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Ex-prosecutors: Trump would’ve been charged if not president
President Trump’s former personal attorney and former fixer begins is federal prison term.
NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Cohen took a last swipe at President Donald Trump as he reported to a federal prison Monday to begin a three-year prison sentence for crimes including tax evasion and campaign finance violations related to hush-money payments made to protect his former boss.
“I hope that when I return to my family that the country will be in a place without xenophobia, injustice and lies at the helm of our country,” Cohen said. “There still remains much to be told and I look forward to the day where I can share the truth.”
Cohen, 52, arrived around 11:45 a.m. at the Otisville federal prison, which is about 70 miles (113 kilometers) northwest of New York City and has a prison camp that’s become a haven for white collar criminals .
Video from a television news helicopter showed Cohen stepping out of the SUV, pulling off his blue blazer and leaving it inside the vehicle before walking to a prison building. He was met by two men who appeared to be prison officials.
A little less than two hours earlier, as he left his New York City home, Cohen had stopped to briefly read from what appeared to be a prepared statement to a crush of media outside his apartment. He didn’t mention Trump by name, but left little doubt about who he was referring to as being “at the helm” of the U.S.
Cohen didn’t answer shouted questions, stumbling his way to a waiting Cadillac Escalade as journalists jostled around scaffolding and scuffled with his driver.
Prison officials took extra measures to deal with the intense media interest in Cohen’s arrival. They put concrete barriers up along the two-lane road leading to the facility and deployed cones and caution tape to keep about two dozen reporters and photographers from getting too close.
Cohen’s lawyer and spokesman, Lanny Davis, said Cohen would continue to be available to cooperate with law enforcement, though it’s unclear how much his cooperation is wanted.
Since mid-March, federal prosecutors in New York have rebuffed Cohen’s repeated offers to provide more information about alleged wrongdoing by Trump and other people in his orbit, Davis said.
“Michael may be sentenced within the walls of a federal correctional institution. But the truth has no walls,” Davis said in a statement.
His legal team asked House Democrats last month to intercede after Cohen testified on Capitol Hill, but they were reticent to do so.
Cohen is the only person charged with a crime in connection with the hush-money payments to women who allegedly had affairs with Trump.
Federal prosecutors have said Trump directed Cohen to arrange the payments to buy the silence of porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal in the run-up to the 2016 election. Trump denies having trysts with either woman.
Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about a Trump Tower project in Moscow, as well as to charges of tax evasion and bank fraud.
He was originally scheduled to start his sentence in March, but a judge granted a two-month delay so he could recover from surgery and get his affairs in order.
Cohen will undergo medical and mental health screenings and be assigned a job, such as mowing the grounds or cleaning up the visiting room. He’ll also get sets of clothing, bedding and towels.
At the prison camp, about 115 inmates sleep in bunks lined up in barrack-style halls, instead of individual or two-man cells like in higher-security facilities. Recreational amenities include tennis courts, horseshoes and bocce ball. Forbes once ranked Otisville as one of “America’s 10 Cushiest Prisons,” but former employees and inmates say it’s hardly “Club Fed.” Inmates are still doing time and they’re still separated from their families and friends.
“There’s no free time to work on your book, or whatever,” said former employee Don Drewett.
Cohen’s fellow inmates include “Jersey Shore” star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, who wraps up an eight-month tax fraud sentence in September, and Fyre Festival fraudster Billy McFarland, who’s serving a six-year sentence.
But Cohen should avoid acting like he’s still in the spotlight, said Jack Donson, a former Otisville case manager who advises white-collar criminals on what to expect in prison.
Some high-profile inmates have been known to hire other prisoners to do their laundry and heat up their meals, but that’s looked at by staff as a sign of laziness and entitlement.
So too are inmates who try to set themselves up with the cushiest accommodations by having a doctor write a note suggesting they sleep in a bottom bunk or wear soft shoes.
If there’s a legitimate medical need, it should come up at intake, Donson said.
“You assume the role of an inmate,” said Donson. “You’re cordial to everybody. You’re respectful to everybody. You do your time. You ask for nothing from staff. Nothing from inmates. You accept nothing from inmates. You’re nobody. Seriously.”
If Cohen can’t adjust, Donson said, “his time is going to be miserable.”
“Yeah, I’ve been a fan, and I’ve been an idiot for not buying” Amazon shares, Buffett said on CNBC Thursday. “But I want you to know it’s no personality changes taking place.”
Buffett told CNBC on Thursday that a money manager at Berkshire Hathaway has been buying shares in Amazon lately. On Friday, shares of Amazon jumped more than 3%.
“Yeah, I’ve been a fan, and I’ve been an idiot for not buying” Amazon shares, Buffett said on CNBC Thursday. “But I want you to know it’s no personality changes taking place.”
In 2017, Buffett told CNBC that “stupidity” was to blame for his not seeing Amazon’s potential.
And at last year’s Berkshire annual meeting, Buffett said that he has long admired Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, but he blew the chance to invest in it early on when the stock was priced more reasonable. Buffett said then that he thought Amazon stock was likely too expensive for him to buy now at a value, but one of his investment managers at Berkshire decided differently this year.
While the famously technology-averse investor admits he made a mistake, he also made it clear that Berkshire’s Amazon buy was not directed by him.
Details about the transactions are expected to be revealed in a future regulatory filing.
Shares in the Seattle-based Amazon.com Inc. rose to $1,960.91 in afternoon trading Friday, its high for the year. The stock is up 30% so far in 2019.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc., based in Omaha, Nebraska, owns a range of businesses including insurance, railroads, jewelry stores as well as major investments in American Express, IBM and Wells Fargo & Co. Its annual shareholder meeting is Saturday.
“It’s been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined,” he said. “How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension.
WINDSOR, England (AP) — Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, gave birth to a healthy baby boy early Monday morning, a beaming Prince Harry announced to the world, declaring he’s “incredibly proud” of his wife.
The baby weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces at birth and was born at 5:26 a.m. Harry said the child was a little bit overdue and that had given the royal couple more time to contemplate names.
Harry said he was ecstatic about the birth of their first child and promised that more details — such as the baby’s name — will be shared in the coming days. The couple said earlier they were not going to find out the baby’s sex in advance.
“This little baby is absolutely to die for,” he said. “I’m just over the moon.”
The infant is seventh in line to the British throne and Queen Elizabeth II’s eighth great-grandchild. Harry is the younger son of Prince Charles, heir to the throne, and the late Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997.
The 34-year-old Harry, speaking before TV cameras on Monday afternoon in Windsor, said he was present for the birth.
“It’s been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined,” he said. “How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension.
“We’re both absolutely thrilled and so grateful for all the love and support from everybody out there. It’s been amazing, so we just wanted to share this with everybody,” he gushed.
Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland was reportedly also with her daughter and said she is overjoyed, according to British media. Senior royals were informed of the birth, as was the family of Diana, Harry’s late mother, before he went before the cameras.
The couple’s Instagram account said: “It’s a boy! Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to announce the birth of their child.”
Harry said he planned to make another announcement, probably in two days’ time, “so everyone can see the baby.” It’s expected they will pose for a family picture at that point.
The former Meghan Markle, 37, was an American TV star before retiring from acting to marry Harry at St. George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle a year ago.
The child will be eligible for dual British-U.S. citizenship if Meghan and Harry want to go through the application process.
The birth of Britain’s latest royal baby marks the completion of Harry’s transformation from a boy whose mother died when he was just 12 to a sometimes-troubled teen, a committed military man, a popular senior royal, a husband and now to a proud father. He has long spoken of his desire to start a family.
He and his older brother, Prince William, along with their wives, are seen by many in Britain as the new, fresh faces of a royal family that had become stodgy and aged. They are raising the next generation of royals amid a genuine groundswell of British public support for the monarchy.
Meghan in particular represents a change for the royals.
At 37, she is older than Harry, had a previous marriage that ended in divorce and has strong feminist views. As the daughter of a black mother and a white father, she says she identifies as biracial.
Meghan also achieved considerable success in her own right before agreeing to a blind date with Harry that changed both of their lives. Meghan had an important role in the popular TV series “Suits,” pressed for increased women’s rights around the world and had a wide following even before she joined the world’s most famous royal family.
Harry and Meghan recently moved from central London to a secluded house known as Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle, 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of London. The move is seen in part as reflecting a desire for privacy as they raise their first child.
It also separates Harry and Meghan from William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, who had been living in the same compound at Kensington Palace in central London with their three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — the new baby’s cousins.
“I am delighted to welcome Kenny Blakeney as our new men’s basketball coach,” stated Howard Director of Athletics Kery Davis. “Kenny comes from a rich basketball pedigree having played for and coached under many of the best coaches in the history of the sport of basketball. Kenny’s unique talents on and off the floor, his association with winning programs, and his innovative mind for business make him the right person to lead our program now and into the future.”
WASHINGTON (May 6, 2019) – Howard University Director of Athletics Kery Davis has announced the hiring of Kenneth Blakeney as Howard University’s 10th head men’s basketball in program history.
“I am delighted to welcome Kenny Blakeney as our new men’s basketball coach,” stated Howard Director of Athletics Kery Davis. “Kenny comes from a rich basketball pedigree having played for and coached under many of the best coaches in the history of the sport of basketball. Kenny’s unique talents on and off the floor, his association with winning programs, and his innovative mind for business make him the right person to lead our program now and into the future.”
Blakeney brings a decorated and unique basketball heritage having played under the tutelage of two Hall of Fame coaches; Duke University head coach Mike Kryzyzewski and legendary DeMatha Catholic High School Coach Morgan Wooten, the winningest High School Coach in History.
As a student-athlete at Duke, the Washington D.C., native and former High School All- American played on a team that won 99 games and two National Championships.
“It is my pleasure to welcome Coach Kenny Blakeney to the Bison family,” said President Wayne A. I. Frederick. “From All-American student-athlete to coaching the game alongside a stellar line-up of basketball leaders to becoming a distinguished mentor in his own right, Kenny brings a new level of energy and excitement to our program. I look forward to watching our student-athletes excel in the classroom, on the court and in the most important game, LIFE!”
After graduating from Duke, Blakeney began his coaching career at James Madison University as an assistant to Hall of Fame Coach Lefty Driesell before both moved to LaSalle University. Blakeney later served as an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure University and Marshall University. He spent four years as an assistant to Mike Brey (current Notre Dame Head Coach) at the University of Delaware. He also spent four seasons at Harvard University and was on the sidelines for Harvard’s first Ivy League title in 2011. He most recently served as an assistant coach during the 2018–2019 season at Columbia.
In addition to his work on the sidelines, Blakeney co-founded a fashion accessory company named Sportin’ Styles and a player development organization named World One Sports Academy. Additionally, he joined at apparel giant Under Armour where he worked in marketing with UA’s Basketball Division.
Blakeney will be formally introduced to the Howard community and to the media on Monday, May 6, 2019 at 9 a.m. in College Hall South on the Howard University campus.
About Howard Athletics
The Howard University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division I men and women varsity sports. The programs represent six conferences: the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA), Sun Belt Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. Visit www.hubison.com to learn more.
Howard University is hosting a Spring Small Business Summit
Listen up my entrepreneurs. I have details this morning about an upcoming summit designed to help you to build wealth thru your business. The Summit is hosted by the DC Small Business Development Center at Howard University. My guest is Carl Brown – Executive Director of the DC Small Business Development Center at Howard University
The DC Small Business Development Center at Howard University is hosting a Spring Small Business Summit Thursday, May 16thfrom 8am to 3:30pm at the HU School of Business. 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.
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“We know that there are still white supremacists and other extremist figures who are actively using both platforms to spread their hatred and bigotry,” said Keegan Hankes, senior research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups in the U.S.
The company also removed right-wing personalities Paul Nehlen, Milo Yiannopoulos, Paul Joseph Watson and Laura Loomer, along with Jones’ site, Infowars, which often posts conspiracy theories. The latest bans apply to both Facebook’s main service and to Instagram and extend to fan pages and other related accounts.
Decried as censorship by several of those who got the ax, the move signals a renewed effort by the social media giant to remove people and groups promoting objectionable material such as hate, racism and anti-Semitism.
Removing some of the best-known figures of the U.S. political extreme takes away an important virtual megaphone that Facebook has provided the likes of Jones, Yiannopoulos and others over the years. But it does not address what might be done with lesser known figures and those who stay on the margins of what Facebook’s policies allow.
Critics praised the move but said there is more to be done on both Facebook and Instagram.
“We know that there are still white supremacists and other extremist figures who are actively using both platforms to spread their hatred and bigotry,” said Keegan Hankes, senior research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups in the U.S.
Dipayan Ghosh, a former Facebook executive and an internet policy expert at Harvard, said the ban isn’t as big a step as Facebook appears to be painting it — it’s just enforcing its existing policy.
“There will always be more purveyors of hate speech that try to come on these platforms,” he said. “Will advocates have to push year after year just to get (a handful of) individuals off? At this rate it seems likely. And this doesn’t address the problem of what happens at the margins.”
Facebook has previously suspended Jones from its flagship service temporarily; this suspension is permanent and includes Instagram. Twitter has also banned Loomer, Jones and Yiannopoulos, though Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam long known for provocative comments widely considered anti-Semitic, still had an account Thursday. So did Watson, who rose to popularity as editor-at-large at Infowars and has nearly a million followers on the site.
Facebook said the newly banned accounts violated its policy against dangerous individuals and organizations. The company says it has always banned people or groups that proclaim a violent or hateful mission or are engaged in acts of hate or violence, regardless of political ideology.
It added that when it bans someone under this policy, the company also prohibits anyone else from praising or supporting them.
In this case, though, the company said people can speak positively about the six banned individuals as long as what they’re saying otherwise complies with Facebook policies.
For years, social media companies have been under pressure from civil rights groups and other activists to clamp down on hate speech on their services. Following the deadly white nationalist protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, Google, Facebook and PayPal began banishing extremist groups and individuals who identified as or supported white supremacists.
A year later, widespread bans of Jones and Infowars reflected a more aggressive enforcement of policies against hate speech. But Facebook instituted only a 30-day suspension (though Twitter banned him permanently).
It is not clear what events led to Thursday’s announcement. In a statement, Facebook merely said, “The process for evaluating potential violators is extensive and it is what led us to our decision to remove these accounts today.”
Last month, it extended its ban on hate speech to prohibit the promotion and support of white nationalism and white separatism. It had previously allowed such material even though it has long banned white supremacists.
Asked to comment on the bans, Yiannopoulos emailed only “You’re next.”
Jones reacted angrily Thursday during a live stream of his show on his Infowars website.
“They didn’t just ban me. They just defamed us. Why did Zuckerberg even do this?” Jones said, referring to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Jones called himself a victim of “racketeering” by “cartels.”
“There’s a new world now, man, where they’re banning everybody and then they tell Congress nobody is getting banned,” he said.
Watson, meanwhile, tweeted that he was not given a reason and that he “broke none of their rules.”
“Hopefully, other prominent conservatives will speak out about me being banned, knowing that they are next if we don’t pressure the Trump administration to take action,” he wrote.
Farrakhan, Nehlen and Loomer did not immediately return messages for comment.
Harvard’s Ghosh said kicking off individuals with big followings, such as Jones, goes against Facebook’s commercial interest.
“As soon as they kick Alex Jones or Laura Loomer off their platform, it immediately ticks of a huge number of people,” he said.
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Associated Press Writers Tali Arbel in New York and Michael Kunzelman in Silver Spring, Maryland, contributed to this story.
No arrests have been made in any of the cases.
First officers were called to the 400 block of Riggs Road in Northeast around 7:30 pm. Then they were called to the 4500 block Douglas Street in Northeast were they found a 16 year old victim. At last check that teen was listed in stable condition.
Around 9 police received a call of shots fired on Stanton Road in Southeast. The 18 year old shot in that incident has died. He has been identified as Saoun Coplins of Northeast.
An Adult victim was also found in the 400 block of Riggs Road in Northeast and the fourth shooting victim for the night was found in the 1500 block of Alabama Avenue in Southeast. No arrests have been made in any of the cases.
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His rep says his family continues to ask for privacy, “but extends their deepest gratitude and appreciation to friends and fans for the outpour of love and support expressed throughout this experience.”
NEW YORK (AP) — A representative for R&B singer Peabo Bryson says he is on his way to making a full recovery after suffering a mild heart attack.
Bryson’s representative says Friday he is improving but has to cancel several planned concerts so he can rest.
The statement reads, “Mr. Bryson is still listed in stable condition and is improving rapidly.”
Bryson, 68, is a two-time Grammy winner known for hits such as “Beauty & the Beast” and “A Whole New World.”
His rep says his family continues to ask for privacy, “but extends their deepest gratitude and appreciation to friends and fans for the outpour of love and support expressed throughout this experience.”
“It’s a beautiful journey, it’s history in the making,” Savage said Thursday of her newly announced recording deal.
“It’s a beautiful journey, it’s history in the making,” Savage said Thursday of her newly announced recording deal.
Savage is one of the world’s leading Afrobeats artists and the first African artist to sign a global deal with Universal Music Group. It seems, however, she forgot to tell the most important person in her life.
“My mom was, ‘Tiwa! Why didn’t you tell me all along?’ I’m like, ‘Mom, I know you can’t keep a secret.’ But she’s excited. We have a family group chat and she was just like, ‘Tiwa has crashed the internet again today!’ And she put a smiley face. So she’s super, super proud of me.”
The Afrobeats scene is vibrant, she told The Associated Press. Even though international audiences may not understand some of the language “they can feel the soul in the music” and the themes of her songs are universal. “I think a lot of people know me for love, for love stories. Good or bad.”
In November, the 39-year-old became the first woman to win the MTV Europe Music Award for Best African act, which she said was “incredible” and “wasn’t just a win for me . it was a win for the African woman.”
Tiwa, or Tiwatope, was born in Lagos but spent part of her childhood in London with her mother, where she experienced many her early musical influences.
“I started listening to a lot of gospel music . and then I really got into jazz like Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, and then I got into soul R & B and I really, really got into Brandi’s voice,” she said. “She’s like my all-time favorite vocalist. Yeah. That was really, really what got me into singing.”
She now takes daily inspiration from her peers both at home and overseas. “Obviously I’m inspired by the Rihanna and Beyonce brand but more so like Wizkid, Davido and Don Jazzy, D’banj, 2face, even from South Africa like Cassper and AKA.”
In December, Savage was chosen by Coldplay’s Chris Martin to perform at Global Citizen Festival in Johannesburg. There she met Jay-Z, who she said was “incredible.”
“You know he’s the type of person that walks into a room and everyone’s like, ‘Oh my God. It’s Jay-Z.’ And he has a lot of knowledge and he’s not afraid to pass that on, you know, to every artist that he comes across.”
Despite breaking boundaries, Savage acknowledged that it’s been tough working in a male-dominated industry, “especially as a mom,” but that has also made her work harder.
“I do believe as women we are a lot stronger than what we give ourselves credit for,” she said. “So there’s not anything I can’t handle.”
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Associated Press video journalist Lekan Oyekanmi in Lagos, Nigeria contributed.
The “Boyz N the Hood” director died Monday at age 51, days after suffering a stroke. Singleton became the youngest best director Oscar nominee for the film. He was also nominated for writing its screenplay.
The representative says Singleton’s family is planning a public memorial for a later date. No further details were released.
The “Boyz N the Hood” director died Monday at age 51, days after suffering a stroke. Singleton became the youngest best director Oscar nominee for the film. He was also nominated for writing its screenplay.
Singleton went on to direct numerous other films, including “Poetic Justice” and an installment in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, as well as several television episodes.
The director has been praised by contemporaries for blazing a trail for black filmmakers.
Police say the gun he bought was illegal and it appeared that she was shot accidentally.
Police have arrested her boyfriend 19-year-old Jamal Speaks and charged him with first-degree murder in her April 7th shooting death.
Witnesses to the shooting in a home on Buchanan Drive first told investigators that Floyd shot herself. Upon further investigation, police discovered that Speaks was playing with a gun and it went off hitting Floyd once. He later admitted to police that he then put the gun in her hands to make it look like she did it.
If Jamal Speaks name sound familiar that because he’s the homeless Ballou High School star football player that made national news after the school refused to let him play football because he didn’t have an address. This announcement was made as two universities expressed interested in checking him out on the field and offering him a scholarship to play for them.
Police say the gun he bought was illegal and it appeared that she was shot accidentally. Speaks remains in the custody of the Department of Corrections.
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“The three young women who have focused their energy on demonstrating how standards of black beauty speak for American standards of beauty are to be commended,” said Thomas DeFrantz, a professor in the Department of African and African American Studies at Duke University.
The North Carolina lawyer completed the historic triple Thursday with pageant winners 2019 Miss America Nia Franklin and recently crowned 2019 Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris.
“The three young women who have focused their energy on demonstrating how standards of black beauty speak for American standards of beauty are to be commended,” said Thomas DeFrantz, a professor in the Department of African and African American Studies at Duke University.
“These three standard-bearers prove that black beauty is at the heart of a 21st century American ideal,” he added.
Franklin, from New York, won her title in September in Atlantic City, New Jersey, becoming the first woman also to win the Miss America crown without having to don a swimsuit. Garris, from New Haven, Connecticut, won her crown in April, and hopes to become a trauma nurse.
Kryst, a former Division I athlete and attorney at Poyner Spruill LLP in Charlotte, North Carolina, won her crown in Reno, Nevada. She holds an MBA from Wake Forest University.
“Mine is the first generation to have that forward-looking mindset that has inclusivity, diversity, strength and empowered women. I’m looking forward to continued progress in my generation,” said Kryst, after accepting her crown. She now advances to the Miss Universe competition.
The oldest of the three is the Miss America pageant, which began in 1921 but women of color were barred from participating until the 1940s by a rule that said contestants must be of “the white race.” Frustration led to the creation of Miss Black America contest.
In 1970, Cheryl Browne became the first black woman to participate in the Miss America pageant. Since then, more than a dozen black women have been named either Miss America or Miss USA, including actress Vanessa Williams, the first-ever black Miss America in 1983.
The Miss USA contest was created in 1952 and crowned the first African American contestant — Carole Anne-Marie Gist — in 1990. A year later, Janel Bishop won the Miss Teen USA title, becoming the first African American winner.
The WNBA star produced a documentary about her father Rawlston and his Brooklyn-based record store and music label — known as Charlie’s Calypso City and Charlie’s Records, respectively — and it debuted over the weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival.
The WNBA star produced a documentary about her father Rawlston and his Brooklyn-based record store and music label — known as Charlie’s Calypso City and Charlie’s Records, respectively — and it debuted over the weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival.
“I put my heart and soul into this and was so excited to let the world know about my father,” Charles said in a phone interview Sunday.
Charles acknowledged she was nervous and excited before the film “Charlie’s Records” premiered Friday night. The documentary was so well-received that the film festival added a second showing on Saturday night.
She was so happy that her dad enjoyed the film.
“He was speechless, didn’t have any words,” Charles said. “He saw the hard work I had put in, he was with me every step of the way, so he saw everything I was doing.”
Charlie’s Records opened in 1972, five years after his arrival from his native Tobago. He wanted to create a place where immigrants from his area could hang out and where Calypso music, an Afro-Caribbean style that originated in Trinidad, could flourish. The store continues to operate on Fulton Street in Brooklyn — a few minutes’ drive from where the filmmaker’s WNBA team practices now. Mementos from his daughter’s basketball career adorn the walls of the store.
“He’s an unsung hero. It was really neat for me to tell the story,” the New York Liberty star said.
Charles, who is the youngest of her father’s six children, was just a child during the record label’s heyday. She was hanging out at her father’s store in 2017 when former UConn teammate Kalana Greene suggested that Charles make a documentary about her father.
She initially thought the project would be a good one for Spike Lee and the WNBA All-Star was able to get a meeting with the director to pitch the idea. Lee remembered hearing the music blasting on Fulton Street as he was growing up.
“When I told him about it, he saw how passionate I was,” she said. “He said, ’You know you have to do your own movie. You have to go through this. Nobody else is going to tell your father’s story the way it needs to be told other than you.”
Lee gave Charles two DVDs. One was “4 Little Girls,” which he directed, and the other was a Kobe Bryant DVD. He signed them saying, “Do your damn movie” on one and “All the best Tina” on the other. They’ve served as inspiration for her during the filmmaking process.
Charles did not play overseas during the past two WNBA offseasons as she usually has, instead spending nearly every free moment working on the film. In addition to filming and researching in New York, she flew to Trinidad and Tobago to interview famous Calypso performers. She even landed an interview with Prime Minister Keith Rowley.
Charles had no background in making movies, but she was fortunate to meet Jane Rosenthal — one of the founders of the Tribeca Film Festival.
“She took me under her wing and sealed the deal on the documentary,” said Charles, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA draft after an outstanding college career at UConn.
“She was sort of like coach (Geno) Auriemma, that she got the best out of me and not let me be complacent,” Charles added. “Not settle on the depth of creativity.”
Charles was used to being interviewed, having played professionally since graduating from UConn and knew how to get the best responses out of her father and other people she spoke to for the film.
Charles’ teammates from the Liberty took in the premiere Friday night. The documentary had special meaning for guard Kia Nurse.
“I called my grandparents right after because they are from Trinidad. My dad is from there as well. I told them there’s this whole movie, you’re going to love it,” she said. “These are all songs that we listened to with my grandparents at Christmas. I didn’t know the whole background to it, but as they were playing the music through the movie I was like, My grandma loves these, we dance to them at Christmas. It’s her happiest time of year.′ I can see how happy his music makes people even when they are far away from home and that’s really special to me.”
Charles thinks she isn’t done being a filmmaker.
“In my mind, thinking what can I do next?” she said. “I know there are so many other unsung heroes out there like my father. WNBA players doing great things off the court that’s not documented. A lot of things are going through my mind. How can I continue to put individuals out there?”
King, 64, will remain co-host of “CBS This Morning,” where she recently was featured in a high-profile interview with singer R. Kelly . She’ll be joined by longtime CBS journalist Anthony Mason and correspondent Tony Dokoupil.
O’Donnell, 45, will replace Jeff Glor as anchor of the “CBS Evening News” this summer. Starting in the fall, the program will be helmed from Washington instead of New York as the newscast focuses more on stories from “the center of power.”
“I think about the legacy and I think about the history of CBS News and that it’s incredibly humbling to accept this position,” O’Donnell said. “I’m going to give this everything I got.”
She noted the legacy of Walter Cronkite, who anchored the broadcast for 19 years and was often referred to as “the most trusted man in America.”
Glor, 43, has anchored the newscast since December 2017 and is still negotiating his future with CBS News.
O’Donnell was chief White House correspondent when she joined “CBS This Morning” in 2012, teaming up with Charlie Rose and Gayle King.
King, 64, will remain co-host of “CBS This Morning,” where she recently was featured in a high-profile interview with singer R. Kelly . She’ll be joined by longtime CBS journalist Anthony Mason and correspondent Tony Dokoupil.
King also addressed reports of tension between her and O’Donnell.
“I have no beef with you and you have no beef with me. It’s two great jobs for two great women,” she said.
John Dickerson, 50, who hopscotched from political director to “Face the Nation” moderator in 2015 to “CBS This Morning” as Rose’s replacement in January 2018, will become a correspondent for “60 Minutes.”
Rose was dismissed following sexual misconduct allegations .
“You think that would have elicited a certain amount of sympathy. But I didn’t win!” he said, drawing roars from the crowd that moments before rose to applaud him. Instead, he said, he realized that maybe he’d been worrying about the wrong thing and instead should emulate Oscar-winning actress Sally Field.
Trebek, 78, who announced in March he has advanced pancreatic cancer, told the theater audience Sunday he had been worried that sympathy, rather than merit, might snare him the trophy for best game show host.
But then he mulled what happened last year, after he underwent surgery to remove life-threatening blood clots on his brain.
“You think that would have elicited a certain amount of sympathy. But I didn’t win!” he said, drawing roars from the crowd that moments before rose to applaud him. Instead, he said, he realized that maybe he’d been worrying about the wrong thing and instead should emulate Oscar-winning actress Sally Field.
“You guys like me, and you value my work. I tell you if that’s the case, I can live with that,” Trebek said. His voice was thick with emotion, but he was poised and dapper in his tuxedo.
At the 1985 Academy Awards, Field famously declared, ”’I can’t deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me,” as she accepted the best actress trophy for “Places in the Heart.”
“General Hospital” was among the big winners, with a leading five trophies that included best lead actor honors for Maurice Benard. But “The Young and the Restless” won the top drama series award, as well as writing and directing honors.
The top drama acting honor went to Jacqueline MacInnes Wood of “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” won the Emmy for best entertainment talk show, with “Six Dreams” named the best Spanish-language show in the category.
“Rachael Ray” received the informative talk show award. “CBS Sunday Morning” was named best morning program, with “Despierta America” earning the honor for best Spanish-language program.
“Valerie’s Home Cooking,” with Valerie Bertinelli won the award for best culinary program, with the game show trophy going to “Family Feud.”
Trebek, who now has seven Daytime Emmys, including one for lifetime achievement, wasn’t the only TV veteran to be honored at the 46th ceremony.
Lifetime honors were bestowed on Judith Sheindlin, aka “Judge Judy,” and chef Jacques Pepin. The ceremony also paid tribute to 50 years of “Sesame Street.”
While Trebek’s award came during a health challenge for him, it has been a year of highlights for the long-running quiz show he has hosted since 1984.
The show aired its first all-star team championship, and it is in the midst of a dazzling performance by contestant James Holzhauer, who has racked up more than $1.6 million in winnings.
“I am sick and tired of hearing thoughts and prayers for the communities that have been shattered by gun violence — it is time for bold action,” Booker said in a statement.
National licensing is one of more than a dozen specific proposals in a sweeping gun control agenda the U.S. senator from New Jersey released on Monday. It’s his second policy rollout in three weeks as he tries to break through the crowded Democratic primary field .
While current gun owners and first-time buyers would be subject to the federal license requirement, a transition period would allow current owners to come into compliance, according to the Booker campaign.
No such national gun license program currently exists. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted some form of licensing or permit rules before people can buy guns, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
“I am sick and tired of hearing thoughts and prayers for the communities that have been shattered by gun violence — it is time for bold action,” Booker said in a statement.
Last month during a high-profile speech in his hometown of Newark, Booker vowed to “bring a fight” to the National Rifle Association, which generally opposes gun restrictions.
Booker’s gun control agenda includes universal background checks for gun buyers; the reinstitution of a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity firearm magazines; and the modernization of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The plan would face a steep climb to winning approval from a Democratic House and would face even stiffer resistance in a Republican-controlled Senate, where less-sweeping gun control measures have failed in recent years.
Booker released an environmental justice plan late last month.
Booker, who launched his presidential campaign in February, has struggled to rise from the low single digits in polls of the 21-candidate Democratic primary field, though he recently secured the 65,000 donors necessary to meet both qualifications for participation in next month’s first debate.
Hit the greens for a good cause. Join M.I. Mother’s Keeper for its “Homeless No More… Silent No More” Golf Tournament May 10th at the Marlton Golf Course in Upper Marlboro. www.mimotherskeeper.com
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Phi Beta Sigma
The 2nd Annual Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Father’s Day Luncheon is June 15th at the Waterford at Fair Oaks. www.thetatausigma1914.com
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African Children’s Choir
Hear the sounds of the African Children’s Choir. Come out May 31st to Manassas Baptist Church. www.africanchildrenschoir.com
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Small Business
The DC Small Business Development Center at Howard University invites you to its Spring Small Business Summit May 16th in the School of Business. www.dcsbdc.org
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Greater Washington Urban League Guild
Join the Greater Washington Urban League Guild for a Health awareness discussion on Alzheimer’s Disease May 18th at 945 G Street, NW. 265-8200
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AKA
Enjoy a night highlighting the Arts. Join the Ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority for their Soundwaves event May 18th in Laurel. www.akaoeo.org
Lace up your sneakers and give cancer the boot. Join Women In USA, Inc. for its 5k walk/run for Hope to End Cancer May 18th at Glenn Dale Community Center. 301-520-3849.
The 2019 7th Annual Golf Tournament and Fundraiser hosted by the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce is May 16th at the Oak Creek Golf Course in Upper Marlboro. www.pgcoc.org
Is remaining friends with your ex a good thing?
Several Virginia Metro stations closing for repairs this weekend.
(Washington, DC) — Metro is set to close six Northern Virginia stations this weekend, ahead of a months-long closure that begins later this month. Braddock Road, King Street, Eisenhower Avenue, Van Dorn Street, Francoia-Springfield and Huntington stations will be closed this upcoming Saturday and Sunday. Buses will replace trains between the National Airport and Franconia-Springfield. The shuttle will stop at National Airport, but will not stop at Braddock Road station. Along the Yellow Line, buses will replace trains from Crystal City and Huntington. The closure comes before the stations close on May 25th until September 8th for platform repairs.
Arica Himmel stars as Bow, with Tika Sumpter and Christina Anthony among the other cast members in “mixed-ish.” An airdate for the spinoff wasn’t announced.
ABC said Thursday that the new series, titled “mixed-ish,” will be narrated by Tracee Ellis Ross. She stars in “black-ish” as the adult character with the nickname of Bow.
In the spinoff, preteen Bow and her mixed-ethnicity family face the dilemma of assimilation or staying “true to themselves,” according to ABC.
Bow and her siblings also must adapt to suburbia and a mainstream school after their parents move from a commune.
Arica Himmel stars as Bow, with Tika Sumpter and Christina Anthony among the other cast members in “mixed-ish.” An airdate for the spinoff wasn’t announced.
ABC also said it renewed “black-ish” for next season, its sixth.
Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, an Anchorage Democrat and one of three black Alaska state lawmakers, sponsored the bill to establish Black History Month. With the House’s 37-1 vote, it passed the Legislature Thursday and next goes to the governor.
Rep. David Eastman of Wasilla said that as a state, “I believe we’re not doing right by African Americans or any Alaskans today. I think passing a new law saying how much politicians care about African Americans is fundamentally dishonest.”
“I think Alaskans deserve to feel safe in their homes, and I think we should be focusing on giving that back to them right now,” he told The Associated Press, adding later that the bill is “not what I was sent here to focus on right now.”
Thursday marked the 108th day of the 121-day session. Bills addressing crime, a top issue heading into the session, continue to be worked on.
Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, an Anchorage Democrat and one of three black Alaska state lawmakers, sponsored the bill to establish Black History Month. With the House’s 37-1 vote, it passed the Legislature Thursday and next goes to the governor.
Gray-Jackson said she watched the House floor vote and was moved to tears. Eastman, who frequently speaks on the House floor, did not speak on the bill before voting Thursday. Gray-Jackson said she was glad he didn’t speak.
“The only thing I cared about, because I knew he was going to vote no, was him getting up, talking and wasting people’s time and making people feel uncomfortable by his comments,” she said.
She said she feels sorry for him after he voted no “because he doesn’t get it.”
When Gray-Jackson served on the Anchorage Assembly, she said she brought forth resolutions recognizing different cultures within the community. Now, as a state lawmaker, she said she would like to make such recognitions permanent.
“Just because we have other issues we deal with, we can’t forget about our community in terms of things that make people feel like they matter. We know we have crime; we’re working on that,” she said. ”… But things like this make people feel good in the midst of feeling down.”
Eastman has in the past voted against singling out individuals or groups for special recognition.
In 2017, he voted against making Oct. 25 “African American Soldiers’ Contribution to Building the Alaska Highway Day.” Supporters of that measure said it was intended to bring recognition to the black soldiers whose contributions had been overlooked. But Eastman took issue with not recognizing all those who contributed to building the highway.
“And let’s have a day for all Alaskans and all veteran service members who contributed to building our highway certainly before we then reach down and choose a particular minority within that group of veterans who sacrificed in some cases their very lives,” he said at that time.
Eastman also voted Thursday against a bill to establish May 31 of each year as Katie John Day, in recognition of the late Athabascan elder known for her long legal fight for subsistence rights for Alaska Natives.
Eastman, who has taken issue with the coverage of abortion through Medicaid, was censured by the House in 2017 over comments he made suggesting there are women in Alaska who try to get pregnant to get a “free trip to the city” for abortions. Eastman apologized for the comments.
“I’m determined to make a dent. I’m not a placeholder — I’m the mayor now. And I’m going to run the city like the mayor,” Young said from Detroit, where’s he’s attending a conference about economic development before his return to Baltimore over the weekend.
Young, a fellow Democrat and a longtime leader of the City Council, automatically replaced Pugh after her resignation Thursday afternoon.
In a phone interview, Young told The Associated Press he’s ready to make changes, and is focused on reducing eye-popping rates of violent crime and tidying up the city’s streets. He aims to bring more investments and jobs, particularly to its most deeply disenfranchised neighborhoods.
Young had been Baltimore’s acting leader for a month already, ever since Pugh departed on indefinite leave , saying she was physically ill and emotionally overwhelmed amid the scandal involving her self-published children’s books.
“I’m determined to make a dent. I’m not a placeholder — I’m the mayor now. And I’m going to run the city like the mayor,” Young said from Detroit, where’s he’s attending a conference about economic development before his return to Baltimore over the weekend.
There’s little expectation that Young’s new administration can overcome Baltimore’s chronic problems of poverty, violence and inequity as he fills out the remainder of Pugh’s term. But he does have numerous political allies in Baltimore and the state’s capital and there’s hope he can make some advances.
Pugh’s career-ending debacle is one of the weirder political scandals in recent memory. It’s focused on “Healthy Holly” — a lucrative and obscure children’s book series she self-published focusing on a fictitious African-American child with a laser-like focus on exercise and good nutrition. The slim illustrated books, sharing tips on nutrition and exercise, were meant to be distributed to schools and daycares. But copies are hard to find.
After Pugh’s resignation, city employees began taking down Pugh’s official portraits, updating websites and removing her name from government letterhead.
“She no longer has any official capacity with the city,” Andre Davis, Baltimore’s solicitor, told reporters before choking up a bit at his former boss’s humiliating resignation from the one political post she always described as her dream job.
It’s a stunning fall from grace for the 69-year-old Pugh, who rose through the Democratic ranks over many years to become the city’s most powerful figure. But with federal, state and city investigators trying to unravel years’ worth of tangled arrangements selling at least $800,000 worth of her self-published children’s books, Pugh finally decided that she didn’t want to keep the job badly enough to remain in office amid questions focused on her murky financial dealings.
“Baltimore deserves a mayor who can move our great city forward,” Pugh said in a written statement read by her lawyer, Steven Silverman. After a month of sequestering herself at home, it wasn’t immediately clear whether some kind of deal was struck with federal investigators to pave the way for her resignation.
In late March, during a brief stint back at City Hall after being diagnosed with pneumonia, Pugh described her no-contract $500,000 arrangement to sell “Healthy Holly” books to a university-based health care system as a “regrettable mistake” and offered apologies. A few days later, she announced her indefinite leave of absence hours after the state’s governor requested a public corruption probe into Pugh.
Other customers included a Maryland financier who divulged that his financial firm decided to write a $100,000 check for “Health Holly” books after she clinched the 2016 Democratic primary. He insisted he expected nothing in return. She also sold tens of thousands of books to customers including a $4 billion hospital network she once helped oversee and health carriers with business before the city.
Pugh’s resignation came exactly a week after her City Hall offices, homes and multiple other locations were raided by FBI and IRS agents and it became clear that a federal grand jury has been empaneled. She is the second mayor in less than a decade to step down because of scandal . She came to office contrasting her clean image with her main opponent, ex-mayor Sheila Dixon, who was forced to depart office in 2010 as part of a plea deal for misappropriating about $500 in gift cards meant for needy families.
Since the book scandal erupted in late March, Pugh’s fractured administration has lurched from one crisis to another and various aides have been fired or left City Hall. Young declined to say if more Pugh-era employees would soon be fired for any reason.
Pugh’s resignation provides a measure of resolution after weeks of uncertainty and mounting pressure for her to step down. Maryland’s Republican governor and numerous Democrats had pressed for her resignation, saying she was no longer fit to lead Baltimore.
“This was the right decision, as it was clear the mayor could no longer lead effectively,” Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement.
An action packed weekend with something for everyone to enjoy.
The 6thAnnual Tots to Teens Expo is Saturday, May 4thfrom 10am to 5pm at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex. There is something for the entire family to enjoy. More information here:
Prince George’s County Executive, Angela Alsobrooks is hosting her “Growing Green 
Prince George’s County With Pride”event is Saturday, May 4th. From 8am -12pm for the community cleanup and from 12pm to 3pm there will be a celebration for volunteers at Watkins Regional Park. WHUR will be on hand with all kinds of goodies. For more information, call 301-499-8523 or log on here:
The Duke Ellington School of the Arts Vocal Music Department is presenting “An Evening at the Opera”and
it’s being performed by it’s very talented students. That’s tonight May 3rdand tomorrow May 4that the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. The musical is sponsored by the Casey Endowment Fund and it’s presented by the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Vocal Music Department. For more information go here:
Tonight at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club presents After 7 for two shows 7 & 10pm.
The Pre-Mother’s Day Comedy Jam comes to DAR Constitution Hall Saturday night, featuring Bruce Bruce, John Witherspoon, Arnez J, Sheryl Underwood and more. Show time is 7pm.
Najee along with special guest Blake Aaron are at the Birchmere tonight for a 7:30 show.
The a cappella musical, Jubilee is at Arena Stage running through June 2nd. For ticket information go here:
And finally, The Musical Fairy Tale, “Into The Woods”is playing at the Ford’s Theatre through May 22nd. For details 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.
75 elderly resident are now displaced.
The steeple of New Life Baptist Church caught on fire. Fire fighters who were called to the 7200 block of Central Avenue say a portion of the attic was also damaged. That was just before midnight. Then in Fort Washington fire crews were called to a senior living complex. The fire was in the attic at the Woodside Village Apartments. 75 elderly resident are now displaced. There were no reported injuries for either fires.
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Don’t wash your chicken before cooking it can actually do more harm…
The latest warning from the Center for Disease Control has many around the DMV and nation talking. The CDC is telling consumers to not wash their raw chicken before cooking it.
Officials say that washing raw chicken can actually spread dangerous germs to other area and utensils in the kitchen. Officials with the CDC say an estimated million people get sick from consuming poultry that has been contaminated.
The government agency has released a link to a list of way you can prevent from getting food poisoning with chicken. It includes
1. Place chicken in a disposable bag before putting in your shopping cart or refrigerator to prevent raw juices from getting onto other foods.
2. Wash hands with warm soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling chicken.
3. Do not wash raw chicken. During washing, chicken juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops.
4. Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken.
5. Never place cooked food or fresh produce on a plate, cutting board, or other surface that previously held raw chicken.
6. Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing chicken and before you prepare the next item.
7. Use a food thermometerExternal to make sure chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
8. If cooking frozen raw chicken in a microwavable meal, handle it as you would fresh raw chicken. Follow cooking directions carefully to prevent food poisoning.
9. If you think the chicken you are served at a restaurant or anywhere else is not fully cooked, send it back for more cooking.
10. Refrigerate or freeze leftover chicken within 2 hours (or within 1 hour if the temperature outside is higher than 90°F).
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Grief and recovery after the loss of a spouse.
TEN THINGS I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME ABOUT BECOMING A WIDOW (Source: TODAY.COM)
Baltimore Mayor Resigns
(Baltimore, MD) — Baltimore Democratic Mayor Catherine Pugh is resigning. Her lawyer Steven Silverman read a brief statement from Pugh, which said she is stepping down in the best interest of the people and the government. Pugh is resigning amid a growing scandal over sales of her self-published children’s book series. Pugh has been on paid leave for more than a month for health reasons. While she’s been on leave, Pugh has been under investigation for book deals with businesses that work closely with the city, which have earned her hundreds of thousands of dollars. Last week, the FBI and IRS raided her homes and offices. Maryland Republican Governor Larry Hogan has called for her resignation, as has the Baltimore City Council.
Pelosi Accuses Barr Of Lying To Congress
(Washington, DC) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is accusing Attorney General Bill Barr of lying to lawmakers about Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s final report. During a Capitol briefing today, Pelosi said — “He lied to Congress; if anybody else did that, it would be considered a crime.” Pelosi did not elaborate on what she believes Barr lied about. She also argued that the attorney general is more loyal to President Trump than he is to the American people. Barr testified about the Mueller report for several hours in a Senate hearing yesterday.
The attorney general refused to show up for scheduled House testimony today in a dispute with Democrats over the format of the hearing in the Judiciary Committee. Dems wanted staff lawyers to question Barr, along with House members.
Bowser Wants To Legalize Recreational Weed Sales
(Washington, DC) — DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is proposing legislation to legalize recreational marijuana sales. DC residents can currently grow and possess small amounts of marijuana, but cannot legally purchase it. The city also cannot tax sales because of a federal budget provision. The Washington Post reports the bill would rename the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration and task the agency with licensing and overseeing marijuana businesses.
The city’s eight medical marijuana cultivation centers would be allowed to grow marijuana for recreational sales, and regulators will be able to issue additional licenses six months after the law takes effect. Bowser told the Post she wants to impose a 17-percent sales tax on marijuana products, with some of the revenue dedicated to city housing. The minimum age to purchase marijuana would be 21.
The five-year initiative funded by Benioff and his wife, Lynne, will conduct academic research, provide testimony and fact sheets, and train people who have been homeless as expert speakers. The UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative will be part of the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations, led by Dr. Margot Kushel.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, a city native, has embraced homelessness as a philanthropic cause, pumping millions into a 2018 city measure to tax wealthy companies to pay for homeless services.
The five-year initiative funded by Benioff and his wife, Lynne, will conduct academic research, provide testimony and fact sheets, and train people who have been homeless as expert speakers. The UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative will be part of the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations, led by Dr. Margot Kushel.
The $30 million contribution is the largest-ever private donation to fund homelessness research, according to Salesforce.
“The world needs a North Star for truth on homelessness,” Benioff said in a statement. The initiative “will be that North Star, providing the latest research, data and evidence-based solutions to ensure we’re investing in programs that will help solve the homelessness crisis.”
Some San Francisco residents are frustrated with technology companies like Salesforce, a cloud-based software business, saying they contribute to inequality with high-paying jobs that drive up housing prices.
More than 4,000 people sleep on the streets every night in the city, where the median price of a two-bedroom home is $1.3 million. A family of four earning $117,400 a year is considered low income in San Francisco.
Benioff approached the university because he wants officials spending tax money to make decisions with the best data available, Kushel said. The plan is for researchers analyze the data and provide neutral, trusted analysis.
The initiative will have the ability to help a city, for example, decide whether and how to implement an alcohol management program, study the results of that program and then broadly share the information.
“We want to be a rapid response team to really help the public,” Kushel said. “This is democratizing data; this is meant to get the data out there.”
The “Growing Green Prince George’s County With Pride” event is this Saturday
What are you doing to make your community a better place to live, work and play? I have details this morning on a big event taking place this weekend in Prince George’s County and it’s designed to help beautify the county and bring neighbors and communities together. It’s called Growing Green Prince George’s County with Pride. My guest is Angela Alsobrooks – Prince George’s County Executive
Growing Green Prince George’s County With Pride is Saturday, May 4th8am -12pm for the community cleanup and from 12pm to 3pm there will be a celebration for volunteers at Watkins Regional Park. For more information, call 301-499-8523 or log on 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.
Listen to this mornings segment here:
D.C. residents admit to only showering every four to five days a week.
The study was conducted by Quality Logo Product. They looked at the hygiene habits of some two-thousand people across more than 2 dozen states.
The outcome D.C. residents admit to only showering every four to five days a week. Interestingly enough when asked about brushing their teeth those asked say they only do that two to three days or less. In addition, some even stated they wear the same pair of underwear for four days or more. It’s shocking to many.
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Abdul proved she still has the moves, leading host Kelly Clarkson to declare “that was insane.”
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dancer and singer Paula Abdul has brought out her tap shoes to close out the Billboard Music Awards with a performance of songs from her debut 1988 album “Forever Your Girl.”
Starting with her tap performance from “Straight Up,” she strolled through her hits “The Way that You Love Me,” ″Cold Hearted” and even brought out the dancing cartoon cat from her music video for “Opposites Attract.”
Abdul proved she still has the moves, leading host Kelly Clarkson to declare “that was insane.”
Autism is a neurological and developmental disorder characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and speech and nonverbal communication.
A new study published in the JAMA Pediatrics shows the Autism spectrum disorder that may affect social skills, behavior and even speech could be detected with new guidelines given to doctor’s during recommended visits between the ages of 18 and 24 months.
Dr’s. believe early diagnosis could mean early intervention and could help the child development progress faster. In most cases the disorder is diagnosed when a child is between the age of 3 or 4.
The CDC now says that the disorder may be more common that first thought. 1 in 50 children in the U.S. are listed along the autism spectrum disorder according to a recent CDC tracker. In 2016 it was 1 in 68 children in the U.S.
Autism is a neurological and developmental disorder characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and speech and nonverbal communication. It emerges in early childhood and lasts throughout a person’s lifetime.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
Detectives say just after 2 am a driver going southbound in the northbound lanes on Leonardtown road hit a vehicle head-on at Huckleberry Drive.
Detectives say just after 2 am a driver going southbound in the northbound lanes on Leonardtown road hit a vehicle head-on at Huckleberry Drive. The driver of that car was killed.
The driver in the striking vehicle suffered minor injuries. There are reports that there may have been one other person in one of the vehicles. The victim’s identities have not been released.
A motif in what caused the driver to go down the wrong side of the road is still unknown.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
The 38-year-old rapper — known to the court as Remy Smith — turned herself in Wednesday to face accusations of punching “Love & Hip Hop New York” cast member Brittney Taylor in the face on April 16 at Irving Plaza, a downtown Manhattan music hall where Ma was performing for a benefit concert.
Her lawyer, Dawn Florio, called the new allegations false, saying the rapper was at home nursing her 4-month-old daughter at the time of the alleged attack.
“She’s going to fight this to the end,” Florio said.
The rapper herself declined to comment on the case after she was arraigned on misdemeanor assault and harassment charges and freed on $1,500 bail.
She left court hand-in-hand with her husband, the rapper Papoose. Friend and fellow hip hop artist Fat Joe also came to court to support her.
The 38-year-old rapper — known to the court as Remy Smith — turned herself in Wednesday to face accusations of punching “Love & Hip Hop New York” cast member Brittney Taylor in the face on April 16 at Irving Plaza, a downtown Manhattan music hall where Ma was performing for a benefit concert.
Taylor, who reported the incident the next day, suffered bruising to her right eye, authorities said.
“This arrest demonstrates how serious this matter is — it is real life and not reality TV entertainment,” Taylor’s lawyer, Sanford Rubenstein, said in a statement. He added that Taylor “has confidence in our system of justice and will continue to fully cooperate with the authorities.”
Florio said that while Ma was at Irving Plaza that night, she was home at 9:30 p.m., when a criminal complaint says the attack allegedly happened. Many witnesses who were at the venue will vouch that Ma “had absolutely nothing to do with this incident,” Florio said.
Taylor “is a liar, and my client did not touch her,” Florio said.
Ma, whose Grammy nod came as part of the Terror Squad’s 2004 hit “Lean Back,” served six years in prison after being convicted of shooting an acquaintance outside a Manhattan nightclub in 2007. They were celebrating a birthday with friends in Manhattan’s trendy meatpacking district when Ma accused the other woman of stealing money from her pocketbook.
Ma’s defense said the gun went off accidentally during a struggle.
Released in 2014, she has three months left on parole, state records show. The new allegations spurred parole officers to tighten her parole conditions, including by requiring her to wear an ankle monitor and setting her curfew earlier, Florio said.
Ma is due back in court May 24. In the meantime, Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Josh Hanshaft ordered her to stay away from Taylor.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Juan Maldonado said the two know each other from the show, but “they’re not friends.”
Ma joined the show in 2015.
“I want to thank my mom for all the times you drove me to piano. All the times you drove me to basketball and hockey — that clearly didn’t work out. All the times you drove me to ‘Degrassi.’ No matter how long it took me to figure out what I wanted to do, you were always there to give me a ride, and now we’re on one hell of ride,” Drake said.
Drake turned up the love for his mom when he picked up top artist, besting Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Post Malone and Travis Scott. He won 12 awards Wednesday in Las Vegas, making his career total 27 (Swift has 23 wins).
He looked up to the ceiling as he held the trophy, then said: “I just want to thank my mom for her relentless effort in my life.
“I want to thank my mom for all the times you drove me to piano. All the times you drove me to basketball and hockey — that clearly didn’t work out. All the times you drove me to ‘Degrassi.’ No matter how long it took me to figure out what I wanted to do, you were always there to give me a ride, and now we’re on one hell of ride,” Drake said.
Family bonding was a theme at the three-hour show, which aired live on NBC and was hosted by Kelly Clarkson
Ciara’s young son and husband, NFL player Russell Wilson, danced along while she worked the stage, and Nick and Joe Jonas gave kisses to Priyanka Chopra and Sophie Turner of “Game of Thrones” fame when they sang in the audience before hitting the stage. Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco looked to his parents as he accepted top rock song, quoting the name of his current hit: “Hey look Ma, I made it!”
Mariah Carey’s twins cheered her on as she sang a medley of her hits and accepted the Icon award. She was in diva form before taking the award from Jennifer Hudson, throwing her napkin on the floor after dabbing her face with it.
“Without getting into all the drama, all the ups and downs of my career … I guess I always felt like an outsider, someone who doesn’t quite belong anywhere, and I still feel like that lost interracial child who had a lot of nerve to believe I could succeed at anything at all in this world. But, and this is the truth, I did believe because I had to,” she said. “The truth is I dedicated my life to my music — my saving grace — and to my fans.”
Cardi B, the night’s top nominee with 21, locked lips with husband Offset on the red carpet and the couple sat closely inside the venue. She won six awards, including top Hot 100 song for “Girls Like You” with Maroon 5.
“I remember when Maroon 5 hit me up to do this song. I was like, ‘Bro I’m five months pregnant. I can’t even breathe.’ But this record to me was so amazing. I was like, ‘Oh this is going to be a hit.’ And now I sing this song to my daughter because she’s the girl that I need,” she said.
Drake and Cardi B — who both won multiple awards during the live telecast — used their speeches to promote love and appreciation for their peers in the music industry.
Others, too, brought on the positive energy when onstage. Imagine Dragons’ band leader Dan Reynolds used his speech to highlight the dangers of conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth. He earned rousing applause. Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard followed suit, telling the audience after winning top country song: “In the spirit of so much truth being spoken tonight by so many talented artists, I think we should speak some truth.”
“As artists we all get to experience so many unbelievable things, but in our opinion, at the end of the day, it’s all for nothing if you’re not using your platform for better … to spread love, to help those in needs, to be a light to your community,” he said.
Swift kicked off the show when she brought her new music video to life with a colorful, eye-popping performance of her song “ME!” Dancers wearing bright, pastel colors spun in the air holding umbrellas and a marching band kicked off Swift’s performance — like most of the world, maybe she was inspired by Beyonce’s new Coachella film?
Madonna, wearing an eye-patch, teamed up with Colombian singer Maluma for a performance, but it was Grammy-winning Christian artist Lauren Daigle who had the night’s best performance. She sang “You Say,” giving the audience a calm, yet strong and powerful performance. She was backed by three awesome background singers and a pianist.
BTS, who performed alongside Halsey, also had a major night. At the Billboard Awards and American Music Awards, the K-pop band had only previously won “social” awards based off their fanatic fan base, but on Wednesday BTS picked up top duo/group, besting Grammy-winning groups like Maroon 5, Imagine Dragons and Dan + Shay.
“I still can’t believe we’re here on this stage with so many great artists,” RM said as fans screamed loudly. “We’re still the same boys from six years ago, we still have the same dreams … we still have the same thoughts. Let us keep dreaming.”
An unlikely winner at the Billboard Awards? “Game of Thrones” actress Maisie Williams, whose plays Arya Stark on the HBO series and shined brightly on last week’s episode.
“Shout-out to Arya Stark for putting in that work last week,” Drake said onstage after winning his first award of the evening.
Patsy Holmes returned to the 51-hundred block of Southern Avenue, SE Tuesday evening, the site where her husband was slain. Holmes was joined by other family and church members for a candlelight vigil in honor of her husband who was a deacon at the Sword of the Spirit Ministries Church. “As a christian, I have to forgive the gunman. That’s what Christ requires of all of us,” said Holmes. Singing spiritual hymns, Holmes was joined by her daughter, pastor and dozens of other family and church members to pay tribute to her husband. “Barry was a man of God and he loved everyone, said Holmes.
Meantime, Barnes made his court appearance Wednesday at DC Superior Court to answer charges to the murder. Barnes was ordered held until further court proceedings. According to court documents, witnesses say Barnes shot Holmes point blank in the chest after Holmes told him not to walk on the just paved asphalt.
Housing watchdog NFHA files discrimination lawsuit against a housing provider in DC.
Guests:
County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, flanked by county trash trucks, new solar operated trash bins, police, public works employees, other county leaders, and concerned residents; announced the new “Growing Green With Pride” program in front of the Wayne Curry Administration Building in Upper Marlboro this morning. “I have heard the complaints of residents loud and clear and we are sending a clear message to those who illegally dump trash and litter in our county. We are going to come after you,” said Alsobrooks. As part of the program, the county will be setting up surveillance cameras around the county going after those who illegally dump things like mattresses, tires, refrigerators, stoves, and other items. The county is also sending a message to entrepreneurs to no longer po
st signs on light poles and along county roads about their respective businesses and services. “We are going to actively enforce our litter laws and go after anyone who breaks those laws.” the county executive stated.
Additionally, Alsobrooks pledged to have Monday through Friday bulky trash collection, solar powered recycling trash compactors placed at bus stops, and an expand the good scrap program for composting food. “As the government, we are going to do our part to provide the proper resources and services. But we also need residents to do your part by cleaning up your corner of the world,” Alsobrooks added.
The county executive admits that just picking up more trash and providing services will not be enough. She said changing behavior also has to be a part of the plan to tackle the litter problem. That’s why she’s also getting county youth involved to be ambassadors to help send the strong message about making and keeping Prince George’s County Beautiful. 
The county executive ended by calling on residents to take the clean up challenge by taking a photo of an area that needs to be cleaned, clean it up, then take an after pictures and post it to social media using #pgctrashtag. 
Saturday, May 4th the County will host a clean up effort by passing out supplies to help county residents pick up the litter. Followed by the clean-up, Alsobrooks will host an after party picnic from 12pm to 3pm at Watkins Regional Park. WHUR will be on hand to provide the music and lots of giveaways.
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Baltimore County Delegate Adrienne Jones elected Speaker of Maryland House of Delegates
In a dramatic surprise, a black woman who had dropped out of the race for Maryland’s House speaker has won the powerful office.
Del. Adrienne Jones was unanimously elected by members of the House in a special session Wednesday.
Her election makes state history on two fronts: She is the first woman and the first African American to become Maryland’s House speaker.
It happened as a result of division in the House Democratic Caucus over two candidates, Del. Maggie McIntosh and Del. Dereck Davis.
Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat, was approached by McIntosh and Davis, after hours of debate in the caucus, which includes 98 of the chamber’s 141 members. Jones had dropped out last week to support Davis.
Del. Kumar Barve is calling the turn of events “the most incredible thing I’ve seen” in 28 years in the House.
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Barr, Mueller trade barbs as Russia probe rift goes public
The talented students at The Duke Ellington School of the Arts are preparing for the presentation of “An Evening at the Opera”
It’s time for a musical good time at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. The Arts Vocal Music Department is preparing for the presentation of “An Evening at the Opera” and I have the details on how to make sure you see these talented students in action. My guest is Daphne Dunston Wharton – Duke Ellington School of the Arts
“An Evening at the Opera” is May 3rdand 4that the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. The musical is sponsored by the Casey Endowment Fund and it’s presented by the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Vocal Music Department. More information here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:35 on the Steve Harvey Morning Showon 96.3 WHUR.
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“Nala is a very powerful character who’s a warrior and also has a big heart and encapsulates a lot of different archetypes,” he said. “I wanted the way she was choreographed and with lions and the fight scenes to have a resonance with the power with which (Beyoncé) choreographs her stage show.”
“Working on it doesn’t make it any less emotional,” Favreau said.
And don’t even get him started on what it was like to listen to James Earl Jones record his lines as Mufasa.
Favreau and an army of people behind the scenes are putting the finishing touches on what might be this summer’s most anticipated release, one that’s been three years in the making with some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Beyoncé, and the expectations couldn’t be higher. None of the other major studios are even daring to go up against “The Lion King” when it opens July 19.
The animated film, which opened in June 1994 at the peak of the Disney animation renaissance, went on to become a critical hit, the highest grossing film of the year at the worldwide box office (it was second domestically to “Forrest Gump”), a two-time Oscar winner for Zimmer’s score and the song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” and a Broadway show — now the third-longest running and one of the most successful in history. So it was only a matter of time before the Walt Disney Co., in this new era of live-action remakes of its animated library which this year included both “Dumbo” and “Aladdin,” turned to one of its most beloved.
Favreau wasn’t finished with his version of “The Jungle Book” when he started inquiring about plans for “The Lion King.” He’d learned so much about motion capture technology and had a team he knew how to collaborate with. He was ready to take it to the next level. So, he raised his hand for the big job.
“I kind of lobbied for it,” Favreau said.
The studio waited until “The Jungle Book” was out to give him the official word, but the 2016 movie which scored with both critics and audiences, turned out to be a pretty good audition. And he set to work prepping this “live-action” ″Lion King,” which, it should be said isn’t live-action at all. It’s a combination of virtual reality and “keyframe animation,” which means that the animals are all animated by hand, “just like all the old animated movies,” Favreau explained. In other words, if you visited the set, you would not find some gargantuan soundstage and a bunch of actors running around acting like lions while covered in motion capture bodysuits and dots.
Rather, it was more of a “black box with people wearing headsets and VR goggles.”
The VR was used to “drive the camera” and “instead of just one layout artist on a computer, we had a full crew operating virtual cameras in a virtual reality environment,” he said.
That includes esteemed cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, a six-time Oscar nominee.
The resulting special effect is that “It should feel like a live-action movie,” he said, even if it’s technically animated.
For the cast, which includes Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé as Nala, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa and Billy Eichner as Timon, the process was pretty similar to what they would have done for a traditionally animated movie, but Favreau also filmed the actors during their voice recording sessions to help the animators. He knew it would look to weird to try to translate human expressions onto the cats’ faces so instead emotion is conveyed through body language (and a little mouth moving for the dialogue).
Anyone who’s seen the marketing thus far has no doubt recognized some familiar touchstones from the 1994 film. So familiar, in fact, that many started to wonder if this was going to be a shot-for-shot remake. Favreau said that isn’t the case.
“It diverges quite a bit,” he said. “It’s much longer than the original film. And part of what we’re doing here is to (give it more dimension) not just visually but both story wise and emotionally.”
The main story points are the same, but like the stage musical, there will be differences too. Plus, he wanted to capitalize on the uniqueness of his actors.
With Beyoncé, for instance, he even changed the way he directed her and approached her animation after seeing her stage show and all the personas she channels for each song.
“Nala is a very powerful character who’s a warrior and also has a big heart and encapsulates a lot of different archetypes,” he said. “I wanted the way she was choreographed and with lions and the fight scenes to have a resonance with the power with which (Beyoncé) choreographs her stage show.”
And of course there’s the music, which is just as important as the images in conjuring up all the emotion and nostalgia associated with the original.
Zimmer has updated and built upon his own score from 25 years ago, which will also integrate music from the stage show and the 2D film.
“It’s quite a lush version of the soundtrack and the score,” Favreau said.
There will be some recognizable songs, including “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” ″Hakuna Matata,” ″Be Prepared,” ″I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Circle of Life,” plus some new ones too.
And the hope is that this version resonates not only with the generations that grew up with “The Lion King,” but with a new batch of kids as well who may be experiencing it for the first time this way.
“It’s about the life cycle and coming of age and saying goodbye and all the things that we all deal with,” Favreau said. “It’s not a story that’s often told but it’s a story that’s probably the most universal story there is.”
“It’s really difficult to distinguish between the Impossible Whopper and the original Whopper,” he said.
Restaurant Brands International, Burger King’s parent, said Monday that a month-long test of the Impossible Whopper at 59 restaurants in St. Louis has gone so well that it will start testing it in additional markets. The company said it may expand sales nationally by the end of this year.
The sandwich is made with a plant-based burger from Impossible Foods, a Redwood City, Calif.-based startup. Burger King is the first fast food chain to test the Impossible burger, but other chains are offering plant-based burgers from competitors like Beyond Meat.
Chris Finazzo, president of Burger King’s North American operations, said during an earnings conference call Monday that the Impossible Whopper was attracting new customers. He said the chain will sell the Impossible Whopper out nationally if reaction in other test markets “is a strong as it was in St. Louis.”
“It’s really difficult to distinguish between the Impossible Whopper and the original Whopper,” he said.
Burger King wouldn’t say which markets will get the sandwich next.
The news was a bright spot in otherwise disappointing first quarter earnings for Restaurant Brands, which said its first quarter net income fell 9% to $135 million on weaker same-store sales growth.
The Toronto-based company reported net income of 53 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs like fees to a restructuring consultant, came to 55 cents per share.
The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 59 cents per share.
The company blamed poor weather in Canada for a drop in same-store sales at Tim Hortons. Burger King’s same-store sales grew 2% as the company tried to revive U.S. breakfast sales with a $5 monthly coffee subscription offer. Same-store sales were flat at Popeyes.
Restaurant Brands posted revenue of $1.27 billion in the period, beating analysts’ forecasts.
Company shares fell 3% to $63.43 in morning trading.
Police found the gun in an adjacent classroom…
There were some tense moments yesterday after the school was placed on lockdown until police could assess what happened in a classroom at the school.
The student reportedly was showing the loaded weapon to a small group while in art class. The weapon went off striking the ceiling tiles. The teacher who was unclear of what the sound was asked him about it. The student said it was a balloon. The teacher called a resource officer and a probe into the sound began.
It was not until some 2 hours later when Prince William County Police were called to the school just before 5 did they locate the gun. It was found hidden in a nearby classroom. The student suffered a minor injury when the gun went off. He was treated for that.
There’s no word on his first court date. As a precaution and to help ease some of the concern for students and parents there will be a noticeable police presence today.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
“We love this slate because it spans so many different interests and experiences, yet it’s all woven together with stories that are relevant to our daily lives,” Michelle Obama said. “We think there’s something here for everyone — moms and dads, curious kids, and anyone simply looking for an engaging, uplifting watch at the end of a busy day.”
The Obamas’ production company, Higher Ground Productions, on Tuesday announced a total of seven films and series that Barack Obama said will entertain but also “educate, connect and inspire us all.”
Higher Ground is producing a feature film on Frederick Douglass, adapted from David W. Blight’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography. Also in the works is a documentary series that adapts Michael Lewis’ “Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy,” the “Moneyball” author’s 2018 best-seller about government servants working under the political appointees of Donald Trump’s administration.
The production company’s first release will be Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert’s Sundance Film Festival documentary “American Factory,” about a Chinese-owned factory in post-industrial Ohio. Netflix and Higher Ground also acquired Jim LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham’s “Crip Camp,” a documentary about a summer camp for disabled teenager founded in upstate New York in the early 1970s.
The Obamas are also developing an upstairs-downstairs drama set in post-WWII New York titled “Bloom,” and an adaptation of The New York Times “Overlooked” obituary column, about deaths unreported by the paper. A half-hour show for preschoolers titled “Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents” will instruct kids about food.
“We love this slate because it spans so many different interests and experiences, yet it’s all woven together with stories that are relevant to our daily lives,” Michelle Obama said. “We think there’s something here for everyone — moms and dads, curious kids, and anyone simply looking for an engaging, uplifting watch at the end of a busy day.”
The projects are to be released over the next several years.
Two people are dead and three others remain in critical condition following UNC Charlotte shooting…
The gunman police say was involved in yesterday’s mass shooting at UNC Charlotte is sitting in a jail cell this morning. He has been identified as 22-year-old Trystan Andrew Terrell.
Terrell was a former history major before dropping out earlier this year. According to reports he showed up on campus on the last day of classes before final exams begin and just opened fire.
Two people were killed. Four others were injured. As of this morning, three of them were still listed in critical condition. None of the victims have been identified.
Terrell has bee charged with two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, possession and discharging of a firearm on educational property.
A vigil for the victims is planned tonight at 6 pm on the campus.
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