SYRACUSE, Dyaisha Fair, Basketball, Brittney Griner

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 27, 2024

Syracuse Hooper Dyaisha Fair Passes Brittney Griner On NCAA All-Time Scoring List

Congratulations are in order!

Dyaisha Fair, who plays for the Syracuse University women’s basketball team, passed Brittney Griner for fifth place on the women’s NCAA career scoring list.

Fair, who entered the game needing only four points to overtake Griner, did so in the second quarter of Syracuse’s 85-79 win over Virginia on Sunday, Feb. 25. She finished with 33 points.

Griner had 3,283 points during her collegiate career at Baylor, which lasted from from 2009 to 2013. Fair needs 91 points to tie with the fourth-place leader, Jackie Stiles, who has 3,393. After Stiles is Kelsey Mitchell, who has 3,402 points.

The top two women scorers in NCAA history are Kelsey Plum (3,527) and Caitlin Clark (3,617), who is still adding to her total.

Fair’s last regular season game with Syracuse is on Thursday, Feb. 29, against North Carolina State. Then the postseason starts.

“Coming from Rochester, it’s not the easiest place, you know, to get from, to get out of it,” Fair said after the Virginia game. “To start from there and be able to prove everyone that doubted me before I got here, to prove them wrong and to get here, and be a part of the culture of what Coach Jack instills in her players has made me realize that over time. There’s always light on the other side, and no matter what, if you keep working, you’ll reach it.”

The Orange is ranked number 17. Fair will be able to add to her total during the ACC Tournament and likely the NCAA Tournament. Depending on how far the Orange advance, Fair could end the season the number three spot.

Fair left the University at Buffalo in April 2022, following coach longtime Bulls coach Felisha Legette-Jack east to Syracuse. Fair left as UB’s all-time leading scorer and averaged 23.4 points per game in the 2021-22 season.

Michael Jordan, Chris Chelios, retirement, video, Chicago

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 27, 2024

Windy City Love! Michael Jordan Gives NHL Great Chris Chelios His Flowers

Chicago definitely made them both.

Chicago hockey legend Chris Chelios, formerly of the Blackhawks, had his jersey number raised to the rafters at United Center Sunday, Feb. 26. Another Chicago sports legend, Michael Jordan, was scheduled to attend, but had to back out after a death in the family.

Instead, he sent a video message to Chelios.

According to NBC Sports Chicago, the ceremony took place Sunday, Feb. 25, before the Blackhawks played the Detroit Red Wings. The NBA Hall of Famer’s message was displayed on the stadium’s jumbotron.

“Hey, man, unfortunately, Chelios, I can’t make it again this week,” Jordan said in the video, which look to be filmed from a golf course. “I tried for the Ring of Honor. I couldn’t make it then. I had a death in the family on Sunday. Look, you’re a very deserving man, and I’m proud to see your jersey up there with my jersey. You and I have been friends for 30 years, so I wish you the best. I send a bunch of love, you know, go Blackhawks!”

The love Chelios has for Jordan was displayed in his speech as he made sure to mention the former basketball player.

“And we go, of course, to Michael Jordan, who became a dear friend of mine. Without a doubt, the king,” Chelios said. “And that old phrase they use, ‘I want to be like Mike,’ well, I really did want to be like Mike. And one thing I did, which I hadn’t done previously in my career, was train properly. And I just watched him after every game with Tim Grover, his trainer. And I thought to myself, well if Michael’s got a trainer, that might be my edge. I’ll get a trainer.”

And just like Mike, Chris Chelios now has his jersey hanging in the same rafters as the basketball legend.

Kevin Hunter Jr., Wendy Williams, health, breaks silence

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 26, 2024

Wendy Williams’ Documentary Reveals Kevin Jr.’s $100K Uber Eats Bill, Social Media Responds

"Where Is Wendy Williams?" pulled back the curtain on her financial woes, including her son's $100,000 Uber Eats bill.

The Where Is Wendy Williams? documentary premiered on Saturday, Feb. 24, and pulled back the curtain on the former daytime talk show host’s personal life and financial woes.

Among the shocking details unveiled in the four-part documentary include the $100,000 Uber Eats bill racked up by Williams’ son, Kevin Hunter Jr. In the doc, Kevin Jr., 21, explained the lavish lifestyle his mother enjoyed which resulted in Wells Fargo accusing the family of financial wrongdoing.

“When my mom was living down here, as one can imagine, it’s not a cheap lifestyle,” Kevin Jr. told producers, as reported by Radar Online. “The courts tried to frame it as though I was making all these charges for my own happiness.

“My mom has never been a cheap person so whether to be flying her back and forth on private planes or even paying for appointments,” he continued. “It was all under one American Express.”

However, Williams’ nephew, Travis Fannie, described the types of charges Kevin Jr. and his mom made on the Amex card that Wells Fargo called into question.

“I think the amount of money they questioned Kevin about for spending was like $100,000,” Fannie said in a clip shared online.

“To put it into perspective. Kevin’s birthday party that his mom threw was $120,000. Kevin’s rent was $80,000. Kevin’s Uber Eats probably exceeded $100,000 that his mom approves.”

Another clip shows producers asking Kevin Jr. if he’d ever taken money from his mom’s account, to which he replied, “Not without her consent.”

https://twitter.com/outtaminds/status/1761576939079270509

The shocking reveal received mixed responses on social media, with some judging Kevin Jr. for the charges and others wondering how Wells Fargo would use that as an excuse to seize control of Williams’ assets.

“Notice he had a Freudian slip,” one user wrote about Kevin Jr.

“His answer tells me ‘manipulation’ is his way of getting what he wants,” added someone else. “He knows how she feels about him and will do whatever to make sure he good (she stated before). He capitalizes off her mental illness and use her funds to enjoy life.”

There was also a lot of criticism aimed at Wells Fargo and its ongoing control of Williams’s finances.

“They froze her accounts because of that: ok I’m sure she handled that then what’s the hold up now? That’s HER money,” one person wrote.

“They froze this lady account before she even got sick and she been trying to get her money for years, and during her divorce she made it clear she pays her son rent cause she can,” another user added.

SHAREECE WRIGHT, SEXUAL ASSAULT, NFL, Football

by Daniel Johnson

February 26, 2024

Shareece Wright Speaks Out About Alleged Sexual Assault In High School

Shareece Wright spoke out about his involvement in a lawsuit against a former high school athletic trainer who is accused of sexually assaulting Wright and 11 others.

Former NFL cornerback Shareece Wright spoke out on Feb. 23 about his involvement in a lawsuit against a former high school athletic trainer accused of sexually assaulting Wright and 11 others at California’s Colton High School.

As ESPN reported, Wright was one of six high school football players who accused Tiffany Strauss-Gordon of sexual assault in September 2022. Morgan Stewart, the attorney representing Wright and seven others in the lawsuit, told ESPN that Strauss-Gordon’s position and her relation to the coach who had created a powerhouse team out of the California high school made conditions optimal for abuses to be carried out.

“You’ve got football, you’ve got the coach’s daughter, you’ve got a permissive school environment where it’s allowed to happen. I mean, you’ve got sort of a perfect storm of sexual abuse that could be covered up easily.”

The football player also told the outlet that the conduct of Strauss-Gordon was so well known that players and coaches referred to receiving oral sex from the trainer as “the Tiffany treatment.”

Another plaintiff, who remains anonymous, confirmed this, saying, “It was pretty open and obvious what was happening.”

Despite a statement from the Colton Unified School District saying it took decisive action following the allegations, Strauss-Gordon told investigators in 2022 that she was allowed to return to work in 2011 following an internal investigation.

According to John Manly, another of the attorneys representing the alleged victims, this is not what is supposed to happen.

“People in their own institutions rarely find themselves guilty,” Manly said. “Your duty is to report, not investigate.”

Wright, as USA Today reported, is hopeful that speaking out will change the narrative concerning men and boys who are victims of sexual assault.

He told the outlet, “I was worried about what people would say or how people would try to portray it. The narrative that we were boys and it’s not that big of a deal or is not that serious bothers me, like, the most.’’

Wright is “trying to change the narrative that when you’re a boy and you’re being molested by a female it’s not serious or it doesn’t affect your life or it’s not that bad.’’

Wright also said that his encounters with Strauss-Gordon have deeply impacted his ability to connect romantically with women.

“Just searching for that sexual high that I would get when I had these sexual encounters with [the athletic trainer] at a young age,” Wright said. “It was years of me chasing it and not being able to find it.”

He continued, “I feel like maybe I would be married at this point [if] that didn’t happen to me. And I wouldn’t have such a sexual drive in a sense and just respect my body and other women’s bodies more.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 26, 2024

In Major League Baseball, Players Are Not Feeling The New Uniforms

Major League Baseball is dealing with an issue with its latest rollout of uniforms made by Nike that have baseball players up in arms. The athletes complain that the latest uniforms look like replicas and feel cheap compared to previous uniforms, and the pants are see-through.

The new uniforms, by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics, were described as “performance jerseys” when MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred introduced them at last year’s All-Star Game. While many players said that the uniforms are lighter, they also said the “eggshell color” of the pants creates a see-through effect.

“It’s disappointing that we’ve landed in a place where the uniforms are the topic of discussion,” MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark said last week. “Each conversation with the guys is yielding more information with what we’re seeing.”

MLB announced that the Nike Vapor Premier jersey will “improve mobility, moisture management and fit while keeping sustainability in mind — bringing inspiration and innovation to athletes.” The high-performance fabric (from at least 90% recycled polyester yarns) with moisture-wicking Dri-Fit ADV technology is supposed to keep players cooler during the games.

“A lot of the rhetoric is confirmation that the pants are see-through,” Clark said. “It’s been an ongoing conversation where each day has yielded something new that doesn’t seem to make as much sense as you would like it.”

Clark has stated that some teams will have to get their pants elsewhere until the issue is resolved. The players’ executive director even said that one of the players said he may have to purchase spare pants from Dick’s Sporting Goods.

“Universal concern is the pants,” Clark said.

Meanwhile, Nike has released a statement about the issue that players are having with the newly designed uniforms.

“The quality and the performance of our product is of the utmost importance to us. We will continue to work with MLB, the players and our manufacturing partner to address player uniforms.”

Inflation, Shopping, Grocery Store, Consumer Backlash, Soaring Prices

by Rafael Pena

February 26, 2024

Consumer Backlash Against Soaring Prices Emerges As A Force In Taming Inflation

Consumer resistance against soaring prices is becoming a force in reining in inflation, with Americans adopting new shopping habits.

The Associated Press reports that consumer resistance against soaring prices is becoming a significant force in reining in inflation, with Americans adopting new shopping habits to counter a 19% average price increase since the pre-pandemic period. Their pushback is notably visible in grocery shopping, where they are opting for store-brand items, shopping at discount stores, and cutting back on purchases. Large food companies are responding to the resistance by slowing their price increases, helping to temper the overall inflation rate, which has dropped from a peak of 9.1% in 2022 to 3.1%.

Consumers’ frustration over high prices has become a central issue in President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign despite the overall decline in inflation. Critics argue that corporations over-inflated prices, and the White House has targeted practices like “shrinkflation,” where companies reduce product quantity instead of increasing prices.

The consumer pushback is considered a positive sign for further easing inflation—a contrast to historical cases where persistently high inflation led to an inflationary mindset among shoppers.

President Biden criticized corporations for profiting from higher prices and is focused on reducing corporate price-gouging. Companies such as Kraft Heinz face scrutiny as consumers, who are taking practical steps to manage costs, opt for more affordable private-label alternatives, favoring store brands over well-known labels.

Economists believe that consumers are less tolerant of soaring prices, and the pushback against price hikes should contribute to easing inflation. Companies that had initially capitalized on supply chain disruptions and geopolitical events to raise prices are now facing resistance, especially as consumers have exhausted the savings they’d accumulated during the pandemic.

Samuel Rines, an investment strategist at Corbu, said, “We’re beginning to see the consumer no longer willing to take the higher pricing. So companies were beginning to get a little bit more skeptical of their ability to just have the price be the driver of their revenues. They had to have those volumes come back, and the consumer wasn’t reacting in a way that they were pleased with.”

McDonald’s CEO Ian Borden said, “Consumers are more wary—and weary—of pricing, and we’re going to continue to be consumer-led in our pricing decisions.”

The Federal Reserve sees consumer reluctance to accept high prices as a key factor in the expected steady decline of inflation back to its 2% annual target. Corporate responses indicate a shift in strategy, with companies planning smaller price increases in 2024. Surveys by the Fed’s regional banks reveal that firms across various industries anticipate smaller price hikes this year, reinforcing the idea that consumer influence is a crucial factor in curbing inflation.

by Rafael Pena

February 26, 2024

AT&T To Provide $5 Credit After Nationwide Cellular Network Outage

AT&T is giving customers affected by the recent nationwide outage in its cellular service a $5 credit.

AT&T will give customers affected by the Feb. 22 nationwide outage in its cellular service a $5 credit to their accounts, according to The Dallas Morning News.

In a statement on Feb. 24, the Dallas-based telecommunications giant apologized for the outage.

“We recognize the frustration this outage caused and know we let many of our customers down,” company officials wrote on AT&T’s website. “We understand this may have impacted their ability to connect with family, friends, and others. Small business owners may have been impacted, potentially disrupting an essential way they connect with customers.”

Google Trends data analysis revealed the states most affected by the outage. Arkansas was the most impacted, experiencing the highest search interest score of 495 out of 600. Kentucky ranked second, with residents searching “ATT SOS” more than any other state. West Virginia, Louisiana, and Indiana rounded out the top five states with the most significant outage issues.

The $5 credit—equivalent to the average cost of a full day of cellular service—will be applied to AT&T Wireless accounts and typically within two bill cycles. However, note that the credit does not extend to AT&T Business, AT&T Prepaid, or Cricket.

The outage, which began around 2 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, prompted more than 73,000 customers to report cellular outages by 8:15 a.m., as tracked by Downdetector.com. The disruption also impacted FirstNet, AT&T’s emergency response network.

AT&T fully restored wireless service to all customers by 2 p.m. the same day.

“It’s not only frustrating when cell service goes down, but also potentially dangerous,” said Mason Jones, marketing director for NoDepositRewards.com. “When an outage like this happens, users may be unable to reach emergency services, which can cause chaos.”

Some attributed the cause of the outage to solar flares, but AT&T said the incident resulted from an error in coding during the expansion of its network, and ruled out a cyberattack.

AT&T said steps are being taken to prevent such incidents in the future, although specific details were not provided.

by Rafael Pena

February 26, 2024

Tennessee Pastor Shot In Face While Attempting To Stop Church Car Theft

70-year-old pastor at New Zionfield Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, was shot in the face while preventing the theft of his car.

News Nation reports that in a harrowing incident on the morning of Feb. 25, a 70-year-old pastor at New Zionfield Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, was shot in the face while intervening in an alleged car theft. The victim, identified as Clemmie Livingston, Jr., was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, according to Memphis police.

Authorities responded to the shooting outside the church around 9 a.m. local time, finding Livingston injured after he reportedly attempted to thwart two individuals from stealing a vehicle belonging to a Sunday school teacher.

Livingston was slated to deliver a sermon titled “Another Chance” during Sunday service, is renowned for embodying values of kindness and compassion. His 17-year-old grandson, Kavion Woodin, shared details about the incident with Nexstar’s WREG, emphasizing his grandfather’s selfless act of trying to protect a church member’s car.

“Somebody tried to take one of the church member’s cars, and my granddaddy stepped up,” said Woodin. “He feared no evil. He came out the church to protect a car because he feared no evil.”

Woodin revealed that his grandfather sustained a gunshot wound to the mouth during the confrontation. Due to the incident, the family is pleading with the community to address the prevalent issue of gun violence.

“He was a man of giving, willingness, kindness, compassion, and he was a man that never did wrong towards nobody,” Woodin stated. Expressing his frustration with the ongoing violence, he added, “Honestly, I’m sick and tired of losing people to gun violence and cars. I’ve lost seven friends due to gun violence. I’ve lost two friends to cars, and I’m nothing but 17. It’s time to stop the violence. It’s time to stop the robbing, stop the killing. It’s time to put the guns down.”

Memphis police are actively seeking two suspects who were reportedly wearing hoodies at the time the pastor was shot. The assailants fled the scene in a silver 2019 Chevrolet Corvette.

As the investigation unfolds, Livingston is reported to be in stable condition.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 26, 2024

Fake NYC Surgeon Sent To Prison For Fatal Butt Injection

Bronx native Whalesca Castillo has been sentenced to prison for four to eight years.

Whalesca Castillo, who posed as a surgeon when performing a fatal butt injection, was sentenced Feb. 22 to a four-to-eight year prison sentence by a Bronx County Supreme Court judge.

According to NBC 4, Castillo pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and another count of second-degree assault for two operations, one leaving a woman dead.

Despite having no medical license, and the shots being illegal, Castillo injected the silicone shots into Lesbia Ayala’s buttocks and thighs in her Bronx residence in 2017. The 48-year-old Philadelphian later died after the procedure due to an embolism.

“The defendant illegally injected the victim with a silicone substance for cosmetic purposes. Tragically, the injections killed the victim,” Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said in a statement.

“Ever since this happened, I have been regretting it so much. So ashamed for myself and for my family because that was not the way they raised me,” Castillo, 49, said at sentencing.

However, Castillo has been reprimanded by authorities before for illegally performing medical operations. She was caught for running an unofficial cosmetic clinic in 2012. Castillo was sentenced to prison for a year and fined $100,000, but evidently did not stop her, according to Law & Crime.

Ayala’s family believes the sentence is too lenient for the repeat offender,.

“Four years is not enough. I think that today was a great injustice to my sister to my family,” Vanessa, Ayala’s sister, said to reporters after the court ruling. “This is not the first time she did what she did. This was her third time. The last time resulted in my sister’s death. There’s no way that four years is justice.”

However, with this conviction, prosecutors hope this will end Castillo’s alleged decade of illegal silicone injections.

Streaming Platform, BLKFAM, Movie, Tv, Larry Adams

by Stacy Jackson

February 26, 2024

BLKFAM Debuts As 1st Black-Focused Family Streaming Platform

BLKFAM is a free streaming service, backed by EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg, features original content, animation, documentaries and more.

The pioneering Black-owned, Black-focused family streaming service, BLKFAM, launches today to entertain, educate, and celebrate Black audiences through authentic, inclusive content.

Founded by media veteran Larry Adams and backed by equity partner Whoopi Goldberg, BLKFAM fills a major streaming gap for Black viewers who feel misrepresented in mainstream media. According to a press release, the Feb. 26 launch includes an extensive content library spanning over 20 syndicated series, 1000+ hours of new diverse animation, hundreds of music content, and more. BLKFAM spotlights myriad Black experiences through news, wellness, history, animation, sitcoms, and reality content. Ten original shows are also in development.

“Black culture and content is so often stereotyped, siloed or written off – so I wanted to create a platform where my kids and I can be entertained without having to face those same daily biases,” Adams said. “By curating authentic, data-backed content primarily from Black storytellers, we’ve built an inclusive service where Black families especially can feel holistically represented.”

A Nielsen report revealed Black Americans spend more time with media than “any other U.S. population.” Black American consumers are “more likely than the general population to access three or more streaming services… and 73% of this group pays for three or more streaming services, well above the average of 60% across all audiences.”

Goldberg stands alongside Whoop, Inc. President Tom Leonardis as Equity Partners. The EGOT-winning actress and television host has signed on to steer BLKFAM’s creative direction. “I am honored to partner with BLKFAM to assist in the creative direction of curated diverse content – for Black culture to be brought to broader audiences,” Goldberg stated.

Content partners Playwatch Kids and ATTN are developing animation and documentary-style shows that feature ethnic and culturally diverse characters. Playwatch, Inc. President Jimmy Jenkins stated they are “extremely excited” to be a part of this “historic moment for families across the globe.”

Available across iOS, Android, Amazon Prime Video Channels, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, Samsung Smart TVs, Vizio, and LG, BLKFAM launched to amplify the demand for services that uplift marginalized groups.