Jackson Mahomes
by Sharelle B. McNair

August 4, 2023

Kansas City Restaurant at the Heart of Jackson Mahomes Controversy Shuts Down

The restaurant where the brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes allegedly ‘showed out’ is closing its doors.

The Aspens Restaurant and Lounge in Overland Park, Kansas, posted an ad on social media saying the property was up “for lease” days after announcing the restaurant was “closed until further notice,” Fox News reports. An incident occurred at the dine-in restaurant in May 2023 where Jackson Mahomes was accused of shoving a server and forcibly kissing the female owner. He was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated sexual battery and one count of misdemeanor battery.

Aspen Vaughn, the owner, claims Mahomes grabbed her by the throat and tried to kiss her twice.

One restaurant employee, Stephanie Lopez, is giving hope to customers saying the restaurant will reopen once another tenant takes over. “It’s hard to own a company and go through everything that we’ve gone through,” Lopez said. “We were so close to making it, and then this whole thing happened.” In July, business at the establishment was down 75%, and Vaughn said after going to the police, she was subjected to death threats and harassment.

She also suspects vandalization after something allegedly cut the air conditioning connections, damaged the natural gas lines, and pulled the fire alarm, causing water damage. “I’m feeling attacked by people I’ve never met. Why do victims not come forward?” Vaughn asked. “It’s because this is how they get treated.”

The accusations against Mahomes, who is also a social media influencer, were recorded on the lounges’ security cameras, according to KMBC. After authorities requested a $100,000 bond, Mahomes bonded out the same day as his arrest and pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance. Under Kansas law, if convicted of sexual battery charges, he would automatically be on the sex offender registry for 25 years.

Mahomes is due back in court on Aug. 31.

Tiger Woods, PGA
by Iman Milner

August 4, 2023

Tiger Woods Joins PGA Tour Board To Help Players Voice Concerns On LIV Golf Deal

Tiger Woods has joined the cacophony of voices in the PGA Tour protesting their impending partnership with Saudi-backed LIV Golf. Woods has agreed to become the sixth player director on the Tour policy board and will work with other members to ensure the PGA honors its mission to be “for the players, by the players.”

According to Fortune, negotiations between the PGA and LIV Golf began last year, when the latter began to make huge pay offers to top golf players including Woods, who reportedly turned down an $800 million deal. Concerns about the integrity of the game incited larger discussions from players. Yet in June 2023 the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf organization officially became collaborators, much to the chagrin of golfers who felt silenced and blindsided by the decision. Irish golfer and fellow board member Rory McIlroy did not hesitate to express his opposition to the deal. “I still hate LIV, I hate them. I hope it goes away and I fully expect that it does,” he said.

For 47-year-old Woods, it is all about standing up for his fellow PGA loyalists. “I am honored to represent the players of the PGA Tour,” he said. “This is a critical point for the Tour, and the players will do their best to make certain that any changes that are made in Tour operations are in the best interest of all Tour stakeholders, including fans, sponsors, and players.”

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, who came under fire for helping to facilitate and approve the deal between LIV Golf and the Tour, hopes to prove he only has the best interest of the players in mind. “I am committed to taking the necessary steps to restore any lost trust or confidence that occurred as a result of the surprise announcement of our Framework Agreement,” Monahan said. “Any agreement we reach must be shaped by our members’ input and approval earned through our Player Directors.”

donation, food, store, gwenna hunter
by Stacy Jackson

August 4, 2023

Gwenna Hunter Is The First Black Woman To Open A Vegan Food Bank In LA

Gwenna Hunter is making it her priority to provide healthy food for her community.

The Vegans of Los Angeles Food Bank is Hunter’s solution to providing wholesome foods to her Southern California community that excludes animals. According to a statement by VegansOfLA, Hunter has established the first-of-its-kind vegan food bank in Los Angeles.

“When I started this a year ago, I knew I wanted to give people what their bodies need: healthy food on a continuous basis minus our planet’s animals,” Hunter shared in a statement. “Between the physical food bank and a vegan food outreach program we sponsor at the historic West Presbyterian Church in LA, we serve over 600 people in a single day within a 3-hour period once per month. The need and desire for plant-based nutrition is tremendous!”

Vegans of LA is a vegan and Black-owned idea with a mission and vision to provide a vital source of nourishment for individuals and families of the community. “… That’s why we want to increase their food options by adding a vegan menu to the mix! You’ll enjoy the many benefits of a food bank with the option of choosing vegan alternatives to feed you and help you live your ideals,” the food bank’s website stated.

The food bank works to help every visitor “Build-A-Bag” of groceries from its selection of in-season, local farm fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, grains, beans, and other donated plant-based products.

 

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The Vegans of LA Food Bank is in partnership with Hope on Union with donors that include All Vegetarian Inc., Califia Farms, Chobani, Omni Foods, Just Eggs, and more. Vegans of LA uses its blog to spread awareness of their cause through vegan podcasts, news, and events to educate the community and boost vegan representation in the media.

method man, hot 97, summer jam, never again, performance
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 3, 2023

Method Man Sheds Light On His Mental Health Struggles, Overcoming Depression In His Early Career

Method Man covered the recent issue of Men’s Health and discussed the mental problems he faced early in his recording career with the media outlet.

Meth was easily one of the most recognizable voices of Staten Island’s rap supergroup, Wu-Tang Clan. From the onset of the group’s success, the man born Clifford Smith, Jr. was always seen as the lead man in some parts of the hip-hop audience.

Although the success was a given based on the accolades received by Method Man, you would think that he was truly happy and enjoyed everything that came with it. Especially since women found him sexy and men respected his lyric game, style, and flow. Every artist would want that. But, according to Method Man, that wasn’t the case. There were things taking place in his life that were never mentioned in songs or shown in videos.

“I was just being irresponsible, with many things coming back to bite me all at once. I wasn’t taking care of my finances in a proper fashion. The admiration wasn’t the same. I didn’t think it would bother me that much, but it did—people’s opinions. I was just angry. It went from this childhood joy to this euphoric feeling of celebrity to feeling inadequate and not good enough. That’s where the depression and stuff came in.”

Yet, even when the Power Book II: Ghost star was going through it, he didn’t recognize what was happening.

“I didn’t even know I had been depressed since I was a youngster before I started doing music and moved to Staten Island. A lot of PTSD I had never dealt with before started resurfacing, but I didn’t know what it was then. In hindsight, you delve deeper into your psyche and see where certain things come from. I just wasn’t a happy person.”

The depressive state took over in all areas of his life. It even spread among the people around him. But, after a while, Method Man had to take control of his mental health and get that happiness he was missing back into his life.

“It reached a point where misery was loving company, and the people around me were just as miserable. So, it kind of fits. Then I got tired of it and did not want to be around miserable people anymore. I just wanted to see light. I wanted everything light. Forget the darkness. What can I create for myself? It had nothing to do with finances. It had nothing to do with other people. It was just me. What can I control? That’s what I did; I took control after that. I stopped valuing other people’s opinions, and instead of being my biggest critic, I became my biggest fan.”

Being in good health and still working in an industry that isn’t always nice to older recording artists, it’s good to see that Method Man has broken out of the depression he once suffered.

Study Suggests AI Can Screen For Breast Cancer Similar To A Human Radiologist
by Stacy Jackson

August 3, 2023

Study Suggests AI Can Screen For Breast Cancer Similar To A Human Radiologist

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing radiology, according to some experts. 

A new study in The Lancet Oncology journal has found that AI can detect breast cancer as successfully as an experienced radiologist. The study shows that AI will increase the availability of radiologists to perform more advanced diagnostic work. According to The Washington Post, this study is not the first to explore using machines for medical diagnostics. The authors said it is the first randomized controlled trial to examine the use of artificial intelligence in mammography screening. 

The Lancet Oncology published results from a trial with 80,000 female participants in Sweden. The journal revealed that AI detected 20% more cases of breast cancer than usual readings performed by radiologists. At least one radiologist verified the results based on risk factors for the patient.

Based on the study, researchers concluded that AI is a “safe” method for mammography screening. Furthermore, it relieves radiologists of pressure and reduces wait times for patients. 

Experts advise that AI models for screening are trained and tested before being used in healthcare facilities. Thus, it will take time before AI usage is seen in these settings. The study’s lead author, Kristina Lang, says the study’s results on safety are “promising;” however, they are “not enough on their own to confirm that AI is ready to be implemented in mammography screening.” Other experts such as Nereo Segnan and Antonio Ponti, affiliated with the Center for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention in Turin, Italy, regard the study as “breathtaking.”  

An article published with the study indicates that using AI screening techniques can reduce breast cancer mortality by identifying it in its earliest stages when it is more treatable. 

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Robert O’Connor, director of Ireland’s National Clinical Trials Office, referred to the analysis as “game-changing.” 

World Health Organization states breast cancer resulted in 685,000 deaths globally in 2020. 

James O’Connor, a professor of radiology at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said using AI to screen patients will “have the potential to save a lot of time, and this could help with shortages in workflow.” However, he is concerned about patients’ willingness to use AI in their care. According to O’Connor, the notion that AI will replace radiologists is “nonsense” as there is a shortage of experienced radiologists.

Experts are concerned that AI may over-diagnose cancers or lead to over-treating patients because it detects cancers that have not spread or may be low-grade. There is also discussion about whether AI is more or less successful at diagnosing breast cancer in certain age groups and ethnicities. 

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 3, 2023

Angela Yee to Help Formerly Incarcerated Women With Investment Building In Detroit

Angela Yee is giving back to formerly incarcerated women in a big way with her latest investment property in Detroit.

The famed radio personality just closed a deal on a deal 30-unit building in Detroit’s Midtown area and plans to give 10 of the apartments to formerly incarcerated women, CBS News reports.

“We’re providing housing for people who really need it,” she said.

“It’s a real struggle for people once they get incarcerated to find adequate housing.”

The Lip Service host says her latest investment is more about how she can help others rather than how much money she can make.

“I feel like the best and most satisfying thing is when somebody is like, you changed my life,” she said.

The investment is a partnership with Dr. Topeka K. Sam, founder of Ladies of Hope Ministries, which offers aid to formerly incarcerated women. Sam was once incarcerated herself and now uses her organization to help formerly incarcerated women nationwide.

“What’s so exciting about this project is that we’re getting people a true fresh start and opportunity,” Sam said.

Yee was front and center on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, to make final design decisions on the property she hopes to complete by May 2024.

“For me, if I can be successful the way that I have and make the money that I’ve made, there is no reason for me to do that on my own and not do anything that’s not going to help the next person,” she said.

Yee has invested heavily in the city of Detroit. In addition to her latest development, she also owns a hair store in Hazel Park and previously rehabbed a home in the Boston Edison community.

Yee’s Lip Service co-host Jasmine Brand is also an investor in the project. “It’s really, like, it has a lot of potential, and you can see it come to fruition, so I’m super-excited to see something start and blossom,” she said.

RELATED CONTENT: Prison Guard Fired For Taking In Inmate’s Baby Has No Regrets: ‘It Was The Right Thing To Do’

Tiffany Haddish
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 3, 2023

Tiffany Haddish Hit With $1M Defamation Lawsuit

The legal problem comedian Tiffany Haddish endured in 2022, when she and fellow comedian Aries Spears were accused of sexually abusing an underaged brother and sister, isn’t over yet.

According to Radar Online, the woman who befriended Haddish and is the mother of the two children who accused the two comedians of sexual abuse, is now suing the Girls Trip actress. Trizah Morris has filed a defamation lawsuit one year after her children sued Haddish and Spears.

The lawsuit says that Haddish became close with Morris’ family, with the two children called the comedian “Auntie Tiff.” She alleges that in the summer of 2014, Haddish “groomed and solicited” the children, who were minors, to “perform in, film, record, publish, and distribute sexually inappropriate” material.

Morris alleges that after her children dismissed the case in September 2022, Haddish and Aries defamed her by publicly stating that she was trying to extort them.

After news of her lawsuit against the two comedians became public, the attorney representing Haddish said, “Plaintiff’s mother, Trizah Morris, has been trying to assert these bogus claims against Ms. Haddish for several years.

“Every attorney who has initially taken on her case — and there were several — ultimately dropped the matter once it became clear that the claims were meritless and Ms. Haddish would not be shaken down. Now, Ms. Morris has her adult daughter representing herself in this lawsuit. The two of them will together face the consequences of pursuing this frivolous action.”

The suit also stated that Morris did not file the lawsuit that her children filed, but that both comedians made false statements and allegations of extortion against Morris.

The lawsuit also states that in February 2023, she contacted both comedians’ attorneys, asking them to release a statement that would clear her from the extortion claims.

Morris said that she spoke to Haddish by telephone on March 7, 2023, and the comedian told her, “The media isn’t talking about it right now. I have four movies coming out this year, and I am going to be doing a lot of press. If it comes up, I’ll be sure to mention it.”

Then, on June 26, 2023, a reporter told her that Haddish had made negative comments about her.

Morris says she has suffered personally, academically, professionally, and financially due to the comedian speaking ill of her. The lawsuit states that she has suffered anxiety and mental anguish over the damage done to her reputation.

Edward Blum
by Sharelle B. McNair

August 3, 2023

The Nerve! Conservative Affirmative Action Activist Sues Black-Women Owned VC Firm

The war against affirmative action has reached new lows thanks to Edward Blum.

The conservative activist that played a key role in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to reject affirmative action within college admissions has sued the Black-women-owned venture capital firm, Fearless Fund, Reuters reports.

Blum, the founder of the nonprofit American Alliance for Equal Rights, filed the lawsuit on Aug. 3, accusing the Atlanta-based firm of practicing unlawful racial discrimination by making only Black women eligible for a grant competition. He also claims the firm is violating Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866—a law that bans racial bias in private contracts. Lawsuits by Blum’s firm led to the historic ruling declaring race-conscious student admissions policies used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina as unlawful.

Founded by actress Keshia Knight Pulliam, entrepreneur Arian Simone, and corporate executive Ayana Parsons, Fearless Fund has been pivotal in “bridging the gap in venture capital funding for women of color founders building scalable, growth aggressive companies,” per the firm’s mission statement.

 

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According to AfroTech, Blum claims that close to 60 members of his group, who are primarily white and Asian American, “have been excluded from the grant program due to their race.” As Blum’s first target since the Supreme Court’s ruling, the suit focuses on the Fearless Funds’ Strivers Grant Contest, awarding Black women who own small businesses $20,000 in grants and digital tools to help them grow their businesses. Fearless Fund has worked with top brands, including the Tory Burch Foundation and Mastercard, for over four years for grant competitions.

He admits that this lawsuit is the first of many he hopes to pursue through his nonprofit against private corporations. “The common theme of these organizations is to challenge in the courts the use of racial classifications and preferences in our nation’s policies,” Blum said.

Drexel University Mourns Basketball Star Found Dead In Campus Apartment
by Sharelle B. McNair

August 3, 2023

Drexel University Mourns Basketball Star Found Dead In Campus Apartment

Students at Drexel University are mourning the death of one of its star basketball players. Terrence Butler, a rising junior, was found dead on Aug. 2 in his on-campus apartment, 6 ABC reports.

Butler was studying at the College of Engineering and was well-liked by fellow students and university staff. “Beautiful guy had a nice family. Everybody knew him, everybody on campus knew who he was, and he would treat everybody just the same,” campus employee Mark Witalec said. “You know what I mean, good guy, family-oriented.” Another campus community member described the 6-foot-7 forward as “always upbeat” and had a positive attitude.

 

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The Upper Marlboro, Maryland, native was making a name for himself in basketball and academics. Before joining the Drexel family, Butler averaged 17.8 points and seven rebounds per game during high school. He played eight games in two seasons with the Dragons and was listed on the Coastal Athletic Association’s Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll last season. The school submitted a statement on his sudden passing, offering its condolences. “On behalf of the entire Drexel community, we extend our deepest sympathy to Terrence’s family, friends, and teammates,” the statement read.

Related: FORMER LSU BASKETBALL PLAYER DANIELLE BALLARD, DIES AT 29

“In addition to being a student-athlete, Terrence was involved in numerous activities and organizations at Drexel and was a friend to many throughout the University community.”

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Butler is survived by his parents, Dena and Terrence Butler Sr, and his two older sisters, who played college basketball at Syracuse and James Madison.

While the cause of death has yet to be revealed, the school is offering mental health and counseling resources for those in need.

Related: ALL-FEMALE TEAM WINS AT NATION’S LARGEST DIVERSITY CASE COMPETITION AT DREXEL UNIVERSITY

Carlos Watson, Trump, pardon
by Sharelle B. McNair

August 3, 2023

Defense Team For Carlos Watson Asks Judge To Dismiss Fraud Charges, Claiming Racial Bias

Lawyers for Black entrepreneur and Ozy Media Founder Carlos Watson asked a judge on Aug. 2 to dismiss the fraud charges against him as they claim the prosecutors have a reputation for targeting people of color, WALB News 10 reports.

Watson’s lead attorney, Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., filed a motion accusing the Eastern District of New York prosecutors of criminalizing his client for behavior normally accepted for other Silicon Valley startups, citing BuzzFeed and Vice Media examples. “Their founders reportedly — and in some cases, admittedly — engaged in conduct that differs from the conduct charged in Mr. Watson’s Indictment in only one way: their conduct was, by orders of magnitude, far more egregious,” Sullivan wrote. “And yet they have not been indicted.”

Watson, the former CEO of Ozy Media, was arrested and charged with fraud in February 2023. Black Enterprise reported that Watson was released on a $1 million bond and was due in court in March. If convicted, the ex-media mogul will be sentenced to a mandatory minimum of two years in prison up to a maximum sentence of 37 years. United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York called Watson a “con man whose business strategy was based on outright deceit and fraud.”

Sullivan is asking US Attorney General Merrick Garland for an update on the request for the DOJ to investigate the alleged racially biased practices within the New York District’s office. According to Sullivan, he feels the type of cases the Brooklyn federal prosecutors pursue should be looked into. Reports began circulating that the white prosecutors who charged Watson sought 90% of their cases against people of color since 2019. Sullivan says this case is bigger than his client. “Entrepreneuring while Black cannot be a crime,” Sullivan wrote. “This defense is about more than one defendant. It is about ensuring that every American, including the 47 million who are proud African Americans, receive equal justice under the law.”

 

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