by Sharelle B. McNair

July 10, 2024

Millions Of Americans Have Not Received SNAP Benefits And Here’s Why

The program has been labeled as “a powerful anti-poverty program” that has helped people of all demographics.

A continuous error from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, is causing one in ten households to go without the correct amount of benefits per month.

New data released from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service revealed the program, which provides payments from the government to assist low-income individuals and families in purchasing food, has an error rate in paying enrollees in each state, with recipients either receiving too much or too little of their monthly benefits since 2023.

The overall SNAP payment error rate across the U.S. sat at 11.68%, with an overpayment rate of over 10% and an underpayment rate of 1.64%. The data proves the program participants are more likely to receive more benefits than they’re entitled to over less than. The administrator for the Food and Nutrition Service, Cindy Long, said the numbers are something the department won’t tolerate. “SNAP is a cornerstone of our nation’s safety net, and accurate benefits are crucial for families in need and for public trust,” Long said.

“We cannot tolerate high error rates in a program that impacts millions of lives. States must take immediate action to improve the accuracy of SNAP payments—or they will face financial penalties.”

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities labeled the program as “a powerful anti-poverty program” that has helped people of all demographics but in particular, African Americans. The program has helped 1.2 million African American families of all sizes stay out of deep poverty. Numbers from 2016 show, on average, a Black family of three sits on the poverty line with a monthly income of $940.

With the SNAP benefit of $390, income increases by 29% to $1,330.

Constant error rates diminish these numbers as they indicate the accuracy of how each state is determining eligibility and benefit amounts. According to Newsweek, states and districts in the Northeast had the highest rates of underpayments. Washington, D.C. had the highest rate with 4.58% and Maryland came in second place with 3.91%. Delaware was next up at 3.57% and Maine at 3.41%.

For overpayments, Alaska had the highest rate, coming in at a whopping 59.59%, and New Jersey was the runner-up at 33.43%.

To streamline their process, the department has requested additional funds to be added to the president’s FY25 Budget to improve the program’s payment accuracy and program integrity. The improvements would include funding for quality control, new computer systems, and a new Office of Training and Development.

The states with poor error rates will be required to submit a plan of corrective action, with the goal of addressing the cause of the errors.

by Daniel Johnson

July 10, 2024

Trump Reportedly Using Fyre Festival Scammer To Connect Him To Rappers

The meetings and public appearances with rappers and other Black celebrities have been a big part of Trump's attempts to appeal to Black voters throughout his political career, sometimes using pardons like those he granted to Lil Wayne and Kodak Black ahead of the 2020 election.

The presumptive Republican Party nominee, former President Donald Trump, is reportedly using Fyre Festival organizer Billy McFarland to connect to rappers to woo Black voters on behalf of the Trump campaign. Although the campaign denies that McFarland has any official role on the campaign team, they did admit that he is a source they tap to connect with celebrities, rappers, or musical artists.

According to Rolling Stone, McFarland, known for his Fyre Festival flop, was a key player in connecting Trump to Brooklyn rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow when they appeared at a Trump rally in The Bronx in May. McFarland’s inclusion seems to be part of a larger strategy employed by the Trump campaign to recruit rappers into their fold, with the eventual goal of getting them to endorse Trump 2024 and campaign for him publicly. So far, none of the rappers and producers on their prospective list have agreed to do either.

According to sources close to the Trump campaign, Trump gets excited when he talks about rappers who have endorsed him, like Lil Wayne. Trump also reportedly desires to be close to rappers and to have more campaign appearances alongside them, even those who won’t necessarily endorse him publicly. The sources also indicate that Trump has repeatedly said that he regrets that he won’t get an endorsement from Snoop Dogg, who he speculated won’t endorse him out of a fear of losing endorsement deals.

The meetings and or public appearances with rappers and Black celebrities have been a big part of Trump’s attempts to appeal to Black voters throughout his political career, sometimes using pardons like those he granted to Lil Wayne and Kodak Black ahead of the 2020 election.

Democratic National Committee spokesperson Alex Floyd criticized the involvement of McFarland, telling TMZ, “There is nothing more on brand for a convicted felon like Donald Trump than recruiting another convicted felon to join his campaign just in time for the Republican National Convention, which is shaping up to be just as much of a dumpster fire as Fyre Fest.”

Trump’s hyperfocus on attracting Black voters via his associations with Black celebrities and rappers as he ignores the inherent racism in essentially saying Black people like him because he’s a criminal coupled with policy positions like advocating for the return of “stop and frisk” is a large part of why despite Joe Biden’s struggles with that voting bloc, Trump lags behind him in Black support.

This, however, did not stop Tav C., the manager of Philadelphia rapper QT7 Quanny, from setting up a meeting with Trump, even though his client was initially suspicious. “[Caporale] (Trump 2024 Deputy Campaign Manager for Operations Justin Caporale) said, ‘Look, we’re coming to Philly tomorrow. We’d love to have you guys riding the motorcade,’” Tav C. recalls. “We want to bring you on the jet to hang out with [Trump]. Then he’s going to get some cheesesteaks. We want you guys to ride with him.”

Tav C. told Rolling Stone that he believes his client was selected because he has the ears of the street, and after talking to Trump for an extended period of time, He believes Trump cares about increasing public safety in Philly. “I feel like right now people do feel safe, but I also feel like [other] people don’t feel safe, especially in places like Philadelphia [and] New York City,” Tav C. said. “I don’t know if that’s something that the migrants have brought or it’s something that happened post-pandemic, but it’s just something that I feel like we need to do better at. I feel like we were able to express that to the ex-president and [were] able to bend his ear on that.”

Tav C. also positioned the meeting with Trump as more about opening up dialogue than making a political alliance, telling Rolling Stone, “[The Trump meeting] was literally getting in front of him and having that conversation and letting him know what Philly is about,” he says. “There are certain things about the city and about the kids that people forget in the bigger picture. And if President Biden wants to sit down, we’ll be open to that. It’s more about just having the conversations and opening up these dialogues than anything else.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 9, 2024

Hit-Boy Credits Jay-Z For Solving His ‘Publishing Situation’

The producer stated that the billionaire helped him get out of a bad publishing deal that he had been in for almost 20 years

On a recent episode of The Shop, music producer Hit-Boy discussed how Jay-Z helping him get out of a publishing deal he was in for almost 20 years, calling the rapper’s involvement “life-changing.”

Hit-Boy, 37, was in a publishing deal with Universal Music Group at age 19. Like many artists before him, the little money offered was a lot for a poor person with ambition.

“I’m actually still in my publishing situation,” he confessed. “…The way it was set up was just ancient terminology in the contracts.”

But the deal is about to end, thanks to Jay-Z and Roc Nation executive Desiree Perez.

“I just now, y’know, thanks to Desiree and Jay-Z and people like that, that really got me to a place I’m in now, where I have an end date, but before, my whole career I was working without having an actual end date to—the way we really get our money is through publishing, y’know what I mean?’

Hit-Boy, meanwhile, looks forward to having more freedom with his business dealings.

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A post shared by HIT-BOY AKA Tony Fontana (@hitboy)

“That’s going to be, like, life-changing for me, y’know what I mean?” he said. “Just to even have freedom as a grown man, like, I haven’t been able to go do other deals or go get advances in different places like my counterparts have. I eat very well, but I know what it’s really supposed to be.”

Despite the onerous deal, Hit-Boy’s career has positively thrived. The producer extraordinaire has worked with everyone from Nas to Drake to Beyoncé and was nominated for Producer of the Year Grammy in 2024. And he’s rapping on his own. It’ll be interesting to see what he does after he’s officially freed from that contract.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 9, 2024

Connecticut School Denies Racist Bullying Despite Victim’s Family Fleeing State

The alleged harassment came after Black History Month.

A family is speaking out about their son’s racist experience at his Connecticut school. Despite the family fleeing the state as a result, the school has denied that racist bullying occurred.

The 14-year-old allegedly had racist messages, photos, and sexually explicit content hurled at him by 10 other students at Nathan Hale-Ray Middle School. Upon learning of this information, school and state officials launched an investigation, the Atlanta Black Star reported.

Their findings revealed hundreds of offensive messages, including from a Snapchat group titled “Ku Klux Klan.” Within the group, slurs marked multiple pictures of the teenager, with constant references to him as the n-word.

In one instance, a student allegedly added the boy to the racist group chat to tell him he belonged in a “monkey exhibit.”

“Hey n—. U should be in the monkey exhibit. U mom should too,” stated one of the students.

Another wrote, “I didn’t see you there n—. Want to go clean my lawn for me? Oh wait, I’m going to whip you first.”

According to the middle schooler, the harassment came after Black History Month, when students began learning about slavery. It went on for months until his father found the messages during an random check of the boy’s phone.

His parents went straight to the school administrators to report the racist bullying. However, a week after launching the investigation on May 31, the superintendent trivialized the issue.

According to the child’s father, the educator viewed the behavior as “kids just playing.” The school also belongs to a district where 88% of students are white, according to statewide data.

“When she told me that, I immediately stood up and I told her directly, verbatim, ‘If you don’t see a problem, then you’re the problem,’ and I walked out,” the boy’s father said.

The parents received no new updates from the initial school investigation, including whether any of the involved students faced consequences. With no disciplinary action or police report, the father felt the Connecticut school and law enforcement had failed his child.

“I expect it, to be blatantly honest,” he said. “The system is not designed for Black people. I can’t say I’m shocked. It’s more disappointment and hurt that in 2024, people would still think that it’s OK.”

The young boy will now complete eighth grade online. He will also undergo racial trauma therapy.

The local NAACP chapter and Black Lives Matter leaders have deemed the racist bullying a hate crime. As for the Connecticut State Police, a case remains ongoing with hate crimes units also involved.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 9, 2024

Giannis Antetokounmpo Gets Emotional After Helping Greece Get Back To Olympics

The "Greek Freak" will play in his first Olympics later this month.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has won an NBA championship and now has an opportunity to win a medal for his country, Greece, as he just helped them make it back to the Olympics for the first time since 2008.

According to Fox News, the victory was emotional for the “Greek Freak,” who was seen crying as his son held a sign saying, “Paris 2024 Bound.”

What it means for Giannis 🥹#FIBAOQT pic.twitter.com/rpacKTH6PA

— FIBA (@FIBA) July 7, 2024

Several countries competed for a chance to represent their countries in the upcoming Paris Olympics, which starts on Friday, July 26. After defeating Croatia 80-69, Greece will compete against other qualified nations in Paris.

This will be the first Olympics for Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo scored 23 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and had three assists in the matchup.

I have never cheat the game.. See you in Paris 🙏🏾#Atoutaler 🧿 pic.twitter.com/F0GT9su0kg

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) July 7, 2024

The other countries that emerged victorious to advance to the Olympics include Brazil, which bested Latvia; Spain, which won a victory against the Bahamas; and Puerto Rico, which defeated Lithuania.

Those teams are now in the pool of 12 countries fighting for the chance to bring a gold medal back home. The other eight teams are the heavily favored United States, Germany, Serbia, Canada, South Sudan, Japan, Australia, and the host country’s rep, Paris.

The men’s basketball tournament starts on July 28.

The United States will be represented by the following NBA players, Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Kawhi Leonard (L.A. Clippers), and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).

Team USA Basketball has an impressive winning streak, with the men’s team winning four straight gold medals at the Olympic Games.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 9, 2024

Essence Festival Provides $300M Economic Boom For New Orleans

The festival brings hundreds of thousands of people to the city each year.

The Essence Festival of Culture (EFOC) provides an immersive Black experience and economic boom for New Orleans.

According to Axios, the city estimates that the Essence Festival has an economic impact of over $300 million. Since its inception, New Orleans has hosted the event, welcoming hundreds of thousands of people to the area.

For its 30th year, the festival brought over 250,000 people to New Orleans for its multiple activities, performances, and discussions. Moreover, EFOC has poured back into the Louisiana city with clean-up initiatives and awareness toward its nonprofits that are bettering the community.

From a tribute to Cash Money Records during the July 5 concert to its local Black artists highlighted within its venue, New Orleans’ pride beamed throughout the festival. On EFOC’s place in New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell exclaimed proudly that Essence Festival will always have a home there.

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A post shared by Mayor LaToya Cantrell (@mayorcantrell)

“Celebrating 30 years with ‘A Love Letter’ to our city,” explained Cantrell in a post commemorating the event. “With an average of 176,000 attendees per day, this festival brings huge economic benefits and supports Black women’s empowerment.”

At the sponsor welcome reception, Cantrell also spoke of the “gratitude” she felt toward her Essence family for its ongoing commitment.

“But this is really an opportunity of embracing that spirit of gratitude and understanding the city of New Orleans was meant to host,” the HBCU alum expressed in the posted clip. “And this has been a love, a ladder, and a partnership that has grown and has been woven over 30 years.”

New Orleans remains a vibrant city filled with its own historical significance. Being the home of Essence Fest is also a gift that continues to give back.

Essence Fest hopes to keep the party going for decades to come, all taking place in The Big Easy.

by Stacy Jackson

July 9, 2024

Woman’s Tense Encounter, Caught on Police Bodycam, Sparks Investigation In Delaware

'All policies, training, and practices with regard to de-escalation and cultural competency' will be reviewed.

A woman’s contentious traffic stop, captured on police bodycam footage, has sparked an investigation into the New Castle (DE) County police’s use of force.

The June 29 incident began when an officer observed multiple traffic violations and a suspended registration. In the July 4 bodycam video, the officer approached the woman’s vehicle, instructing her to exit.

The situation quickly intensified as the woman questioned the reason for the stop and attempted to contact her attorney. Despite the officer’s repeated requests, the woman refused to leave her car.

“When my backup officer gets here,” the officer is heard saying. “I’m gonna pull you out and put you in handcuffs.” The bodycam footage then shows officers forcibly removing the woman from her vehicle. During the altercation, an officer can be heard threatening, “I’m gonna punch you in your face.”

During the traffic stop, the woman’s knee and elbow were visibly scraped. Multiple police bodycam angles captured the chaotic scene, including the woman’s resistance and the officers’ force to restrain her. At one point, an officer accused the woman of grabbing his foot as another shouted profanity and demanded the woman release it.

One female officer stated she tried to keep the woman on her side so she could breathe.

In a news release, police said “an officer with the New Castle County Division of Police was traveling in the area of Walther Road and Pulaski Highway when he observed a car commit several traffic violations. The officer was also able to confirm that the car’s registration was suspended without insurance and observed an old bullet hole in the driver’s side door that had police evidence markings on it.”

New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer addressed the controversy in a July 1 statement. He said the incident will be investigated by New Castle County Police’s Professional Standards and Use of Force units. In addition, the Police Accountability Board will review “all policies, training, and practices with regard to de-escalation and cultural competency.”

Questions remain about the specific charges faced by the woman at the traffic stop.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 9, 2024

Man Suspected Of Killing NYC Woman Attacked By Angry Mob

55-year-old Chad Irish was charged with concealment of a human corpse, criminal possession of a weapon, and menacing charges

A crowd of people attacked a man who was arrested in connection to the killing a NYC woman whose body was discovered in a sleeping bag. According to The New York Post, police have charged Chad Irish, who was a person of interest in the murder of Yazmeen Williams. Williams’s body was discovered inside a sleeping bag in Kips Bay, with a gunshot wound to the head, after being left with the garbage on the street.

The 55-year-old suspect was charged with concealment of a human corpse, criminal possession of a weapon, and menacing charges. When police went to bring him in for questioning, local residents attacked him, as police officers took him away on a stretcher as they were placing Irish into an ambulance on July 8.

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A post shared by The Neighborhood Talk (@theneighborhoodtalk)

The victim’s mother, Nicole Williams previously told the media outlet that she believed that Yazmeen’s killer was a friend of hers who uses a wheelchair.

CBS News reported that police sources said that surveillance cameras revealed a man was seen on a motorized wheelchair pulling the bag containing Williams’ body.

Nicole stated that her daughter was supposed to start a new job this past Monday.

“She was looking so forward to living, living her life,” Nicole said. “She got her degree in criminal justice. She went to Buffalo State University, and she wanted to go back to be a lawyer.”

Yazmeen’s younger sister added, “She used to always take good care of me, and she used to always be proud of me. She was the best sister I could have, and I love her so much. I just wish she could’ve stayed a little longer because I just wanted to grow up with her.”

More charges are expected to be filed against Irish. It’s alleged that he has been arrested more than 20 times and went to prison twice for robbery and assault in the Bronx. He was purportedly out on parole, being released from prison two years ago.

by Sharelle B. McNair

July 9, 2024

IRS Warns Of New Scam Prompting Tax Payers To Purchase Clean Energy Tax Credits

Another day, another scam.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is alerting taxpayers of a new scam prompting them to purchase clean energy tax credits.

The target: taxpayers who have filed a Form 1040, which is typically used to determine how much is owed by the individual or if they are due a tax refund. In a statement, the agency identified the scammers as “unscrupulous tax return preparers” who are misleading individuals on the rules surrounding clean energy credits.

“This is another example where scammers are trying to use the complexity of the tax law to entice people into claiming credits they’re not entitled to,” Commissioner Danny Werfel said. “Taxpayers should be wary of promoters pushing dubious credits like this and others. The IRS is watching out for this scam, and we urge people to use a reputable tax professional before claiming complex credits like clean energy.”

Individuals who claim such credits improperly run the risk of potentially being responsible for repaying the inflated credit with added interest and possible penalties. The IRS said the tax credits are only available for purchase to offset income tax from what they call “passive activity” with things like rental property or some limited partnerships.

According to the agency, the average taxpayer does not fall into that category of passive income tax liability. If taxpayers are offered these credits, they are advised to contact a tax professional.

Some cons that may be recognizable by taxpayers are phishing and smishing scams, a practice that pushes unsolicited emails or text messages of scammers posing as the IRS with the goal of grabbing personal information. Social media scams and people placing intimidating phone calls are also popular amongst scammers.

The clean energy credit scam is just the latest in a lengthy list of similar scams that involved the Fuel Tax Credit, the Sick and Family Leave Credit, and household employment taxes. In May 2024, Forbes released a list of this year’s 12 most common tax scams.

Other scam trends include improper use of trust, where individuals advise taxpayers to transfer assets into trusts, including charitable remainder annuity trusts, and claim the move will limit taxable income or increase deductions.

Abusive Tax Shelters scams typically attempt to take a deep dive into “tax strategies” that falsely promise tax benefits. Another is baseless tax arguments that urge taxpayers to provide pointless claims in order to avoid taxes.

The agency urges taxpayers to protect themselves by confirming information with the IRS on its website.

William McNeil, viral video, Recording The Police

by Daniel Johnson

July 9, 2024

Miami Gardens Family Searches For Answers After Police Kill Man In Backyard

Daniel Lewis’s family continues their search for answers after the 27-year-old Lewis was shot and killed during a shootout involving ATF agents and the Miami Gardens Police Department on June 31.

Daniel Lewis’s family continues their search for answers after the 27-year-old Lewis was shot and killed during a shootout involving ATF agents and the Miami Gardens Police Department on June 31. It is currently unclear whether Lewis actually fired a shot or even presented a threat to officers; no shell casings matching his gun were found at the scene.

According to NBC Miami, during a press conference on July 2, Lewis’ mother wanted to know why her son was killed. “I watched my son take his last breath, and that’s the hardest thing a mother could ever do, from the first to the last,” Angela Lewis said. “Nobody will understand what was taken from us, and all we want to know is why, why, why did it have to happen?”

Chris Lomax, one of the attorneys representing the family in a lawsuit to be filed against the Miami Gardens Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, a federal agency, said, “The answer to her question, ‘Why did this have to happen?’ is it did not have to happen, it absolutely did not have to happen, Mr. Lewis should still be here today.”

Another attorney for the family, Ariel Lett, told the outlet that the police did not identify themselves in any way. “Not once did anyone yell police, stop, police, freeze. Instead, what they did was they gunned down a law-abiding citizen in his backyard, on his back doorstep, without a warning.”

According to NBC Miami, Lewis was a father of two with no criminal record and had a permit to carry a firearm. He was at home on June 31 when his cousins were tailed by an unmarked car, which they allegedly believed were gang members. When Lewis stepped outside to investigate what was happening, he was shot.

Christopher Robinson, the special agent in charge of the ATF’s office in Miami, issued a statement to NBC Miami, declaring that some people shot at both his agents and members of the Miami Gardens Police Department, and fire was returned, resulting in the death of Lewis. “Unfortunately, some individuals discharged firearms at some Miami Gardens detectives as well as some of my agents, gunfire was returned, one individual struck, and he’s unfortunately deceased.”

Lewis also told the Miami Herald, “My son went outside to see what was going on, and they shot him five times. They didn’t say anything to me. They didn’t tell me why,” Angela Lewis said. “No one tried to administer CPR. No one tried to help him. They just stood over him.”

Although Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt told the Herald that it was currently too soon in their investigation to determine exactly who fired weapons, she indicated to the outlet that no officers had been injured. She also issued a warning at the scene of the shooting. “If folks are brazen enough to fire at our officers…they will be dealt with accordingly.”