The best tips to keep your lawn and garden looking good.
“I am deeply grateful to Pope Francis for this appointment to serve the Archdiocese of Washington and to work with all of the members of this faith community,” said Gregory. “I look forward to encountering and listening to the people of this local Church as we address the issues that face us and continue to grow in the Love of Christ that sustains us.”
Archbishop Wilton Gregory is the nation’s capital first African American archbishop to be appointed by Pope Francis to lead the Archdiocese of Washington.
Gregory is set to replace Cardinal Donald Wuerl who resigned in October 2018 following his role in the clergy sexual abuse crisis.
Gregory expressed his gratitude for the opportunity:
“I am deeply grateful to Pope Francis for this appointment to serve the Archdiocese of Washington and to work with all of the members of this faith community,” said Gregory. “I look forward to encountering and listening to the people of this local Church as we address the issues that face us and continue to grow in the Love of Christ that sustains us.”
Gregory is credited for guiding the Catholic Church through the clergy sexual abuse crisis in the early 2000s. He is also the only African American archbishop in the United states and has been leading the Archdiocese of Atlanta since 2005.
This opportunity could elevate Gregory to possibly becoming the highest ranking African American to ever serve in the Catholic Church in the United States.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGHmk8gjitM
Biden Jokes About Flap Over Unwelcome Contacts. MD Federal Judge Rules Against Citizenship Question. Chicago To Sue Jussie Smollett.
(Washington, DC) — Former VP Joe Biden is joking about the controversy about unwelcome contacts with several women. Speaking at a labor union conference in DC today, Biden said — “I just wanted to let you know I had permission to hug Lonnie.” That was a reference to a union executive at the conference. He later invited several children on stage and put his arm around a young boy, saying — “He gave me permission to touch him.” In a Twitter video statement this week, Biden vowed to be more “mindful and respectful of people’s personal space.” He also acknowledged that social norms are changing. Biden is expected to decide whether to make a presidential run in coming weeks.
(Greenbelt, MD) — A federal judge in Maryland is ruling against the government’s addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census. Judge George Hazel ruled today that the Trump administration’s decision to add the question violated administrative law. The judge found that including the question would hinder the government’s ability to count every person living in the U.S. Federal judges in New York and California earlier this year ordered the federal government to stop plans to add the question. The question asks, “Is this person a citizen of the United States?” The case will likely be appealed to the Supreme Court.
(Chicago, IL) — The city of Chicago is going to sue actor Jussie Smollett [[ SMUH-let ]] over his claims that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. Chicago’s Law Department is now drafting a lawsuit demanding the Empire star pay for the costs of the investigation into what they say ended up being a false report. The City had asked Smollett to pay 130-thousand-dollars. Smollett claimed he was beaten by two men back in January, but police later said he made it all up. He was charged over the incident, but the charges were abruptly dropped by prosecutors.
“He lives in LA. He’s originally from Nigeria but he lived here for a while. He went to Harvard Business School. He’s so amazing. He’s so kind,” Braxton gushed.
Reality TV personality Tamar Braxton revealed her new man at a red carpet premiere party for Braxton Family Values. This was the first major outing for the couple and Tamar was excited for the world to see her new beau, David Adefeso.
The singer shared last year on The Wendy Williams Show that she is head over heels in love with her new love interest. She went on to share a picture of them on IG with the caption “whew chile” to make things Instagram official.
“He’s so fine I can’t take it sometimes. He’s like a whole snack, a lunchable,” she says to Wendy Williams during an interview.
“He lives in LA. He’s originally from Nigeria but he lived here for a while. He went to Harvard Business School. He’s so amazing. He’s so kind,” Braxton gushed.
Braxton and ex-husband Vincent Herbert divorced in 2017. She felt it was best to keep their personal relationship separate from business.
She stated in an interview, “…there’s been so many blurred lines in the relationship, the only alternative that I had was to separate the relationship from the business, and if we’re going to be divorced, we’re gonna live separate lives. I have to let him live his life like he has to let me live my life.”
Braxton and Herbert continue to co-parent their son one child from the marriage, Logan. Adefeso will appear in the new season of Braxton Family Values.
In the News @ 10
Fatal crash on 295 in DC…
A double homicide reported in DC…
Md lawmakers say yes to HIV pill w/o parental consent…
There was another bad crash on a local roadway that has snarled traffic for miles. This one, however, was deadly. Two people have died and three others remain in the hospital. The victims are listed in critical or serious condition.
There’s no word on what caused the early morning three-vehicle crash on Southbound 295 near the Howard Road exit in Southeast. Emergency crews had to rescue some victims from one of the vehicles that caught on fire.
DC Police were called to a double shooting in 49-hundred block of Nash Street in Northeast. Investigators say the adult males were shot multiple time last night near the Deanwood Recreation Center.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is asking witnesses to come forward and talk to police. The murders bring the Districts homicide rate this year to 42, that’s a 20% increase from this time last year. The victims have not been identified.
Maryland lawmakers have approved a bill that could soon allow minor to get a pill to prevent HIV. The measure allows people under the age of 18 to get the prescription known and P-R-E-P without their parent’s consent. the medication reportedly is preemptive in stopping one from contracting the HIV virus. The bill moves to Governor Larry Hogan’s desk. If he signs off on the legislation Maryland will become the 17 states to pass a similar law.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
“This is the partnership of a lifetime for me. Adidas has had tremendous success in pushing creative boundaries,” Beyoncé said in a statement. “We share a philosophy that puts creativity, growth and social responsibility at the forefront of business. I look forward to re-launching and expanding Ivy Park on a truly global scale with a proven, dynamic leader.”
Beyonce Knowles Carter just inked a major deal with Adidas. Beyonce’s latest venture is a signature footwear and apparel line.
In 2016, Beyonce co-founded the activewear line Ivy Park with Sir Philip Green. She later bought out his shares in the company in 2018, following a sexual harassment case against Greene. Ivy Park is scheduled to be re-launched in partnership with Adidas.
Adidas is familiar with working with top-tier celebrities. Adidas has signed with numerous athletes and celebrities over the years. Artist and designer Kanye West also collaborated with Adidas for his successful Yeezy brand.
“This is the partnership of a lifetime for me. Adidas has had tremendous success in pushing creative boundaries,” Beyoncé said in a statement. “We share a philosophy that puts creativity, growth and social responsibility at the forefront of business. I look forward to re-launching and expanding Ivy Park on a truly global scale with a proven, dynamic leader.”
Adidas’ executive board member Eric Liedtke said, “Beyoncé is an iconic creator but also a proven business leader, and together, we have the ability to inspire change and empower the next generation of creators.”
The official launch date has yet to be announced.
“I talk to Jussie all the time and he’s doing well. We’re all doing well. The show is doing well. We’re on hiatus right now,” Henson said on The View. “The writers are trying to figure out what the next season is going to look like. What our story line is going to be,” she said. “They’re trying to drum up some really good juicy stuff for you guys.”
Empire star Taraji P. Henson says costar Jussie Smollett will return to their show on Fox even in the midst of the actor being sued by the city of Chicago.
Curiosity grew when the situation about Smollett, who was accused by the Chicago police department of faking a hate crime before his charges were dropped. Fans were interested in knowing if Smollett was returning to the show.
Henson confirms that he will be returning to the musical drama , which is wrapping up its fifth season, but has yet to be renewed for a sixth. Henson plays Cookie Lyon and Smollett plays her son, Jamal.
In defense of Smollett, Henson has been very vocal. She has remained loyal and stood Smollett during the incident.
“I talk to Jussie all the time and he’s doing well. We’re all doing well. The show is doing well. We’re on hiatus right now,” Henson said on The View. “The writers are trying to figure out what the next season is going to look like. What our story line is going to be,” she said. “They’re trying to drum up some really good juicy stuff for you guys.”
Chicago prosecutors abruptly dropped 16 felony counts that accused Smollett of making a false police report about being the target of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. City officials have ordered Jussie Smollett to pay $130,000 to cover the cost of the investigation into his report of a street attack that Chicago police say was staged to promote his career.
His attorney, Christopher Darden, did not dispute the bail amount, which the prosecution requested. Darden declined comment after the hearing.
Eric R. Holder Jr., 29, making his first court appearance after Sunday’s shooting and subsequent two-day manhunt, spoke only to say “yeah” to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Teresa Sullivan’s questions.
His attorney, Christopher Darden, did not dispute the bail amount, which the prosecution requested. Darden declined comment after the hearing.
Holder is charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with the attack outside Hussle’s The Marathon clothing store on Sunday that left the rapper dead and two other men wounded.
No additional details about motive were released during Thursday’s hearing.
Darden, who gained nationwide fame as part of the prosecution team at O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder trial, argued before the hearing against allowing media outlets to shoot photos and video in the courtroom, saying that the prosecution has not established with certainty that they have the right person, and publicizing his image would interfere with Holder getting a fair trial.
“The issue of identity is still in question,” Darden said.
Deputy District Attorney John McKinney argued that identity will not be an issue in the case, and said that Holder’s photo had already been widely spread during the hunt for him.
Sullivan ruled that the cameras could remain.
Holder and Hussle, who knew each other, had several conversations throughout the day Sunday before Holder eventually returned with a handgun and shot Hussle, authorities allege.
If convicted, Holder faces life in prison.
In 2012 he pleaded no contest to possession of a loaded firearm and was sentenced to six months in jail and three years’ probation. The case filed Thursday includes a charge that he was a felon in possession of a gun during the attack on Hussle.
He was ordered to return to court for another hearing May 10.
Holder fled the scene in a car driven by a woman who has since been interviewed by police and released, police Lt. Chris Ramirez said.
Hussle, 33, was engaged to actress Lauren London, with whom he had a 2-year-old son. He had another daughter from a previous relationship.
He was a beloved figure in the community that he was seeking to rebuild starting with his clothing store, among his fellow entertainers, and with public officials who praised his philanthropy and advocacy.
Hussle had success in hip-hop’s inner circles for 10 years through his coveted mixtapes, then last year broke big with his major-label debut album, “Victory Lap,” which was nominated for a Grammy.
The California State Senate adjourned in his honor on Thursday.
“He was a manifestation, from my perspective, of the American dream, even the California dream,” said Sen. Holly Mitchell, a Democrat from Los Angeles.
“He represents a new generation of entertainer turned activist turned entrepreneur,” she said, noting his activism on police brutality and gun violence.
Congresswoman Karen Bass said she planned to honor Hussle on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I will be heading to the House Floor next week to formally enter Nipsey Hussle’s contributions to South Los Angeles into the Congressional Record where it will be a part of United States history forever,” Bass tweeted.
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton
“I’m grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process,” Jeff Bezos said in a tweet Thursday. “And am very much looking forward to our new relationship as friends and co-parents.”
In a tweet, MacKenzie Bezos said she is giving Jeff Bezos all her interest in The Washington Post, the newspaper that he bought in 2013, and Blue Origin, the space exploration company he founded.
“I’m grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process,” Jeff Bezos said in a tweet Thursday. “And am very much looking forward to our new relationship as friends and co-parents.”
The Bezoses, who have four children, first announced they were divorcing in January, just before the National Enquirer published a story that said Jeff Bezos was having an affair with a former TV host. He later accused the tabloid’s publisher of threatening to publish explicit photos of him unless he stopped investigating how the Enquirer obtained private messages between himself and his lover.
When the divorce is complete, which is expected to happen in about 90 days, MacKenzie Bezos will have a 4% stake in Amazon. Jeff Bezos, one of the world’s richest people, will have a 12% stake in the company, valued at more than $108 billion on Thursday.
He’ll be Amazon’s largest shareholder, and he’ll also keep voting control of MacKenzie Bezos’s shares, according to a filling with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The divorce ends a 25-year marriage that played a role in creating one of the world’s most valuable companies.
The Bezoses met in New York in the early 1990s while working at a hedge fund. They married just six months after they began dating, Jeff Bezos has said.
Not long after that, he quit his job to start an online bookstore and the Bezoses took a cross-country road trip to Seattle, which was chosen for its high number of technology workers. While his wife did the driving, Jeff Bezos wrote a business plan. By 1995, Amazon was operating out of a garage, with MacKenzie Bezos helping out.
Amazon has grown way beyond those humble beginnings. It now produces movies, runs the Whole Foods grocery chain and has become the leader in voice-activated speakers. The company has become so large that it plans to build a second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
MacKenzie Bezos, a novelist, said in a tweet Thursday that she was “excited” about her future plans, but didn’t say what they were.
“Grateful for the past as I look forward to what comes next,” she said in the tweet.
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Follow Joseph Pisani at http://twitter.com/josephpisani
Conversation with civil rights activists about the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Joan Mulholland, Civil Rights Movement Freedom Rider (not pictured)
Another Tanker Truck Crash. Board Of Elections Rejects Recall Effort Against Evans. Hamilton Hosting Auditions In DC.
It has happened again. Another tanker truck crash on the beltway in Virginia. The tanker overturned on the outer loop of the 495 at Van Dorn Street in Alexandria and caught fire. The beltway inner and outer loops are closed. Six days ago a tanker truck overturned… shutting down the beltway for more than 12 hours.
(Washington, DC) — The DC Board of Elections is rejecting a recall effort against DC Councilmember Jack Evans due to a technical mistake made by recall supporters. The three-member board declined to issue a petition to collect signatures to open the recall process against Evans yesterday. The attempt to boot Evans comes as he is facing a federal investigation over allegations he used his government post to solicit clients for his private consulting business. Evans’ attorney argued that the necessary paperwork had not been filed with the Office of Campaign Finance.
(Washington, DC) — The Broadway hip-hop musical “Hamilton” is hosting auditions in DC. Casting office Telsey and Company began holding auditions this week for singers and rappers in the District for upcoming shows. Those interested in auditioning can send a photo and resume to Casting-at-Hamilton-Broadway-dot-com. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced last week that the popular Broadway show will be returning to DC for the second time next year. Shows will begin on June 16th, 2020, and will run until September 20th.
In the News @ 10
Two killed in Calvert County townhouse fire…
Md leaders approve changing smoking age to 21…
Thousands petition to name a road after Nipsy Hussle…
A grandmother and her thirteen-year-old granddaughter are dead after a massive townhouse fire in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. The identities of the victims have not been released.
Ten firefighters were injured putting out the huge fire that spread to a row of five townhomes. Three firefighters had to be treated at an area hospital. They have all since been released.
It’s believed that the accidental fire started outside and spread into one of the townhomes. A full investigation into the cause is ongoing.
Lawmakers in Maryland voted yesterday in favor of changing the legal age that a person can buy tobacco from 18 to 21. The change includes e-cigarettes and vaping products. It also follows a new study showing a spike in the number of teens using e-cigarettes.
The measure now heads to the desk of Governor Larry Hogan. It’s unclear if he supports the bill or not. If the bill is approved the new law will take effect on October 1st.
The city of Los Angeles is still reeling from the loss of a community leader, activist, role model, and rapper Nipsy Hussle. The father of five was shot outside of one of his clothing stores on Sunday in South Los Angeles. An online petition has gone viral. Supporters want to name an intersection in South Los Angeles Nipsy Hussle Boulevard.
His accused killer has been arrested. He’s been identified as Eric Holder. He remains in jail in solitary confinement over concerns inmates will kill him in retaliation for the death of a many who gave so much to those in the community.
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Journalists break down the top issues of the week.
Police hand out tickets to motorists grabbing their cellphones while driving.
This motorists picked the wrong day and time to grab his phone while driving. MPD was in place to pull him over and issue a ticket.
“Vision Zero” will be in place through-out the year. DC officials and AAA are hoping word about the increase in enforcement will prompt motorists to think twice about grabbing that cellphone or anything else while their eyes should be on the roads. Officials say distracted driving is as dangerous as driving impaired.
“I congratulate Fran on her victory. I feel proud of the positive race we ran, and I loved talking to the Ferguson community,” McSpadden said Tuesday night in an emailed statement. “Tomorrow, the work continues and I intend to be a part of it no matter my position. I’m not going anywhere.”
Contributed by Nia Seaton
Five years after Michael Brown, 18, was fatally shot by a Ferguson police officer, his mother, Lesley McSpadden vowed to work toward change within her community. Tuesday night, McSpadden lost the race for City Council in Ferguson, Missouri.
McSpadden ran in a three-way race where she was against Fran Griffin and Keith Kallstrom. With Griffin taking the position as City Council, McSpadden came in third in Ferguson’s 3rd Ward.
“I congratulate Fran on her victory. I feel proud of the positive race we ran, and I loved talking to the Ferguson community,” McSpadden said Tuesday night in an emailed statement. “Tomorrow, the work continues and I intend to be a part of it no matter my position. I’m not going anywhere.”
Michael Brown’s death raised awareness for the national Black Lives Matter movement. McSpadden has since took a front seat in politics and became an active in endorsing Hillary Clinton during the 2016 elections. She was among seven “Mothers of the Movement”, mothers who lost their children to police shootings, who appeared on stage at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.
McSpadden was not the first black mother to run for office after her son was shot and killed. In 2018, Lucy McBath won a congressional seat in Georgia. Her son, Jordan Davis, was shot by Michael Dunn, who is now facing life in prison for first-degree murder
Google’s new rules will require contractors, who are usually employed by third-party companies, to also get 12 weeks of paid parental leave and a $5,000 tuition reimbursement each year for classes to learn new skills.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google said Tuesday it will require staffing companies it works with to pay workers at least $15 an hour and give them health benefits.
The company has faced pushback from employees and contract workers for paying contractors less than full-time employees.
Google did not say how many contractors and temporary workers it has, but reports say it is many thousands of people. Staffing companies will have until January 2020 to implement the minimum wage requirement, and January 2022 for the health care requirement.
Google’s new rules will require contractors, who are usually employed by third-party companies, to also get 12 weeks of paid parental leave and a $5,000 tuition reimbursement each year for classes to learn new skills.
Contract workforces are common in the tech industry and often get paid less and have fewer perks than full-time employees working for tech giants. Microsoft also implemented a requirement for contractors to get paid parental leave last year.
Many Google employees have banded together in the past year and demanded the company change various policies, prompting Google to examine issues from its handling of sexual misconduct claims to a military contract.
The 5th Annual Adult College Completion Fair is this Saturday April 6th.
Finishing unfinished business. The DC Office of the State Superintendent of Educationis hosting its 5thAnnual Adult College Completion Fair. It’s targeting adult learners who are interested in going to college for the first time or returning to college to complete that degree. My guest is Hanseul Kang – State Superintendent of Schools for the District.
OSSE’s 5thAnnual Adult College Completion Fairs is Saturday, April 6thfrom 10am to 2pm at One Judiciary Square – 441 Fourth Street, NW. For more information go here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:35 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
A record 1.7 million cruise ship passengers are expected to visit this fiscal year, new hotels have opened, additional flights have been added and the smaller of the island’s two international airports saw a record 54,000 passengers in February.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Nearly two years after a deadly hurricane season, tourists are visiting Puerto Rico in record numbers as the U.S. territory continues to rebuild from Hurricane Maria.
A record 1.7 million cruise ship passengers are expected to visit this fiscal year, new hotels have opened, additional flights have been added and the smaller of the island’s two international airports saw a record 54,000 passengers in February.
A handful of hotels remain closed since the Category 4 storm hit in September 2017 and caused more than an estimated $100 billion in damage, but resorts including the Ritz and the Caribe Hilton are slated to open in upcoming months.
Overall, life in the capital of San Juan and surrounding areas is back to normal for tourists, although those who venture outside the metropolitan area will likely encounter a smattering of blue roofs, the occasional wayward light post and debris that still hasn’t been collected. Brief power outages still hit occasionally as the government prepares to privatize an aging and poorly maintained grid that was destroyed by the hurricane, and water shortages have hit parts of Puerto Rico’s north coast since 30 percent of the island is experiencing a moderate drought that is affecting 791,000 of its 3.2 million inhabitants.
All beaches are open to visitors, and most trails at the tropical forest of El Yunque are open as well, although some popular sites remain temporarily closed to the public as crews continue to clear debris.
Some areas that are worth a day trip include El Yunque and the nearby coastal town of Luquillo in northeast Puerto Rico, topped off by a night visit to a nearby bioluminescent bay where visitors can paddle around in a kayak. Also worth visiting are Cueva del Indio and Cueva Ventana on Puerto Rico’s north coast: one offers a seaside glimpse into petroglyphs carved into stone by Taino Indians and the other a sweeping view of the island’s northern karst region.
Make sure to leave enough time to follow the lechonera route in Guavate and eat pork in the island’s central mountains, topped off by fritters such as alcapurrias and empanadillas and a shot of chichaito — anise and rum.
The retail price of the shoes would have been more than $6,000.
HAYS, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas woman donated 204 pairs of shoes to Nebraska flood victims after buying everything that was left at a closing Payless store.
The Hays Post reports the shoes were part of a flood relief shipment taken to farmers in Nebraska by Fort Hays State’s agriculture sorority, Sigma Alpha, during the weekend.
A graduate of Fort Hays State, Addy Tritt, said she wanted to help others because so many people have helped her in the past.
When the price at a Hays store dropped to $1 per pair, Tritt negotiated with the business to buy the remaining shoes for $100.
They included 162 pairs of baby shoes and two pairs of men’s shoes. The rest were women’s shoes.
The retail price of the shoes would have been more than $6,000.
Councilman Zeke Cohen says Pugh has “lost the moral mandate to govern and the public’s trust.” Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot has also urged her to resign. Cohen, Franchot and Pugh are Democrats.
5:35 p.m.
At least one Baltimore City Council member is calling for Mayor Catherine Pugh to resign as a scandal intensifies over allegations of “self-dealing” arrangements to sell her children’s book series.
Councilman Zeke Cohen says Pugh has “lost the moral mandate to govern and the public’s trust.” Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot has also urged her to resign. Cohen, Franchot and Pugh are Democrats.
Cohen notes that Pugh accepted over $100,000 from Kaiser Permanente for her “Healthy Holly” children’s books while the company was seeking a contract to provide health benefits to city employees.
Cohen says that instead of recusing herself from a Board of Estimates vote when the contract came up “she voted in favor of it.”
Pugh announced Monday she is taking an indefinite leave of absence due to deteriorating health. Her spokespeople say she was recently diagnosed with pneumonia.
In the News @ 10
DC leaders launch a distracted driving campaign…
DC Mayor announces a new tool in the fight against Opioid overdose deaths…
DC City Officials and AAA Mid Atlantic are teaming up today to kick off a campaign about distracted driving. It is in conjunction with April being National Distracted Driving Month.
Metropolitan Police and DDOT spokespeople will be on hand for an 11 am press conference where they will discuss the dangers and consequences of being distracted by texting or from alcohol. Today’s news conference will be held near 14th and “U” Streets in Northwest.
The discussion is expected to include how MPD will enforce distracted driving laws. Mayor Muriel Bowser will also speak and she will talk about her Vision Zero plan.
There is a new tool in the fight against Opioid deaths in the District of Columbia. Today, DC Mayor Muriel Bower will announce that DC Police Officers and members of the Narcotics and Special Investigation Divisions will have the life-saving Naloxone with them. The medicine will be stored on the outside of their vest.
It’s a big move because often time police officers are the first person on the scene of a possible drug overdose. In 2017, the District had 279 deaths related to Opioid overdoses. Advocates say this change will save lives. If you want to find out more about the District’s strategic plan to reduce the number of Opioid usage and deaths you can read “Live.Long.DC”
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
Actress Lauren London posted a solo picture of Hussle along with other images that included her, the rapper and their family on her Instagram account Tuesday. She captioned her photos writing: “I’m lost without you.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the killing of rapper Nipsey Hussle outside his clothing store in Los Angeles (all times local):
5:30 p.m.
The fiancee of Nipsey Hussle has broken her silence posting a tribute to the rapper on social media a couple days after he was fatally shot outside his clothing store in South Los Angeles.
Actress Lauren London posted a solo picture of Hussle along with other images that included her, the rapper and their family on her Instagram account Tuesday. She captioned her photos writing: “I’m lost without you.”
The 34-year-old London shared a photo of her smiling and hugging Hussle. Another photo showed the rapper raising their 2-year-old son in the air along with a selfie photo of the father and his son.
London’s tribute comes hours after 29-year-old suspect Eric Holder was arrested in the shooting death of Hussle on Sunday.
London’s representative did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.
“Out there tonight a lot of little girls and boys are watching. They’re watching us, and they’re seeing the beginning of something, well, a little bit different,” Lightfoot told a jubilant crowd at a downtown hotel. “They’re seeing a city reborn.”
Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor who’d never been elected to public office, defeated Cook County Board President and longtime City Council member Toni Preckwinkle on Tuesday with backing from voters across the city. Late results showed Lightfoot, 56, winning every one of the city’s 50 wards.
Lightfoot also made history, becoming the first black woman and the first openly gay person to be elected Chicago mayor. Chicago will become the largest U.S. city to have a black woman serve as mayor when Lightfoot is sworn in May 20. She will join seven other black women currently serving as mayors in major U.S. cities, including Atlanta and New Orleans, and will be the second woman to lead Chicago.
“Out there tonight a lot of little girls and boys are watching. They’re watching us, and they’re seeing the beginning of something, well, a little bit different,” Lightfoot told a jubilant crowd at a downtown hotel. “They’re seeing a city reborn.”
She pledged to make Chicago “a place where your zip code doesn’t determine your destiny,” to address the city’s violence and to “break this city’s endless cycle of corruption” that allows politicians to profit from their office.
Lightfoot emerged as the surprising leader in the first round of voting in February when 14 candidates were on the ballot to succeed Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who decided against running for a third term.
She seized on outrage over a white police officer’s fatal shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald to launch her reformer campaign. She got in the race even before Emanuel announced he wouldn’t seek re-election amid criticism for initially resisting calls to release video of the shooting.
Joyce Ross, 64, a resident of the city’s predominantly black West Side who is a certified nursing assistant, cast her ballot Tuesday for Lightfoot. Ross said she believes Lightfoot will be better able to clean up the police department and curb the city’s violence.
She was also bothered by Preckwinkle’s association with longtime Alderman Ed Burke, who was indicted earlier this year on charges he tried to shake down a restaurant owner who wanted to build in his ward.
“My momma always said birds of a feather flock together,” Ross said.
Preckwinkle said she called Lightfoot Tuesday night to congratulate her on a “hard-fought campaign.”
“While I may be disappointed I’m not disheartened. For one thing, this is clearly a historic night,” she told a crowd gathered in her South Side neighborhood. “Not long ago two African American women vying for this position would have been unthinkable. And while it may be true that we took two very different paths to get here, tonight is about the path forward.”
That path will have major challenges. Chicago has been losing population, particularly in predominantly African American neighborhoods hit hardest by violence and a lack of jobs.
The new mayor will take over a city that faces massive financial problems. She will have just a few months to prepare a new budget, which in 2020 is expected to have a roughly $250 million deficit. Lightfoot also will take over the worst-funded public pensions of any major U.S. city. Chicago’s annual payments to the retirement systems are slated to grow by $1.2 billion by 2023.
She has expressed support for a casino in Chicago and changing the state’s income tax system to a graduated tax, in which higher earners are taxed at a higher rate — two measures lawmakers have tried for unsuccessfully for years to pass.
Violence and policing will also continue to be an issue, and one that has proven to be politically difficult.
The Chicago Police Department must implement a federally monitored consent decree approved in January. It followed the McDonald killing and a U.S. Justice Department review that found a long history of excessive use of force and racial bias by officers.
While voters also elected several newcomers over City Council veterans, Lightfoot will have to work with a council that has a sizable number of members who are the type of politicians she railed against during her campaign.
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Associated Press reporter Don Babwin contributed.
Starting and improving your finances and retirement plan.
Nipsey Hussle Murder Suspect Caught
(Los Angeles, CA) — CBS Los Angeles is reporting the suspect in the shooting death of rapper Nipsey Hussle has been captured. Today, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti confirmed police identified 29-year-old Eric Holder as the main suspect. Hussle was gunned down over the weekend in South L.A. outside his clothing store.
Ernie Grunfeld Fired As President Of The Washington Wizards. Baltimore Has A New Acting Mayor. A Step Closer To Election History In Chicago
Ernie Grunfeld has been fired as president of the Washington Wizards after 16 seasons in charge of the team. The Wizards announced his dismissal on Tuesday with four games left in a disappointing, no-playoffs season. Washington is 32-46 and in 11th place in the 15-team Eastern Conference. The club went 568-724 during Grunfeld’s tenure with eight postseason appearances. But Washington never made it past the second round of the playoffs. Owner Ted Leonsis said the Wizards “did not meet our stated goals of qualifying for the playoffs.” He also noted that the team dealt with “injuries to several key players” — most notably, John Wall. Tommy Sheppard will take over Grunfeld’s duties for now and will be a candidate to replace him permanently.
Baltimore’s acting mayor told legislators Tuesday that the city “is in good hands” until the mayor decides whether to return after abruptly announcing a leave of absence to “focus on her health” amid a political scandal about “self-dealing” book sales.
Mayor Catherine Pugh stepped away Monday, the same day Maryland’s Republican governor asked the state prosecutor to investigate her no-bid book deals, including $500,000 in sales to the University of Maryland Medical System.
After meeting with the city’s state Senate delegation and House delegation chair in Annapolis, acting Mayor Jack Young emphasized that he would act only as a “placeholder” for the embattled mayor and plans to run for City Council president again.
“You know, I’ve been doing this for the last 21 years, making the wheels turn, and it’s going to continue to turn,” he said.
Sen. Antonio Hayes, a Baltimore Democrat, described the circumstances as “frustrating as hell” in the last week of the state’s legislative session, as Baltimore officials often have to overcome tough images and a negative narrative attached to Maryland’s largest city, which struggles with violent crime.
“I hope that she’s doing some real soul searching,” fellow Democratic Sen. Bill Ferguson said of Pugh. “This is such a distraction from where we need to be and the issues that we should be focused on.”
The Baltimore Sun reports Pugh repeatedly sponsored legislation during her time as a Maryland state senator that would’ve benefited the University of Maryland Medical System, which paid Pugh $500,000 for 100,000 copies of her self-published “Healthy Holly” children’s books.
Between 2011 and 2016, Pugh sponsored and co-sponsored several bills that would’ve benefited the system where she was a board member.
In eight bills, Pugh sought to make suing doctors and hospitals for big judgments through malpractice claims harder and to reduce the financial impact of malpractice lawsuits. Those measures — and bills she sponsored to expand the kinds of bonuses insurers can pay health care professionals — were not successful. But the legislature did pass three of Pugh’s bills that allowed tele-medicine expansion, a potentially lucrative change.
Chicago voters will vote today for their first African American female mayor. Either former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot or Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will replace incumbent Rahm Emanuel on City Hall’s fifth floor. If Lightfoot wins, Chicago would also elect an openly gay mayor. The last African American mayor of Chicago was Harold Washington who was re-elected in 1987 before dying in office that same year. Jane Byrne was the last female leader of the city when she served one term from 1979 to 1983.
Hollywood’s women of color are coming together to protest Georgia’s Abortion Bill.
The proposal now heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who backs it. If enacted, it would be among the strictest abortion bans in the U.S.
The measure was approved by 92 votes, just one vote more than the majority needed to pass out of the 180-member House.
Just after the vote, a tense situation erupted when law enforcement confronted several Democratic lawmakers and protesters speaking against the bill in the halls of the Capitol. Officers threatened to arrest people if a crowd didn’t disperse and stop chanting “shame”.
Georgia joins a string of GOP-controlled states moving to enact strict abortion bans, with the ultimate goal of getting a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The push comes amid rising optimism among conservatives that the restrictions might prevail in the reconfigured high court that includes President Donald Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
Women in Georgia can currently seek an abortion during the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy. A heartbeat can be detected in an embryo as early as six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant.
The bill would make exceptions in the case of rape and incest — but only when the woman files a police report first — and to save the life of the mother. It also would allow for abortions when a fetus is determined not to be viable because of serious medical issues.
Republican Rep. Ed Setzler, the bill’s author, said it was a “commonsense” measure that seeks to balance “the difficult circumstances women find themselves in with the basic right to life of a child.”
Democratic Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick called the legislation a “death warrant” for women in Georgia, noting that the state already has one of the nation’s worst maternal mortality rates.
The ACLU of Georgia said it will challenge the law in court if it’s signed by Kemp.
“Under 50 years of Supreme Court precedent, this bill is blatantly unconstitutional,” Sean Young, legal director for the ACLU of Georgia, said in an interview Friday. “That is why every single federal court that has considered such bans has struck them down.”
The legislation faced a groundswell of opposition, including Democratic lawmakers and protesters saying on social media and in person that lawmakers who voted in favor of the bill would be targeted in 2020 elections.
A group of women at the Georgia Capitol protested the bill dressed as characters from “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which depicts a dystopian future where women are controlled by the government and forced to reproduce. The activists in red cloaks and white bonnets have been an almost daily presence since the House first passed the measure earlier this month.
That’s significant because Georgia is a burgeoning production hub for TV and film, with 455 productions shot in Georgia in fiscal year 2018, representing $2.7 billion in direct spending in the state.
GOP lawmakers in Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina and Ohio are pursuing similar legislation, while Republican governors in Mississippi and Kentucky have recently signed heartbeat abortion bans.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed a heartbeat abortion ban on March 21, despite a federal judge’s ruling last year that struck down a less-restrictive law limiting abortions there. Kentucky’s law was temporarily blocked by a federal judge shortly after Republican Gov. Matt Bevin signed it March 14, in response to a challenge by the ACLU. A state judge found Iowa’s heartbeat abortion ban unconstitutional in January.
If signed and not blocked in court, the Georgia law would take effect Jan. 1, 2020.
Kemp applauded the legislature in a statement Friday.
“Georgia values life,” Kemp said. “The legislature’s bold action reaffirms our priorities and who we are as a state.”
According to Page Six, Wendy Williams and Kevin Hunter are seeking separation after 22 years of marriage.
Contributed by Taylor Ardrey
According to Page Six, Wendy Williams and her husband, Kevin Hunter, are seeking separation after 22 years of marriage.
After years of marriage and a son, 19-year-old Kevin Jr., the couple is planning to separate ways after years of reported infidelity and drama in their marriage.
Recent unconfirmed reports claim Hunter allegedly fathered a child with his alleged mistress of 10 years, Sharina Hudson.
RELATED: Wendy William’s Husband’s Alleged Mistress Gives Birth To Baby Girl
Williams and Hunter are business partners. He remains her manager and partner in Wendy Williams Productions.
A source told PageSix:
There is a discussion about what happens now — everyone is asking, ‘How can they possibly stay together?’ Wendy still loves Kevin, but her health is at stake.”
Williams has been battling complications from Graves’ disease and substance abuse. She is currently living in a sober house in Queens.
RELATED: Wendy Williams Is Living In A ‘Sober House’
Williams is currently taking a previously scheduled hiatus from her daytime talk show. Let’s continue to keep Wendy Williams in our thoughts and prayers.
Nick Cannon vows to continue Nipsey Hussle’s mission. “Can’t Kill Us ALL!!!#Fearless #Marathon #SpiritualWarfare” said Cannon.
Contributed by Taylor Ardrey
It’s the news that has shocked the nation and even the world! Grammy-nominated hip hop artist and activist Nipsey Hussle was shot six times outside his Marathon clothing store in Hyde Park Sunday.
Prior to his death, Nipsey Hussle had several projects in the works including a documentary based on the works and medical accomplishments of holistic Dr. Sebi.
Many celebrities like Diddy, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg paid tribute to the rapper following his death. Nick Cannon took it a step further and vowed to continue the slain rapper’s mission.
Nick Cannon expressed his gratitude via Instagram:
And the Lord said, “Job well done my son..” @nipseyhussle King this is how I want to remember you! Laughing! Smiling! I ain’t slept yet, thinking about our conversations! Real ones from a real one! And I’m gonna say this only for the real ones to recognize. Where you left off, we gonna carry one! It’s a MARATHON, so I’m picking up the baton! Because they can’t kill us all! Spiritual Warfare is REAL and in full effect. And now your Spirit is protecting your community eternally! Your words, your steps, your walk always was and always will be SOLID! Now, Your message is my message! Your work is my work! I know you still rocking with us and your voice will never be silenced, because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Most High! So now that you are at Peace don’t Rest… Keep leading… Keep Shining King! Cosmic Love My Brotha! 🙏🏾✊🏾
Although authorities have announced that this is a gang-related shooting, many people on social media speculated on conspiracy theories regarding the rapper. Some thought he was killed due to information he planned to share to shed light on the late Dr. Sebi and his medical findings.
Despite the speculation, Cannon continued to share snippets of Dr. Sebi on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvtm8VnBknw/
“Can’t Kill Us ALL!!!#Fearless #Marathon #SpiritualWarfare✊🏾” said Cannon.
Dr. Sebi claimed to have discovered a cure for AIDS, herpes and diabetes without modern medicine. He died in 2016 at the age of 82. Followers of the doctor feel the circumstances surrounding his death are suspicious.
Impossible Foods is adding Burger King to their list of partnerships to launch their non meat burgers to the world. ‘The Impossible Whopper’ is an alternative to Burger King’s classic Whopper beef burger by using plant-based substitutes.
Calling all those in the plant-based community! Impossible Foods have made their way into major fast food chain Burger King with their new Impossible Whopper.
Impossible Foods is adding Burger King to their list of partnerships to launch their non meat burgers to the world. ‘The Impossible Whopper’ is an alternative to Burger King’s classic Whopper beef burger by using plant-based substitutes. The Impossible Whopper is meant to replicate the beef taste of the original Whopper sandwich except without the beef. It will include all the original works; sesame seed bun, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, mayo and ketchup.
Burger King lovers in St. Louis, Missouri were the first to try these new vegan burgers. According to The New York Times, “Burger King is initially making the Impossible Whopper available at 59 restaurants in the St. Louis area. Mr. Machado said the company had plans to quickly expand it to every branch in the country if everything in St. Louis goes smoothly.”
So how does Impossible Foods execute the meat taste without using actual beef? They use an iron-rich protein called heme. Heme with a mixture of roots from soybean plants gives the patty the real meaty look.
Many loyal Burger King customers are excited about this new addition to the menu, however serving it on a national level is still in the works. Would you like Burger King in the DMV to sell Impossible Burgers?
DC Emancipation Day Parade and Concert, Delta Sigma Theta Scholarship Brunch, Howard University Education Job Fair, and OSSE College Completion Fair. 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.
The 12th Annual Howard University Job Fair for Educators is April 18th at Banneker Academic High School in NW. www.howard.edu
Zeta Phi Beta
Prom bound high school seniors are invited to join the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority for their 2019 Prom Dress Giveaway April 6th at the Kettering Community Center. Projectfiner2019@gmail.com
Sisters4Fitness Run/Walk
Grab your sneakers and join Sisters 4 Fitness for its 4th Annual 5k Run/Walk April 27th at Bowie Town Center Fountain. www.sisters4fitness.com
Delta Sigma Theta Scholarship Brunch
Get ready for a swinging good time. Join the Annapolis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta for its Roaring Twenties Jazz Scholarship Brunch April 28th. www.annapolisalumnaedst.org
AKA Global Impact Day Forum
The Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is hosting its National Global Impact Day Forum April 12th at the Xi Omega Chapter Center in NW. www.akaaxo.org
OSSE College Completion Fair
Get your education back on track. Come out April 6th for the Annual Adult College Completion Fair hosted by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education. www.osse.dc.gov
DC Emancipation Day
The 2019 DC Emancipation Day Parade and Concert is April 13th at Freedom Plaza. www.emancipation.dc.gov
DC CapiTAL Stars Talent Competition
The D-C Capital Stars Talent Competition for college scholarships is April 10th at the Kennedy Center. www.dccaporg
The 60-year-old host says in a video a viewer reached out a long time ago and told her she had seen a lump on her neck. Norville says she had it checked out and a doctor said it was a thyroid nodule.
The 60-year-old host says in a video a viewer reached out a long time ago and told her she had seen a lump on her neck. Norville says she had it checked out and a doctor said it was a thyroid nodule.
Norville says it was nothing until recently, when the doctor said it was a “very localized form of cancer.” Norville says she will not need chemotherapy.
She asked viewers to pray for her and her surgeon.
In the News @ 10
Security increased at Kenmoor Middle School…
Fire breaks out at a hi-rise condo in Kensington…
School officials in Prince George’s County have decided to step up security at Kenmoor Middle School in Landover, Maryland. The decision follows a busy day on Monday. At one point students and staff were evacuated because of the smell of gas. Later the school was placed on lock down.
The lock down followed the discovery of a backpack with an empty gun case and ammunition found behind the school. Police were called and the inside and outside of the school was searched. Investigators say no weapons were found. They also were unable to locate the owner of the unattended book bag. The search for that person continues.
Montgomery County Fire Fighters have put out a big fire at a condominium in Kensington, Maryland. The three-alarm fire this morning happened at the Waterford Condominiums on University Boulevard.
The blaze started on the 9th floor. No word on what sparked the fire. There are also no reports of any injuries.
The city of Chicago is set to make history today. Voters will cast their ballots for a new mayor. Today’s runoff mayoral race is between two African American women. Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle. The winner will become the cities first elected African American woman to the position. Lightfoot is she wins will also be the first openly gay person elected to the position.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
The singer’s lead attorney, Steve Greenberg, said in comments to reporters and a court filing that Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx relied way too much on Avenatti in deciding in late February to bring charges against Kelly, saying Avenatti’s involvement irreparably tainted the case.
The singer’s lead attorney, Steve Greenberg, said in comments to reporters and a court filing that Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx relied way too much on Avenatti in deciding in late February to bring charges against Kelly, saying Avenatti’s involvement irreparably tainted the case.
There was, Greenberg told reporters after a brief pretrial hearing, “a rush to prosecute because of pressure — all polluted — by Michael Avenatti,” who gained national fame by filing an ultimately failed lawsuit against President Donald Trump on behalf of porn star Stormy Daniels.
Greenberg went into detail in a seven-page court filing Monday, saying Avenatti has appeared to take on the mantel of “a de facto prosecutor” in the Kelly case.
“Given the allegations against (Avenatti) one must wonder what he has told those he has interacted with in these matters, and what is true and what is not,” the filing says.
Avenatti, who represents two Kelly accusers, has said a video he gave prosecutors in mid-February purporting to show Kelly having sex with a minor was key in Foxx’s decision to seek charges, something her office hasn’t disputed. Avenatti also met with prosecutors at least twice before indictments accused Kelly of abusing three girls and one woman.
Criticism over Foxx’s handling of the Jussie Smollett case also makes her more vulnerable to the kinds of accusations leveled by Kelly’s attorney Monday.
Last week, prosecutors dropped all charges against the “Empire” actor that accused him of staging a racist, anti-gay attack. Foxx and her staff offered often contradictory, muddled accounts for their logic behind the sudden dismissal of the case.
A Foxx spokeswoman declined comment on Greenberg’s comments. Prosecutors said in a brief filing Monday that Greenberg’s “accusations and speculation” were “lacking in factual support.”
Avenatti is accused in California of fraudulently obtaining $4 million in bank loans and pocketing $1.6 million that belonged to a client. Federal prosecutors in New York allege that Avenatti tried to shake down Nike for millions of dollars so he wouldn’t reveal allegations the apparel company paid off high school basketball players.
Greenberg’s Monday filings asks the judge in his case for an order that all communications between Avenatti and the state’s attorney’s office be preserved as possible evidence of inappropriate coordination and communication leading up to charges. Judge Lawrence Flood said he’d rule on the request later.
Avenatti shot back in a series of tweets later Monday, accusing Greenberg of “trying to distract attention away from the clear guilt of his client by raising bogus arguments about me and Kim Foxx.”
“There was never anything improper about our involvement in the case and we are going to continue to press forward,” Avenatti said.
Greenberg and Avanetti have hurled insults at each other on Twitter for weeks. After Avenatti’s arrest last week on the New York charges, Greenberg offered his legal services in a wry tweet: “I hear he needs a good lawyer.”
Just hours after Avenatti’s arrest last week, Greenberg also tweeted references to the New York federal complaint in which Avenatti mentions Kelly to Nike executives in a secret recording. He’d go public with damaging information if they didn’t pay up, and emails and texts would pour in claiming the sportswear giant of wrongdoing, Avenatti allegedly said.
“It’s always (BS) 90 percent of the time, always, whether it’s R. Kelly or Trump,” Avenatti said, according to the complaint. “But 10 percent of it is actually going to be true, and then what’s going to happen is that this is going to snowball.”
Avenatti denied any wrongdoing after his release from custody last week, declaring he’d be fully exonerated.
Among the questions that must be answered, Greenberg said in his Monday motion, is whether Avenatti influenced his clients in ways to improve the odds of charges against Kelly. He said the accusations of one accuser — an Avenatti client — was investigated around 2002 and prosecutors decided not to prosecute.
“The case laid dormant till Mr. Avenatti joined in,” Greenberg said in his motion. “Then it miraculously was resurrected, although nothing had changed” over more than 15 years.
Greenberg said Avenatti’s interest in the Kelly case corresponds with his own legal and professional problems, including his falling out with Daniels.
“He drums up problems for others to deflect from his own,” Greenberg said.
The motion also says Foxx has demonstrated bias against Kelly, including by mentioning her own experience as a victim of abuse and by characterizing the allegations before Kelly was ever charged. He said that “creates the appearance of bias and an understandable willingness, desire and propensity to rush to judgment in prosecuting.”
The motion also mentions Foxx’s recusal in the Smollett case after she spoke to a member of Smollett’s family and before charges were filed and dropped.
“Plainly, this particular State’s Attorney is able to be influenced and wowed, as evidenced by the facts of her recusal and the subsequent series of events in the Jussie Smollett case,” it says.
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Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mtarm
Los Angeles police Chief Michel Moore has scheduled a briefing Tuesday morning in which he will discuss how detectives came to identify Eric Holder as the man suspected of killing Hussle Sunday afternoon and wounding two others. No additional details, other than that Holder is suspected of fleeing in a 2016 Chevy Cruze with the license plate 7RJD742, have been released.
Los Angeles police Chief Michel Moore has scheduled a briefing Tuesday morning in which he will discuss how detectives came to identify Eric Holder as the man suspected of killing Hussle Sunday afternoon and wounding two others. No additional details, other than that Holder is suspected of fleeing in a 2016 Chevy Cruze with the license plate 7RJD742, have been released.
Moore also plans to discuss a wider upsurge of violent crime in the city Tuesday morning. The press conference was scheduled before Holder was identified as a suspect. It will be held hours after a disturbance at a memorial for Hussle Monday night left at least 19 people injured, including two people taken to local hospitals in critical condition.
Dozens of police officers cleared the memorial site after a fight apparently broke out and a stampede ensued.
At least one of the critically-injured persons was struck by a car and the other one had a “penetrating injury,” although it’s unclear whether that person was stabbed or cut by broken glass, a fire department spokeswoman said. Two other injuries were serious and 15 were considered non-life threatening.
The incident occurred after hundreds of people gathered for a candlelight vigil outside Hussle’s The Marathon clothing store.
Hussle, who joined the gang Rollin 60′s Neighborhood Crips as a teenager, had planned to meet with Moore and the city’s police commission president on Monday to discuss preventing gang violence.
An autopsy completed Monday showed that Hussle, 33, died after being shot in the head and torso. The rapper, whose real name was Ermias Asghedom, had recently purchased the strip mall where the shop is located and planned to redevelop it into a mixed-use commercial and residential complex.
The plan was part of Hussle’s broader ambitions to remake the neighborhood where he grew up and attempt to break the cycle of gang life that lured him in when he was younger.
The Marathon store on Monday was a gathering point for those grieving Hussle, with mourners leaving candles, flowers, balloons and other items to pay their respects.
Some passersby blared Hussle’s music, which included hits “The Weather,” ″Double Up” and “Hussle & Motivate.”
Dontae Coleman, 28, who lives in the neighborhood, fell to his knees and cried and called Hussle “a legend.”
“Someone changed history yesterday,” he said, referring to the gunman.
Coleman commended the rapper for trying to uplift his own community first instead of simply going elsewhere.
“A lot of people who get rich don’t come back here,” he said. “He’s rare. A lot of people like him don’t come around often.”
Denise Francis Woods, a neighborhood resident who is running for City Council, remembered when Hussle used to sell his demo tapes on street corners in the neighborhood for $5.
“People would tease him,” she said. “They didn’t think that this would work out and look what happened. He persevered, he stayed in, he never gave up.” The effort took him to a whole other level “where he ended up owning property on the same corner.”
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AP Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. contributed to this report.
Prince George’s County Police Chief Hank Stawinski discusses law, order and public safety issues.
Hogan Asks For Investigation Into Healthy Holly Deal. Report: Damascus High Officials Waited To Tell Authorities Of Rape. : White House Overruled 25 Denials Of Security Clearances. Biden Releases Statement About Allegations Of Inappropriate Conduct.
(Baltimore, MD) — Governor Larry Hogan is asking the state prosecutor to investigate Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh’s sale of children’s books to the University of Maryland Medical Center while she was a board member. In a letter to the state prosecutor, Hogan called the allegations disturbing, saying he’s concerned about the UMMS sale “because it has significant continuing ties with the state and receives very substantial public funding.” Pugh reportedly sold 500-thousand dollars worth of her “Healthy Holly” children’s book series to UMMS. She has since resigned from the board. Today, Kaiser Permanante said it too bought more than 100-thousand dollars worth of the books from Pugh from 2015 through 2018. Comptroller Pete Franchot called for her resignation following that news today.
(Damascus, MD) — A new report claims Damascus High School officials waited more than 12 hours to tell authorities about allegations of rape involving several J-V football players. The Washington Post reports that school officials discussed the incident and launched their own investigation before reaching out to the Montgomery County Police Department. The Post reports none of the victims were sent to receive medical care after the locker room attack, and their parents weren’t notified at the time either. Four teens are being prosecuted as juveniles on charges of rape and attempted rape on October 31st 2018. The teens are accused of assaulting several teammates with a broomstick.
(Washington, DC) — Whistleblowers at the White House say the Trump administration has overruled 25 denials of security clearances. Veteran security specialist Tricia Newbold told the House Oversight Committee that the administration’s actions could jeopardize national security. The committee has been pushing for the White House to provide and explanation as to why Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, was provided high-level clearance after it was originally rejected.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is denying allegations of inappropriate conduct at a 2014 campaign event. Biden released a statement saying he does not believe he has ever acted inappropriately, but says he will still listen respectfully to any claims that he did. Biden says he doesn’t recall events unfolding the same way Nevada Democrat Lucy Flores describes them, but says it’s an important time for women when they “feel the can and should relate their experiences, and men should pay attention.” Biden says he will remain a strong advocate for women.
“Georgia values life,” Kemp said in a statement Friday. “The legislature’s bold action reaffirms our priorities and who we are as a state.”
The Georgia House gave final approval Friday to legislation outlawing abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, sending the bill to Kemp. If enacted, it’d be among the strictest abortion bans in the U.S.
Signing the toughest abortion law in the country was a campaign pledge of Kemp’s during his run for governor last year.
“Georgia values life,” Kemp said in a statement Friday. “The legislature’s bold action reaffirms our priorities and who we are as a state.”
The measure was approved by just one vote more than the majority needed to pass out of the House: 92 votes from the 180-member chamber.
Following the vote, a tense situation erupted when law enforcement confronted several Democratic lawmakers and protesters speaking against the bill in the halls of the Capitol, threatening to arrest people if a crowd didn’t disperse and stop chanting “shame”.
Georgia joins a string of other GOP-controlled states moving to enact strict abortion bans, with the ultimate goal of getting a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The push comes amid rising optimism among conservatives that the restrictions might prevail in the reconfigured high court that includes President Donald Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
Women in Georgia can currently seek an abortion during the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy. A heartbeat can be detected in an embryo as early as six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant.
The bill would make exceptions in the case of rape and incest — but only when the woman files a police report first — and to save the life of the mother. It also would allow for abortions when a fetus is determined not to be viable because of serious medical issues.
Republican Rep. Ed Setzler, the bill’s author, said it was a “commonsense” measure that seeks to balance “the difficult circumstances women find themselves in with the basic right to life of a child.”
Democratic Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick called the legislation a “death warrant” for women in Georgia, noting that the state already has one of the nation’s worst maternal mortality rates.
The ACLU of Georgia said it will challenge the law in court if it’s signed by Kemp.
“Under 50 years of Supreme Court precedent, this bill is blatantly unconstitutional,” Sean Young, legal director for the ACLU of Georgia, said in an interview Friday. “That is why every single federal court that has considered such bans has struck them down.”
The legislation faced a groundswell of opposition, including Democratic lawmakers and protesters saying on social media and in person that lawmakers who voted in favor of the bill would be targeted in 2020 elections.
A group of women at the Georgia Capitol protested the bill dressed as characters from “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which depicts a dystopian future where women are controlled by the government and forced to reproduce. The activists in red cloaks and white bonnets have been an almost daily presence since the House first passed the measure earlier this month.
Two influential groups, the Medical Association of Georgia and the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, sent letters to lawmakers opposing the legislation.
The legislation also was opposed by the Writers Guild of America, which represents TV and film writers, and several Hollywood celebrities, who signed an open letter to Kemp in opposition. The letter was spearheaded by actress Gabrielle Union and includes Alec Baldwin, Tracee Ellis Ross, Ben Stiller, Don Cheadle, Mia Farrow and others.
That’s significant because Georgia is a burgeoning production hub for TV and film, with 455 productions shot in Georgia in fiscal year 2018, representing $2.7 billion in direct spending in the state.
GOP lawmakers in Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina and Ohio are pursuing similar legislation, while Republican governors in Mississippi and Kentucky have recently signed heartbeat abortion bans.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed a heartbeat abortion ban on March 21, despite a federal judge’s ruling last year that struck down a less-restrictive law limiting abortions there. Kentucky’s law was temporarily blocked by a federal judge shortly after Republican Gov. Matt Bevin signed it March 14, in response to a challenge by the ACLU. A state judge found Iowa’s heartbeat abortion ban to be unconstitutional in January.
If signed and not blocked in court, the Georgia law would take effect Jan. 1, 2020.
Find out how you can help a child in need….
Today we talked about a really dedicated organization that is looking for mentors. Best Kids in a non-profit based in DC that offers one-on-one mentoring to kids in foster care ages 6 to 21. Krislyn Mossman Executive Director & Nia Brown Recruitment & Communications Specialist spoke about how this program is really changing lives and about their desperate need for male mentors. This organization is truly committed to young people and fostering relationships that help children make the right decision for the right outcomes for their lives and the community they live in.
If you missed today’s show click here
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”.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963.
In a statement, the FDA said it has been working with growers and state agencies to improve safety since the outbreaks, including testing of romaine. The agency said new regulations that include farm inspections and sanitary rules for workers also should help stem outbreaks.
How the industry tests water to grow leafy greens is “unacceptable” and needs to change, James Gorny, a senior adviser for produce safety at the Food and Drug Administration, wrote to agency leaders.
The message last November, obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request, came days before the agency warned people to avoid romaine ahead of Thanksgiving. Just months earlier in April, another E. coli outbreak linked to romaine had sickened more than 200 and killed five. That was later linked to an irrigation canal near a massive cattle lot in Arizona; the fall outbreak was linked to a water reservoir in California. In both cases, regulators never confirmed how the water became contaminated.
Though the FDA has publicly called on the leafy greens industry to step up safety, the emails offer a stark view of the agency’s longstanding frustrations with continued outbreaks. They also show how the agency leveraged the crisis to pressure for voluntary changes, even as it tries to figure out its own water testing rules.
In a statement, the FDA said it has been working with growers and state agencies to improve safety since the outbreaks, including testing of romaine. The agency said new regulations that include farm inspections and sanitary rules for workers also should help stem outbreaks.
Industry groups said they’re expanding existing safety practices for their members. Joining the industry agreements is voluntary, however, and a farm linked to the fall outbreak was not a member.
Food poisoning outbreaks tied to leafy greens have been an ongoing concern for health officials. The failure of industry measures to stop outbreaks shows the lack of a clear solution, and even regulators aren’t sure how to fix the problem, said Timothy Lytton, a food safety expert at Georgia State University.
This month, the FDA delayed a regulation requiring produce growers to test water for E. coli — which is how the leafy greens industry has been monitoring its water. The presence of E. coli doesn’t necessarily make people sick, but can signal potentially harmful strains. The agency said it needs more time to consider whether it’s the most practical option.
“That’s essentially just stepping back and asking industry to take responsibility for public safety,” said Sarah Sorscher of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Gorny’s emails came during the fall outbreak tied to California growing regions. In a message in late November, he noted additional, recent illnesses with a strain similar to the earlier spring outbreak.
The FDA said it never tied those additional illnesses to a food. But at the time, Gorny called it a “near miss” that shows the problem wasn’t fixed.
Sorscher said the lack of a solution is concerning, but lettuce is still a healthy food and the “odds are very good that you won’t get sick.”
Most people who get measles have not been vaccinated. In the U.S., most outbreaks are sparked by travelers who picked up the virus in countries where measles is more common. Nearly 83,000 people contracted measles in Europe in 2018, the highest number in a decade, according to the World Health Organization.
There have been 387 cases through March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday. There were 372 last year.
The numbers are preliminary, and may change. But the 2019 tally is already the most since 2014, when 667 were reported.
This year’s numbers have been driven by outbreaks in several states, including New York, California, Illinois, Texas, and Washington.
Most people who get measles have not been vaccinated. In the U.S., most outbreaks are sparked by travelers who picked up the virus in countries where measles is more common. Nearly 83,000 people contracted measles in Europe in 2018, the highest number in a decade, according to the World Health Organization.
The measles vaccine is 97% effective, according to the CDC.
Measles is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and it is extremely contagious.
For most people, measles is miserable but not life-threatening. The most common symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough, and a rash all over the body. However, a very small fraction of people get much sicker, and can suffer complications like pneumonia and swelling of the brain. Also, measles can cause pregnant women to deliver prematurely.
There have been three measles-related deaths reported in the U.S. since 2000, including two in 2003 and one in 2015.
“We are committed to running a business of excellence,” said Marshall, in an exclusive phone interview with Black Enterprise. “Clearly we have work to do, and I walk in knowing that there’s a lot that I don’t know. But I do know how to lead, and how to effect necessary change in an organization.”
Cynthia Marshall was named interim CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. Once the first African American cheerleader at UC Berkeley, the telecommunications veteran is now the NBA’s first woman CEO.
Marshall is a trailblazer for this accomplishment because she is now the first African American woman to have this position.With more than 30 years of telecommunication experience, Marshall is extremely aware of positions of operations, regulatory and external affairs, and network engineering.
“We are committed to running a business of excellence,” said Marshall, in an exclusive phone interview with Black Enterprise. “Clearly we have work to do, and I walk in knowing that there’s a lot that I don’t know. But I do know how to lead, and how to effect necessary change in an organization.”
Marshall took on many obstacles herself from growing up with a physically abusive father to being sexually harassed in the workplace. This exposed Marshall to bigger problems in her industry and wish to become a changemaker for future women in this line of work.
What motivated her to accept this offer to take over all non-basketball operations, is her personal commitment to being a part of the change in this area, which highlights the importance of progress for women.
Marshall told The Washington Informer “I wake up every morning to do the best I can do for people. I may not get it right every day. But I work hard to bring people together and be a light in this world and deal with the dark forces in the world. I feel uniquely equipped by God to bring positive things to this world. This is all I am trying to do”
“I know you need viewers to tune into your 3 episode commercial, which is why you doing the most” Leakes said on Instagram. “Bye ankles.”
RHOA star Porsha Williams is a new mom and has been offered her very own spinoff special titled, Porsha’s Having A Baby.
Williams took to social media to announce the surprise spin off. She quoted “Aye…You asked @BravoTv answered!! “Porsha’s Having A Baby” Special Premieres April 28 Sun 8/7c After #Rhoa 3 Part reunion! I love you #TeamPorsha to the moon and back”
There is already drama stirring with Williams and co-star, NeNe Leakes, who fat-shamed Williams after pregnancy, calling her a “lying a** big fat hungry b–h” and “big piggy with a busted shape”. Leakes was quickly shut down by people on social media, yet that didn’t stop her from replying to Williams’ spin-off announcement.
“I know you need viewers to tune into your 3 episode commercial, which is why you doing the most” Leakes said on Instagram. “Bye ankles.”
Porsha and her fiance, Dennis McKinley, welcomed their daughter, Pilar Jhena, March 22nd and already have big plans in celebrating her arrival. Porsha’s Having A Baby premieres April 28th on Bravo at 8:00 p.m after the third episode of the RHOA reunion.
If you have the time spare, think about becoming a mentor. Community Youth Advance is looking for YOU!
My guest today is looking for a few good men and women to become mentors to youth in Prince George’s County. Community Youth Advance says it’s program has been growing by leaps and bounds and they now have more youth than they have mentors to serve them.
Danielle Milner – Executive Director of Community Youth Advance
Community Youth Advance , including Mentoring to Manhood program is one of Prince George’s County’s largest mentorship & academic support organizations serving students of all learning levels in grades K – 12. More information here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:35 on the Steve Harvey Morning Showon 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
Rowland is charged with kidnapping and murder, Holbrook said. He was being held in the Richland County jail. It wasn’t known if he had a lawyer.
Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook also said investigators found the victim’s blood in Nathaniel David Rowland’s vehicle. Rowland, 24, was arrested and charged in the death of 21-year-old Samantha Josephson, a University of South Carolina student from Robbinsville, New Jersey.
Investigators would not say what they think Rowland did to Josephson from the time she got into his black Chevrolet Impala in Columbia’s Five Points entertainment district around 1:30 a.m. Friday until her body was dumped in woods off a dirt road in Clarendon County about 65 miles (105 kilometers) away.
Josephson had numerous wounds to her head, neck, face, upper body, leg and foot, according to arrest warrants released Sunday by the State Law Enforcement Division. The documents didn’t say what was used to attack her.
Josephson’s blood was found in the trunk and inside Rowland’s car along with her cellphone, bleach, window cleaner and cleaning wipes, Holbrook said.
“This was a bad scene,” the police chief said at a news conference late Saturday.
Hunters found Josephson’s body Friday afternoon just hours after it was dumped, despite being left in an area that was “very difficult to get to unless you knew how to get there,” Holbrook said.
Rowland has recently lived in the area, he said.
The night after Josephson was kidnapped, a Columbia police officer noticed a black Chevrolet Impala about two blocks from the Five Points bars where Josephson was kidnapped. The driver ran, but was arrested after a short chase, Holbrook said.
Rowland is charged with kidnapping and murder, Holbrook said. He was being held in the Richland County jail. It wasn’t known if he had a lawyer.
Rowland decided not to appear at a hearing in jail Sunday. The judge allowed Josephson’s mother to speak, The State newspaper reported.
Marci Josephson said her daughter was planning to go to law school after graduating in May and described her as “bubbly, loving, kind and full of life.”
“Unlike him, Samantha had love within her heart and purpose in her life,” Marci Josephson said.
Safety advocates urged college students to match the vehicle color and model, the license tag number, and the photo of their ride-share drivers before getting in a vehicle and make the driver say their names to them before they introduce themselves.
“She simply, mistakenly, got into the car thinking it was an Uber ride,” Holbrook said.
The crime shook Columbia, the state capital where the University of South Carolina is one of the main economic engines.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and his wife, Peggy, asked on a message on Twitter for prayers for Josephson’s family.
“Peggy and I are devastated and crushed over the Josephson family losing their beautiful daughter Samantha. She was one of the brightest young stars,” McMaster wrote.
In the News @ 10
WSSC issues boil water advisory…
Gayle King interviews Va Lt. Gov. Fairfax’s accusers…
Brach’s introduce Prince inspired candy for Easter…
WSSC issues boil water advisory…The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission has issued a boil water advisory for some residents in southern Prince George’s County.
Over the weekend a huge 36-inch water main ruptured and water was gushing out from busy 210 highway. The boil water advisory is a precautionary move. Officials are awaiting water test results.
23,000 residents in Fort Washington and the National Harbor are under the advisory until further notice. It recommended that you bring the water to a rolling boil for 3 minutes, let it cool and then use it. This applies for water for your pets as well.
Gayle King is grabbing national headlines this morning once again. This time she is sitting down with the two women who claim they were sexually assaulted or raped by Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax.
This morning on CBS’s This morning Dr. Vanessa Tyson the first woman to come forward to make the allegations spoke to King. Dr. Tyson a political scientist claims Fairfax forced her to perform a sex act on him in a hotel during the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
The second victim says Fairfax raped her when she was a student at Duke University. Both women are calling for an investigation and both say they are willing to testify under oath before lawmakers. They want Fairfax to resign. On Sunday, Fairfax over the weekend released that he had passed two separate polygraph tests regarding the allegations. He has always maintained that the sex was consensual.
The candy maker Brach’s is planning to sell candy inspired by the late pop icon Prince. The candy is called Purple Rain Tiny Jelly Birds. The flavors include berry, blue raspberry, blueberry, and grape. The Jelly Birds will be made available for purchase on April 21st which marks the 3rd anniversary of Princes’ death.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @taylorthomas963
“As the youngest in my family, I was determined to make it on my own,” she said. “I was determined to stand on my own two feet. But never in a million years did I expect to follow in their footsteps.”
Jackson issued her challenge just before leaving the stage of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” she said, “in 2020, induct more women.”
Neither Jackson or Nicks were around at the end of the evening when another Brit, Ian Hunter, led an all-star jam at the end to “All the Young Dudes.” The Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs was the only woman onstage.
During the five-hour ceremony, Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music thanked multiple bass players and album cover designers, the Cure’s Robert Smith proudly wore his mascara and red lipstick a month shy of his 60th birthday and two of Radiohead’s five members showed up for trophies.
During Def Leppard’s induction, Rick Allen was moved to tears by the audience’s standing ovation when singer Joe Elliott recalled the drummer’s perseverance following a 1985 accident that cost him an arm.
Jackson followed her brothers Michael and the Jackson 5 as inductees. She said she wanted to go to college and become a lawyer growing up, but her late father Joe had other ideas for her.
“As the youngest in my family, I was determined to make it on my own,” she said. “I was determined to stand on my own two feet. But never in a million years did I expect to follow in their footsteps.”
She encouraged Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, producers of her breakthrough “Control” album and most of her vast catalog, to stand in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for recognition, as well as booster Questlove. She thanked Dick Clark of “American Bandstand” and Don Cornelius of “Soul Train,” along with her choreographers including Paula Abdul.
There was some potential for awkward vibes Friday, since the event was being filmed to air on HBO on April 27. HBO angered the Jackson family this winter for showing the documentary “Leaving Neverland,” about two men who alleged Michael Jackson abused them when they were boys. Jackson never mentioned Michael specifically in her remarks but thanked her brothers, and he was shown on screen with the rest of the family.
Jackson was inducted by an enthusiastic Janelle Monae, whose black hat and black leather recalled some of her hero’s past stage looks. She said Jackson had been her phone’s screen-saver for years as a reminder to be focused and fearless in how she approached art.
Nicks was the night’s first induction. She is already a member of the hall as a member of Fleetwood Mac, but only the first woman to join 22 men — including all four Beatles members — to have been honored twice by the rock hall for the different stages of their career.
Nicks offered women a blueprint for success, telling them her trepidation in first recording a solo album while a member of Fleetwood Mac and encouraging others to match her feat.
“I know there is somebody out there who will be able to do it,” she said, promising to talk often of how she built her solo career. “What I am doing is opening up the door for other women.”
During her four-song set, she brought onstage a cape she bought in 1983 to prove to her “very frugal” late mother that it was still in good shape, and worth its $3,000 price tag. Don Henley joined her to sing “Leather and Lace,” while Harry Styles filled in for the late Tom Petty on “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.”
David Byrne inducted Radiohead, noting he was flattered the band named itself after one of his songs. He said their album “Kid A” was the one that really hooked him, and he was impressed Radiohead could be experimental in both their music and how they conduct business.
“They’re creative and smart in both areas, which was kind of a rare combination for artists, not just now but anytime,” he said.
With only drummer Philip Selway and guitarist Ed O’Brien on hand, Radiohead didn’t perform; there was a question of whether any of them would show up given the group’s past ambivalence about the hall. But both men spoke highly of the honor.
“This is such a beautifully surreal evening for us,” said O’Brien. “It’s a big (expletive) deal and it feels like it. … I wish the others could be here because they would be feeling it.”
The Cure’s Smith has been a constant in a band of shifting personnel, and he stood onstage for induction Friday with 11 past and current members. Despite their goth look, the Cure has a legacy of pop hits, and performed three of them at Barclays, “I Will Always Love You,” ″Just Like Heaven” and “Boys Don’t Cry.”
Visibly nervous, Smith called his induction a “very nice surprise” and shyly acknowledged the crowd’s cheers.
“It’s been a fantastic thing, it really has,” he said. “We love you, too.”
His inductee, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, recalled ridiculing the rock hall in past years because he couldn’t believe the Cure wasn’t in. When he got the call that the band was in, he said “I was never so happy eating my words as I was that day.”
Def Leppard sold tons of records, back when musicians used to do that, with a heavy metal sound sheened to pop perfection on songs like “Photograph” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” They performed them in a set that climaxed the annual ceremony.
Singer Joe Elliott stressed the band’s working-class roots, thanking his parents and recalling how his father gave them 150 pounds to make their first recording in 1978.
Besides Allen’s accident, the band survived the 1991 death of guitarist Steve Clark. Elliott said there always seemed to be a looming sense of tragedy around the corner for the band, but “we wouldn’t let it in.”
“If alcoholism, car crashes and cancer couldn’t kill us, the ’90s had no (expletive) chance,” said Elliott, referring to his band mates as the closest thing to brothers that an only child could have.
Roxy Music, led by the stylish Ferry, performed a five-song set that included hits “Love is the Drug,” ″More Than This” and “Avalon.” (Brian Eno didn’t show for the event).
Simon LeBon and John Taylor of Duran Duran inducted them, with Taylor saying that hearing Roxy Music in concert at age 14 showed him what he wanted to do with his life.
“Without Roxy Music, there really would be no Duran Duran,” he said.
The soft-spoken Ferry thanked everyone from a succession of bass players to album cover designers. “We’d like to thank everyone for this unexpected honor,” he said.
The Zombies, from rock ‘n’ roll’s original British invasion, were the veterans of the night. They made it despite being passed over in the past, but were gracious in their thanks of the rock hall. They performed hits “Time of the Season,” ″Tell Her No” and “She’s Not There.”
Zombies lead singer Rod Argent noted that the group had been eligible for the hall for 30 years but the honor had eluded them.
“To have finally passed the winning post this time — fantastic!”
Beyonce released a joint album last year with her husband, Jay-Z, called “Everything is Love.” The prolific singer also paid tribute to historically black colleges and universities, as well as the dance troupes and step teams during her groundbreaking two-hour Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival performance. She also performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is known as the national black anthem, at the festival and donated $100,000 to four black universities shortly after her performance.
After Beyonce accepted the award Saturday night, the superstar paid homage to the people who were nominated in the same category as her. She beat out Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, Regina King, Chadwick Boseman and director Ryan Coogler.
“Regina King, I love you so much. You taught us patience, persistence and how to be masterful in your craft,” she said. “Chadwick Boseman is teaching children to dream and to be seen as kings. LeBron James has taught us the strength of all forms, leading by example and providing education to our kids. Ryan Coogler tells our stories in a way that celebrates our history and proves we do have power.”
Beyonce added: “I’m honored to be included among all of you, and to be a part of a vital and thriving community. Thank you to the NAACP.”
Beyonce released a joint album last year with her husband, Jay-Z, called “Everything is Love.” The prolific singer also paid tribute to historically black colleges and universities, as well as the dance troupes and step teams during her groundbreaking two-hour Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival performance. She also performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is known as the national black anthem, at the festival and donated $100,000 to four black universities shortly after her performance.
The awards ceremony aired live on TV One at the Dolby Theatre, the same venue that hosts the Academy Awards.
Jay-Z received the President’s Award for the rapper’s public service achievements. He was recognized for his efforts through his Shawn Carter Foundation and serving as co-founder of the REFORM Alliance.
The rapper executive produced the documentaries “Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story” and “Time: The Kalief Browder Story,” along with an animated documentary short called “The War on Drugs is an Epic Fail.” That documentary highlighted the unfavorable treatment of black and Latino people when it comes to drug-related crimes.
Jay-Z quoted Abraham Lincoln after he accepted his award and dedicated his trophy to his 93-year-old grandmother Hattie White, saying: “She’s so full of life.” He also paid homage to the women in his life, including his wife, Beyonce, who smiled while her husband made his speech.
“It’s not the amount of years in your life. It’s the amount of life in your years,” he said. “That quote embodies my beautiful grandmother.”
“Black Panther” was awarded best motion picture. The Marvel blockbuster hit beat out “BlacKkKlansman,” ″Crazy Rich Asians,” ″If Beale Street Could Talk” and “The Hate U Give.”
The superhero film was a cultural phenomenon. It earned $700 million domestically during it theatrical run.
“Black Panther” won in several other categories, including best actor in a motion picture (Boseman), supporting actor in a motion picture (Michael B. Jordan) and directing in a motion picture (Coogler).
Jussie Smollett, who lost to “Grey’s Anatomy” star Jessie Williams in the supporting actor in a drama series category, did not attend the awards.
It has been a tumultuous week for the “Empire” star after a felony case against him was dropped in Chicago. The handling of the case, which accused Smollett of falsely reporting to police that he was assaulted by two men in downtown Chicago on Jan. 29, has drawn widespread condemnation.
Actor-comedian Chris Rock took verbal jabs at Smollett before he presented outstanding comedy series to ABC’s “black-ish.”
“They said no Jussie Smollett jokes,” Rock said. “Yeah, I know, but what a waste of light skin. Do you know what I could do with that light skin? That curly hair, my career would be out of here. I would be running Hollywood. What the hell was he thinking? You are known as ‘Jessie’ for now on. You don’t even get the ‘u’ anymore. That ‘u’ was for respect. You ain’t getting no respect from me.”
In response to Rock’s jokes, “black-ish” star Yara Shahidi made her stance in the Smollett controversy obvious.
“I stand with Jussie,” Shahidi said before she handed the microphone to Marcus Scribner and ducked into her crowd of castmates including Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross
Anderson returned as host of the show and won for best actor in a comedy series. He opened the awards speaking about “black excellence” in film, hoping his behavior wouldn’t get him removed as host and made several jokes including one about Kanye West not being invited to cookouts.
Anderson brought his mother onstage with him and dedicated his award to “the woman who raised me in Watts (California) and pushed me to become an actor.”
“Everything I do on screen is for you momma,” Anderson said of his mother, who clutched his award. He also shouted out U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, who sat in the first row.
Waters received the NAACP Chairman’s Award for public service. She spoke about young voters taking a stance at the polls, her thoughts on getting rid of the Electoral College and President Donald Trump’s presidency.
“I still think he needs to be impeached,” Waters said of Trump. “This president has defined himself as a liar.”
Donald Glover, who won four Grammys this year, won for his directing on “Atlanta.” On the music side, his alter-ego Childish Gambino’s song “This is America” won for best music video.
Police said Hussle was one of three men shot Sunday outside Marathon Clothing, his store in South Los Angeles; the other two were in stable condition. A large crowd gathered outside the store as night fell. Detectives were canvassing the area for witnesses and looking to see if any surveillance video captured the shooting, police Lt. Chris Ramirez said.
Police said Hussle was one of three men shot Sunday outside Marathon Clothing, his store in South Los Angeles; the other two were in stable condition. A large crowd gathered outside the store as night fell. Detectives were canvassing the area for witnesses and looking to see if any surveillance video captured the shooting, police Lt. Chris Ramirez said.
Mayor Eric Garcetti was among the many people expressing condolences.
“Our hearts are with the loved ones of Nipsey Hussle and everyone touched by this awful tragedy. L.A. is hurt deeply each time a young life is lost to senseless gun violence,” Garcetti tweeted. “My Crisis Response Team is assisting the families coping with shock and grief.”
Hussle, who had two children and was engaged to actress Lauren London, was an Eritrean-American whose real name was Ermias Asghedom.
“This doesn’t make any sense! My spirit is shaken by this!,” Rihanna wrote while posting photos of Hussle with his daughter and another with his fiance. “Dear God may His spirit Rest In Peace and May You grant divine comfort to all his loved ones! I’m so sorry this happened to you @nipseyhussle.”
Hussle was born on Aug. 15, 1985, in the Crenshaw neighborhood of south Los Angeles. He said his first passion was music but getting resources was tough after leaving his mother’s house at 14 to live with his grandmother. Hussle said he got involved in street life as he tried to support himself, and he joined the gang Rollin 60′s Neighborhood Crips as a teenager.
“The culture of my area is the gang culture,” he explained in a 2014 interview with VladTV. “So by being outside, being involved with hustling, being in the hood, doing things to try to get money, being young, you know riding your bike through the hood, getting shot at, your loved ones and homies that’s your age getting killed, getting shot at … it’s like, we were just raised like if you with me and something goes now, I’m in it, whether I’m from the (expletive) or not … So after a while it just be like you always in the middle of some (expletive), you might as well, you know what I mean … be part of it. Or don’t be a part of it and get the (expletive) out the way.”
Music eventually happened for Hussle. He released a number of successful 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. In 2010 he placed on hip-hop magazine XXL’s “Freshman Class of 2010” — a coveted list for up-and-coming hip-hop acts — alongside J. Cole Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, Jay Rock and others.
The proud West Coast rapper continued to build more hype for himself, scoring big when Jay-Z bought 100 copies of his 2013 mixtape “Crenshaw” for $100 each, and sent him a $10,000 check.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Hussle and rapper YG released the protest song “FDT,” short for ”(Expletive) Donald Trump.” He later hit a new peak with “Victory Lap,” his critically acclaimed major-label debut album on Atlantic Records that made several best-of lists last year, from Billboard magazine to Complex. The album debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s 200 albums charts and featured collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Diddy, CeeLo Green and more.
At this year’s Grammy Awards, “Victory Lap” was one of five nominees for best rap album in a year that hip-hop dominated the pop charts and streaming services and a number of top stars released projects, including Drake, Eminem and Kanye West. Cardi B’s “Invasion of Privacy” won the honor last month, while the other nominees were Travis Scott, Pusha T and Mac Miller.
“It’s my debut album so for my first one (to be nominated) out the gate, it’s like, it was overwhelming a little bit. It was … inspiring, humbling,” he said in an interview with the Recording Academy on the red carpet of the 2019 Grammys, which he attended with this daughter.
Many celebrities were mourning his death on social media. NBA star Steph Curry tweeted, “God please cover and restore @NipseyHussle right now!!!”
Snoop Dogg posted a video of himself and Hussle together on Instagram, and posted a second clip sending prayers to the rapper’s family.
“Prayers out to the whole family man. This (stuff has) got to stop man,” he said in the second video.
Rapper Nas mourned Hussle’s death on Instagram and wrote, “It’s dangerous to be an MC. Dangerous to be a b-ball player. It’s dangerous to have money. Dangerous To Be A Black Man.”
“So much hatred. We live like our brothers and sisters in third world countries live. Right in America,” Nas continued. “Its so deep rooted. It’s not a easy fix. Hard to fix anything when kids are still living in poverty. I ain’t shutting up though, Nipsey is a True voice. He will never be silenced.”
Outside of music, Hussle said he wanted to provide hope and motivation to those who grew up in Crenshaw like him, and pay it forward. Forbes magazine reported in February that with business partner Dave Gross, the rapper had purchased the Crenshaw plaza where his Marathon Clothing store is located, and had plans to knock it down and “rebuild it as a six-story residential building atop a commercial plaza where a revamped Marathon store will be the anchor tenant.”
“Watching Nipsey inspired me to invest and own in our communities,” Emmy-nominated actress Issa Rae, also from Los Angeles, wrote on Twitter.
___
Fekadu reported from New York.
https://youtu.be/bDH8l3AzcSw
Do you know what your Homeowners’ Association does? How can it work for you? How do you resolve disputes with your Association?
https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/921/Common-Ownership-Communities
