Long Beach Polytechnic High School

Apr 3 2013

Signs with Atlanta Falcons

LONG BEACH, Calif. — A former Long Beach high school football star who spent more than five years behind bars for rape but was exonerated after his accuser recanted her story came closer to his dream of playing in the National Football League today when he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons.

Brian Banks, 27, gushed thanks on his Twitter page to the team’s management and players, saying, “Thank you for accepting me into the family.”

Sep 28 2011

Suspicion of felony battery

ENCINO, Calif.—Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley was free on $30,000 bail today after being arrested in Encino on suspicion of felony battery.

Bradley, 33, was booked at the Van Nuys jail following his arrest about 2 p.m. Tuesday, according to sheriff’s department records. He was released on bail about eight hours later, and was tentatively scheduled to appear in court in Van Nuys on Oct. 18.

Jan 19 2011

Suspicion of making terrorist threats

ENCINO, Calif.—Seattle Mariner outfielder Milton Bradley was arrested on suspicion of making terrorist threats today after a woman called the Los Angeles Police Department's West Valley Station.

Officers went to Bradley's home in the 5300 block of Oak Park Avenue at 10:40 a.m. and arrested him, said Officer Gregory Baek.

Seven hours later, Bradley's $50,000 bail was posted and he was released from custody, Baek said.

Dec 1 2010

'Tweeting' contest

LONG BEACH, Calif.—A Long Beach Polytechnic High School student won a $20,000 scholarship with 140 keystrokes in a KFC "tweeting'' contest.

Amanda Russell's winning tweet was: "Hey Colonel! Your scholarship's the secret ingredient missing from my recipe for success! Got the grades, drive, just need cash!''

The 17-year-old started a Twitter account just to enter the contest and bested more than 2,800 other applicants.

"I am so excited. I just can't believe it,'' she said.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.