• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 31, 2022

$10 Million Lottery Winner Sentenced to Life in Prison for Fatally Shooting Girlfriend

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A North Carolina man who won $10 million in a lottery prize in 2017 is now preparing to spend the rest of his life in prison on first-degree murder charges.

On Friday, a jury found Michael Hill, 54, guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of 23-year-old Keonna Graham, The News & Observer reports. Hill was ordered to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole and received an additional 22-36 months for possession of a firearm by a felon that runs concurrently with the life sentence.

Graham had been dating Hill for more than a year when her body was found at the SureStay Hotel in Shallotte on July 20, 2020. Surveillance footage revealed Hill was the only person with Graham inside the hotel room.

Police tracked Hill down a few days later, and he confessed to killing Graham after seeing her texting other men while at the hotel. The District Attorney’s office thanked local law enforcement for their assistance in getting Hill arrested and charged with the murder.

“The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank our local law enforcement agencies for their collaborative efforts in the investigation of Graham’s death,” Assistant District Attorney Shirley Smircic said. “The hard work of these officers ensured a just result in this case.”

Hill was working at a nuclear plant when he won $10 million from a scratch-off ticket in August 2017, CBS News reports. Hill received $4,159,000 after taxes and planned to use his earnings to pay off bills and help his wife’s business.

The since-convicted felon purchased a non-winning ticket before deciding to try his luck on another scratch-off game. After reviewing his ticket, Hill discovered his “life-changing” lottery win.

“I saw the one and then the zero, and it still didn’t hit me,” he told N.C. Education Lottery at the time. “But then I saw the ‘M.’ My heart dropped down to my toes, and I lost my breath.”

• News

by Derek Major

May 31, 2022

Black Twitter Denounces Big Brands for Commercializing Juneteenth

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Large corporations that hoped to cash in on a litany of Juneteenth merchandise this year are instead facing backlash on social media.

Juneteenth commemorates U.S. General Gordon Granger and Union troops landing in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to inform enslaved African Americans that they were now free, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a federal holiday last year. However, the commercialization of the holiday by large companies like Walmart and Dollar Tree has upset many Black Americans, who have taken their anger to social media.

Not Dollar Tree selling headwraps for Juneteenth. pic.twitter.com/fBDwhHRCt2

— Name Is Ray (@_therayjohnson) May 24, 2022

Walmart gave Juneteenth the same holiday treatment it typically gives to Independence Day, labeling everything from paper plates and napkins to t-shirts with Juneteenth colors and quotes. The retail giant went as far as selling Juneteenth flavored (red velvet and cheesecake) ice cream. In turn, many Black Americans were angered by Walmart’s attempt to profit on a holiday that recognizes the end of more than 200 years of slavery and oppression and has largely been ignored by white America.  Additionally, many on social media pointed out that Walmart sells a Black-owned brand of ice cream that includes the same flavor.

The retail giant has since announced it would pull the ice cream from its shelves and apologized in a statement, however, the retail giant is still selling numerous Juneteenth-themed items.

In all seriousness……
If you have seen the Juneteenth Ice Cream from Walmart, go ahead and grab some Creamalicious Red Velvet Cheesecake instead! Walmart could have used this opportunity to highlight this brand instead of making a cheap copycat for OUR Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/avlIkjvoOU

— ThatBoyTay (@lifeofvontay) May 23, 2022

Walmart wasn’t the only large brand accused of trying to profit off Juneteenth. Dollar Tree was also taken to task on Twitter for its attempt to profit off the holiday–something Matthew Delmont, a Dartmouth University historian, believes will lead to the holiday being watered-down and trivialized like other federal holidays.

“It is hard not to worry that Juneteenth will be watered down or distorted now that it is a federal holiday,”  Delmont told Yahoo Finance. “Having this date on the national calendar every year offers an opportunity to talk honestly about our nation’s history and to come together in community to celebrate the generations of Black Americans who have fought for freedom and equality.”

https://twitter.com/TeckieGirle/status/1529518499764264960

Dollar Tree has not responded to the social media backlash, but did delete tweets advertising and promoting Juneteenth products from its official Twitter page.

LeBron James gave students at the I Promise School a huge surprise on the last day of classes.

Hailed as a hometown hero, the NBA superstar visited the elementary school he built in Akron, Ohio, Today reported. His presence brought students to their feet with massive smiles and excitement. After his surprise visit, James shared videos and photos on Instagram, spreading love to students he spent time with.

“Appreciate y’all letting me crash your last day of school [I Promise School]!! 🙏🏾 Love you all and have a fun and safe Summer. ❤️👑 Don’t forget what we talked about. 😉 #WeAreFamily,” James wrote on Instagram. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by 👑 (@kingjames)

The I PROMISE School was created through the Los Angeles Laker’s LeBron James Family Foundation. It opened in 2018 with a mission to “positively affect the lives of children and young adults through education and co-curricular educational initiatives,” according to the school’s website.

The school also posted several videos and photos of the amazed kids on social media. When James walked into the room, the basketball giant was embraced with love and hugs.

“We ALL needed this after this year. Thank you [LeBron James] for the hugs, high-fives, love, and words of wisdom. Proud to be a part of this family and striving to change the world,” I Promise School tweeted.

“Love my kids soooooooo much!!!!” James wrote alongside the video.

Love my kids soooooooo much!!!! https://t.co/dVf09LwHQG

— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 26, 2022

The I PROMISE School program provides year-round resources, including free tuition, transportation, uniforms, and bikes and helmets to kids, as per CBS News. The school also provides access to opportunities such as GED and job placement services. Every student who graduates receives guaranteed college scholarships or tuition to the University of Akron.

• Lifestyle

by Atiya Jordan

May 31, 2022

Former NICU Patient Overcomes Great Odds to Graduate from Medical School

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For Marcus Mosley, an incoming pediatrics resident, his passion for medicine is a poignant reminder of what he went through as a baby.

The 27-year-old former NICU patient has overcome the odds of vision impairment and developmental delays after he was born prematurely at 26 weeks, Good Morning America reported. Now, he’s celebrating his graduation from CUNY School of Medicine at City College of New York.

His mother, Pauline Mosley, recalled the day he was born as “frightening”—the doctors told her Marcus had a 10 percent chance of being normal. He had to spend 40 days in the NICU.

“They kept saying 90%, he might not be able to see,” Mosley said of her eldest son. “Eighty to 90%, he would have developmental delays. They didn’t know.”

It wasn’t until he was 13 that the course of Mosley’s life would change. A visit to the NICU at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York, where he was born, led him to meet Dr. Edmund LaGamma, the chief of neonatology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at WMC.

Mosley, greatly impacted by his own experiences, asked Dr. LaGamma about a summer shadowing program.

“The more we spoke, the more I realized that although he was a patient … that was a particularly important era when a lot of advances had been made,” said LaGamma. “So I said, ‘Oh, great. Yes. Why don’t you come and join us on rounds that’ll be kind of an interesting experience for you to see what you were like when you were 1000 grams. [approximately 2.2 pounds]'”

Mosley began to shadow LaGamma in the NICUS. “That is what really piqued my interest and then solidified my interest in wanting to go into medicine,” Mosley said.

He enrolled in an accelerated B.S./M.D. program at City College. He will continue his journey in an incoming pediatrics residency at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.

“I’m really excited and looking forward to starting residency and to be able to take care of patients now,” Mosley said. “I’ll be responsible for patients and involved in patient care and treating families.”

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 31, 2022

Virginia Councilwoman Responds to Criticism for Cursing Out Fellow Members, Apologizes ‘For Not Saying it Sooner’

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A Virginia councilwoman is doubling down on her recent bribery claims in the election process by apologizing for not making the revelation “sooner.”

Councilwoman Lisa Lucas-Burke called out her fellow council members last Monday after Vice Mayor De’Andre Barnes organized a meeting to decide on firing Portsmouth City Manager Angel Jones, WTKR reports. Jones ended up losing her job on Tuesday night, but not before things got heated during the city council meeting the night before.

Lucas-Burke shouted to the rooftops while accusing some council members of taking bribes for votes.

“Somebody came to my office and asked me to deal with this stuff because they’ve been paid $2,000 to get their vote on some stuff. I’m sick of it,” Lucas-Burke said.

Barnes believes Jones didn’t do enough to combat crime in Portsmouth. However, Lucas-Burke says Jones has done more than enough, and the only reason she was terminated was that she knew information about the alleged corruption.

“She got a lot on this council, and that’s why they want to get rid of her. And I hope that y’all [are] seeing what’s happening, and I hope you make your decision when November comes,” Lucas-Burke said.

“I’m pissed that the [expletive]…. yeah, I’m a say it. I’m mad as a [expletive], I am. Because I know what’s been going on.”

Barnes believes Jones didn’t do enough to tackle crime in Portsmouth, WTVR reports. On Saturday, Lucas-Burke took to Twitter to respond to her outburst during the city council meeting and stood firm on her initial claims.

Lucas-Burke said she has “been told I owe an apology for the language” used during last week’s meeting. But the only thing she’s apologizing for is “not saying it sooner.”

I’ve been told I owe an apology for the language I used this week. I agree.

I apologize for not saying it sooner. https://t.co/x6GjuDA5t3

— llburke (@llburke2) May 28, 2022

Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover voted to keep Jones, to no avail. She explained why the council is divided.

“Let me be clear – Angel Jones did not deserve this treatment. It is totally out of order for four members of council to unilaterally make a decision about the future of our city manager without conferring with the other three members,” Glover said.

• News

by Derek Major

May 31, 2022

Biden Releases Plan to Fight Inflation as Midterm Elections Near

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President Joe Biden has unveiled a three-part plan to fight rising inflation in the U.S., which is having a significant effect on his falling approval ratings.

In an op-ed he wrote for The Wall Street Journal ahead of a meeting with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday, the president assured Americans his administration is doing everything it can to lower prices.

“We now have a chance to build on a historic recovery with an economy that works for working families. The most important thing we can do now to transition from rapid recovery to stable, steady growth is to bring inflation down. That is why I have made tackling inflation my top economic priority.”

The first part of Biden’s plan is an acknowledgment that the Federal Reserve “has a primary responsibility to control inflation.” Although Biden didn’t say his name, he did say his predecessor, Donald Trump, “demeaned the Fed,” something Biden said he will not do.

The second part will focus on lowering gas prices and making goods more affordable for American families, adding that gas prices are high due to the Russia-Ukraine war, though the release of global oil reserves has helped. Biden also called on Congress to pass clean energy tax credits.

To lower the price of goods including food, Biden said his plan will fix supply chains, improve infrastructure “and crackdown on the exorbitant fees that foreign ocean freight companies charge to move products.”

While lowering gas prices is a big priority for the president, his own Energy Secretary, Jennifer Granholmtold, told CNN there’s not much more Biden can do since he has already fired the biggest bullet he had by releasing oil reserves. “The president doesn’t control the price,” Granholm said during the interview at a General Electric wind turbine facility in New Orleans.

Part three of Biden’s plan involves reducing the federal deficit through “common-sense reforms to the tax code.”

“We should level the international taxation playing field so companies no longer have an incentive to shift jobs and profits overseas. And we should end the outrageous unfairness in the tax code that allows a billionaire to pay lower rates than a teacher or firefighter,” Biden wrote.

Inflation has been a burden for the Biden Administration to deal with and his falling approval ratings spell trouble for Democrats in the midterm elections later this fall. The slim majority Democrats have during Biden’s first two years haven’t been much of one as Democrat Sens. Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema have blocked Biden’s legislative agenda numerous times.

• Lifestyle

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 31, 2022

D.L. Hughley and Mo’Nique Beef Over Who Was Suppose to Headline Comedy Show in Detroit

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The ongoing feud between comics Mo’Nique and D.L. Hughley continued over the weekend.

Mo’Nique, who was recently hired by 50 Cent to work on his BMF drama series, let loose on her fellow comedian while performing stand-up in Detroit on Saturday. According to USA Today, Mo’Nique openly shared that she signed a contract to be a headliner at the show and that D.L. Hughley declined to perform because she was the headliner.

During her opening, Mo’Nique walked across the stage lambasting Hughley. The Oscar winner said, “Y’all don’t understand the fight [I] had to go through to stand in front of y’all tonight.” Mo’Nique shared with the crowd that she had issues with Hughley before. The comedian even insinuated that his moniker, D.L., refers to Hughley being on the down-low.

Hughley, who is also pretty vocal, responded on Instagram.

“All you have to do is check the order of names on the ticket stub from last night and you’ll see who’s confused. Against my better judgment, over the objections of my team and 4 other occasions where I said NO, I decided to take a chance and work with Monique. Oprah was the problem, Tyler Perry was the problem, Charlamagne was the problem, Steve Harvey was the problem, Lee Daniels was the problem, Netflix was the problem… Now it’s MY turn. At some point it can’t be everyone else, IT’S YOU!! Lesson learned. I didn’t have anything personal against Monique… People paid a lot of money to laugh, not hear about your contract. Apparently, the role you played in PRECIOUS turned out to be an autobiography. I wonder who’s next…

– Darryl Lynn Hughley”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by realdlhughley (@realdlhughley)

This instigated a response from Mo’Noque on Instagram.

“THE FACT THAT YOU POINT THE PEOPLE TO THE TICKET STUBS FOR THE ORDER OF THE NAMES VERSUS TO YOUR CONTRACT IMPLIES THAT YOU DON’T HAVE A CONTRACT THAT SHOWS YOU ARE THE HEADLINER, LIKE I DO. EITHER SHOW YOUR CONTRACT OR BE QUIET. STOP MESSING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER MESSED WITH YOU AND WHO ONCED CONSIDERED YOU A COMRADE IN COMEDY. BUT I THANK YOU DL BECAUSE YOUR YOU’RE THE REASON WHY I FIGHT FOR MY PEOPLE LIKE I DO. ANYTIME YOU OPENED FOR THE KINGS OF COMEDY, AND I WAS THE HEADLINER FOR THE QUEENS OF COMEDY AND YOU THINK YOU SHOULD CLOSE THE SHOW OVER ME IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE BIAS THAT BLACK WOMEN HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN THIS BUSINESS. I WON’T EVEN DISCUSS AWARDS👀.
I LOVE US 4REAL”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mo’nique (@therealmoworldwide)

Hughley reiterated his status as the headliner by showing his contract to his followers.

“AFTER THIS… I don’t want hear NO MO’ ABOUT THIS✌🏾HERE IT IS IN BLACK & WHITE!! THE ONLY THING BLACKED OUT IS PERSONAL AND BANK INFO. PAY ATTENTION TO:
🤴🏾HEADLINER
💰HIGHEST PAID ARTIST ON SHOW
🤴🏾ARTIST TO HAVE APPROVAL OF LINEUP
🤴🏾LINEUP OF THE SHOW – DL HUGHLEY (CLOSING)
RECEIPTS > OPINIONS. I GOT EVERYTHING THAT WAS STATED IN MY CONTRACT… EVERYTHING. BUT LET’S SAY I DIDN’T, MY BEEF WOULDN’T BE WITH ANYONE BUT THE PROMOTER AND/OR MY TEAM AND I DAMN SURE WOULDN’T MAKE IT PERSONAL. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, TAKE IT UP WITH MANAGEMENT AND BY THAT I MEAN YOURS✌🏾
– Darryl Lynn Hughley
#TeamDK #KingSh*t”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by realdlhughley (@realdlhughley)

Mo’Nique responded in another Instagram post, “If you notice mine has signatures and D.L. does not.”

“What type of iron clad agreement doesn’t have the signatures of the participants involved?”

• Technology

by Black Enterprise Shop

May 31, 2022

Pick from the Best Refurbished Laptops and Tablets at Stunning Prices

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Purchasing a new computer is a costly venture. Whether it’s an Apple or Microsoft desktop or laptop, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one with competitive specs for under $700. New tablets aren’t quite as expensive, but they’re not too far behind on the cost scale. Here are six refurbished laptops and tablets that are available at attractive prices.

iPad Air 16GB:

This factory refurbished Wi-Fi only Apple iPad Air 16GB (Space Gray) costs less than $200. That’s cheaper than some family phone plans. An A7 chip is under its case, and it runs on iOS 7. With 16GB of storage and 1GB of RAM, it has no problem handling multiple tasks. Enjoy videos on its 9.7” Retina display. It packs a battery life of 10 hours.

Purchase this iPad today for $179 (reg. $499).

Lenovo Chromebook

This lightweight yet powerful laptop does it all. Enjoy top-of-the-line resolution when playing games, browsing the internet, composing work documents, and more on its 11.6” screen and 1,366 x 768 pixels. It’s powered by an Intel Celeron N2930 processor, and its 16GB SSD is fully capable of multitasking and storing large files. It’s fitted with four ports and Bluetooth. As the name suggests, it runs Chrome OS.

Purchase this Chromebook today for $89 (reg. $170).

5th Gen iPad 128GB

Think of this Wi-Fi-only iPad as the enhanced version of the first one on this list. Not only does it have a faster processor (dual-core 1.8GHz A9), but it comes with more storage (128GB). This model was released in 2017. In addition to Bluetooth, it’s fitted with dual cameras. It runs iOS 10 and has a battery life of 10 hours.

Purchase this iPad today for $236 (reg. $499).

Apple MacBook Air

This 2012 MacBook Air packs many features in a 13.3″ razor-thin aluminum shell. Key features are its enhanced processing power with Intel Core i5, 1.8GHz processor, and 128GB SSD, which allows for simplistic file storing with no fuss. View high-quality images on the MacBook Air’s 13.3″ screen with support from an Intel HD Graphics 4000 card and enjoy its 7-hour battery life.

Purchase this MacBook Air for $259.99 (reg. $1,499).

Watch this video.

HP ProBook X360

The HP ProBook X360 11-G1-EE provides an enhanced user experience with its Windows 10 Pro OS. It’s powered by an Intel Pentium N4200 1.1GHz Processor. This 11.6″ machine is small but mighty with 8 GB of RAM and 128GB SSD, allowing users to view content on a beautiful HD-touchscreen display.

Purchase this HP ProBook for $239.99 (reg. $269).

iPad 128GB

The third iPad on this list comes with many features as the second one listed, but it checks in at a slightly lower price tag. This 2016 model comes with 128GB of storage and a 9.7” Retina display. It’s perfect for video calling and FaceTime thanks to dual cameras and speakers. 10-hour battery life is more than enough to handle anything thrown it’s way.

Purchase this iPad today for $299.99 (reg. $749)

Prices subject to change.

• Health and Wellness

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 30, 2022

Retired Trauma Surgeon Talks How Vitamin D3 Plays a Role in Possibly Reducing Violent Incidents Amongst Athletes Suffering from CTE

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As the discussions surrounding traumatic brain injuries and concussions continue, athletic coaches and supporters are seeking ways to predict and possibly, prevent violent incidents from happening.

While research on the links between traumatic brain injuries and violent behavior gets more in depth, Dr. Leslie Ray Matthews has discovered that a low dose of Vitamin D was prevalent in every case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) diagnoses. CTE has begun to apply heavy pressure to athletic teams, specifically in the football community.