NYC apartment, New York, NYCHA housing — (Pexels)

by Jameelah Mullen

December 6, 2024

Thousands Of New York Public Housing Units Left Vacant Despite Housing Crisis In NYC

Rapidly rising rent prices make it more difficult for New Yorkers to find affordable housing.

A New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) employee evicted a single mother from a two-bedroom apartment in Ingersoll Public Housing Development in Brooklyn. The woman admits that she had been squatting in the vacant unit with her 10-year-old daughter for four months.

Mocha says she is justified in her actions. The single mother says New York City has a housing shortage, and the housing authority should use its vacant apartments to house people experiencing homelessness.

“I truly feel like NYCHA should open up these apartments for people like me, people who are just literally in need of housing,” she told PIX11 News, New York.

Mocha says she and her daughter are now living in a homeless shelter as she petitions for NYCHA to allow her to retrieve their belongings from the apartment.

NYCHA reported that as of June 2024, they had more than 5,000 vacant units throughout the city.

Representatives from the NYCHA told PIX11 News that they must perform repairs and ensure the units are up to code before releasing them to the next tenants. They also added that units that are illegally occupied can threaten the safety of neighboring residences.

New York District 38 Council member Alexa Aviles says that the agency needs to concentrate on making these repairs.

“We need all 5,600 units to come online. So whatever we need to do as a city, it should be a priority if we are really trying to address affordability and the housing crisis –- we have units there,” she said in the interview with PIX11 News.

NYCHA once provided emergency housing vouchers to unhoused families; however, the agency stopped accepting applications in September 2022.

The NYCHA says it completed more than 3,700 move-ins this year compared with 2,642 last year. The agency reported that its housing application process can take two months to a year.

According to Statsiica, there were approximately 88,000 people experiencing homelessness in New York City last year—the highest in the nation.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 5, 2024

Anthem Insurance Halts Plan To Put Time Limits On Coverage For Anesthesia During Surgery

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is changing its tune amid backlash over its policy change on anesthesia coverage.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is pumping the brakes on a policy change that would have placed a time limit on anesthesia coverage for members in three states.

The insurance provider faced strong backlash on Dec. 4 after news spread about a recent policy change that would limit reimbursements for anesthesia during surgeries and medical procedures, NBC News reported. As a result of the vitriol the insurer faced, the company released a statement on Thursday about the “misinformation” surrounding the policy.

“There has been significant widespread misinformation about an update to our anesthesia policy. As a result, we have decided to not proceed with this policy change,” an Anthem spokesperson said.

“To be clear, it never was and never will be the policy of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services. The proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines.”

The new policy, which was quietly introduced last month for members in Connecticut, New York, and Missouri starting in February, would reimburse doctors based on time limits set by the insurer.

Amid discussions surrounding America’s troubled healthcare industry, sparked by the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City on Wednesday morning, Anthem’s policy change on anesthesia gained heightened attention. The news sparked widespread outrage, with many criticizing the insurer on social media and the American Society of Anesthesiologists issuing a statement condemning the decision.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Connecticut’s comptroller, Sean Scanlon, shared their plans to contact Anthem to put an end to the policy change in their state.

“Last night, I shared my outrage at a plan from Anthem to strip away coverage from New Yorkers who had to go under anesthesia for surgery,” Hochul said in a statement Thursday. “We pushed Anthem to reverse course, and today, they will be announcing a full reversal of this misguided policy. “

On Dec.5, Scanlon confirmed that anesthesiology would be covered by Anthem in the state of Connecticut.

“After hearing from people across the state about this concerning policy, my office reached out to Anthem, and I’m pleased to share this policy will no longer be going into effect here in Connecticut,” Scanlon wrote.

Typically, there is no fixed time limit for anesthesia during a surgery or procedure. The duration of anesthesia is determined by the length of the procedure, as decided by the doctor performing it, not the anesthesiologist. However, under Anthem’s proposed policy change, the insurer would control the reimbursement amount for anesthesia services provided to patients.

Dr. Umar On Black Men Dating White Women: ‘He’s Telling The White World ‘I’m Safe’ — photo: (Be Positive Media, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons),

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 5, 2024

Dr. Umar On Black Men Dating White Women: ‘He’s Telling The White World ‘I’m Safe’

Dr. Umar has sparked a debate with his latest remarks on interracial dating.

Dr. Umar Johnson didn’t bite his tongue when visiting a college campus this week and speaking out against Black men who date white women.

The popular Pan-Africanist, who condemns interracial marriage, received gasps from the crowd when he gave his explanation on why he believes a Black man chooses to date a white woman. According to the Black American activist, Black men date white men as a form of surrender to white America.

“I walk down the street with a white woman, he’s telling the white world ‘I’m safe, I’m trustworthy, I’m acceptable,'” Dr. Umar said in a clip captured by Fear Buck.

“The white woman for the Black man is a white surrender flag he holds up to the white power structure to say, ‘I am buck-broken and I’m here for being taken.”

The clip ends with Dr. Umar preparing to explain why he thinks a Black man can’t “genuinely love a white woman.”

https://twitter.com/FearedBuck/status/1864187994082566279

As with many of Dr. Umar’s opinions on interracial relationships, his latest comments sparked strong reactions from viewers—some speculated that he “was hurt by a white woman in high school and never got over it,” while others supported his perspective.

“I’m not gon lie, son, not even lying though😂😂, it seems like alotta white and Black relationships be more like gestures than actual love,” one person wrote.

“Black women yesterday, today, tomorrow, and the day after!! Black women forever,” one viewer shared on Instagram.

Many questioned how Dr. Umar was able to get booked to speak on the college campus, knowing his unique form of Black advocacy.

“That’s a wild lecture to have on a college campus,” one person asked.

Some criticized him for seemingly focusing his critiques of interracial dating primarily on Black men who date white women while rarely addressing Black women who date white men. Dr. Umar frequently goes viral on social media for his bold opinions, and his latest remarks are no exception.

Broward County, jail, gay inmate killed, Cierre Wood, Gwinnett county jail,, Riker's,, doulla, pregnant, inmates, Councilwoman, Rosenthal — (Photo: Giles Clarke/Getty Images)

by Kandiss Edwards

December 5, 2024

Inmates In Georgia Prison Lose Hot Water Privileges After Multiple Scalding Incidents

Gwinnett County Jail is no longer supplying hot water machines to inmates.

Inmates at the Gwinnett County Jail in Lawrenceville, GA, have lost their hot water machines after using the device to attack others with water up to 220 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in serious injuries.

In a statement, jail commander Col. Benjamin Hayes said the machine was removed after family and friends of inmates complained. There have been at least four instances where inmates were assaulted with scalding hot water and two more incidents involving staff members. The jail tried to lower the temperature of the water, but the move proved futile.

“We understand that these changes may cause inconvenience, but they are necessary to uphold the safety, security, and cleanliness of the facility. We were the only facility in the greater metro Atlanta area who provided detainees with hot water like this to make their coffee and other items purchased through commissary,” Hayes said. “These hot water units are an amenity we had provided for years, but, unfortunately, we had to take these drastic steps to prioritize safety and security.”

On the plus side, WSB2-TV reports, inmates still have hot water for personal hygiene matters.

The county was also in the news this fall after Gwinnett County Master Jailer Theresa Bell was arrested for simple battery on Sept. 27. It is unclear who Bell assaulted, but the act was done while she was on the job, according to the statement released by Gwinnett County Sheriff’s office.

Bell, “a five-year employee was found to have violated several Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office policies,” according to the office.

Sheriff Keybo Taylor reinforced the county’s commitment to making sure the county facility remained safe. She also expressed the commitment of the county to employ people who upheld standards and maintained respect for all within the facility.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 5, 2024

Jewell Loyd Requests Trade From WNBA’s Seattle Storm

Loyd demands the action after complaining of bullying from the coaching staff and team announces no verification of complaints.

Seattle Storm All-Star guard Jewell Loyd has asked to be traded from the WNBA team.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the two-time WNBA champion and 2015 Rookie of the Year no longer wants to play for the team. She previously complained to the team that there was harassment and bullying from the coaching staff, which launched an investigation into her accusations. It was reported in November that the Storm hired a law firm to investigate the claim. The team recently announced that no violations were discovered in the investigation, which may have led to Loyd’s request.

The Storm provided ESPN with a statement regarding the results of the report.

“The Storm recently received internal allegations of potential workplace policy violations. The organization retained an outside investigator to conduct an impartial investigation into the allegations. The investigation has been completed, and there were no findings of policy violations or any discrimination, harassment, or bullying.”

Loyd has spent her whole career with the Storm and helped the team win multiple WNBA titles in 2018 and 2020. She is a six-time All-Star and has been selected three times as an all-WNBA player. The Storm drafted her as the top pick in the 2015 draft. Last year, she led the WNBA in scoring and won two gold medals in the Olympics, playing with USA Basketball. She re-signed with the team for a supermax two-year extension in September 2023.

Earlier this year, the team signed coveted free agents Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike. After Diggins-Smith signed, shortly after the Storm got Ogwumike to place her signature on a contract after playing for the Los Angeles Sparks, Diggins-Smith made it clear that she wanted to play alongside Loyd.

“I’m laser-focused for the upcoming season. Stepping onto the court alongside Jewell, benefiting from the leadership of Noelle Quinn, and feeling the energy of the Seattle Storm fans is a combination that I am confident will lead to success.”

Memphis police, federal judge, civil rights investigation — (Photo: zodebala/Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 5, 2024

DOJ Determines Memphis Cops Have History Of Excessive Force, Violating Rights Of Black People

The Memphis Police Department is called to task by the Department of Justice.

A Department of Justice investigation into the Memphis Police Department (MPD) and the City of Memphis, has revealed that both entities have a pattern of violating the rights of city’s Black residents. Specifically, actions police officers have taken against Black people in the city violate the U.S. Constitution and federal law.

The report states that the MPD uses excessive force, and conducts unlawful stops, searches, and arrests. In addition, the police department unlawfully discriminates against Black people when enforcing the law as well as unlawfully discriminating when tending to people with behavioral health disabilities.

“The people of Memphis deserve a police department and city that protects their civil and constitutional rights, garners trust, and keeps them safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a written statement. “…Our investigation also identified troubling policing practices that impact some of Memphis’ most vulnerable residents—its children. We acknowledge Memphis’ cooperation during our investigation and look forward to instituting reforms that will address the harms we identified.”

Memphis is where several police officers beat Tyre Nichols after he was pulled over for reckless driving on Jan. 7, 2023. Video caught five police officers, all members of a crime suppression team called the Scorpion Unit, pummeling Nichols. He died three days later at a local hospital. The five officers were fired for violating police department policies and the unit was disbanded.

In October, three of the former Memphis police officers were convicted of federal witness tampering charges, NBC News reported.

The Justice Department stated that this investigation is separate from its criminal cases against the former MPD police officers for federal crimes related to Nichols’ death.

The department opened this investigation on July 27, 2023. Attorneys and staff in the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee conducted it.

amazon — (Photo: Lindsey Nicholson/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 5, 2024

Lawsuit Accuses Amazon Of Slight Delivery Service To Predominantly Black D.C. Neighborhoods

If safety was a concern, something else could have been done.

Online retail conglomerate Amazon was hit with a lawsuit for allegedly slowing down Prime delivery service in two predominantly Black neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., while customers still paid for the service, Associated Press reports.

The suit, filed by D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb, accuses the company of delaying delivery to two low-income ZIP codes, 20019 and 20020, also known as Ward seven and eight, forcing customers to rely on third-party delivery services, including UPS and USPS in 2022. By embedding a delivery “exclusion,” customers in the ZIP codes were still paying $139 a year or $14.99 per month for Prime delivery, which included one-day, two-day, and same-day shipments.

Schwalb’s office claimed the company failed to alert Prime members within the regions about the change and experienced slower deliveries without an explanation. The suit also alleges Amazon did not tell new customers about the exclusions when they signed up for Prime memberships. “Amazon is charging tens of thousands of hard-working Ward 7 and 8 residents for an expedited delivery service it promises but does not provide,” Schwalb said in a statement.

“While Amazon has every right to make operational changes, it cannot covertly decide that a dollar in one ZIP code is worth less than a dollar in another.”

One resident, Sehree Mickel, said some packages didn’t come for close to a week after ordering. Mickel says she has lived in southeast D.C. for over four years and has been an Amazon Prime member for several years. She noticed the limited number of Amazon trucks seen in her new neighborhood since she lived in Virginia prior. “It’s not one to two days. It’s more five to six, seven days sometimes. And I’m like…are we still doing Prime?” Mickel said, according to Fox 5 DC.

“I noticed there were no Prime trucks in our neighborhood, not even on our street or even in the block when you’re leaving to go out, you don’t see any trucks in the area.”

She decided to test the theory of the lack of deliveries correlating with the ZIP codes. “So, I reached out. I said, ‘I’m going to send it to my old address in Alexandria.’ They got it in the same day within hours, dog bags. They got it within the same hour,” she remembered.

“So, I said…‘Hmm…I’m going to send it to my friend in Upper Marlboro; they got it later that night or early the next morning. Same product, several days? That doesn’t make sense.”

Amazon seemingly defended its stance, claiming the change was made due to driver safety concerns, stating there have been targeted acts of violence. “There have been specific and targeted acts against drivers delivering Amazon packages” in the two ZIP codes, and the company made the change to “put the safety of delivery drivers first. “We made the deliberate choice to adjust our operations, including delivery routes and times, for the sole reason of protecting the safety of drivers,” spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement.

“The claims made by the attorney general, that our business practices are somehow discriminatory or deceptive, are categorically false.”

Since 2020, the suit says more than $4.5 million has been spent by Prime members, with 50,000 members being affected in the targeted region. Several residents rely on such services, especially for food deliveries, since the area is a noted food desert. Prior to Amazon’s decision to implement its delivery “exclusion,” over 72% of Prime packages in the listed ZIP codes were delivered within two days.

However, it dropped to 24% in 2023.

nurses aide, elderly abuse — (Photo by Heiko119/Getty Images)

by Kandiss Edwards

December 5, 2024

8-Year-Old Shooting Victim’s Grandmother Offers Forgiveness To His Killer

'Yes, you took a life, but there's still hope for you because you're alive.'

On Nov. 26, while riding along Swan Avenue near Kingfisher Avenue in Baton Rouge, LA, 8-year-old Diellon Daniels was killed during a drive-by shooting. Now, the boy’s grandmother, Erica Rayford, is offering forgiveness while appealing to the shooter to surrender to authorities, WAFB/Gray News reports.

“Yes, you committed the crime,” Rayford said. “Yes, you took a life, but there’s still hope because you’re still alive. We cannot see Dill again. They can see their family. Just own up to what you’ve done. Change your life. You never know what may happen.”

Unfortunately, the death of Diellon is not the only charge facing the shooter. At the time of the incident Courtlyn Daniels, Diellon’s mom who was pregnant at the time, was in her vehicle with five of her children. Three were injured in the shooting.

Courtlyn Daniels has since given birth to her eighth child.

Baton Rouge Police Chief TJ Morse said the Daniels family was caught in the middle of what appeared to be a targeted shooting. According to Morse, the car was struck 20 to 30 times as evidenced by the shell casings found on the scene.

The family is faced with uncertainty and financial turmoil. Courtlyn is raising funds to bury Diellon as she tries to make sense of the tragedy.

“I unexpectedly lost one of my dear eight, one of my baby boys, due to senseless gun violence. I have endured a pain no mother should have to bear, and that is losing a child, especially to gun violence,” she wrote in a GoFundMe post.

If you would like to donate to Diellon’s funeral expenses click here. As of the afternoon of December 5, the campaign has raised more than $35,000; the goal was $15,000.

Brian Thompson, UNITED HEALTHCARE, UnitedHealthcare, CEO, CEO — Slain health insurance CEO Brian Thompson (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

by Mitti Hicks

December 5, 2024

Social Media Users Lack Sympathy For United Healthcare CEO Who Was Fatally Shot

UnitedHealthcare is the country’s largest private health insurer by market share.

Social media users have responded with a lack of sympathy following the news that UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed.

Some social media users say his death is not surprising. UnitedHealthcare is the country’s largest private health insurer by market share. Recently, it has been the subject of lawsuits and criticism from regulators and lawmakers for allegedly denying claims to maximize profits.

“Deny. Defend. Depose. Those were the words written on the shell casings that killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson,” user beingjanine_ said on Threads. “And that, kiddos, is what we call Poetic Justice.”

View on Threads

“Interesting read about why most Americans weren’t too upset about the dispatching of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. Apparently, when you are callous enough and get rich from the misfortune and misery of others, people that you’ve violated the human contract,” Threads User Dawn The Amazing stated.

Other social media users discussed their experience working with the healthcare giant. Threads user Bhavinmistry_bm said he only lasted about six months in his early 20s.

“The call that broke me was a woman calling in about a bill she received. She had lost her six-year-old to a brain tumor,” he said. “They were planning the funeral and they got notice that they were being sued by a doctor because UH hadn’t paid a nearly 1.4 million dollar claim. I couldn’t really help her. Our call center was for checking if something was in-network or covered. But I could see the claim.”

Not everyone agrees with the lack of sympathy for the husband and dad of two.

“Anyone who thinks the death of the UnitedHealthcare CEO is funny seriously needs therapy,” Threads user shellbaby2013 said. “This man has a family just like we do.”

“People applauding the death of the assassination of the UnitedHealthcare CEO?!,” said Threads user steph1official_. “That’s horrible! He was still a person. People are evil smh.”

Thompson was shot and killed outside a midtown Manhattan hotel Wednesday morning, sending shockwaves across the nation. Police say a masked gunman shot 50-year-old Thompson multiple times before leaving the scene. All of this happened in a busy section of Manhattan outside of the Hilton Midtown Hotel. Thompson was attending a conference for UnitedHealthcare investors.

While police are calling it a “premeditated, pre-planned, and targeted attack,” social media has responded to the news, with many expressing little to no sympathy.

The shooter’s identity and motive are currently unknown. According to the latest report from CBS News, investigators have found bullets marked with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” written on them.

Threats Leading Up To His Murder

Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he received threats, which could have involved issues related to “lack of coverage.”

“Yes, there had been some threats,” Thompson stated. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”

According to his wife, the CEO did not alter his travel plans despite the threats. Colleagues traveling with Thompson also said he wasn’t traveling with a security detail.

THE DNA OF CHANGE: DR. WELDON’S VISION FOR DIVERSITY IN GENETIC RESEARCH

by Black Enterprise

December 5, 2024

THE DNA OF CHANGE: DR. WELDON’S VISION FOR DIVERSITY IN GENETIC RESEARCH

Dr. Carika Weldon is seeking to be at the forefront of advancing genetic research, with a mission to bridge gaps in representation and health equity for underrepresented communities, particularly in the Caribbean. In this Q&A, she reflects on her journey as a trailblazer in medical research, shares insights into groundbreaking projects like the Caribbean Breast Cancer Whole Genome Pilot Study, and discusses her vision for the future of genomic science in the region. Discover how Dr. Weldon combines cutting-edge science with community advocacy to drive meaningful change in global health.