Kwame Onwuachi — Photo credit: Storm Santos

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 29, 2025

Chef Kwame Onwuachi Set To Open First West Coast Restaurant At SAHARA Las Vegas

After dominating the East Coast, Chef Kwame Onwuachi is set to open his first steakhouse on the West Coast.

James Beard Award-winning Chef Kwame Onwuachi will finally bring his renowned cooking talents to the West Coast with the opening of his new steakhouse at SAHARA Las Vegas.

After dominating the East Coast with his hot spot eateries, New York’s Tatiana and Washington, D.C.’s Dōgon, Onwuachi will debut Maroon, a new steakhouse inspired by his signature fusion of Afro-Caribbean jerk cooking methods. The Bronx native caught the attention of the SAHARA Las Vegas team, who invited him to develop a brand-new dining concept for the hotel, an announcement revealed.

Onwuachi, who has opened or owned several restaurants, including Shaw Bijou and Kith and Kin, is looking forward to bringing his revolutionary cooking talents to the famed Las Vegas Strip.

“I am excited for this next chapter and the opportunity to bring a new culinary concept to SAHARA Las Vegas and the city’s dynamic food scene,” he said.

The partnership marks another milestone in Onwuachi’s celebrated culinary career, which includes acclaimed restaurants, bestselling books, a standout run on season 13 of Top Chef, and honors from Food & Wine, Esquire, and the James Beard Foundation for being the “Rising Star Chef of the Year” in 2019.

“We have closely followed Chef Onwuachi’s career and deeply admire the significant impact he has had in New York City and Washington, D.C., where he has redefined the dining scene with his acclaimed cuisine,” said Paul Hobson, general manager of SAHARA Las Vegas. “At SAHARA, he will connect with a whole new audience, and we are honored to welcome him.”

Maroon’s menu will spotlight live-fire cooking, jerk rubs, dry-aged cuts, scotch bonnet–infused sauces, grilled seafood, and sides rooted in West African, Jamaican, and Creole traditions. Fans of Onwuachi’s Afro-Caribbean flair — seen at Tatiana and Dōgon — will find plenty to savor in his West Coast debut. The restaurant also marks a continued rise in Black-owned culinary ventures on the Las Vegas Strip, joining names like Emmitt Smith’s Steakhouse.

Onwuachi named the new steakhouse after the Maroons of Jamaica, enslaved Africans who escaped captivity and built independent communities in the Blue Mountains. It’s a powerful history that Onwuachi explored in his book, My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef.

“There they lived a hardscrabble existence, eking out a life from subsistence farming and occasional raids on the British occupiers,” he wrote.

In his book, Onwuachi details how the Maroons blended Jamaican pepper, Thai bird chili, wild thyme, and wild hog to create the iconic jerk flavor we know today.

“Jerk was born, and it lives still two hundred years later,” the book states.

Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s Maroon at SAHARA Las Vegas is set to open in late 2025.

Doctoral Student, 83-Year-old Woman, Harvard — (Photo: Ian Lamont/flickr)

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 29, 2025

Harvard University Agrees To Return Early Slave Pictures To South Carolina African-American Museum IAMM

The CEO of IAAM says the images are welcomed with open arms and plans to include Lanier in decision on how the images are depicted.

The International African American Museum (IAMM) in South Carolina will soon be in possession of 175-year-old photos believed to be of early enslaved people after settling a 15-year legal battle between Harvard University’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, The Associated Press reports.

The settlement ends the lengthy battle between Harvard and Tamara Lanier, who allegedly identified her great-great-great-grandfather, Renty, and his daughter, Delia, in the “daguerreotypes,” known now as modern-day photos. Lanier’s attorney, Joshua Koskoff, said having them returned to the location where the pictures were taken in 1850 should be looked at as a win for other descendants in legal battles. “I think it’s one of one in American history because of the combination of unlikely features: to have a case that dates back 175 years, to win control over images dating back that long of enslaved people — that’s never happened before,” the attorney said.

Harvard shared similar thoughts but with a twist. A statement from the Ivy League institution claims it has been eager to send the images to another museum to “put them in the appropriate context and increase access to them for all Americans.” However, when it comes to Lanier, Harvard calls the situation complex, as they still have not been able to confirm her relation to the enslaved persons. “This settlement now allows us to move forward towards that goal,” the university said.

“While we are grateful to Ms. Lanier for sparking important conversations about these images, this was a complex situation, particularly since Harvard has not confirmed that Ms. Lanier was related to the individuals in the daguerreotypes.”

The battle continued after Lanier, a Connecticut native, sued Harvard in 2019 for “wrongful seizure, possession and expropriation” of the images. Lanier accused the university of exploiting Renty’s image, including using it at a 2017 conference. According to ABC News, the litigation alleged Harvard capitalized on the photos with the demand for an expensive licensing fee to reproduce the images.

The suit listed Harvard biologist Louis Agassiz, who used theories of racial difference to support slavery in the U.S. Lanier accused Agassiz of spotting Renty and Delia during a tour of plantations in search of racially “pure” slaves from Africa. Both enslaved persons posed shirtless and were photographed from different angles, as Lanier claims her alleged descendants were nothing but “research specimens” to Agassiz. “The violence of compelling them to participate in a degrading exercise designed to prove their own subhuman status would not have occurred to him, let alone mattered,” the suit reads.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court sided with Lanier in 2022, recognizing “Harvard’s complicity in the horrific actions surrounding the creation of the daguerreotypes.”

As Lanier has no legal right to the images due to a ruling from a lower court judge, Dr. Tonya M. Matthews, CEO of IAAM, says the photos are welcomed with open arms and plans to include Lanier in a decision on how the images are depicted. “The bravery, tenacity, and grace shown by Ms. Lanier throughout the long and arduous process of returning these critical pieces of Renty and Delia’s story to South Carolina is a model for us all,” Matthews said.

But things don’t end there. Lanier is still asking Harvard to acknowledge its hand in slavery’s complicity, hear her family’s history, and pay an unidentified amount in damages. “It’s not an improvement just to move them from one closet in a mighty institution to another,” Koskoff said.

“And so, really, the real importance of this is to allow these images to breathe, to allow the story — the full story — to be told not by a conflicted player in the story, which Harvard was from the beginning.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, American Academy Of Pediatrics , vaccines — (Photo by Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 29, 2025

RFK Jr. Announces The CDC Has Ended COVID Vaccine Recommendations For Healthy Kids, Pregnant Women

The CDC will no longer recommend COVID vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has put an end to recommending routine COVID-19 shots for healthy children and pregnant women.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the change on May 27 alongside the current director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary.

“Bottom line: it’s common sense, and it’s good science,” Kennedy tweeted. “We are now one step closer to realizing @POTUS’s promise to Make America Healthy Again.”

Today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from @CDCgov recommended immunization schedule. Bottom line: it’s common sense and it’s good science. We are now one step closer to realizing @POTUS’s promise to Make America Healthy Again. pic.twitter.com/Ytch2afCLP
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) May 27, 2025

The CDC’s update follows Makary’s announcement last week that the agency intends to limit COVID-19 vaccines to older adults and those with underlying health conditions. Before receiving approval, COVID-19 shots for healthy children and adults will require extensive placebo-controlled clinical trials.

The announcement is good news for critics of the COVID-19 vaccine, including Kennedy, who has a long history of being against most vaccines. Before joining the HHS, he submitted a citizen petition in 2021 urging the FDA to revoke the vaccines’ authorization. That same year, he controversially labeled the COVID vaccines as “the deadliest vaccine ever made.”

However, not everyone is on board with the CDC’s change. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says the institution is “extremely disappointed” by the HHS announcement.

“We have seen firsthand how dangerous COVID infection can be during pregnancy and for newborns who depend on maternal antibodies from the vaccine for protection,” the group wrote in a statement. “We also understand that despite the change in recommendations from HHS, the science has not changed. It is very clear that COVID infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic and lead to major disability.”

The director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania also criticized the decision, citing the children currently hospitalized with COVID.

“We still have children in our emergency department with COVID. When we see them, they have bronchiolitis or bronchitis,” said Dr. Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania. “Do they consider that not worthy of prevention?”

The CDC’s website continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for “everyone 6 months and older.” However, Dr. Sean O’Leary, an infectious disease expert with the American Academy of Pediatrics, noted that no one from HHS consulted them prior to the announcement.

Iran, war, oil prices, LGN facility, Israel — photo credit: pexels

by Kandiss Edwards

May 29, 2025

Gas Delivery Service ‘Fuel Flo’ Is Picking Up Steam In South Carolina

Amber Murray is bringing convenience to South Carolina with Fuel Flo, a mobile gas delivery service.

Amber Murray, a South Carolina resident, is the proud owner of Fuel Flo, a mobile gas delivery service.

Fuel Flo brings gas directly to customers’ vehicles, no matter where they are, at home or work. Murray came up with the idea while thinking about the evolving convenience in today’s society. Food and grocery services have become the norm. Uber, Lyft, and Instacart are now enmeshed in daily routines. This inspired the Black woman entrepreneur to begin her own delivery service.

“We get our groceries delivered. We get anything delivered, food, so why not have our gas delivered?” Murray inquired.

Jacoby Mackey, one of Murray’s customers, praises the service.

“It’s the best ever if you use DoorDash if you use Uber Eats. If you use any type of delivery service, I’ll say get Fuel Flo. The subscription is worth it. Because at the end of the day, waking up in the morning and having my gas tank full without even having to worry about it, that’s the best part about it,” Mackey said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Etan Thomas 🇬🇩 (@etanthomas36)

Fuel Flo came from humble beginnings; the company started with a small business loan. The South Carolina Community Loan Fund gave Murray the capital to establish her business. The startup funds were needed for initial equipment, as safety is of great concern when dealing with gasoline.

Murray’s company offers both monthly subscriptions and weekly rates. Fuel Flo will service up to three vehicles per household. The fuel is sourced locally and provides regular (87) and premium (93) gasoline options. Diesel is not yet available.

Currently, the service area includes cities in Dorchester, Berkeley, Orangeburg, and Charleston counties, as well as the Charlotte metropolitan area. For more information about Fuel Flo and its services, visit their official website at fuelflosc.com.

Kendrick Lamar, rapper, Concert — (Photo by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 28, 2025

Kendrick Lamar Loses Twice To Eminem At American Music Awards

However, the Compton rapper did win for Favorite Hip-Hop Song with 'Not Like Us'

Despite having what many may consider the song of the century, Kendrick Lamar lost to Eminem in two hip-hop categories at the American Music Awards.

According to Billboard, the Detroit recording artist bested the feuding hip-hop enemies, Lamar and Drake, as well as Future and Tyler, The Creator to emerge victorious in the Favorite Hip-Hop Artist category and also won Favorite Hip-Hop Album over Future & Metro Boomin, Gunna, Kendrick Lamar, and Tyler, The Creator. However, the Compton rapper did win for Favorite Hip-Hop Song, beating himself over two other songs he recorded and GloRilla’s two songs, one featuring Sexyy Red. He was nominated for 10 AMAs.

This was Eminem’s first win in over ten years at the award show. His last award was given to him in 2014 for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop album. He wasn’t in attendance to accept the award, but a taped message was shown to the audience at the ceremony.

“AMAs, what’s up? Favorite male hip-hop artist, thank you, I appreciate that. I think it’s been 23 years since I won my first AMA, and I’m 24 years old. That’s crazy. Seriously, man, thank you to the fans. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I appreciate y’all. Thank you so much.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, country music star Beyoncé won two awards for Favorite Female Country Artist and Favorite Country Album. Lamar’s tour mate, SZA, won AMAs for Favorite R&B Song and Favorite Female R&B Artist.

Doechii took one home for Social Song of the Year

Janet Jackson received the Icon Award and performed some of those iconic songs from her catalog, and spoke to the audience after getting the honor.

“I’m so grateful. I mean, no disrespect in any way, but I don’t consider myself an icon. My family, myself, our dream wasn’t ever to be famous; we weren’t raised like that. We always had a special love for music, dancing, and singing, and fame came with the result of hard work and dedication.”

A full list of winners appears below:

2025 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS

Artist of the Year: Billie Eilish

New Artist of the Year: Gracie Abrams

Album of the Year: Billie Eilish “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT”

Song of the Year: Billie Eilish “Birds of a Feather”

Favorite Touring Artist: Billie Eilish

Favorite Music Video: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars “Die With a Smile”

Favorite Male Pop Artist: Bruno Mars

Favorite Female Pop Artist: Billie Eilish

Favorite Pop Album: Billie Eilish “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT”

Favorite Pop Song: Billie Eilish “Birds of a Feather”

Favorite Male Country Artist: Post Malone

Favorite Female Country Artist: Beyoncé

Favorite Country Duo or Group: Dan + Shay

Favorite Country Album: Beyoncé “COWBOY CARTER”

Favorite Country Song: Post Malone Feat. Morgan Wallen “I Had Some Help”

Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist: Eminem

Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist: Megan Thee Stallion

Favorite Hip-Hop Album: Eminem “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)”

Favorite Hip-Hop Song: Kendrick Lamar “Not Like Us”

Favorite Male R&B Artist: The Weeknd

Favorite Female R&B Artist: SZA

Favorite R&B Album: The Weeknd “Hurry Up Tomorrow”

Favorite R&B Song: SZA “Saturn”

Favorite Male Latin Artist: Bad Bunny

Favorite Female Latin Artist: Becky G

Favorite Latin Duo or Group: Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda

Favorite Latin Album: Bad Bunny “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS”

Favorite Latin Song: Shakira “Soltera”

Favorite Rock Artist: Twenty One Pilots

Favorite Rock Album: Twenty One Pilots “Clancy”

Favorite Rock Song: Linkin Park “The Emptiness Machine”

Favorite Dance/Electronic Artist: Lady Gaga

Favorite Soundtrack: Arcane League of Legends: Season 2

Favorite Afrobeats Artist: Tyla

Favorite K-Pop Artist: RM

Collaboration of the Year: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars “Die With A Smile”

Social Song of the Year: Doechii “Anxiety”

Jaheim — photo credit: Mattiizzz https://www.youtube.com/user/Mattiizzz, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 28, 2025

R&B Singer Jaheim Charged With Animal Cruelty In Atlanta

R&B singer Jaheim is facing six new animal cruelty charges, marking his second time being accused of similar offenses in recent years.

R&B singer Jaheim has been hit with six new counts of animal cruelty in Fulton County, Georgia, over allegations of mistreating his six dogs.

The Grammy-nominated singer was arrested on May 1, jail records show, and charged with six counts of animal cruelty for allegedly failing to provide adequate water, clean conditions, and proper ventilation for his dogs, WSB-TV reports. Jaheim, real name Jaheim Hoagland, was charged with one count of animal cruelty for each of his six dogs: four pit bull terriers, a French bulldog, and a mixed-breed hound named Tweet, Tip, Taka, Tink, Timber, and Tanger.

The singer, best known for his early 2000s hits like “Put That Woman First,” “Fabulous,” and “Finding My Way Back,” was released from Fulton County Jail the day after his arrest. This marks his second animal cruelty case following his 2021 arrest on the same charges.

At that time, Jaheim was arrested in New Jersey after authorities discovered more than a dozen dogs allegedly living in unsafe, unsanitary conditions—one of which had to be euthanized, officials said. A neighbor made a call about his Hillsborough, New Jersey, home about a puppy in distress. When officers arrived, they found six dogs confined in separate crates outside in the driveway.

“One of the dogs located was initially unresponsive in a water-filled crate and subsequently had to be euthanized,” prosecutors said. “Additional dogs were found inside of separate crates which were partially filled with several inches of water and dog feces.”

Prosecutors shared that officers gave the dogs water and care while waiting for animal control to arrive. While waiting, they heard barking from inside the home and discovered nine more dogs that appeared frail, with no access to food or water.

The singer was home at the time and taken into custody on an unrelated Somerset County probation violation, along with two active municipal court warrants from Hillsborough Township and Newark. As for his latest animal cruelty charges, Jaheim is due back in court on June 2.

Shawn Kemp, house arrest — photo credit: Bryan Horowitz: Flickr, website, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 28, 2025

Former NBA Player Shawn Kemp Agrees To Plea Deal For 2023 Parking Lot Shooting

Prosecutors suggested that Kemp be placed in jail for nine months, and one year of Department of Corrections supervision and support after he is released, and to pay restitution

Former NBA player Shawn Kemp is facing jail time after pleading guilty to second-degree assault resulting from the ex-basketball player firing a gun in a mall parking lot in Tacoma, Washington.

According to The Seattle Times, the 55-year-old is looking at serving time in jail after he was arrested for firing a gun at two men during an altercation at Tacoma Mall in March 2023. The former Seattle Supersonics forward was originally charged with one count of first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement. Prosecutors recently amended the charges by adding a second first-degree assault charge, also with a firearm enhancement, as well as a drive-by shooting.

He pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in Pierce County Superior Court as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors on May 27, and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Howe suggested that Kemp be placed in jail for nine months and one year of Department of Corrections supervision and support after he is released, and to pay restitution. Sentencing is slated for August.

Kemp would have been facing a maximum jail time of 10 years and a fine of up to $20,000 if he had been convicted of second-degree assault.

“Shawn is committed to moving forward in a positive direction,” Kemp’s attorney, Tim Leary, said to The Seattle Times. “He was presented with an offer from the state that allows him to take responsibility, but I think also recognizes the self-defense nature of how this transpired.”

The shooting took place after Kemp’s truck was stolen after the former basketball player and some of his employees attended an event in early March 2023. His phone was in the truck, and he traced the truck with an app. When the phone was located with a man who was in another stolen car, gunfire was exchanged as Kemp claimed he shot at two men in self-defense.

As part of Kemp’s guilty plea, he is not allowed to own a firearm and will be required to provide a biological sample for a law enforcement DNA database. He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 22.

Todd Chrisley, prison — photo credit: RumorFix, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 28, 2025

Todd Chrisley And Wife Added To Trump’s Pardon List, Alongside Cops Who Killed Unarmed Black Man

The "Chrisley Knows Best" stars were found guilty of conspiring to defraud Atlanta-area community banks in 2022 in order to get over $36 million in personal loans.

Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley received good news that President Donald Trump will be pardoning their fraud and tax evasion convictions, adding to the list of controversial pardons, including Jan. 6 insurrectionists and cops who killed an unarmed Black man, CNBC reports.

In a video circulating on social media, Trump, who has been convicted of a few crimes himself, called the couple’s daughter, Savannah Chrisley, to give her the good news. With fellow pardoned inmate Alice Marie Johnson, who is now the president’s “pardon czar,” standing with him, the president told Savannah that her “parents are going to be free and clean.” “It’s a terrible thing, but it’s a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean,” Trump said, highlighting that he hopes it will be done as soon as May 28.

.@realdonaldtrump called 'Chrisley Knows Best' star @_ItsSavannah_ Chrisley to break the news
that her parents, Todd and Julie, will be granted a pardon and let out of prison. pic.twitter.com/WJsaGsybbL
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 27, 2025

Known for their series “Chrisley Knows Best,” the Chrisleys were found guilty of conspiring to defraud Atlanta-area community banks in 2022 to get over $36 million in personal loans. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia said the lavish couple “conspired to defraud the Internal Revenue Service,” which resulted in Todd receiving a 12-year sentence and Julie getting seven years.

Savannah, who spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, has been lobbying for her parents’ release and openly criticizing the prosecutors who brought the Chrisley case forward. However, Trump’s high-profile and seemingly controversial pardons since being elected for a second term are raising eyebrows, especially since his campaign toward Black voters alleged he would tackle a “corrupt” justice system.

In addition to pardoning white supremacists who engaged in the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill attacks, Trump pardoned two former D.C. police officers, Andrew Zabavsky and Terence Sutton, who were convicted of killing a 20-year-old unarmed Black man in 2020. Both officers received sentences in 2022 after being accused of facilitating a chase against 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown, who was allegedly operating an electric moped without a helmet on the sidewalk, causing a crash.

Sutton and Zabavsky agreed to cover up the incident, allowing the car involved to leave the scene 20 minutes after the crash while Hylton-Brown lay in the street. The two officers then turned off their body-worn cameras and talked privately before leaving the scene. The duo denied that a chase even took place, supporting the theory with a false police report that placed the blame on a drunk driver and left out any mention of Hylton-Brown’s injuries.

Evidence aside, and the victim’s mother, Karen Hylton, pressing for D.C’s Mayor Muriel Bowser for assistance, Trump granted both officers full and unconditional pardons after being convicted of second-degree murder (Sutton), and conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction.

According to Fox 5 DC, Trump has issued over 1,500 pardons since taking office again, with a focus on white-collar crimes and violent attacks on police.

RELATED CONTENT: Trump Pardons Ozy Media Co-Founder Carlos Watson

Quinta Brunson, Temple University — (Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 28, 2025

Quinta Brunson Receives Philadelphia’s Key To The City And Personalized Mural

Quinta Brunson returns home to West Philadelphia to receive the keys to the city.

Quinta Brunson is back in her hometown to receive major honors, including the official key to the city and the unveiling of a mural she personally designed.

The Emmy-winning West Philadelphia native will take center stage at her alma mater, Andrew Hamilton School, on May 28 for a two-part ceremony, 6 ABC Philadelphia reported. The Abbott Elementary creator will be honored with the Key to the City by Mayor Cherelle Parker and witness the unveiling of a large mural she designed to wrap around the school building.

“I am so grateful to be receiving the key to my hometown, Philly,” Brunson said in a statement. “This city shaped me—and now I get to give back with a mural that celebrates all it gave me. I am truly honored.”

Brunson collaborated with Mural Arts Philadelphia to bring the mural, titled “Blooming Futures,” to life. The project was made with community in mind, welcoming staff, students, parents, and neighbors to contribute to the piece.

“It’s a beautiful allegory of growth,” said Alaina Foster, a project manager for Mural Arts Philadelphia. “It’s about a garden and how the students are the plants in that garden, while the teachers and staff are kind of the stewards of that garden.”

“Everybody’s gotten their hand in this at one point or another,” Gabriel Neeld, Hamilton’s art teacher, added.

Brunson drew inspiration for her award-winning show from Hamilton and made it a priority to feature real students from the school in the mural. Teachers are especially excited to witness the reactions of parents whose children are represented in the artwork.

“I’m excited to see how our parents react to seeing their children on a wall that’s going to be here forever,” said Hamilton’s principal, Dr. Torrence Rothmiller, who’s also featured in the mural. “It’s going to be an amazing day. It’s legacy.”

“I don’t know what to say,” said 8th grader Glory Melton. “It’s really overwhelming to be up there. It’s a feeling that you can’t actually explain.”

William McNeil, viral video, Recording The Police — (Photo: Getty Images)

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 28, 2025

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings’ Retirement Announcement Is Being Praised And Criticized After $305K Settlement

The police chief took a settlement from the city for what he deemed as his rights being violated.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) Chief Johnny Jennings should be taking a deep sigh after announcing his retirement at the end of 2025, but instead it’s being met with mixed reactions following a settlement worth $305,000 over alleged rights violation, WCNC reported.

Documentation revealed the settlement between Jennings and Charlotte’s city manager Marcus Jones was labeled as a “separation agreement” upon Jennings’ Jan. 1, 2026 retirement. Signed May 8, 2025, the documents were first labeled as “confidential” but a May 22 amendment showed both parties agreed to remove the confidential clause, replaced with a “non-disparagement” clause.

The settlement allegedly came about after a public feud with former City Council member Tariq Bokhari who was allegedly furious over Jennings refusing to permit patrol officers to wear outer carrier vests. Things got heated when threatening text messages from Bokhari to Jennings were revealed, calling for his resignation and claims he will be “hammering” him from “the press, the private sector, the foundations, the general assembly, Congress and several high-profile national organizations” all while referring to him as a “friend.” “I may not ultimately win – but I will not stop and it will cripple the legacy you’ve worked so hard for,” Bokhari, who resigned to join the Trump administration as deputy administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, wrote.

What did Councilman Tariq Bokhari say to CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Read the text messages for yourself in this story. They were first obtained by @Sharrison_WFAE. Today Mayor Vi Lyles apologized to the chief. Charlotte City Council is also paying a settlement to him… pic.twitter.com/8wdTGONOFI
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) May 7, 2025

The police chief is being both praised and criticized for taking the settlement from the city for what he deemed as his rights being violated. On social media, Charlotte residents and other users feel there is no need for a settlement and supported Bokhari for “standing up for the safety & support of CMPD Officers.” “You are the only one who did the right thing,” Angela Moore wrote on X. Others said the settlement is a waste of taxpayer money.

However, according to Queen City News, former CMPD leaders, such as Assistant Chief of Police Vicki Foster, thinks Jennings has done an amazing job and whoever his successor is will have big shoes to fill. “They have to be able to not only just engage but be a part of what is going on and understand,” Foster said.

In a formal statement, Charlotte Mayor, Vi Lyles, called Jennings “a transformative leader for CMPD and a true champion for Charlotte.” His dedication to public safety and his innovative approaches to policing have made our city safer and stronger,” she wrote.

Jennings also patted himself on the back for his accomplishments. “I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together – the significant reductions in crime, the strengthening of community trust, and the unwavering dedication I’ve witnessed from every member of this department,” he wrote.

As the settlement is being paid in several increments over time, the North Carolina auditor is scheduled to investigate the settlement in addition to CMPD’s Fraternal Order of Police expected to start a no confidence vote against Jennings beginning June 2.