by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 31, 2025

Lester Holt Signs Off ‘NBC Nightly News’—Shifts Full Focus To ‘Dateline’

Holt has anchored "NBC Nightly News" since 2015.

Lester Holt anchored his final “NBC Nightly News” broadcast on May 30 as he shifts his full focus to NBC’s “Dateline.”

Holt, who has anchored “NBC Nightly News” since 2015 while also hosting “Dateline,” is now stepping away from the nightly broadcast to focus solely on long-form journalism, a move he says allows him to dive deeper into storytelling. He made a May 30 appearance on Today for a segment that honored his time hosting the nightly news show.

“I’ve been hosting ‘Dateline’ for many years,” Holt told Today hosts Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin, “but long form is something I really wanted to get my teeth into.”

“It’s a different set of news muscles,” he continued. “The time just seemed to be right. You know, you hit a certain age, you start thinking, ‘What’s the back part of my career going to look like?’”

NBC national correspondent Tom Llamas will take over as anchor of “NBC Nightly News” following Holt’s departure. Llamas will continue anchoring his primetime streaming show “Top Story” with Tom Llamas on “NBC News NOW” as he takes on his new role at NBC Nightly News.

Holt, who announced his exit in February, has been a steady presence in American journalism, guiding viewers through major events like the rise of Donald Trump, the COVID-19 pandemic, and conflicts in the Middle East. Since announcing his departure, Holt has shared his passion for covering news stories with depth and accuracy.

“The big buy-in was to be able to do more of the hours,” Holt told Variety earlier this month. “I once spent two nights in prison for a ‘Dateline,’ and I’ve done heartbreaking stories on the asthma crisis and the economy… but I want to do more of those.”

“I want to be able to tell a producer, ‘Yes, I’ll be there for that interview next week,’ because I won’t be jumping after whatever is happening for Nightly.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 31, 2025

Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence Are Now ‘In-Laws’ After Their Children Get Married

Murphy's son Eric and Lawrence's daughter Jasmin are now officially husband and wife.

Eddie Murphy revealed that he and another legendary comic, Martin Lawrence, are now officially related by marriage: Murphy’s son and Lawrence’s daughter have tied the knot.

According to People, on a recent episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show, the Coming to America actor said that his son, Eric Murphy, and Lawrence’s daughter, Jasmin Page Lawrence, have exchanged vows.

Murphy and Lawrence appeared in two movies together, 1992’s Boomerang and 1999’s Life.

Murphy said that the pair had a small ceremony about two weeks ago.

“They went off, everybody was making the big wedding plans, and then they decided they wanted to do something quiet with just the two of them,” Murphy explained to Hudson.

He added hat since they did so, that “big wedding” wouldn’t have to be paid for by his fellow entertainer, adding, “We’re in-laws.”

The two children of comedy royalty got engaged last November. They publicly professed their love for each other in 2021.

“11.27.2024
“We’re engaged!! God truly blessed us with a love that feels like destiny. We couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter ❤️❤️

“Special thank you to everyone who made this moment so beautiful!!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jasmin Lawrence Murphy (@jasmin_lawrence)

Eric, 35, is Murphy’s oldest child with ex-girlfriend Paulette McNeely. Jasmin, 29, is the eldest child of Martin and his ex-wife, Patricia Southall.

“They went off, and they got married at the church,” the Beverly Hills Cop star said. “They just had the two of them and the preacher. They had a quiet little thing. So I think we’ll have a big party or something.”

“My uncle actually introduced us — it wasn’t even our dads,” Jasmin told InTouch Weekly in January 2022. “And they’ve done two movies together. They’re friends. I don’t even know, it’s crazy, but we met through my uncle and, you know, we became really good friends.”

Candace Parker, Las Vegas Aces, Retirement

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 31, 2025

Chicago Sky Will Be The Second Team To Retire Candace Parker’s No. 3 Jersey

The ceremony will take place Aug. 25, 2 months after the Los Angeles Sparks retire her number

The WNBA has announced that the Chicago Sky franchise will raise the uniform jersey of Candace Parker to the stadium’s rafters this summer.

On Aug. 25, at Wintrust Arena, the team will celebrate the success of Parker’s time with the Sky when they retire her No. 3 jersey during their contest against the Las Vegas Aces. Her basketball jersey will hang right beside the team’s 2021 championship banner.

Breaking: The Chicago Sky will retire Candace Parker’s jersey on August 25, the team announced Wednesday.

The Chicago native won a WNBA championship with the Sky in 2021 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sHHxMqiUxN

— espnW (@espnW) May 29, 2025

“Growing up in Naperville, playing on courts around here with my brothers, and watching Chicago teams like the Bulls, who became synonymous with winning, I never imagined one day my jersey would hang in the rafters of my hometown team,” Candace Parker said in a written statement. “Coming home to Chicago and helping bring the city its first WNBA championship here—it was personal. I’m beyond grateful to the city, the fans, and everyone who’s been part of my journey. Chicago raised me, and this will always be home.”

The Sky will have an on-court tribute for Parker, along with a retirement ceremony that will feature special guests. A video montage will showcase her best moments while playing for the Chicago team. The arena will have memorabilia while showcasing key moments that took place while Parker wore the uniform.

Sky Fans will have the chance to purchase limited edition merchandise that can be bought at the arena or online. In addition, fans will receive a special, to-be-announced Candace Parker-themed giveaway.

“Candace Parker is a legend, future hall-of-famer, and synonymous with Illinois basketball. We’re thrilled she decided to come home to Chicago to help the Sky win a championship in 2021,” Sky CEO and President Adam Fox said. “Candace has left an indelible mark on women’s basketball at every level and has inspired countless players and fans through her outstanding leadership and basketball talent on and off the court. We are honored to retire her jersey and celebrate her incredible legacy as a Chicago Sky player.”

Parker helped the Sky win the championship when she averaged 13.8 points and 2.1 steals in 10 postseason games in 2021. During her two seasons with the franchise, she averaged 13.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks while starting 55 games.

The Los Angeles Sparks announced earlier this year that they are retiring Parker’s basketball jersey next month on June 29. The team will play against the Sky on that day at Crypto.com Arena.

by Stacy Jackson

May 30, 2025

Senator Cory Booker’s New Book, ‘Stand,’ Set for Fall Release

The more than 25 hours-long speech will be expanded into a book centered on taking a "stand for something greater."

In April, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker delivered a record-breaking, 25-hour-long speech on the Senate floor, addressing the policies of the Trump administration.

Now the New York Times bestselling author will expand on the historic moment in an upcoming book, Stand

“This book is about the virtues vital to our success as a nation and lessons we can draw from generations of Americans who fought for them,” Booker, 56, said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.

Booker impacted the masses last month as videos of his speech circulated on social media.

The powerful speech pointed out policies from anti-DEI initiatives and immigration to healthcare and Social Security cuts. Booker asserted in his speech that “the power of the people is greater than the people in power,” reflecting his belief that the economy should value American workers and benefit everyone, “not just the privileged few,” as stated on his website.

Stand, which St. Martin’s Press will release Nov. 11, will expand on the messages and calls to action addressed by Booker.

According to People, the lawmaker was approached by Tim Bartlett, executive editor at The St. Martin’s Publishing Group, to discuss how his message could be expanded upon in a compelling book.

According to the official synopsis, the book “explores how our choices today shape the future—and offers a passionate call to conscience and a guide for courageous engagement. At its core is the conviction that it’s not enough to fight against someone or something—we must also stand for something greater.”

A press release noted that Booker’s Senate floor speech outlined in his 1,164 pages of prepared material, lasted for 25 hours and five minutes. The politician shared the stories of over 200 New Jerseyans and Americans.

The historic moment garnered over 350 million likes on Booker’s TikTok livestream and 28,000 encouraging voicemails. The speech broke Strom Thurmond’s 24 hours and 18 minute speech against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

lawsuit, police chief, discrimination, West Virginia, Khloé

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 30, 2025

Khloé Kardashian’s Company Wants Cancer-Stricken Ex-Employee To Undergo Mental Exam

Khloé Kardashian's Good American is demanding a mental exam from a former employee who's suing for wrongful termination.

Good American Company, owned by Khloé Kardashian, wants an axed employee who’s battling cancer to undergo a mental exam as part of her wrongful termination lawsuit.

On May 23, attorneys for Good American and Khloé’s business partner, Emma Grede, filed court documents requesting court approval for a mental health evaluation of former employee Brooke, In Touch Weekly reports. The move comes in response to Brooke’s lawsuit, in which she claims the defendants caused her emotional and psychological harm, including anxiety, depression, stress, self-doubt, and embarrassment.

Brooke alleges the issue began after she repeatedly requested to work remotely due to health complications. According to the defendant’s attorney, Brooke disclosed she had undergone therapy for the emotional distress she claims to have suffered. The legal team says they attempted to arrange an independent medical exam with a doctor of their choosing, but Brooke declined to cooperate. As a result, they’re now seeking the court’s intervention.

“The requested examination will allow Defendants to adequately defend themselves against [Brooke’s] claims of emotional and mental distress as alleged in [Brooke’s] Complaint, and will also allow Defendants to test the veracity of [Brooke’s] mental and emotional distress claims.”

Brooke joined Good American in 2019 as a marketing intern and quickly climbed the ranks, earning promotions to Marketing Coordinator and eventually Social Media Manager within two years. In 2023, after previously undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Brooke submitted a doctor’s note from UCLA’s Department of Medicine stating she was immunocompromised and had just been discharged from the hospital. The note recommended she work remotely during her next round of treatment.

Brooke claims her request was met with resistance. Instead of allowing remote work, she says Good American staff pressured her to take medical leave and told her accommodations were disrupting the company. Shortly after, she discovered a job listing for her position.

The following month, she was laid off, which Good American says was part of a companywide downsizing. But Brooke believes her termination was tied to her disability. She filed the lawsuit seeking unspecified damages for wrongful termination, discrimination based on her cancer diagnosis, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Good American, Khloé Kardashian, and Emma Grede have denied all allegations of misconduct.

“To the extent [Brooke] suffered any symptoms of mental or emotional distress or injury, it was the result of pre-existing psychological disorders or alternative concurrent causes, and not the result of any act or omission of Defendants,” attorneys for the defendants said.

The court has yet to rule on the case.

Kentucky, Louisville, Small Business, grant

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 30, 2025

Trump Administration Cuts $37B Affirmative Action Program For Women, Minority-Owned Businesses

Indiana businesses allege they lost out on jobs after the DOT gave contracts through what they describe as the “largest, and perhaps oldest affirmative action program in U.S. history.”

The Trump administration’s Department of Transportation (DOT) has agreed to terminate a $37 billion program that takes race and gender into consideration when awarding highway and transit project contracts to minority and women-owned businesses, USA Today reports.

The long, ongoing legal battle between DOT and companies Mid-America Milling and Bagshaw Trucking came to an end on May 28 as the agency agreed its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE) program is “unconstitutional” for “use of race- and sex-based presumptions,” sharing similar sentiments of Kentucky’s U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove. In September 2024, during the Biden-Harris administration’s reign, Tatenhove claimed funding for businesses geared toward minorities and women violated the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection guarantees.

Prior to the Supreme Court’s controversial overturning of affirmative action policies in college admissions, Biden’s DOT supported the initiative, stating the program was a way to smooth over past discriminatory practices.

If the decision is approved by a judge, according to the Washington Post, DBE will be banned from awarding contracts based on race and sex, overshadowing its birth mission. Dan Lennington, deputy counsel at conservative nonprofit Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, who represents the companies, celebrated the notion, saying the program “victimized” thousands of small business owners. “Over the past five decades, the federal government imposed a policy of race discrimination in the road building industry,” Lennington said.

“Thousands of workers and small businesses have been victimized, and hundreds of billions have been spent, distorting the market and inflating construction costs for the taxpayers. That ends now.”

Owners of both Indiana-based transportation companies alleged the businesses lost out on jobs after the federal agency started giving contracts through what they describe as the “largest, and perhaps oldest, affirmative action program in U.S. history.” The popular program is responsible for close to 10% of federal funding for transportation infrastructure to women- and minority-owned contracting firms.

At the time, Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 — worth $1.2 trillion — in addition to providing $105 billion in federal funding geared toward airport and flight safety improvements.

What may be deemed as another victory for the Trump administration, following his executive order to scratch out all federal-level programming that caters to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, may be short-lived.

A coalition of businesses had argued that DBE is vital to knocking over barriers that minority and women business owners face in the $759 billion industry. Since the program’s inception, DBE has served almost 50,000 businesses labeled as “disadvantaged.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 30, 2025

Remains Of 19 Black Americans Used In Research Returned To New Orleans For Memorial Ceremony

The severed heads of 19 Black Americans, used for "research" in 1872, have been returned to New Orleans, where they will be honored in a memorial ceremony.

The craniums of 19 Black Americans, whose heads were severed and sent to Germany for “research” in 1872, are being returned to New Orleans for a memorial service.

The city of New Orleans, in partnership with University Medical Center New Orleans, Dillard University, and other organizations, will hold a sacred ceremony on May 31 to honor the 19 skulls, NBC News reports.

The memorial comes one week after the remains were returned to the city, concluding a two-year repatriation effort.

The ceremony will be “about confronting a dark chapter in medical and scientific history while choosing a path of justice, honor, and remembrance,” said Dillard University President Monique Guillory.

The individuals being honored died at Charity Hospital in New Orleans in 1872, after which their heads were severed and sent to Leipzig University in Germany for research. It was a common and deeply racist practice at the time that was driven by the false belief that Black people had smaller brains and were, therefore, intellectually inferior.

“They were stripped of their dignity,” Guillory said, over “a practice rooted in racism and exploitation. They were people with names. They were people with stories and histories. Some of them had families, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, human beings.”

The heads were returned after officials from Leipzig University reached out to the city of New Orleans in 2023, revealing that the remains were part of the university’s 19th-century skull collection. As part of an ongoing effort to repatriate human remains, the school began returning skulls to their places of origin.

After being notified, retired Dillard University professor Eva Baham led the Cultural Repatriation Committee to recover the skulls and oversee plans for their proper memorial.

“We are not talking about them as if they are skeletal remains,” Baham said. “We want to honor them by calling them the individuals that they are.”

Those who will be memorialized are Adam Grant, Isaak Bell, Hiram Smith, William Pierson, Henry Williams, John Brown, Hiram Malone, William Roberts, Alice Brown, Prescilla Hatchet, Marie Louise, Mahala, Samuel Prince, John Tolman, Henry Allen, Moses Willis, and Henry Anderson. Two people could not be identified.

by Kandiss Edwards

May 30, 2025

DeKalb Squatters Are Throwing An All Access VIP Pool Party

A family in Dekalb county Georgia are the victims of squatters who gained access to their family home one day after their father's death.

A family in DeKalb County, Georgia, is a victim of squatters who are now throwing a VIP pool party, WSBTV reported.

After the passing of their patriarch, the Oliver family discovered multiple people living in their family home. Allegedly, the squatters broke into the house. After disabling security cameras and removing a lockbox, the squatters gained control of the residence.

The elder Oliver passed away on May 27. The family reports the squatters gained access to the home on May 28.

“We lost our father on Wednesday, on Thursday, we learned someone has taken over the home that he built with his hands,” Lisa Oliver said to WSBTV.

Once the family was aware of the intruder’s presence, they attempted to visit the residence. Kevin Oliver reports that they were met with hostility as one of the intruders allegedly brandished an AR-15 rifle. As many squatters claim, the occupants said they had a lease agreement. However, they have yet to produce any documents to substantiate their claims.

Further adding to the controversy, the home’s occupants are advertising a summer bash. The promotion of the event has attracted out-of-state observers. The “hosts” promise food trucks, VIP parking, and pool access in promotional materials.

The original owner of the home was a DeKalb pioneer. He was one of the first Black men to establish a law firm in the county.

In response, the Olivers have filed an affidavit in a Georgia court. The recent passing of the Squatter Reform Act allows the owners to file a “Squatters’ affidavit.” The Squatter Reform Act provides law enforcement with the power to charge the illegal occupants of a property with a criminal offense. Previous laws required civil action.

If the occupants cannot provide the proper documentation to establish residency, they will be evicted within three days. Should they present a lease, the matter proceeds to a magistrate judge within seven days, and presenting a fraudulent lease could result in felony charges.

by Kandiss Edwards

May 30, 2025

Podcast Host Claims Men Are Making Less Which Makes Them Unattractive

"There is nothing less more dangerous than a lonely, broke young man," said Professor Scott Galloway.

Professor Scott Galloway, who hosts the Lost Boys podcast, claims low pay makes men less attractive in the dating pool.

In he show’s first episode, Galloway tackled the issue of young men with a lack of education and low income. While these topics may sound inflammatory, Galloway dove deeper into the lack of opportunity for high school graduates.

The author of the book Of Boys and Men, Richard V. Reeves, spoke about the decline of the traditional family lifestyle. Reeves believes as gender roles evolved, men were left behind. As women embraced their places in the workforce and began to explore life beyond being a wife and dependent, men were left without a blueprint.

“We tore up the old script for men, which was breadwinner, head of household, etc., and we didn’t replace it with anything,” Reeves said. “And so what that means is a lot of men now feel that they’re basically improvising. They basically don’t have a script.”

Galloway noted that men with lower economic status are often lonely. “There is nothing more dangerous than a lonely, broke young man,” he said.

Galloway’s analysis underscores a broader societal concern about the economic struggles of men without college degrees. He suggested that the decline in economic opportunities for this demographic contributes to a sense of isolation and reduces their attractiveness in relationships.

“The increased gains of women and the loneliness of men are leading men down a path of extreme conservatism. Leading many men to join the red pill movement. The red pill movement is a section of the ‘manosphere.’ The concept of which has existed for decades and has taken hold of young and old men alike.”

The National Interest published multiple excerpts from 19 Black conservatives detailing why they chose that path. One key proponent of their responses was family, with Michael E. Kerridge writing that other lifestyles were a “subversion of the traditional family structure.”

The traditional structures of households left women without the same resources as men, leaving them with limited options to shape their own world. It appears now that women are able to choose more freely; some see economic parity is priority. Unfortunately, as Galloway asserts, this condition for partnership is creating more men who believe they are not viable candidates for dating.

by Stacy Jackson

May 30, 2025

Teen Burger King Employee Clocks In Immediately After Late Night Graduation Ceremony

Order up! Customers would like a scholarship for high school graduate and Burger King employee Mykale Baker, please.

For all colleges looking to give a scholarship to a dedicated student, high school graduate Mykale Baker is your guy.

The Metro Atlanta teen has touched millions of hearts after he clocked in for his shift at a Burger King in Dacula immediately following his high school graduation ceremony this month. Hard at work, the graduate caught the attention of customer Maria Mendoza, who witnessed the young man proudly wearing his graduation medals around his neck and posted a video of the inspiring moment to TikTok.

“TikTok do your thing,” Mendoza wrote in a May 28 video. According to the post, which has garnered millions of views, Baker’s graduation ceremony ended at 10 p.m., and he “went straight to work.” Mendoza had just attended the graduation ceremony for her daughter, who was craving a burger afterward, and admired the teen as he prepared meals for customers with plastic gloves and his graduation clothes still on.

@mariabonita528
This young man deserves a scholarship!!!! @Carlos_Eduardo_Espina @Burger King #daculaga #burgerking #youngkid #graduated #hardworking #pesopluma #nuevavida
♬ NUEVA VIDA – Peso Pluma

“This young man deserves a scholarship,” she wrote.

To kick off graduation funds for Baker, Mendoza launched a GoFundMe campaign on his behalf. The humble graduate “quietly showed the world what determination looks like,” she wrote on the fundraiser page. “He didn’t do it for attention. He doesn’t even know his story went viral. But thousands of people were moved by his dedication, humility, and work ethic.”

@mariabonita528
The night it all started! And hour later he would get recorded at BK! #graduated #hardworking #bk #youngkid #daculaga #parati #viral #fyp #graduation #daculaga
♬ original sound – Gypsy

As of this date, the fundraiser has surpassed its initial $60,000 and raised over $85,000, which will all go to Baker to help fund his college tuition, books, supplies, and other educational needs.

In a follow-up post, Baker is seen back at the Dacula Burger King sharing an emotional moment with his mother, who wore a “Proud Mom” shirt. The mother-son duo had learned of the financial support pouring in from supporters.

https://www.tiktok.com/@mariabonita528/video/7508154287416036639

According to Fox 5 Atlanta, Baker planned to take a gap year following high school. However, the young scholar is in a better position to pursue his college dreams and study automotive thanks to all the help from supporters. Burger King has been challenged to uphold its “Have It Your Way” slogan as customers call for the corporation to offer assistance in Baker’s college journey. People have also called on colleges to support Baker in getting accepted to an institution of his choice.