by Kandiss Edwards

September 17, 2025

P.F. Chang’s Will Pay Job Applicant $80K For Religious Discrimination

An applicant filed a grievance with the EEOC after he was denied employment after asking for Sundays off.

P.F. Chang’s, the massively popular pan-Asian restaurant chain, has agreed to pay $80,000 to settle a religious discrimination claim.

An applicant filed a grievance with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after he said that when he asked to have Sundays off due to his religious beliefs he was dismissed as a potential candidate.

The incident happened during an interview in August 2024 at the Birmingham, Alabama, location of the restaurant. The EEOC found that the applicant’s request led directly to the rejection of his application.

In addition to the monetary payment, the agreement mandates changes to P.F. Chang’s policies on religious accommodations. The company will also conduct training for its staff, managers, supervisors, and human resources personnel at the Birmingham restaurant on equal employment rights.

“We commend P.F. Chang’s for their commitment to ensuring that their restaurants make reasonable efforts to accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs,” said Bradley Anderson, director of EEOC’s Birmingham District Office, in the Sept. 15 news release. “This case should serve as a reminder for employers to train supervisors and representatives to recognize requests for religious accommodations. It is important all employers understand that federal law requires reasonable religious accommodations.”

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, employers must provide reasonable accommodations for religious observances. Employers are only exempt from this accommodation if doing so causes undue hardship. The EEOC noted that refusing to grant the Sunday-off request violated that requirement.

Founded in 1993, P.F. Chang’s has 300-plus locations in more than 20 countries and airports. There are more than 200 restaurants in the United States, according to the company’s website.

Ohio mom, Michigan, Darren, Dawson, Ohio, tortured closet, social security, Juvenile jails, ex cons for trump

by Mitti Hicks

September 17, 2025

House Approves Bill To Lower Youth Offender Age In Washington, DC

One key change would lower the age of a youth offender from 24 to 18 in the “DC Crimes Act.” The legislation would also require that criminal sentencing be at least as long as the mandatory minimums for adults.

The House passed legislation Tuesday that will change how a youth offender in the nation’s capital will be prosecuted, signaling congressional support behind President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on crime in Washington, D.C.

One key change would lower the age of a youth offender in Washington from 24 to 18 in the “DC Crimes Act.” The legislation would also require that criminal sentencing be at least as long as the mandatory minimums for adults, and make it compulsory for the D.C. attorney general to establish a public website that publishes youth criminal statistics.

The bill passed 240-179, with 20 Democrats siding with their Republican colleagues.

A second bill, known as the D.C. Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act, was passed by a narrower margin. Eight Democrats backed the legislation, and only one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voted against it. He opposed both bills.

Youth or Government? Critics Argue Congress Has Too Much Control in Washington, D.C.

This latest move from congressional Republicans comes as President Trump called on National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers to patrol the streets of Washington, D.C. While the Home Rule Act of 1973 allows residents to elect their own mayor and city council, the U.S. Congress and the President retain significant oversight.

Some Democrats have vocalized that Trump and his aides are abusing their power by intervening in a city’s ability to govern local affairs.

“[Trump] is constantly attacking what Republicans used to call a small government and deciding to be the biggest government that you can find. It’s truly shameful,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett.

According to the Associated Press, the House is expected to take up two more bills related to criminal justice in Washington, D.C. The legislation calling for changes will still need to be passed in the Senate.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of more than 240 national civil and human rights advocacy organizations, opposes all four bills Congress plans to vote on regarding criminal justice reform in D.C.

“Together, these bills represent yet another needless intrusion into D.C. local government, and yet another attack on the political power of a majority minority population,” Maya Wiley, CEO and president, wrote in an advocacy letter to Congressional representatives.

She continues, “Congress would be moving quickly to expand D.C.’s resources … by restoring the more than $1 billion that Congress inexplicably forced D.C. to slash from its locally-funded budget earlier this year. Instead, it is simply micromanaging a handful of policies with no meaningful input from the people who live here full-time.”

by Kandiss Edwards

September 17, 2025

32-Year-Old Mother’s Body Found Decomposed In Georgia Prison

The Georgia Department of Corrections is investigating.

The Georgia Department of Corrections has started an investigation after Sheqweetta Vaughan, an inmate serving a two-year sentence at Lee Arrendale State Prison, was found dead in her single-person cell.

Vaughan was discovered dead and partially decomposed inside a single, hot, poorly ventilated segregation cell on the morning of July 9.

Signs like her body’s decomposition suggest she may have died much earlier, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Health and coroner records indicate Vaughan had given birth six months before her death.

When Habersham County Deputy Coroner Kenneth Franklin arrived, the temperature in her cell was already in the 90s with little airflow. Franklin noted strong odors of decay and observed decomposition. Evidence of decay included “green ‘marbling’ on Vaughan’s arms and skin slipping and blistering across her body. There were no visible signs of physical trauma or contraband.

For the second time in two years, a decomposing body has been discovered in a Georgia prison cell. This time it was a woman, Sheqweetta Vaughan, and she died in a cell where the temperature was 90 degrees six months after giving birth. https://t.co/tzSNj7WsEm
— Danny Robbins (@RobbinsDanny) September 15, 2025

Georgia’s corrections policy requires officers to check on inmates in segregation at least every 30 minutes. A pathologist speaking with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said the level of decomposition observed is inconsistent with that schedule

“That degree of decomposition doesn’t come within 30 minutes, within an hour, or within two hours,” he said.

In his report, Franklin could not pinpoint the exact time of death due to the harsh conditions of the facility.

According to prison incident logs, a neighboring prisoner reported hearing Vaughan call for medical help around 6 a.m. on July 8. According to the unidentified prisoner, no response followed her calls for assistance. The cellmate’s account and recorded checks show the body was not reported until 10:45 a.m. the next day.

The coroner’s report stated Vaughan was found at 10:40 a.m., but Franklin was told a welfare check was done by prison employees at 10:08 a.m.

In 2023, the Georgia Department of Corrections proposed closing Lee Arrendale State Prison, one of the oldest facilities within the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC). According to NowHabersham, the plan would cclose the prison’s main units while keeping its 112-bed transitional center operational.

The facility would be renamed the Lee Arrendale Transition Center. Officials said this would reduce the inmate population by roughly 1,000, with only about 200 individuals remaining in transition. The plan also called for retaining infrastructure like food operations, farm work, fire services, and packing stations despite the downsizing.

by Kandiss Edwards

September 17, 2025

Despite Confirmed Sources, Trump Spokesman Denies The Removal Of ‘Scourged Back’ Portrait In Effort To Erase Black History

The Scourged Back shows enslaved man, Peter Gordon’s, scarred skin after an untold number of lashings.

The Trump administration is rumored to have ordered the removal of a Civil War artifact that displays extensive scarring on an enslaved man from the National Gallery of Art. The image titled The Scourged Back has been widely circulated since its production in 1983. It is one of many artifacts, related to slavery, that the Trump administration is attempting to erase.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle denied the allegations in statement to People.

“This is fake news. No decisions have been made on this exhibit – it is under review to ensure compliance with the Executive Order,” Ingles said.

However, the Washington Post cites four individual sources that confirm the image has been ordered removed.

This is just one of the many acts undertaken by the government to purge national parks of “corrosive ideology.” Under the executive order “Restoring Truth and Sanity To American History,” the administration wants to rid the country of “signs referring to racial discrimination and the hostility of White people.”

The Scourged Back shows an enslaved man, Peter Gordon’s, scarred skin after an untold number of lashings. The image was taken to emphasize the horrors inflicted upon enslaved people. Historians say it was widely distributed during the Civil War and helped garner empathy and awareness of the suffering enslaved Americans endured.

Photo of a former slave named Peter exposing his severely whipped back in 1863. The image became know as the "scourged back" photo and it became one of the most widely circulated photos of the abolitionist movement during the American Civil War. pic.twitter.com/SBxzNAlmg2
— Morbid Knowledge (@Morbidful) August 22, 2023

The executive order grants the Interior Department broad authority to remove interpretive signage, educational displays, and gift shop items deemed to present an incomplete or inaccurate portrayal of American history. There is a specific interest in minimizing exhibits that paint a full picture of racism, slavery, or systemic oppression. In several national parks, including Harpers Ferry Historic Park and the President’s House Site in Philadelphia, staff have identified more than 30 signs and exhibits for review or potential removal, according to The Washington Post.

Park Service spokesperson Rachel Pawlitz issued a statement about the review of artifacts that may fall under Trump’s executive order.

“Interpretive materials that disproportionately emphasize negative aspects of U.S. history or historical figures, without acknowledging broader context or national progress, can unintentionally distort understanding rather than enrich it.”

The Scourged Back is a striking image that reveals the violent nature of America’s past, telling a tale of horrors from a pivotal point in the country’s history. Horrors that many fear, if not acknowledged, may be repeated.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 17, 2025

Mrs. World Gets Real About Pressures Of Being First Black Winner In Pageant’s History

Tshego Gaelae had never competed in a pageant before becoming Mrs. South Africa.

When Tshego Gaelae become Mrs. World, she didn’t realize all the pressures that would come with the historic title.

The attorney from Johannesburg, South Africa, became the pageant’s first Black winner in January. Gaelae was a novice to the pageant world, never competing before securing the Mrs. South Africa title.

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While not underestimating its immense platform, Gaelae said the transition has come with a learning curve.

“You’d hear the sentiments that people share about pageantry and stereotypes, saying that pageantry women are catty. Women don’t want other women to succeed; women are mean to each other,” she told People. “I walked in as a blank canvas, and I really told myself that it will be what it is. It will be what it is, and it will be what I make of it, because it’s also my responsibility to make it what I want it to be for me.”

The 35-year-old swiftly engulfed herself in the world of pageantry. However, it was her experience as an attorney that drew her to the pageant scene for its “networking opportunities.”

She continued, “So I really allowed myself to be immersed in the [pageant] experience, to take it all in and not allow the misconceptions and people’s views and judgments cloud my view.”

With confidence and leadership skills in tow, Gaelae has embraced her new position to encourage others to reach their ambitions. Her pageant mentor prepared her on what to do if she won.

“She said, ‘Please just remember this is huge, because if you win—and should you win, and when you win—you will be the first Black woman to have won Mrs. World. So think about what you want that to mean to you and think about what you want that to mean to the world,’” Gaelae recalled her mentor saying.

Gaelae wants all women to forge a path where they feel empowered, and in turn empower others.

“It’s bigger than just me…It’s not just about me. It’s about every other Black woman or mixed race woman or Indian woman or even White woman who has dared to dream…It’s how you carry the crown, what you do with the crown and what kind of legacy you leave.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 17, 2025

Diddy’s Former ‘Making The Band’ Artist Appeals Dismissed Sexual Assault Case

"Making the Band" star Star Rivers is pressing forward with her legal fight against Diddy after her sexual assault lawsuit was dismissed.

Sara Rivers, best known from her time on Making the Band and as a former member of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ group Da Band, is challenging the court’s decision to dismiss her sexual harassment and assault lawsuit against the Bad Boy mogul.

On Sept. 15, the singer filed a motion to appeal in Manhattan federal court after a judge recently dismissed her lawsuit alleging that Combs sexually harassed and groped her during the filming of the 2000s MTV reality series, Billboard reported. Rivers is now taking her case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in hopes of reviving the suit.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff dismissed 21 of the 22 claims in Rivers’ lawsuit “finally and with prejudice,” preventing them from being refiled. The judge cited the statute of limitations, emphasizing how much time had passed since the alleged assault.

“It is important to remember the many positive purposes served by statutes of limitations,” the judge wrote at the time. “They promote justice by preventing surprises through plaintiffs’ revival of claims that have been allowed to slumber until evidence has been lost, memories have faded, and witnesses have disappeared.”

Rakoff delayed ruling on count 15 of the 148-page lawsuit, opting to wait for an appeals court decision on whether New York City’s Gender Motivated Violence Protection Act (GMVPA) could still allow claim-revival after the statewide Adult Survivors Act had closed its own window for time-barred sexual misconduct claims. The Adult Survivors Act is what enabled many of Combs’ accusers, including ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, to bring their allegations forward in his sex trafficking and racketeering case.

In her lawsuit, Rivers accused Combs of groping her and forcing her into encounters where he allegedly sexually harassed her during the filming of the hit MTV reality show. Under her GMVPA claim, she further alleged that Combs “cornered” her at his recording studio, later retaliating by blackballing her from the music industry when she rejected his advances.

Her lawsuit accuses Combs and co-defendants, including Bad Boy Entertainment, Janice Combs, Universal Music, Viacom, and MTV Productions, of conspiracy to commit racketeering. The defendants pushed back, arguing the statute of limitations barred the claims.

Meanwhile, Combs faces a wave of civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct while remaining in federal custody ahead of his Oct. 3 sentencing. He is still working to overturn his conviction on two counts of violating the Mann Act for transportation to engage in prostitution.

confederate, right wing, domestic terrorist

by Mitti Hicks

September 17, 2025

Report Missing: DOJ Quietly Deletes Study Showing Domestic Terrorists Are Majority Right Wing

When comparing the numbers, far-right extremists have killed over 520 people in at least 227 events. In the same period analyzed, far-left extremists committed 42 ideologically motivated attacks that killed 78 people.

Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk and unfounded claims that the left is responsible for inciting political violence, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) appears to have quietly removed the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ) information online on how a majority of domestic terrorists consider themselves right-wing.

The study titled “What NIJ Research Tells US About Domestic Terrorism” is no longer on the DOJ website. It is, however, available on the Wayback Machine.

“Militant, nationalistic, white supremacist, violent extremism has increased in the United States,” the study reads. “In fact, the number of far-right attacks continues to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism.”

NIJ Research on Domestic Terrorists

According to researchers, far-right extremists have committed far more ideologically motivated homicides than far-left or radical Islamist extremists since 1990. When comparing the numbers, far-right extremists have killed over 520 people in at least 227 events. In the same period analyzed, far-left extremists committed 42 ideologically motivated attacks that killed 78 people.

The NIJ has played a vital role in developing a comprehensive terrorism database to inform criminal justice responses to terrorism, address the risk of terrorism to potential targets, and examine the links between terrorism and other crimes, as well as the organizational and cultural dynamics of terrorism.

In 2012, the U.S. Congress requested that NIJ build on its focal points by funding research on domestic terrorism. In its study on white supremacy, the team examined the complex social-psychological processes involved with entering, mobilizing, and exiting white supremacy in the United States.

“A key organizing principle is that inherent differences between races and ethnicities position white and European ancestry above all others,” researchers noted. “Those interviewed were authoritarian, anti-liberal, or militant nationalists who had a general intolerance toward people of color.”

Researchers added, “They had used violence to achieve their goals and supported a race war to eradicate the world of nonwhite people.”

DOJ Targeting One Side of Political Violence

Kirk, a right-wing political commentator, was killed on Sept. 10 during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. It was the first stop on his American Comeback Tour.

Tyler Robinson, 22, was charged with killing Kirk after allegedly confessing to his roommate and romantic partner that he shot him because he “had had enough” of Kirk’s “hatred.” While Robinson’s own political ideologies are unknown, he described his own father as a “pretty diehard MAGA member.”

Rather cool about what feels like a boiling political climate, President Donald Trump said during an appearance on Fox and Friends that he “couldn’t care less” about bringing people back together amid political division and tensions.

“The radicals on the left are the problem,” he stated. “They’re vicious, and they’re horrible, and they’re politically savvy.”

While Trump ordered American flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Kirk, many Americans have pointed out that Trump remained silent when Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in their home on June 14. Investigators believe it was a politically motivated homicide.

Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot in their home. Authorities believe it was by the same gunman. Both have recovered from their injuries.

Trump did not order that flags fly half-staff for the Hortmans.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 17, 2025

Mark Zuckerberg Let School For Underserved Children Shut Down Despite Being Worth Almost $260 Billion

The school stated the shut down stemmed from lack of funding.

Mark Zuckerberg is listed among the world’s richest men. His net worth is nearly $260 billion.

However, his surplus of riches could not keep his school for underserved children afloat. Developed in 2016 by Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, the Primary School served in-need children from struggling families within the Silicon Valley and East Bay areas of California.

The billionaire couple’s philanthropic arm, The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, sustained the project with a roughly $100 million investment until 2024. According to Leravi, it allowed the school to fulfill its founders’ lofty mission of providing education, healthcare, and social services to the area’s most vulnerable community members.

However, the school could never find its own legs as CZI remained its primary support pillar. While the school aimed to level the playing field for young learners, the venture failed to secure funding outside of Zuckerberg. In fact, donations for the school were reduced by over half, with only $3.7 donated in 2023, and a steady decline was occurring.

With no money to maintain its budget, the school announced a closure in April. It will keep its doors open through 2026, but with no word on why CZI let the mission-fueled project fall.

However, sources told the New York Times that the final straw was CZI pulling out of their monetary commitment. The news disgruntled parents, part of The Primary School’s community, who expressed frustration with the choice given, Zuckerberg’s sizable pockets.

“He’s a billionaire. Why would he close a school for poor kids?” questioned one parent.

The Primary School did note that CZI would provide $50 million to sustain its legacy, including 529 education savings plans for its current students. Moving forward, CZI emphasized that it will shift its efforts and finances to support scientific research and artificial intelligence advancement.

However, parents called out Zuckerberg and Chan for scrapping their unsustainable education venture. They emphasized a responsibility on the billionaire founders to keep these promises, especially if their surplus of money allows it. They were also left confused by the monetary allotments granted to each student upon the news of the closure.

“If money was an issue, why are they offering up to $10,000 to each student? Where is that money coming from?” asked parent Sbeydy Pacheco to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The parting gift is meant to help parents find new schooling for their children after the following school year. These families say it’s not enough to cover any private schools in the area.

Now, as Zuckerberg and Chan shift their focus and funding away from local education, those left in their wake must forge their own way to a better future.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 17, 2025

‘Severance’ Star Tramell Tillman Makes HBCU Pride After Historic Emmys Win

Tillman attended not one but two HBCUs as he makes history for Black actors.

The 2025 Emmys ceremony had a historic night, with one of its winners taking an award home with HBCU pride.

A highlight of the Sept. 14 event was Tramell Tillman, who became the first Black man to win Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Tillman won the award for his acclaimed performance as Seth Milchick in the Apple TV+ series Severance.

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Tillman is not only making Black history with the win, but also HBCU history. An alum of Jackson State University, he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications. However, ahead of his graduation, Tillman attended another HBCU before becoming a household name.

Born in Washington, D.C., yet raised in neighboring Maryland, Tillman first enrolled at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans. He majored in pre-med before taking on a craft that would become his acting career. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Tillman transferred to a Mississippi HBCU, according to HBCU GameDay.

However, the actor decided to continue his education at the University of Tennessee. While also becoming the first Black man at the school to complete his master’s in fine arts, Tillman recalled the racism that impacted his experience.

“The head of acting warned it might be a deal breaker — I’d be the only Black person in that program, and nearly the only Black male among faculty, staff and students,” he told Variety in an interview. I thought, “Hey, free education; I’ll learn.” But, I didn’t grasp what I was signing up for until I moved there. It was never intimidating — more frustrating, overwhelming and isolating.

He continued, “I endured being called the N-word, followed and taunted with ‘White power!’ There were countless microaggressions. When I reported incidents, some in the community would say, ‘Well, I didn’t see it,’ or ‘I didn’t think it was racist.’”

Now, Tillman reigns as a trailblazer for the Emmys, beating out his co-star and fellow historic nominee Zack Cherry. Tillman also reigns as the first openly gay Black man to earn the recognition. In his acceptance speech, the 41-year-old spoke of the first person who believed in his gift, his first acting coach.

“You remember what you want to remember. You make time for what you want to make time for, do the work, show up, and most importantly, for the love of God, don’t embarrass me in public,” Tillman joked before revealing who inspired his speech.

He continued, “My first acting coach was tough, y’all, but all great mothers are. Mama, you were there for me when no one else was and no one else would show up. Your loving kindness stays with me, and this is for you… As my mama would say, ‘look at God.’”

Uncle Nearest , whiskey, fawn weaver, barriers business

by Kandiss Edwards

September 17, 2025

New Receiver Accesses Uncle Nearest Finances

Consultants to assess the company’s outside assets for possible liquidation.

The lawsuit against Uncle Nearest is moving toward a possible bankruptcy.

Court filings show that Phillip G. Young Jr. has hired turnaround firm Newpoint Advisors Corporation to assess the business’s financial health. Young, who was appointed as receiver in August, now has the authority to initiate bankruptcy proceedings if necessary.

Young’s firm has hired consultants to assess the company’s outside assets for possible liquidation. Thoroughbred Spirits Group was retained as an operational consultant, and Belcher, Sykes & Harrington will serve as alcoholic beverage counsel.

The initial lawsuit against Uncle Nearest was filed in late July by Farm Credit Mid-America PCA, a Kentucky-based lender that claims the brand and its founders, Fawn and Keith Weaver, defaulted on more than $108 million in loans. The lender also alleges the company inflated the value of whiskey barrels by at least $24 million. Farm Credit is calling in payments, as the barrel value was used as collateral for the loans. The current allegations are raising questions about Uncle Nearest’s previous financial reporting and rapid company growth.

Farm Credit is challenging Weaver’s purchase of a cognac distillery in France and a home in Martha’s Vineyard, calling the move misappropriation of funds. To manage those assets, Young has brought on a French law firm to evaluate or liquidate the estate’s assets in France and another to handle properties in Massachusetts.

The Weavers have responded to Farm Credit, claiming that a former executive defrauded the company during his tenure. The case continues to make its way through the Tennessee Eastern District Court.

Uncle Nearest is not the only distillery in financial turmoil. Since January 2025, three major distilleries have hired a turnaround firm, according to International Business Times. LMD Holdings, parent of Luca Mariano Distillery, Garrard County Distilling, and Stoli Group, owner of Kentucky Owl, has all folded in the face of billion-dollar overhead.

There’s a lot of speculation about the downturn of the $9 billion industry. The changing tastes of Gen Z and the rising tariffs on imports and exports have drastically changed the spirits landscape.