The race for Maryland’s Speaker of the House is now between Dereck Davis of Prince George’s County and Maggie McIntosh of Baltimore City. Delegate Adrienne Jones dropped out of the race to support Davis, who, like Jones, is African American.
The race to become the next Speaker of the House in Maryland is now down to two. That’s because delegate Adrienne Jones of Baltimore County has dropped out of the race. She’s thrown her support to Dereck Davis of Prince George’s County. Jones said her decision to drop out was based on galvanizing support for a African American candidate. Jones and Davis are both black.
Delegate Maggie McIntosh, of Baltimore City, who is white, is vying for the Speaker spot against Davis. The next speaker will replace Michael Bush who died several weeks ago. If elected, Dereck Davis would be the first African American to hold the top spot in Maryland’s House of Delegates.
The North Arundel County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta invites you to its 25th Annual Gospel Celebration Sunday, May 5th at the Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park. www.nacacdst.org
GWU Health Discussion
Join the Greater Washington Urban League Guild for a health awareness discussion on Alzheimer’s Disease, Brain Health, and the Black Community May 18th in NW. 202-265-8200 XT 259.
Bowie State University
Bowie State University Gentlemen of Sophistication presents a night of dinner, entertainment, and dancing May 18th at the Upper Marlboro Moose Lodge
Healthcare for All Fair
Take a step toward better health. Come out May 4th to the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex for the “Healthcare for All Health Fair.” It’s hosted by the Top Ladies of Distinction. www.tlodpgcc.org
Missing Person’s Day
MPD’s Youth and Family Services Division is hosting a Missing Person’s Day May 18th at Temple of Praise Baptist Church in SE. mary.jones3@dc.gov
Diabetes Prevention
Help combat diabetes. Join the Institute for Creative Community Initiatives for its 2019 Diabetes Prevention Walk May 4th at the Prince George’s County Health Department. www.iccinitiatives.org
Police Accountability
Learn more about greater police accountability and civilian oversight. Attend the 4th Annual Advocacy Brunch May 4th in Laurel hosted by “For Kathy’s Sake, Inc.” www.forkathyssake.com
End Cancer Walk
The 5k Walk for Hope to End Cancer is May 18th at the Glenn Dale Community Center. www.asawomenusa.org
NAACP Seminar
The Fairfax County NAACP’s Legal Redress Committee is hosting a Workplace Discrimination Seminar May 4th at the Richard Byrd Library in Springfield. www.fairfaxnaacp.org
AKA Arts
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority presents a night highlighting the arts May 18th at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab in Laurel. www.akaoeo.org
Saturday, April 27th is National Prescription Take Back Day. Here are tips of how to properly dispose of your medications.
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Washington, D.C. (April 24, 2019) – Don’t toss your meds. Saturday, April 27th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. It’s an initiative by the Drug Enforcement Administration or DEA to encourage consumers to safely and conveniently dispose of their unused or expired prescriptions in a responsible way. It is estimated that in 2017 alone more than six million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The DEA’s Take Back Day provides an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.
The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. Different sites across the country will be open Saturday to allow residents to bring in their prescription drugs. For a listing of locations around the country of where you can drop off your medications, click here. TAKEBACK LOCATIONS
The DEA hosts National Prescription Drug Take Back Day twice a year. At the last event in October 2018, there were nearly 6,000 sites set up across the country where some 914,000 tons of medications were collected. Now in its 9th year, the DEA initiative is responsible for collected over 10-million pounds of drugs. This effort is one way to help fight the opioid epidemic that’s griping our country.
Opioid abuse is at epidemic levels in the U.S., and remains a top public health concern. Consumers should dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused medicines as quickly as possible to help reduce accidental or intentional overdoses or illegal abuse. The DEA’s “Take-Back” initiative is one of several strategies to reduce prescription drug abuse and diversion in the nation.
Over in Prince George’s County, The Health Department’s Behavioral Health Services’ Alcohol & Drug Prevention Program is partnering with the Prince George’s County Police Department and the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation for a medication drop-off site event this Saturday, April 27th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Palmer Park Community Recreation Center, 7720 Barlowe Road, Landover, MD 20785. Here’s a complete list of sites in Prince George’s.
Prince George’s County National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Drop-off Sites:
*All drop-off sites will be open to the public on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.*
Palmer Park Community Recreation Center
7720 Barlowe Road
Landover, MD 20785
(301) 773-5665
Prince George’s County Police Department
Northern Collection Site, District I
5000 Rhode Island Avenue
Hyattsville, MD 20781
(301) 699-2630
Prince George’s County Police Department
Central Collection Site, District III
7600 Barlowe Road
Landover, MD 20785
(301) 772-4901
Hyattsville Police Department
4310 Gallatin Street
Hyattsville, MD 20781
(301) 985-5060
Maryland State Police
Forestville Barrack
3500 Forestville Road
District Heights, MD 20747
(301) 568-8101
Maryland State Police
College Park Barrack
10100 Rhode Island Avenue
College Park, MD 20740
(301) 345-3101
University of Maryland Police Department
Pocomoke Building
7569 Baltimore Avenue
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 405-3555
Congratulations are in order! Tamron Hall announced the birth of her baby boy Moses on Thursday. Moses is Hall’s first child with her husband Steven Greener.
Greener is a music executive and the Head of Music Talent at Primary Wave Entertainment. Hall announced that they first started dating on the TODAY show back in 2017.
Hall shared the news with the world via Instagram:
“Moses & Mama!! I can’t wait to introduce y’all to my #sonshine. Photo credit: Dad who can’t stop crying tears of joy. Thank y’all for the love and support. It got us here.”
“Tamron is absolutely thrilled. This is a long-held dream for her, and to be honest, for a very long time she thought this wasn’t in the cards for her,” the source said of Hall’s pregnancy news.
“This journey has been a long one, and there were a ton of ups and downs and she’s just so happy to finally be in a place to be able to share this news. This is truly the happiest time of her life.”
Hall did not only give birth to a baby boy, but to a new television show. It was announced that her syndicated talk show “Tamron Hall” is set to premiere Sept. 9. She also will serve as EP alongside producer, Bill Geddie. She tweeted:
“When one door closes…another one opens! @Disney just announced that “Tamron Hall” will premiere in national syndication on 9-9-19! Also proud to share that I will serve as Executive Producer, alongside legendary producer Bill Geddie! #LevelUp#Grateful”
“She was kept out of the loop a lot,” a spokesperson for Wendy told People. “Wendy’s an executive producer on the show as well, but she’s the talent. Kevin was the one doing a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff and being a go-between for her and the show.”
Wendy Williams is moving on from her estranged husband’s management and hires a new famed producer, Bernie Young.
Young worked as a coordinating producer and eventually executive producer on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” from 1996 to 2002 and held the co-executive producer role on “Martha” from 2005 to 2012.
After filing for divorce from Kevin Hunter, Wendy prioritized her career and focused on who will be her new manager. Hunter was recently her manager and executive producer of her talk show. According to People, Williams will be serving as her own executive producer.
“She was kept out of the loop a lot,” a spokesperson for Wendy told People. “Wendy’s an executive producer on the show as well, but she’s the talent. Kevin was the one doing a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff and being a go-between for her and the show.”
According to Page Six, On Tuesday, Williams was spotted walking with Young and a bodyguard after taping her show, which Hunter left last week. Only one day later, production had cut Hunter’s name from the credits.
Williams also hired extra security on her set of Th Wendy Williams Show, in order to protect her from, Hunter and who allegedly shows abusive behavior. Recent reports went out regarding Hunter poisoning Williams, yet Williams denies the story.
State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, Aisha Braveboy is kicking off her “Drive Focused, Sober and Safe” Campaign, this Saturday from 9:30 – 1pm at the Southern Technology and Recreation Complex. More information here:
Now tonight at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club presents ConFunShun. Show time is 8pm.
Also tonight , Jeff Bradshaw & Friends featuring N’Dambi are performing
at City Winery. Doors open at 6, show time is 8pm.
The a cappella musical, Jubilee is at Arena Stage running through June 2nd. For ticket information go here:
And finally, The Musical Fairy Tale, “Into The Woods”is playing at the Ford’s Theatre through May 22nd. For ticket information go here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:35 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on Facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
In part one of our parenting series, we’re focusing on our children and sex. What do you tell them about it and when? It’s a social issues landscape littered with all kinds of landmines. You could say the wrong thing at the wrong time and create an explosion of confusion and misunderstanding for your child.
Guests:
Dr. William “Flip” Clay, Counselor, Maryland Public School System
Dr. Jeri Dyson, Specialist, Youth and Young Adult Medicine
This is the fifth similar 7-11 smash in grab in the last two months.
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Police in the District of Columbia are dealing with another attempted smash and grab at a 7’11 for the ATM machine.
The most recent incident happened this morning on South Dakota Avenue. The suspects again used a stolen vehicle. The one used this morning looked like a work truck. The truck got stuck in the storefront window after backing into it. The suspects did not get any money. We have no reports of any injuries. The suspects who fled on foot remain on the loose.
This is the fifth similar 7-11 smash in grab in the last two months. It, however, is the 9th such crime in DC and Prince George’s County since the first of the year.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
The Washington Teacher’s Union is not in support of DC Mayor Muriel Bower’s 2020 budget plan. Leaders say even though Bowser has allocated nearly a $1 billion dollars to the school system it’s not enough.
The issue is the budget gives a 2.2% increase per student however the estimated cost for educating students is expected to go up by more than 4%. This they say will leave a gap and students will bear the brunt. 52,000 students attend public schools in the District.
Yesterday wearing red t-shirts with the wording “Fund our futures, fund our Schools” over a hundred teachers, parents and activists gathered outside of City Hall to demand more money for education in the District.
The School CEO and the Mayor believe the budget it fair. They also said the budget gives additional financial support to mental health services as well as staff support.
The DC City Council is set to vote on whether or not to approve the budget next month.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
Democratic strategist and former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile called Sanders “battle-tested” and said the hire was “one of the best moves” the Biden campaign could make.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden has hired Symone Sanders, a prominent African American political strategist, as a senior adviser to his newly launched presidential campaign.
The move adds a younger diverse voice to Biden’s cadre of top advisers, which has been dominated by older white men. It suggests Biden is seeking to broaden his appeal to a new generation of Democrats.
Sanders, 29, rose to prominence during the 2016 campaign as press secretary for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. She then became a high-profile political analyst on CNN and is likely to be a forceful Biden defender on television.
Democratic strategist and former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile called Sanders “battle-tested” and said the hire was “one of the best moves” the Biden campaign could make.
“She understands how to build a coalition, and that women of color are the backbone of the Democratic Party,” said Brazile, who added that Sanders also helped her bridge the gap with millennials after the contentious 2016 primary elections.
Sanders was recruited by numerous 2020 candidates, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, California Sen. Kamala Harris and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Bernie Sanders notably did not ask her to come back after working on his 2016 campaign.
Biden, who formally joined the race on Thursday, began aggressively recruiting Sanders about a month ago. At Biden’s invitation, the two recently sat down at his home in Virginia and spoke for a few hours.
Biden’s campaign announced Sanders’ position on Thursday, hours after the former vice president officially launched his White House effort. A person with knowledge of her hiring described Sanders and Biden’s meeting in Virginia on condition of anonymity to discuss a private meeting.
The 15-track “Originals” will include “Nothing Compares 2 U,” the No. 1 hit for Sinéad O’Connor; “The Glamorous Life,” Sheila E.‘s signature song and Top 10 pop hit; and Kenny Rogers’ “You’re My Love,” which Prince wrote under the name Joey Coco in 1986.
NEW YORK (AP) — A new Prince album featuring his versions of songs he wrote for other artists will be released in June.
The 15-track “Originals” will include “Nothing Compares 2 U,” the No. 1 hit for Sinéad O’Connor; “The Glamorous Life,” Sheila E.‘s signature song and Top 10 pop hit; and Kenny Rogers’ “You’re My Love,” which Prince wrote under the name Joey Coco in 1986.
The album will be available on Jay-Z’s Tidal streaming platform exclusively for two weeks starting June 7, which would have been his 61st birthday; it will be widely available on June 21, including Spotify and Apple Music.
Jay-Z helped select the tracks on the album, along with music mogul Troy Carter, who is part of the Prince Estate. Fourteen of the 15 tracks were previously unreleased.
“Originals” also includes The Time’s “Jungle Love” and The Bangles’ “Manic Monday.”
The 51-year-old director’s condition was revealed in a court filing from his mother, Shelia Ward, who is requesting she be immediately appointed his temporary conservator to make medical and financial decisions for him while he is incapacitated.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Boyz N the Hood” director John Singleton is in a coma at a Los Angeles hospital eight days after suffering a major stroke, court papers filed Thursday showed.
The 51-year-old director’s condition was revealed in a court filing from his mother, Shelia Ward, who is requesting she be immediately appointed his temporary conservator to make medical and financial decisions for him while he is incapacitated.
Singleton’s family had previously announced that he’d had a stroke on April 17, but there had been no details revealed about the seriousness of his condition.
Friends, colleagues and fans including Viola Davis, Mark Wahlberg and Guillermo Del Toro have offered prayers and wished Singleton well since the announcement.
Singleton became the first black director to receive an Academy Award nomination when he was cited for his debut feature, “Boyz N the Hood.” The 1991 film about the lives of young men in South Central Los Angeles starred Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ice Cube, Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne.
His other films include 1993′s “Poetic Justice,” which starred Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur, 1997′s “Rosewood,” and 2003′s “2 Fast 2 Furious.”
Singleton’s recent projects include the FX TV series “Snowfall,” a crime drama set in 1980s Los Angeles.
The documents put the value of Singleton’s estate at $1.4 million.
The papers say that at the time of the stroke, Singleton was engaged in several business deals and had been set to sign a lucrative settlement agreement on or around April 30. The documents say that if a conservator cannot sign the papers on his behalf, it will mean a big financial loss.
The documents also include a doctor’s statement that Singleton is incapable of giving consent for medical treatment.
Singleton had no existing medical directives in place before the stroke, the documents stated.
It’s not clear whether the temporary conservatorship has been granted.
Messages left with Singleton’s publicist and his mother’s attorney were not immediately returned.
The family had initially acknowledged on Saturday that Singleton had suffered a stroke, saying he was “under great medical care” in an intensive care unit.
Tonight we discuss the alarming rates in trauma and guest Dr. Satira Streeter-Clinical Psychologist, Yolonda Nelson-Strain with Roberta’s house and Dr. GiShawn Mance with Howard University School of Psychology gave our listeners some great insight.
Trauma is affecting our children and teens in alarming rates. Do you know if your child is traumatized from a recent event? Tonight, we talk about the symptoms and how they impact them in the years to come. Our guest tonight, will walk you through the process.
TAKE AWAY:
When children begin to see the images of trauma they will begin to normalize those incidents.
Videos of traumatize events on social media can cause post traumatic stress
Parents shouldn’t ask the child, “What’s wrong with you” parents should properly ask, “What has happen to you”
–
Assistant Professor with the Department of Psychology with Howard University
Dr. Satira Streeter….Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Executive Director of Ascensions Psychological & Community Services
WEBSITE: 2ascend.org
Yolonda Nelson….Strain-Program Director with Roberta’s House
Lawmakers in Florida have passed legislation that requires people convicted of felonies in the state to pay all monies connected to their sentencing before they are allowed to vote.
In Florida, if convicted felons want to vote, they’ll have to spend some money to do so. Legislators in the sunshine state approved a bill this week that requires convicted felons–those who have completed their sentence, including probation and parole–to pay all monies owed the state in connection to their sentences before they can cast a ballot. In November voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that repealed the state’s lifetime voting ban for close to a million and-a-half Floridians with felony convictions. Critics of the recent pay-to-vote legislation contend it will effectively continue to disenfranchise convicted felons.
The mother of two who was driving the vehicle where six people were killed will stay in jail. Authorities say Dominique Taylor was driving while drunk when her car went off the road and struck a tree on February 2 in Bowie.
Stating that she is a danger to the community, authorities say the driver in a fatal Bowie crash that killed five children and one man should stay in jail. On February 2nd the SUV Dominique Taylor was driving went off Route 301 near Pointer Ridge Drive and crashed into a tree. Police say the five children, two of them Taylor’s, were not wearing seat belts. Authorities say Taylor was driving drunk with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit. She faces up to 60 years in jail.
Deepening troubles for Baltimore’s mayor tonight after a morning raid of her homes and offices. Today’s raids have prompted Maryland governor Larry Hogan to call for Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh to resign.
Claiming she is not fit to lead, Maryland’s governor wants the leader of the state’s largest city to resign. This morning, federal agents executed search warrants at Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh’s City Hall office, her lawyer’s office, the home of one of her top aides and the mayor’s two homes. This comes as Pugh is under investigation regarding conflicts with the sales of her “Healthy Holly” children’s books. Pugh reportedly had lucrative book deals with companies that did businesses with the city. She has been on a paid sick leave since April 1st. Shortly after today’s raids, Governor Larry Hogan Hogan tweeted that “now more than ever, Baltimore needs strong and responsible leadership, and Mayor Pugh has lost the public trust.” He added that Pugh is “clearly not fit to lead and must step down for the good of the city. ”
“Our research has shown that currently there is not strong enough evidence to support the setting of screen time limits,” said Dr. Max Davie, the college’s Officer for Health Improvement. “The restricted screen time limits suggested by WHO do not seem proportionate to the potential harm,” he said.
LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization has issued its first-ever guidance for how much screen time children under 5 should get: not very much, and none at all for those under 1.
The U.N. health agency said Wednesday that kids under 5 should not spend more than one hour watching screens every day — and that less is better.
The guidelines are somewhat similar to advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics. That group recommends children younger than 18 months should avoid screens other than video chats. It says parents of young children under two should choose “high-quality programming” with educational value and that can be watched with a parent to help kids understand what they’re seeing.
Some groups said WHO’s screen time guidelines failed to consider the potential benefits of digital media.
WHO’s screen time advice “overly focuses on quantity of screen time and fails to consider the content and context of use,” said Andrew Przybylski, director of research at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. “Not all screen time is created equal.”
Britain’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said the data available were too weak to allow its experts to set any thresholds for the appropriate level of screen time.
“Our research has shown that currently there is not strong enough evidence to support the setting of screen time limits,” said Dr. Max Davie, the college’s Officer for Health Improvement. “The restricted screen time limits suggested by WHO do not seem proportionate to the potential harm,” he said.
WHO did not specifically detail the potential harm caused by too much screen time, but said the guidelines — which also included recommendations for physical activity and sleep — were needed to address the increasing amount of sedentary behavior in the general population. It noted that physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for death and a contributor to the rise in obesity.
The agency said infants less than 1 year should spend at least half an hour every day on their stomachs and that older kids should get at least three hours of physical activity every day.
Opened by the late black businessman A.G. Gaston in 1954 in a city that was infamously segregated, the two-story motel provided top-notch accommodations that included nicely furnished rooms, a restaurant and a lounge that was a gathering spot for the black community.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama motel that was featured in “The Negro Motorist Green Book” and provided a home for Martin Luther King Jr. during civil rights demonstrations in the 1960s is being transformed into the centerpiece of a new national monument.
Long vacant and in disrepair, the 65-year-old A.G. Gaston Motel is being renovated as part of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, established by former President Barack Obama in 2017, long before the “Green Book” gained recognition in the Oscar-winning movie of the same name.
Workers performing the refurbishment, which is part of a $10 million downtown project, are shoring up masonry damaged by decades of weather and removing later additions to the motel. Leaves and trash rustle in halls where doors stayed open for who knows how long; windows and electrical outlets are missing elsewhere.
“It’s in terrible shape now, but it’s structurally sound,” said Rogers Hunt, who is overseeing the initial work.
Opened by the late black businessman A.G. Gaston in 1954 in a city that was infamously segregated, the two-story motel provided top-notch accommodations that included nicely furnished rooms, a restaurant and a lounge that was a gathering spot for the black community.
The motel was a haven for African American travelers who used the “Green Book” to find friendly, safe accommodations during the worst days of Jim Crow. Its guests were said to include Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington and Harry Belafonte.
“This was a state of the art hotel whether you were black or white,” said James Poindexter, 87, who works for Gaston’s construction company and is a superintendent of the current job.
The motel eventually closed and was reconfigured into apartments that make the original rooms difficult to envision.
The large room where King lived in 1963, when authorities used police dogs and fire hoses against black demonstrators seeking equal rights, was later subdivided into two rooms, Hunt said. A bomb went off outside the motel after King and others held a news conference about desegregation efforts that year, but the building survived.
Hunt said workers will restore the Gaston Motel to the way it looked in its “Green Book” prime, down to trying to find new door frames to match original steel ones that had a distinctive groove down the side.
“We have the original plans to go by,” said Hunt. He, like Poindexter, works for A.G. Gaston Construction.
For more on the legacy of the Green Book hotels, check out the AP’s “Get Outta Here” podcast.
CHICAGO (AP) — Rob Pruitt calls it a “monument of a movement.” Visitors to the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago will see 2,922 portraits of former President Barack Obama.
“The Obama Paintings” is Rebuild Foundation’s newest exhibit. Pruitt painted Obama’s image for an hour a day while reflecting on his world view.
The New York artist tells the Chicago Tribune that people assume he’s obsessed with the 44th president. He says Obama is simply “the first politician I felt a connection with.”
Each day Pruitt searched online for the previous day’s images of the Democrat who served from 2009 to 2017. He transferred each to a canvas merged with the muted colors of the American flag.
We are stepping into a movement to get youth to stay clear of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The ladies of the Federal City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority are gearing up for their 17thAnnual youth step show. It’s called STOMP DAT, meaning stomp out drugs, alcohol and tobacco. My guest is Toni McIntosh-Harper – Vice President of Programs – Federal City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
The Federal City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is hosting its 17thAnnual Youth Step Show “STOMP DAT” April 27thfrom 4pm to 7pm at Dunbar High School in NW. More information here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:35 on the Steve Harvey Morning Showon 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
The new season, which launches Sunday, May 4, will include widely known films like “West Side Story,” ″Dog Day Afternoon” and “Gandhi” as well as films that may not be as familiar, like “Losing Ground.” The Associated Press got a front-row seat to the conversations between DuVernay and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz at the taping last month in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — To say filmmaker Ava DuVernay is a busy woman is an understatement, but when Turner Classic Movies called and asked her to curate the channel’s “The Essentials” series, she knew she had to make it work.
Usually “The Essentials” is filmed across two or three days. But the only way it would fit in with DuVernay’s schedule — which included editing her “Central Park Five” Netflix miniseries and prepping the DC film “New Gods,” among other projects — was if she and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz ruminated about 17 films in one marathon day.
The new season, which launches Sunday, May 4, will include widely known films like “West Side Story,” ″Dog Day Afternoon” and “Gandhi” as well as films that may not be as familiar, like “Losing Ground.” The Associated Press got a front-row seat to the conversations between DuVernay and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz at the taping last month in Los Angeles.
It was a film lover’s dream tuning into the in-depth dialogues between the two cinema fiends. Their talking continued even after the cameras stopped rolling, from the pronunciation of actor John Cazale’s name to Queen Latifah’s attempt to make a film about singer Ethel Waters and whether or not it was appropriate to discuss Lena Horne’s personal affairs. The two didn’t shy away from talking about films that may be problematic now but were important at the time either, like Vincent Minnelli’s “Cabin in the Sky,” which was the first musical to feature a cast of all African Americans.
There’s no denying it was a long day, with a wardrobe change and everything, but it was worth it for both.
“It’s like we’re going on a second date,” DuVernay said as she walked onto the iconic living room set — where the fire is fake but the books are real — in her second outfit of the day. “I’ve changed my clothes. You have, too.”
“And I didn’t even wait three days to call you,” Mankiewicz said.
Some of the films Mankiewicz had never seen before DuVernay put them on her list, like Haile Gerima’s “Ashes and Embers,” about a Vietnam veteran returning home, and Kathleen Collins’ semiautobiographical “Losing Ground,” both from 1982. Others he had seen before, but said he appreciates in a different way after his talks with DuVernay, like “Dog Day Afternoon,” ″Harlan County U.S.A.” and “The Battle of Algiers,” which he now counts among his top 10 or 15 favorite films.
Indeed, part of the reason for having a filmmaker like DuVernay collaborate for the series is because of the unique perspective she’d bring as a black woman filmmaker. And she did not disappoint.
DuVernay programmed documentaries, first features and important films by black filmmakers like Julie Dash, who directed and produced the groundbreaking film “Daughters of the Dust.” She also included works from female directors like the late Agnes Varda’s first film “La Point Courte” and Chantal Akerman’s “The Meetings of Anna”; international films that had a profound effect on her, like Satyajit Ray’s debut “Pather Panchali”; and important landmarks in representation, like “Sounder” and “Claudine.”
“People who love movies benefit from thinking globally about film — globally literally and globally figuratively,” Mankiewicz said. “In America, we had a class system that kept more than half the people out of being the leading voice in making this art form, and Ava is proving to be a conduit for helping us unlock that.”
In fact, in making her selections, DuVernay chose a number of films that weren’t in the TCM library at all, including both “Losing Ground” and “Ashes and Embers.”
DuVernay said there wasn’t a deep bench of black filmmakers in the catalog, but that TCM was “really responsive in going out and getting those licenses” in order to air the films for a wide audience.
DuVernay still recalls the first movie that inspired her to her eventual path in filmmaking — “West Side Story.” It was her aunt that introduced it to her, and she can barely contain her infectious giddiness while discussing.
“It was such a seminal moment for me,” DuVernay said.
She’s hoping the films that she chose for “The Essentials” might have that same effect on someone else.
“To think that you could, hopefully, attract new audiences to TCM to watch some of this and to think that it could change people in the way it changed me was really exciting,” she said.
DuVernay is looking forward to audiences discovering 1982′s “Losing Ground” and Kathleen Collins in particular, who she considers on par with any of the white male contemporaries of the time, like, “a Woody Allen, per se.” The film was never released beyond screenings at film festivals and Collins died in 1988 at the young age of 46.
“It was just a slice of life from her perspective and yet because she was a woman and because she was black it went nowhere,” DuVernay said. “And now that film has been forgotten by so many — not even forgotten, it’s never been known.”
She continued, “That’s one that especially as a black woman filmmaker, I feel so connected to wanting to make sure people know her, know that she existed, know what she said and what she put out in the world and to really appreciate that she just was.”
And Mankiewicz was more than happy to sit and listen and learn.
“She was very eager to talk about these movies which were very important to her,” he said. “But the real beneficiaries are TCM fans. We win in this deal.”
According to PEOPLE, In “A Song for You,” Crawford, who served as Houston’s longtime confidante and executive assistant, “breaks her silence to share the moving and often complicated story of her life and relationship with Whitney.”
Whitney Houston‘s lifelong friend, Robyn Crawford, has an upcoming book titled, “A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston,” and is set to be released this fall.
The book revolves around the friendship of Houston and Crawford that started in East Orange, New Jersey in the 1980s. It also dives into Houston’s controversial marriage to Bobby Brown, and provide readers with a deeper look at Crawford and Houston’s romantic relationship.
According to PEOPLE, In “A Song for You,” Crawford, who served as Houston’s longtime confidante and executive assistant, “breaks her silence to share the moving and often complicated story of her life and relationship with Whitney.”
The press release for the book revealed:
“Deeply personal and heartfelt, A Song for You is the vital, honest, and previously untold story that provides an understanding of the complex life of Whitney Houston,” reads the press release. “Finally, the person who knew her best sets the record straight.”
The book is set to release on November 5, 2019. You can pre-order it on Amazon here.
There has been a loud and continuous outcry from the public about a video that went viral this week. The cell phone video shows a 9-year-old boy in DC being chased and then handcuffed by Metropolitan Police. You can hear the child yelling stop. Reports the child wet himself during the situation.
Today DC Attorney General Karl Racine says his office is reviewing the police departments policy. He also said he will compare it with best practices from agencies across the country.
The Metropolitan area police department says that the two officers involved are now under investigation. Officials are working to find out why was the child chased and detained. The child was never charged with a crime. In fact, witnesses say that he leaning against a car and the officer told him to get off the vehicle and he refused.
We will be following this story closely for you.
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“He was too humble and grounded to consider himself someone who had broken any ground. He was just an actor who came to work doing something he loved, and he never really approached it any other way,” Griffith said.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — As “The Young and the Restless” head writer Josh Griffith screened the episode in which Neil Winters’ family learns of his death, the tears began to flow.
Viewers might brace for a similar reaction when the CBS daytime serial says farewell to Neil and to Kristoff St. John, the actor who played the character for nearly three decades. St. John, who died at age 52 in February of heart disease, helped cement the prominence of major African-American characters in the traditionally white soap opera world.
During a four-episode story arc airing Tuesday through Friday, Neil’s friends and family gather in fictional Genoa City to remember the businessman whose full life included complicated relationships and a battle with alcoholism.
People need “to prepare themselves for a very profoundly emotional journey over those four days, and have lots of boxes of Kleenex right by,” Griffith said. “But in the end, as we knew that Kristoff would want it, it goes from being a passing of him to a celebration of his life.”
Shemar Moore, star of CBS’ prime-time series “S.W.A.T.,” returns to what fans know as “Y&R” for two episodes as Malcolm Winters, Neil’s brother. Other returning alumni include Christel Khalil and Eileen Davidson, while Stan Shaw, St. John’s longtime friend and co-star in “Roots: The Next Generations,” appears as the reverend at Neil’s funeral.
A special airing April 29 (12:30 p.m. EDT) will pay tribute to St. John and his nearly 28-year tenure on “Y&R” with clips from the show and current and former cast member sharing memories of him, including Victoria Rowell, who played Neil’s wife Drucilla for a number of years.
It was six years ago that the serial honored another beloved star, Jeanne Cooper, who died at 84 in 2013 after playing Katherine Chancellor for nearly 40 years. “Y&R” owed the same to St. John, said Griffith, co-executive producer of the serial.
“We had to, for his sake, for his legacy. He was so important to the show, so important to daytime television,” he said. “To television, period.”
The actor didn’t trumpet his part in advancing on-screen inclusivity, even if others did.
“He was too humble and grounded to consider himself someone who had broken any ground. He was just an actor who came to work doing something he loved, and he never really approached it any other way,” Griffith said.
Bryton James, who played opposite St. John as Neil’s son, Devon, agreed.
St. John knew he was lucky to be a working actor and always “did the craft and the job with the respect it deserved,” James said.
Montgomery Co. School leaders consider name a school after Michelle Obama
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School leaders in Montgomery County are looking at possibly naming a new school after First Lady Michelle Obama.
Supporters in the county have sent a letter to county leaders in support of naming an elementary school in Clarksburg under construction to be named after Michelle Obama.
The committee of 16 residents looking at what to name the school voted to name the school “Snowden Farm Elementary”. That is the name of one of the first families who settled in that area and the same name as the road that the school will sit on. Second on the list was Michelle Obama Elementary.
Four other names were given to the Board of Education include; Harriet R. Tubman, Mary McLeod Bethune and Ida B. Wells. The final decision will be that of the Board.
The Board of Education in align with their policy are being urged to consider names of women and minorities so there is equal representation among school names.
To date there are 135 elementary schools in the county. 11 schools are named after men. 8 are named after women. There are no elementary schools names after black or minority women.
The board has their next scheduled meeting on April 29th at 6:45 p.m. Residents can send their comments to boe@mcpsmd.org.
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One person is dead following a fire this morning in Southeast. Firefighter’s say they were called to a 3 story apartment building around 4:30 this morning.
Once at the building on Oakwood Street they found a fires floor unit burning. When the fire was put out they discovered the body of an adult male. He was rushed to the hospital where he later died of his injuries. The victim has not been identified. No one else was hurt.
The apartment had smoke detectors but they were operational. The cause is still under investigation.
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Dave Fitz, an FBI spokesman out of the agency’s Baltimore office, says agents with the FBI and the IRS criminal division in Washington were “executing court-authorized search warrants” at “both residences and City Hall.” He said he couldn’t immediately release more information because the search warrants are sealed.
BALTIMORE (AP) — Federal agents executed search warrants Thursday morning at two homes belonging to Baltimore’s embattled mayor and at City Hall.
Dave Fitz, an FBI spokesman out of the agency’s Baltimore office, says agents with the FBI and the IRS criminal division in Washington were “executing court-authorized search warrants” at “both residences and City Hall.” He said he couldn’t immediately release more information because the search warrants are sealed.
Mayor Catherine Pugh’s spokesman, James Bentley, said he has no immediate comment. Pugh’s defense attorney, Steve Silverman, did not immediately return calls.
Pugh has been facing mounting calls for her to resign over a scandal that involves the sale of her children’s books to entities that do business with the city. She was already already facing a criminal investigation by the state prosecutor’s office, which began at the request of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, as well as probes by the Baltimore Inspector General, an ethics board at City Hall and a state insurance commission.
It’s been more than three weeks since Pugh slipped out of sight, citing deteriorating health from a pneumonia bout. Five of her staffers have since joined her on paid leave.
Pugh said she was going on leave on the same day Hogan asked for the investigation of lucrative sales of her “Healthy Holly” books to customers, including a major hospital network she once helped oversee as a state lawmaker and a health plan that does business with the city.
The sales earned about $800,000 for her limited liability company.
Since then, the first-term mayor has been asked to resign by the entire lineup of the current City Council, all Baltimore lawmakers in Maryland’s House of Delegates, the influential Greater Baltimore Committee business group and others. Maryland’s chief accountant called Pugh’s “self-dealing” arrangements to sell her books as “brazen, cartoonish corruption.”
But only a conviction can trigger a Baltimore mayor’s removal from office, according to City Solicitor Andre Davis and the state constitution. Baltimore’s mayor-friendly City Charter currently provides no options for ousting its executive.
“The charter is utterly silent on how long the leave can last, exactly what the reasons are for a leave,” Davis told reporters.
Members of Pugh’s communications staff have said repeatedly that she intends to return to City Hall when she is feeling better, but have declined to provide any timetable.
As multiple investigations into the mayor’s books ramp up, political analysts say Pugh’s biggest bargaining chip at the negotiating table is her refusal to resign in a city accustomed to a high-drama, insular political culture.
Pugh came to office in late 2016 after edging out ex-Mayor Sheila Dixon, who spent much of her tenure fighting corruption charges before being forced to depart office in 2010 as part of a plea deal connected to the misappropriation of about $500 in gift cards meant for needy families.
While the accusations have certainly cast a shadow over Pugh, she has not been indicted for any crime, and it is unclear how long a criminal investigation will take. Earlier this month, Silverman said the mayor looks forward to cooperating with the state prosecutor’s probe and will provide “as much information as possible to put this matter to rest.”
Pugh would certainly face a bruising 2020 Democratic primary if she were to return and run for reelection. Many political observers believe she’ll never again be able to wield power effectively due to the scandal.
A veteran City Council leader, Bernard “Jack” Young, is serving as acting mayor. Young said he would merely be a placeholder when she went on leave, and at a Wednesday news conference, he stressed that the decision is up to her. But given the groundswell of opinion against her, he said “it could be devastating for her” if she tried to return.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Vice President Joe Biden formally joined the crowded Democratic presidential contest on Thursday, declaring the “soul of this nation” at stake if President Donald Trump wins re-election.
In a video posted on Twitter , Biden focused on the 2017 deadly clash between white supremacists and counter protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia. Biden noted Trump’s comments that there were some “very fine people” on both sides of the violent encounter, which left one woman dead.
“We are in the battle for the soul of this nation,” Biden said. “If we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation — who we are. And I cannot stand by and watch that happen.”
The 76-year-old Biden becomes an instant front-runner alongside Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is leading many polls and has proved to be a successful fundraiser . Among Democrats, Biden has unmatched international and legislative experience, and he is among the best-known faces in U.S. politics. He quickly racked up endorsements on Thursday morning, becoming the first Democrat running for president with the backing of more than one U.S. senator.
Still, Biden must compete in a field that now spans at least 20 Democrats and has been celebrated for its racial and gender diversity. As an older white man with occasionally centrist views, Biden has to prove he’s not out of step with his party.
He’s yet to outline his positions on the issues defining the 2020 Democratic primary, most notably “Medicare for All,” the universal health care plan authored by Sanders that has been adopted by virtually the entire Democratic field.
The native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, is betting that his working-class appeal and ties to Barack Obama’s presidency will help him convince skeptics.
Just minutes after the announcement, the GOP lashed out against Biden’s record in the Obama administration, a line of attack in sharp contrast with recent criticism against other 2020 Democrats that has largely focused on them being too liberal, or even socialists.
“Biden’s fingerprints are all over foreign policy blunders and the weakest economic recovery since World War II,” Republican National Committee spokesman Michael Ahrens said. “We don’t need eight more years of Biden. Just ask President Obama, who isn’t even endorsing his right-hand man.”
While it’s true that Obama hasn’t explicitly endorsed Biden’s bid, the former president took the unusual step of weighing in on Thursday’s announcement through a spokeswoman.
“President Obama has long said that selecting Joe Biden as his running mate in 2008 was one of the best decisions he ever made,” Obama spokeswoman Katie Hill said. “He relied on the vice president’s knowledge, insight, and judgment throughout both campaigns and the entire presidency. The two forged a special bond over the last 10 years and remain close today.”
Privately, Trump allies have warned that Biden might be the biggest re-election threat given the former vice president’s potential appeal among the white working class in the Midwest, the region that gave Trump a path to the presidency.
Biden is paying special attention to his native Pennsylvania, a state that swung to Trump in 2016 after voting for Democratic presidential candidates for decades. While Biden represented Delaware in the Senate for 36 years, he was often referred to as Pennsylvania’s third senator.
The former vice president will be in the state three times within the opening weeks of his campaign. He’ll be in Philadelphia on Thursday evening headlining a fundraiser at the home of David L. Cohen, executive senior vice president of Comcast. Biden is aiming to raise $500,000 at the event.
He will hold his first public event as a 2020 presidential candidate in Pittsburgh on Monday. Then it’s off to Iowa, home of the leadoff nominating caucuses on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by two days in South Carolina. He’ll visit the other two early-voting states, Nevada and New Hampshire, in early May, before holding a major rally in Philadelphia.
Biden’s first media appearance is set for Friday morning on ABC’s “The View,” a move that may help him make an appeal to women whose support will be crucial to winning the primary.
As he neared his campaign launch, Biden’s challenges have come into greater focus.
He struggled last month to respond to claims that he touched 2014 Nevada lieutenant governor nominee Lucy Flores’ shoulders and kissed the back of her head before a fall campaign event. A handful of other women have made similar claims, though none has alleged sexual misconduct.
Biden also has been repeatedly forced to explain his 1991 decision, as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, to allow Anita Hill to face difficult questions from an all-male panel about allegations of sexual harassment against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, who later was confirmed to the high court.
He has since apologized for his role in the hearing. But in the #MeToo era, particularly after the contentious confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the episode remains a significant political liability.
Likewise, Biden once played a key role in anti-crime legislation that had a disproportionately negative impact on African Americans. And while several 2020 Democratic contenders have embraced the possibility of reparations to African Americans for slavery in recent weeks, Biden last month struggled to explain comments he made as a freshman senator in 1975 about the school busing debate.
His first White House bid in 1988 ended after a plagiarism scandal. He dropped out of the 2008 race after earning less than 1% of the vote in the Iowa caucuses. Later that year, Obama named Biden as his running mate.
Boyd Brown, a prominent South Carolina Democrat backing Beto O’Rourke, said Biden’s opening salvo stands out.
“This is very strong out of the chute. Well done. Biden just sucked the wind out of the sails for much of the field,” he said.
But he noted that announcement bumps fade and said Biden still has “to campaign the same aggressive way for the next nine months.”
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Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Associated Press writer Julie Pace in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.
(Washington, DC) — Some Airbnbs in D.C. are offering marijuana with a room. With D.C.’s legalization of recreational marijuana, businesses that offer a service along with marijuana are popping up. The Airbnbs are being advertised as “bud and breakfasts.” Purvis Rollins, who is a massage therapist, says his services can also include massages with marijuana oils and marijuana vapors. The D.C. law currently allows people to possess up to two ounces of marijuana for personal use and allows residents to grow up to six plants.
A federal judge will decide whether the U.S. Coast Guard officer accused of planning a terrorist attack targeting politicians and journalists should remain in jail. Christopher Hasson of Maryland was arrested in February on guns and drugs charges. Prosecutors labeled Hasson a “domestic terrorist,” and said he was stockpiling weapons and kept a hit list of prominent Democrats and TV journalists. Hasson’s attorney recently called for his release as prosecutors have yet to officially charge him with any terrorism-related offenses. In a motion filed Tuesday, prosecutors said Hasson continues to pose a serious threat, and claimed he also planned to target two unnamed Supreme Court justices. A judge will decide tomorrow afternoon whether Hasson should stay in jail pending trial.
“Before this, I was a part-time father, you know? My family was always first, but there are countless times when I chose work over everything else,” he said. “But every day I can hear her telling me to go and spend some time with the kids and make sure everybody’s all right, like she would do. I’m just a lot more present, and, most important, now my kids come before anything else in my life.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs has opened up about life after the sudden death of his soul mate, former girlfriend Kim Porter.
The music mogul posed with his six children on the cover of Essence magazine’s 49th anniversary May issue. In excerpts posted online, Combs offered his gratitude for the outpouring of love after Porter’s passing on Nov. 15, 2018 from complications from pneumonia.
Porter is the mother of three of his children, 21-year-old Christian and 12-year-old twin girls Jesse and D’Lila. Combs told the magazine he has learned to be a more attentive father in the aftermath of his grief.
“Before this, I was a part-time father, you know? My family was always first, but there are countless times when I chose work over everything else,” he said. “But every day I can hear her telling me to go and spend some time with the kids and make sure everybody’s all right, like she would do. I’m just a lot more present, and, most important, now my kids come before anything else in my life.”
Three days before she died, according to Combs, she was sick with the flu and “sent the kids over to my house so they wouldn’t get sick.” He recalled one night, when he went to check on her, “she was like, ‘Puffy, take care of my babies.’ She actually said that to me before she died.
He said he went into “mommy mode” after Porter’s death, trying desperately to make sure the kids wouldn’t hear about it online or on the news.
“Every time Kim and I talked, it was about the kids,” Combs said. “It was what she cared about the most.
“We have sat back and watched lie after lie being fabricated about us in the media only so one big lie can continue to have life,” they said. “These lies are destroying our character and reputation in our personal and professional lives.”
CHICAGO (AP) — Two brothers who say they helped Jussie Smollett stage a racist and homophobic attack against himself sued the “Empire” actor’s attorneys on Tuesday, accusing them of defamation by continuing to insist publicly that the brothers carried out a real, bigoted attack on Smollett despite knowing that wasn’t true.
Abimbola “Abel” Osundairo and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo said in a joint statement issued after their lawsuit was filed in federal court in Chicago that Smollett’s legal team has spread false accusations that have hurt their reputations and undermined their career prospects.
“We have sat back and watched lie after lie being fabricated about us in the media only so one big lie can continue to have life,” they said. “These lies are destroying our character and reputation in our personal and professional lives.”
In their lawsuit , the Osundairos contend that even after prosecutors dropped the charges against Smollett while simultaneously saying they could prove the attack was a hoax, Smollett’s attorneys kept saying in interviews that the Chicago-born brothers “led a criminally homophobic, racist and violent attack against Mr. Smollett.”
“Mr. Smollett’s attorneys, faced with an outraged public, did not retreat after their success (in getting charges dropped). Instead, they doubled down,” states the lawsuit, which names celebrity attorney Mark Geragos, fellow lawyer Tina Glandian and Geragos’ Los Angeles-based law firm as defendants.
In a joint statement, Geragos and Glandian called the lawsuit “ridiculous” and “a desperate attempt” by the brothers “to stay relevant and further profit from an attack they admit they perpetrated.”
“We look forward to exposing the fraud the Osundairo brothers and their attorneys have committed on the public,” they added.
The odds may be against the brothers prevailing in court.
Legal experts say that, in the U.S. adversarial system, attorneys are accorded broad protections from lawsuits based on things they say while defending their clients — even if what they say is mean-spirited or false.
“If my client informs me he didn’t do it and I say that publicly … that’s part of our job as lawyers,” said Jeffrey Granich, a Chicago attorney not connected to the Smollett case. At the same time, Granich said he understood the brothers’ frustration and desire to show they are telling the truth.
Smollett, who is black and gay, has stood by his account that he was attacked in downtown Chicago early on Jan. 29 by two masked men who beat him, shouted racial and anti-gay slurs, poured bleach on him, and looped a rope around his neck. He said his attackers also shouted slogans supporting President Donald Trump.
At a Tuesday news conference, the brothers’ lawyer, Gloria Schmidt, said the Osundairos regret their involvement with Smollett and decided to tell the truth when confronted by investigators in mid-February.
“We’re going to make sure that the lies and malice attacking our city, our police department and my two clients are met with truth and healing,” she told reporters. The brothers did not attend the news conference.
Prosecutors have said that Smollett’s friendship with Abimbola Osundairo dated back several years and that Osundairo had served as a stand-in for a character named Kai on “Empire.” Ola Osundairo also appeared as an extra on the show, prosecutors said.
In their lawsuit, the Osundairos say the defamation by Smollett’s lawyers has caused the brothers “significant emotional distress” and made them feel unsafe and alienated from the local community. It doesn’t specify an amount of money they are seeking, but says it would be more than $75,000 in compensatory and damages, and other costs.
The Osundairo brothers, who are of Nigerian descent, testified before a grand jury days before Smollett was charged, saying Smollett paid them $3,500 to help stage the attack. They contend in their suit that Smollett took advantage of their aspirations to have TV and movie careers.
“Mr. Smollett used his clout as a wealthy actor to influence Plaintiffs, who were in a subordinate relationship to him and were aspiring to ‘make it’ in Hollywood,” the lawsuit contends.
The lawsuit also states that Glandian “inferred” during an interview on the podcast Reasonable Doubt this month that Abimbola Osundairo “engaged, at least briefly, in homosexual acts” with Smollett. The filing says that’s false, that Osundairo is heterosexual and to say otherwise could put him and his family in danger in Nigeria.
“Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Nigeria, which can result in 14 years of imprisonment,” the lawsuit asserts. “If the accused is married, the punishment is death by stoning.”
In the weeks after the alleged attack, police arrested the Osundairo brothers on suspicion of assaulting Smollett but released them without charges. A police spokesman said the two were no longer considered suspects and that investigators had new evidence after questioning them.
About a week after police questioned the brothers, Smollett was charged with felony disorderly conduct and accused of making a false police report about the attack. The Cook County state’s attorney’s office abruptly dropped the charges in March, angering the police and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who said Smollett had dragged Chicago’s name “through the mud” and that the decision to drop the charges was “a whitewash of justice.”
The city has since sued Smollett , seeking repayment for the costs of investigating the case.
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Associated Press writer Don Babwin contributed to this report.
“I want to pull back the curtain…I feel it’s time to give the world an opportunity to hear, see and feel the victories and failures that I’ve had as a husband, father and manager who risked everything in pursuit of fulfilling dreams.”
The former manager of Destiny’s Child manager andBeyonce’s father, Mathew Knowles, is looking to produce a musical showcasing the creation of the multi-platinum selling group Destiny’s Child. Knowles made the announcement on Tuesday.
According to CNN, Knowles is producing the musical about the former girl group entitled “Survivor: The Destiny’s Child Musical” and will kick off in Houston. His goal is to take the musical on the road and tour nationally, to Broadway, and to London’s West End.
“I want to pull back the curtain…I feel it’s time to give the world an opportunity to hear, see and feel the victories and failures that I’ve had as a husband, father and manager who risked everything in pursuit of fulfilling dreams.”
Since the early 1990s, the groundbreaking former girl group has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, won multiple Grammy Awards, and garnered generations of fans. This musical will give background on the achievements, obstacles, and the impact each of the group’s members had on the music industry.
Knowles is trusting the Houston native, Je’Caryous Johnson, to bring this musical to life. Johnson is a writer, producer, director, and storyteller. He recently produced the bio-musical entitled “Redemption of a Dogg,” chronicling Snoop Dogg’s life and music.
“I am ecstatic to be working with Mr. Knowles on the development of Survivor: The Destiny’s Child Musical,” says Johnson. “It is a unique and inspiring story that will fearlessly tackle hard truths, while bringing both vindication and healing to all who lived it. It’s fair, it’s real and it’s an absolute honor to know that Mr. Knowles trusts me to pen and produce such an iconic piece of American history.”
Casting for the musical is currently underway. We’ll keep you informed on developments as they become available.
DC Metropolitan Police are trying to find a 15 year old who has been missing now for a month. His name is Cameron Gottschalk.
He was last seen in the 3900 block of Benning Road on Saturday, March 23rd. Gottschalk is described as a black male, with a light complexion. He has brown eyes and black hair. He is 5’10” and weighs about 120 pounds. Anyone with information about his whereabouts should call police.
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“One of the officers asked Kevin to leave the bedroom so they could talk to Wendy alone, but he didn’t want to leave her side. An officer eventually asked her if there was any truth to the anonymous tip she was being poisoned, and Wendy responded with something like … ‘Well, I’m very popular.’ When the cop repeated the question, the report says she became tearful, but denied there was any truth to it.”
Police reportedly conducted a welfare check on Wendy Williams back in January. According to reports, an anonymous caller tipped police off about the TV personality allegedly being poisoned by her estranged husband, Kevin Hunter.
According to TMZ, the caller believed Hunter was slipping Wendy something harmful and they wanted cops to check on her. As the officers went to check on her, the police report indicates Hunter answered the door and started acting very suspicious. Hesitating to let the police into the home, Hunter was apparently stalling by saying his wife was recovering from an illness. Williams was recovering from a broken shoulder.
“One of the officers asked Kevin to leave the bedroom so they could talk to Wendy alone, but he didn’t want to leave her side. An officer eventually asked her if there was any truth to the anonymous tip she was being poisoned, and Wendy responded with something like … ‘Well, I’m very popular.’ When the cop repeated the question, the report says she became tearful, but denied there was any truth to it.”
Williams filed for divorce from Hunter earlier this month, due to cheating allegations and Hunter having a child outside of the marriage. Williams is still living in a sober house but is planning on leaving the facility soon.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is seriously considering taking on President Donald Trump for a bid for the White House in 2020.
Tuesday he attended a Politics and Eggs breakfast in St. Anselm College in New Hampshire. He told attendees he is no rush to decide and he will look at all the factors before making such a big decision. This event is where candidates go to test the waters so to speak before announcing their candidacy.
Hogan told reports that since the first of the year supporters and people have been asking him to run and he says he owes it to them to at least look into it. He has already visited 14 states and sources say he has another 16 on his list in the coming months.
One Republican has entered the race he is former Massachusetts governor William Weld. Polls, however, show most in the party still stand behind Trump.
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Prince George’s County officials want drivers to take driving seriously and they are kicking of a new campaign to commuters focused behind the wheel.
State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County – Aisha Braveboy is kicking off her “Drive Focused, Sober, and Safe Campaign this Saturday, April 27th9:30am to 1pm at Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex at 7007 Bock Road – Oxon Hill MD 20744. More information at: www.sao.mypgc.us
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:35 on the Steve Harvey Morning Showon 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
They are some of the most important people in the office. They are the gatekeepers at the front desk, the Girl or Guy Friday for the boss. They have titles like administrative or executive assistant… sometimes even chief of staff. We know how important their titles are, but are they treated in the same way? April 24th is Administrative Professionals’ Day. We’re talking about the challenges and struggles they experience on the job.
A Prince George’s County grand jury has indicted 32-year-old Dominique Taylor in the crash that killed six people including five children. Taylor is facing six charges of vehicular manslaughter and six charges of vehicular homicide for the February 2nd accident on Route 301 in Bowie. Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy says Taylor had a blood alcohol level of 1.6… more than twice the legal limit in Maryland. Two of the children killed were Taylor’s. The other three were related. 23-year-old Cornell Simon, a friend of Taylor’s was critically injured and died weeks later.
(Silver Spring, MD) — The National Transportation Safety Board says a failed gas vent caused the August 2016 explosion that destroyed two apartment buildings and killed seven people in Silver Spring, Maryland. NTSB officials said today that the failure allowed gas to build up inside a basement meter room until it encountered an ignition source that sparked the blast at the Flower Branch Apartments. Investigators say the vent was owned by Washington Gas and was its responsibility. Residents at the garden-style apartment complex had reported smelling natural gas in the weeks before the explosion. Dozens were injured in the incident.
The chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee says the White House is now in “open defiance” of his panel after lawyers advised a former official to defy a subpoena related to the committee’s investigation of White House security clearances.
Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings says he is consulting with members and staff about scheduling a vote on contempt after former White House personnel security director Carl Kline did not show up for a scheduled deposition on Tuesday.
The committee had subpoenaed Kline after one of his former subordinates told the panel that dozens of people in President Donald Trump’s administration were granted security clearances despite “disqualifying issues” in their backgrounds.
The fight over Kline’s appearance comes as the White House has stonewalled the panel in several different investigations.
“When I sat down to think of ways to honor your dedication a dozen different ideas came to mind. Some were flashy, some were cool, but I wanted to give you something that had a lasting impact. Something that would affect the lives of you, your family, and your children,” said Wilson.”You have invested in my life … this is my investment into yours.”
Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson is spreading the love after signing a deal making him the highest-paid player in the NFL. Wilson gifted his Seahawks offensive line with $12,000 in Amazon stock each. That’s a grand total of $156,000 for 13 offensive linemen.
According to TMZ, each player got a letter with the stock with an explanation on why they are receiving the gift. Russell’s mission was to show his gratitude and help his teammates for life after football.
“When I sat down to think of ways to honor your dedication a dozen different ideas came to mind. Some were flashy, some were cool, but I wanted to give you something that had a lasting impact. Something that would affect the lives of you, your family, and your children,” said Wilson.”You have invested in my life … this is my investment into yours.”
Last week Wilson agreed to a $140 million, 4 year contract with the Seahawks. This deal includes a $65 million signing bonus and $107 million in guaranteed money.
The Seahawks seasons is set to start on September 8, 2019.
“It’s almost like finally meeting the good Samaritan – somebody who you don’t know that you didn’t see coming,” said Bryant. “They’re appreciative to be able to press the refresh button.”
T.I ‘Tip’ Harris joined an Atlanta church, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, to raise money to bail first-time offenders out of jail just in time for Easter. 23 inmates were released.
According to Rap-Up, the church was able to allow 7 women and 16 men to be brought home in time for Easter Sunday. Every individual released through the “Bail Out” program will be assigned a mentor for weekly check-in meetings. A portion of the money will also be granted towards the recipients children for college expenses.
Dr. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor at New Birth, applauded the efforts of the “Bail Out” program.
“It’s almost like finally meeting the good Samaritan – somebody who you don’t know that you didn’t see coming,” said Bryant. “They’re appreciative to be able to press the refresh button.”
T.I. is no stranger to activism. He uses his platform to call for action on issues in the Black community. He called for the Gucci boycott following the release of their blackface jumper and Fox News’ Laura Ingraham for her comments on the late Nipsey Hussle‘s death.
On April 23, 2016 Beyonce made lemons into Lemonade with her sixth studio album. Three years later, Beyonce made her album available on all streaming services, including Apple Music and Spotify.
Following its initial release, Lemonade was only available on Jay-Z’s streaming service TIDAL. Since 2016, TIDAL has been the hub for all things from The Carters. It has been the platform for exclusive releases including their 2018 joint album “Everything Is Love” which was available on other streaming services two days later.
The re-release of the album includes a demo version of one of the album’s hit single, “Sorry.” Fans seem to be receptive to the new song.
The relaunch of Lemonade follows the release of her Netflix documentary “Homecoming” which became available on Netflix on April 17. The film was accompanied by a live album which was an audio version of the documentary. Fans were raving over Beyonce’s cover of “Before I Let Go” by Frank Beverly. The song inspired a dance challenge called #BeforeILetGoChallenge in which Beyonce reposts her favorite videos on IG.
Phylicia Rashad will be making her Broadway directorial debut next spring. She will be directing with Charles Randolph-Wright’s play Blue.
“I am happy to be directing this play that brought me so much joy,” Rashad said in a statement. “It affirms the importance of theater and its power to touch the human heart.”
Blue touches on the Clarks family, a prominent family that struggles with the legacy of their own good fortune. According to the announcement, “The production will be “Infused with a searing jazz and soul score” and “celebrates the love and spirit of a family coming to terms with itself.”
Rashad has some directing credits on numerous August Wlson plays including Gem of The Ocean, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and Fences. In 2018, she acclaimed Signature Theatre mounting of Our Lady of 121st Street.
According to Deadline, Blue will be produced on Broadway by Moreland, Eric Falkenstein, and Ron Simons. Other details on the specifics of the play are in the works.
“The price tag on this installment, for which Beyonce Knowles-Carter is credited as executive producer, writer, and director, hovers around $20 million,” Variety reports.
We can expect more projects from Beyonce and Netflix. Beyonce’s Homecoming made the Beyhive go crazy and there’s even more on the horizon. Beyonce landed a three-project deal with Netflix worth $60 million.
With fans still in awe with Beyonce’s Homecoming documentary which followed her journey to the stage of Coachella, reports have been made that we will receive more content from Queen Bey. Beyonce will be partnering with Netflix to deliver her music through visuals. It will make Beyoncé even more accessible to fans across the world.
Reports show that Beyonce previously talked with HBO about the project deal, however Netflix ended up outbidding HBO. HBO does have former projects with the pop star by airing the 2016 Lemonade the visual album, the 2014 On The Run Tour, and Beyonce and Jay-Z’s documentary “Life Is But A Dream.” Netflix reportedly offered Bey $60 million.
According to Variety, the streaming network landed a three-project deal with Beyonce. Homecoming was the first project of the deal, which dropped earlier last week.
“The price tag on this installment, for which Beyonce Knowles-Carter is credited as executive producer, writer, and director, hovers around $20 million,” Variety reports.
Beyonce dropped more surprises alongside her documentary. Not only did the living icon drop a live album from her Coachella performance, she is also releasing her visual album Lemonade on all major music streaming platform. While Lemonade was only able to be streamed on Tidal, Beyonce will release it on April 23rd to all platforms. Next week will be the three-year anniversary of the project.
One of the District’s beloved lawmakers is being honored today. The Georgetown University Law Center is planning to commemorate DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s hard work and dedication to others with a proposed installation of her near the well-known clock tower.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, Georgetown University Law Center Dean William Treanor, and Georgetown University President John DeGioia will take part in the ceremonial groundbreaking.
The event is set for 4 pm at the Georgetown University Law Center, 600 New Jersey Avenue in Northwest.
Before Holmes-Norton was elected to office she was a full-time tenured professor at the university’s law school. After winning her first race she began teaching seminar’s entitled Law Making and Statutory Construction. She is being recognized for also being a pioneer for women in the workforce.
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Teacher’s aid in Charles Co. charged with raping a middle schooler
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Parents with children who attend Charles County Mattawoman Middle School were sent letters home yesterday regarding the arrest and termination of a teachers aid. 23-year-old Anthony Williams Jr is charged with raping a student and inappropriate comments he made to another.
Williams worked as an instructional assistant for the school detention program in September of 2018. He actually lives across the street from the school. He was terminated after the first allegation was made of him making inappropriate comments to an under age student . During that investigation the Sheriff Department says they discovered a second victim who he allegedly had sexual contact with. School officials wasted no time in notifying police in January and the investigation began.
Williams was arrested on Friday and charged with rape, staking and other sexual offenses involving the two middle school girls. He has posted a $25,000 bond and he is due back in court on May 14.
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2 alarm fire in landover hills leaves dozens homeless…
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Dozens of families are now displaced after a 2 alarm fire at an apartment complex in Landover, Hills.
Three people, one resident and two firefighters were injured but not serious.
First responders were called around 3:30 this morning to the Verona in the 3900 block of Warner Avenue. Officials and residents say the fire moved quickly and that they only had seconds to get out. A family of four first unaccounted for is believed to be safe. The Red Cross is on hand to help those families affected.
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Smith’s The Jump won a Webby for events and live stream video while Disney was chosen the WebbyMedia Company of the Year for earning the most honors across all Webby categories with 32 wins overall.
NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Will Smith, NASA, Fortnite and Disney are among the 2019 Webby Award winners for internet excellence.
The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences announced the winners Tuesday.
Smith’s The Jump won a Webby for events and live stream video while Disney was chosen the WebbyMedia Company of the Year for earning the most honors across all Webby categories with 32 wins overall. Fortnite is recognized in the game category, and NASA won for best overall social presence.
Actress Issa Rae is the Webby video person of the year for using the internet to showcase breakthrough content from diverse creators. Activist Greta Thunberg scored a Webby for social movement of the year for igniting the #FridaysForFuture global movement for climate justice.
The 23rd annual Webby Awards will be presented in New York City on May 13.
The Washington Teacher’s Union is not in support of DC Mayor Muriel Bower’s 2020 budget plan. Leaders say even though Bowser has allocated nearly a $1 billion dollars to the school system it’s not enough.
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School leaders in Montgomery County are looking at possibly naming a new school after First Lady Michelle Obama.
DC Metropolitan Police are trying to find a 15 year old who has been missing now for a month. His name is Cameron Gottschalk.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is seriously considering taking on President Donald Trump for a bid for the White House in 2020.
Contributed by Taylor Ardrey
