SBC 411: SPAR To Host Free Health Screenings

Shreveport Public Assembly and Recreation (SPAR) and the Shreveport Fire Department will offer free blood pressure and diabetes screenings starting at 9:30 a.m. this Wednesday, March 26th.

The free screenings will be offered at the Chris Hays Community Center (4300 Illinois St).

The departments plan to offer the screenings on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

For more information, call Chris Hays Center Manager Preston Edwards or Recreation Specialist Sheila Issac at (318) 673-7814.

• In other community news ... there are a lot of road closures this week, due to construction, check them all out HERE.

HEADLINES: T.I.'s Day of Reckoning + Other Stories Making News

It may not be a major story to most, but I think the story of this week will be the impending incarceration of one of the greatest rappers of our generation -- T.I.

On Friday, March 27th, the Atlanta-born artist will (pretty much) be sentenced to a 1-year (and 1 day) jail stay.

His sentencing stems from a 2007 arrest when T.I. illegally purchased firearms and silencers. Being a convicted felon on probation, that's a no-no ... so he was caught up, charged and sentenced. He was also fined $100,000.

Before his jail term, T.I. was placed on house arrest (ankle bracelet and all) and was ordered to complete 1000 hours of community service. He used his time speaking to youth about his past life as a drug dealer and hustler ... and even filmed some of his interventions for an MTV reality series, "T.I.'s Road to Redemption".

T.I. released his sixth album last year, titled "Paper Trail". The album won him several GRAMMYs and is being considered (by him and music lovers alike) as his best work to date. The majority of the album and was written and recorded while he was on house arrest.

Much love to T.I. and his family. I hope he comes out of this ordeal a better man.


(And check MTV & mtv.com on Friday for more on his court hearing ... as well as TUESDAY, March 31st for what will most likely be his last on-air interview)

MOVING ON ... HERE ARE SOME OTHER STORIES MAKING HEADLINES ...

• New Business To Bring Hundreds of Jobs To Shreveport


• New Apartment Community Opening In June, Includes Shopping Center
  
  
• New Goodwill Store Open in Bossier City

• Mother of Child Killed Crossing I-20 Speaks Out
  
  
• Weekend Fire Damages Nearly a Dozen Apartments:
  
  
• More Talks About Downtown Curfew But No Changes Yet (see video report HERE)
  
  
  
  
• Women Making Strides at Barksdale:
  
  
• New Hope For Pilgrim's Pride Employees, New Company to Take Over Plant
  
  
• Special Report: How to Avoid Credit Card Scams/Fraud

• New Report Finds That Blacks In LA are at a Disadvantage, Racial Disparities are Large
  
  
• CNN.com has some interesting reports on Katrina's affect on New Orleans ... Check out their story on Recovery in the Lower 9th Ward HERE ... and check out their detailed report on "New Orleans Then & Now" HERE.