Blog

Exposing Our Youth To Aviation

Pilots for Christ of Maryland is hosting it’s Youth Aviation Day event

Posted by Bobby Gailes
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My guest this morning soars the skies helping to provide transportation for people with medical needs and life altering circumstances.  His organization is called Pilots for Christ Maryland.  They are hosting a Youth Aviation Day coming up later this month at Fort Meade.  My guest is Michael McFaden – President of Pilots for Christ Maryland

Pilots for Christ Maryland is hosting a Youth Aviation Day Saturday, July 31st from 2pm to 5pm at Tipton Airfield on the grounds of Fort Meade Army Base in Anne Arundel County.  For more information go here:

Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.

Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.

 

Listen to this mornings segment here:

Emotionally Civility

What has happen to civility?

Posted by Harold Fisher
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From muscular unrest on the streets to nasty disagreements on line and clashes in our communities.  What has happen to civility?  Can we all get a long?  The profound question from Rodney King in 1992 doesn’t appear to have an answer with legs in 2021.  We explore the apparent absence of civility in our community and the global community.

Resources:

Emotional Civility Book Info

Rev. Dr. Sharon Anderson, Esq., Author

Texas Democrats Planning Protest Over Voting Bill

Republicans advanced more restrictive voting bills Sunday

Posted by Harold Fisher
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(San Antonio, TX) — Texas Democrats are poised to flee the state capitol in Austin, in protest of a special session of the state legislature. Republicans advanced voting bills Sunday that would prohibit 24-hour polling places, stop drive-thru voting and enhance access for poll watchers. Hundreds spoke against the proposals, with some waiting to speak for almost 24 hours. Republicans made clear they intended to advance a new election bill this week. But a walkout would grind that to a halt and, in turn, might put more pressure on President Biden to act on voting at the federal level.

Dow Hits 35,000

All three major indexes closed at record highs on Friday and are on pace to close even higher today.

Posted by Harold Fisher
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(New York, NY) — The Dow Jones Industrial Average has crossed the 35-thousand mark. The Dow rose 130 points to reach the intraday high as investors wait for second-quarter earnings season to kick off this week. The Dow first crossed the 35-thousand mark back in May. All three major indexes closed at record highs on Friday and are on pace to close even higher today.

Cedric the Entertainer To Host Live Emmy Awards Ceremony

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cedric the Entertainer will host the Emmy Awards in September as the ceremony returns to a live telecast after last year’s pandemic-forced virtual event. There will be a limited audience of nominees and guests at the Microsoft Theatre for the Sept. 19 show airing on CBS. Cedric the Entertainer is host and producer of the CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood.” Contenders for the 73rd prime-time Emmys will be announced virtually at 8:30 a.m. PDT Tuesday, streaming live on Emmys.com. Among the binge-worthy shows that kept viewers company during the COVID-19 pandemic and are considered front-runners for nominations: “The Crown,” “Ted Lasso,” “The Mandalorian” and “Bridgerton.”

Practicing Emotional Civility

Join the conversation tomorrow at Busboys and Poets from 7pm-9pm

Posted by Bobby Gailes
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Practicing kindness, consideration, and civility.  My guest this morning crisscrosses the country to encourage more of that behavior.  She has a big event coming up tomorrow and is here to share her push to make our communities more civil places to live, work, and play.  My guest is Dr. Sharon Styles Anderson – author of the book “Emotional Civility:  The New Standard for Global Success” will host a book-signing Tuesday July 13th from 7pm to 9pm at Busboys and Poets in Hyattsville.

Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.

Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.

 

Listen to this mornings segment here:

Mr. C Talks About Discovering And Producing Chuck Brown

Posted by Jacquie Gales Webb
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https://youtu.be/4DTAfTTKWDA

WHUR’s host of the Time Tunnel, Carroll “Mr. C” Hynson, Jr. discovered and produced several top ten artists including “The Fuzz” and “Chuck Brown.  Mr. C’s Pastor, Bishop Craig N. Coates, PhD invites all to the Freedom Way Exhibit Gala Saturday August 27th at the Fresh Start Church in Annapolis.  For more information go to fscgb.org.

 

 

COVID-19 Update

Clearing up confusion about new pandemic information

Posted by Harold Fisher
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There has been a flood of pandemic information coming out just this week. The Delta variant, questions about booster shots, returning to school in the fall for teachers and students, even workers returning to in-person work.  So much to think about and even more that’s a bit confusing.

Resources:

Black Coalition Against COVID-19

Dr. Reed Tuckson, MD., Co-Founder, Black Coaliton Against COVID-19

Charlottesville to Remove Two Confederate Statues

The Robert E. Lee statue will come down and so will the statue of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson

Posted by Harold Fisher
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(Charlottesville, VA) — The city of Charlottesville, Virginia, will remove two Confederate statues tomorrow. The Robert E. Lee statue will come down and so will the statue of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The Lee statue’s removal comes more than five years after the City Council got a petition to make it happen. Charlottesville is the city where the deadly “Unite the Right” rally took place in August 2017. A man drove his car into the crowd during the event, killing Heather Heyer and injuring many others.

OutKast’s ‘ATLiens’ To Be Released As Limited-Edition 25th Anniversary Vinyl Bundle

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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OutKast’s ATLiens was released in 1996.
It included singles, Elevators (Me & You) and Jazzy Belle.
For the 25th anniversary they are releasing a deluxe edition of the album.
It will be released as an expanded digital and vinyl version.
The vinyl bundle will be the original album on 2 vinyl records with 14 previously unreleased instrumental tracks.
What album would you love to get an expanded edition of?

CDC Says Vaccinated Adults Don’t Need A Booster Shot ‘At This Time’

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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The CDC says that anyone who’s been fully vaccinated doesn’t need a booster shot “at this time” to protect from the Delta strain or other coronavirus variants.
In a joint statement, the CDC and FDA said vaccinated adults are “protected from severe disease and death, including from the variants currently circulating in the country such as Delta”, adding that “People who are not vaccinated remain at risk”.
The statement was released just hours after Pfizer said it would seek approval for a third vaccine dose, to be administered one year after the second shot.
If a third shot isn’t necessary, why is Pfizer applying for one? Should future booster shots be free, or will they cost money like flu shots?

Angela Bassett: ‘There Are Multiple Scripts’ For Black Panther Sequel

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Contributed By Scott Lipscomb

After the passing of the late Chadwick Boseman, Marvel had to reroute plans for the Black Panther sequel. According to actress Angela Bassett, playing the queen mother of Boseman’s King T’Challa, the script is still going through changes as production began in June in Atlanta.

“I don’t know what it’s going to look like at all,” Bassett told Entertainment Tonight about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever during a recent interview. “There have been about five incarnations of the script and I hear another one’s coming.”

“Of course, with our dear king [Boseman] going on to glory, a lot of things had to be shifted and changed,” she added. “So, thankfully, [director] Ryan [Coogler] and [writer] Joe Robert Cole, they’re just such masterful storytellers that they’ve found a way into this world and hopefully it will be satisfying, I think, for the fans and it will be honorable of our Chad. We love our king.”

A sequel to 2018’s Oscar-winning box-office hit Black Panther has been in the works shortly after the first movie came out in theaters. After Boseman’s death from colon cancer in August, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced they would not recast the role of T’Challa and that the new film would “honor the legacy” of Boseman.

“It’s clearly very emotional without Chad. But everyone is also very excited to bring the world of Wakanda back to the public and back to the fans. We’re going to do it in a way that would make Chad proud.”

The movie is set to debut July 8, 2022.

Rihanna’s ‘ANTI’ Just Made Billboard History

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Rihanna’s 2016 ANTI album made Billboard 200 album history.
It is now the 5th longest charting album by a female artist.
The album has spent 275 weeks on the chart
She is now the first Black female to achieve this in the history of the Billboard 200.
If you had to place a bet, when do you think fans will get a new album from Rihanna?

DMX Cause Of Death Reveled

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Contributed by Scott Lipscomb

The late rapper DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, passed away in April at age 50.

After 3 months, the official cause of death is linked to a cocaine induced heart attack according to the Westchester County’s Medical Examiner’s office.

“It was cardiac arrest for a period of time, so there was no circulation to the brain,” the source said, later explaining that acute cocaine intoxication had “caused this chain of events.”

“His death literally happened immediately because the brain was dead,” the source added.

“So obviously, there were a number of days where he was on ventilatory support and so forth in the hospital,” the source said. “However, he was diagnosed brain-dead early on … He never woke up from [a] coma.”

Murray Richman, Simmons’s longtime attorney, slammed unsubstantiated rumors that his death had anything to do with the COVID-19 vaccine reported Vulture. “Persons who made that statement had no basis to formulate a belief,” Richman said. He also confirmed that Simmons never had COVID nor did he receive the vaccine.

Following Simmons’s death, his family said in a statement, “Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end.”

Growing up in Yonkers, he started as an underground rapper before eventually signing with Def Jam Records. His debut single with Def Jam, “Get at Me Dog,” quickly became a hit, reaching the Hot 100’s Top 40. His First album “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot” debuted at number 1 on the Hot 200.

Ida B. Wells Honored With Monument

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Contributed By Scott Lipscomb

A monument to journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett was unveiled Wednesday in Chicago.

The Light of Truth Ida B. Wells National Monument, was made by sculptor Richard Hunt was dedicated in the South Side neighborhood where Wells lived out her life.

The monument has three bronze columns that support intertwined bronze sheets twisted into coils and spirals. One observer had trouble describing the abstraction at the top of the monument, asking if it was a hat or a crown of thorns. She was more certain about the columns.

“It is interesting,” spectator Roberta Trotter told the Chicago Tribune. ”I just want to know what the artist thinks before I say more. But I do see a strong base. That, I understand — Ida was a strong woman.”

Granddaughter Michelle Duster said traditional busts and statues of Ms. Wells were considered, but she and others pushing for the monument preferred something interpretive, which she said projects Ms. Wells better than the literal.

The monument to Ms. Wells was financed by contributions made during a fundraising campaign over several years led by Ms. Duster. It sits on the site of the Ida B. Wells Homes, a housing project constructed in the 1930s, torn down in 2011 and replaced with market rate and subsidized housing the Chicago Associated Press noted.

“Hopefully it becomes a point of pride to Bronzeville, the kind of thing people want to serve as a backdrop to their lives here,” Ms. Duster said. “That’s what I want — a gathering spot.”

Wells is best known for reporting the lynching of African Americans in the South during the late 1800s – early 1900s.

Although she was threatened frequently be- cause of her work, she helped to found several civil rights organizations including the NAACP and the National Association of Colored Women.

LeBron James To Join Billionaire Club

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Contributed By Scott Lipscomb

LeBron James is undeniably one of the biggest names in sport. The Lakers Star player is not only one of the greatest ever on the court, but also one of the most influential off it. With endorsement deals from Nike, Mountain Dew, Beats, Walmart, Rimowa, GMC and owning multiple Blaze Pizza franchises, James makes an estimated 64 million off the court.

https://youtu.be/IrXGI_G2yd8

An Article in Forbes stated “LeBron James is the NBA’s top-earning player for the seventh straight year, including off-court income (2016-17 was the only season of his career James had the highest playing salary). He’s expected to earn $95.4 million, including an estimated $64 million from endorsements, memorabilia and media. It is a record haul for an NBA player and the highest ever in American team sports. The historic year will push his career earnings to $1 billion, including $700 million off the court. He joins Tiger Woods, Floyd Mayweather, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in reaching the three-comma club while still an active athlete.”

With only four other athletes ever reaching the milestone while active, James will be in elite company.

With involvement in several successful business ventures (Blaze Pizza, Uninterrupted, Fenway Sports Group, and SpringHill Entertainment), it should come as no surprise that James has built his brand as so much more than the average athlete. Who knows what more he’ll be able to do once he retires from the game!

Spelling Bee Champ Makes History

14-year-old Louisiana girl becomes first African-American winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee

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(Friday, July 9, 2021) – With style, flair, and lots of wit; Zaila Avant-garde is making history as the first African American winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Zaila jumped and twirled with joy after being declared the winner when she correctly spelled “Murraya,” which is a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees.  “I was pretty relaxed on the subject of Murraya and pretty much any other word I got,” Zaila said.

Zaila describes spelling as a side hobby.  The 14-year-old  Harvey, Louisiana native is a basketball prodigy who own three Guinness world records for dribbling multiple balls simultaneously.  She also hopes to one day play in the WNBA or coach in the NBA.

We predict she will be able to do all of the above and more.

Free Samples Are Back, But With Safety In Mind

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — With vaccinations rolling out and the threat of COVID-19 easing in the U.S., stores are feeling confident enough to revive the longstanding tradition of offering free samples. For customers, sampling makes it fun to shop and discover new items, not to mention getting all the freebies. For retailers, they’re critical tools to keep shoppers coming back and battle against online retailers like Amazon. The NPD Group says food sampling converts browsers into buyers at a 20% higher rate than if customers weren’t allowed to test. The conversion rate is 30% higher when beauty products are sampled. But while sampling is back, it’s not clear if everyone is ready to bite. With that in mind, some retailers are putting various safety protocols in place to ease concerns.

US Average Mortgage Rates Continue To Fall; 30-Year At 2.90%

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Mortgage rates continued to fall this week, tracking a decline in yields on Treasury securities as the bond market continues to signal concerns over the strength of the recovery from the pandemic recession. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reports that the average for the 30-year home loan eased to 2.90% from 2.98% last week. The rate for a 15-year loan fell to 2.20% from 2.26%. Freddie Mac economists expect economic growth to gradually push rates higher. The bond market has been signaling concerns that the recovery may have peaked and is now leveling off to a steadier pace.

Bringing Black Greek Organizations Together

The Black Greek Fest is July 22nd – July 25th

Posted by Bobby Gailes
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Calling all Divine 9. The Black Greek Fest is coming to the DMV.  I have the details to make sure you are in place for this event designed to foster Greek Unity in the DMV.  My guest is  Kwame Sao Agyemang – Founder

Black Greek Fest is a weekend festival from July 22nd  -25th to promote and foster Greek Unity.  For more information go here:

Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.

Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.

Listen to this mornings segment here:

DC Safe Surrender Program

This is for outstanding misdemeanor bench warrants in the District of Columbia

Posted by Harold Fisher
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For the next two weekends DC is launching its Safe Surrender program for people who have outstanding misdemeanor bench warrants in the city.  Two judges from DC Superior Court explain how it works.

Resources:

DC Safe Surrender Info

DC Superior Court Associate Judge Juliet McKenna (not pictured)

DC Superior Court Chief Judge Anita Josey-Herring

 

Vice President Harris Launches Voting Rights Initiative At Howard

The Democratic National Committee’s “I Will Vote” Campaign is getting a $25 million boost to protect voting rights

Posted by Harold Fisher
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Vice President Kamala Harris came to Howard University to promote a voting rights initiative.  The Democratic National Committee’s “I Will Vote” Campaign is getting a $25 million boost to protect voting rights.  The campaign focuses on promoting voter registration and participation among minorities. The money will be used to boost voter registration, mobilize voters in the upcoming 2022 midterm elections and help educate voters on some of the state laws being considered and passed by Republican-led state legislatures.

Howard University Student Association President Kylie Burke, left, introduces Vice President Kamala Harris to the podium to speaks about voting rights at Howard University

 

Jada Pinkett Smith Reveals Former Addictions

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Contributed by Scott Lipscomb

Jada Pinkett Smith revealed she use to be heavily addicted to weed, ecstasy, and alcohol.

Page Six reported that Smith said she would combine wine or other alcohol with ecstasy and weed when she developed a tolerance to solely drinking.

“Drinking red wine for me was like drinking glasses of water,” she shared on Facebook Watch’s “Red Table Talk.” “Because I’m used to that hard hit. I was drinking hard in high school, too, and when I got out here I was doing cocktails. So, ecstasy, alcohol, weed. Let me tell you, I was having myself a little ball.”

Smith was able to stop one day after reaching for a third bottle of wine and passing out on the set of the “The Nutty Professor.”

“I went to work high and it was a bad batch of ecstasy,” she recalled. “And I passed out and I told everybody that I must have had old medication in a vitamin bottle. But I’ll tell you what I did, though. I got my ass together and got on that set. That was the last time.”

Smith uses her platform to be open about her life and bring her family closer together

DC Court Suspends Rudy Giuliani’s Law License

Giuliani’s law license is now suspended in the nation’s capital, as well as in New York

Posted by Harold Fisher
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(Washington, DC) — Rudy Giuliani’s law license is now suspended in the nation’s capital, as well as in New York. A court in Washington, DC issued the ruling Wednesday pending the resolution of the “disciplinary matter” in the former Big Apple Mayor’s home state. Two weeks ago, a New York Appeals Court issued a 33-page decision saying there’s “uncontroverted evidence” that Giuliani issued “false and misleading statements” to the courts, lawmakers and the public in trying to overturn then President Trump’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. Giuliani’s legal team says it believes he’ll eventually be reinstated.

Jaden Smith Brings Aide To Skid Row

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Contributed by Scott Lipscomb

Jaden Smith is no stranger to helping others through selfless acts. From bringing a water filtration system to Flint, to providing free vegan meals to the homeless, Smith has shown his passion for helping.

According to People, his next social good initiative will be centered on ensuring those facing housing insecurity in Los Angeles have personal care products.

News One reports that Jaden with some help from his mother, actress and talk show host Jada Pinkett Smith, will make monthly donations of toiletry items to The ReFresh Spot; a Los Angeles-based project that provides individuals living in the Skid Row community with access to showers, restrooms and laundry facilities. The community-run safe space is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They will donate to The ReFresh Spot through Pinkett Smith’s new eco-friendly personal care brand Hey Humans which features a collection of body washes and lotions, deodorant and toothpaste.

“I’m so pleased to be a part of bringing together Hey Humans and the Refresh Spot, which helps so many residents of Skid Row find comfort in their day-to-day challenges,” Jaden said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “Helping support my mom and her vision while providing dignity and self-confidence through personal hygiene is what this partnership is all about.” The Los Angeles Times reported as of January 2020, over 4,000 people were living on Skid Row.

News about Jaden’s initiative comes months after the “Icon” rapper announced he was opening an eatery that will provide free food for the homeless. The new venture is an extension of his I Love You Restaurant project; a movement designed to provide sustainable meal options for underserved communities. “When the whole world helps, the whole world heals,” he said.

Actress Suzzanne Douglas Passes Away at 64

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Contributed By Scott Lipscomb

Suzzanne Douglas, best known from the sitcom The Parent ‘Hood, has passed away at the age of 64.

Douglas’ cousin shared the sad news via her Facebbok on July 6:

“Suzzanne Douglas a beautiful and talented actress made her transition today. She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin.

“I can remember growing up, there weren’t very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in “Tap” starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.” The Inkwell, Jason’s Lyric and so much more the list goes on. The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever Rest in Paradise my beautiful cousin Suzzane you will be missed RIP”

Douglas was born in Chicago and raised in public housing on the city’s south side by her single mother along with her three siblings. After developing an interest in the arts at a young age, she earned a Bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University before later earning a Master in Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music reported Essence.

For her lead role in Tap in 1989, Douglas won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. From there she went on to star in other feature films such as The Inkwell, Jason’s Lyric, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. In 2015, she portrayed Cissy Houston in the Lifetime biopic Whitney.

Tokyo Olympics Ban Spectators

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Contributed By Scott Lipscomb

Due to a surge in covid cases the Olympics have banned fans from all venues. While international fans were already banned, now local fans as well will be banned from attending.

After a new state of emergency, the cities fourth, the restrictions will be in place for the duration of the games.

“Many people were looking forward to watching the games at the venues, but I would like everyone to fully enjoy watching the games on TV at home,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said after a meeting with Olympics officials, the Associated Press reported.

Tokyo reported 920 new cases of the virus on Wednesday, an increase of 714 cases from the same time last week, according to the AP.

Fans have been banned from attending the Tokyo Olympics as a new state of emergency was declared in the Japanese capital where COVID-19 cases are on the rise.

“The number of infected cases in the area including Tokyo has been increasing since the end of last month,” Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Thursday, the AP reported. “Considering the impact of variants, we need to enhance countermeasures so that the infection will not spread nationwide.”

Suga said the state of emergency will begin Monday and last through Aug. 22.

Do you think the games should be cancelled all together?

Will SuCh Sing For Us Live?

‘I realized that I’m beautiful, just the way God made me. I love my wide nose, full lips, and curly hair.”

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https://youtu.be/vwvkWzwBCYs

From American Idol, to having he latest single played on the top music station in the DMV! Soulful singer, SuCh, has arrived as a passionate singer who has a lot to celebrate.

Fall in love with this songbird and find out how she finds her inspiration to write her beautiful songs.

She shares how her latest CD, “Wide Nose, Full Lips” is an open Love Letter to blackness.

Civil Rights Tourism Begins Its Comeback After Shutdowns

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ATLANTA (AP) — Tom Houck, who drove Martin Luther King Jr. and his family around Atlanta during the Civil Rights movement, is reopening his Civil Rights Tours Atlanta bus tours after shutting down during the pandemic. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that relaunching the tours signals the slow return of tourism connected to the Civil Rights movement in Atlanta. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights has seen about a 5% increase in attendance over the past several weeks. The APEX Museum has also seen a boom in attendance since it reopened. But many sites remained shuttered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Park, which is part of the National Park Service.

New Edition 2022 Tour And Las Vegas Residency

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Contributed By Scott Lipscomb

If you’re a fan of the legendary boy group New Edition, then get ready to head to Las Vegas in 2022! All 6 members of the group will be in attendance as they reunite to preform.

Yesterday (Wednesday, July 7th), Creative Artists Agency–CAA–announced it would represent the reunited group for their upcoming tour and Las Vegas Residency the Jasmine Brand reported.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by CAA Music (@caamusic)

While over the years some members have went solo and departed from the group, in recent years they have all come together to give fans amazing performances.

At this time tour dates and ticket information have not been released.

https://youtu.be/7flrKMGfwjw

America’s Reckoning with the History of Slavery

Author writes about the impact of slavery on modern America

Posted by Harold Fisher
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From a racist attack in Mount Laurel, New Jersey to the cultural divide over Critical Race Theory, America continues to struggle with the legacy of slavery.  We talk to author Clint Smith those issues and his new book, “How The Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With The History Of Slavery Across America”.

Resources:

Clint Smith’s Book Information

Clint Smith, Author

Fence Around U.S. Capitol To Come Down

Removal To Begin On Friday

Posted by Harold Fisher
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(Washington, DC) — Temporary fencing around the U.S. Capitol is expected to be removed as early as Friday. Non-scalable fencing was placed around the perimeter following the attack on January 6th. U.S. Capitol police told Hill staffers that removal will conclude in three days, weather permitting. Although the fencing will be removed, building access restrictions will remain in place.

Haitian President Jovenel Moïse Assassinated

Haiti in upheaval

Posted by Harold Fisher
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Gunmen have assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse and wounded his wife in their home. The killing Wednesday is sure to bring more chaos to the unstable Caribbean country already beset by gang violence, soaring inflation and protests by opposition supporters who accused Moïse of increasing authoritarianism. Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said the police and military were in control of security. The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti has a history of dictatorship and political upheaval. The streets of Port-au-Prince were empty and quiet. In an interview with The Associated Press, Joseph called for an international investigation into the assassination, said elections set for later this year should be held, and pledged to work with Moïse’s allies and opponents.

The Ladies Are Back And Fresher Than Ever!

Girls just want to have fun!

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https://youtu.be/D_NPhBWqIy0

Ladies Night was lit as we caught up on what we did over the hiatus.

You’ll have to watch to find out how some of us found sunshine, love, fun and frolic over the break.

While we all have distinctly different personalities, one thing is for sure. We are better together!

Welcome Back! xoxo

 

All Universal Films Coming To Peacock Starting In 2022

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By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer
The streaming service Peacock is ramping up its offerings with a new deal with Universal Filmed Entertainment Group. The companies said Tuesday that starting in 2022 all Universal films, including the new “Jurassic World,” Jordan Peele-led and “Minions” movies, will become available exclusively on Peacock no later than four months after their theatrical premieres. The unique multi-year deal guarantees that in an 18-month window, Universal films will be available on Peacock for the first and last four months. The films can be licensed to other services in between. Universal’s 2022 slate incudes “Jurassic World: Dominion,” “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” and an original film from Peele.

Spike Lee, ‘Annette’ Kick Off 74th Cannes Film Festival

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By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer
CANNES, France (AP) — The Cannes Film Festival rolled out the red carpet for the first time in more than two years on Tuesday, launching the French Riviera spectacular with the premiere of Leos Carax’s “Annette,” the introduction of Spike Lee’s jury, and with high hopes for shrugging off a punishing pandemic year for cinema. The 74th Cannes opened Tuesday with as much glitz as it could summon, led by “Annette,” a fantastical musical starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard and scored by the musical duo Sparks. The opening ceremony also returned last year’s Palme d’Or winner, Bong Joon Ho (for “Parasite”) and Jodie Foster, who first came to Cannes as a 13-year-old with Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver,” for an honorary Palme.

A Pandemic Clothing Purge Is On As Normal Life Resumes In US

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By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A wardrobe purge is on for some as vaccinations have taken hold, restrictions have lifted, and offices reopen or finalize plans to do so. The main beneficiaries are secondhand clothing marketplaces and brick-and-mortar donation spots. That continues a trend building for the last several years. At the resale site Poshmark, orders are up for handbags and work-worthy dresses when compared to last year. The same goes for blazers, suit jackets and heels. ThredUp’s co-founder and CEO, James Reinhart, says growth is fueled by an influx of new sellers putting high-quality clothing into the market.

As Employers Struggle To Fill Jobs, Teens Come To The Rescue

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By PAUL WISEMAN and JOSEPH PISANI AP Business Writers
WASHINGTON (AP) — The owners of restaurants, amusement parks and retail shops, many of them desperate for workers, are sounding an unusual note of gratitude this summer: Thank goodness for teenagers. As the U.S. economy bounds back with unexpected speed from the pandemic recession and customer demand intensifies, high school-age kids are filling jobs that older workers can’t — or won’t. The result is that teens who are willing to bus restaurant tables or serve as water-park lifeguards are commanding $15, $17 or more an hour, plus bonuses in some instances or money to help pay for school classes.

Philanthropies Eagerly Back Journalist Hannah-Jones

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By HALELUYA HADERO and GLENN GAMBOA AP Business Writers
NEW YORK (AP) — Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones is using major philanthropic donors to build her future as a tenured professor at Howard University, just as other major donors sought to stymie the Pulitzer Prize-winning Black investigative reporter at the University of North Carolina. Hannah-Jones announced Tuesday that she will establish the Center for Journalism and Democracy at Howard to increase diversity in journalism.

The $20 million in contributions point to a growing philanthropic effort to diversify news organizations and strengthen journalistic standards. The donations, including $5 million each from the MacArthur, Knight and Ford foundations and an anonymous donor, will also bring award-winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates to Howard, a historically black school that’s also his alma mater.

ESPN Takes Nichols Off NBA Finals Duty After Leaked Comments

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By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer
PHOENIX (AP) — ESPN has replaced Rachel Nichols as its sideline reporter for the NBA Finals following a report detailing critical comments she made about Black colleague Maria Taylor. The network announced Tuesday that Malika Andrews would handle that role for the series between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks. Nichols has been the sideline reporter for its top national games this season and for last year’s NBA Finals. But the switch was made after The New York Times reported Sunday on her comments last year, when she learned Taylor would lead the network’s studio show instead of her during the league’s restart at Walt Disney World.

Empowering Our Youth

Charlotte’s Web Enrichment Center is hosting a Youth Empowerment Summit this Saturday

Posted by Bobby Gailes
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Fun-times for youth.  If you’re looking for something fun and engaging for your youngster this weekend, I have just the event.  Charlotte’s Web Enrichment Center is joining forces with the Cottage City Police Department and Prince George’s County Police for their 2021 Youth Empowerment Summit Youth Fun Day.  My guest is  Toni Brooks-Cooper – Founder and Executive Director for Charlotte’s Web

Charlotte’s Web Enrichment Center is partnering with the Cottage City Police and Prince George’s County Police Departments for their 2021 Youth Empowerment Summit Youth Fun Day Saturday July 10th from 10am to 2pm at 4331 Bladensburg Road in Colmar Manor. For more information go here:

Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.

Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.

 

Listen to this mornings segment here:

Ruth LaToison Ifill of Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers

Supporting non-profits through philanthropy

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We all are quite familiar with the work non-profit organizations do in our communities. They take care of the so many things, fill-in the gaps that governments and private industry can’t.  Who or what takes care of non-profits, giving them the support they need to do the work they do?  We explore part of that answer with Ruth LaToison Ifill,  President and CEO of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers. (WRAG)

https://youtu.be/dkug27tyBKs

Conversation with Howard University President, Dr. Wayne Frederick

Howard University makes two high-profile hires.

Posted by Harold Fisher
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Howard University makes two high-profile hires. It also is grappling with the Bill Cosby story as well as COVID-19 and campus safety.  We’re addressing all of those issues tonight with Howard University President, Dr. Wayne Frederick.

Dr. Wayne Frederick, President, Howard University

Fields Along National Mall To Reopen

The fields are reopening after a 15-month closure due to the pandemic.

Posted by Harold Fisher
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(Washington, DC)  —  It has been a long time coming, but starting Thursday, athletic fields along the National Mall will be open again. The National Park Service is launching a new online service that will let people reserve time on the fields for twenty dollars an hour. According to the Park Service, reservations for the 12 mixed-use and 12 dedicated softball fields around the National Mall are available online on a first-come, first-served basis. The fields are reopening after a 15-month closure due to the pandemic. The Park Service used the closure to upgrade the grounds by replacing blacktops on all softball fields.

National Mall

Six DC Schools To Administer Vaccines

D.C. plans on closing high-capacity walk-up vaccine locations on July 17th.

Posted by Harold Fisher
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(Washington, DC)  —  Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. health officials have announced plans to hold COVID-19 vaccine clinics at six district public schools for young residents. The announcement comes as D.C. plans on closing high-capacity walk-up vaccine locations on July 17th. The new clinics will provide vaccinations for residents between 12 to 18 years of age. The mayor said the six school locations will be open to all youth in the District, not just D.C. Public School students.

 

 

Megan Thee Stallion Rumored to Appear in Marvel’s She-Hulk

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Big news coming from the MCU! Megan Thee Stallion is rumored to appear in Marvel’s “She-Hulk.”

Michael Roman of Everything Always reported that Megan’s appearance “won’t be just a cameo, she could have a recurring role.”

“I vetted this with two separate sources involved with the production,” Roman stated. “I’m almost 99.9 percent sure when I come out and report this kind of exclusive.”

The Disney+ release will also star Jameela Jamil, Tatiana Maslany, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, Ginger Gonzaga, and Renée Elise Goldsberry. No release date for “She-Hulk” has been revealed.

Do you think Megan Thee Stallion is a good choice for She-Hulk?

Viral: Bride TikToker Receives Backlash for Asking Bridesmaids to Pay for Bachelorette Trip to Mexico

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Lisa Torres didn’t have an idea what a troll was until she posted about her bachelorette party on TikTok. The bride-to-be, known as @lisalovesrandom, shared the letter of transparency she sent her bridesmaids about paying for their own trip to Mexico.

The video has received over 4.1 million views with people weighing in on whether or not it’s “tacky” to ask your bridesmaids to pay for their expenses for a bachelorette party.

Since posting the letter Torres says, “I learned the actual definition of a troll because I never knew what it meant.” She says she wanted to send the letter to give her bridesmaids an opportunity to “say no” if they didn’t want to participate.

The letter laid out her expectations for her wedding, how they should be dressed for the wedding, and the $500 fee for attending the bachelorette trip, which includes airfare, hotel, and drinks.

Do you think it’s fair to have bridesmaids pay for wedding expenses or is it the bride’s responsibility?

Do You Worry About Your Online Safety? Try a VPN

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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In light of recent ransomware attacks, you may want to consider getting a VPN or a virtual private network to protect your data and online activities.

Most VPNs require a monthly fee, however, you can get a VPN such as the Ivacy VPN and a lifetime subscription for $50 and it protects up to two accounts and five devices.

A VPN can protect you from hackers, spyware, government surveillance and will keep your bank accounts, credit card numbers, online businesses, photos, and videos safe.

Do you use a VPN? Do you worry about your online data being hacked?

More Stores Recall Tyson Chicken Products

Posted by @Robinrazzi
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Tyson Foods is recalling some of its chicken products.
Walmart, Wegmans and Publix all posted recall notices on their websites, after Tyson voluntarily recalled over eight million pounds of frozen, cooked chicken products for possible listeria contamination.
The recall includes Tyson fully cooked and frozen products and also private label products for restaurants, including Little Caesars.
A full list of retailers that sold the affected products will be posted on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recall website when available.
Have you ever gotten food poisoning?

Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ta-Nehisi Coates Headed to HU

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(Tuesday, July 6, 2021) – Big gains today for Howard University. Two heavy hitters are bringing their gifts and talents to the historically black university announcing today their plans to join the faculty.  Investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones says she will not teach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill following an extended fight over tenure. Hannah-Jones announced her decision today on “CBS This Morning” saying instead she will take up tenure at Howard University as the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism.

Also joining Howard is award-winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates. He will be a writer-in-residence in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. Coates is well known for his work on topics including race and white supremacy.

One week ago, trustees at UNC-Chapel Hill approved tenure for Hannah-Jones, capping weeks of tension that began when a board member halted the process over questions about her teaching credentials.

The appointments are supported by nearly $20 million donated by Knight Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation, as well as by an anonymous donor, to support Howard’s continued education of and investment in Black journalists.

“It is my pleasure to welcome to Howard two of today’s most respected and influential journalists,” said Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA, president of Howard University. “At such a critical time for race relations in our country, it is vital that we understand the role of journalism in steering our national conversation and social progress. Not only must our newsrooms reflect the communities where they are reporting, but we need to infuse the profession with diverse talent. We are thrilled that they will bring their insights and research to what is already a world-class, highly accomplished team of professors.

“Further, we are grateful to the Knight, MacArthur and Ford foundations, as well as to an anonymous donor, for their support in our continued efforts to train the next generation of journalists and to provide a diverse pipeline of talent to America’s newsrooms,” said President Frederick.

Hannah-Jones, the creator of the 1619 Project, will be the inaugural Knight Chair in Race and Journalism and will begin her faculty role this Summer. Award-winning author Coates will hold the Sterling Brown Chair in the Department of English and will begin this position following completion of several current obligations.

“I am so incredibly honored to be joining one of the most important and storied educational institutions in our country and to work alongside the illustrious faculty of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications and the brilliant students it draws in,” Hannah-Jones said. “One of my few regrets is that I did not attend Howard as an undergraduate, and so coming here to teach fulfills a dream I have long carried. I hope that the decision that Ta-Nehisi and I made to bring our talents to an HBCU will lead others to make a similar choice.

“We are at a critical juncture in our democracy, and yet our press does not reflect the nation it serves and too often struggles to grasp the danger for our country as we see growing attacks on free speech and the fundamental right to vote,” Hannah-Jones continued. “In the storied tradition of the Black press, the Center for Journalism and Democracy will help produce journalists capable of accurately and urgently covering the challenges of our democracy with a clarity, skepticism, rigor and historical dexterity that is too often missing from today’s journalism. I am so grateful to the Ford, Knight and MacArthur foundations for the initial funding to launch the center and hope to very quickly meet the center’s $25 million fundraising goal.”

“I heard a wise man once say, ‘A man who hates home will never be happy.’ And it is in the pursuit of wisdom and happiness that I return to join the esteemed faculty of Howard University. This is the faculty that molded me. This is the faculty that strengthened me,” Coates said. “Personally, I know of no higher personal honor than this.”