabilities. Richard Johnson, a spokesperson for NovaStar, described the charges as "baseless" according to Los Angeles Times.

Parents of Children With Disabilities Win Ruling

The Supreme Court has ruled that parents of children with disabilities are not required to hire lawyers to sue school districts as a means to ensure that their children's special needs are sufficiently met. The court voted in favor of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees children a "free appropriate public education," which also gives rights to the parents of children with disabilities. According to the ruling, parents are allowed to represent themselves in federal court when disputes arise between them and a school district over what is best for the child. Read more.

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