Netflix’s ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ Brings the Bounce With Big Freedia in New Orleans For Xavier University’s Spring Waltz
On Saturday, April 15 Netflix partnered with Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) and recording artist Big Freedia for the upcoming Shondaland series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story with a ‘Spring Waltz’ for students featuring an illustrious performance from New Orleans icon and ‘Queen of Bounce’ herself on the school’s campus. As a surprise, an unveiling of Xavier University’s first-ever marching band uniform was presented to much fanfare and pride as a gift from Queen Charlotte.
The celebration was a love letter to royal culture at HBCUs. Campus royalty made appearances from Dr. Reynold Verret, XULA’s President, and Patrice Bell, XULA’s Vice President of Administration to the campus queens including Nina Giddens – Miss Xavier University of Louisiana, Aleya Barber – Miss Tuskegee University, Jerika Edwards – Miss Dillard University, and Taverlyn Shepard – Miss Prairie View A&M University.
The evening was hosted by iHeartRadio personality and songwriter Sheba Songz and included performances from the all-female Original Pinettes Brass Band, as well as from the XULA’s Gold Star Dance team ‘The Golden Starlettes’. XULA’s Homecoming Court. The night was followed by a high-energy performance from Big Freedia performing her recently released ‘Bridgerton’ themed ‘Hey Queen’ New Orleans Bounce Remix.
The evening’s celebration took place on and around a floral circular stage that was rendered from the crown Queen Charlotte wears in the show. The 20-foot tall crown weighs over 2000 lbs and has over 1,600 intricate beads as well as 160 metal-cut flowers.
Earlier this week Netflix and Shondaland announced a remix to the Strong Black Lead “Hey Queen” series featuring a special bounce remix done by none other than Big Freedia. The Bridgerton-prequel series launches globally on May 4 only on Netflix.
About Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Centered on Queen Charlotte’s rise to prominence and power, this Bridgerton-verse prequel tells the story of how the young Queen’s marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the Ton inherited by the characters in Bridgerton.
ESPN’s Elle Duncan on Letting Go of Ego, Overcoming Industry Obstacles, and the Biggest Mistake That Almost Cost Her Career
Veteran sports anchor Elle Duncan aspires to inspire the next generation of young journalists. Her broadcasting career expands two decades across radio, sports, music, and more, from being an on-air personality with Atlanta hip-hop station V103 and being a sideline reporter for the Atlanta Hawks to most notably anchoring ESPN’s SportsCenter, one of the network’s top-rated signature programs.
She admits the journey has sometimes been challenging. However, allowing the detours and roadblocks to take center stage was not an option. Leading by example, she aims to showcase that hard work, ambition, and a great support system can catapult career success regardless of what field or industry you’re navigating.
So what’s next on the Atlanta native’s bucket list after achieving so much? She insists, “At this point, it’s doing projects that satisfy and scratch itches I’ve always had. My bucket list is doing more things that challenge me and allow me to stretch different muscles while also getting to do the thing I love, which is talking about sports.”
Fresh off the road from covering the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke with the mom of two about her hope for young women to find their voice and identity in media, the greatest motivating factors both personally and professionally, and receiving a second chance after a misstep almost put her career in jeopardy.
BLACK ENTERPRISE: You’ve achieved so much in your career. Is there a particular moment that stands out as the peak of your career so far?
Elle Duncan: One of those moments was definitely the first Super Bowl I went to, and I was standing on the field in Phoenix. I remember thinking I used to be the one in the parking lot, wondering if I could muster up a hundred dollars to get into the game, and now I’m on the field interviewing people. That was an incredible moment!
I think we’re conditioned not just in this industry, but in most industries, that ambition means having this altruistic focus on this one thing and doing anything you can to achieve it, and constantly climbing, grinding, and working yourself to death. I remember living by that problematic phrase, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
That’s not realistic or a thing that can happen. There are some really cool moments where you recognize the destination, and you’re filled with gratitude and immense humility for how many people have poured into you that allow you to be here. It’s more to me the moments I’ve been able to take the foot off the gas and do some reflecting and recognize the journey, the destination aside.
Speaking of self-reflection, how do you nourish yourself daily and pour into yourself?
That’s the million-dollar question! A huge part of what gives me joy and sustains me is being able to help people, connect with people, and do what I can to help make someone else’s journey a little easier, whether through charitable efforts or trying to mentor other young journalists. I look at things in one of three ways.
I have three buckets, and one is self-serving. It’s OK to admit sometimes you need to be selfish and self-serving. Another bucket is for my family, and the other is for the world. You have to be very deliberate. Joy doesn’t just come and smother you. You have to work at joy and be intentional about practicing joy and practicing an expression of joy and gratitude.
What have you learned from a mistake or a misstep in your career?
You learn a lot about yourself, the people around you, and the currency you put into people when you’re in trouble. When I turned 30, I was doing well in Atlanta and receiving many community awards. Life was good, and I was living my best life in my hometown and making good money. But I got caught slipping, had half a drink too much, and got into the driver’s seat of a car.
There’s so much to learn from people like me, from people in your own life who have stumbled and have used that opportunity to try and help and inform other people. Nobody believes you’re not going to make a mistake, but make sure they’re not the mistakes you can never come back from. I’ve been fortunate to receive a second chance. I hope, especially in how I present myself and the stories I tell, I can reflect that people deserve second chances. It’s what they do with them that matters and how they continue to build, grow and move forward.
What advice would you give someone following in your footsteps on overcoming industry obstacles?
I’m most concerned with earning the respect of my colleagues. You earn your colleagues’ respect by working hard, being a pleasant person to work with, being willing to fill gaps in holes, and putting your ego aside. Ego death is so paramount to doing anything. Putting those things aside and recognizing we’re a team, we work together in tandem. That has been the most significant learning curve and where most of my success comes from.
You mentioned a crucial point because many people allow egos to take the wheel instead of letting the work speak for itself.
I talk to young journalists, and it’s always about advocating and speaking up for yourself. Believe in yourself. Don’t listen to what other people say. When that’s pumped into you, at some point, it becomes a double-finger salute to everybody else, which very quickly starts turning into a big ego, an unmanageable ego. Every last one of us has an ego, but life is truly about figuring out how to navigate it and when to humble yourself.
What’s your greatest motivator?
Like most people, I was motivated by a chip on the shoulder from people who didn’t believe in me for a while. It felt empty for me to always be motivated by a negative space based on those who didn’t think I could do this. As many people who said no along the way, there were people who said yes. I would never have gotten to this point if there weren’t people who believed in me, gave me opportunities, and stood by me. Those people are a much more motivating factor than the ones that didn’t.
What is your hope for young women finding their voice and identity in sports and media?
I see this situation right now with Angel Reese, the basketball player who won the most outstanding player with LSU for the national championship. Whenever someone asks me for advice for the young ones, I’m like, “They seem to have figured it out.” Just this idea of being bold, unabashedly, and unapologetically themselves. The most important part is remembering that whatever field you’re trying to navigate, there are times, spaces, and places for those things.
I never needed to be my full and honest self when I worked at Texas Roadhouse. I needed to go in there, do my job, earn my tips, and go home. We have confused this Instagram-pervasive life of you getting all of my life all the time. People will always have an opinion on who you are, what you do, and how you should be. But at the end of the day, do the work in figuring out who you want to be, in making sure you impress the people around you, like your family and friends who you love, who know you, who want the best for you, and focus on that. Focus on that journey for yourself and forging those relationships instead of being everything to everyone.
Snoop Dogg Almost Signed To A West Coast Group Before Joining Forces With Dr. Dre
Most hip-hop fans know Snoop Dogg got his start with Dr. Dre and Death Row Records. But Snoop’s story could have been different had he gone with a West Coast collective.
Recently, the charismatic entrepreneur sat with radio host Big Boy on the Big Boy off Air podcast, revealing he almost put his career under the guidance of Above the Law.
“Y’all don’t know this story. I was with Above The Law. Above The Law was about to give me a situation, but they had me waiting on the bench,” Snoop recalled during the interview. “I was behind Kokane; I was behind another girl named Mz. Kilo, and I was waiting behind Above The Law’s next album that they were doing. But Laylaw and [Big] Hutch and the whole crew, Go Mack and the whole nine. They f***** with me and Warren G; Warren G was they n-gga!”
Snoop added that Warren G introduced him to the “Black Super Man” rappers, but the deal never happened because Snoop was too impatient.
“So Warren G brought me to them, and they was like, ‘Okay, we gon’ f*ck with him!’ But, ‘Sit down there and play that Madden while we work in the studio.’
After Dr. Dre heard a mixtape by Snoop, Dre put the then-budding MC under his wing, inking a deal with Death Row Records.
Snoop released two albums on Death Row Records before joining Master’s P No Limit Records. Last year, the “Gin & Juice” rapperacquired Death Row Records from MNRK Music Group. Shortly after acquiring the label, Snoop removed the label’s musical catalog from all streaming services, saying that streaming doesn’t pay enough. However, back in March, Uncle Snoop inked a new deal that will allow him to put classic Death Row records back on streaming services.
EXCLUSIVE: On Set of ‘The Shop Uninterrupted’ For the Latest Episode Starring Babyface, Tabitha Brown, Teyana Taylor & More
Today, UNINTERRUPTED announced the official lineup and trailer for the 4th episode of Season Six of the multi-award-winning series The Shop UNINTERRUPTED presented by GREY GOOSE Vodka, which will debut on Thursday, April 20 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET on UNINTERRUPTED’s YouTube Channel.
Hosts Maverick Carter & Paul PR Rivera, BE Senior Digital Editor Sidnee Michelle (Courtesy Mike Boyce photography)
This episode stays true to the show’s revolutionary formula of creating unique experiences where celebrated artists, entertainers, athletes and advocates come together for authentic, raw, untapped conversations. Joining The Shop UNINTERRUPTED co-hosts Maverick Carter and Paul Rivera will be 12x Grammy Award Winner Babyface, Actress, NYT Best Selling Author and Entrepreneur Tabitha Brown, 7x Olympic Gold Medalist and Co-Founder & CEO of Saysh Allyson Felix, Co-Founder of The Hundreds Bobby Hundreds and R&B Superstar, Actor, Director, Dancer/Choreographer Teyana Taylor.
Courtesy: Bexx Francois / UNINTERRUPTED
Most recently, season five of The Shop UNINTERRUPTED garnered a nomination from the 44th Annual Sports Emmy Awards.
For Season 6, full episodes will continue to be available on UNINTERRUPTED’s YouTube Channel. Content and clips from the series will be featured across UNINTERRUPTED’s social media channels (e.g., TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook). GREY GOOSE remains the presenting sponsor to continue to explore the unscripted and unforgettable moments of human connection over cocktails and conversation.
Further expanding on the UNINTERRUPTED mission of empowerment and the desire to make the franchise more accessible to the community, UNINTERRUPTED will continue to tap into several passion points to fuel the audience including:
More Frequent Episodes: As a response to the fans wanting more, The Shop UNINTERRUPTED will now release two episodes per month.
*Diverse Product Offerings: The Shop “By Hand Collection” features an assortment of neutral colored premium T-Shirts, Hoodies, and Crewnecks. Each piece from the collection was made in Los Angeles. Fans can shop the full collection at the UNINTERRUPTED store.
*Launching @TheShopUN: Dedicated social channels for all-things The Shop have launched on both Twitter and Instagram. For avid fans of the franchise, @TheShopUN will serve as the destination for select exclusive content and BTS access.
*Something for Podcast Lovers: Releasing in tandem with each new episode, the audio-version of The Shop UNINTERRUPTED will be available wherever you listen to podcasts.
The Shop UNINTERRUPTED presented by GREY GOOSE Vodka is executive produced by LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson and Devin Johnson; this episode is directed by conDRAMAgee; co-executive produced by Melcolm Ruffin; produced by Kevin McGrail, Brandon Riley and Rob Roediger; created by Paul Rivera and Randy Mims.
Stay tuned for more on- set interviews with Tabitha Brown and Allyson Felix on the way!
Kansas City Residents Protest After Teenage Black Boy Was Shot After Going To Wrong Address
On Thursday, a Black Kansas City teen was shot after he went to the wrong home to pick up his siblings.
According to several reports, a parent told a 16-year-old high school student to pick up his siblings from a home on 115th Terrace in Kansas City, but the teenager mistakenly went to 115th Street, where he was allegedly shot, according toThe Kansas City Star.
According toFox 31, police entered the home at 10:00 p.m. and found the teenager suffering from gunshot injuries. The alleged shooter made a statement to the Kansas City Police Department, but no arrest has been made, the report says.
The shooting did not sit well with community members who organized a demonstration. On Sunday, several residents of Kansas City staged a protest outside of the alleged shooter’s home.
“This is war being waged broad day…You think we about to let you tear our brother from his mother covered in blood?” Kansas City Poet ‘Unique’ says in an impassioned poem amidst the protest,” The Kansas City Defender shared in a tweet.
A massive crowd has amassed in front of the white man’s home who attempted to murder 16 year old Black boy Ralph Yarl in Kansas City Missouri pic.twitter.com/f100JlEihV
“His name is Ralph Yarl. And I’m now working with his family,” King wrote. “He’s a brilliant, talented, kind, outgoing 16 year old boy from a wonderful family who was shot twice by a white man when Ralph rang the doorbell to pick up his young siblings.”
King also added he has helped the boy’s family hire attorneys.
The latest here on the disturbing case of Ralph Yarl, the 16 year old who was shot in the head after knocking on the wrong door in Kansas City. Police say the investigation is ongoing, though no charges have been filed yet. https://t.co/LIK9Zd0Kfa
The Kansas City Police Department will determine whether or not criminal charges will be brought against the alleged shooter upon completing the investigation, according to Fox 31.
Yeah Dog! Music Legend Randy Jackson Curates Themed Music Playlists for Unify Health Labs
Unify Health Labs™ now has themed Spotify playlists in collaboration with music legend Randy Jackson. Randy Jackson’s and Unify Health Labs’ goal is to help people reclaim their health so they can live their life to the fullest. Through these heart-pumping, feel-good playlists on Spotify, they hope to get listeners up and moving more often to support their overall health.
This goal stems from Randy’s experience after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Following this diagnosis, he began a journey to revitalize his health but was faced with complex and confusing health-related information. He decided to do his own research by collaborating with physicians, nutritionists, fitness experts, and more, and he discovered the secrets to achieving great physical and mental health. As a result of his findings, he created Unify Health Labs to help people gain control of their health, just like he did. One of Unify Health Labs best selling products is Multi-GI 5, a powerful gut-health booster designed to improve weight management, increased energy, a healthy GI lining, and balanced gut flora for a renewed sense of whole-body health.
Randy Jackson says, “It’s about mind, body, and spirit. You need all three to truly change your habits and reclaim your health.” As a music legend, Randy knows the power music can have over a person’s mind and spirit, that’s why he’s worked with Unify Health Labs to create curated music playlists on Spotify here, to uplift and inspire people to get active and reclaim their health. From workout playlists to songs dedicated to women who rock, Randy Jackson and Unify Health Labs take a multi-faceted approach to healing the soul, mind and body through its products and playlists.
Randy Jackson and Unify Health Labs’ most popular Spotify playlists are as follows.
“Let’s Get it Started” Playlist – A selection of 30 heart-pumping songs from artists including The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, and Queen to help you hit the ground running to achieve your goals and get active.
“Celebrate Love” Playlist – Forty-five upbeat songs by African-American artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Luther Vandross in honor of Black History Month to get your body moving and feel your best every day.
“Spring Into Action” Playlist – A playlist of songs in celebration of spring and new beginnings, this contains 35 great songs by artists like The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Nash that Randy hopes will boost your mood and motivate you to start moving.
“From the Heart” Playlist – A Valentines playlist with 50 songs from the heart to energize your workout, make your commute joyful, or help you think about the special person in your life. Songs feature artists such as Elton John, Harry Styles, and Smokey Robinson.
Statement from Dr. Jamal Bryant, Civil Rights Activist and Pastor, Regarding Racist Comments from Georgia-based Coach and Trainer Mark Taylor
Activist and Pastor, Dr. Jamal Bryant has always been a vocal advocate for our people, especially young people. He recently released a statement regarding racist comments from Georgia-based Coach and Trainer Mark Taylor.
“Like so many, I am appalled at the racist venom spewed by Georgia-based football coach and speed trainer, Mark Taylor, on private videos that have since gone viral around the world. Not only are his words vile, hateful and dangerous; his actions are a complete betrayal of the young people he has worked with and used to gain credibility in his profession.
Scores of families, mostly Black, have turned to Coach Taylor to help their sons and daughters improve their performances on the field of play and to improve their chances of earning a college scholarship or to play professionally at the next level. We now know that his work with these families was less about him wanting them to succeed and more about furthering his reputation as a credible trainer, and at the expense of these athlete’s dignity and humanity.
Coach Taylor’s reputation has been bolstered by his association with some of the top athletic programs in this country and as of today, none have publicly stepped forward to denounce his comments or to articulate the termination of their formal or informal working relationship with this dangerous man. That is inexcusable.
I call on every college and university in the state of Georgia to publicly condemn the statements of Coach Mark Taylorand to terminate their working relationship with him. This is particularly necessary from the two-time defending National Champion, University of Georgia, athletic director Josh Brooks, and head football coach, Kirby Smart, as Coach Taylor is seen in one video demonstrating his support of this football program and their success on the field.
I also call on the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) to conduct a full investigation into Coach Taylor’s actions and suspend him from formally working with high schools in our state until their investigation is completed, and a full accounting of his actions have been made public.
Georgia’s favorite son, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., famously stated that “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” These words are particularly poignant at this time and I stand with all people of good conscience to state that the silence of our academic institutions and their athletic program leadership is unacceptable, disrespectful and erodes the pride that we feel in their on-the-field success. We cannot and will not trade our dignity and respect in exchange for the pursuit of athletic success and public acclaim.”
Stress Less About Money With These Top Ways To Boost Your Savings
Money habits are not built in a day, but your commitment to strengthening your relationship with your finances can start today.
Before you get started, identify what money path you’re on and access resources that will help you achieve your financial goals.
If you need some inspiration to start building savings, we’ve got you covered. With consistency, these tips will get you closer to your financial goals with ease.
Keep track of your finances and establish a budget: Use tools like Mint.com (or an old-fashioned paper and pen combo) to help you see if your current spending habits align with your priorities and goals.
Resist buying unnecessary items on payday: The easiest way to save money is to not buy anything at all or to stay in the house and offline.
Pay yourself first: Prioritize goal-based, long-term saving categories like retirement and investments before tackling short-term expenses.
Keep an emergency fund: Emergencies can’t always be avoided, but setting aside funds to pay for large, unexpected expenses can help you avoid selling investments at a loss and borrowing more from credit cards or high-interest loans.
Medical debt is the number-one cause of bankruptcy in the United States.
Make your money inconvenient: Create a designated, high-yield and online-only savings accounts because they often have a higher interest rate than traditional banks. Choose one that is FDIC-insured and requires the lowest deposit required to open an account.
Automate your savings: Choose an online-only bank account with no check writing abilities or debit card access so you’ll be forced to think twice about dipping into your savings.
Save your coins: Whether you take public transportation or need quarters for laundry, saving your coins in a jar at home is a key way to avoid touching other funds.
Holiday money-saving tips
Create a list: Jot down all of the names you want to buy a gift for, including yourself.
Create a budget: Pre-shop online, list prices clearly and any discounts to figure out how much money you will need.
Check your rewards card: Cash in your rewards and/or cash back for gifts or general savings.
Gas-saving tips
Buy gas with a rewards credit card: Although, some gas stations charge a lower price per gallon if you pay with cash rather than a credit card, responsible credit card usage can reap rewards at the gas pump.
Find apps with cheaper gas rates: Free apps like GasBuddy, Waze, WEX Connect, and Upside can help you pinch pennies at the pump.
Fill up on Mondays and Fridays: A 2022 survey by GasBuddy found that gas is the cheapest on Mondays in most states across the country, while Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday were the most expensive days.
Entertainment-saving tips
Unsubscribe and cancel unused subscriptions: Opt out of marketing emails from your favorite brands and save valuable money if certain subscriptions are no longer serving you.
Keep yourself entertained on a budget: Check out your local library for free and fun entertainment options like classes, games, events, video game rentals, and more. Also, many aquariums, museums, and zoos waive admission fees on certain days.
Create a fun fund: While dates can be expensive, you and your partner can decide how much money you want to save each month in a jar or account, then take turns deciding how it will be spent.
Food-saving tips
Buy in bulk: It’s easy to eat up your check, especially on pay day. Save on groceries by buying food items in bulk that don’t expire quickly like milk, bread, and cereal.
Meal prep: This saves time, money, and the headache of last-minute planning and grocery shopping. Simply prepare ingredients that are already in your pantry and focus on one or two meal types per week.
Debt savings tips
List all of your debt from lowest to highest: Grab a pen or online spreadsheet and get to work. Once this is completed, refer to your budget, and figure out how much money you can squeeze out of it to pay off your debt plan.
Pay only the minimum amount required on all of your debt, with the exception of the one debt you are trying to pay off: Paying only the minimum on your debt with high balances means that it will increase. Before starting your debt pay-down plan, try and transfer the debt with the high-interest rates to new cards with lower rates.
Use “round-up” features for card purchases: Sign up for round-up apps and debit cards that round up your everyday purchases to the nearest dollar, automatically depositing your change into a savings account.
Automate your bills: Set up automated payments to cover bills and direct deposits to fuel savings accounts.
Four Dead in Alabama ‘Sweet 16’ Birthday Party Shooting
At least four people were killed and 28 wounded in a shooting that erupted during a late-night “Sweet 16” birthday celebration at a dance studio in the small town of Dadeville, Alabama, state police and local news media said on Sunday.
Some of the injured were critically wounded during the shooting in east-central Alabama, about 60 miles (100 km) northeast of the state capital of Montgomery, authorities said. There was no official word on what led to the gun violence.
Authorities said the shooting started shortly after 10:30 p.m. CT on Saturday but they declined to answer questions or provide further details during two Sunday news conferences.
Officials said there was no longer any threat to the community but did not say whether a suspect has been killed or arrested.
“We’re going to continue to work in a very methodical way to go through this scene, to look at the facts, and ensure that justice is brought to bear for the families,” said Jeremy Burkett, a sergeant with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
The Montgomery Advertiser newspaper reported that one of the four people killed during the violence was a high school football player who was among those attending his sister’s “Sweet 16” birthday party when a gunman opened fire.
The newspaper, quoting the victim’s grandmother, identified the slain teenager as Phil Dowdell, whom she said was set to graduate in a matter of weeks and planned to attend Jacksonville State University on a football scholarship.
Reuters could not independently confirm the information or learn the identities of the other three victims.
The party was being held inside the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio, converted from an old bank building located about half a block from city hall in Dadeville, a town of about 3,200 residents. The scene was cordoned off with yellow crime-scene tape on Sunday.
Hundreds of community members gathered early on Sunday evening in a parking lot a few blocks from the shooting scene for an outdoor prayer vigil.
‘WHAT HAS OUR NATION COME TO?’
The bloodshed in Alabama marked the third high-profile mass shooting in as many weeks in the U.S. South, following separate outbreaks of deadly gun violence in Tennessee and Kentucky that prompted local leaders to call for tighter gun control measures.
Dadeville itself was shaken by at least one prior mass shooting in August of 2016, when a gunman wounded five people during a party at an American Legion hall, according to the Montgomery Advertiser.
“What has our nation come to when children cannot attend a birthday party without fear?” President Joe Biden said in a statement on Sunday.
Biden called the rising gun violence in the U.S. “outrageous and unacceptable,” and urged the U.S. Congress to pass laws to make firearms manufacturers more liable for gun violence, ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, and require safe storage of firearms and background checks for gun sales.
Tallapoosa County Schools Superintendent Raymond Porter said counseling would be provided at area schools on Monday, and asked local clergy to help families through the situation.
“We will make every effort to comfort those children and don’t lose sight of the fact that those are the ones most impacted by this situation,” Porter said.
Meanwhile, Republicans vying for their party’s 2024 presidential nomination and other prominent party members sought to cast themselves as unwaveringly supportive of gun rights without restrictions in Indiana over the weekend at the annual conference of the National Rifle Association (NRA), the country’s largest gun lobby.
The killings in Dadeville came five days after a bank employee shot dead five colleagues and wounded nine other people at his workplace in Louisville, Kentucky. On March 27, three 9 year olds and three staff members were killed at a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, by a former student.
Mass shootings have become commonplace in the U.S., with more than 163 so far in 2023, the most at this point in the year since at least 2016, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The nonprofit group defines a mass shooting as any in which four or more people are wounded or killed, not including the shooter.
Moving Scams? Georgia Women Says Moving Company Is Holding Her Property For A Ransom of $14,000
All Angela Forte was trying to do was move into her new apartment for an inexpensive fee. Now, as WSB-TV reports, the preschool teacher from Georgia claims the moving company is holding her property hostage.
Forte says MMG Moving has held her things for almost a year and demanded she pays $14,000 in moving expenses or her things will be auctioned. She says they are taking advantage of her with extra charges that weren’t included in their original agreement. She told reporters her apartment looked empty because of this exhausting nightmare. “They’re just holding it hostage. Holding my things hostage,” Forte said.
“For me to live like this, I am so ashamed.”
Forte, who was moving from California to Atlanta, admitted to signing a binding estimate for $4,600, which turned out to be a moving broker who passed the job on to another company. The MMG movers showed up late on the day of the move and claim she signed a new contract. After she already paid more than $5,000, MMG said she agreed, in writing, to pay another $5,700 on top of that – resulting in $11,000 to move contents stored in a 9′ x 10′ storage unit. MMG demanded $5,700 before unloading the truck here in Atlanta.
“Well, you do have a balance and it has to be paid before the things can get off the truck,” Forte says the movers said. Forte is certain the “balance due” line for $5,700 was filled in after she signed the document and now the movers are threatening to auction her personal belongings. “I can’t afford to pay that to anybody. Even if I had the money to pay, I wouldn’t pay because they don’t deserve that,” Forte said.
Moving scams are occurring more and more, especially in Georgia. George Hunter told CBS 13 earlier this year he was fighting to get his belongings back after movers “jacked up” the price, mid-move, and refused to return his stuff. He refused to pay an additional $8,000 after the company told him he underestimated the weight of the move after he used an online calculator.
