January, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) — R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, who was one of the most electric and successful figures in music until a car crash 28 years ago left him in a wheelchair, has died of colon cancer. He was 59.

Pendergrass died Wednesday in suburban Philadelphia, where he had been hospitalized for months.

The singer’s son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had “a difficult recovery.”

Before the crash, Pendergrass established a new era of R&B with an explosive, raw voice that symbolized masculinity, passion and the joys and sorrow of romance in songs such as “Close the Door,” “It Don’t Hurt Now,” “Love…

Ford proved that the domestic auto industry is ripe for a comeback by winning the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards with its Fusion Hybrid sedan and Transit Connect van.

A jury of 49 automotive journalists at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit picked the Fusion Hybrid over two other finalists — the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf/GTI — for the way it offers superb fuel efficiency without compromising on practicality, amenities, space or driving enjoyment. Twenty-nine cars were considered for the…