We’re at the Reporters’ Roundtable to discuss the top stories of the week. On deck… President Biden enters the fight over the vote. Texas Democrats leave the Lone Star State to prevent a vote on more restrictive voting laws. There’s been another incident involving a so-called “Karen” confrontation at a shopping mall and the return of COVID infections and deaths.
Nicki Mayo, President, Baltimore Association of Black Journalists
Thirteen people have been hurt after a Metrobus crashed in to a wall in northeast DC this afternoon. According to DC Fire and EMS, one person was trapped and another was critically injured when the bus hit a retaining wall at 1st and Riggs Road NE just before 3:30 PM. The cause of the crash is not known.
(Annapolis, MD) — Annapolis Police say they have arrested the suspect who allegedly fired the gun of the stray bullet that killed the mother of a Naval Academy member. 29-year-old Angelo Harrod of Annapolis was arrested on June 30th on an unrelated charge. He has been charged with multiple offenses related to the murder of Michelle Cummings. Cummings was in Annapolis to watch her son Trey be inducted into the Naval Academy when she was struck by a stray bullet. Police think Cummings was not the target of the bullet.
You probably knew Mary J. Blige has been a force as the queen of Hip-Hop Soul music but did you know her acting career set her on the path to achieving an Oscar first?
Blige sat down with Naomi Campbell last year for her web series, “No Filter with Naomi Campbell” and she discussed her role in “Mudbound,” the 2017 Netflix movie that earned Blige an Oscar nomination.
Mary was the first person to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress as well as Best Original Song at the 2018 Academy Awards, unfortunately, she didn’t win either award, but her Oscar nomination brought in her next role in The Umbrella Academy.
“After I did Mudbound, there was [sic] all these roles coming in for me to play that same type of woman. I said no,” Blige admitted. “I said no, and that’s when I got The Umbrella Academy.”
Mary has starred in several movies, what has been your favorite?
Babyface and his wife of 7 years, Nicole Pantenburg are getting a divorce.
This is Babyface’s second wife.
Babyface and Nicole share 12 year old daughter Nicole Peyton.
In a joint statement they said, after much thought and with great sadness we have decided to end our marriage. We continue to care and have respect for one another and share eternal love for our daughter.
The statement concludes by asking for privacy.
He was previously married to Tracey Edmonds.
What do you think about celebs putting out statements about their divorce then asking for privacy?
By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Overdose deaths soared to a record 93,000 last year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government estimate released Wednesday eclipses the 72,000 drug overdose deaths in 2019 and amounts to a 29% increase. Experts say lockdowns and other pandemic restrictions isolated those with drug addictions and made treatment harder to get. Prescription painkillers once drove the opioid epidemic in the U.S. But now it is fentanyl, a dangerously powerful opioid. Overdose deaths in 2020 are just one facet of what was overall the deadliest year in U.S. history, with about 378,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19.
Eliminating doubt and fostering confidence and support for area youth. My guest today runs a non-profit organization providing mentoring programs for middle and high school youth in the DMV. They are offering a free 8-week leadership academy for youth ages 15 to 21. My guest is Regina Gibbons – Executive Director of Y-Knot Inc.
Y-Knot Inc. is a non-profit volunteer driven community support group providing mentoring programs for middle and high school youth in the DC region. 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.
We all love a good success story. Coming out of the pandemic… we need one. We have just what the heart and head are looking for. Michael warren is the co-founder of “A Life Well Dressed”. He has a tale to tell. It all starts with a hat.
Pressure is mounting on Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph, the man who claims to be Haiti’s leader in the aftermath of the president’s assassination. At least two other officials claim to be the legitimate head of government amid a race to fill the political power vacuum. Where is Haiti now, politically and what does the future hold for the poorest country in the western hemisphere?
Dr. Nikongo BaNikongo, Caribbean Studies Professor, Howard University
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Republicans are authorizing law enforcement to find and bring back more than 50 legislators who fled to Washington “under warrant of arrest if necessary” after Democrats left the state to again block passage of sweeping new voting restrictions. Still, it was not immediately clear Tuesday whether state troopers would actually be sent to Washington, where they would have no jurisdiction to make arrests. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has already threatened Democrats with arrest once they return home, which may not be until the current 30-day session is over. The move by Republicans was expected after most Democrats in the Texas House boarded private planes Monday to deny GOP the quorum necessary to conduct business.
(Philadelphia, PA) — President Biden says Republicans are launching an assault on our democracy by passing restrictive voting laws. Speaking in Philadelphia, Biden said Americans have the fundamental right to vote freely and fairly. He called this the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War. The President quoted the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis, saying “freedom is not a state, it’s an act.” He called on Americans to act to save and strengthen our democracy.
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.
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.
(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.
(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.
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 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.
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.
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.
(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 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?
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?
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.”
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?
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.
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 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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
(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 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.
Jaden Smith Brings Mom Jada’s Hey Humans Personal Care Products to Skid Row Community Members https://t.co/ZoJp3YJHZ2
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.
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.
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?
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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”.
(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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
