New Orleans, Black Catholic School
(Photo: GlobalStock/Getty Images)
by Mary Spiller

February 7, 2025

Philly School Rallies Behind Heroic Boy Who Saved Sister During Plane Crash

The Soans Christian Academy School is calling for donations for Andre III's recovery.

Soans Christian Academy in Philadelphia is running a fundraiser to help the family of a 10-year-old boy who was injured while protecting his sister during a Jan. 31 plane crash.

Andre Howard III attends the Soans Christian Academy along with his siblings.

The fundraiser page on Facebook reads, “Soans family is standing together with the Howard family as they go through this difficult situation. We are declaring a call of unity in prayer and donation to support the Howard family.

“Donations should be brought to Soans as we will give directly to the family. Andre has a long road to recovery. Let’s help Andre through this journey as we rally up alongside him in support.”

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BSA3AbDPj

The crash, according to WPVI, was the result of a medical jet from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport crashing into Andre III’s car. The plane had only two passengers—a mother and her daughter—as well as four on-flight crew members who were en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

Andre III was traveling in a car with both siblings and his father near the mall when the plane went down.

“My son…tells his little sister, ‘Get down,’ And he grabs her, I hear the glass shatter,” Andre Howard Jr. said. “I turn around; there’s a piece of metal sticking out of my son’s head from the plane.”

After police arrived, the Howard family was rushed to the Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where Andre III immediately underwent surgery for his head injury.

“They told us my son wasn’t supposed to make it,” Howard Jr. said. “They also told us, ‘They don’t do children trauma.’ But they did for us, which was nothing but God.”

When Andre III woke up, his father said, he asked about his sister and the upcoming Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.

“I was just trying to help my sister…next thing I know, I thought I died,'” Andre III said, according to his father.

“To face death yesterday and speaking today, stepping up for his little sister, like I train him and his other little brothers to do off of instinct,” Andre Jr. said.

The Howard family has set up a GoFundMe to assist in paying for Andre III’s medical and recovery expenses. As of Friday afternoon, more than $170,000 had been raised.

RELATED CONTENT: Philly School District Superintendent Lands New Role As CEO/President Of National Education Non-Profit

Master P, Rap Snacks, wealth gap, entrepreneurship
(Photo: Mikamote, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
by Kandiss Edwards

February 7, 2025

Master P. Officially Cuts Ribbon On New Orleans Walk Of Fame

The New Orleans Walk of Fame is now open.

On Feb. 6, The New Orleans Walk of Fame inducted its first class of local legends. Percy “Master P” Miller, New Orleans’ entertainment ambassador, presented plaques to inductees as their names were embedded into the streets of the “Big Easy.”

The vibrant culture of New Orleans nurtures an immense amount of talent, which explains the lengthy 50-member list of inductees. Some of the most notable names in the world, including Trombone Shorty, Wendell Pierce, and Mahalia Jackson, received their honors, or in this case, Fleur-de-lis, from the city.

The Fleur-de-lis plaques were created by local artist Brandon “BMIKE” Odums. The symbol is etched into architecture that has been around since the city’s 1718 founding and serves as the logo for the city’s NFL team, the Saints.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell was not only an integral part of planning and executing the Walk of Fame, located on Canal St., she was anducted as the city’s first Black woman mayor.

Miller is also a member of the inaugural class. Hailing from the Calliope projects in New Orleans, the businessman started one of the most successful record labels in the city’s history, achieving success as an actor, producer, and investor.

The New Orleans Walk of Fame has been granted 4.5 miles to expand. A museum that will display information and art associated with each recipient is in the planning stages. With a thriving tourist community and millions of residents, Miller and the committee hope to keep the legacy of New Orleans’ best and brightest alive.

“This Walk of Fame is a curriculum. We want kids to be able to know who these people are and who these people were. So, from Louis Armstrong to Tom Benson, Archie Manning, we want people to be able to celebrate the greats that come from here,” Master P said in an interview. 

The inductees range from actors and athletes to politicians, artists, civil rights leaders, and businesspeople. Tourists, Super Bowl LIX attendees, and natives can scan Canal St. for their favorite New Orleans legend now.

See below for the full list of inductees:

Hall of Famers

  • Aaron Neville, Musician
  • A.P. Tureaud, Attorney
  • Al Copeland, Restauranteur
  • Allen Toussaint, Musician
  • Allison “Tootie” Montana, Mardi Gras Indian 
  • Anthony Mackie, Actor
  • Archie Manning, Athlete
  • Avery Johnson, Athlete
  • Big Freedia, Musician
  • Blaine Kern “Mr. Mardi Gras,” Businessman
  • Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Wiliams, Musicians 
  • Bryant Gumbel, Journalist
  • Carl Weathers, Actor
  • Cedric Richmond, Politician
  • Clyde Drexler, Athlete
  • Khaled Mohammed Khaled “DJ Khaled,” Musician
  • Drew Christopher Brees (Honorary Inductee), Athlete
  • Eli Manning, Athlete
  • Ella Brennan, Restauranteur
  • Ellen Degeneres, Comedian
  • Ernest Dutch Morial, Politician
  • Fats Domino, Musician
  • Gayle Benson, Businesswoman
  • Harry Connick, Jr., Musician
  • Irma Thomas, Musician
  • Jon Batiste, Musician
  • John Georges, Businessman
  • Leah Chase, Restauranteur
  • Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. (“Lil Wayne”), Musician 
  • Louis Armstrong, Musician
  • LaToya Cantrell (Honorary Inductee), Politician
  • Malcolm “Dr. John” Rebennack, Jr., Musician
  • Marc Morial, Politician
  • Marshall Faulk, Athlete
  • Mahalia Jackson, Singer
  • Mia Young (“Mia X”), Musician
  • Moon Landrieu, Politician
  • Norman Francis, Educator
  • Oretha Castle Haley, Activist
  • Percy “Master P” Miller, Musician
  • Pete Fountain, Musician
  • Peyton Manning, Athlete
  • Reese Witherspoon, Actress
  • Revius Ortique, Jr., Judge
  • Sidney Torres, Businessman
  • Trombone Shorty, Musician
  • Troy Carter, Politician
  • Todd Graves, Businessman
  • Tom Benson, Businessman
  • Tyler Perry, Filmmaker
  • Wendell Pierce, Actor 
  • William Goldring, Philanthropist 
  • Wynton Marsalis, Musician 

RELATED CONTENT: Don’t Expect Lil Wayne To Be At Super Bowl LIX

Plies, Black men, white men, man, issues, money, checks
(Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 7, 2025

Plies Questions ‘Who’s The Real DEI Hire’ While Comparing Credentials Of Trump’s And Biden’s White House Press Secretaries

Considering the credentials of the current and former White House press secretaries, Plies questions who the real DEI hire is?

Plies continues to apply pressure on the Donald Trump administration. His latest remarks target the current White House press secretary, suggesting she might be ‘the real DEI hire’ compared to her predecessor.

The outspoken rapper took to Instagram on Friday to comment on an image that’s being widely shared across social media that highlights the professional resumes of the current White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, and the previous Press Secretary who worked with the Joe Biden administration, Karine Jean-Pierre.

“Press Secretary Credentials: This Is Typically How It Goes. They Blame Us For Everything They’re Guilty Of!!!! In This Case, Who’s The Real DEI Hire???? (Our Biggest Problem We Play To Nice),” Plies captioned the post.

The photo provides a breakdown of Jean-Pierre’s most recent experience, which includes serving as a lecturer in International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, a senior advisor and national spokeswoman at MoveOn.org, and a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. On the education side, Jean-Pierre holds a bachelor’s degree from the New York Institute of Technology and a master’s degree from Columbia University.

In contrast, Leavitt received a softball scholarship to Saint Anselm College, where she received her undergraduate degree. She served as Trump’s assistant, a Fox News intern, and a MAGA spokesperson. She made history as the youngest press secretary in U.S. history and is married to Nicholas Riccio, 59, a man 32 years her senior.

The photo also underscores that in January 2025, Leavitt revealed $326,370 in unpaid campaign debts across 17 amended filings from her failed congressional campaign, which had gone undisclosed for years. Approximately $200,000 of this debt consisted of illegal campaign contributions exceeding finance limits she never repaid, violating campaign finance laws.

Based solely on the portfolios of Leavitt and Jean-Pierre, one might question the credibility and qualifications of the current press secretary, despite many conservatives labeling Jean-Pierre as a diversity hire due to her race. After Plies shared the resume comparison, many of his followers agreed.

“Correction, Karoline is not a DEI hire. She’s a privileged hire. DEI is not a bad hire,” one person wrote.

“This is how DEI really works and shows who’s the MAIN benefactor,” added someone else.

A few hours later, Plies followed up with a video further reiterating his point. According to the Florida native, “we being to muthaf**ing nice” when it comes to not calling out the hypocrisy on who the real DEI hires are.

RELATED CONTENT: Plies Says Kamala Harris Lost 2024 Election Because She ‘Wasn’t Hateful Enough’

Patrick Mahomes
(Photo: Michael Owens/Getty Images)
by Sharelle B. McNair

February 7, 2025

Patrick Mahomes Says Playing In Front Of A ‘Sitting President’ At Super Bowl Would Be ‘Cool’ 

Mahomes or Hurts...who are you cheering for?

Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is excited about President Donald Trump attending Super Bowl LIX.

During a press conference, the three-time Super Bowl champ was asked how he felt about Trump coming to watch him play against the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans on Sunday.

“It’s always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting president, Someone that is at the top position in our country,” Mahomes said.  

He touched on Trump’s comments about him being a “great quarterback.” While the QB admitted to not seeing the circulated clip, he said, “It’s cool to hear that he’s seen me play football and respects the game that I play.” 

Mahomes’ comments come after his teammate, Travis Kelce, said playing in front of Trump would be a “great honor,” according to The Independent.

“I think, you know, no matter who the president is, I know I’m excited because it’s the biggest game of my life, you know, and having the president there, you know, it’s the best country in the world,” Kelce said during a press conference. “So, that’d be pretty cool.” 

During the 2024 political campaign season, Mahomes avoided endorsing Trump or former Vice President Kamala Harris. Despite his wife Brittany and mother being open Trump supporters, the Black quarterback, one of 15 that started during the 2024-2025 season, clarified his role.

“I don’t want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate or do whatever, either way,” Mahomes said in September 2024. “I think my place is to inform people to get registered to vote. It’s to inform people to do their own research and then make the best decision for them and their family.”

The 47th president may be a fan of the quarterback, but he failed to do his homework. During a White House event, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Trump praised Alabama Republican senator and former Texas Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville for being the reason behind Mahomes’ greatness. While Tuberville accepted Trump’s praise, he later debunked the sentiments during an interview with Megyn Kelly. 

Mahomes also caught wind of the mistake, saying he was never coached by the Alabama lawmaker. 

RELATED CONTENT: Patrick Mahomes Still Highest-Paid Quarterback Despite Jordan Love’s Record-Breaking Contract

firefighter, fire chief
(Photo: Pexels)
by Kandiss Edwards

February 7, 2025

Rockdale County, GA’s First Black-Woman Fire Chief Resigns

While the BioLab incident is a notable occurrence in McDaniel's term, it is only one event and does not define her years of public service.

Marian McDaniel, the first-ever Black woman fire chief in Rockdale County, Georgia, resigned on Feb. 3, Fox 5 reports.

A county spokesperson said CEO JaNice Van Ness immediately pointed James Robinson, deputy chief of operations, as interim chief. 

County officials said the resignation was not in response to the September 2024 BioLab fire.

“Our priority remains focused on ensuring that we offer an effective fire department that provides the very best in service levels,” Van Ness said in an emailed statement. “Our commissioners remain focused on delivering quality services, and we are confident this transition will help us move forward in the best interest of our community.”

The former chief has been under considerable scrutiny in recent months due to her handling of September’s BioLab fire that caused a plume of chemicals to be released into the Rockdale County air. The facility is partially operational as the investigation into the incident continues. 

Activists have expressed frustration with county leaders over their handling of the incident, particularly after BioLab reopened, Fox 5 reports. Several lawsuits, including one from the county, have been filed against BioLab in the months after the blaze. 

McDaniel was appointed Rockdale County fire chief in December 2020. At the time, she was the 12th African American female fire chief in the United States and had enjoyed a distinguished career.

She began her career in 1998 at Fulton County’s Atlanta Fire and Rescue. For nearly 20 years, she worked there in multiple capacities: firefighter, lieutenant, captain, public information officer, and captain of emergency medical services.

McDaniel retired from the county in 2017. She went on to serve as deputy fire chief of administration in Rockdale County. She did not give a statement about her reason for resigning or her future career moves.

RELATED CONTENT: Rockdale Residents Advocate For Information On BioLab Fire

Al Green, senator, Texas
by Mitti Hicks

February 7, 2025

Texas Congress Member Threatens To Impeach Trump

It has not been a month since President Donald Trump took office, and a congress member is already threatening to impeach the president. Texas Representative Al Green says he intends to move forward with filing Articles to Impeach Trump for controversial remarks about Gaza.

It has not been a month since President Donald Trump took office, and a congress member is already threatening to impeach the president. Texas Rep. Al Green says he intends to move forward with filing Articles to Impeach Trump for controversial remarks about Gaza.

Congressman Green called Trump’s comments “a desperate deed.” He says Trump’s remarks promote “actions that could be interpreted as ethnic cleansing.”

As Green began his statement, he referenced words from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. And injustice in Gaza is a threat to justice in the United States of America.” 

Green continued, “The movement to impeach the president has begun; I rise to announce that I will bring Articles of Impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.”

He added, “On some issues, it is better to stand alone than not stand at all. On this issue, I stand alone, but I stand for justice.” 

Trump’s Controversial Comments on Gaza

President Donald Trump shocked the world over his comments about taking over Gaza and resettling the Palestinian population in other countries. He then followed up with comments suggesting it could be a “[French] Riviera of the Middle East” and that it’s worth being a “long-term ownership position,” as NBC reports.

His comments stunned even members of his own party.

“I thought we voted for America First,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, said on X. “We have no business contemplating yet another occupation to doom our treasure and spill our soldiers’ blood.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has found himself in the impeachment seat. He was impeached twice during his first term. In 2019, he was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The second time was in 2021 for his role in inciting the Capital Riots on Jan. 6. Both cases were acquitted.

With Republicans controlling both the Senate and the House, it’s unlikely that the impeachment will move forward.

RELATED STORY: OPINION: Former President Barack Obama Booed At Trump’s Inauguration: A New Low For Republican Decorum

NCAA, transgender
Momoneymoproblemz, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
by Sharelle B. McNair

February 7, 2025

NCAA Reverses 15-Year Transgender Policy Limiting Women’s Competitions To Only Females Assigned At Birth 

Another one bites the dust....

After 15 years, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) changed the participation policy for transgender athletes, placing a limit on competitive women’s sports to athletes assigned female at birth only, CNN reports. 

The change was handed down on Feb. 6, just one day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s and girls’ sports, while a group of young girls surrounded him. The order permits federal agencies to withhold federal funding from entities if they don’t abide by Title IX, a law signed by former President Richard Nixon in 1972 prohibiting sex discrimination in education programs with federal funding.  

With the new Trump administration’s interpretation of “sex” correlating to the gender someone was assigned at birth, the NCAA rule is effective immediately. It applies to all athletes who overstep past eligibility reviews. NCAA President Charlie Baker said Trump’s policy lays out a “clear” standard for the organization, representing close to 1,100 member schools with more than 500,000 athletes, making it the nation’s largest governing body for college athletics. “We strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today’s student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions,” Baker said. 

“To that end, President Trump’s order provides a clear, national standard.”

The NCAA once supported trans athletics, adapting the policy in 2022 with a sport-by-sport approach, opening up the participation of transgender athletes determined by the policy of the sport’s national governing body, according to the Associated Press. However, over the years, trans athletes have been the target of ridicule. Critics often push the narrative that participation in women’s sports is unfair in addition to an alleged safety risk. Trump grabbed onto that narrative during his 2024 presidential campaign, regardless of the minimal amount of transgender athletes. 

In 2024, Baker claimed only to know 10 transgender athletes in the NCAA.

Former Kentucky swimmer and vocal advocate of a transgender athlete ban from women’s sports, Riley Gaine, celebrated the order on X. She was also present for the signing as the girls stood next to the criminally indicted businessman. “The NCAA has officially changed their ‘transgender participation’ policy immediately. I can’t even begin to tell you how vindicating it feels knowing no girl will ever have to experience what my teammates and I did,” she wrote. 

“Thank God Trump is back in office.”

The new policy is similar to one held by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), a smaller governing agency of only 241 small colleges in the U.S. In April 2024, the association voted unanimously to approve a policy that permitted only athletes whose sex assigned at birth is female and who haven’t started hormone therapy to compete.

RELATED CONTENT: OPINION: Former President Barack Obama Booed At Trump’s Inauguration: A New Low For Republican Decorum

LeBron James, Kids Picture book, 'I Am More Than', I promise school
(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 7, 2025

40 for 40: LeBron James Second Player To Score 40 Points At Age 40

'King James' joins Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to accomplish the feat.

Future Hall of Famer LeBron James became the second player in NBA history to score 40 points at the age of 40 years old.

According to Sports Illustrated, the 40-year-old James joined Michael Jordan as the only NBA player to achieve that feat on Feb. 6. In a 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors, “King James” had a stat line of 42 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and a block.

After the contest, a reporter asked him how he felt about joining Jordan in this category.

“What do I think? That I’m old, that’s what I think,” James said.

Added James, “The biggest thing is that we got the win, obviously. Throughout my journey, anytime I’ve been named or in the category or crossed paths with any of the greats is always humbling.”

James’ spirited play took place after the league named him its Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, Jan. 27, through Sunday, Feb. 2. In four games, James averaged 27.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 10 assists a game.

In that stretch, the Lakers finished 3-1 ,beating the Charlotte Hornets, the Washington Wizards, and the New York Knicks on the road.

James has been named the the league’s player of the week in the Eastern or Wester Conference a league-record 69 times. 

The Lakers, who just added superstar guard Luka Doncic in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks, is now 30-19, fifth place in the Western Conference. They  host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, Feb. 8.

RELATED CONTENT: Dentist Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Stealing Patients’ Pain Meds During Surgery

Little Caesar's Snellville
(Photo: The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
by Kandiss Edwards

February 7, 2025

Not A Georgia Little Caesars Threatening To Call ICE On Its Patrons

A Little Caesars in Georgia threatens to call ICE on Gwinnett County patrons.

A Little Caesars Pizza restaurant in Snellville, Georgia, has angered customers for a sign threatening to call deportation officials, according to Atlanta News First.

The take-out store, located in Gwinnett County, displayed a sign that translated to “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be alerted if any customers are seen loitering or acting suspiciously.

A reporter for Telemundo Atlanta posted a picture of the sign, which has since been removed, on Facebook, warning the Hispanic community.

“VAMOS A LLAMAR A ICE SI COME AQUI” ESTA NOTA EN UN LITTLE CAESARS DE SNELLVILLE HA DESPERTADO PREOCUPACIÓN E INDIGNACIÓN EN ALGUNOS MIEMBROS DE LA COMUNIDAD HISPANA.

Translation: “WE’RE GOING TO CALL ICE IF YOU EAT HERE.” THIS NOTE IN A LITTLE CAESARS IN SNELLVILLE HAS SPARKED CONCERN AND OUTRAGE IN SOME MEMBERS OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

The Little Caesars manager, Caleb Marsh, defended using the sign to threaten customers, saying his attempt to “keep people safe” is necessary.

“If you know people are going to be offended, if they’re not here legally, you know, they can be offended,” he told WSB-TV. “If you’re not here legally, you know, you shouldn’t be here. There’s a process.”

Marsh did not specify how national immigration policy related to the establishment’s safety concerns. He admitted that loitering is not really a safety concern for the store, though the sign specifically addresses it.

“It’s not really a problem, but it does happen. It is a frequent thing, but it’s not like a huge problem,” he told WSB-TV.

Minerva Solana saw the sign before it was removed. The did not interpret the message as a warning about inappropriate behavior.

“It was mostly like a threat,” she said. “It’s mostly a threat toward the minority community.” Solana added, “Seeing it for the first time made me uncomfortable, knowing that Snellville is home to a heavily populated Hispanic community.”

Gwinnett County has one of the largest populations of Hispanic residents in Georgia. The Metro Atlanta area has seen a significant rise in its minority population over the past 20 years. A 2004 Gwinnett County survey estimated the Hispanic population at 105,943. That number has more than doubled to 217,501 in 2024, according to USA Facts.

“We have contacted the franchisee of the independently owned location, and the sign has been removed. This does not represent our policy,” a spokesperson for Little Caesars said.

RELATED CONTENT: Chicago Immigrants Stay Home From Work Amid Deportation Concerns

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