Elizabeth Warren, Kroger's, Digital Price Tags, Surge Pricing, grocery stores, grocery prices
Photo by Gustavo Fring: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-shopping-in-a-grocery-store-4971967/
by Jameelah Mullen

November 14, 2024

Grocery Prices Continue To Rise, With Some States Affected More Than Others

Despite dips in inflation costs, grocery prices continue to rise.

Since 2020, grocery prices in the United States have increased by 20%, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. American households spent approximately $270.21 a week on groceries in 2023, according to the most recent data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Hawaii and Alaska ranked amongst the highest, with average weekly costs of $334 and $329, respectively. Both states receive significant food from the mainland, so shipping costs increase prices. 

Californians pay an average of $298 per week for groceries — the third highest in the nation. The overall cost of living in the Sunshine State is 38.5% higher than the national average, making it one of the most expensive states to live in, according to Debtwave. 

On average, residents of Mississippi pay $291 weekly for food, the fifth highest in the United States, Visual Capitalist reports. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mississippi has a poverty rate of 18%, making it the second most impoverished state in the nation. Similarly, New Mexico ranks as one of the poorest states in the country, while food costs rank amongst the highest.

Midwestern states such as Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin have some of the lowest food costs in the nation, where the average weekly grocery bill ranks from $231 to $235. These states are amongst the top producers of agriculture in the country, which contributes to lower food prices. 

In August of 2024, the Federal Trade Commission Chair, Lina Khan, announced that the agency plans to investigate grocery prices, which have consistently increased since the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

“We want to make sure that major businesses are not exploiting their power to inflate prices for American families at the grocery store,” Khan said in a press release. Additionally, this upsurge in grocery prices may have an even more significant impact on Black Americans. While the United States has an overall poverty rate of 11%, the poverty for African Americans is nearly 18%, according to data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. In a study conducted by the National Institute of Health, researchers found that African Americans are more likely to face food insecurity, compared to the national average.

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Haiti, Springfield, CBC, CARICOM, coup
(Photo: Free domain/picryl)
by Sharelle B. McNair

November 14, 2024

Plans To Build School In Haiti Stalled Following Flight Ban 

'We cannot explain the feeling, what's going on right now.'

Plans for a school built in Haiti by nonprofit Angels for Humanity have been paused due to a travel ban there after a Spirit Airlines was shot on Nov. 11, NBC News reports. 

Angels for Humanity donates supplies and basic needs to children in the country, which is riddled with political turmoil and gang violence.

Founder and CEO Judith Joseph says the organization’s hands “are tied” as the travel ban denies her and team entry into the country for the school’s groundbreaking, scheduled for December 2025 in Cap-Haitien, or delivery of pallets of medical supplies.

“We cannot explain the feeling, what’s going on right now,” Joseph said. “For me, it’s very emotional.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned flights for at least 30 days to and from Haiti after the aircraft was the target of violence while flying into Port-au-Prince. The shooting prompted the flight to return to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

JetBlue and American Airlines aircraft were also shot at that day. No passengers or crew were injured. Haiti’s new prime minister was also sworn in on Nov. 11, adding to the country’s political tumult.

Joseph called the growing violence “devastating” and “heartbreaking” as she calls the Caribbean nation home and experienced the issues firsthand. Haiti, she added, is “run by gangs now.”

Other nonprofits are experiencing similar setbacks. Agape Flights, based in Venice, California, was scheduled to send life-saving medical supplies, clothes, food, and other resources to over 300 missionary groups across Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.

“I have no idea how they’re going to get some of those things,” Director of Flight Operations Greg Haman said, according to FOX 13 News. “I don’t know that they know how they’re going to get some of those things. We have applied for an exemption, and hopefully that’ll come down before too long.”

Flights for the group were halted in early 2024 when Haitian authorities shut down all airports because of the growing unrest. Haiti’s main international airport, Toussaint-Louverture, reopened in May 2024. 

The White House called the flight shootings “concerning,” while Haiti’s U.S. Embassy recommended that those with affected flights to contact their airlines.

RELATED CONTENT: Springfield Community Flocks To Support Haitian Restaurants In Light Of Trump Rumors

Bronny James, Lakers, G League
(Photo: Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 14, 2024

Bronny James Accused Of Receiving Star Treatment After Reports Surface He’ll Just Play Home Games With G League Team

The Los Angeles Lakers announced that he will only play home games for the South Bay Lakers.

After lackluster play, Bronny James, the son of future NBA legend LeBron James, was assigned to the G League to help develop his game. But the move comes with a controversial wrinkle: reportedly, the rookie will only play home games for the South Bay Lakers, an unprecedented move that some argue will stifle his development.

According to The New York Post, ESPN writer Brian Windhorst explained the situation on The Hoop Collective. 

“I’m gonna apply the brakes on my ‘everything is fine on the Bronny front’ with this thing that is now happening, which is that from my understanding, he’s only gonna play in the South Bay Lakers home games, that he’s only gonna kind of be a part-time G League player, and he’s not getting on United Airlines and going to fly and go see these other teams, play in these road games,” Windhorst said.

Basketball analysts, fans, and even former basketball players have been giving their opinions about Bronny’s star treatment since his underwhelming college career—he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game at USC before declaring for the NBA Draft—and uninspired Summer League play. The Lakers chose Bronny in the second round of the draft. 

“Honestly, I know he was getting somewhat special treatment and nepotism, that’s fine,” Windhorst added. “I don’t care. It’s normal. Now, I think it’s actually detrimental to him. I don’t like that. I don’t know whose idea it was. The Lakers are fine with it; they’re doing it.

“On this particular instance, I think that’s gone too far, and I don’t think that benefits Bronny, I don’t think it benefits the South Bay Lakers, and I don’t think it benefits LeBron at that point.”

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MAKE THE HOURS COUNT.....
NYC mayor Eric Adams, trial, Trump,
(Photo: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
by Sharelle B. McNair

November 14, 2024

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Signs Safe Hotels Act Into Law Despite Industry Protests 

The law's critics have not been silent.

New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams is receiving backlash from the hospitality industry after signing the controversial Safe Hotels Act into law, Asian Hospitality reports. 

The legislation requires hotels across the city’s five boroughs to obtain operating licenses. Also known as “Intro. 0991,” the law opens up room for stricter standards on safety, staffing, cleaning, and licensing in order to guarantee protections for workers and guests.

“Our top priority from day one has been to keep people safe, and that includes protecting workers and tourists at our city’s hotels,” Adams said. “That’s why we are expanding protections for the working-class New Yorkers who run our hotels and the guests who use them. The Safe Hotels Act ensures our hotels are safe, healthy, and clean, enabling our tourism industry to thrive and create jobs. This is a win for working people, the tourism and hotel industry, and all New Yorkers.”

Sponsored by City Council Member Julie Menin, the legislation was revised twice before passing and faced criticism from industry groups, including the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and the American Hotel and Lodging Association. AAHOA chairman Miraj Patel says the law dims a light on the issues really concerning hoteliers.

“While we acknowledge the passage of the Safe Hotels Act and its attempt to accommodate smaller properties, this revision still falls short of addressing our broader concerns,” Patel said. “Hoteliers of all sizes deserve flexibility in managing operations. The act’s unintended consequences will disproportionately affect minority-owned businesses, stifling entrepreneurship and innovation in hospitality.”

With close to 800 hotels in the boroughs, all will now be required to be licensed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), according to AM NY. As crime in the city has increased, hotels will have to employ hotel staff for front desk and housekeeping over contracted workers, as well as have panic buttons for workers when dangerous situations arise.

Under the DCWP, 45,000 businesses in NYC have licenses except hotels. Menin, a former DCWP commissioner, said it is one of the few industries without regulations.

“There are so many incidences of hotel workers, who largely tend to be female, with real issues of sexual assault,” Menin said. “It also protects guests because at the end of the day, we don’t want guests coming to our great city and having an experience in one of these bad actor hotels…the reason this is important is because it’s a public safety issue. There have been 39 murders in recent years at hotels.” 

Thirty-four of 51 council members signed the act, but industry say the new laws will lead to the elimination of jobs and an increase of room rates resulting in a lack of tourists visiting the Big Apple.

“Hotels are already safe,” president and CEO of the Hotel Association of NYC, Vijay Dandapani, said. “NYC has the best, cleanest, and safest hotels in the nation, if not in the world. This is the center of innovation. We are the center of ideas. So to say our hotels aren’t safe is a travesty.” 

The New York Police Department has filed more than 14,000 criminal complaints from hotels and motels over the past five years.

Black Creative Technologists To Present Film, Art Concepts At Torrents BPMplus Showcases
(Photo: Darkshade Photos/Pexels)
by Stacy Jackson

November 14, 2024

Black Creative Technologists To Present Film, Art Concepts At Torrents BPMplus Showcases

Black Public Media's BPMplus fellows will share their creative process and unveil finished works during its Art & Tech Showcases at Torrents.

Black Public Media’s immersive BPMplus program will hold two showcases for creative technology productions at “Torrents: New Links to Black Futures” on Saturday, Nov. 16.

Based in Harlem, New York, Black Public Media is a national media arts nonprofit that supports the development and distribution of Black film, television, and immersive projects by Black creators who use technology to produce content relating to the global Black experience.

Starting at 12 p.m. Saturday, filmmakers and artists will converge at Songbyrd Music House to discuss the art of creating artificial intelligence, augmented reality, projection, and video projects. Moderated by BPM Emerging Media Director Lisa Osborne, the 2024 presenting artists will connect with attendees as they share their workflow and creative processes, reveal intentions behind their projects, dive into concept art, and unveil clips of finished works.

Launched in 2018, BPMplus offers producers and technologists access to grants, fellowships, workshops, showcases,and networking opportunities as they create projects using augmented reality, motion capture, artificial intelligence, and other technologies.

“As AI and other new technologies become more embedded in our daily lives, it is important that access to these tools is available for everyone during their liminal or pre-commercial phases,” Osbourne said in a press release.

Creators also have access to artists-in-residence programs and the national PitchBLACK Immersive Forum.

CulturalDC has welcomed BPMplus back for its annual showcase at Torrents as the interdisciplinary series celebrates the innovative future of visual arts, technology, music, film and performance.

“For decades, tech training, grants and other opportunities have been funneled into the hands of a few, essentially imprinting biases that exist in old or traditional media onto new storytelling tools long before they gain mass adoption,” Osbourne said. “Our BPMplus programs strive to counter that larger tendency in the tech, film, arts and philanthropic worlds by giving our immersive filmmakers and artists a seat at the table to ensure a future where all communities are represented.”

Sponsored by Shutterstock and Rolling Out, the BPMplus Art & Tech Showcases will feature Baff Akoto, Collateral Echoes (2025); Ethel-Ruth Tawe, Image Frequency Modulation (2025), 2024 PitchBLACK Immersive Forum winner; LaJuné McMillian, The Portal’s Keeper (2024), 2023 PitchBLACK Immersive Forum winner; MaryAnn Talavera, The ORIXA Project: Planet Aris (2024); Georgiana Wright, Synthetic Ferality (2024); and Andrea Walls, Variance: Ritual for a Home (2024), 2024 PitchBLACK Immersive Forum winner.

“Torrents: New Links to Black Futures” runs from Nov. 14-17. The BPMplus Art & Tech Showcase I starts at noon on the final day; Showcase II follows at 2 p.m. ET. A networking mixer featuring a cash bar will follow from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Registration is recommended to attend the free events.

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Hit Boy, D’Usse
Courtesy of PR Newswire®
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 14, 2024

Hit-Boy Partners With D’USSÉ To Launch Limited-Edition Augmented Reality Experience For The Holiday

D'USSÉ's limited-edition release brings Grammy Award-winning producer Hit-Boy into your holiday parties.

D’USSÉ cognac has teamed up with Grammy Award-winning producer Hit-Boy for a special AR experience that puts the “SICKO MODE” hitmaker in your living rooms this holiday season.

Named “The Set,” this augmented reality (AR) experience lets anyone who buys a D’USSÉ VSOP Holiday Gift Box access an exclusive AR DJ performance by Hit-Boy to enhance their holiday celebrations. This marks D’USSÉ’s first foray into tech and its largest investment in tech-driven experiences to date.

The D’USSÉ VSOP Holiday Gift Box features a 750 mL bottle of D’USSÉ VSOP and a QR code that unlocks access to “The Set” AR experience. After scanning the code with their smartphone, recipients can activate a lifelike AR filter of Hit-Boy behind a DJ booth right inside their event space.

From there, users can choose a cocktail that suits their party vibe—whether it’s a D’USSÉspresso Martini or a Spicy Sidecar—and Hit-Boy will respond with custom playlists he’s curated for each drink. Through the new-age digital experience, “The Set” lets you bring Hit-Boy into the heart of your holiday celebrations this year.

“Music is the universal spirit of the holidays,” Hit-Boy said in a statement. “You can’t celebrate without it. But just like collaborating with artists, it’s all about finding a certain energy.”

“D’USSÉ and I wanted to spread the right vibes and had a lot of fun playing with the AR technology to create a unique fan experience,” he added. “Once you scan the QR code, the AR filter will allow me to pull up to your holiday hangs and spin-off my favorite tracks for the festivities. We hope you’ll enjoy ‘The Set’ wherever you and your loved ones are this holiday season.”

Partygoers can engage with “The Set” by positioning themselves “next to” or “behind” the DJ booth in the AR experience. The filter also allows users to take photos, so you can quickly share the fun with loved ones or on social media. With the added option to connect to speakers, this immersive visual-audio experience makes Hit-Boy the ultimate headliner for any holiday party this season.

The D’USSÉ VSOP Holiday Gift Box is available now in stores nationwide and at dusse.com (SRP $50).

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car, Greenbook Global
Photo by Quintin Gellar: https://www.pexels.com/photo/teal-volkswagen-beetle-631522/
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 14, 2024

Green Book Global Launches Road Trip Planner Tool To Provide Inclusive Options For Black Travelers

Green Book Global unveils a new road trip planner feature to help Black travelers plan safe journeys across the U.S.

Building on its success as the first and only Black travel booking and review platform, Green Book Global is expanding its services with a new Road Trip Planner app feature.

With Green Book Global already established as a modern interactive guide for Black travelers, the company has now added a feature to help plan safer and more enjoyable road trips across the U.S. This new Road Trip Planner tool, launched within its redesigned mobile app (available on iOS and Android) and accessible via web application, is powered by community-driven insights and data.

“Our mission has always been to empower Black travelers with information that fosters a safer and more inclusive travel environment,” Lawrence Phillips, founder and CEO of Green Book Global, told Forbes. “With the Road Trip Planner, we are turning the collective experiences of our community into a powerful tool that maps out the best routes and highlights areas to avoid based on historical and recent data.

“This is more than a planning tool. It’s a new layer of security for our community,” he added.

Named after The Negro Motorist Green Book, which provided travel guidance for African Americans navigating Jim Crow America from 1936 to 1966, Green Book Global is a modern-day app and interactive guide designed to aid Black travelers in the 21st century. By tapping into thousands of user-generated reviews from Black travelers, the app can help users plan safer trips by identifying optimal routes and avoiding areas known to be unwelcoming or potentially unsafe.

“Our goal is to provide information so that Black travelers can make that very personal decision about where they want to go,” Phillips said.

According to data from Green Book Global, some of the most welcoming destinations in the U.S. for Black travelers include Atlanta, Houston, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, and Chicago. The platform also offers an International Destination Discovery Tool, featuring recommendations for diverse places such as Kenya, Slovenia, and Argentina.

Phillips highlights that the new Planner tool enables motorists to select “Avoid City” to bypass sundown towns, automatically rerouting them.

“Cities are rated on a five-star scale by our community for what it’s like Traveling While Black and cities receive an overall score,” he explains. “Green represents the safest and most welcoming destination, yellow indicates average, and red means it needs improvement. Red indicates a city where Black travelers generally have not felt safe or welcome, and it may even signify a former sundown town.”

The research has also brought some unexpected findings to light on cities that may be predominantly white but contain a small but mighty Black population.

“Portland, Maine, was a big surprise,” Phillips says. “Although Maine is one of the whitest states in America, with a Black population of almost 2%, the city of Portland is nearly 10% Black. It was amazing. Great food, plenty of activities, and a welcoming atmosphere.”

model, stabbing, nyc, ice cream truck, Detroit,
(Photo: 400tmax/Getty Images)
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 14, 2024

Woman Arrested And Charged With Killing Father On Election Day

Corey Burke allegedly killed her father, Timothy, after stabbing him multiple times in the head with an ice pickax.

Last week, a Seattle woman was arrested after being accused of killing her father with an ice pickax after arguing with him about the lights being on.

According to Law & Crime, Corey Burke, 33, allegedly killed her father, 67-year-old Timothy Burke, at their home at around 8 pm on Election Day. He was stabbed multiple times in the head as the two argued about the lights in the house being on. When police officers arrived at the home, Corey Burke admitted that she had killed her father. Court documents stated that she was “having a mental health crisis” due to the election.

She is being held at the King County Correctional Facility on a $2 million bond after being charged with first-degree murder.

According to detectives, Corey Burke told them there was “something important” about the election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. She was “overwhelmed” by emotions before the incident. Police officers said that Timothy tried to turn off the lights during his daughter’s emotional episode, and that led to an argument before Corey killed him.

“Corey stated that she had to bite her father while choking him because he was too strong,” legal documents said. “Corey stated that once her father ‘went limp,’ she felt better. Corey said that she then hit him with the ice pickaxe in the head several more times. Corey then sat next to her father and watched him until she saw that he was not breathing anymore.”

According to the autopsy, Timothy Burke died from a combination of severe blunt force trauma, asphyxiation, and puncture wounds.

Corey Burke is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 21.

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