Wells Fargo, job, termination, lay off, hire, hirable, record, The Coven franchise
(Photo: Cytonn Photography/Pexels)
by Stacy Jackson

October 9, 2024

University Of Virginia Professor Brings Social Entrepreneurship Skills To New Role

The public policy professor has been appointed as chief innovation officer to advance UVA Batten's social entrepreneurship mission.

Public policy professor Christine Mahoney has been tapped to fill a newly created position at The University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy (UVA Batten) as its inaugural Chief Innovation Officer.

UVA Batten is thrilled to designate Mahoney to the role as she brings a wealth of expertise and creativity to social entrepreneurship. According to a press release, the educator will use her creativity and leadership skills to advance Batten’s “social entrepreneurship mission.” Eileen Chou, Batten’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, said Mahoney’s strategic approach “will be invaluable” as the university continues to “foster innovation, strengthen our relationships…and create lasting impacts in the communities we serve.”

The appointment follows UVA’s Fall Entrepreneurship Week, which gathered the entrepreneurial community across the university and the greater Charlottesville area for a week of events, including a ribbon-cutting for UVA’s new entrepreneurship house, The Foundry.

Mahoney takes on the position as an experienced entrepreneur with previous ties to the university as the founder of its Social Entrepreneurship at UVA initiative. This initiative introduced students to new social entrepreneurship courses and offered a minor, concept competition, and scholarship opportunities. Batten’s Dean, Ian H. Solomon, attested to the professor’s impact on the UVA student body and acknowledged her as one of “the strongest proponents of innovation” in UVA’s classrooms and research.

The university stated that the Social Entrepreneurship program has taught over 2,500 students and seen more than 700 students declare the minor. Over 80 student social enterprise teams have been mentored through Social Entrepreneurship at UVA.

Mahoney has designed several immersive fellowships for students. “She is the driving force behind our gifts to Batten to focus undergraduate and graduate students on social entrepreneurship in Appalachia,” according to UVA alum Richard Tadler. Mahoney’s fellowships expose students to the challenges of Appalachia and the importance of impact investing for the region’s recovery. According to a spotlight published on the Vice President for Research at UVA’s YouTube channel, Mahoney uses social entrepreneurship to study social justice advocacy, activism, and direct action.

As the first chief innovation officer, Mahoney also brings her personal skills to the new role with the recent entrepreneurial venture she embarked on with her husband to open Thistlerock Mead, a meadery near Charlottesville looking to become the first of its kind to boast net-zero carbon emissions in the country. Forbes noted that the couple and the meadery’s co-founder aim to use their unique social impact business model to prove small business success through regenerative sustainability principles.

RELATED CONTENT: HBCU-Backed High School To Open Next Fall In NYC

Hurricane Milton
(Photo: Pexels)
by Stacy Jackson

October 9, 2024

Hurricane Milton Set To Hit Florida Gulf Coast; Record Number Of Tornado Warnings Issued

Milton will likely make landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast tonight.

Time has pretty much run out for Florida residents in Storm Surge Warning areas to evacuate the path of Hurricane Milton, which is approaching the Gulf coast of the Florida Peninsula with a potentially historic (and deadly) storm surge.

According to CNN, which is tracking Milton, the most life-threatening storm surge is expected to occur in Tampa, where Milton is now 150 miles away and 130 miles from Fort Myers.

More than 90 tornado warnings have been issued today across the state, with several labeled a “particularly dangerous situation” and 11 confirmed over parts of the state.

Weather experts say the major hurricane is expected to hit landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast overnight and is predicted to be one of the “most destructive storms” to date in the state. Reports as of this afternoon confirmed winds between 52 mph and 59 mph in areas like Key West, St. Petersburg, Naples, Clearwater, and Sarasota.

“Some changes within the eye caused the storm’s peak wind intensity to ease on Monday night, but as anticipated, some regaining of strength occurred on Tuesday afternoon,” said AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva. “On Wednesday, as Milton encounters some wind shear and another eyewall replacement cycle, it is forecast to expand in size and lose some wind intensity. Milton will make landfall as a formidable Category 3-4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale late Wednesday evening.”

Guardian News reported that President Joe Biden said Milton is “looking like the storm of a century” and may result in “historic devastation.”

Earlier today, the National Hurricane Center predicted a maximum storm surge of 13 feet with some of the most intense winds on the northern side and potentially affecting areas that don’t normally experience them during a hurricane. Tropical storm-force winds reportedly span a 250-mile radius.

The storm was projected to potentially hit land as early as 11 p.m.

RELATED CONTENT: Hurricane Helene’s Youngest Victims Revealed As 2 Infant Twins Who Died With Their Mother

Deion Sanders
(Photo: Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 9, 2024

Tubi’s First-Ever Talk Show Will Star Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders is adding talk show host to his resume.

Popular streaming provider Tubi is venturing into the talk show space with its first original talk show that will be hosted by Deion Sanders.

The NFL legend will team up with former Entertainment Tonight host Rosci Diaz for We Got Time Today, Deadline reports. The new talk show covers news, culture, entertainment, and sports with interviews and celebrity guests for hour-long episodes airing each Tuesday.

Sanders, who coaches the University of Colorado football team, will host and executive produce the show with Jesse Collins Entertainment’s Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, Madison Merritt, and Elaine Metaxas.

“I’m stepping into the studio to have real conversations with people from all walks of life,” Sanders said in a statement.

“This show is about tapping into the culture,” he added. “We’re going to laugh, debate, inspire, and most importantly, we got time to talk life into our viewers while keeping things 100. I couldn’t do this with anyone else except for the Rocsi Diaz, who I’m sure will keep me on my toes, and of course my friends over at Tubi, who I’ve been a big fan of for a long time now.”

SMAC Entertainment brokered the deal for Sanders, working with Sam Harowitz, senior vice president of content acquisitions and partnerships at Tubi.

“At Tubi, we’re committed to delivering engaging content that resonates with viewers by reflecting the diversity of our audience,” said Adam Lewinson, chief content officer at Tubi.

“We Got Time Today rejuvenates the traditional talk show format with a loose energy that showcases Deion’s dynamic personality along with his stellar chemistry with Rocsi. This mix of real talk with the pulse of pop culture is very much on brand for Tubi and we expect it will surely spark conversation.”

Diaz is no stranger to the talk show space, having co-hosted BET’s famed 106 and Park alongside Terrence J from 2006 to 2012 before joining ET and Good Morning America.

RELATED CONTENT: Nike To Release Deion Sanders’ Air Diamond Turf Max ’96

startups
(Photo: pixdeluxe/Getty Images)
by Mitti Hicks

October 9, 2024

Federal Government Requiring Business Owners To File Beneficial Ownership Report Or Risk Fines  

For most business owners, the deadline to file beneficial ownership reports or corporate transparency reports is January 1, 2025, as long as the business was created before January 1, 2024.

The deadline for businesses to file a Beneficial Ownership Report (BOI) is approaching. Failure to do so could cost business owners thousands of dollars.

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), enacted January 1, 2024, aims to tackle illicit financial activity, including tax fraud and money laundering.

For most business owners, the deadline to file beneficial ownership reports or corporate transparency reports is January 1, 2025, as long as the business was created before January 1, 2024. The rules are different for companies created in 2024 and beyond.

The deadline breakdown business owners should know is as follows:

  • Companies created or registered in 2024 will have 90 calendar days to file after receiving actual or public notice that its creation or registration is effective.
  • Companies created or registered before January 1, 2024, have until January 1, 2025, to file.
  • Companies created or registered on or after January 1, 2025, will have 30 calendar days to file after receiving actual or public notice that its creation or registration is effective.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, corporate transparency reports must include any beneficial owners’ full legal name, date of birth, home address, and a photocopy of their U.S. driver’s license or passport.

Small business owners should include the company’s full legal name, the company’s business address, the state or tribal jurisdiction where the company was formed or first registered, and the taxpayer identification number and identity documents such as a filed Articles of Incorporation or Organization.

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Not Filing A Beneficial Ownership Report Could Cost Thousands

Under CTA, businesses that fail or violate the reporting requirements may be subject to civil penalties of up to $591 per day. They may also face criminal penalties of up to two years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.

At least 23 entities are exempt, including large operating companies, companies with over 20 full-time employees in the U.S., and over $5 million in gross sales or receipts from U.S.-based sources.

Exempted categories include: Inactive entities that were established on or before January 1, 2020, but are not in active business; nonprofits except ones that have their non-profit status pending with the IRS; and small businesses that are members of the National Small Business Association (NSBA) as of March 1, 2024, the date a federal court ruled in favor of NSBA’s constitutional challenge to CTA.

RELATED CONTENT: Black eBAY Sellers Get ‘Up & Running’ With $10K Grant Opportunity

Jodie Turner-Smith
photo credit: Wikkimedia Commons
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 9, 2024

Jodie Turner-Smith Blasts Disney For Remaining Silent About Racist Backlash From ‘The Acolyte’ Fans

Jodie Turner-Smith is calling out Disney for seemingly staying quiet about its racist fans.

Jodie Turner-Smith is criticizing Disney for its silence in response to the racist trolling she and other cast members of color from The Acolyte faced.

The British-born actress, who portrayed Mother Aniseya in Disney’s The Acolyte, opened up about the racism and hostility she and her fellow co-stars of color faced during their time on the short-lived Star Wars series. Turner-Smith emphasized that enduring the backlash was difficult enough, but Disney’s alleged silence on the matter made it even harder.

“They’ve got to stop doing this thing where they don’t say anything when people are getting f—ing dog-piled on the internet with racism and bulls—,” she told Glamour UK. “It’s just not fair to not say anything. It’s really unfair.”

“It would just be nice if the people that have all the money -– whether that be Disney or any studio –- were showing their support and putting their feet down,” Turner-Smith added. “Say this is unacceptable: ‘You’re not a fan if you do this.’”

The Queen & Slim star believes that if Disney decided to “make a really big statement” against the racist trolling, it wouldn’t have impacted them financially, as true fans would remain loyal, and Black consumers hold significant spending power worldwide.

“Just see if any money leaves. I bet you it won’t because people of color, and especially Black people, make up a very large percentage of buying power,” Turner-Smith declared.

“They might find that it’s actually more lucrative for them, but everyone’s using ‘woke’ like it’s a dirty word.”

The actress, who shares her 4-year-old daughter, Juno Rose Diana, with actor Joshua Jackson, voiced her strong belief that change is on the horizon, where racism will become a relic of the past.

“Opinions change. What’s in vogue changes. We’re gonna get there at some point, to that place where people stop having a stick up their arse about people of color being a part of IPs that were created by white people. You know why?” she asks. “Because we’re never going to f%$king stop participating.”

Sci-fi and cult classic genres frequently face racist backlash rooted in outdated perceptions of what these stories should look like. For actors of color, the spotlight can be especially unforgiving. Performers like Turner-Smith endure racist attacks simply for being present in the space, and when ratings of fan-favorite shows and films don’t meet expectations, the performers of color are often unfairly blamed.

“We don’t get to fail upwards like a lot of white men,” she says. “I just feel that some people are allowed to grow, and others have to be perfect, and if they’re not perfect –- even when it’s great –- people want to f*%king tear it apart.”

RELATED CONTENT: Queen & Slim Actress Jodie Turner-Smith Calls It Quits With Husband Joshua Jackson After Three Years

Wallace peoples, reform alliance, Wallo267, CMO, Chief marketing officer
Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Global Citizen
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 9, 2024

Wallo267 Discusses Latest Book ‘Armed With Good Intentions’

'I'm just here to show an example that when you're given a real second chance, you can go to the Moon.'

Podcast personality Wallo267, co-host of “Million Dollaz Worth of Game,” appeared on a recent episode of the Tamron Hall Show to discuss his rise from an inmate to a successful podcaster and author.

Wallo is the cousin of his podcast partner, Gillie the Kid. Gillie is a successful emcee and ghostwriter who is known for his songs with his group, Major Figures, before writing songs for other artists like Lil Wayne and a few others. Gillie’s 2017 album was titled “Million Dollars Worth of Game.”

Wallo was convicted of a robbery and served 20 years in prison before improving his life. He appeared on the Tamron Hall Show to partially discuss his time in prison and discuss his new book, Armed With Good Intentions.

“This book is my story, my journey from a scared, dysfunctional kid, a seemingly lost soul, to a beacon of hope and a man of integrity. From terrorizing the streets of Philly to being honored by the Philadelphia mayor as a change maker and a positive impact on the very city that raised me.”

He also states that he wants to be an example for those who may have gone down the wrong path, showing them that the path can be altered and lead to success, just like it did with him.

“My name Wallo267, I’m from the ghettos of America. I committed a lot of crimes, but I changed my life. I’m the culture advisor of YouTube, I’m a New York Times bestseller, and I’m not here to speak for me. I’m here to speak for the brothers and sisters that need a second chance. Also, the possibilities; I’m just here to show an example that when you’re given a real second chance, you can go to the Moon.”

RELATED CONTENT: Monetize Your Podcast With These 5 Methods

Diddy, Lawyer, Federal Raid
(Photo: John Lamparski/WireImage)
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 9, 2024

Miami Beach Close To Taking Back Diddy’s Key To The City

The City of Miami Beach bestowed the ceremonial key to Combs in October 2015.

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ key to Miami Beach is on the verge of being rescinded due to his arrest and federal investigation into sex trafficking and abuse allegations TMZ reports.

The City of Miami Beach initially bestowed the ceremonial key to Combs in October 2015. According to TMZ, city officials are making their final decision on when exactly they will revoke this honor due to the current weather concerns surrounding Hurricane Milton.

Miami Beach’s former mayor, Philip Levine, presented the Key to Diddy during his Revolt Music Conference.

The Florida city is not the first metropolis to cut ties with the now-infamous entertainer. New York City has also revoked its Key to the City to the Harlem-born media mogul. Mayor Eric Adams initiated the request for the key’s return after the video of Diddy assaulting his former partner, Cassie Ventura, was released to the public.

Adams, who currently faces his own federal indictment, wrote a public letter asking the 54-year-old rap mogul to return the key given the video’s violent nature. Adams said the key is bestowed to those of exemplary character and leadership, attributes he no longer associates with Combs. Moreover, Adams emphasized his support for survivors of domestic abuse.

Federal agents arrested Combs in September following an investigation into his alleged sex trafficking and sexual misconduct. Multiple accusers have come forward against Combs, following an inquiry sparked by Ventura’s own Nov. 2023 lawsuit. More recently, a lawyer revealed he represents 120 other alleged victims of Combs.

The infamous star has few allies. However, his mother, Janice Smalls Combs, released a statement in defense of her son on Oct. 6. She implored the public not to prematurely cast judgment on her son.

Combs remains detained in a Brooklyn, New York, jail following his federal arrest.

RELATED CONTENT: Hotline Set Up For Diddy’s Alleged Victims Overwhelmed With ‘Unprecedented’ Number Of Calls

Prairie View A&M, Howard University, NCAA Tournament Games
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by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 9, 2024

House v. NCAA Lawsuit Nears Settlement, Bringing Students Closer To Revenue Sharing

The NCAA could start revenue sharing with student-athletes as soon as the 2025-26 school year.

The House v. NCAA lawsuit appears close to being settled and changing the landscape of college sports. 

According to CBS Sports, the $2.8 billion settlement from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has received preliminary approval from Judge Claudia Wilken.

If all goes well, the suggested sharing revenue plan can start as soon as the 2025-26 school year.

“We are thrilled by Judge Wilken’s decision to give preliminary approval to the landmark settlement that will help bring stability and sustainability to college athletics while delivering increased benefits to student-athletes for years to come,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a written statement. “Today’s progress is a significant step in writing the next chapter for the future of college sports. We look forward to working with all of Division I, and especially student-athlete leadership groups, to chart the path forward and drive historic change.”

In September, Wilken requested that both sides revise several sections and then resubmit the proposal.

Under the proposed plan, schools will be able to share up to $22 million each year with student-athletes. It will also create bigger roster caps while opening the door for scholarships to all rostered players and potentially allow the NCAA to have more enforcement capability.

The timeline below will take place upon approval of the settlement.

  • Oct. 18, 2024: Former players will be notified of the decision, and a claims period will begin for eligible people. Only athletes who participated between 2016 and the beginning of the NIL era in 2021 will be eligible, but it should involve many sports.
  • Dec. 17, 2024 (60 days after notice): The projected amount of money to be distributed will be publicly available. The final number for specific individuals will depend on a number of factors.
  • Jan. 31, 2025 (105 days after notice): The window for people to submit claims for compensation, opt out of the settlement, or bring objections to the court closes.
  • April 7, 2025: The court will have a hearing for final approval. Notably, it will take place on the same day as the NCAA men’s basketball national championship.

RELATED CONTENT: Stu Jackson Appointed To NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee

NFL, Brother-Sister Duo, Ashley & Trey Smith
(Photo: Erin Costa/flickr)
by Daniel Johnson

October 9, 2024

Jim Trotter, NFL Settle Discrimination And Retaliation Lawsuit

In September 2023, Trotter sued the NFL for retaliation, arguing that his contract wasn't renewed because he questioned Goodell publicly on discrimination matters and Black representation.

After the National Football League previously attempted to have a racial discrimination lawsuit brought by its former employee, The Athletic’s Jim Trotter, dismissed in May 2024, the league agreed to settle the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum.

According to Yahoo Sports, Trotter announced the settlement via a social media post. In the statement, Trotter indicated that he would also create an HBCU journalism scholarship in honor of the late Junior Seau, which the NFL agreed to donate.

“The NFL and I have agreed to resolve my lawsuit,” Trotter said. “I will be creating a scholarship foundation for journalism students at HBCUs, and the NFL has agreed to make a donation in support thereof. I am proud to have the opportunity to help and support HBCU students achieve their goals and dreams, just as scholarships afforded me those opportunities when I was a student at Howard University.”

Trotter also explained on the foundation’s website why he named it the Work, Plan, Pray Foundation.

“(Junior) Seau was a giving soul who often ended speaking engagements by reminding the audience to work for today, plan for tomorrow, and pray for the rest,” Trotter said. “I could think of no greater way to thank him and carry on his legacy of giving than by amplifying his words in the name of this foundation.”

Trotter credited Seau with teaching him the nuances of an NFL locker room when he was a reporter for the San Diego Tribune. He said Seau “took me under his wing and taught me about the culture of a locker room and the mindset of an elite professional athlete.”

Trotter’s lawsuit stemmed from a line of questioning he delivered at the 2023 Super Bowl news conference.

Trotter used his time to press NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on the lack of Black representation in team ownership and news editors in the NFL-owned NFL Media. In March 2023, Trotter announced that he was leaving the NFL Network because his contract hadn’t been renewed.

In September 2023, Trotter sued the NFL for retaliation, arguing that his contract wasn’t renewed because he questioned Goodell publicly on discrimination matters and Black representation.

Trotter’s lawsuit also alleged that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula made discriminatory comments when they were asked about player protests and diversity in the NFL. Both men denied making the statements.

According to The Athletic, when NFL Vice President of On-Air Talent Sandra Nunez asked Trotter in March 2023 if he was “in alignment” with the NFL, Trotter replied that he was “not in alignment with a newsroom that does not have Black representation in decision-making positions.”

When Trotter filed his lawsuit, he released a statement saying that his attempts to hold the league accountable on matters of inclusivity, something the league claimed to want, resulted in his firing.

“The NFL has claimed it wants to be held accountable regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Trotter said. “I tried to do so, and it cost me my job.”

Trotter’s attorney, David Gottlieb, said that Trotter has long been a paragon of principled idealism, which is reflected by his creation of the scholarship foundation.

“Jim is not only a talented journalist, but someone who lives by his ideals and principles in all aspects of his life,” Gottlieb told The Athletic. “As a perfect example of that, Jim has used this opportunity to create a charity devoted to supporting Black journalism students at HBCUs and increasing racial diversity in his professional field. We applaud him for his courage and congratulate him for his charitable work, which our firm will be proudly supporting as well.”

RELATED CONTENT: Former NFL Network Reporter Jim Trotter Suing League For Racial Discrimination And Retaliation

Ural Glanville, young thug, juror, photos, YSL, Truly humbled under god,
(Photo: Christian Monterrosa/AFP via Getty Images; Inset: Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 9, 2024

Former GA Deputy Arrested For Allegedly Taking Bribes From Mother Of YSL Co-Defendant

Kendra Bailey was arrested on Oct. 4.

A former Fulton County (GA) Deputy was arrested on charges of taking bribes from the mother of a YSL co-defendant.

Kendra Bailey served as a sheriff’s deputy and detention officer. However, the 31-year-old was immediately fired after accusations surfaced of her taking bribes to give jail inmates prohibited items, such as drugs. One of these inmates included Marquavious “Qua” Huey, a defendant in the already controversial trial against rapper Young Thug.

Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, was arrested in May 2022 for racketeering, otherwise known as RICO, charges as leader of the alleged YSL (Young Slime Life) gang. Huey is one of the six defendants, alongside Williams, standing trial.

Police arrested Bailey on Oct. 4 on charges, including four counts of violation of oath and two counts of bribery. An additional two counts are for obtaining/procuring/giving inmates prohibited items without authorization.

According to her arrest report, Bailey received $500 through Apple Pay from Huey’s mother, Malissa, in May.

“Ms. Bailey indirectly received money from inmate Marquavious Huey by accepting $500 from Ms. Malissa Huey (via Apple Pay) on May 6, 2024,” detailed the report obtained by Atlanta News First. “This would cause a reasonable person to believe it influenced her job performance because Ms. Bailey failed to perform the official action of seizing contraband (e.g., substance appearing to be white pills) from inmate Huey.”

Huey faces 19 counts ranging from racketeering, armed robbery, aggravated assault, guns, car hijacking, and street gang participation.

This latest scandal could throw another wrench into the already-fraught YSL RICO case. The trial is expected to last years given its delays and the fact that over 100 witnesses remain to to take the stand. It is already the longest-running trial in Georgia history.

RELATED CONTENT: Young Thug’s Attorney Requests Bond Release From New Judge

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