Pendergrass Dead at 59
Last night, Teddy Pendergrass died at the age of 59 from complications of colon cancer surgery. Many will never forget the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter's hits, which included the classics 'Turn Off the Lights' and 'Love TKO.' When he became a quadriplegic after a car accident in 1982, Pendergrass devoted his life to trying to help others with spinal cord injuries. May Pendergrass rest in peace. [Black Voices]

Many Still Holding Their Breaths to Hear from Loved Ones After Earthquake
In America, many Haitians are still waiting to hear from loved ones who have been affected by the earthquake that ravaged Haiti on Tuesday. With communication lines still down, many have not been able to determine if fathers, mothers, siblings and extended family are indeed alive. [AP]

Obama Pushes to Get Health Care Bill Passed
Today, President Barack Obama will go to Capitol Hill to persuade House and Senate Democrats to bring the health care reform bill home for the team. There are major issues delaying the passing of the bill: liberals are unhappy about dropping the government-run option and conceding to taxes on high-cost health insurance plans. [Newsday]

Safety Chairman Tells Parents to Avoid Cheap Jewelry
Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum warned parents against buying cheap jewelry for their children on Wednesday. This jewelry could very well contain lead, or even worse, cadmium. This warning follows a report released on Sunday indicating that most imported Chinese jewelry contains the highly toxic cadmium, spurring stores such as Wal-Mart to immediately take the suspected merchandise from their shelves. [Yahoo News]

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