Page 11
November 2007
The AC Phoenix
AC PHOENIX
NEWS BRIEFS
Obesity rates skyrocket
Last year in 31 states, obesity rates continued to rise with no sign of de
cline. Mississippi was the first state to cross the 30 percent barrier for adults
categorized as obese. According to a research report by the Trust for Amer
ica’s Health, a research group that specializes in disease prevention, Alabama
and West Virginia states were trailing behind. The leanest state in the nation
was Colorado with an obesity rate of 17.6 percent.
According to health officials, the recent statistics reveal that the nation is
facing a public health crisis. “Unfortunately, we’re treating it like a mere in-
eonvenience instead of the emergency that it is,” said Dr. James Marks, senior
vice president at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropy de
voted to improving health care.
SAT scores dropping
The College Board recently reported that the Class of 2007 averaged the
lowest math and reading scores since 1999. Out of approximately 800 points,
last spring’s high school seniors had an average score of 502 on the critical
reading section. The math scores took a three-point dive from an average score
of518to515.
Latinos and Blacks have lagged behind producing a continuous gap be
tween SAT scores registered by White students.
There was a 6 percent increase in the number of Black students taking the
ACT, while students identified as “Other Hispanic, Latino, or Mexican Ameri
cans or Puerto Ricans) rose more than 25 percent.
National Black Pages extends reach
BlackFind, Inc. has produced its first historic National Black Pages Direc
tory. BlackFind.com, an internet search engine online sinee 2001, has part
nered with Black Pages, Inc. to produce the first national Black Pages direc
tory of this magnitude. According to Aaron Rollins, founder of BlackFind,
Inc., the Black Pages directories have been produced in over 61 markets na
tionwide. Dr. Maya Angelou, Danny Glover, and the Hon. Desmond Tutu,
said that they would be honored to be associated with this publication. The
front cover will consist of great personalities—the likes of the Honorable Min
ister Louis Farrakhan, Tavis Smiley, Earl Graves, Congressman John Conyers
and others. Mr. Rollins added, “The Black Pages Directories have served us
with a local means of advertising within our communities; but in order for our
people to grow, we must push past the boundaries of the local cities and coun
ties. We have to extend our reach to include the state, the nation, and the world
at large.”
The internet search engine will assist in publishing an annual international
Black Pages Minority Business Directory, consisting of over 70,000 Black
businesses, with a projected distribution of 1.5 million copies.
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