The lawyer for the U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant accused of planning to carry out a terrorist attack in the DC-area wants a judge to consider letting her client out of jail because he is not currently facing terrorism related charges. Christopher Hasson, of Silver Spring, was arrested in February on drug and weapons charges after authorities found a stock pile of guns and ammunition at his home. Prosecutors say Hasson is a self-described white nationalist who planned to target prominent politicians and journalists. Hasson’s lawyer says prosecutors have told her they don’t expect to file any additional charges against her client.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has withdrawn from plans to be a commencement speaker at his alma mater, Virginia Military Institute, and won’t participate in any other graduation ceremonies amid the still fresh scandal over a blackface photo that appeared on his 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook page. Northam denies being in the photo but admits wearing blackface while portraying Michael Jackson at a dance party as a college student. The governor’s spokeswoman says that Northam decided weeks ago to skip graduation ceremonies over concern he would divert focus from graduates.
Prince George’s County launch a new campaign to crackdown on drivers who are doing far more than just driving behind the wheel.
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Palmer Park, Maryland (Monday, April 15, 2019) – Prince George’s County officials say too many people are being injured and killed on the roadways because drivers are simply doing far more than driving behind the wheel. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks was joined today at a 12:30pm news conference at police headquarters by Police Chief Hank Stawinski and County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy. The trio called on drivers to focus and stop the distractions. From driving impaired to texting while driving, motorists are causing mayhem on the roadways in the county. The county police set up stop points today catching drivers in the act of being distracted while driving. “It was really notable that all of the people we stopped today felt they were doing something that was a matter of a second,” said Alsobrooks. The excuses from motorists varied. Some said they were just taking a second to call their office or just taking a second to pick up the phone instead of using the hands-free devices. “Well it only takes a second for an awful tragedy to occur. And we have seen this time and time again,” added Alsobrooks.
The message today is “please take a moment and wear that seatbelt. Don’t take a moment to respond to that device. There’s nothing on that device that is so important as your safety or the safety of other people traveling on our roadway. ” said Stawinski. Police have been able to bring the traffic fatalities down over the past several years. But still the numbers are grossly too high. Last year, there were 49 traffic deaths in the county, including three children who died on Indian Head Highway, called the most dangerous road in the state.
Today’s press conference comes just days before a new campaign is set to be kicked off in the county by State’s Attorney Braveyboy. It’s called “Drive Focused, Sober & Safe.” The campaign will be launched Saturday, April 27th from 9:30am to 1pm at the Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex at 7007 Bock Road – Oxon Hill, MD 20744.
“Aretha is blessed and highly favored even in death. She’s continued to receive multiple awards — she’s received almost every award imaginable and now to get the Pulitzer Prize, it’s just amazing,” Sabrina Owens, Franklin’s niece and the executor of her estate, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday. “Aretha continues to bless us with her music and just paving the way for women going forward. It’s thrilling. She would be so happy right now.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Aretha Franklin is still getting R-E-S-P-E-C-T after death: The Queen of Soul received the Pulitzer Prize Special Citation honor Monday, becoming the first individual woman to earn a special citation prize since the honor was first awarded in 1930.
The Pulitzer board said the award was given to Franklin for “her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades.”
Franklin died on Aug. 16 at her home in Detroit from pancreatic cancer at age 76.
The superstar musician was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when she entered the prestigious organization in 1987.
The Pulitzer board most recently awarded a special citation prize in 2010 to Hank Williams, the country music legend who died in 1953. From the arts world, other recipients include Duke Ellington, Bob Dylan, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, George Gershwin, Ray Bradbury, William Schuman, Milton Babbitt, Scott Joplin, Roger Sessions, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.
Before Monday, only 41 special citation prizes had been awarded since 1930, and winners have ranged from individual people to organizations and groups, including the New York Times, writers E.B. White, Alex Haley and Kenneth Roberts, and Columbia University and its Graduate School of Journalism. Franklin and the Capital Gazette newspaper received special citation honors this year.
“Aretha is blessed and highly favored even in death. She’s continued to receive multiple awards — she’s received almost every award imaginable and now to get the Pulitzer Prize, it’s just amazing,” Sabrina Owens, Franklin’s niece and the executor of her estate, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday. “Aretha continues to bless us with her music and just paving the way for women going forward. It’s thrilling. She would be so happy right now.”
When Owens heard the news that Franklin won a Pulitzer, she and the family were “surprised but in another way we were not because that’s just the kind of person Aretha was.”
“She was just very gifted and talented, and the world is still recognizing that,” she said.
Franklin’s inclusion into the exclusive club re-confirms the impact her music — and voice — had and continues to have on the world. She became a cultural icon and genius of American song, considered by many to be the greatest popular vocalist of her time. Her voice transcended age, category and her own life.
Franklin was professional singer and accomplished pianist by her late teens and a superstar by her mid-20s. Raised in Detroit, she recorded hundreds of tracks and had dozens of hits over the span of a half century, including 20 that reached No. 1 on the R&B charts.
But her reputation was defined by an extraordinary run of Top 10 smashes in the late 1960s, from the morning-after bliss of ”(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” to the wised-up “Chain of Fools” to her unstoppable call for “Respect,” transforming Otis Redding’s song into a classic worldwide anthem — especially for the feminist and civil rights movements — making it one of the most recognizable and heard songs of all-time.
She sold millions of albums and won countless awards, including 18 Grammys, the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
She performed at the inaugurations of Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, and even sang at the funeral for civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks and at the dedication of Martin Luther King Jr’s memorial.
Rolling Stone ranked Franklin No.1 on its list of the Top 100 singers and she was also named one of the 20 most important entertainers of the 20th century by Time magazine, which celebrated her “mezzo-soprano, the gospel growls, the throaty howls, the girlish vocal tickles, the swoops, the dives, the blue-sky high notes, the blue-sea low notes. Female vocalists don’t get the credit as innovators that male instrumentalists do. They should. Franklin has mastered her instrument as surely as John Coltrane mastered his sax.”
Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, though her family moved to Buffalo, New York, and then settled in Detroit. She grew up singing in the church alongside her father Rev. C.L. Franklin, a prominent Baptist minister who recorded dozens of albums of sermons and music. She joined him on tour and she released a gospel album in 1956. Four years later, she signed with Columbia Records and when her contract ran out in 1966, she joined Atlantic Records.
That’s when she blazed the pop and R&B charts with a string of hits, including “Respect,” ″I Say a Little Prayer,” ″Think,” ″Chain of Fools,” ″Day Dreaming,” ″(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone,” ″Rock Steady” and “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do).”
Her Grammy-winning album, “Amazing Grace,” is one of the seminal albums in not only Franklin’s discography, but the canon of American pop music. It is the basis for the recently released concert film “Amazing Grace,” filmed over two sessions in January 1972 at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in the Watts section of Los Angeles.
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Russell Wilson is sticking around with the Seattle Seahawks as the highest paid player in the NFL.
Wilson posted a video on social media early Tuesday saying, “Seattle, we got a deal,” shortly after agreeing to a $140 million, four-year extension with the Seahawks, his agent Mark Rodgers told The Associated Press. Wilson’s new deal runs through the 2023 season and includes a $65 million signing bonus, a no-trade clause and $107 million in guaranteed money.
Wilson’s per year average of $35 million tops Aaron Rodgers’ average annual salary of $33.5 million as part of the $134 million extension he signed last year with the Green Bay Packers.
Wilson’s current $87.6 million, four-year deal was signed at the beginning of training camp in 2015 and was set to expire after next season.
“Russell’s goal and his hope was that he would continue his career with the Seahawks and continue to bring championships to this town,” Rodgers said. “He believes there is still unfinished business and he is looking forward to pursuing that without having to worry about contracts and his future.”
The 30-year-old Wilson had set a midnight deadline for a new deal with Seattle. He wanted certainty about his contract before the start of the team’s offseason workout program, which began on Monday. Wilson showed up for the first day and by the end of the night was posting a video with wife Ciara announcing the agreement.
The deal ends the debate about Wilson’s future with the Seahawks, although there seemed to be little doubt he would remain in Seattle for a while. The team held leverage knowing it likely had at least three more seasons with Wilson under center. Even if he played out 2019 under his current deal, Seattle could have used the franchise tag if needed to keep him under contract through 2020 and 2021 at a reasonable price by quarterback standards.
But the extension allows Seattle to budget for the future knowing how to work with Wilson’s hefty paycheck in the years ahead and build a contender around the former third-round pick that has developed into a franchise QB.
Wilson’s new deal was going to have to top the extension signed by Rodgers before the start of last season. Wilson was the second-highest paid player in football behind Rodgers when his deal was signed in 2015, but had fallen to the 12th highest-paid QB in the league, according to Overthecap.com.
The five-time Pro Bowl selection is coming off arguably his best season as Seattle went a surprising 10-6 and earned an NFC wild card before losing to Dallas in the opening round of the playoffs. It was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but the Seahawks were ahead of schedule thanks to their return to a run-first offense and Wilson’s exceptional performance when tasked to throw.
The 5-foot-11 Wilson threw for a career-high 35 touchdowns and matched his career low with seven interceptions. He attempted only 427 passes — his lowest total since his second season when Seattle won the Super Bowl — but his efficiency was a career best with a 110.9 passer rating. He also ran only 67 times, a career low, as the improved run game and offensive line play allowed Wilson to stay in the pocket more and scramble for his life less.
It was a stark change from the 2017 season when Seattle missed the playoffs for the first time under Wilson. He led the league in touchdown passes, but also was Seattle’s leading rusher due to a non-existent run game.
The idea of Wilson ever leaving Seattle has always seemed a stretch. Teams simply don’t give up on quarterbacks with the kind of success he’s had. Wilson has led the Seahawks to the playoffs in six of his seven seasons, the only miss coming in 2017 when Seattle finished 9-7. He won a Super Bowl in his second season and got back to the championship game a year later before making the one major mistake of his career that will linger until he wins another title, throwing a goal line interception in the final minute when the Seahawks had a chance to take the lead on New England.
Wilson has shelved the stigma of short quarterbacks being unable to play in the NFL. He’s also been extremely durable, never missing a game while playing through significant knee, ankle and shoulder injuries.
It’s a holiday today here in the District of Columbia. April 16th marks the annual Emancipation Day celebration in the city. It’s the anniversary of the Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862 that ended slavery in the city. This act freed 3,100 slaves 8 months before the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the South. The act also gave the freed men and women money to out of the region or country if they chose to. DC was the only part of the United State to have compensated slave owners for freeing their slaves.
Over the weekend the annual Emancipation Day parade. DC city government is closed today in honor of the holiday.
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“I have to tell you, you know I’ve been dealing with issues with addiction, alcoholism, and I have a whole new life that I plan for myself and my son,” the New Jersey native added, noting that she was very thankful for her time in the sober house.
Wendy Williams announced this week she is preparing to move out of the out of the sober house she has been living in for a while now.
Just days after filing for divorce from husband Kevin Hunter, Williams will be leaving the sober house that she had been staying in. Williams had been battling with alcoholism and substance abuse.
On Monday morning, Wendy addressed the idea of her “new life” on her talk show “The Wendy Williams Show.” She appears to be in good spirits following filing for divorce. She told her audience that she spent time with family and friends and she is feeling much better.
“I had a really good weekend. I got together with my girls. I told you, I have my sober friends. I have six of them that are really good – two of them are my sponsors,” Williams said. “They came over to the sober house this weekend!”
“I have to tell you, you know I’ve been dealing with issues with addiction, alcoholism, and I have a whole new life that I plan for myself and my son,” the New Jersey native added, noting that she was very thankful for her time in the sober house. “It’s one of the best things, honestly, that could have ever happened to me. … Addressing my sobriety, my addiction, head-on, has helped me sort out every single compartment of my life. I have a commitment to me and my son to come out of here better, stronger and faster than ever.”
Williams has still not spoken specifically on the divorce with her husband.
Wendy’s staff reportedly said, “It’s like a weight lifted off everyone’s shoulders…Kevin’s toxicity was dragging everyone down. … While the future is somewhat unclear, what is clear is that Wendy has a huge support system comprised of her staff, industry colleagues and family.”
“Well, Issa became a big movie star!” Bloys states, “We’re not the first place to deal with this, but when you’re in business with very creative and talented people, there’s a lot more opportunities for people to do things. Issa, I think, partly wanted a break to come back to it fresh.”
The HBO hit show “Insecure” will not be airing season 4 until 2020. Usually the show returns every year for their newest season, but this year they’re taking a break.
Producer and director Issa Rae has many roles to fill this year and has been in high demand already this year. Insecure wrapped up season three last September.
HBO programming chief, Casey Bloys, confirms it’s returning 2020 and brags that Issa has been very busy.
“Well, Issa became a big movie star!” Bloys states, “We’re not the first place to deal with this, but when you’re in business with very creative and talented people, there’s a lot more opportunities for people to do things. Issa, I think, partly wanted a break to come back to it fresh.”
Rae is currently working on multiple projects that are releasing this year. She is starring in the new movie ”Little” with Regina Halland Marsai Martin, which is currently in theaters. She recently got engaged and could be taking a hiatus from “Insecure” to plan her upcoming nuptials.
HBO has yet to reveal the show’s official release date.
La Plata H.S. set to address recent arrest of students with weapons at school
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The principle of La Plata High School in Charles County is preparing for a public safety meeting tonight.
Over the last three weeks, the school has been dealing with some serious issues of concern to parents and students. Two students in separate incidents have been arrested for bringing a loaded gun to school. Just last week another student was arrested for making an online social media threat of violence. All of the students involved have been charged.
Tonights 7 pm meeting will be held in the school auditorium. The school’s public safety officials will also be in attendance. They plan to discuss the incidents, what has been done to keep the school safe and they will also take questions and comments on school safety from the public.
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DC Police search for the man who hit and killed a 3 month old…
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DC police are looking for the suspect they said hit and killed a 3-month-old baby girl. The alleged innocent happened on March 16th.
Police say 25, year old Cornell Delvonte Holton hit the infant so hard that it knocked her out. An arrest warrant in this first-degree murder case has been issued. The police department is also offering a $25-thousand dollar reward for information that leads to his arrest and conviction.
The infant has been identified as 3-month-old Skylar Newman of South. The incident happened at a home in the 4300 block of G Street. When officers arrived the infant was unconscious.
An autopsy confirmed that she died from blunt force trauma. She died a few days later on March 19th. Her death has been ruled a homicide.
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Sisters4Fitness is hosting it’s 4thAnnual 5K Run/Walk, Saturday April 27that the Bowie Town Center. My guest this morning is one of the organizers, Kendall Bryant. For more information go here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:35on the Steve Harvey Morning Showon 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitterat @bobbygailesfor updates and to stay connected.
The Mueller Report will be released Thursday. But it will be a redacted version, with sensitive information blacked out by the Justice Department. Democrats in Congress say they still want the full, unredacted 400-plus page report released to them. The redacted version will be made available to the public. When Attorney General William Barr received Mueller’s report late last month, he sent Congress a four page summary of findings. Barr said Mueller did not find evidence of conspiracy or collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. He also noted that Mueller did not exonerate the President on obstruction of justice. Barr announced that the Justice Department would not continue the investigation of possible obstruction. Trump has argued that he is totally vindicated in the final report, though he has also stressed that he has not seen it.
One of Paris’, in fact, the world’s most famous structure is no longer what it used to be. Fire ripping through the Cathedral of Notre Dame today, leaving only the outer shell of the 850-year-old building. French President Emmanuel Macron the cathedral will be rebuilt. Speaking outside the iconic landmark, Macron said that thanks to the efforts of firefighters, the facade, including the two bell towers, have been saved. To help rebuild the cathedral, Macron pledged to launch an international fundraising campaign. The fire has been burning for hours and has resulted in the collapse of the spire and the roof of the building in the center of Paris. Authorities in Paris have not discovered a cause for the fire, though there is speculation that it may be linked to the renovation of the cathedral.
A wind advisory is still in effect for the DC area with wind gusts possibly as strong as 50 miles-per-hour. The National Weather Service issued the advisory today until 8:00 p.m. in counties in Northern Virginia, Maryland and in DC. Scattered power outages hit the area this morning leaving thousands without power. In Virginia, widespread power outages forced all Spotsylvania public schools to close today. The National Weather Service expecting that winds may blow down limbs, trees, and power lines. Additional power outages are expected.
Those strong winds contributed to the death of an elderly Stafford Virginia woman early this morning. Authorities say 78-year-old Cathy Tyler was killed after she was pinned under a tree that crashed into her home as she slept. The woman’s 82-year-old husband was also sleeping inside the home at the time and was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
“Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame,” Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot told French media. The 12th-century cathedral is home to incalculable works of art and is one of the world’s most famous tourist attractions.
PARIS (AP) — A massive fire engulfed the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in the heart of the French capital Monday, toppling its spire and sending thick plumes of smoke high into the blue sky as tourists and Parisians watched in horror from the streets below.
A spokesman said the entire wooden frame of the cathedral would likely come down, and that the vault of the edifice could be threatened too.
“Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame,” Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot told French media. The 12th-century cathedral is home to incalculable works of art and is one of the world’s most famous tourist attractions.
The cause of the catastrophic blaze was not known, but French media quoted the Paris fire brigade as saying the fire is “potentially linked” to a 6 million-euro ($6.8 million) renovation project on the church’s spire and its 250 tons of lead. Prosecutors opened an investigation as Paris police said there were no reported deaths.
Flames shot out of the roof behind the nave of the cathedral, among the most visited landmarks in the world. Hundreds of people lined up bridges around the island that houses the cathedral, watching in shock as acrid smoke rose in plumes.
French President Emmanuel Macron postponed a televised speech to the nation because of the stunning blaze and was going to the cathedral himself.
Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said emergency services are trying to salvage the famed art pieces stored in the cathedral.
Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, Notre Dame is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages as well as one of the most beloved structures in the world. Situated on the Ile de la Cite, an island in the Seine, the cathedral’s architecture is famous for, among other things, its many gargoyles and its iconic flying buttresses.
Among the most celebrated artworks inside are its three stained-glass rose windows, placed high up on the west, north and south faces of the cathedral. Its priceless treasures also include a Catholic relic, the crown of thorns, which is only occasionally displayed, including on Fridays during Lent.
The cathedral was immortalized in Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” published in 1831, and has long been a subject of fascination in popular culture as well as the traditional art world.
French historian Camille Pascal told BFM broadcast channel the blaze marked “the destruction of invaluable heritage.”
“It’s been 800 years that the Cathedral watches over Paris”, Pascal said. “Happy and unfortunate events for centuries have been marked by the bells of Notre Dame.”
He added: “We can be only horrified by what we see.”
Associated Press reporters at the scene saw massive plumes of yellow brown smoke filling the air above the Cathedral and ash falling on the island that houses Notre Dame and marks the center of Paris. As the spire fell, the sky lit up orange.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is in despair at the “terrible fire.” Hidalgo said in a Twitter message that Paris firefighters are still trying to limit the fire and urged Paris citizens to respect the security perimeter that has been set around the cathedral.
Hidalgo said Paris authorities are in touch with Paris diocese.
Reactions from around the world came swiftly.
In Washington, Trump tweeted: “So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris” and suggested first responders use “flying water tankers” to put it out.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said he was praying “to ask the intercession of Notre Dame, our Lady, for the Cathedral at the heart of Paris, and of civilization, now in flames! God preserve this splendid house of prayer, and protect those battling the blaze.”
Today we talked to Dr. Cynthia Sutherland CEO, and founder of TriSec Solutions, LLC and Brenda McCain of Metro Warriors STEM Organization. TRiSec Solutions, LLC is hosting this year’s STEM Zone for the 6th Annual Tots for Teens Expo on Saturday, May 4, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m at the Sports & Learning Complex in Landover. The event provides hands-on STEM enrichment activities to kids of all ages in the hopes of inspiring them to be more enthusiastic about their future encounters with STEM. There will be numerous hands-on activities including the building of marshmallow towers, free form Lego Build, Robotics, video gaming, drone flying, coding and much more. In addition, to these actives’ information about STEM scholarships, summer camps and year-round activities will be shared with attendees.
McCain’s organization hosts an “All Things STEM” enrichment program that starts in September and extends until March. She stressed that STEM and the services they provide are for any and everyone. She shared her fervent passion for this field that lacks personnel on every level, emphasizing the fact that STEM is about engaging creativity and building upon that and the importance of kids being exposed as soon as possible. No age is too young or too old.
The guest spoke about working on a financial goal of raising $15,000 in order to purchase kits for kids. If you would like donate to the cause click here.
Bitsbox – 100 Boxes
Kiwi Co. – 175 Boxes
Little Passports – 100 Boxes
Lego Mindstorm – 4 Boxes
If you missed today’s show you view it below.
Join us each and every Monday live on WHUR FB at 12:30 for another edition of “Around the DMV in 15 with Taylor Thomas”. Hey, we are always looking for interesting guests and topics. If you have something email me at tthomas@whur.com. Please in the subject line put “Around the DMV in 15 w/ TT”.
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Capturing an image of yourself from atop Fordham University’s clock tower in the Bronx is a tradition for many graduating seniors. It is not something sanctioned by the university. Over the weekend, however, this innocent effort to capture memories turned deadly.
22-year-old Sydney Monfries fell to her death after entering the locked bell tower with other seniors to take a snapshot with friends with the city of New York in the backdrop. Sources say the Portland, Oregon fell 30 to 40 feet inside of the tower after she lost her footing. Access to the is actually restricted at all times.
Monfries was set to graduate in a few weeks. The university is still investigating the incident. Fordham University says it will award her bachelor’s degree in Journalism to her family posthumously.
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Several media outlets are reporting that CBS staff workers are worried that they may not be able to afford Gayle Kingas a reporter. While CBS is very interested in keeping her on the station, she may be a little too expensive to keep.
After signing a multi-million dollar deal with CBS, King was ready to stay with the network another year. Her goal was to double her current annual salary of $5.5 million dollars as she continues to work in CBS’ spotlight. Unfortunately CBS may not be able to grant her wish.
King has been given a lot of praise during her job as a reporter at the network. She received the most recognition when interviewing the Chicago singer, R Kelly, during his court trials. The interview took a wild turn when Kelly blew up trying to defend himself while facing allegation and 10 counts of criminal aggravated sexual abuse.
“Stop it. You all quit playing! Quit playing! I didn’t do this stuff! This is not me! I’m fighting for my f***ing life! Y’all killing me with this sh*t! I gave you 30 years of my f***ing career!” Kelly shouted to the cameras during the interview. “Thirty years of my career! And y’all trying to kill me? You killing me, man! This is not about music! I’m trying to have a relationship with my kids! And I can’t do it! Y’all just don’t want to believe the truth! You don’t want to believe it!’
While holding her composure on set, King was praised for maintaining her calm demeanor when the performer got very emotional on set. CBS received a significant amount of traffic and a bigger audience after this interview.
Multiple sources discuss the need to keep King on CBS, yet say she may be too good to afford. “It’s not like CBS News can all of a sudden find ABC or NBC money—it has to come from somewhere.”, says one source. “The big priority is keeping Gayle. The only thing that would really hurt CBS News at the moment is losing her.”
“I never ever discuss contracts in the media,” King said. “I think the best place to discuss a contract is with CBS.”
Do you need some free legal assistance? The Prince George’s County Memorial Library System is offering up some help at its Lawyer in the Library Project, where you can get one-on-one civil legal advice. My guests are Melanie Townsend Diggs – Area Manager of Prince George’s County Memorial Library System and Meaghan McDermott with Maryland Legal Aid
Lawyer in the Library – A Community Lawyering Project is Wednesday, April 17thfrom 12pm to 2pm at Oxon Hill Branch Library. 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 Show on 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
That’s right procrastinators you have until midnight tonight to file your taxes without concern or fear of heavy penalties and fines. Now you can also mail in your 2018 taxes but it’s important to note that your envelope must be posted marked with today’s date.
For those of you who just can’t pull it together in time today, you have one final option. You can request a 6-month extension. It is very important to note. Just because you request an extension that does not mean that you have 6 months to pay. In fact its the contrary. The penalties for not filing are higher than not paying taxes. Pay what you can because the fines for filing late are significantly higher than not paying taxes on time penalties.
If you expect to owe taxes for one or multiple previous tax years and you have not filed nor paid the taxes due, you will most likely be subject to late filing and late payment penalties. Efile.com recommends you take the following steps as soon as possible:
Step 1: Download the respective Tax Forms for the Tax Year in Question.
Step 2: Use the Tax Calculator and Tools for the respective Tax Year.
Step 3: Complete the Income Tax Forms and Mail them to the IRS and/or State Tax Agency.
Step 4: Even if you can’t pay your taxes, follow the steps above and pay as little or as much as you can afford. That way, you will at least stop the late filing penalties, which in general are higher than the late payment penalties.
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Actress Tatyana Ali announced Saturday that she is pregnant with baby #2 with husband Vaughn Rasberry.
Ali is best known for her role as Ashley Banks in the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” She took time off from her busy schedule to unwind and spend time with family. Ali also spends her time as a public speaker where she shares the importance of education and empowering women.
The couple married in an private Beverly Hills ceremony in July 2016. They already have a two-year-old son together.
With an Instagram post, Ali revealed the news with a photo of her showing off her baby bump. She and her hubby are ecstatic their family is expanding.
“I was on a work trip recently and I thought it was about time I captured my baby bump. We’re so excited! They say every pregnancy is different and they ain’t lying.” Ali says in the new post of Instagram. “Phew! I’m exhausted this go round, swirling with emotion and starving, like constantly. Feeling very blessed. #BabyRasberry”
Ali already started a hashtag dedicated to her future child, #BabyRasberry. Congrats to Tatyana Ali and Vaughn Rasberry
“The beauty of sports is that it always provided a platform to talk about all of these other things,” Hill said. “We’ve always made the mistake of making it seem like the rest of the universe is happening in one place and sports is happening over here, when often sports, politics, social media and entertainment have been entwined. It’s really not all that big of a leap.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Jemele Hillhas moved on, but not from speaking her mind.
The former ESPN host, best known to the non-sports world for tweets about President Donald Trump that provoked the White House to unsuccessfully seek her firing, launches a weekly podcast Monday on Spotify. On the show, “Jemele Hill is Unbothered,” she’ll conduct interviews and give commentary on sports, politics and culture.
Coupled with a regular gig writing for The Atlantic magazine and her engagement in December to writer Ian Wallace, the 43-year-old Hill does seems unbothered. Happy, even.
Some of her recent Atlantic pieces seem to give a road map for her podcast. She’s written about how NFL players need to look out for their own interests because their teams probably won’t, a “force field” erected by the black community that protected singer R. Kelly from consequences related to his behavior and how — after watching Barack and Michelle Obama interact with Trump at the funeral for former President George H.W. Bush — she wished they wouldn’t always “go high.”
Her interests are no surprise to anyone who follows the social media feed of this former sportswriter who dreamed of one day writing for Sports Illustrated.
“The beauty of sports is that it always provided a platform to talk about all of these other things,” she said. “We’ve always made the mistake of making it seem like the rest of the universe is happening in one place and sports is happening over here, when often sports, politics, social media and entertainment have been entwined. It’s really not all that big of a leap.”
Hill became a newspaper sports columnist at 28 and when first hired at ESPN, it was as a writer, not a television host. Hill joined ESPN in 2006 from the Orlando Sentinel. She eventually moved in front of the cameras, although her highest-profile assignment, the 6 p.m. “SportsCenter” with Michael Smith, didn’t quite click with viewers.
Her Twitter battle with Trump unfolded in September 2017. She called him a white supremacist and “the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime.”
ESPN distanced itself from her comments and the controversy that ensued, but didn’t discipline her. A month later, she was suspended for violating social media policy for tweeting that fans should effectively boycott the advertisers of the Dallas Cowboys after owner Jerry Jones said players who disrespected the American flag would not play on his team.
Hill officially left ESPN in September 2018.
A year and a half after the incident, Hill said she had no qualms over taking on the president.
“I didn’t like the fact that it caused damage to people I care about and to relationships that I built, but in terms of what I said, I don’t regret it,” she said. “In my mind, I’ve only been proven right so it’s hard for me to regret it knowing that I’m on the right side of history.”
Hill’s eventual exit from ESPN was more amicable than these things normally are. She explored some of these feelings in an Atlantic column about reconnecting with John Skipper, the former ESPN boss who left his job because of substance abuse issues. “I left ESPN a better journalist than when I started there,” Hill wrote. “I’m rooting for his success because he so heavily invested in mine.”
Her hiring at Spotify dovetails with that company’s ambition to be the world’s leading audio platform for both podcasts and music, said Courtney Holt, head of Spotify Studios. The science podcast Dope Labs and another by comic Amy Schumer are among the 20 original podcasts Spotify is making now or launching.
“I have always been a huge fan of Jemele,” Holt said via email. “She is an important voice in sports, race, culture and politics, and their intersection in media.”
Two of Hill’s first podcast interview subjects will be the radio personality known as Charlamagne tha God, host of “The Breakfast Club,” and comedian and actor Tone Bell.
One guest she wouldn’t be interested in having on her podcast is Trump, not that it would be likely to happen anyway.
“He’s had no desire to really move the conversation,” she said. “There are people who you disagree with who you can have a good conversation with because both parties come into it wanting to be 10 percent closer. That’s not the spirit of what he does, ever.”
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks is planning to address the growing number of fatal accidents on county roads due to distracted drivers. At 12:30 Alsobrooks along with Prince George’s County Police Cheif Hank Stanwinski and State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy will discuss efforts to cut the number of distracted fatal accidents along county roadways .
There have been a number of fatal and horrific crashes in Prince George’s County that have grabbed the headlines. The death of three little children riding in a car on 210 with their parents was one of them. Two of the children were 5 and one was 1-years-old. They were sitting in their family vehicle at a traffic light when a driver believed to have been under the influenced slammed into the back of them after a Washington NFL game. Today’s press conference will be held at the Police Department’s Headquarters at 7600 Barlowe Road, Palmer Park, Maryland.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylothomas963
And Martin, a tiny tyrant beneath a Diana Ross-sized afro, is the number one reason to see “Little.” The movie, itself, is a middling “Big”-styled body-swap comedy. But it’s elevated considerably the verve and charisma of its cast, which also features Issa Rae and Regina Hall.
Since Hailee Steinfeld rode into town in “True Grit,” we’ve been fairly blessed by the big-screen breakthroughs of teenage actresses. To name just a few: Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Witch”), Amandla Stenberg (“The Hate U Give”), Elsie Fisher (“Eighth Grade”).
Add Marsai Martin to the list. And at just 14-years-old — 13 when the cameras rolled — she’s one-upped them all. Along with starring in “Little,” Martin is also an executive producer, the youngest credited in Hollywood history. She is, quite literally, a boss.
And Martin, a tiny tyrant beneath a Diana Ross-sized afro, is the number one reason to see “Little.” The movie, itself, is a middling “Big”-styled body-swap comedy. But it’s elevated considerably the verve and charisma of its cast, which also features Issa Rae and Regina Hall.
But there’s a special pleasure in seeing someone front-and-center for the first time that you know is going to hold the spotlight. Martin, the “black-ish” star, helped conceive of “Little,” and the film, fittingly, is itself a kind of fable of self-empowerment.
An enjoyably over-the-top Hall (playing a far crueler boss than her “Support the Girls” supervisor) stars as Jordan Sanders, a high-powered executive who runs her Atlanta tech company with a Scrooge-level degree of abuse for all who encounter her, including her many employees and, most of all, her assistant, April (Rae). When Jordan insults a wand-wielding young girl (“You chocolate Hogwart!”), a spell is cast, and the next morning Jordan awakes as her 13-year-old self (Martin).
The premise is overly familiar (“Freaky Friday,” ″13 Going on 30″), but there’s an obvious twist. After a panicked Jordan summons April to her high-rise apartment for help, April refutes the movie’s very premise: “But that’s for white people.” Looking for answers, she quickly googles “Female Gary Coleman disease.”
They’re good lines in a movie that could have used more of them. Child services (Rachel Dratch) is called in. Jordan is sent back to her old school where, as seen in a flashback that opens the movie, she initially resolved to become the bully rather than the bullied. Jordan introduces herself as the “new alpha” and makes eyes at her teacher (Justin Hartley), purring, “Teach me somethin’.”
Just as Jordan will have to learn to soften, April will have to toughen. When Jordan is small, April is thrust into running the company. While having as much of Rae, the gifted creator and star of “Insecure” is very welcome, director Tina Gordon Chism (screenwriter of “Drumline” and “What Men Want”), who co-wrote the film with Tracy Oliver, gets a little caught between story lines and tones. The comedy opportunities are riper for “Little” in the classroom, but the movie ends up feeling more like a workplace comedy. Chism might have been better served daring more adult humor, or being content with the PG-13-rated “Little” as family entertainment.
The pacing is sluggish when it should be quickening, and nothing in how “Little” turns out will surprise anyone. Yet the trio of Hall, Rae and Martin makes “Little” a consistently pleasant experience. Martin isn’t just playing a version of her “black-ish” character, but is effectively channeling Hall’s performance in miniature. She’s going to be big.
“Little,” a Universal Pictures release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for some suggestive content. Running time: 109 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
When asked how Disney’s subscription is so low, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger said, “This is our first serious foray in this space, and we want to reach as many people as possible with it.”
Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu are getting some company with Disney+. Disney+ will launch their new streaming service in the United States in November 2019. The company announced that the service will cost a monthly fee of $6.99. That’s half of Netflix’s $12.99/month plan.
When asked how Disney’s subscription is so low, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger said, “This is our first serious foray in this space, and we want to reach as many people as possible with it.”
This tactic will help Disney beat it’s competition. By 2025, they are expecting to have 60 to 90 million global subscribers. They will also be able to invest more than $2 billion in original programming by that time.
During the first year of its launch, Disney+ will include current and off-air TV shows, 25 original series, 10 original movies and specials, 400 library movie titles and 100 recent theatrical films.
Good news for The Simpsons fans! Disney+ has the rights to all 30 seasons. This will keep you occupied on the weekends.The service wil also include Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars films including the original trilogy.
This will be a huge blow for the competition that does not only include Netflix and Hulu but also Apple, Amazon and Warner Media. Netflix is investing their money into more original programming after losing licensing deals from major companies like Disney.
It is safe to say that fans are excited for the new streaming service. People went to Twitter to express their excitement and praising the low subscriber fee.
“I think Morehouse having the courage to speak to issues of masculinity in today’s environment is important,” Morehouse College President David Thomas told The Associated Press. “For 152 years, the world has, in some way, seen Morehouse as the West Point of black male development.”
The country’s only all-male historically black college will begin admitting transgender men next year, marking a major shift for the school at a time when higher education institutions around the nation are adopting more welcoming policies toward LGBT students.
Transgender men will be allowed to enroll in the school for the first time in 2020. Students who identify as women but were born male cannot enroll, however, and anyone who transitions from male to female will not be automatically eligible to receive a degree from the institution.
Morehouse officials hailed the move as an important step toward a more inclusive campus while affirming its mission to educate and develop men.
“I think Morehouse having the courage to speak to issues of masculinity in today’s environment is important,” Morehouse College President David Thomas told The Associated Press. “For 152 years, the world has, in some way, seen Morehouse as the West Point of black male development.”
The policy also states that Morehouse “will continue to use masculine pronouns” which it calls “the language of brotherhood.”
Morehouse is an iconic college that counts the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., filmmaker Spike Lee and former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson as its alumni. It bills itself as the “college of choice for black men” that has instilled leadership skills in generations of African American men.
More than 1,000 colleges and universities nationwide have adopted some form of a transgender policy, including about two dozen historically black colleges. An increasing number of schools are updating admissions guidelines to ensure transgender students have a welcoming experience, said Human Rights Campaign spokeswoman Sarah McBride.
“Young people are incredibly supportive of LGBT equality, including transgender equality,” McBride said. “Schools are responding in kind. In many ways, our college campuses look like the country we’ll have in 10 or 15 years. There are a lot of reasons for hope.”
Morehouse becomes the first standalone all-male college in the country to adopt a transgender policy. Nationwide, there are only two other all-male colleges, Wabash College in Indiana and Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. Minnesota’s St. John’s University, which enrolls only men but shares a co-ed academic program with the College of St. Benedict, also has a transgender policy.
Morehouse has had challenges around LGBT issues, most notably the 2002 attack of a 19-year-old student accused of beating a fellow student with a baseball bat who he mistakenly thought was making a sexual advance.
Gregory Love’s skull was fractured in the beating. Aaron Price was found guilty of assault and initially sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The incident was widely seen as reflective of a larger and pervasive attitude toward the LGBT community among African Americans.
Thomas acknowledged that historically black colleges and universities — mainly established after the Civil War with the help of religious institutions like the Baptist and Methodist churches — face added challenges in addressing issues of gender and sexuality because of opposition in black churches.
“I can’t speak for all HBCUs, but we know in the black church there has largely been silence on this issue,” Thomas said. “I can imagine there may be people who would say, ‘Why would you even raise this?’ I say to those people we live in an era now where silence on these issues is actually not helpful. For us, as a school for men, it’s important for us to set clear expectations about what that means. That’s what we’re trying to do with this policy.”
In 2009, the college updated its dress code, in part to address a handful of students who were wearing women’s clothing on campus. The following year, Morehouse held its first Gay Pride. Morehouse offered its first LGBT course in 2013 and has a scholars program named for civil and gay rights icon Bayard Rustin.
Spelman College, an all-woman HBCU next door to Morehouse, adopted a transgender policy in 2017, and the first transgender woman graduated in 2018.
Other HBCUs with transgender policies include Tuskegee University, Howard University, Florida A&M University, Southern University in Louisiana, North Carolina Central University and Morgan State University in Maryland.
Titi Naomi Tukes — a 2017 graduate of Morehouse who enrolled as a cisgender man in 2013 but now identifies as transgender nonbinary and uses the pronouns they/them/their — said they disapproved of the policy, which they learned about in an alumni email on Saturday. Tukes said the policy is hostile and exclusionary toward transgender women and nonbinary students, and could put transitioning students in an unsafe environment if they have to leave the college.
Titi Naomi Tukes — a 2017 graduate of Morehouse who enrolled as a cisgender man in 2013 but now identifies as transgender nonbinary and uses the pronouns they/them/their — said they disapproved of the policy, which they learned about in an alumni email on Saturday. Tukes said the policy is hostile and exclusionary toward transgender women and nonbinary students, and could put transitioning students in an unsafe environment if they have to leave the college.
“You can’t control how someone feels in their body,” said Tukes, now a management consultant working in New York who added they are willing to offer input on how the policy is implemented. “The college fails at addressing and understanding the gender journey that one undergoes during their college experience, spiritually, emotionally, physically and psychologically.”
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Whack is The Associated Press’ national writer on race and ethnicity. Follow her work on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/emarvelous.
Earlier, Pelosi issued a statement while traveling in London saying she had spoken with congressional authorities “to ensure that Capitol Police are conducting a security assessment to safeguard Congresswoman Omar, her family and her staff.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Ilhan Omar says she’s faced increased death threats since President Donald Trump spread around a video that purports to show her being dismissive of the 2001 terrorist attacks. “This is endangering lives,” she said, accusing Trump of fomenting right-wing extremism. “It has to stop.”
Her statement late Sunday followed an announcement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she has taken steps to ensure the safety of the Minnesota Democrat and the speaker’s call for Trump to take down the video.
Soon after Pelosi’s statement, the video disappeared as a pinned tweet at the top of Trump’s Twitter feed, but it was not deleted.
Pelosi was among Democrats who had criticized Trump over the tweet , with some accusing him of trying to incite violence against the Muslim lawmaker. An upstate New York man recently was charged with making death threats against her.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders defended Trump earlier Sunday, saying the president has a duty to highlight Omar’s history of making comments that others deem anti-Semitic or otherwise offensive and that he wished no “ill will” upon the first-term lawmaker.
But Omar said that since Trump retweeted the video Friday night, she’s received many threats on her life that referred or replied to the posted video.
“Violent crimes and other acts of hate by right-wing extremists and white nationalists are on the rise in this country and around the world,” she said. “We can no longer ignore that they are being encouraged by the occupant of the highest office in the land.” She said: “We are all Americans.”
Earlier, Pelosi issued a statement while traveling in London saying she had spoken with congressional authorities “to ensure that Capitol Police are conducting a security assessment to safeguard Congresswoman Omar, her family and her staff.”
Pelosi said officials will continue to monitor and assess threats against Omar and called on Trump to discourage such behavior.
“The President’s words weigh a ton, and his hateful and inflammatory rhetoric creates real danger,” Pelosi said. “President Trump must take down his disrespectful and dangerous video.”
The video in Trump’s tweet included a snippet from a recent speech Omar gave to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, in which she described the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center as “some people did something,” along with news footage of the hijacked airplanes hitting the Twin Towers. Trump captioned his tweet with: “WE WILL NEVER FORGET!”
Critics accuse Omar of being flippant in describing the perpetrators of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. She later sought to defend herself by tweeting a quote from President George W. Bush, in which the Republican president referred to the attackers as “people” just days after 9/11.
Neither Trump’s tweet nor the video included Omar’s full quote or the context of her comments, which were about Muslims feeling that their civil liberties had eroded after the attacks. The tweet was posted atop Trump’s Twitter feed for much of Sunday, with more than 9 million views. It remained lower in the feed after Pelosi requested that the video be pulled.
Sanders questioned why Democrats weren’t following Trump’s example and calling out Omar, too. Democrats who criticized the president over the tweet defended Omar, with some noting their past disagreements with her.
“Certainly the president is wishing no ill will and certainly not violence towards anyone, but the president is absolutely and should be calling out the congresswoman for her — not only one time — but history of anti-Semitic comments,” Sanders said. “The bigger question is why aren’t Democrats doing the same thing? It’s absolutely abhorrent the comments that she continues to make and has made and they look the other way.”
Omar repeatedly has pushed fellow Democrats into uncomfortable territory with comments about Israel and the strength of the Jewish state’s influence in Washington. She apologized for suggesting that lawmakers support Israel for pay and said she isn’t criticizing Jews. But she refused to take back a tweet in which she suggested American supporters of Israel “pledge allegiance” to a foreign country.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat who represents Manhattan’s financial district, which was targeted on 9/11, said he had no issues with Omar’s characterization of the attack.
“I have had some problems with some of her other remarks, but not — but not with that one,” he said.
Sanders commented on “Fox News Sunday” and ABC’s “This Week.” Nadler appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union.
About 30 million Americans and more than 420 million people worldwide have diabetes , and most cases are Type 2, the kind tied to obesity. It occurs when the body can’t make enough or properly use insulin, which turns food into energy.
A drug that’s used to help control blood sugar in people with diabetes has now been shown to help prevent or slow kidney disease, which causes millions of deaths each year and requires hundreds of thousands of people to use dialysis to stay alive.
Doctors say it’s hard to overstate the importance of this study, and what it means for curbing this problem, which is growing because of the obesity epidemic.
The study tested Janssen Pharmaceuticals’ drug Invokana. Results were discussed Sunday at a medical meeting in Australia and published by the New England Journal of Medicine.
About 30 million Americans and more than 420 million people worldwide have diabetes , and most cases are Type 2, the kind tied to obesity. It occurs when the body can’t make enough or properly use insulin, which turns food into energy.
This can damage the kidneys over time, causing disease and ultimately, failure. In the U.S., it’s responsible for nearly half a million people needing dialysis, and for thousands of kidney transplants each year.
Some blood pressure drugs lower this risk but they’re only partially effective. The new study tested Invokana, a daily pill sold now to help control blood sugar, to see if it also could help prevent kidney disease when added to standard treatments.
For the study, about 13,000 people with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease from around the world were to be given Invokana or dummy pills. Independent monitors stopped the study early, after 4,400 people had been treated for about 2.5 years on average, when it was clear the drug was helping.
Those on the drug had a 30% lower risk of one of these problems — kidney failure, need for dialysis, need for a kidney transplant, death from kidney- or heart-related causes, or other signs that kidneys were failing.
For every 1,000 people taking the drug for 2.5 years, there would be 47 fewer cases of one of these problems, researchers estimate.
Rates of serious side effects were similar in the drug and placebo groups including leg, foot or toe amputations, a concern raised by a previous study of Invokana. One side effect, when the body can’t produce enough insulin, was more frequent among those on Invokana but rare overall.
Janssen, which is part of Johnson & Johnson, sponsored the study and many authors work or consult for the company. The drug costs about $500 a month in the U.S. Out-of-pocket costs for patients may be different, depending on insurance.
The importance of this large and well-done study “cannot be overstated,” Drs. Julie Ingelfinger and Clifford Rosen, editors at the medical journal, wrote in an accompanying article.
In recent years, several studies have found that Invokana and some similar drugs can lower heart risks. The new results, showing that Invokana also may stall or prevent kidney failure, expand the potential benefits of the drug.
He went 28 majors over 11 years without winning, and no sooner did he stretch his arms into that familiar green jacket — “Ah, it fits,” he said in Butler Cabin — was he asked about the 18 majors Jack Nicklaus won to set the gold standard in golf.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — No comeback by Tiger Woods was ever going to be complete without a major.
Now the question becomes how many more he can win.
So much appeal of that red shirt beneath a green jacket involved looking back at all Woods had to overcome to reach that moment — a Masters champion once again — that so many thought would never happen.
The fourth surgery to rebuild his left knee. The private affairs that became public, shattering his image. The balky back that required four more surgeries, the last one out of desperation because he could barely walk, much less play golf. And a new generation of stars he inspired who were younger, stronger and capable.
That’s why Woods celebrated his 15th major like never before — fist pumps without a club in his hand, because he couldn’t help himself walking off the 18th green.
“Overwhelming,” he said with a voice still hoarse from all that screaming.
He went 28 majors over 11 years without winning, and no sooner did he stretch his arms into that familiar green jacket — “Ah, it fits,” he said in Butler Cabin — was he asked about the 18 majors Jack Nicklaus won to set the gold standard in golf.
“I don’t know if he’s worried or not,” Woods said. “I’m sure he’s home just chilling and watching.”
Whether the record is in play, Nicklaus can expect plenty of questions. For years, he could rarely get through any conversation without someone asking him whether he thought Woods could top his mark.
“I thought for a long time that he was going to win again,” Nicklaus said Sunday night on Golf Channel. “The next two majors are at Bethpage, where he has won, and at Pebble Beach, where he has won. So, he has got me shaking in my boots, guys.”
The last part was delivered in jest.
The first part was factual.
Woods winning his fifth Masters was not entirely out of the blue. He capped the year of his great comeback last year by winning the Tour Championship in typical Tiger fashion, by building a lead on a tough, fast course at East Lake and not giving anyone much of a chance to catch him. He also briefly led Sunday in the British Open, and was one shot behind on the back nine at the PGA Championship.
“The win at East Lake was a big confidence booster for me because I had come close last year a couple times,” Woods said. “Still have to get it across the finish line, and I didn’t quite do it.”
So, imagine the effect of winning the Masters, especially the way this one played out. Six players had at least a share of the lead at one point on the back nine — four of them major champions — and there was a five-way tie for the lead when the final group was in the 15th fairway.
It was anyone’s game until Francesco Molinari, who earlier hit 8-iron in Rae’s Creek on the 12th hole for double bogey, hit a wedge off a tree limb and into the water on the par-5 15th that led to double bogey.
And then it became Woods’ game — a two-putt birdie to take the lead, an 8-iron that rolled down the slope next to the hole for a signature moment at this Masters.
“Well, I can win majors now,” Woods said with a laugh.
The PGA Championship is a month away at Bethpage Black, where Woods was dominant as ever in going wire-to-wire in the 2002 U.S. Open, and was right there with a chance in the 2009 U.S. Open except for a putter that refused to cooperate.
And then it’s the U.S. Open in June at Pebble Beach. If the Masters is the most memorable of his 15 majors, Pebble Beach remains his greatest performance. Woods won there in 2000 by a record 15 shots, even with a triple bogey in the third round. Ten years later, he tied for fourth at the U.S. Open at Pebble, three shots behind.
The courses are familiar. Woods is familiar with winning majors.
But it’s not that simple.
Woods was 24 when he won the U.S. Open at Pebble, and 26 when we won at Bethpage Black. Now he’s 43.
As dynamic as this Masters was for Woods, it was hard work and he needed help — from Molinari on the 12th and 15th holes, from a couple of good bounces out of the trees. That’s not unusual. Every major champion needs a break or two.
Getting to 18 is only easier because Woods is one major closer, a conversation caddie Joe LaCava said they have shared.
“We’re on 14 and I said, ‘Let’s get to 15.’ You can’t be on 14 and thinking about 18,” LaCava said. “But now we can start talking about 16. So we’re getting closer.”
Nicklaus can only watch and admire, which he has done all along. And part of him is cheering.
“I don’t ever pull against anybody,” Nicklaus said. “Nobody wants their record to be broken. But I certainly wouldn’t want Tiger to be hurt and not to be able to do it. Of course, he is now pretty healthy and playing well. I wish him well, I always wish the guys well and I want them to pay their best.”
That’s what Nicklaus saw at Augusta National.
And that’s probably what everyone will expect from Woods the rest of the year.
Black don’t crack! We’ve heard it. We’ve said it. We all know what it means. Black folks always seem to look younger than their actual age. But the author of a new book is trying to add new meaning to the phrase… offering positive motivation in the wake of life’s trials and tribulations.
Debra Hubbard will be signing her book at Savor Bowie, Saturday, April 12th and Sunday, April 13th at the Bowie Town Center 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m.
(Washington, DC) — Reports say someone tried to set himself on fire in front of the White House this afternoon. Social media images show Capitol police carrying the man away from the scene. The Secret Service isn’t letting anyone onto Pennsylvania Ave. There also may be a suspicious package.
(Prince George’s County, MD) — Police say a homeowner shot and killed an armed teenager who broke into his home in Riverdale, Maryland. Officers were called to a residence Wednesday evening after the owner said he shot someone who attempted to break into his home. After the shooting, the 18-year-old suspect reportedly ran from the scene. He was eventually dropped off at an area hospital where he later died from his injuries. The break-in was captured on surveillance footage and a preliminary investigation revealed that the home was indeed a target. The homeowner will not face any charges.
Lebron James is offering students a promising future.
James’ ‘I Promise’ School students, which he founded last year to helped challenge students with support and education in Akron, have earned phenomenal test scores since its opening in August.
The MAP scores showed great improvement for the 240 3rd and 4th graders during the fall to winter period at the school. According to USA Today, this means:
90% of students – who started the school year at least one year behind grade level – met or exceeded their expected growth in math and reading.
Test scores increased at a rate higher than 99 out of 100 schools, per Northwest Evaluation (NWEA) school norms.
Third-graders went from the first percentile to the 18th percentile in math, moving from intensive tier of support to targeted levels of support.
Fourth-graders went from the second percentile to the 30th percentile in math, going from intensive tier of support to low universal tier of support.
All IPS students were below grade level in reading, and in the latest testing scores, 23% of students scored at or above the 25th percentile in reading, putting them at or near grade level.
“We are going to be that groundbreaking school that will be a nationally recognized model for urban and public school excellence,” I Promise School principal and Akron native Brandi Davis said in August.
The school allows students to make a commitment to “promise” to go to school, listen to their teachers and parents, be respect to others and live a healthy life.
Great job Lebron and keep up the good work! This legacy is bigger than basketball!
Pelosi: Trump-Sanctuary City Report “Unworthy Of Presidency”
(Leesburg, VA) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she hasn’t seen a report about President Trump and sanctuary cities but she’s calling it unworthy of the presidency. At the end of the House Democrats’ annual retreat in Northern Virginia, Pelosi said the U.S. is a nation of immigrants. The Washington Post is reporting that the Trump administration urged U.S. immigration officials to ship illegal migrants from the southern border to sanctuary cities across the country. The cities included San Francisco, which Pelosi represents in Congress. The request was seen as way for President Trump to retaliate against political adversaries, but it never went anywhere.
Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament, Delta STOMP DAT Youth Step Show, and Foster Parent Orientation. Details on these events and more inside of this week’s Community’s Choice. To get your non-profit on the air and web, email me at rnash@whur.com at least three weeks prior to your event.
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Howard Career Seminar
Howard University Office of Career Services Resume Review, Headshot and Job Fair April 15th – 18th. Register today.
Growing Green
Help beautify the county. Join Prince George’s County for its Growing Green With Pride event May 4th at Watkins Regional Park. growinggreen
Mental Health
Join Families Living with Mental Health Challenges. Come out April 27th for the Mental Health Matters 3k Walk and Picnic at Anacostia Park. It’s hosted by MI Mother’s Keeper. mimotherskeeper
GreenFest
Celebrate Earth Day at the 5th Annual Montgomery County GreenFest April 28th at Brookside Gardens montgomerycountygreenfest
Show your support for our youth. Come out April 27th for the STOMP DAT Youth Step Show at Dunbar High Schools. It’s hosted by the Federal City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. federalcityalumnaechapterofdst
Foster Parents
Join the National Center for Children and Families for Foster Parent Orientation May 8th at their Greenbelt headquarters. www.nccf.cares.org
Drive Focused
Make a pledge to drive focused, sober, and safe. Come out for the kick-off campaign April 7th at the Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex in Oxon Hill. www.sao.mypgc.us
Sisters4Fitness
Get in a healthy state of mind. Lace of your shoes for the 4th Annual Sisters4Fitness 5k Run Walk April 27th at the Bowie Town Center Fountain. www.sisters4fitness.com
Golf Tournament
Grab your clubs and join the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce for its 7th Annual Golf Tournament and Fundraiser May 16th at the Oak Creek Golf Course. www.pgcoc.org
Smollett lawyer Mark Geragos said in a letter to the city last week that claims Smollett made the entire thing up were “defamatory,” accusing Chicago of trying to “harass” Smollett and pointing to the dismissal of charges as proof he is innocent. It also said Smollett wouldn’t be “intimidated” into paying anything.
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago filed a lawsuit against Jussie Smollett on Thursday in a bid to recoup the costs of investigating a racist, anti-gay attack that authorities say was orchestrated by the “Empire” actor as a publicity stunt, with the city saying — at minimum — that it now wants triple the amount it initially asked Smollett to pay.
The 12-page civil lawsuit , filed in Cook County court, is the latest volley in a legal battle that shows no signs of abating since Smollett reported that masked men beat him up on Jan. 29 in Chicago, shouting slurs and wrapping a rope around his neck.
The suit comes after Smollett refused a demand that he send the city $130,106 to reimburse Chicago for overtime as police sought to verify Smollett’s account.
The lawsuit doesn’t specify an amount of money the city is seeking but does indicate it wants over $390,000 plus “further relief as this Court deems just and equitable.” It also asks that Smollett be ordered to foot any legal bills Chicago incurs in suing him.
More than two dozen officers and detectives spent two weeks investigating Smollett’s claims, with the police department forced to pay for 1,836 overtime hours, the filing says.
The city’s resolve to take Smollett to civil court follows a surprising decision by prosecutors in March to drop all criminal charges accusing him of staging the incident, saying they believed they could prove the charges but that it wasn’t worth the time and expense.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel denounced the decision as “a whitewash of justice,” and others criticized the Cook County state’s attorney’s office for not requiring an apology and an admission of guilt from Smollett as a condition for tossing the case.
The complaint, written by City Hall’s top attorney, Edward Siskel, lacks the hard-hitting language and denunciations of Smollett by Emanuel. It’s devoted primarily to describing the allegations already spelled out when Smollett was charged in late February.
Smollett, who is black and gay, maintains he has told the truth from the beginning. Reached by phone Thursday evening, a spokeswoman for Smollett’s legal team said there wasn’t an immediate comment on the lawsuit. Smollett’s lawyers would have to respond with a court filing and could move in coming weeks to have the lawsuit thrown out.
Smollett lawyer Mark Geragos said in a letter to the city last week that claims Smollett made the entire thing up were “defamatory,” accusing Chicago of trying to “harass” Smollett and pointing to the dismissal of charges as proof he is innocent. It also said Smollett wouldn’t be “intimidated” into paying anything.
Unless the case is settled beforehand, the lawsuit would eventually go before a jury, which would have to decide if the city or Smollett is right.
If Smollett still refuses to pay after a verdict in the city’s favor, his bank accounts could be frozen.
Smollett admitted no wrongdoing, but agreed to do some community service before charges were dropped. He also agreed to forfeit $10,000 in bond money, which the city could use against him in the civil case as an implied admission of guilt.
Evidence sealed in the criminal case could be unsealed in the civil case and be presented at trial. Smollett could also be required to sit for depositions, forcing him for the first time to explain evidence that the city says shows he was lying.
To the city’s advantage, the threshold for proof will be lower than in criminal court. The city won’t have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt Smollett staged the attack in civil court, only that it’s more likely true than not true that he did.
Among the risks for the city is that the civil litigation could end up costing far more in legal bills than it could ever hope to get from Smollett.
It’s also unclear if Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot is onboard with the Emanuel administration’s determination to keep legal pressure on Smollett. Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor who will be Chicago’s first black female mayor when she’s sworn in on May 20, has indicated only that the public deserves a better explanation for why the criminal charges against Smollett were dropped.
The student-led proposal is aimed at atoning for the 1838 sale of 272 slaves, organized by two Jesuits to keep the university afloat. Georgetown has memorialized those sold and now offers preference in admissions to their descendants, but has yet to offer financial reparations.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Georgetown University students are considering a fee benefiting the descendants of enslaved people sold to pay off the school’s debts, an effort that would create one of the first reparations funds at a major U.S. institution.
News outlets report undergraduate students will vote Thursday on a “Reconciliation Contribution” in the form of a $27.20-per-semester fee. The fund would go toward projects in underprivileged communities where some descendants live, like Maringouin, Louisiana.
The student-led proposal is aimed at atoning for the 1838 sale of 272 slaves, organized by two Jesuits to keep the university afloat. Georgetown has memorialized those sold and now offers preference in admissions to their descendants, but has yet to offer financial reparations.
The referendum is non-binding. University officials haven’t indicated how they would respond if it passes.
“I have no idea what it is that I want to do yet but I definitely know that I want to do little bit of everything especially in the beginning I want to see what I can be great at. I’m so use to being great at something or try to strive to be great at something and that’s what I want to be in what ever else I choose to do,” said Wade.
Dwyane Wade, had an explosive final game on Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets. Wade went out with a triple- double, with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. However, with his professional basketball career coming to a close, many wonder what’s next for Wade and his family post-retirement.
With his new baby Kaavia and wife, actress Gabrielle Union, the Wades are optimistic about new beginnings for their life. The couple sat down with ESPN’s , The Jump, to discuss life after retirement and how Dwyane Wade will maintain his legacy off the court.
“I have no idea what it is that I want to do yet but I definitely know that I want to do little bit of everything especially in the beginning I want to see what I can be great at. I’m so use to being great at something or try to strive to be great at something and that’s what I want to be in what ever else I choose to do,” said Wade.
The family is also excited to do simple everyday things like going to the vet. Union jokingly asked Wade if he has ever been to the vet and he replied, “no.”
Wade hopes that future basketball players takes after his league shifting examples he set during his NBA career.
“I hope I set up a good enough example for who’s to come next. To understand their power, to understand their voice, to understand how to use their platform. I had to make a lot of mistakes before I got here so hopefully we’ be able to get a rid of some of the mistakes for the next generation..”
Check out the entire interview below:
Gabrielle Union also gave a quick shout out to her man on Instagram:
Dwyane Wade has been an impactful piece to Miami Heat’s puzzle since 2003. During his 16 year career he accomplished being a 3x NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, 13x NBA All- Star and NBA All- Star MVP amongst many more accolades. The loyal fans of Miami Heat will miss his legendary presence on the court. However, we are sure he will be a legendary father and husband off the court.
The man that police have arrested and charged with posing as a Howard student to lure young girls to his home has been charged with another sexual assault. 35-year-old Julian Everett was already facing three counts of sexual assault. It involved two Howard students and a woman who accused him of the crime.
The fourth victim came forward after the story broke last month. The unidentified woman said the incident happened to her in 2015. When police initially arrested Everett they felt that there could be other victims. Prosecutors said Everett who meet his victims via social media or at parities. He would take them to his home, drug them and then have unconsentual sex with them. Some of his victims report that they remember feeling groggy after drinking with him or that they would wake up to him after he had sex with them. Everett who lives in New Carrollton owns a barbershop on “U” Street not far from the university. He remains in jail without bond. It is unclear if this fourth victim attended Howard University.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
La Plata HS principal says threat of violence “not credible”
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The Charles County Sheriff Department has been very busy over the last few weeks addressing issues involving students found with weapons on campus. A 14-year-old was taken into custody this week for bringing a loaded handgun to his school La Plata High School. He will be charged as a juvenile in this matter.
On Thursday police in Charles County filed criminal charges against a 17-year-old La Plata High School student who made online threats of violence. That student threatened to shoot students on Friday. The school’s principle Douglass Dolan sent letters home to parents. He stated the threat was “not credible”. The stories and arrests have many in the community on edge. In response school leaders are planning to hold a community meeting on school safety and the recent arrests and charges at 7 p.m. at La Plata High School in the auditorium.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
“Thank you to everyone for respecting the family’s privacy during this time. Kevin is supportive of Wendy and they are working through this process together,” a personal representative for Williams spoke out.
After 20 years of marriage Wendy Williams filed for divorce from her husband Kevin Hunter. They have been married for more than 20 years.
Reports say Williams hired an attorney to be present and serve Hunter with divorce papers at 6:30 am on Thursday. While this has been Williams’ second marriage, there has been a slow build up to this divorce that led to the final decision.
A representative for her show released the following statement, “Wendy and her family have been a part of Debmar-Mercury for over 10 years,. We respect their privacy regarding personal matters. As always, we remain committed to bringing an entertaining and topical show to our viewers.”
Williams revealed on her talk show that she was living in a sober home due to her past addiction to cocaine. Williams took a hiatus from her daytime talk show. Williams was also under care and hospitalized due to a fractured shoulder, her battle with Grave’s disease, and she was found drunk and unconscious in recent weeks.
“Thank you to everyone for respecting the family’s privacy during this time. Kevin is supportive of Wendy and they are working through this process together,” a personal representative for Williams spoke out.
A woman was violent beaten in DC, public’s help is needed
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Police are asking for the publics help in solving a violent beating. Tuesday night around 8 a woman was found by officers on Quincy Place in Northeast. She have been savagely attacked.
Police have identified the woman as Stephanie Harris. The victim suffered serious injuries including brain damage, a collapsed lung and a broken neck. Harris is currently conscious and under a doctor’s care at Medstar Hospital Centers.
Investigators are hoping if anyone knows something or seen something they contact police.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
“I don’t lie about food. It’s gonna be always good if it comes from Patti.”, Patti Shares when she debuted her new pie flavor, country buttermilk pie at Walmart. She’s even cooked for legends like Prince, Elton John, and Mick Jagger.
Patti LaBelle isn’t only known for pies and desserts. The Grammy award-winning singer is reportedly adding a line of frozen chinese food to her culinary products.
The iconic singer and entertainer LaBelle has partnered with restaurateur, Stratis Morfogen, to begin the newest food line that will be sold in supermarkets across the United States. Morfogen is a third generation entrepreneur and business leader, who grew up in his father’s seafood restaurant business. He also designed and created the Philippe Chow Restaurant Group with his chef/partner Philippe.
LaBelle isn’t new to the food business. She has endless options of desserts like banana pudding cups, vanilla pound cake and “Somebody Loves You, Baby” chocolate cake, all available at Walmart. With her famous sweet potato pie selling out in Walmarts all over the country, LaBelle has developed a name for herself in the pie making industry.
“I don’t lie about food. It’s gonna be always good if it comes from Patti.”, Patti Shares when she debuted her new pie flavor, country buttermilk pie at Walmart. She’s even cooked for legends like Prince, Elton John, and Mick Jagger.
As Labelle ventures out into a new territory for food, her partner Morfogen shares on Instagram about their new partnership with the Chinese food line. The duo celebrated with LaBelle’s business partners, son Zuri Edwards, Alex Thompson and Charles Suitt, at Morfogen’s Brooklyn Chop House.
In honor of Dwyane Wade’s last season in the NBA, Budweiser released their newest commercial reflecting on Wade’s impact in the community. It focuses not only on the Miami Heat star’s achievements in basketball, but on his service to others.
Wade was surprised by 5 people whose lives have changed drastically through Wade’s generosity. He helped a family when their house burned down with a shopping spree, a young woman with her college tuition, a young man struggling with low-income in Miami, and of course his very own mother.
When Wade’s mother Jolinda arrived, she said, “You were the joy of my life, but I was dropping the ball,” she began, “On that road, I noticed you kept showing up and you’d come and see about me. And Dwyane, because you believed in me, when I got out of prison, I was a different woman.” She also gifted him with a purple robe that he had gifted her long before.
Continuing the tradition of exchanging jerseys, the other individuals followed with gifting Wade special items. One gave him the jersey of their brother who passed away, another gave their graduation gown, and lastly one gave a suit jacket he wore to his first job interview.
While the full commercial runs four minutes, Budweiser tells CNN it will be airing a 90-second version on the local broadcast of Tuesday’s game.
The heartfelt tribute has since taken the internet by storm with many fans tweeting out their emotional reactions. Even Wade’s wife Gabrielle Union was amazed and moved with tears.
“Man, this captures so much of what @DwyaneWade means to people,” she wrote. “I’m also bawling,” she shared.
Bigger Than Basketball. So much bigger than basketball.
“While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and only see gangs, bullets and despair, Nipsey saw potential. He saw hope. He saw a community that even through its flaws taught him to always keep going. He chose to invest in that community rather than to ignore it,” the Obama letter read. “He set an example for young people to follow and is a legacy worth of celebration. I hope his memory inspires more good work in Crenshaw and communities like it. Michelle and I send our sympathies to Lauren, Emani, Kross and his whole family and to all those who love Nipsey.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nipsey Hussle’s legacy as a persistent rapper, community activist, uniter, doting father, protective sibling and a loving son were underscored at his public memorial service on Thursday, with deeply personal testimonies from those closest to the rapper, including his actress-fiancee Lauren London, collaborator and dear friend Snoop Dogg and his mother, who said she was at peace with the death of her “superhero” son.
Beyonce and Jay-Z were among the big-name celebrities who attended the three-hour event in Los Angeles at the Staples Center, where the last celebrity funeral held at the concert arena was Michael Jackson’s in 2009.
The arena was packed with more than 21,000 fans and drove home the important impact Hussle — just 33 when he died — had on his city and the rest of the world.
“I’m very proud of my son. My son Ermias Joseph Asghedom was a great man,” said Angelique Smith, dressed in all white. Standing onstage with Hussle’s father, Dawit Asghedom, she declared: “Ermias was a legacy.”
London, who was in dark sunglasses, was emotional but stood strong onstage as she told the audience: “I’ve never felt this type of pain before.”
London called Hussle “majestic” and “brilliant” and said she had learned so much from his presence. She added that though she was hurting, she was really sad for their son Kross, whom she feared wouldn’t remember his dad: “My pain is for my 2-year-old.”
Snoop Dogg’s words to immortalize his friend were both serious and silly, as he told old stories about Hussle and their brotherhood.
“This a tough one right here,” he said, visibly shaken but keeping his composure.
Snoop thanked Hussle’s parents multiple times and told his father that “you picked up another son in me.”
Hussle’s father said he knew his son was strong because when he was born, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck but he prevailed.
“He was a fighter,” he said.
Earlier in the ceremony, Hussle’s children also appeared onstage to pay tribute. London’s son with rapper Lil Wayne, Cameron Carter, said days after Hussle died, he had a dream he saw the rapper.
“I realized Ermias told me what heaven was like. He told me it was paradise,” Cameron said.
Cameron then told the audience that Hussle would look at him through the window at times and say “respect.” Cameron then asked the crowd to say “respect” in unison, and they complied.
Hussle was slain last month in front of a store that he tried to use to empower his South Los Angeles neighborhood. The public memorial service kicked off by paying respect to Hussle the rapper, as songs from his latest Grammy-nominated album, “Victory Lap,” filled the arena.
“Everybody put your hands in the air,” the DJ said as one of Hussle’s songs played. “It’s a celebration.”
Indeed, his mother danced in the aisle as R&B singer Marsha Ambrosius sang the Mariah Carey song “Fly Like a Bird” while fighting back tears. “This is for Nipsey y’all,” Ambrosius said before she started as she tried to gain her composure, sighing heavily.
But soon the focus was squarely on the person behind the persona. A montage of photos featuring the rapper from infancy, childhood and adulthood, with fellow rappers, his family and London, were shown to the crowd, set to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
Stevie Wonder was the last performer to pay tribute to Hussle, who he said he had the chance to meet, saying: “We had a good conversation.” Before he sang “Rocket Song,” one of Hussle’s favorites, Wonder denounced gun violence and told the audience “there’s enough people being killed by guns and violence.”
Anthony Hamilton invoked the spirit of a church service when he performed in Hussle’s honor. Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan hailed Hussle’s ability to bring different factions together. And blogger and media figure Karen Civil read a letter sent by former U.S. President Barack Obama, who wrote that he never met Nipsey but heard of his music through his daughters.
“While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and only see gangs, bullets and despair, Nipsey saw potential. He saw hope. He saw a community that even through its flaws taught him to always keep going. He chose to invest in that community rather than to ignore it,” the Obama letter read. “He set an example for young people to follow and is a legacy worth of celebration. I hope his memory inspires more good work in Crenshaw and communities like it. Michelle and I send our sympathies to Lauren, Emani, Kross and his whole family and to all those who love Nipsey.”
Father Thomas Uwal read a scripture in Tigrinya — the native language in Eritrea, the African country where Hussle’s father was from. Uwal spoke of Hussle being “proud to be an Eritrean-American,” later saying to the late rapper’s family: “On behalf of all Eritreans … we say our condolences to you.”
Books with an image of Hussle on the cover were handed out to service attendees. The book of nearly 100 pages contained numerous photos of Hussle with London, his children, and friends like Russell Westbrook and Snoop Dogg. It also had heartfelt messages from Rick Ross, The Game and LeBron James.
“I’ve never cried myself to sleep over any public figure before, but Nipsey’s presence meant so much for our community,” actress Issa Rae said in her message inside the book.
The hearse carrying Hussle’s coffin went through a 25-mile (40-kilometer) lap through the city, including past the property where Hussle had planned to turn an aging strip mall into new businesses and affordable homes.
Thousands of people crowded the streets, some on bicycles and motorcycles, following and surrounding the vehicle as it slowly wound its way to the funeral home. The silver Cadillac passed the rapper’s childhood home in Watts. It came to a halt at times, unable to move in the vast crowd of people.
Police kept an eye on the crowd, which appeared largely peaceful. At one point, people sat atop a police car spray-painted with the words: “Nips in Paradise.”
At one point during the procession, there was a brief stampede, apparently because of some kind of startling noise that may have been Mylar balloons popping. The Fire Department said several power lines were downed by the metalized balloons. There also were reports of people feeling unwell from the heat and the packed conditions. The Fire Department said it treated 15 people, including five who were taken to local hospitals.
There were reports of leg pain and dehydration but no reports of major injuries, fire officials said.
The hearse finally arrived Wednesday evening at a funeral home in the city’s hard-scrabble Crenshaw district, where the rapper was born on Aug. 15, 1985.
Hussle was shot to death March 31 while standing outside The Marathon, his South Los Angeles clothing store, not far from where the rapper grew up.
Eric R. Holder Jr., who has been charged with killing Hussle, has pleaded not guilty. Police have said Holder and Hussle had several interactions the day of the shooting and have described it as being the result of a personal dispute.
For a decade, Hussle released much sought-after mixtapes that he sold out of the trunk of his car, helping him create a buzz and gain respect from rap purists and his peers. His said his stage name, a play on the 1960s and ’70s rhyming standup comic Nipsey Russell, was given to him as a teen by an older friend because he was such a go-getter — always hustling.
Last year he hit new heights with “Victory Lap,” his critically acclaimed major-label debut album on Atlantic Records that made several critics’ best-of lists. The album debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s 200 albums charts and earned him a Grammy nomination.
But the rapper was also a beloved figure for his philanthropic work that went well beyond the usual celebrity “giving back” ethos. Following his death, political and community leaders were as quick and effusive in their praise as his fellow hip-hop artists.
His family and friends vowed to continue his work, and London told the crowd: “The marathon continues!”
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Associated Press Writers Andrew Dalton, Amanda Myers and John Rogers contributed to this report.
Here are some of the great events going on this weekend for the entire family to enjoy. First of all, tonight at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, check out the smooth sounds of Anthony David. Show time is 8pm.
On Saturday, it’s the The 2019 Emancipation Day Parade and Concert in Downtown DC. It’s free and open to public. The parade begins at 2pm down Pennsylvania Avenue followed by a free concert at Freedom Plaza featuring Faith Evans, Kenny Lattimore, Master Gee, Doug E. Fresh, and Sugar Bear. For more information go here:
It’s the end of an era, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Tour is at the Theater at MGM National Harbor this weekend through Sunday.
And finally, The Musical Fairy Tale, “Into The Woods”is playing at the Ford’s Theatre through May 22nd. For details just 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 the entertainment culture of Rap and Hip-Hop, Hussle was known as a Grammy-nominated artist. But, outside of that, for many he was arguably not well-known. Yet in the weeks since his murder, the world has discovered the complex life and giving spirit of the 33-year-old born under the name Ermaias Joseph Asghedom. We look at his life and his legacy and the difficult lessons learned because of his untimely death.
Guests:
Jennifer Cunningham, Senior Editor of Exclusive News & Investigative Reporting, Interactive One
Wes Felton, Actor, Artist, Activist
Jacqueline Jackson, Black Culture & Media Studies Scholar
Attorney Michael Avenatti could face a sentence of 335 years in prison if convicted of charges in a 36-count federal indictment.
The indictment announced Thursday in Los Angeles alleges Avenattti stole millions of dollars from clients, didn’t pay taxes, committed bank fraud and lied during bankruptcy proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna says the four areas of alleged criminal conduct are all linked to each other because money generated from one set of alleged crimes appears in other sets of alleged crimes.
Officials say a private jet co-owned by Avenatti was seized Wednesday as part of the ongoing investigation.
Avenatti has tweeted denials of all the allegations and says he will plead not guilty.
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7:45 a.m.
The indictment filed against attorney Michael Avenatti alleges he stole millions of dollars from clients, did not pay his taxes, committed bank fraud and lied in bankruptcy proceedings.
Avenatti was indicted late Wednesday on the charges following his arrest in New York last month for allegedly trying to shake down Nike for up to $25 million.
The attorney best known for representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against President Donald Trump said Thursday he will plead not guilty.
The new charges say he embezzled from a paraplegic man and four other clients and shuffled money between several accounts to deceive them.
The charges also say Avenatti pocketed payroll taxes from employees of the Tully’s coffee chain that he owned.
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7:30 a.m.
Attorney Michael Avenatti says he will plead not guilty to a 36-count federal indictment filed against him in Southern California.
Avenatti tweeted Thursday that he intends to fight all of the charges and says he looks forward to the truth being known, as opposed to what he characterizes as a “one-sided version.”
A statement from prosecutors to news outlets says details of the case will be released Thursday morning by U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna and the Internal Revenue Service in Los Angeles.
The new charges follow Avenatti’s arrest in New York last month for allegedly trying to shake down Nike for up to $25 million and on two counts of wire and bank fraud from Southern California, where his firm is based.
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7:05 a.m.
Federal prosecutors say attorney Michael Avenatti has been charged in a 36-count federal indictment in Southern California.
A statement from prosecutors to news outlets says details of the case will be released Thursday morning by U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna and the Internal Revenue Service.
The new charges follow Avenatti’s arrest in New York last month for allegedly trying to shake down Nike for up to $25 million and on two counts of wire and bank fraud from Southern California, where his firm is based.
The attorney is best known for representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against President Donald Trump. Avenatti has said he expects to be cleared.
Bodies Found In DR Confirmed To Be Missing New York Couple
(Mount Vernon, NY) — Officials in the Dominican Republic are confirming they’ve found the bodies of a New York couple that went missing March 27th. Authorities believe Portia Ravenelle and her boyfriend Orlando Moore of Mount Vernon were involved in a car crash after checking out of their hotel on the island. Ravenelle initially survived the crash and was found unconscious on the side of the road without any identification. She died in a hospital on April 4th. Moore’s remains were found in the water, not far from where their rental car was found submerged.
Nene Leakes is looking for back up for season 12 of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Atlanta. This season it was Nene versus everyone and it seems like she needs someone to lean on. She hopes that her friend, songstress Tamar Braxton, can join the drama filled cast next season.
According to TheJasmineBrand, if Leakes was in full control she would take peaches away from everyone to mix up the show.
“You know what I would do? I would take a peach from somebody that’s holding one that don’t need to hold one, that’s super boring, give it to somebody else, and mix it up… And half of the girls will be gone because they’re so boring chile. I think Tamarwould be a great addition. She’s entertaining, so she’s not boring… She’s got a lot to say, she’s opinionated. I’d love to see her come. I’d welcome her with open arms. Come to me Tamar!”
Tamar addressed the rumors on joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta with FOX5 while promoting her family’s show Braxton’s Family Values:
“I don’t know where [the rumors] came up. But no, it’s not true. There is a Tamarspin-off that’s coming. It’s showing my life the way that it is now. Everybody knows me being Vincent Herbert’s wife and him running my businesses and my career. Now it’s just me, and I’m excited to show that side of coming into myself and being the entrepreneur that I am.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXU049YmjaU
Tamar is also focusing on going on Kandi Burruss’ Welcome to the Dungeon tour on select dates. She announced it a view months ago via Instagram.
“@tamarbraxton Catch me performing LIVE this summer with my girl @kandi at the Welcome To The Dungeon Show. It’s going to be a show to remember, meet me at the Dungeon in your city! 💋💋💋💋”
As for Nene she has no problem expressing who she does and does not want to return next season. She says that she likes Phaedra and is even open to Kim Zolciak Biermann making a return to the show. In the meantime, she has currently unfollowed her current cast mates except Shamari DeVoe and Marlo Hampton. Nene will just have to deal with her current cast mates until it is announced otherwise.
Do you agree that the new season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta needs new cast members?
Today we talked to Dr. Cynthia Sutherland CEO, and founder of TriSec Solutions, LLC and Brenda McCain of Metro Warriors STEM Organization. TRiSec Solutions, LLC is hosting this year’s STEM Zone for the 6th Annual Tots for Teens Expo on Saturday, May 4, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m at the Sports & Learning Complex in Landover. The event provides hands-on STEM enrichment activities to kids of all ages in the hopes of inspiring them to be more enthusiastic about their future encounters with STEM. There will be numerous hands-on activities including the building of marshmallow towers, free form Lego Build, Robotics, video gaming, drone flying, coding and much more. In addition, to these actives’ information about STEM scholarships, summer camps and year-round activities will be shared with attendees.
Contributed by Nia Seaton
On Saturday, it’s the The 2019 Emancipation Day Parade and Concert in Downtown DC. It’s free and open to public. The parade begins at 2pm down Pennsylvania Avenue followed by a free concert at Freedom Plaza featuring Faith Evans, Kenny Lattimore, Master Gee, Doug E. Fresh, and Sugar Bear. For more information go
