Cheryl K. Chumley
Columns by Cheryl K. Chumley
Ashton Kutcher the conservative? Actor touts manual labor, hard work to teen crowd
Ashton Kutcher, one of Hollywood's best-known pranksters — and one of Tinseltown's most famous husbands, the former considerably younger half of actress Demi Moore — may just be a closet conservative. Published August 14, 2013
James ‘Whitey’ Bulger could face state charges, too
Massachusetts’ prosecutors are huddling with federal authorities to determine if James “Whitey” Bulger, the Boston mobster just found guilty in federal court of counts tied to 11 killings, might now be charged and tried on state counts. Published August 14, 2013
NAACP calls on Justice Dept., Secret Service to investigate rodeo clown flap
The Missouri chapter of the NAACP appealed for the U.S. Department of Justice and the Secret Service to launch an investigation and open a federal case against the rodeo clown who donned a mask of President Obama's face and mocked with the crowd: Do you want to see a bull run down Mr. Obama? Published August 14, 2013
UPS plane crashes near Birmingham, Ala., airport
A UPS plane crashed during its approach at a Birmingham, Ala., airport early Wednesday morning, Federal Aviation Administration authorities said. Published August 14, 2013
Chicago warning: Watch out NYC, crime wave coming
Big Apple: Meet Windy City. Chicago residents who see first-hand the ravages of gun-related violence say New York City’s inability to stop and frisk suspicious characters − due to a federal judge’s recent crackdown on the policy − means the Big Apple’s crime rate will soon mirror that of the Windy City’s. Published August 14, 2013
Ben Affleck in politics? His wife says yes
Hollywood actor Ben Affleck may one day trade his California studio gig for a Capitol Hill office – at least, that’s what his actress wife thinks. Published August 14, 2013
Gay sailor proposes to boyfriend during Conn. dock reunion; social media comments say ‘Yuck’
A Texas sailor sent on a 6-month submarine deployment through 34,000 miles of European waters said he got through the lonely days at sea by planning a surprise wedding proposal and picturing the happy reaction of his soon-to-be spouse — his long-time Connecticut boyfriend. Published August 14, 2013
18 Indian sailors trapped as explosion, fire sinks sub
Eighteen sailors were trapped in a submarine docked at the port of Mumbai, and their fate on Wednesday is unclear, as a massive explosion rocked the craft and sent a red-and-yellow fireball hundreds of feet into the air. Published August 14, 2013
Cory Booker on Twitter high from primary win: ‘This is our victory’
Newark Mayor Cory Booker took home the special election win Tuesday, besting three more experienced politicians to become New Jersey’s Democratic nominee in the upcoming U.S. Senate race. Published August 14, 2013
SWAT team storms Louisiana bank, kills gunman who shot hostages
A gunman who took hostages at a Louisiana bank was shot and killed shortly after midnight Wednesday, after SWAT teams stormed the facility and put an end to a 12-hour standoff. Published August 14, 2013
Ex-Rep. Jesse Jackson makes pre-prison requests
Former Rep. Jesse Jackson, on way to prison for his admitted misuse of campaign dollars, asked through his attorney on Tuesday that he be allowed to serve his jail time nearby his family members. Published August 13, 2013
Detroit billboards advertise wrong date to vote
If an upcoming city election in Detroit sees slow voter turnout, blame it on the billboards. Some of the 14 that were rented to advertise the looming election and entice voters to participate, unfortunately gave the wrong date. Published August 13, 2013
EBay troll who harassed users for years outed as obese Michigan loner
An Internet troll who was the bane of eBay for years because he'd outbid everybody then refuse to pay was finally busted by private investigators who revealed his true identity: A Michigan loner with a serious weight problem. Published August 13, 2013
AFL-CIO looks to grab governorships in 6 states in 2014
Labor unions are going to look at governor races, not the House and Senate, when 2014 campaign season rolls around, a top political strategist for the AFL-CIO said on Tuesday. Published August 13, 2013
Christian couple harassed after saying no to gays’ marriage request
A Christian husband-wife team in Iowa who turned down a recent request from a gay couple to hold a wedding ceremony at their Gortz Haus Gallery business has now been subjected to harassment, threats and vulgar emails, and is the named target of a state Human Rights Commission complaint. Published August 13, 2013
Oprah Winfrey talked up as Obamacare saleswoman
Proponents of President Obama's signature healthcare reform see a stellar opportunity to sell Obamacare to the American public with the help of television talk show icon Oprah Winfrey, a longtime friend and political ally of the first family. Published August 13, 2013
Dalai Lama website hacked, infected with viruses
The Dalai Lama's website has been hacked and infected with viruses, including with spyware that could be used to track visitors, a computer security company warned. Published August 13, 2013
Michigan mayoral race pits gay man vs. gay man
In Michigan, a mayoral race is pitting two openly gay men against each other — one who served as the town of Ferndale's first openly homosexual mayor in 2008 against the present mayor who is said to be the second openly gay leader in the community. Published August 13, 2013
Hillary Clinton kicking off tour to restore trust in government
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that she will soon tour the nation and deliver a series of speeches to promote more trust in government. She made her remarks at an annual American Bar Association meeting in San Francisco. Published August 13, 2013
Texas nurse suspected of killing up to 46 kids to be freed from jail
A "mandatory release" law in Texas is setting free a nurse who was convicted in 1984 of killing a baby and suspected of murdering dozens more, even though her 99-year sentence is far from finished. Published August 13, 2013