OJ Da Juiceman, Medical Emergency, Police Custody — (Photo: Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images)

by Mary Spiller

January 4, 2025

Olympic Sprinter Fred Kerley Arrested After Police Confrontation In Miami

Kerley has been charged with battery and resisting arrest following the altercation.

Fred Kerley, a 29-year-old Olympic sprinter, has been arrested and charged with battery following an altercation with Miami Beach Police. According to a local news report, Kerley was tased after allegedly approaching the scene of an active investigation on Jan. 2.

Following his arrest, Kerley was charged with battery on a police officer, corrections officer, or firefighter, resisting an officer without violence, and disorderly conduct.

Miami Beach Police reported that Kerley approached the scene of an active police investigation in Miami near the 100 block of Ninth Street.

The Team USA sprinter told officers he was concerned about his car parked near the investigation site. Authorities explained that Kerley was interfering with the investigation when he approached the crime scene.

Detectives on the scene described the sprinter as becoming increasingly aggressive and repeatedly refusing orders to get back.

Police used a stun gun on Kerley after he denied officers’ request for him to leave the scene.

As seen in the NBC–obtained body camera footage, the officer’s altercation with Kerley ensues after one pushes Kerley in the chest. Several officers on the scene then proceeded to force the sprinter to the ground — while one struck him multiple times.

Kerley’s girlfriend, Cleo Rahman, was reportedly also at the scene when the altercation broke out. She urged officers to stop during the altercation, and she was eventually arrested for resisting arrest as well.

She described, “And they tased him, hit him with the Taser. Look, as soon as he tries to get up. [An officer] pushed my hand out of the way, and when I tried to pull back, they arrested me.”

She continued, “I was literally recording because he’s an athlete, and I didn’t want anything to happen to him, and if something did happen to him, I wanted to make sure that I had the footage.”

After Kerley was tased, officers called for emergency backup.

The Olympic sprinter appeared before Judge Mindy S. Glazer of the Miami-Dade Circuit on Jan. 3.

During the initial hearing, Glazer seemed to express some disappointment at how the Miami Beach Police treated Kerley.
She said, “This could have been handled a different way, and I don’t know if the officers in Miami Beach are busy handling a lot of complicated crime scenes.”

Kerley has won Olympic medals in the men’s 100-meter race for the past two global events. He won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and a bronze at last year’s 2024 Paris Games.

Livingstone College, organ Donation, kidney — (Photo: Ncpappy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

by Mary Spiller

January 4, 2025

HBCU Livingstone College Receives $3M Donation

The gift came from an anonymous donor who has been supporting Livingstone throughout the last fiscal year.

Livingstone College has received a substantial anonymous donation from a long-time donor. The private Christian HBCU in Salisbury, North Carolina, will enter its spring semester with a $3 million boost.

As reported by HBCU Gameday, Livingstone President Dr. Anthony J. Davis announced in a faculty speech, “Over the vacation — over the paid time off — I received notification that Livingstone College will kick off this academic year with another anonymous gift from our anonymous donor to the tune of $3 million.”

He added, “We don’t receive philanthropy at this level because of a president who gets up and makes an eloquent speech. This happens because all of you have been committed to this miracle approach. It’s because of the work that you’re doing, and it’s making us [Livingstone] the fastest-growing HBCU in North Carolina.”

The donation money will be used for renovation projects on Livingstone’s campus, including several residence halls and cafeteria services.

The donation came from a source that has previously supported the HBCU. The college reportedly received $23 million from the donor over the fiscal year, mostly through a $10 million donation in July.

Davis credited the donations partly for Livingstone’s success in the past year. The university has a 13% growth rate and is one of only five private HBCUs in North Carolina.

Davis explained that the impressive growth puts Livingstone in the spotlight now.

He said, “Which means that the world is watching. The world wants to know. — ‘Wait a minute, Livingstone? They’re getting philanthropic contributions like Morehouse and Spelman. We are. It’s because of the work that you’re doing.”

He added, “When we talk about slow control growth, it’s about capacity. We could not function above 1,200 students right now, physically on campus. So right now we’re at 941. We’re almost close to capacity.”

CDC ,HIV Research Prevention, Black Women — Photo by Morsa Images/Getty Images

by Kandiss Edwards

January 4, 2025

CDC Awards $1.4M To HIV Research Prevention For Black Women

Cisgender Black women are disproportionately affected by HIV.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded a $1.4 million grant to a University of Albany professor, Melonie Walcott, to research HIV prevention for Black women, the university’s website announced.

Professor Walcott’s study will focus on cisgender women in New York State and will span four years. The project, titled “PrEP-WISE” (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for Women in Charge of Sexual Decision-Making and Engagements), will explore the use of the HIV prevention drug PrEP.

“Black women face unique vulnerabilities to HIV, including systemic inequities and socioeconomic challenges, yet they are often overlooked in HIV prevention efforts,” Walcott said. “This study seeks to address those gaps through culturally relevant and community-centered interventions.”

Walcott is assembling a diverse team of prevention experts, faith-based organizations, and community collaborators to help with the research.

The initial phase will involve interviews with 25 women and 10 healthcare providers to examine access to PrEP, barriers to its use, and potential solutions.

Walcott believes the inclusion of multiple demographics will foster more authentic community engagement.

“By involving a variety of stakeholders, our study aims to identify and understand the nuanced challenges that Black women face, including systemic barriers within healthcare systems,” Walcott said.

In addition to working with medical professionals, Walcott plans to conduct community outreach to share life-saving information.

“In addition to reaching out to medical providers, I’m also actively visiting community spaces such as salons, churches, and corner stores to share information about the project,” Walcott said.

Once the study’s first phase is completed, Walcott will begin peer-led intervention sessions. These sessions will address systemic inequalities and educate Black women about sustainable well-being practices.

Proposed topics for the upcoming sessions include:

Assessing HIV vulnerability: Helping participants evaluate their personal risk, considering environmental and social factors, as well as the risk level of their partner(s).
Gender norms and power dynamics: Building skills to communicate effectively with health providers and sexual partners about HIV prevention.
PrEP basics: Combating stigma, understanding the medication, and reducing barriers to its use.
Financial literacy: Providing tools to enhance financial stability and overall health security.

Walcott’s study is sorely needed as Black people make up “37% of new HIV infections, even though they make up 12% of the population,” according to the CDC.

Bali, Ohio, arrest, GoFundMe — (Photo: Bill Oxford/Getty Images)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 4, 2025

Former Nurse Charged With Child Abuse After 3 Premature Babies Sustain Fractures At Virginia Hospital

Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman has been charged with child abuse in the neonatal intensive care unit at a Virginia hospital.

A former nurse was arrested on Jan. 2 following an investigation into alleged child abuse taking place in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Virginia’s Henrico Doctors’ Hospital.

Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 26, was arrested and is facing charges of malicious wounding and felony child abuse in connection with a late 2024 incident that left three infants in the NICU with “unexplainable fractures,” according to officials. Strotman was arrested and charged with malicious wounding and felony child abuse, which the hospital confirmed occurred in late November or early December, NBC News reports.

Her arrest follows the hospital’s announcement, one week prior, that it was temporarily halting NICU admissions after three babies were discovered with unexplained fractures in late November and early December. Strotman was already placed on paid administrative leave in 2023 after the hospital conducted an internal investigation.

She was determined to be one of two staff persons “found to have had contact with all of the infants in the timeframe identified,” and unlike the other employee, Strotman was “new to the unit and had more direct care responsibilities with the NICU infants.”

According to a statement from HCA, which operates Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, the recent fractures reported in late 2024 resemble incidents involving four other babies at the hospital during the summer of 2023. One of those injured babies, Noah Hackey, suffered a fractured tibia while in the NICU at the hospital in September 2023.

A CPS report cited “level 1 for physical abuse of Noah by an employee by the Henrico Doctor’s Hospital NICU.” After the hospital re-opened Noah’s case and a few others, Strotman was identified as the suspect.

She was taken into custody Thursday and booked at Henrico Jail West early Friday morning. The hospital stated that, out of an abundance of caution, it is no longer accepting new babies into its NICU.

They have also implemented additional security measures, such as installing live-streaming technology and mandating safety training for all caregivers. Police also said they are “re-examining the 2023 and 2024 cases as part of this broader investigation.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — photo credit: wikkimedia

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 4, 2025

Michigan Governor Signs Law Preventing Landlords From Rejecting Renters Over Source Of Income

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has just signed three Senate bills on Monday, Dec. 30, stating the provisions that can't be used to discriminate based on the tenants' source of income.

A new law in Michigan prevents landlords from rejecting prospective tenants based on how they receive income, such as housing vouchers, veterans’ benefits, or Social Security.

According to M Live, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has just signed three Senate bills on Dec. 30, stating the provisions that can’t be used to discriminate based on the tenants’ source of income. Senate Bills 205, 206, and 207 state that landlords cannot deny someone a place to rent based on their source of income. That stipulates renters can’t be excluded because they receive Section 8 housing choice vouchers, public assistance, veterans’ benefits, Social Security, supplemental security income, or other retirement programs.

“I am committed to growing access to affordable housing so every Michigander can raise their family in a vibrant community,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a written statement. “That’s why I am proud to sign these commonsense bills that expand affordable housing options and protect Michiganders from housing discrimination.”

The law is in place for landlords who preside over five or more units.

Whitmer added that the latest law could help 34,290 families “afford a roof over their heads.”

Detroit Free Press reported the details of the senate bills signed by the Michigan governor.

Senate Bill 205 prohibits landlords from refusing to rent or lease a unit to someone based on how they earn the money they use to pay their rent. Senate Bill 206 specifies that people who are receiving public assistance like housing, veterans’ benefits, Social Security, and several other types of benefits or subsidies would be covered under this new law. Senate Bill 207 updates the state’s civil rights law to reflect the changes to the state’s rental regulations.

Tenants who feel landlords are denying them apartments based on their source of income, which falls under these laws, can file complaints with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

damon dash, bowling alley, bankruptcy, florida — (Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Damon Dash Studios)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 4, 2025

Dame Dash Says He Discovered Kevin Hart But Comedian Won’t Help Him In Return, ‘I Should Never Have to Ask for Nothing’

Damon Dash claims that he discovered Kevin Hart and apparently believes the comedian should repay him financially.

Damon Dash takes credit for discovering Kevin Hart and calls the comedian out for not paying it forward or reaching back.

The Roc-A-Fella co-founder recently sat down with Art of the Dialogue, where he didn’t hold back while expressing his gripes over his soured relationships in Hollywood. Among them is Kevin Hart, whose first acting role was in Dash’s film State Property 2.

“I discovered him. That was the first movie he was ever in,” Dash declared.

“So, you know, I was looking for comedians, and I went to the club…..I told him I had a movie I wanted him to be in, and I put him in the movie the next week. I directed them. That was like my first, that was like my directorial debut.”

He went on to cast Hart in another movie, Death of a Dynasty, which Dash says was the comedian’s second acting role, citing the early potential he saw in the rising star.

“I thought he was funny. I knew that he was safe, that white people were funny. He didn’t mind being teased,” Dash said of Hart.

When asked about the current status of his relationship with the superstar comedian, Dash mentioned that the two remain on speaking terms, but Hart “don’t help” whenever he asks for favors.

“I’ll be like, ‘yo, could you put,’ he won’t put, you know, he won’t help me promote anything I’m doing,” Dash said of Hart.

According to Dash, he shouldn’t have to ask for money from the successful individuals he helped bring into the public spotlight.

“You know what I mean? Like, to be honest to me, the amount of people that I actually put on, I should never be broke, ever in life,” Dash quipped. “I should never have to fund nothing. I should never have to struggle.”

Dash continued. “I should just look like, it should just be an anonymous bag with money all the time. The amount of people whose lives I’ve changed, if they were like on it, like, I shouldn’t even have to move, but it seems like the people that I help the most, they end up resent me the most. I don’t know why. Like, I should never have to ask for nothing.”

In March 2022, Dash was ordered to pay director Josh Webber and Muddy Water Pictures $805,000 after losing a copyright infringement lawsuit. Last year, the former hip-hop mogul sold off his shares of Roc-A-Fella Records to satisfy the lawsuit judgment.

Since his financial fall from grace, Dash has sat down for interviews where he vents his frustrations about many of his former peers. His latest remarks on Kevin Hart have been met with criticism on social media.

“Black people are the only race that expects a favor back; we’re also the only race that feels like you owe us if you make it big; we’re also the only race that would rather someone do badly than be more successful than you,” one person tweeted.

Black people are the only race that expects a favor back, we’re also the only race that feels like you owe us if you make it big, we’re also the only race that would rather someone do bad than be more successful than you.

It needs to end.
— Dom (@Underrated_Dom) January 2, 2025

“So you helped him, so you should be able to extort him for the rest of his life?” another user wrote. “But Dame, you told us all to boss up. Pocket-watching Kevin Hart and complaining about him not returning the favor is not what I would have expected.”

Vermont, safe cities, safest cities — photo credit: pexels

by Mitti Hicks

January 4, 2025

Report: Here Are The Top 10 Safest Cities In The U.S.

WalletHub conducted a study that compared more than 180 cities across 41 key safety indicators to determine where Americans feel most secure.

Many factors impact safety in the United States. Natural disasters, mass shootings, and domestic terrorism are some of the threats that impact safety. According to WalletHub, another threat Americans worry about is their financial safety, as inflation continues to affect many Americans’ daily lives.

Avoiding all danger is impossible, but certain places mitigate risks. WalletHub conducted a study comparing more than 180 cities across 41 key safety indicators to determine where Americans feel most secure. The data set included traffic fatalities, assaults, unemployment rate, and the percentage population of those uninsured.

Here are the top 10 safest cities in the U.S. for 2024

South Burlington, Vermont
Casper, Wyoming
Warwick, Rhode Island
Burlington, Vermont
Boise, Idaho
Yonkers, New York
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Columbia, Maryland
Portland, Maine
Virginia Beach, Virginia

What Experts Say About The Top 3 Safest Cities

South Burlington, Vermont

Road safety is a significant factor in South Burlington’s ranking at the top of the list. It has one of the lowest pedestrian fatality rates nationwide and has the 13^th-lowest percentage of uninsured motorists.

The city has the lowest unemployment rate in the country, at 1.9%. Over the past year, it has had the second-lowest share of seriously underwater mortgages and the third-lowest number of non-business bankruptcy filings per capita.

“This demonstrates that residents are doing well financially and are at a reduced risk of being unable to pay their bills, losing their property, or becoming homeless,” the report reads.

Casper, Wyoming

Like South Burlington, Casper is ranked as the second-safest city because of its low pedestrian fatality rate and the 32^nd-lowest aggravated assault rate. Casper has the 42^nd-lowest murder rate among the cities WalletHub analyzed.

Another win for living in Casper is it has a low risk of natural disasters or severe weather.

“The city has the sixth-lowest risk of hail, 20th-lowest risk of flooding, 24th-lowest risk of tornadoes, and 32nd-lowest risk of earthquakes,” the report reads.

Another benefit of living in Casper is residents are generally safe from fraud as it has the fewest identity theft complaints and the second-fewest fraud complaints per capita.

Warwick, Rhode Island

As the third safest city in the country, Warwick, Rhode Island, has the lowest number of murders and the second-lowest number of aggravated assaults per capita.

For natural disasters, Warwick ranks as the city with the seventh-lowest risk of hail, the 10th-lowest risk of wildfires, the 23rd-lowest risk of tornados, and the 29th-lowest risk of earthquakes.

“Warwick provides good conditions for financial safety,” the report reads. “It has the seventh-lowest percentage of residents without health insurance and the sixth-lowest percentage living in poverty.”

RELATED CONTENT: Top 10 Cities For African Americans

META, INSTAGRAM — Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Getty Images

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 3, 2025

Suspect Convicted After ‘Pop And Dip’ Instagram Post Led Police Right to Him

A man was convicted three years after posting his plans to "pop and dip" on a customer.

A murder suspect has been convicted three years after his “pop and dip” Instagram post led authorities to him.

Shamel Crowder, 24, was found guilty in Clayton County Superior Court on Dec. 30, following a trial that ended 10 days prior and exactly three years to the day he fatally shot Geoffrey Canty, 19, Law and Crime reports. Crowder was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 25 years. Two eyewitnesses to the crime were also arrested and prosecuted as co-defendants.

On Dec. 20, 2021, Crowder met Canty in the parking lot of Canty’s workplace to allegedly sell him a firearm for an agreed price of $300. However, after Canty handed over the money, Crowder shot him three times in the stomach with the very gun he had promised to sell. Crowder then took both the money and the weapon, leaving Canty to die in the parking lot.

Crowder was arrested in Henry County in January 2022, and his co-defendant, Christopher Joel Dejeinett, was apprehended in Savannah.

Just minutes before meeting Canty, Crowder posted to Instagram that he planned to “pop and dip,” alluding to his intention to “pop” Canty and “dip” by fleeing the scene of the crime. The post was used as part of the state’s evidence against Crowder.

He was charged with multiple felonies and found guilty of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of firearm possession during the commission of a felony. The DA stated that the only eyewitnesses to the murder were the suspects charged in the case. Seven individuals testified in support of the State.

“The Clayton County District Attorney’s Office remains steadfast in its commitment to securing justice for our citizens,” Clayton County DA Tasha Mosley said. “We hope this conviction brings peace to the family of Mr. Canty.”

by Kandiss Edwards

January 3, 2025

Stormzy Banned From Driving Due to Illegal Tint And Cell Phone Usage

The British rapper cannot operate a vehicle for the next nine months.

British rapper Stormzy, whose real name is Michael Ebenazer Owuo Jr., has been banned from driving for nine months after using his cellphone while behind the wheel, the BBC reported.

The offense occurred in March 2023 and was addressed by Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court. District Judge Andrew Sweet criticized the rapper’s actions, calling them “dangerous and irresponsible.”

Stormzy initially denied the charges but later changed his plea, accepting responsibility for the incident. His defense lawyer, Peter Csemiczky, represented him in court.

In addition to the driving ban, Judge Sweet fined Stormzy £2,010 ($2,500) and added six points to his driving record. The 34-year-old rapper already had six points on his license due to a previous speeding violation.

BREAKING: Stormzy has been banned from driving for nine months.https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3 pic.twitter.com/5ds6fHvUih
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 2, 2025

A London police officer observed Stormzy driving his Rolls-Royce in the city while using his cellphone. They also cited him for having illegal window tint. An off-duty officer who spotted the violations approached the artist and advised him to “get rid of your tints and get off your phone.”

The illegal tint on Stormzy’s vehicle only allowed 4% light visibility, well below the 70% required by London law. After pleading guilty to the tint violation, Stormzy received six points, which, combined with the cellphone offense, resulted in the driving ban.

Stormzy may need to hire a driver for the foreseeable future, a minor detail for the hugely popular British artist.

Stormzy began his career in 2015 as a grime artist and quickly rose to international fame, breaking barriers at British award shows and headlining the UK’s largest festival, Glastonbury. His album Gang Signs & Prayer became the first grime album to reach No. 1 on the UK charts and later won British Album of the Year at the 2018 BRIT Awards.