Pretty Willie, aka Willie Moore Jr., has also changed his name. He now answers to the name P-Dub. He says P-Dub represents another side of him - the business side.

"I don't care what you call me," says Pretty Willie (whose moniker comes from his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, which has a "pretty boy" reputation).  

Nearly three years ago, the one-time rapper released his "Enter the Life of Suella" CD, with the singles "Roll Wit Me" and "Man at Home," on Republic/Universal Records. But despite his best intentions and heavy promotion - appearances on BET and "Soul Train," a CD-release party with Ashanti, chart positions on Billboard's rap and R&B charts - the project never took off.   more >>

As Young Buck's "Shorty Wanna Ride" set the mood for a pleasant night outside of the Free Expression Tunnel, Nicholas Curry, a junior in computer and electrical engineering, worried about his quiz for the next day's class.

"I've just been socializing, having fun and spray painting cardboard boxes," he said.

Curry, who is the chapter president of Phi Beta Sigma's Xi Zeta chapter, came out to the tunnel around 6 p.m. to help raise awareness for the homeless and accept donations from the student body. Along with his fraternity brothers, Curry spent all night last night in cardboard boxes outside the Free Expression Tunnel.   more >>

About 575 people came out Thursday night to show their appreciation for Judge James R. Williams, who is retiring after 16 years in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

There were so many people at the Quaker Square Crowne Plaza hotel who wanted to express their thanks that speakers went in groups of six. Representatives from the Akron and Ohio bar associations and the national president of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity were on hand to speak.  more >>

It's hard to get kids to read when there's little to choose from at home, so organizers of the Zora Neale Hurston Festival have launched an initiative to distribute 25,000 free books to children this weekend.

"For the Joy of Reading" is aimed at kids 3 to 17 "to encourage youngsters to enjoy the written word by actually having it in their homes," said N.Y. Nathiri, festival general manager and executive director of The Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community Inc.   more >>