Tyler Perry is in Dog House with Contractors A half-dozen contractors have filed liens against the home and new movie studio of actor-director Tyler Perry, alleging that he stiffed them for nearly $200,000 in unpaid bills. The construction firms say that Perry arbitrarily declined to pay them for their work, that he ordered work done on impulse. For example, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, he might decide “he wouldn’t like the stones purchased for an outdoor fountain … or deem newly planted trees too short. Said Brooks Hilton, a landscaping contractor who contends that Perry owes him $17,635, “He wanted to do it his way.” “He wouldn’t take any advice. I guess in Hollywood it works that way, but not in real life.” But Perry says that he refused to pay up because the workers did lousy work. “I pride myself on taking care of my business. I pride myself on being able to pay the bills, [but] I’m not sympathetic to anybody who’s trying to rip me off. Just because I’m a Christian, just because I’m a nice guy, it doesn’t mean I’m a wimp.”

Black Choir Signed to Record Deal The Black youth choir that performed at President Barack Obama’s inauguration last week has been signed by Universal Music. As they returned to Nairobi from D.C., officials of the label met the members of the Boys Choir of Kenya at London’s Heathrow Airport. Read the rest here.

Auto industry is down to “months in cash.” As top executive of Chrysler LLC cautioned Wednesday that a carmaker collapse could trigger an economic downturn that would lead to a depression, the United Auto Workers Union says it will make the contract concessions necessary to secure loans to keep the nation’s auto companies afloat, The Associated Press reports. On the eve of their return to Capitol Hill to again state their case for why taxpayers should bail them out, Jim Press, Chrysler’s vice chairman, said the U.S. automakers were “down to months left” in cash. Industry officials ratcheted up a fierce lobbying on Wednesday in an effort to persuade Congress to approve as much as $34 billion in emergency aid. “We’re on the brink with the U.S. auto manufacturing industry,” Press told The Associated Press in an interview. “If we have a catastrophic failure of one of these car companies, in this tender environment for the economy, it’s a huge blow. It could trigger a depression.” Fritz Henderson, General Motors’ president and CEO, took to the TV airwaves to stress that bankruptcy isn’t a viable option on the eve of a new set of congressional hearings on the auto bailout. At the same time, UAW leaders were immersed in intense discussions on possible givebacks for the companies at an emergency meeting in Detroit. Henderson told NBC’s “Today” that choosing the bankruptcy route would further erode consumer confidence in the automaker, and “we want them to be confident in their ability to buy our cars and trucks.” The automakers reported that last month’s sales at Chrysler are down 47 percent from last year – 41 percent for GM and 31 percent for Ford.

In Pittsburgh, homicides are at an all-time high. At the end of 2007, the number of homicides for Pittsburgh for the year was 98; as of Dec. 1, the number of murders has not only surpassed last year’s total, but has earned 2008 the dubious distinction of being the first year that the homicide rate has reached the triple-digit mark-and it’s not even the end of the year, reports The Pittsburgh Courier. As part of an ongoing effort to heighten awareness about the effects of murder in the Black community, the Courier has compiled a list of homicides in the county each month. The list points to how these lost lives affect the mental health, economic well-being and self-images of the region’s Black neighborhoods. Out of the 115 murders, thus far, in 2008-98 were Black and 87 were Black men, the Courier reported.

Runner is first Kenyan to win Olympics event. An African distance runner has made history for both his nation and the world. Samuel Wanjiru set an Olympics marathon record Sunday with a time of two hours, six minutes and 32 seconds. He also won the first gold medal of any Kenyan to compete in the Games. “In Kenya, we have many medals, but I’m glad I have this one,” says Wanjiru, 21. Kenyans have won silver medals in the men’s marathon twice, most recently in 2000.

NFL’s Osi Umenyiora to undergo surgery. A New York Giants defensive end won’t play in an NFL game before 2009 after injuring his left knee this past weekend. Osi Umenyiora was hurt in the second quarter of a pre-season game against the Jets. An MRI found a tear in Umenyiora’s lateral meniscus. The two-time Pro Bowler will undergo surgery tomorrow. “It was obviously the news that I did not want to hear,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin says. “But after listening to the explanation and (the doctor’s) thoughts on it, I am convinced that this is the right procedure and the right way to go.” Umenyiora’s loss, involving a four-month recovery, is compounded by the recent retirement of star defender Michael Strahan.

Laurence Fishburne returns to television. Laurence Fishburne is set to make his first return to the cast of a TV series since the late-1980s when he played Cowboy Curtis on the children’s show “Pee Wee’s Playhouse.” Fishburne will portray a forensic scientist on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Calling the new gig a “wonderful collaboration,” Fishburne is set to appear in the show’s 10th season that begins in October. Show executive producers Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar said in a joint statement: “Without hesitation, we said (to CBS bosses) ‘Laurence Fishburne.’ He is a powerful and intense actor, with an incredible range.” Fishburne is best known for his film roles as Morpheus in The Matrix and Furious Styles from Boyz N the Hood.

Battery Records has urban focus. A new Sony music company will revive the practice of artist development, AllHipHop.com reports. Battery Records is to oversee early development among performers on the rosters of RCA and Zomba. “We started operation back in mid-June, so it’s a brand new division,” head man Neil Levine tells All Hip Hop. “It’s really an incubator imprint label. Our main focus is really taking developing artists that are signed to our frontline labels.” Artist development has been used throughout the recording industry to groom new label recruits in career longevity and preparation.

Sprinter sets a new mark in the 100-meter race. Tyson Gay is the new U.S. 100-meter sprint record holder after flying through an Olympics trial race this past weekend in Oregon. Gay’s 9.68 in the 100 meters was the fastest ever, but it was wind-aided. “It tells me I’m in pretty good shape,” Gay says. “We’ve got two more rounds left.” Gay’s 9.77 time was just .05 seconds slower than Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s recent world record. Gay finished second to Bolt in the New York race. The trials in Oregon will qualify athletes to represent America in the Beijing Olympics. Get the latest details at Playa Hater.http://blogs.bet.com/news/playahater/?p=694