Eddie Long’s New Birth Christian Academy Closes
Bishop Eddie Long’s New Birth Christian Academy is closing its doors after 18 years in operation. The private school’s 200 students learned about the school closing in a letter sent home to their parents and signed by Carlton Donald, the board’s vice-chair.
“We have operated New Birth Christian Academy for several years with substantial deficits in hopes that the national economic climate would change, however, that change never materialized,” read the letter. A few years ago the academy boasted of having one teacher for every eight students.
The school’s tuition ranged from $5,253 for New Birth members to $6,198 for non-members, according to the Atlanta Journal.
The school’s closing is just another step toward the dismantling of Eddie Long’s church empire in Atlanta. The church has laid off staff after losing hundreds of members since Long settled a sexual coercion case filed against him by four former New Birth members who were heterosexual and gay.
Additionally, Bernice King, daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, stepped down as a church elder in May. And 10 former parishioners filed a $1 million lawsuit against Long and the church alleging they lost their life savings in an investment scam.
Long, who temporally stepped down as the church’s senior pastor this month, reportedly used the school as a hunting ground for young males to satisfy his sexual appetite. In court documents, Long was accused of coercing the young men with Bible passages and plying at least two of the boys with cash, trips, gifts and cars to loosen their sexual inhibitions.
Earlier this month, the embattled preacher’s long-suffering wife, Vanessa, announced she was filing for divorce.
Braylon Edwards Gives $10,000 Each to 79 College Students
In 2005, Cleveland Browns rookie Braylon Edwards made a promise to 100 eighth graders — a promise that he would keep 6 years later.
Edwards announced that he’d give $10,000 in scholarships to 100 area eighth-graders if they could graduate high school with at least a 2.5 grade-point average and 15 hours’ community service.
According to the LA Times, 79 of those students met the criteria and began their first year of college in campuses all across the country, including Harvard.
“Without this scholarship, I probably wouldn’t be here,” Bowling Green freshman David Gholston told ESPN’s Rick Reilly.
Now, most people would think writing $790,000 in checks would be enough, but Edwards went one step further. In addition to the $10,000, he provided each of the students with a laptop computer.
“I’m supposed to give people a chance like I was given a chance,” Edwards said.
But that’s not the only amazing part of the season. Edwards is now a member of the San Francisco 49ers. His salary for this season? $1 million. In other words, he has donated almost his entire salary this season to help those 79 kids. Source
Violence Everywhere As Fans Line Up for the New Air Jordans
Thousands of frenzied shoe enthusiasts battled it out in long lines all over the country as they wait to be among the first to buy the new retro Air Jordans X1s. They couldn’t wait a few days when the supplies are replenished because they lack self esteem and they need the hideous shoes to impress their friends and boost their own egos. How pathetic.
There are reports of pepper spraying and fisticuffs as lines queued up for hours, and some for days. According to celebrity gossip blog TMZ.com, from Baltimore to Washington to Atlanta, people waiting in lines for the new Nike Air Jordan shoe are getting CRAZY violent — except at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles.
TMZ spoke with several people at the Bev Center who have been waiting in line for hours … and some for days … and they all seem to say the same thing — it’s been cold, but everyone has been extremely cordial.
It seems to be a sharp contrast from other shoe lines across the country — so far, there have been reports of pepper spraying at a mall in Washington, a brawl in Kentucky and girl fights in North Carolina. Source
The shoes have been re-released numerous times over the years. The $180 shoes quickly sold out after midnight today, and are currently selling on eBay for $400.
T.I. – F*ck Da City Up Mixtape Trailer
Yesterday, T.I. released this trailer for his much-anticipated mixtape titlted F*ck Da City Up. The mixtape drops at midnight on T.I.’s official website, Trapmuzik.com, and on Twitter.com.
I’ve never heard of a trailer for a mixtape, but we’re talking about the innovator, T.I., who sets the standard for these other lessors to try and catch up.
Since it’s so close to Christmas — and I did promise one more giveaway this year — I’ve decided to give away 1 $500 Saks Fifth Avenue gift card to each of the first 2 readers who correctly answers the following 2 questions (you can answer one or both questions).
You must be a registered member of Sandrarose.com blog to enter. The gift cards cannot be redeemed for cash or additonal gift cards. Saks gift cards are good for purchases made at Saks Fifth Avenue stores, OFF 5TH stores or online at Saks.com.
1. What timepiece is T.I. wearing in the pic below.
2. Why do ballers love wearing this particular watch?
Floyd “Money” Mayweather gets 90 days in prison
Floyd Mayweather loves to brag about his unlimited supply of cash and his million-dollar collection of flashy jewelry and timepieces. But the boxing champ won’t be able to take any of that with him where he’s going.
Yesterday a judge sentenced Mayweather to 90 days in jail for beating down his baby mama in front of their kids in September 2010. Mayweather, who thought he was untouchable until yesterday, will be given credit for 3 days served, but he will have to do 87 days of hard time behind bars.
When the judge announced Mayweather’s sentence, his knees buckled and his eyes blinked rapidly as if he was fighting back tears. He turned and looked at his high-priced attorneys who can’t save him. Celebrity gossip blog TMZ.com reports that Mayweather was sentenced to 6 months in jail, but 3 months of that sentence was suspended.
The judge was especially perturbed that the cowardly Mayweather threatened to beat his children who begged him to leave their mother alone.
The judge also ordered Mayweather to pay a $2,500 fine, complete 100 hours of community service and enroll in a 12-month domestic violence program.
Floyd has until January 6 to turn himself in to prison — where Bubba awaits.
Take a peek at some of Mayweather’s ostentatious bejeweled watch collection after the break.
Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife conned out of $7 million by a former lover
Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife, Nicole Murphy, is a the victim of a suave con artist who walked away with a cool $7 million — half of Nicole’s settlement in her divorce from Murphy. According to published reports, Troy David Stratos, was arrested early Tuesday in Southern California and charged with 11 counts of wire and mail fraud, two counts of money laundering and one count of obstruction of justice.
Stratos, who changed his name from Stafford, is reportedly one of Nicole’s old high school boyfriends. That explains why she put so much trust in him.
The indictment claims Stratos persuaded Nicole to invest the proceeds of her big-money divorce overseas, where she would earn a higher rate of return. He also convinced Nicole to put her Granite Bay, CA house up for sale. Stratos told her he had wealthy Middle Eastern royal families who were interested in buying the house.
He talked her into leasing luxury Rolls-Royce and BMW automobiles to make the property look more attractive. Stratos told Nicole, who wasn’t named in the indictment, that he would include the cars with the sale of the house as a package deal.
But investigators say there were no Middle Eastern investors, and the con artist never put the house up for sale. Instead, Stratos secretly moved into the house and drove the luxury cars as if they were his.
Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, said Stratos has agreed to be returned to Sacramento to face the charges. He is currently being held without bond pending a bail hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
Vanessa Bryant’s ex-stepdad: ‘Vanessa is just like her gold digging mom’
Kobe Bryant’s soon-to-be ex-wife, Vanessa, is a chip off the old block, according to her ex-stepfather who is spilling her tea to the media.
Celebrity blog TMZ.com spoke with Vanessa’s ex-stepfather, Stephen Laine, an inventory manager for a food company who was married to Vanessa’s mother from 1990 to 2003. Laine helped raise Vanessa from a child to a teen — she met Kobe when she was barely 17.
Laine tells TMZ.com: “Her mother taught her well to wait for the ten-year mark [before divorcing].”
He explains, “In California, it’s considered a long term marriage and then she gets paid for life or until she remarries — just like her mother is doing to me.”
Laine gripes about paying Vanessa’s mom $1,800 in spousal support every month “and clearly they don’t need it.” He said Vanessa’s mom lives like a true baller, free and clear, in one of Kobe’s mansions, courtesy of Vanessa.
“I have a six-year-old daughter and that money could be used toward her college fund or something,” says Laine. “You’d think she’d care. But no, she’s spiteful.”
Bryant, meanwhile, is being hotly pursued by every shameless gold digger on the west coast, including actress Sanaa Lathan. The 5-time NBA champ, who is nearing the end of a brilliant NBA career, will no doubt fall victim to another LSLH gold digger who will eventually clean out his bank accounts and leave him a lonely, broken man in his 40s.
