• News

by Stacy Jackson

April 19, 2023

Ahmaud Arbery’s Mother Seeks Face-to-Face Meeting with Ralph Yarl In the Wake of Missouri Shooting Incident

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Ralph Yarl was shot multiple times after mistakenly appearing at the wrong address and is still recovering from his injuries.

The 16-year-old high school student may be preparing to meet with Wanda Cooper-Jones, mother of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old Black man who was murdered while jogging in a Georgia neighborhood. According to TMZ, Cooper-Jones is seeking to lend some support to the Yarl family and has requested for attorney Lee Merritt to schedule an in-person meetup. Arbery’s mother believes she can offer sound advice as the situation reflects what she experienced with her son.

Cooper-Jones isn’t the only one reaching out, as the incident has gained national attention. Reportedly, The White House has also invited Yarl for an in-person visit.

Yarl was sent to pick up his siblings from a home on 115th Terrace in Kansas City but mistakenly showed up at the wrong address, where he was shot in the head and arm after ringing the doorbell. After police entered the home, they found Yarl suffering from gunshot wounds.

Residents of the Kansas City, Missouri, community rallied on Sunday to protest outside of the shooter’s home. Videos flooded the internet of the staged protest where community members lifted their voices for justice. “Black lives are under attack,” some shouted, while others shouted, “Stand up, fight back,” in the online videos. Ben Crump, the lawyer representing the family, demanded the homeowner be arrested and charged with the attempted murder of the teen.

KMBC News reported that the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office had filed charges against 84-year-old Andrew Lester, the homeowner responsible for allegedly shooting Yarl.

The Kansas City Star reported that Missouri’s self-defense laws had been heavily criticized amid the shooting incident. “I think we now have a shoot first, ask later policy in this state, or at least that is what people have interpreted it to be,” said Missouri state Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, a white Democrat who had to explain the situation to her adopted 9-year-old son, who is Black. “We have a young boy who is fighting for his life because of what we have perpetuated by our lax gun laws.”

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 19, 2023

Oklahoma Governor Calls For ‘Immediate’ Resignation of Officials After Racist Recordings

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Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) is calling for four McCurtain County officials to resign after they were recorded making allegedly aggressive and racist remarks.

CNN reports the officials were secretly recorded when they were overheard talking about lynching Black people and killing journalists. Stitt wants the immediate resignation of McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings, sheriff’s investigator Alicia Manning, and jail administrator Larry Hendrix. “I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County,” Stitt said in a statement.

“There is simply no place for such hateful rhetoric in the state of Oklahoma, especially by those that serve to represent the community through their respective office. I will not stand idly by while this takes place.”

The recordings were allegedly made hours after Chris Willingham, a reporter for the Gazette-News, filed a lawsuit against the sheriff’s office, Manning, and the Board of County Commissioners, claiming he was defamed and had his civil rights violated. In the recording, Manning talked about what would happen if she ran into Willingham and things escalated. “Yeah, I ain’t worried about what he’s gonna do to me. I’m worried about what I might do to him,” Manning said.

All four accused allegedly hinted at assassinating the journalist, claiming they knew where “deep holes” were. “I know where two big, deep holes are here if you ever need them,” Jennings allegedly said. Clardy reportedly said he had the equipment. Willingham says he was disturbed. “I was completely appalled and frightened, quite frankly.”

According to the Washington Post, Jennings talked about how they could no longer yank Black people out of jail, “take them down to Mud Creek and hang them up with a … rope.” The sheriff also allegedly mocked a woman who recently burned to death in a house fire, comparing her to “barbecue.”

The sheriff’s office posted to Facebook saying the recordings were “illegally obtained,” have not been authenticated, and that “preliminary information” indicates they were “altered.” Stitt is asking the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the case.

As his daughter performed at a recent Coachella show, hip-hop recording artist and actor Will Smith posted a proud father moment to his Instagram account.

The talent pool in the Smith family has been acknowledged over the years, starting with Will Smith when he started his rap career before becoming a bonafide film superstar. His wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, was an actor who starred on The Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World, at the start of her career, and his son, Jaden, was a child actor who has appeared in several projects over the years. Willow, the youngest Smith, also had a hit record in her earlier years with Whip My Hair in 2010.

The elder Smith is filming the sequel to the Bad Boys movie franchise with Bad Boys 4 in Atlanta. Although the filming isn’t done, he found the time to see his daughter perform at this year’s famed Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

The Summertime rapper praised his daughter, captioning a video clip he shared, “WILLOWCHELLA!!” on his Instagram post. You can view a beaming papa Smith proudly showing off the talents of his young daughter.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith)

It was a family affair when Willow’s brother, Jaden, appeared on stage with her and performed their song, Summertime in Paris. He also acknowledged her artistry and the lives she is changing with her music before she left the stage.

“It brings tears to my eyes as your brother to see you do this. I love you so much. I’m so inspired by you, I’m so inspired and happy for what you’re doing in the world and the amount of people’s lives you’re changing with the music that you’re making. I love you so much!”

“Got to witness a really special moment at Coachella — Willow Smith, Jaden Smith, and a proud father.”

Got to witness a really special moment at Coachella —

Willow Smith, Jaden Smith, and a proud father. pic.twitter.com/O6ojUGKYVh

— Michael Watson II (@ForeverShowtime) April 18, 2023

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 19, 2023

Family of Tyre Nichols’ Plans To File Lawsuits Against the City of Memphis and Police Department

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The family of Tyre Nichols is taking steps to move forward with a civil lawsuit against the city of Memphis.

ABC News reports the family plans to pursue the lawsuit soon, with legal counsel Ben Crump, Antonio Romanucci, and retired Judge Earnestine Hunt Dorse planning to make the announcement today. In a statement from Crump’s office, the attorneys will also sue Memphis police for “intentional infliction of emotional distress for lying to his mother.”

It’s been a little over three months since Tyre Nichols, 29, was brutally beaten by five Black Memphis police officers: Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith. Nichols was pulled over for reckless driving when a confrontation occurred between Nichols and several officers, resulting in the victim taking off on foot. Video footage shows the officers eventually catching up to him and another fight before he is taken into custody.

The graphic video was released and made global headlines, prompting protests worldwide calling for the end of police brutality. Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, received a call around 4 a.m. from doctors advising her and her husband to come to the hospital. The doctors told her Nichols went into cardiac arrest and was suffering from kidney failure. Police came to her door and alerted her that her son had been tased or pepper sprayed. However, doctors said his injuries didn’t “sound consistent” with those claims.

Following his arrest, Nichols complained of shortness of breath and was taken to the hospital in critical condition. He died three days later.

All five officers were charged with second-degree murder but pleaded not guilty in their first court appearance in February. Nichols’ parents appeared during Biden’s State of the Union address as he pushed the narrative on the growing topic of police reform after Wells made a passionate plea for Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

It’s not often Frank Ocean offers his presence to the masses. So when Ocean does decide to step out, fans get excited. 

The “Sierra Leone” crooner took the stage at this year’s Coachella. But some fans and critics were not satisfied with the songwriter’s performance. 

Variety wrote that Ocean’s set was “shambolic,” leaving “many concertgoers distressed, depressed, and annoyed.” 

“The energy was low; he and the band were obscured by a battery of people walking in a circle around the stage; and the pacing was bizarre,” Variety writes. 

NPR reported fans were also upset because Ocean’s set started an hour late, and the “Chanel” singer cut his songs short because of curfew, and on top of it all, his set wasn’t live-streamed like other sets. 

USA Today wrote of Ocean’s set: “Frank Ocean ended one of the weirdest, most perplexing and ultimately just surreal (and mostly not in a good way) live performances I have ever seen… But I do know this: I’ll be thinking about this train wreck for a while (and wondering if Ocean will somehow still get paid the millions Coachella headliners command). Maybe this was just a late April Fools’ joke and we’ll see the real show next week?”

Of course, the Twitter intellectuals shared their thoughts on Ocean’s set. 

One user wrote: “I have never been happier that I didn’t waste money to see Frank Ocean end Coachella like this…horrific lmao.”

I have never been happier that I didn’t waste money to see Frank Ocean end Coachella like this…horrific lmao pic.twitter.com/WeoGRHqnQS

— yllireally (@whydee__) April 17, 2023

Another user wrote: Started the set late, didn’t let them live stream it, now ending the set early… frank ocean you will rue the day. 

Started the set late, didn’t let them live stream it, now ending the set early… frank ocean you will rue the day pic.twitter.com/j4oB4WgyXO

— ⁰7₀ (@trapssoul) April 17, 2023

Singer Nij wrote: ‘A man has never played me worse than Frank Ocean tonight.”

A man has never played me worse than Frank Ocean tonight.

— Nij (@amnija_) April 17, 2023

“I was blown away by Frank Oceans Coachella’s performance. His artistry is simply unmatched, his style, his taste, his voice, his attention to detail. I was deeply moved. It made me want to keep going and get better as an artist. He continues to set the bar high and gave me a night I will never forget! Thanks Frank.” 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber)

GQ’s Eilleen Cartter penned an essay titled, “Actually, Frank Ocean’s Coachella Set Was Great.”

Several reports say Ocean suffered an ankle injury before his Coachella set. Some reported Ocean’s injury happened during rehearsals. However, TMZ reported the singer’s injury occurred on a bike. 

Golden State Warriors enforcer Draymond Green reacted to an opposing player grabbing his ankle during a playoff game against the Sacramento Kings by stomping on his chest. For that action, the National Basketball Association has suspended the championship Warrior for the next playoff game.

The NBA announced that Joe Dumars, executive vice president, Head of Basketball Operations, said Green had been suspended. Green has been suspended one game without pay for stepping on the chest of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis.

Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts during league play likely factored into the decision to keep him out of the next Warriors-Kings playoff contest.

When the two teams meet on April 20, Green will sit out the game to serve his suspension at Chase Center, the Golden State Warrior’s home.

The incident that led to Green’s suspension occurred with seven minutes left in the game on Monday, April 17. After a shot had been taken, Sabonis fell to the basketball court, and with Green within reach, he grabbed and held Green’s right ankle. Green yanked his leg from Sabonis’ grip and forcefully stepped on the Kings player’s chest in retaliation. The referee saw the vicious action and blew the whistle to stop the game. Green was given a Flagrant Foul 2 and was ejected from the contest. Since Sabonis initiated the action, he was assessed a technical foul.

The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/KEnWx2qTvs

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 19, 2023

The play that led to the suspension can be seen in this video clip:

Sabonis is down after Draymond stepped on him. pic.twitter.com/6MwsNLT2Pj

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 18, 2023

The Warriors lost the playoff game 114-106 in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

NBC Sports reported that Sacramento’s All-Star center suffered a sternum contusion after the stomping incident. The Kings released a statement regarding Sabonis.

“The Sacramento Kings announced today that center Domantas Sabonis received a medical evaluation that included X-ray imaging on Monday night and Tuesday afternoon. Results showed Sabonis sustained a sternum contusion during the fourth quarter versus the Golden State Warriors on Monday, April 17. Sabonis will be listed as questionable for Thursday’s game versus the Warriors.”

• News

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

April 19, 2023

At least One Dead, 5 Injured in Manhattan Parking Structure Collapse

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A four-story parking facility collapsed in New York City’s lower Manhattan near Pace University and the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, killing at least one worker and injuring five others who were inside the structure, authorities said.

Emergency personnel using robotic devices after firefighters were pulled back from the fallen structure due to unstable conditions checked the site for any further casualties, but officials said they believed all victims had been accounted for.

No foul play was suspected.

“We have no reason to believe that this was anything other than a structural collapse,” City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell told reporters.

Reuters video footage from the scene, in Manhattan’s financial district blocks from the World Trade Center and New York Stock Exchange, showed a rescue operation getting underway and multiple cars stacked on top of one another amid crumpled slabs of concrete.

One person was pronounced dead on the scene, four more were taken to area hospitals for injuries and a sixth individual who was hurt declined medical treatment, said John Esposito, chief of fire operations for the New York City Fire Department.

He described all six as workers who were in the parking structure when it collapsed.

“This was an extremely dangerous situation for our firefighters,” he told a late-afternoon news briefing. Esposito said firefighters ordered out of the structure had still been inside conducting searches as “the building was continuing to collapse.”

Robot devices were then deployed, he said, marking the first time city firefighters had flown a drone aircraft into a fallen building to conduct a search.

Pace University, a private college campus whose students, faculty and staff use the parking structure, was evacuated as a precaution, authorities said.

“This building is completely unstable,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams told reporters.

The New York City Department of Buildings’ online records showed that the structure, at the site of the collapse had been cited for 45 violations, including 25 since 2003, many related to its elevators.

One 2003 filing noted that “ceiling slab cracks exist” as well as “defective concrete with exposed rear cracks.” It said an $800 penalty had been paid for the violation.

Eyewitnesses said the collapse was swift and without warning.

“It all happened so fast,” said Thai Nguyen, 35, who lives in Chinatown and is a manager of the nearby Kollective Klub. “Our store is two buildings from the parking garage, and we also have a hotel next to us. People ran inside asking if they could take refuge inside our store.”

Sandy Imhoff, 78, who lives in an adjacent apartment on the same street, said she fled her home with her two cats when her building began to shudder from the force of the collapse.

“My building was shaking. I only had time to grab my dog and leave the building,” Imhoff said. “I’m really worried about my cats. But at least everyone in my building was able to evacuate. It’s so unreal.”

• Lifestyle

by Atiya Jordan

April 19, 2023

6 Cities Where You Need to Earn Top Dollar to Take Home Six Figures

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Are you living in a city where earning $100,000 just doesn’t cut it?

Taxes are due this year on Tuesday, April 18. More than 168 million individual tax returns are expected to be filed.

For high-earners residing in America’s largest and priciest cities, they need a net income of over $180,000 for their purchasing power to break the $100,000 mark, according to SmartAsset’s analysis of the Council for Community and Economic Research’s cost-of-living data.

As a result of inflation, the Tax Foundation reported that taxpayers with taxable income above $539,900 for single filers and above $693,750 for married couples filing jointly will be hit with a 37% income tax rate.

“Ultimately, to have the purchasing power of $100,000, you will have to earn a substantially higher salary,” per Smart Asset.

And since the cost of living in major cities, like Honolulu and New York, surpass the national average, residents need to bring home even more for their take-home earnings to be inducted into the six-figure club.

With Smart Asset’s help, let’s take a look at these six cities whose annual salaries have been analyzed and adjusted for taxes and cost of living to find the “new” $100k.

Honolulu, HI

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers a family of four in The Big Pineapple making under $93,000 a year to be “low income.” According to Smart Asset, Honolulu’s costs of living (86% higher than the national average) are greatly impacted by gorgeous landscapes and imports for energy, goods, and services.

“To take home $100,000 in The Big Pineapple, workers need to earn at least $312,400 pre-tax. Net pay works out to $185,999 — roughly 59.5% less than the gross earnings,” per Smart Asset.

New York, NY

There are simply more people looking to live in the Big Apple, than there are available apartments, which causes prices to soar. The high cost of living (83.6% higher than the national average) in Manhattan is no secret, but many don’t realize that the real estate market is major contributor to that rising issue. Then there are high taxes, high transportation costs, and the city’s status as a global economic and cultural hub with 8.5 million residents and 61 million projected tourists for 2023.

With that being said, residents will need to rake in at least $312,000 to feel the six-figure mark.

San Francisco, CA

According to Smart Asset, San Francisco costs a “disproportionate 82.8% more than the national average.” From the city’s current tech-driven economic boom to its scarce housing, San Franciscans need to earn slightly more than $300,000 before taxes to take home $100,000 of purchasing power.

Oakland, CA

While this city is less than 20 minutes away from San Francisco, living costs lies at 47.3% above the national average partly due to the spillage of Silicon Valley’s tech entrepreneurship.

After adjusting for cost of living to be left with $100,000, income earners living in Oakland need $245,600 pre-tax.

Los Angeles, CA 

You’ve made it if you gross at least $245,300 in the City of Angeles, where the cost of living is 52.5% higher than the national average.

While taxes account for 37.8% of income, there is no denying the city’s popularity as the warm entertainment capital of the world, offering a plethora of arts, culture, and job opportunities.

Long Beach, CA 

Just 24 miles away from Los Angeles, this coastal city sits in the same spot in terms of what earners need to take home to reach the “equivalent of $100,000 to account for taxes and cost of living.”

The average cost of living in Long Beach puts it in the top 2% of the most expensive cities in the world. According to Zillow, the average home price of $760,000 is about $130,000 cheaper than in LA.

Washington, DC; San Diego, CA; Boston, MA; and Seattle, WA fall shortly behind these top six cities.

Clark Atlanta University’s (CAU) School of Business hosted its first Entrepreneur Scholar-in-Residence, John Hope Bryant for a fireside chat in partnership with PNC Bank. The event marked the launch of PNC’s National Center for Entrepreneurship. Bryant’s new post aims to help CAU serve as an incubator for developing the next generation of leaders at the Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Bryant is a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and the founder of Operation HOPE, the nation’s largest non-profit dedicated to financial literacy.

During his residency at CAU, Bryant will lead an ongoing speaker series on a range of topics such as managing financial risk, negotiating deals, and the importance of FICO scores, among others. He is also a member of CAU’s Board of Trustees.

Bryant’s remarks included a historical review of The Freedman’s Bank and various HOPE programs including Financial Literacy for All (FL4A) and One Million Black Businesses (1MBB). He asserts that Black entrepreneurs hold the key to transforming communities through ownership and improved financial wellness. The event was a celebration of the shared commitment to advancing Black entrepreneurship and brought together nearly 100 students, alumni, business experts and community leaders. PNC has been a HOPE strategic partner for nearly a decade. To view event images, click HERE.

“When you are sitting in history it doesn’t feel like it, this is one of those moments. Today, the right partners are at the table,” Bryant said. “We are at an inflection point that I call the ‘Third Reconstruction’ and I look forward to engaging both PNC and CAU’s extraordinary students in a conversation about how they can change the world through entrepreneurship. By better understanding capitalism and learning the language of money, they will be equipped to shape the future of America.”

“For three decades, John Hope Bryant has been on the frontlines with a message of ‘Silver Rights.’ He is an experienced and successful businessman who has demonstrated a strong commitment to helping others build generational wealth,” said Dr. Silvanus Udoka, Interim Provost and SVP for Academic Affairs, CAU. “We are confident that Mr. Bryant’s leadership, in partnership with PNC, will resonate with CAU students and unleash the power of entrepreneurship.”

According to the US Small Business Administration, minority businesses account for more than 50% of the 2 million new businesses started in the United States in the past 10 years. Despite that growth, minority-business ownership represents only 18 percent of total U.S. businesses, and the businesses face huge disparities when it comes to access to capital, contracting opportunities and other entrepreneurial development.