by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 6, 2026

Second Georgia Lawmaker Gets Caught Up Over Defrauding Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

Ahead of her indictment, Bennett resigned from her position within the Georgia General Assembly.

Another Georgia lawmaker has been indicted on pandemic fraud charges.

State Rep. Karen Bennett, a Democrat who represents the Stone Mountain area within Metro Atlanta, was indicted Jan. 5 by a federal grand jury for defrauding pandemic unemployment assistance. Bennett allegedly used government payouts she was not legally entitled to for her in-house physical therapy company.

According to WSB-TV, prosecutors argued that Bennett received $13,940 for her business, Metro Therapy Providers, on claims that it could not operate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, further investigation discovered that the company remained open during the global health crisis. The business only shut down for a short while.

Despite continuing to service clients, Bennett allegedly lied on her Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program application. In Georgia, the program provided unemployment benefits for up to 79 weeks for those who could not work due to COVID-19.

CBS News reported that Bennett first submitted her falsified application in April 2020 and continued to receive checks through August. She initially applied for unemployment insurance, yet was denied. She later received assistance through the newly established PUA program, claiming that quarantine restrictions had stunted her work.

In her initial claims, Bennett falsely stated that she received no pay from her business or from her work in the Georgia legislature. While prosecutors claim that Bennett certified she made only $300 one week, she actually brought in roughly $1,200.

She also received payments from a church, totaling over $900 per week. The fraud indictment went beyond claims that she wrongly used the benefits, as the instance also led to one count of falsifying statements.

The news also follows another state representative who was arrested and charged for taking thousands in pandemic unemployment claims. The lawmaker, Covington Rep. Sharon Henderson, reportedly took $17,000 from the PUA program.

Upon her indictment, Bennett was released on a $10,000 bond. Before the indictment, Bennett resigned from her role serving House District 94 in a letter addressed to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, sent Dec. 31.

“It has been a distinct honor to serve the people of Georgia and the constituents of the 94th House District,” Bennett wrote. “I am proud of the work accomplished by the Georgia General Assembly when we came together to advance policies that strengthened our state and improved the lives of all Georgians. Serving in this capacity has truly been a labor of love, and one I will deeply miss.”

If convicted, Bennett may have to return the funds wrongfully earned from the program. If she cannot repay, the authorities could also seek to have property forfeited to repay the debt.

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 6, 2026

Trump Drops New Coins, None with Black People, To Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary

Frederick Douglass and Ruby Bridges were recommended to be featured on commemorative quarters but were later dumped.

President Donald Trump wants America to remember the past with new coins commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding, circulating on Jan. 5—a day before the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Capitol assault—that leave off prominent African-American leaders, NPR reports.

The 2026 semiquincentennial coins, first authorized in 2021, will feature former presidents and slave owners, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, selected by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The idea of another face on the coin is being floated around as well: a $1 coin with Trump’s face, a move associated with monarchies.

https://twitter.com/1776pax/status/1999947462656856291

In the early planning stages, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee recommended five commemorative quarters, featuring civil rights leaders and moments such as Frederick Douglass to celebrate the abolition of slavery, and 6-year-old Ruby Bridges to highlight the civil rights movement and American school desegregation. Another coin would highlight the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

But when the anniversary coin designs were revealed in late December 2025, Douglass, Bridges, and other quarters were nowhere to be found. The Revolutionary War and the Gettysburg Address were recognized instead.

https://twitter.com/AttorneyCrump/status/2003618842593862072

The move erases a story of diversity and inclusion, something the second Trump Administration has focused on since the day one. According to the Washington Post, U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said the Biden administration’s focus on DEI and critical race theory is a thing of the past. “Trump administration is dedicated to fostering prosperity and patriotism.”

The narrative is supported by Kristie McNally, acting director of the U.S. Mint, who, in a statement, said, “The designs on these historic coins depict the story of America’s journey toward a ‘more perfect union,’ and celebrate America’s defining ideals of liberty.”

In an effort to restore “patriotic education,” Trump and his team have made controversial moves to some of the nation’s most protected stations, such as national parks, monuments, and museums, to rid the nation of the true story of America and its hurtful truths.

Targeting African-American history, education departments across the country have dumped certain studies in the classroom. In early 2025, the administration issued an audit of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), claiming that lies were being told within exhibits and that there was too much focus on slavery.

But this isn’t the first time Trump has kept Black leaders from being celebrated. During his first term, Harriet Tubman’s image on the $20 bill was halted after Trump criticized the decision, made by former president Barack Obama, as “pure political correctness.”

“The question was do we focus only on what happened in 1776 and the years around that or do we also talk about everything that has happened since then,” said Lawrence Brown, a retired New York City doctor who served on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee from 2019 to 2024. “To me, the latter is just as important, if not more important, because it gives us answers to the questions of how we maintained that Constitution? How did we maintain our independence?”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 6, 2026

COGIC Preacher Uses Sunday Sermon To Drag Pastor Jamal Bryant On His Wife’s Dress

Pastor Bryant has defended his wife and her dress.

Church leaders are adding their two cents in the growing controversy surrounding an evening dress worn by Pastor Jamal Bryant’s wife Karri Turner.

Bishop Patrick Wooden did not mince words in his latest sermon. “So, I guess our objection to a man of the cloth presenting his wife in public looking like a $2 whore,” proclaimed the pastor. “My statement is not about her. My statement is about him. I said he presented his wife, and he said he bought the dress.

“Those are his words, not mine. And there is nothing classy about that. There’s nothing modest about that.”

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A post shared by Onsite!® (@its_onsite)

Wooden continued, “Because there is such a thing as decency…In public, at an event where everyone will see, I don’t know, of a greater way for a man to demean his wife. And if he doesn’t think that that is demeaning her, there is something wrong with him.”

Wooden is a North Carolina-based “gospel preacher,” who had led the Upper Room Church of God in Christ as senior pastor for over three decades, according to the church website.

Karri wore a lace dress to the UNCF Atlanta Mayor’s Masked Ball Dec. 20. Critics deemed the outfit unbecoming of a pastor’s wife, emphasizing the importance of remaining modest, especially as an example for the church.

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A post shared by DR. KARRI BRYANT, D.Min., M.Div.💕| ATLANTA (@mzkarribaby)

Pastor Bryant, the leader of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, addressed the issue at his New Year’s Eve service. He confirmed he actually bought the dress, calling out the “insecure, jealous, petty, small-minded people” that held a “false barometer of holiness” surrounding his wife’s attire.

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A post shared by Pastor Jamal Bryant (@jamalhbryant)

He added, “I need to set the record straight: I bought the dress! And I like it. I don’t care whether you like it or not; she ain’t married to [you]. She married to me.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 6, 2026

Lawsuit Accuses Donnie McClurkin of Sexually Abusing Young Man Over Several Years

McClurkin's attorney denied the allegations.

In a civil lawsuit filed Jan. 2 in New York, Giuseppe Corletto has accused Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor Donnie McClurkin of sexual assault and battery under the city’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, NBC News reports.

Corletto claims McClurkin repeatedly assaulted and raped him between 2007 and 2015, and the suit references an 2013 email in which McClurkin appears to acknowledge and apologize for the behavior.

“I am the actual epitome of a desperate dirty ‘old man’…groping a young man who is just looking for a friendship and close platonic [sic] relationship with someone he looks to for help, guidance and spirituality,” the alleged email states. “You don’t have that desire for me, and I shouldn’t have it for you. I forced myself on you.”

Corletto says he first met McClurkin in 2003 after reading the pastor’s autobiography, where McClurkin described God helping him overcome what he called the “curse” of homosexuality. Corletto, then 21, says he was struggling to reconcile his faith and sexuality. He sought spiritual guidance at McClurkin’s Perfecting Faith Church in Long Island, New York.

What began as Corletto’s “very innocent” mentoring soon took a disturbing turn, according to the lawsuit. During “pray the gay away” spiritual sessions, McClurkin allegedly began molesting him, abuse that Corletto said escalated as he worked as McClurkin’s assistant and traveled with him regularly.

According to Corletto, the abuse began in 2007, when McClurkin allegedly forced him into oral and anal sex in a California hotel room. Similar incidents followed over the next two years during trips to Atlantic City and Manhattan, as well as at McClurkin’s Long Island home, according to the lawsuit.

Corletto, according to the lawsuit, “struggled to process these incidents of sexual abuse, as [McClurkin] was both his mentor and employer, making it difficult for him to speak out about the abuse he had suffered.”

“Throughout this period, plaintiff attempted to quit on multiple occasions,” the complaint reads. “Defendant, however, denied plaintiff’s requests, further coercing him to stay by telling plaintiff that his ‘deliverance’ and ‘purpose’ were tied to defendant.”

“He would always compare me to people in the bible like Elisha and Elijah,” Corletto explained, referring to them prophets’ mentor-mentee relationship. “There was a lot of biblical manipulation. I thought I was to blame. I was brainwashed to think that my deliverance was wrapped up in him.”

Corletto quit working for McClurkin in 2008, but claims his former boss continued to pursue him. According to the suit, Corletto became depressed and suicidal after an incident at a Niagara Falls hotel in 2013. He briefly returned to McClurkin’s church before cutting ties for good.

Corletto claims that it wasn’t until last year that he rediscovered an alleged email McClurkin sent after the Niagara Falls encounter, a message Corletto said left him feeling “vindicated,” because it appeared to acknowledge wrongdoing.

“I have no one…and I feel it more than ever…But I was horribly wrong trying to force you into something that you were consistently saying no to,” McClurkin wrote in the email, according to the lawsuit. “I am too old to be like this.”

Greg Lisi, an attorney for McClurkin, called the allegations “categorically false.”

“At no time did Pastor McClurkin engage in any form of sexual abuse, assault, or sexual coercion of Mr. Corletto,” Lisi said in a statement. “The claims set forth in the lawsuit grossly mischaracterize their interactions, which occurred over a decade, and some accusations over 2 decades, ago. All these allegations are contradicted by the real facts.”

The suit was filed under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, which temporarily extended the window for survivors to bring sexual abuse claims. Although the two-year filing period closed in March 2025, some cases continued under tolling agreements that granted additional time.

Bourbon Street , Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, New Orleans, New Year's Eve,

by Mitti Hicks

January 6, 2026

Data Reveal Violent Crime Was Down In New Orleans Even Before Trump Deployed National Guard

In 2022, New Orleans was considered the country's per-capita "murder capital," with 266 murders. That number was sliced in half to 121 in 2025.

New data shows that violent crime in New Orleans is continuing to decline. Local police officials revealed that violent crime fell for a third year in a row, despite President Donald Trump taking credit for it after ordering National Guard members to patrol the city.

In his latest target against Democratic-led cities, Trump approved sending 350 National Guard members to Louisiana following a deployment request from Republican Gov. Jeff Landry to fight crime. Landry claimed that troops were needed in New Orleans because of “elevated violent crime rates,” despite local officials saying crime has been dropping for years in the city.

As the Associated Press reports, Trump credited the Guard deployment with New Orleans’ drop in violent crime.

“We have crime down to almost nothing already,” the president stated during a news conference. He adds, “I cannot imagine why governors would not want us to help.”

So far, Trump has deployed or attempted to deploy National Guard members to Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon, Chicago, and Memphis. A Democratic mayor runs each city.

Violent Crime In New Orleans

New data released by New Orleans police shows that since 2022, murders, shootings, armed robberies, and carjackings have significantly decreased city-wide. In 2022, New Orleans was considered the country’s per-capita “murder capital,” with 266 murders. That number was sliced in half to 121 in 2025, which includes the 14 people who were killed in a vehicle-ramming attack on Jan. 1 last year in the French Quarter.

New Orleans police classify murders as criminal homicides. These numbers do not include suspected suicides, accidental deaths, justifiable deaths, or suspected manslaughter.

National Guard troops have only patrolled the historic French Quarter so far. But Anne Kirkpatrick, the current superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, said she would continue to welcome Guard members into crime hot spots beyond this touristy area, since the city’s police force is understaffed. She also welcomes National Guard troops ahead of New Orleans Mardi Gras season, which officially kicks off on Jan. 6.

“If they prevent a crime by their presence, I’m all for the safety of the city, as long as it’s constitutional and ethical,” she added.

Kyrie Irving, Texas, HBCU, Paul Quinn College

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 6, 2026

Kyrie Irving Pays $11K For LaRussell’s Latest Album, ‘Something’s In The Water’

The recording artist is trying to sell 100,000 copies online (and independently) in 30 days.

Recording artist LaRussell has taken an unprecedented approach to selling his latest independent album, Something’s in the Water, by posting on social media that fans can purchase the project at any price as he aims to sell 100,000 units in 30 days.

Several notable people have paid more than $ 1,000, including Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, who paid $11,001 to cop one.

https://twitter.com/LaRussellGC/status/2006395053153874101

The rapper has been livestreaming over the past week and updating his fans on his progress toward 100,000 units. On his X account, he posted a clip of him speaking to Irving. He called into LaRussell’s livestream and acknowledged that he wanted to help him reach his goal.

“Shout out to LaRussell!”

“You earned it, bro. You deserve it, man.  You work your ass off, so I thought I’d just contribute to what you got going on, and I know you’ll pay it forward, so I ain’t gotta worry about that, man. You’re a great dude, and I know we’re getting to know each other from afar, but, hey, man, it costs nothing to support, but I’m just putting my money where my mouth is, bro, helping out my community, helping out my people, bro. I want to see you reach your goal.”

https://twitter.com/LaRussellGC/status/2008237105097457815

Irving isn’t the only one who paid a premium price for Something’s in the Water. West Coast living icon Snoop Dogg purchased an album for $2,500. LaRussell acknowledged that the “D-O-double G” was a reason he entered the game.

https://twitter.com/LaRussellGC/status/2008267340333350951

Billboard reported that Cedric the Entertainer paid $1,000 for his copy and that, according to a press release, fans can pay as little as $1, with the average album sale being $22.

Anyone interested in buying the album can do so here.

Did McDonald’s Tell A McFib? Lawsuit Alleges McRib Is Mystery Meat

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 6, 2026

Did McDonald’s Tell A McFib? Lawsuit Alleges McRib Is Mystery Meat

The plaintiffs say the sandwich is made from "restructured" pork using lower-grade cuts, including pork shoulder, heart, stomach, and tripe.

Four McDonald’s customers have filed a lawsuit against the restaurant franchise, alleging it deceived consumers about the contents of its popular McRib sandwich, namely that it contained pork.

According to People, paperwork was filed Dec. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by plaintiffs, Dorien Baker, Peter Le, Charles Lynch, and Derrick Wilson, who reside in California, New York, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. The plaintiffs allege that the McRib is made from “restructured” pork using lower-grade cuts, including pork shoulder, heart, stomach, and tripe.

The complainants state that the use of the McRib name, pricing, and rib-shaped patty leads McDonald’s customers to think they are purchasing a premium pork rib product. Because the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Daily Pork Report states that pork rib meat, including “baby back” and “spare ribs,” is considered a premium product, the price is typically higher than that of other pork cuts.

Because McDonald’s charges a premium price for the product (as high as $7.89 per sandwich), it allegedly misrepresents it as “McRib” and uses cheaper cuts than those advertised.

“McDonald’s deceptive omissions and misleading marketing have resulted in millions of dollars in consumer harm, warranting legal remedies including compensatory damages, restitution, and injunctive relief to prevent further deceptive advertising practices,” the lawsuit said.

McDonald’s said the plaintiffs’ claims are inaccurate and “distort the facts.”

“Food quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do – that’s why we’re committed to using real, quality ingredients across our entire menu,” the fast food restaurant said in a written statement. “Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100% pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the U.S. We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 6, 2026

Atlanta Staple The Busy Bee Is Back With Third Restaurant In Downtown Area

The location will be The Busy Bee's third in the city.

Atlanta’s very own The Busy Bee is buzzing to a third location, placed right in the downtown area.

Known for its classic soul food dishes, The Busy Bee has signed a new lease at the transformed Centennial Yards area. The mixed-use development plans to revitalize the downtown Atlanta area, offering retail and restaurant choices for tourists and natives alike.

As for The Busy Bee, it will go from the city’s surrounding Mercedes-Benz Stadium area to find its latest footing. The lease will boast a nearly 3,000-square-foot space, offering plenty of seats for fans to sit down for a plate.

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The Busy Bee has served customers in Atlanta since 1947, first operated by self-taught cook Lucy Jackson. The award-winning eatery, famed for its signature fried chicken, will continue its reign in the area while providing a new experience for patrons.

The restaurant’s Centennial Yards location will feature a new service: a full cocktail, beer, and wine menu. Its current owner, Tracey Gates, whose father also helped purchase the business in 1987, spoke about how the restaurant’s long-standing tradition will evolve into greater communal engagement.

“The Busy Bee has always been about love, tradition, and doing things the right way – slow, from scratch, and with care,” Gates said, according to WSB-TV. “Centennial Yards lets us honor our Downtown Atlanta roots while welcoming new guests to the neighborhood. We’re bringing the same intentional flavors people grew up with, preparing true Southern dishes with seasonal ingredients and trusted farmer relationships that keep our cooking consistent year after year.”

Fans of its chicken and waffles, to its fried catfish, can have another spot to order up, as the eatery will reside at the Mitchell residential tower in Centennial Yards. With its partnership with CIM Group, the development’s owner, The Busy Bee, will help revive Downtown Atlanta with a new vision.

“As we continue to build Centennial Yards into Atlanta’s next great neighborhood, we’re extremely proud to welcome The Busy Bee, a legacy restaurant that represents the very best of Atlanta’s history and hospitality,” Brian McGowan, president of Centennial Yards Company, said in a statement. “This lease underscores our vision to create a district that is authentic to Atlanta, where global entertainment meets local culture.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 6, 2026

Southern Black Girls Invests Over $1.2M In 2025 With Historic Black Girl Joy Challenge

The Southern Black Girls movement heads into 2026 strong, having invested over $1 million in Southern organizations and small businesses.

The Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium hit a major milestone in 2025, investing more than $1 million to support over 60 organizations and 25+ small businesses across 13 Southern states.

The Selma-based organization made $1.2 million in investments through its Black Girls Dream Fund, Innovation Fund, and Black Girls Defense Fund to support diverse organizations at a time when funding for racial and gender equity initiatives faces nationwide rollbacks, according to a press release. Adding to the milestone, Southern Black Girls awarded its 1,000th Black Girl Joy Challenge grant in 2025, a program that gives girls ages 13–24 funds to create joy in their communities.

“This year proved that even in difficult times, investing in organizations that center Black girls and women is an act of resistance, imagination, and faith in the future,” said Chanceé Lundy, executive director of Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium.

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Lundy entered 2025 at full speed — her first full year as leader and a full-circle moment with Founder LaTosha Brown, who mentored her as a 14-year-old in a Selma youth program more than 30 years ago. Their intergenerational connection reflects the Consortium’s mission to invest in organizations that uplift Black girls and women.

“As this year comes to a close, I’m reminded that even when the road is rough, we are still holding on,” Lundy shared in a recent letter to supporters. “Even under pressure, we showed up, expanded our giving, and stayed intentional about meeting this moment.”

In June 2025, Southern Black Girls hosted over 1,300 Black girls and women in Atlanta for the Black Girls Dream Conference, themed ‘She Got Next.’ The two-day event featured 80 workshops on STEAM, mental health, financial empowerment, and social justice. The organization’s support for Black women entrepreneurs also paid off, with Crystal Chisholm, founder of The Oyster Journal, receiving mentorship and funding through its Dream Investment Program.

“When I first launched my app, I built it myself, but I had technical limitations,” Chisholm said. “This grant allowed me to hire a contractor to add premium features that will generate revenue for the first time. This marks our shift from building community to creating financial sustainability.”

RELATED CONTENT: Black Joy Festival

WORKPLACE, Bullying, return to office, RTO

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 6, 2026

How RTO Went From Being About ‘Where’ To ‘When’ For Employees

Flexibility is the name of the game.

Employees have changed the ever-evolving “return to office” (RTO) narrative from not being about where to work but when, causing employers to step up their management game, Fortune reports.

Data from commercial real-estate company JLL’s Workforce Preference Barometer 2025 revealed employees have no problem with RTO, but more so with the amount of time required. The change highlights the shift between employee priorities, with work–life balance take precedent over salary.

Sixty-five percent of survey respondents, in comparison to 59% in 2022, have employees seeking “management of time over place” but only 49% of workers have the luxury of flexible hours.

Management expert and New York University professor Suzy Welch warns the RTO shift will challenge employers to find a cure to continuous burnout.

“We believed that if you worked hard, you were rewarded for it. And so this is the disconnect,” she said. “Gen Z thinks, ‘Yeah, I watched what happened to my parents’ career, and I watched what happened to my older sister’s career, and they worked very hard, and they still got laid off.’”

Between Welch and JLL, the closing argument is that there is no need to give up too much time because employees won’t get anything in return.

There is a name for those fighting against returning to the cubicle: “non-compliers”.

Data describe them as being between ages 30 and 34, living in North America, and holding managerial roles. JLL said the group’s stance is driven by personal constraints over simply not wanting to be in the office. Since many are caregivers who feel constraints are “poorly understood and supported at work,” they do what’s best for them.

“Their non-compliance is less a rejection than a calculated decision based on their sense of empowerment,” the study reported.

Globally and stateside, employer have seen pushback from forced RTO. Media conglomerate Paramount received a massive number of resignations in November 2025 after the company announced plans to bring staffers back in person to the office five days a week.