A law enforcement source confirmed to the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper the body was that of Wright, who has been missing since July 19, though the Memphis Police Department won’t officially comment. Police are referring to their investigation as a “death investigation.”

Wright, 35, recently flew from Atlanta to Memphis to visit friends and his six children, friends said.

According to sources, a 9-1-1 call was made from Wright’s cell phone on July 19. A fire dispatcher could hear the loud blasts of several gunshots. The cellphone call ended at that point.

The body was found by someone who called police today.

The 6-11 Wright starred at the University of Memphis before being drafted No. 7 overall in 1996 by the L.A. Clippers. He played for the Atlanta Hawks from 1999-2001, spent the next five seasons with Memphis, and returned to the Hawks for two more years in 2006-08. He last played for Cleveland in 2008-09.

Before he went missing, Wright, split his time between Atlanta and Memphis, according to AJC.com.

In addition to numerous albums and hit songs including “On My Own,” “New Attitude” and “Lady Marmalade,” LaBelle appeared on Broadway in the musical revival of Your Arms Too Short to Box with God, Patti La Belle on Broadway and Patti La Belle. The singer and actress has also been seen onstage in the Los Angeles run of Chicago as Mama Morton.

In Fela!, which features a book by Jones and Jim Lewis, audiences are welcomed into the extravagant, decadent and rebellious world of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Using his pioneering music (a blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies), in a hybrid of concert, dance and musical theater, the show explores Kuti’s controversial life as artist, political activist and revolutionary musician.

At press time, the cause of death has not been determined.

An associate of EURweb called to let us know that she had just seen Mr. Goodman at church services yesterday, Sunday, July 25. Naturally, she is in a state of shock and disbelief.

As could be expected, upon hearing of his passing, fans and friends are flooding his Facebook page with well wishes

Developing …

Within the fiber of every family lies its fair share of issues. Family politics can be very hard to navigate and/or survive depending on how you handle it. For many of us, family is the foundation that we hold on to as we journey through life. The relationships we have with our family become the blueprint for how we interact with others during our travels. Our memories become more significant as we reminisce about fond moments in some instances and painfully recall other experiences in other instances. Unfortunately for some of us, family relationships are so estranged that they are replaced by friends or associations with other groups ( fraternity, sorority, church, gang etc.)As life travels at warp speed we quickly realize how precious friendship is and look at any family ties as icing on the cake. Whether they are family or friends, loved ones are unique and valued as members of our inner circle of trust. It’s for this reason that it can be just as overwhelming when you find out that a relationship that you have is not what you thought. What would you do if it was brought to your attention that a loved one, felt negatively about you?

There are a couple of things to consider when receiving this disturbing information. In most cases when considering the fact that this information is being shared about a loved ones sentiments towards you, your response will be emotional or defensive. It is important to consider the following before going to deep into the abyss of anger and frustration.

• Who’s the messenger?- While we have all heard the saying ” don’t shoot the messenger”, it is important that we consider where the message is coming from. Sometimes the relationships we have are enviable to those that witness it. Jealousy can be at the core of a rumor designed to create a wedge in your relationship with your loved one. Seriously consider your relationship with the person sharing the information. What could be their reason for bringing this to your attention? The credibility of the informer must be assessed to prior to taking the disturbing news seriously.

• What was the message?- Just what kind of negative feelings were shared about you? Sometimes the very message you received can challenge the validity of the information shared. Your loved one may have been misquoted. Often the message is taken out of context and that can cause the same words to have an all new meaning. Just recently in the news we saw how words in the wrong context can cause you to lose a job and get an apology from the President of the United States all in the same breath. Context is important because those that are not as close can easily hear selectively.

• Where is the source?- Go to the source of the comment. The negative feelings shared by your loved one should be addressed with them as soon as possible. Do not let negative feelings build up and handicap your ability to be calm and objective when addressing the matter with your loved one. Arrange for some time to discuss the issue and try not to give into the he-say, she-say force that can cause your loved one to provide a defense rather than an explanation. Seek clarity and not validity of the feelings shared. Whether its a matter of getting their sentiment within the proper context or getting the news from them personally, hearing it from the horses mouth has its value.

• Encourage communication- Assess the feelings shared to see if there can be a common ground. Perhaps you and your loved one can work through the issue. The key factor in that relationship is communication. Encouraging a relationship whereby you can communicate through issues, concerns and negative feelings will create the kind of bond that can withstand the rigors of everyday relationships.

Sophia Avery, MA and Donavan Sterling West are a dynamic Relationship Counseling team! If you’d like further information, discussion or a Relationship Counseling session, please call us at visit our website at www.ChristianTalkTherapy.com AND become a fan of the Avery-West Counseling team! Visit our page on FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Philadelphia-PA/Avery-West-Counseling-Team/273651777811

Relationships are challenging for most, difficult for some, and hurtful—to some extent, for everyone who accepts the risk of being in love. For those who venture into long distance relationships, however, the risk of being hurt is far greater. You see, the things that we normally expect in a relationship such as going out, spending quality time together, visiting with friends and family, and enjoying physical touch, are significantly compromised because of the distance. As a result, the majority of the relationship, in some most cases, will depend on communication using the phone, e-mail, text, instant messaging, and for the more tech-savvy, video-conferencing via Skype® or some other site. Despite the clear drawbacks of long-distance relationships, with the introduction of Internet dating, many people are now engaged in them and many, having met over the internet, find that they can get to know each other, fall in love, and break-up without actually seeing their beloved face-to-face.
In all honesty, the odds of a long-distance relationship developing into a serious committed relationship with longevity are very slim. The main reason the odds are so low is related to the lyrics of “Distant Lover”, highlighted above—the loneliness inherent in a long-distance relationship can be torturous and unbearable, especially for those who need significant amounts of quality time, affection, and attention. It’s this loneliness that can cause extreme emotional pain, create doubts and fears, and even cause physical pain for one or both parties.
So the question is, “How can long-distance relationships work?”
There are several main components that must exist in order for a long-distance relationship to work.
1. Meet face-to-face- Long-distance relationships are based on an emotional connection, which, for most, is enough to form the foundation of a deep love and affection. However, it’s important to meet early on the relationship to ensure that there is physical chemistry between the two of you. At the very minimum, your initial meeting should take place within one month of your introduction. This will ensure that, first, the person whose picture you’re staring at everyday is actually the person you’re talking to and that they haven’t misrepresented themselves, and second, that an attraction exists between you. There is no substitute for an actual face-to-face meeting, not even Skype®
2. Communicate often – Communication is the life source of a long-distance relationship and it may be the only source of intimacy between the two people. Knowing this, both parties must make a commitment to participate in frequent conversations with their beloved. Again, depending on whether your relationship is domestic or international, fulfilling this requirement can be very costly, and may quickly become troublesome as the need for conversation is overshadowed by the cost. It may be necessary to resort to instant messaging and texting instead of actual conversation in order to maintain a sufficient level of communication without going bankrupt.
3. Be prepared to travel- Travel is a critical component to the survival of a long-distance relationship. Visiting and spending time together gives both people something to look forward to, and represents a reprieve to the suffering created by not being together on a regular basis. Whether you decide to visit each other at home (which is recommended), or meet at some destination between both of your cities, significant amounts of travel will be required.
4. Be honest- Transparency in communication builds intimacy in a relationship. If you’re serious about having your long-distance relationship succeed, tell the truth and nothing but the truth. Trust is based on honesty, and is one of the most important aspect of a solid relationship. Without honesty and truthfulness in a long-distance relationship, ultimately, it, like most other relationships, will fail.
5. Consider and plan for the future- No solid, fulfilling, long-distance relationship can last, indefinitely. So, start considering and planning for the future immediately! If one person lives in a foreign country and the other in the US, determine which of you will move, and then find out what the immigration laws require you to do in order to make it happen. Talk about future plans often and early. If neither of you are willing or able to relocate, consider just being friends. If neither person is willing to sacrifice or compromise in order to be together then the relationship will be much more difficult to sustain.
6. Develop an exit strategy- Long-distance relationships are problematic, not only because of the lack of contact, but also because of the discipline necessary to stay attentive and committed in the absence of your loved one (and the presence of other suitable mates). Jealousy, accusations, suspicions, and controlling behavior can ruin any relationship and cause undue pain to both parties, but for long-distance relationships, the mental anguish can be especially difficult to overcome. If one or both partners find that they are tempted, distracted, or no longer willing to give their full attention to the long-distance relationship, have an exit strategy in mind. Both people must know and understand the risks of engaging in a long-distance relationship. Accept the risks and be prepared to walk away without any hard feelings.
Now that you have an idea of what to expect, go ahead and try long-distance dating! Life is an adventure!
©Sophia Avery, MA 2010

Sophia Avery, MA and Donavan Sterling West are a dynamic Relationship Counseling team! If you’d like further information or to have one or both of us speak at your next event, please visit our website at www.ChristianTalkTherapy.com or call 215-931-3070.

If you would like the 8 Steps to a Debt Free Life click HERE

The tennis star was set to join her team, the Washington Kastles, for the World Team Tennis season.

The co-ed professional tennis league features a total of 10 teams who compete against each other in matches that consist of five sets. Each set is a different style of tennis: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles or mixed doubles. And in each set, coaches decide which player on their team will compete.

According to the Associated Press, Williams was scheduled to play against the New York Buzz on Friday and to play four other matches this season against teams from Philadelphia, Kansas City, and New York again.

“I’m very disappointed that I won’t be able to play in the WTT matches this season,” Serena said in a statement. “It is always such a fun experience, and I love interacting with the fans in the cities that I don’t often have the opportunity to play in during the rest of the year.”

Venus Williams will still be playing for the Kastles this season.

Other well-known tennis players who participate in the league: James Blake plays for the Boston Lobsters, Martina Hingis plays for the New York Buzz, Kim Clijsters and tennis legend John McEnroe play for the New York Sportimes, Maria Sharapova plays for the Newport Beach Breakers, Andy Roddick is on Philadelphia Freedoms and Lindsay Davenport and Anna Kournikova play for the St. Louis Aces.

Last season, the Washington Kastles won the season when they defeated the Springfield Lasers.

You’ve been dating for awhile and are wondering if it’s a good idea to move in together. Living together is more acceptable than ever in today’s culture, but there are still some negatives that you may want to consider before making this big decision.

Your first step is to realize that this IS a big decision. It will affect every aspect of your life and is difficult to remove yourself from once you’ve moved in (or let someone move in). So be sure before you jump.

Secondly you will want to examine your relationship and determine where you hope it will lead. Are you seeking marriage? Do you see yourself still with this person in a year? If marriage is desired, your best bet is to have already addressed this issue before moving in together. Moving in together often way lays the urgency to get married, especially for men. So know what you want.

You should also examine the relationship for how you communicate and interact with each other. You should be on a level of complete openness and trust before considering living together. You should also relate to this person well emotionally. Also spend some time doing domestic things together to see how well you get along during everyday mundane tasks. You may also want to consider the other person’s style of housekeeping. Is she a slob and you’re a neat freak? Things like this can be overcome but will have to be talked about and negotiated thoroughly otherwise they will be major issues in your relationship.

Next come financial considerations. Can you both contribute equally to the household’s expenses? You will most definitely need to talk these things through before making a decision. Is your decision to live together based on financial reasons alone? Cheaper rent, shared responsibilities? Have you addressed the issue of who owns joint purchases in the event of a break up?

Living together should be taken very seriously. It should only be undertaken with a person whom you respect and who respects you. It can be a very positive experience but it can also just as easily be a negative one.

Consider making a list of the pros and cons of living together, to compare the differences. Your pros might include: cheaper rent, more disposable income, spending more time together, exploring whether you want to get married, having a sense of family, companionship, security, moving to a more committed stage, building a life with someone. Your cons might include some of the same issues: having to check with someone before making purchases, having to decide who keeps joint purchases, depending on someone else to keep up with their half of the bills, feeling claustrophobic/ not having enough space, privacy, or alone time, resenting your sense of duty and obligation to this person, having to interact with his or her family, losing your sense of independence, being irritated by your lover’s habits.

Living together as a romantic couple is a much bigger deal than just choosing a roommate, although some of the same considerations still apply. It’s very hard to decide that living together isn’t working and still date this person or keep them in your life. Relationships rarely survive such huge steps backwards. So be prepared to end the relationship if your living arrangement doesn’t work out, although this is not always the case.

On the subject of marriage, if you are a person who has no plans or desire for marriage you should be very upfront about this, especially if things get to the stage of talking about living together. Make sure you and your partner are headed in the same direction and don’t move in together purely for practical reasons if you’re not willing to deal with the mess it may cause in the end.

During the June 22 episode, cohost Sherri Shepherd and guest host, comedian D.L. Hughley, blamed increased HIV rates among straight African American women on their down low boyfriends or husbands.

“When you look at the prevalence of HIV in the African American community, it’s primarily young women who are getting it from men who are on the down low,” Hughley said.

Shepherd added, “It’s so big in the black community with women because they’re having sex with men who have been having sex with men.”

GLAAD has taken out a full page ad in Hollywood trade magazine Variety blasting this exchange, claiming the information is inaccurate, reports E! News.

Cosigned by the Black AIDS Institute and the National Black Justice Coalition, the ad reads in part, “The Centers for Disease Control has publicly disproven this myth. And since June 22, thousands of people have written to ABC, asking that The View provide correct information to viewers. Unfortunately, those requests have been greeted with silence from both ABC and The View.”

Shortly after the episode aired, GLAAD encouraged its supporters to contact ABC and “View” producers and demand an on-air apology and correction.

Host/executive producer Barbara Walters, Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg have all been honored by the gay rights group with GLAAD Media Awards.