Blood Sunday
Bridge Named National Landmark

THE GRIO
The legendary Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, where the seminal ‘Bloody Sunday’ civil rights march took place this month in 1965, has been named a historical landmark by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Director of the National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis, according to an Interior Department statement released today.
     The location is one of 13 new sites to receive federal recognition, including the home of Uncle Tom’s Cabin author Harrier Beecher Stowe and Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson N.J., which once served as a home-field to Negro League baseball teams.
     The special designation of the Edmund Pettis Bridge, however, is especially significant since there is an ongoing debate within the Supreme Court and by extension the U.S. Congress about whether or not to uphold key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, legislation that was an indirect result of the protesters’ efforts on the bridge back in 1965.
     Vice President Joe Biden recently participated in a recreation of that civil-rights-era march and he was accompanied by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), who was also present during the 1965 sojourn.
     “We will never give up or give in,” Lewis told marchers this month.  READ FULL ARTICLE

Judge Halts NYC
Sugary Drinks Ban

USA TODAY
A New York State judge has halted the controversial New York City ban on large sugary drinks. The ban was set to take effect Tuesday. It would put a 16-ounce cap on sweetened bottled drinks and fountain beverages sold at city restaurants, delis, movie theaters, sports venues and street carts. The size limit applies to beverages that have more than 25 calories per 8 ounces. It doesn't include 100% juice drinks or beverages with more than 50% milk.
     New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been going full force with his efforts to show the detriments of sugary drinks. On Monday, he released data that showed a correlation between sugary drink consumption and obesity. On Sunday, Bloomberg defended the regulation. "We're not banning anything," he said on CBS' Face the Nation. "It's called portion control."
     "All we're doing in New York is reminding you that it's not in your interest to have too many empty calories," he said. "You can have some. If you want to have 32 ounces, just buy two 16-ounce cups. Take them back to your seat. If you want 64 ounces, take four cups back." But on Monday, a judge said no.
     Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Milton Tingling wrote that loopholes "effectively defeat the stated purpose" of the rule.   READ FULL ARTICLE