Pastor (Mark Wolford) Killed by His Rattlesnake

A “serpent-handling” West Virginia pastor died after his rattlesnake bit him during a church ritual, just as the man had apparently watched a snake kill his father years before.

Pentecostal pastor Mark Wolford, 44, hosted an outdoor service at the Panther Wildlife Management Area in West Virginia Sunday, which he touted on his Facebook page prior to the event.

“I am looking for a great time this Sunday,” Wolford wrote May 22, according to the Washington Post. “It is going to be a homecoming like the old days. Good ‘ole raised in the holler or mountain ridge running, Holy Ghost-filled speaking-in-tongues sign believers.”

Robin Vanover, Wolford’s sister, told the Washington Post that 30 minutes into the outdoor service, Wolford passed around a poisonous timber rattlesnake, which eventually bit him.

“He laid it on the ground,” Vanover said in the interview, “and he sat down next to the snake, and it bit him on the thigh.”

Vanover said Wolford was then transported to a family member’s home in Bluefield about 80 miles away to recover. But as the situation worsened, he was taken to a hospital where he later died.

Jim Shires, owner of the Cravens-Shires Funeral Home in Bluefield, told ABC News that Wolford died Monday. Wolford’s church, the Apostolic House of the Lord Jesus in Matoaka, will host a viewing Friday and a funeral service Saturday morning. Wolford will be buried at the Hicks Family Plot in Phelps, Ky.

Officials at the Panther Wildlife Management Area had been unaware of Sunday’s event until they were notified by callers after the service.

“We did not know that this event was happening, and if we had known about it or if we had been asked for permission, permission would not have been granted,” Hoy Murphy, public information officer for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, told ABC News.

Hoy said West Virginia state park rules prohibit animals other than dogs and cats on the property.

While snake-handling is legal in West Virginia, other Appalachian states, including Kentucky and Tennessee, have banned the practice in public spaces.

Snake-handlers point to scripture as evidence that God calls them to engage in such a practice to show their faith in him. Mark 16: 17-18 reads, “And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Wolford told the Washington Post magazine in 2011 that he is carrying on the tradition of his ancestors by engaging in snake handling.

“Anybody can do it that believes it,” Wolford said. “Jesus said, ‘These signs shall follow them which believe.’ This is a sign to show people that God has the power.”

Wolford said watched his own father die at the age of 39 after a rattlesnake bit him during a similar service.

“He lived 101/2 hours,” Wolford told the Washington Post Magazine. “When he got bit, he said he wanted to die in the church. Three hours after he was bitten, his kidneys shut down. After a while, your heart stops. I hated to see him go, but he died for what he believed in.

“I know it’s real; it is the power of God,” Wolford told the Washington Post Magazine last year. “If I didn’t do it, if I’d never gotten back involved, it’d be the same as denying the power and saying it was not real.”

Eldee Picks Rapper, Eva Alordiah As First Lady

Trybes Records’ boss, Eldee The Don has signed female rapper, Eva Alordiah as the label’s first lady. Eldee is presently promoting his new album titled ‘Undeniable’.

He announced on twitter, Good morning you all! Join me as I welcome @evaalordiah, the newest member of Trybe Records v2.0!”

Fashola Recalls 788 Sacked Doctors

- The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it has recalled all the 788 doctors sacked earlier this month for allegedly participating on what it termed illegal strike action.

The government’s decision to recall the sacked doctors was disclosed by Hakeem Bello, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola.

Mr Bello said the decision to recall the doctors followed several pleas from the national and state leaders of the Action Congress Party (ACN), traditional leaders in the state and other concerned leaders in the country.

P-Square signs distribution deal with Universal Music Group

P-Square has signed a distribution deal with Universal Music, South Africa. The deal was signed and sealed this afternoon at a press conference in Johannesbourg, South Africa. The music label will be releasing past and future projects with them; and handle all their digital and CD sales all over the world. 

Congrats to them!

Michelle Obama Talks The President’s Ritual Of Tucking Her In At Night, Doing The Dougie & Brushing Off Criticism On The View

President Obama may have one of the most demanding jobs in the US, but he still finds time to tuck his wife and kids in every night and that is one of the many reasons why it’s hard not to love this couple.

Earlier this week, Michelle Obama revealed to People Mag that her hubby Barack has a ritual of tucking her in and turning the lights out each and every night and she also stopped by the View yesterday afternoon to talk about their nightly tradition:

“We have a ritual where he tucks me in, because I’m usually in bed before anybody…He’ll come and turn the lights out and give me a kiss, and we’ll talk. He’s like, Ready to be tucked? I’m like, Yes I am.
That has always been a tradition. It is just one of the many ways that Barak shows me and the girls how special we are, and that’s the thing that touches me about him. I don’t care what’s on his plate, I don’t care what he’s struggling with, when he steps off that elevator into our residence, he is Barak, and Dad. There’s just those little things that you do that reminds ya, “I still got ya.”

How cute is that? During First Lady’s visit to the View yesterday, she also took the time to share her thoughts on being a tradition First Lady, whether she believes race will play a big part of the upcoming election and why she continues to brush off the criticism that the President has received over the past few years.

On being unsure if she’s a classic First Lady
I have never seen a first lady hula hoop on the South Lawn. Jump double dutch. [Do the] Dougie. It’s not doubts but it’s just wondering – not too many people have done what I’ve done. My motto is I have to be authentically me. You can smell inauthenticity. When people are phoney. To do this job and to do it well you have to be yourself so I have to go with me.
If Race will play a part in the election:
I think people wanna know that we live in a country where there’s fairness and equity, where people have a fair shot. Where kids like myself who grew up with parents that didn’t go to college, didn’t have all the opportunity, went to public school, we all have an opportunity to succeed, and I think people are focused on that. For me, I know that I’m focused on the world that I want to leave for my kids.
Race is still an issue in this country, but I can tell you right now, Barak Obama is President of the United States and he’s done a phenomenal job. This country put him in office.
On how she deals with the criticism her husband receives:
The one thing I get to do is travel around the country, and so does he, and the majority of what people give us is a lot of love and respect and appreciation, and that’s the country that we’re working for. That’s what we tell our kids, we remind them that we live in a decent country.
The truth is something else. There’s what you hear, and then there’s the truth. The truth is this: There’s a warmth and a connection, and I want America to understand we have more…Elizabeth and I talk about this and we were saying…There’s more that unites us than divides us and I don’t want anybody to get discouraged from that kind of chatter, because the truth is , we’re all fighting for a decent America.
[Barack's] motto is ‘They go Small, you go Big!” That means you always take the high ground because you don’t get lost in the chatter and the noise, and that’s why he’s been such a phenomenal president. He has kept his eye focused on getting this country back on track, and that’s the President that we need. I’m gonna be working for that man.

Also watch Michelle Obama discuss childhood obesity, bringing recess back into the schools and more below:

 Necole Bitchie 

Vanessa Simmons Poses In Sexy Catsuit For New Photo Shoot

 Rev Run’s daughter Vanessa Simmons turned up her sexy, all while keeping her clothes on, in a recent shoot with Taylor Ector Studios. The former ‘Daddy’s Girl’ star and entrepreneur posed in a blue catsuit and red lip for the promo shots taken for ‘Today’s Black Woman Style Report’ as well as her brand new lingerie line, ‘Rose By Vanessa Jean’.

She has branched off from the multi-million dollar ‘Pastry’ brand that she shares with her sister to create a trendsetting, fashion forward intimate apparel collection that features pieces with names like,  “Naughty Lil’ Princess,” “Rock Your Sexy” and “Vintage Chic’.

Peep the photos from the shoot below:

 

Necole Bitchie

[Video] Kelly Rowland To Appear On Tonight’s Episode Of ‘L.A Hair’

 If you’ve ever looked at Beyonce, Brandy, Monica, Mary J. Blige, or Kelly Rowland’s hair and wondered who the stylist was that hooked them up then you’re looking at Kim Kimble working her magic. Kim has been a stylist for over 20 years, working with celebrities as one of the most sought after hairstylists in the game. She has her own high end salon in West Hollywood and not only has been featured in the most popular hair magazines, but even snagged a spot on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Now WeTv is taking us behind-the-scenes with Kim, her celebrity clients and her drama-filled staff with her reality show ‘L.A. Hair.’

On the premiere episode, which airs tonight on WeTV, Kim Kimble runs into a few obstacles while attempting to style Kelly Rowland’s hair for a photo shoot. Her assistant isn’t moving fast enough with bringing the tools that she needs to style Kelly’s hair which puts the entire photo shoot in jeopardy.

Check out a sneak peek of tonight’s episode, plus see what Kim Kimble had to say about what makes her show different from all the other shows out there below:

Sneak Peak of Episode 1

Via Essence.com : Kim Kimble reveals how her show will be different than the over-the-top shows that are out right now:

“You’re definitely not going to see anyone getting her weave pulled out! If you thought you were going to see that, you won’t. Everybody has been to a hair salon before and knows some of the drama that goes on in the salon so there’s a little bit of drama on the show to spark your interest, but there is always a solution to the drama. That’s the difference. Viewers will find themselves asking every week, “Oh my goodness, how did that situation turn out?” Another thing that makes our show different is you’ll learn a thing or two about hair. You’ll be inspired to do different hairstyles because the cast is so talented and everybody does beautiful hair. Women are always thinking about their hair and want to know what’s hot and what products to use, so there will be an educational aspect to the show as well.
I really have a love for the hair industry and I opened up my life and my business so that people can learn more about us and what we do. I wanted to set a good example for the industry and inspire other women who ask me how they can become a celebrity hairstylist. There are so many things that Black women can do — we can be Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, an astronaut or even a celebrity hairstylist. I just want to represent my profession so people can really see what it’s like and how I was able to achieve my dream.”

Check out the full trailer for ‘L.A. Hair’ below:

Necole Bitchie 

Nicki Minaj Responds To Report That Fan Was Murdered By Her Back Up Dancer: “My Dancers Had Nothing to Do With This”

Nicki Minaj’s name is caught right in the middle of a murder mystery after one of her Barbz was found dead after a tour stop in Tokyo last week. According to reports, a 21 year old Irish foreign exchange student name Nicola Furlong, and a friend attended a Nicki Minaj concert and the girls ended up missing their last train home after the show. They somehow met James ‘King Tight’ Blackston (who is an alleged dancer of Nicki Minaj) and his friend Larry who invited the girls to stay at their hotel until the train started running in the morning. The four took a cab ride back to the hotel and the female friend, who survived, said that she was fondled on the ride home. Both girls were under the influence of alcohol.

When they arrived to the hotel, Nicola went with Larry to his room while James and her female friend went to another. Around 3:00 a.m., guests began complaining to security that there were loud noises coming from Larry’s room. When security went to investigate, they entered the room and found Larry standing over Nicola’s unconscious body. She was rushed to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. The police say that she died of suffocation by cervical compression and may have been sexually assault after she was already dead. They’re also investigating whether or not the girls’ drinks were spiked before the incident.

Nicki took to her Twitter to give her condolences earlier today, while stating that none of her dancers have anything to do with the murder and she has no idea who the guys are that Japanese police have in custody:

“Saddened to learn one of my precious fans found tragically (dead) in Japan. My love & prayers are with the family of Nicola Furlong.
@PerezHilton my dancers had nothing to do w/this tragedy. No one in my entourage was questioned or arrested. They all flew home from Japan. @PerezHilton that person on your sight is NOT my dancer. We do NOT know the men in custody. Too much misleading information.”

Meanwhile, Nicola’s family has released a statement asking the public to respect their time of mourning during the ongoing investigation.

“We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter/sister Nicola in such tragic circumstances. Nicola was a warm, generous, stunning person who always had time for her family and other people. Nicola will always be at the centre of our lives. She stood for everything that is good in life. The Japanese police are continuing their investigations into the circumstances surrounding Nicola’s death. As these circumstances are unclear at this time we respectfully request time and space to mourn Nicola with dignity.”

There isn’t much info out there about the suspect, James Jamari Blackston except for that he is a U.S Citizen that has toured with various celebs including The Black Eyed Peas. He was an associate of Omarion, who tweeted a photo of James asleep two years ago as well as appeared in a dance battle with him posted on youtube. According to his facebook page, he posted that he was on tour in Japan on May 19 (Nicki Minaj was in Australia on that date).

Necole Bitchie 

KIM KARDASHIAN/KANYE WEST Both $elling their Homes

Kim Kardashian and Kayne West have both discreetly listed their homes for sale, setting the stage for the big, "We're movin' in together" ... TMZ has learned.

Kim has given a "pocket listing" to a realtor for her $4.8 mil Beverly Hills home -- a pocket listing doesn't appear in official real estate documents. We're told Kim's asking price is $5 million. 

Ditto Kanye, who listed his L.A. home as well -- again, a pocket listing.

Sources close to the couple confirm ... both are selling their homes so they can rent a house together.  They're looking for a really private place to live ... behind gates.


TMZ

Evelyn Lozada Says She Misses Jennifer Williams: ‘I Broke The Friend Code’

Everyone’s favorite-not-so-favorite ‘Basketball Wives’ star Evelyn Lozada has unintentionally branded herself as a trash-talking, table jumping reality star who will threaten a Bronx beatdown at any given moment, but she also has a soft, apologetic side once you get around the rough edges. She recently sat down with Vibe Magazine for a candid interview on ‘Basketball Wives Season 4′ and discussed everything from her failed relationship with Jennifer Williams and why she misses her, to her newfound friendship with Rihanna (with whom she met on Twitter) and her fiance Chad Ochocinco.

She also revealed plans to keep her last name due to the brand that she’s beginning to build.

Peep a few excerpts:

On whether she felt she could have handled her beef with Jennifer a lot differently
I think so. A lot was happening during that time. I’m one of those people, I said some things and I was just like, that was not cool. I live by loyalty and I feel like, at that point, I broke the friend code. I should have never broken that code and I should have never stooped down to that level. Like, if she wants to do interviews and slick comments, it is what it is. I don’t hate her. People just get caught up in this industry; you do interviews and say certain things. I truly don’t wish her anything negative, we’ve gone through a lot together as friends from moving out, men drama, all types of stuff. It’s just tough having to relive it then talk about it. You never have that time for healing. But now that the show is done and things are calming down, I’m not angry anymore about it and I don’t hate her at all. I don’t really hate anybody, I was just upset how things were handled.
On whether she misses Jennifer Williams
I miss her. We were friends for 10 years. I was in her wedding, so you know yeah, and your thinking you guys are going to do this show together, your BFF, and then your kind of like what happened? And we are mutual friends with a lot of people, so everything else became weird energy. It was tough.
On how she developed thick skin
I’ve accepted that this is a part of my life and apart of my world now. The more the show became popular, and I started dating Chad, its been like chaos. I’m never going to hide and I’m always one of those people that say TV can be a gift and a curse, and at the same time it’s opened up doors for me that I never would have imagined.
On what she’s learned from being on ‘Basketball Wives’
Just to probably listen. Everyone always says it on the show, ‘Evelyn goes from 0-10.’ And that’s how I’ve always been since I was 13. Where I grew up, most people wouldn’t say, Okay, let’s have a conversation. That’s not the way things were dealt with where I grew up. You running your mouth? You talking sh-t? Things happen. There’s consequences for that. I’ve learned it’s not all about screaming and yelling and, ‘Oh, you’re a fucking b-tch.’ Most of the time I don’t get my point across.
[...]  I was born and raised in the Bronx and went to public school in Manhattan. New York is a hustle and bustle type of place, you’re in cab getting cursed out and everyone is so high-strung. You’re always on defense mode. I love New York; I wouldn’t take anything back, but you become a little aggressive [Laughs].
On her relationship with Rihanna
We became cool on Twitter [laughs], and she’s cool! She lives her life and does what the fuck she wants and I love that about her. It’s tough because all of a sudden your supposed to be perfect and a role model to everyone and not live your life and I think she does what she needs to do, she’s young and having fun. Growing up, I didn’t necessarily say ‘oh my god! Look at Madonna I want to be just like her’, I just loved her music. I feel like people put so much pressure on these celebrities and it’s like I think parents should be role models and if you don’t want your kids watching these things then don’t. Like my daughter is almost 19 and she will tell you that growing up she had parental control for the TV, because of HBO etc. In my eyes, Rihanna can do no wrong, I think she’s an amazing artist. She’s gorgeous, handles her business, and lives her life with no apologies.
On whether she is going to drop her last name
I don’t know. I’m going to keep Evelyn Lozada for now because it’s a brand that I’m building. It’s my own little thing I got going on. We are still on the fence of that though, so we’ll see.

Sounds like Evelyn and Jen are overdue for a woman-to-woman chat.

Catch the rest of the interview over at Vibe

 Necole Bitchie 

UNN student commits suicide this morning

 The students of University of Nigeria, Nsuka, woke up to find one of their own hanging from a rope in an unfinished Franco building beside the hockey pitch in their school. Roommates of the dead student said he left the room around 2am this morning and they thought he had gone to study, only for his corpse to be found dangling from a rope this morning. He's a 3rd year Physics and Astronomy student in his early 20's. A purported suicide note which read, "The controversy is over" was discovered near him.

The dead student, now identified as Onyebuchi Okonkwo had a mental illness last year and was hospitalized at UI for one month. 

viewer discretion advised.

Ciara Announces New Album ‘One Woman Army’

She has been very quiet over the past few months while laying down tracks in the studio and she finally revealed her plans to drop a new album, this week, while promoting her new film, ‘That’s My Boy’, starring Adam Sandler.    According to Ciara, her new album will be titled, ‘One Woman Army’ and the first official single that will hit radio will be titled, ‘Sweat’.  She also hinted that it may be an up-tempo single by saying, ‘It’s gonna make you sweat’.

The preview of the track is expected to hit the net as soon as this week.

Check out the video:

 Necole Bitchie 

Tonto Dikeh spotted with Keri Hilson in Ghana

 The actress was in Ghana to co-host the Stand Up Ghana concert which featured American stars Keri Hilson and Bow Wow. Continue to see what she wore to the event...

Dress by Elegante by Tiannahstyling

Rihanna Goes Topless For The Cover Of UK Esquire

Let’s face it, RiRi is definitely the Cover Queen when it comes to the amount of covers she’s snagged over the past few years (she wasn’t crowned Esquire’s sexiest Women Alive for nothing), but interesting enough, most of the publications would rather put her on their covers with her clothes off, than on.  She’s currently covering Esquire UK’s July 2012 issue, topless, with a headline that states, ‘Rihanna Will Not Be Censored’.

The cover shot definitely looks like something we’ve seen before (Rihanna instagrammed similar photos of herself topless from the set of her ‘Nude’ fragrance shoot just this weekend), however, the inside shots of Rihanna in a netted bra and army fatigue shorts are far hotter.

Blondes definitely have more fun!

Necole Bitchie