Good Morning! It’s Thursday, and the weekend is almost here. If you haven’t already made plans, be sure to check out Toni’s picks for a weekend of fun, charity and celebrities.

The weatherman says today will be mostly cloudy with a high of 81°. There is also a chance for isolated thunderstorms developing this afternoon.

Here’s what is brewing in the news this morning:

Hopkins: McNabb's not black enough

With a major title fight just days away, Bernard Hopkins takes time to address what really matters to him - Donovan McNabb’s blackness.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that during a press conference held yesterday, Hopkins challenged whether the former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, who grew up in suburban Chicago, was black enough or tough enough.

Philly.com reports that Hopkins also implied that, while NFL stars Michael Vick and Terrell Owens remained true to their roots, McNabb did not, and that McNabb was rudely awakened when the Eagles traded him to the Redskins last year.

“Why do you think McNabb felt he was betrayed? Because McNabb is the guy in the house, while everybody else is on the field. He's the one who got the extra coat. The extra servings," Hopkins is quoted as saying. “He thought he was one of them."

McNabb's publicist, Rich Burg, said McNabb would have no comment.

Hopkins is scheduled to fight May 21 in a rematch against Jean Pascal for the light heavyweight title.

Read more at philly.com. 

***Tell us what you think. What exactly does it mean to be "black?" Do you have to grow up in poverty or speak with broken English to be considered “black enough?”
***
Billy Graham hospitalized with pneumonia

Charlotte-born evangelist Billy Graham, 92, remains in an Asheville hospital this morning, receiving treatment for pneumonia.

The Charlotte Observer reports that Graham’s spokesman Larry Ross said doctors don't believe his condition is life-threatening. And two of his grown children - Franklin Graham and Anne Graham Lotz - had no plans Wednesday to return early from mission trips overseas.

There were no reports of a change in his condition overnight, and officials say they don't expect to issue updates until later today.

The elder Graham was taken to Mission Hospital, near his Montreat home, yesterday morning after experiencing what Ross called "a pulmonary challenge" overnight. He said Graham was sweating, coughing, and had a slight fever. He also reports that Graham was having difficulty breathing.

Read more at The Charlotte Observer
***
U.S. job openings up to highest level since September '08

The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. companies in March advertised the most jobs since the peak of the 2008 financial crisis. It's a sign that hiring is likely to remain healthy in the months ahead.

Last month, job openings rose by 99,000 to 3.1 million, says the U.S. Labor Department. That's the highest level of openings since September 2008 and the second straight monthly increase.

That number is significantly below the 4.4 million openings recorded in December 2007, when the recession began. But it is drastically higher than the 2.1 million in July 2009, one month after the recession ended.

Still, the ratio of unemployed people to the number of available jobs is more than double what economists consider health. In March, there are on average 4.3 unemployed people competing for each available job.

*** This is your chance to speak out. Tell us what's brewing on your mind this morning.

Got news to share with Qcity readers? Email us at editor@qcitymetro.com.
Sign up for our weekly email newsletter below

Sign up for our Weekly Email Newsletter Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

Other Ways to Share Twitter Del.icio.us MySpace

Discussions and Submission Agreement