Robert F. Kennedy Jr, presidential race 2024
by Sharelle Burt

November 15, 2024

Lawmakers Divided On Trump Choosing Anti-Vaccine Conspiracy Theorist RFK Jr. For HHS Secretary

Would you be willing to work with Kennedy?

President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services has received mixed reactions from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, Politico reports. 

After Trump made the selection on Nov. 14, lawmakers, both Republican and Democrat, opened up about their willingness to hear him out. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) mentioned a number of issues that he agrees with Kennedy about, including those surrounding “tobacco and organic agriculture.” Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis celebrated the selection on X, saying he hopes Kennedy “leans into personal choice on vaccines rather than bans” and takes “on big pharma and the corporate ag oligopoly to improve our health.”

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) took the praise up a notch with claims that Kennedy could probably do more to “advance America’s health than anybody really in history.” “If President Trump wants him, I think he could [be confirmed to the Cabinet]. Why not?”

Fellow GOP lawmakers Sens. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Rand Paul of Kentucky reiterated similar feelings. Tuberville thinks it’s “great” that Kennedy is involved and would be open to moving forward with a confirmation of Kennedy’s appointment. Paul labeled the offspring of one of America’s most famous Democratic families “an important voice … for reassessing the crony capitalism that has big corporations, particularly Big Pharma, having an undue influence in regulation and approval of their drugs.”

According to Newsweek, loyal Trump ally and Georgia’s conservative congresswoman, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, warned GOP lawmakers of what would happen if they don’t confirm Trump’s cabinet picks. “Well, then they have to deal with Donald Trump, and they’ll have to deal with Elon Musk and his great new PAC and the American people,” she said.  

“This is a mandate.”

Trump’s selection of Kennedy did not come as a shock to a number of Americans as he endorsed the Republican President-elect after dropping out as an independent presidential nominee. In a statement, Trump said he thinks Kennedy would “restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!” 

However, everyone isn’t too keen on the selection, given Kennedy’s extreme past comments on the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming the disease was “targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people.” “The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese,” he once said. 

Public health and medical experts issued warnings on Kennedy’s ideas as dangerous, highlighting specific concerns about his claim that vaccines cause autism. Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) loyalists have been quiet on celebrating Kennedy’s selection as they predict a war between pharma, food companies, and their allies on Capitol Hill. 

A spokesperson for the Make America Healthy Again PAC and former national field director for Kennedy’s presidential campaign, Jeff Hutt, said in order for policies to be successfully passed under this new potential leadership, “established Republicans are going to have to be the most brave.”

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Big Meech, LeBron James
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 15, 2024

LeBron James Admits He’s ‘Not Going To Play That Much Longer’ In NBA

The NBA champion is playing in his 22nd season

LeBron James has the stat line of someone who still has many years left in the tank. In his 22nd season, he even has his son as a teammate. The talented baller has hinted that he is nearing the end of his storied career when he admitted to reporters that he’s “not going to play that much longer.”

After another great game on Nov. 13, the future NBA Hall of Famer didn’t exactly give a timeline but did intimate that it may be another year or two before he leaves the hardwood.

According to Sports Illustrated, after 11 games and with the team’s record of 7-4, the almost 40-year-old is averaging 24.3 points, 9.4 assists, and 8.1 rebounds while hitting 52% of his shots from the floor.

As he sat at his locker after the recent victory against the Memphis Grizzlies, where he scored another triple-double with 35 points, 14 assists, and 12 rebounds, he was asked how much longer he could continue playing.

He responded, “It’s not me, obviously; it’s the mind. Wherever my mind is is how the rest of my body’s gonna go or whatever the case may be. I don’t know, I don’t know. I’m not gonna play that much longer to be completely honest. I don’t know how many years that is, if it’s one or two years, whatever the case. The other night, I said I’m not playing until the wheels fall off. I’m not gonna be that guy. I’m not gonna be the guy that’s disrespecting the game because I just want to be out there on the floor. That won’t be me.”

The next game on the Lakers schedule is Nov. 15 against the San Antonio Spurs. Regardless of how many years James has left to play, with his already record-setting highlights throughout the seasons, he only adds to the legendary career when he steps on the floor and gives the game his all.

Crime, UBER, Car, shoot, shooting
by Sharelle Burt

November 15, 2024

‘Uber With Guns’ Rideshare Service BlackWolf Launches In 3 Major Texas Cities

This is taking safety to another level!

Armed drivers will be seen riding through major cities in Texas thanks to a new rideshare service called BlackWolf, which is referred to as “Uber with guns,” Dallas Morning News reports. 

The small ridesharing startup gained popularity through the social media app TikTok — with more than 500,000 followers — and is recruiting experienced drivers in Dallas, Houston, and Austin. Founder and owner Kerry KingBrown said the company hopes to take over Texas streets starting by the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025. “It’s about protecting people,” he said. “Everybody deserves an opportunity, and everybody deserves a safe ride.”  

https://www.tiktok.com/@blackwolfapp/video/7434949329221143838?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7421234375763609131

The former private security executive with 20 years of experience said the idea for BlackWolf sparked while driving a woman who was the victim of human trafficking. His then-client encouraged him to create transportation for people who needed more than just a ride but additional peace of mind. KingBrown revealed the service isn’t about guns, but more about educating riders in firearm training and de-escalation techniques. “At the end of the day, you know you’re getting into a safe car,” the startup founder expressed. 

“The driver will know what to do in case of an emergency. That gun will be the very last resort.”

A May 2023 Forbes article suggested companies like BlackWolf are filling the void on the issue of gun violence in America. Another company created an oversized, collapsible safe-room for schools while another company developed bulletproof backpacks and school desks. 

The data supports that apps such as BlackWolf are needed. After launching in Atlanta in 2023, the app has been downloaded more than 300,000 times in Miami, Orlando, and Phoenix. Adding Texas to the growing roster was the result of a poll where social media followers identified which state should be next. The app is hoping to hire between 35 and 50 drivers in each Lone Star State city.

According to Chron, the added protection will cost customers —  expected to be between 10% and 15% higher — than average Uber or Lyft rates. BlackWolf’s cost would more so align with the cost of an Uber Black ride, however, KingBrown isn’t worried about the company being looked at as an added rideshare competitor. Their drivers are restricted from carrying guns on the job. “Those who are armed are licensed, they are vetted, and most of them are ex-military or law enforcement,” he said.

“Those people understand how to carry a weapon. They’ve been trained with it.”

KingBrown identified who the target of drivers would be. He wants BlackWolf to focus on veterans and first responders, including police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. The opportunity would give them a chance to put their skills to good use. However, anyone who is eligible is encouraged to apply.

Carnegie, Library
by Mary Spiller

November 15, 2024

Albany Historian Calls For Carnegie Library To Change Its Name In Honor Of Civil Rights Activist

Clennon King is calling for other community members to contact local officials to make this change happen.

An Albany historian, Clennon King, is pushing for the Carnegie Library to change its name to honor Civil Rights activist Gwendolyn Crawford.

As reported by the National Park Service, over 1,600 Carnegie Libraries were built in the South. While some of them allowed access to all people regardless of race and gender, one Albany, Georgia, location did not.

King pointed to one picture that encapsulated the fight for integration during the Albany Movement protest: an image of Crawford when she was just 12 years old being carried by police off the stairs of the Carnegie Library as she was protesting.

Crawford recalled, “At that moment, no matter what they did to us, it didn’t matter. Because we were marching for a cause. We were fighting for a cause.”

Crawford and other activists of the time were arrested for fighting for Black rights outside of the library. At the time, the 12-year-old was in jail for 10 days, but a year after her arrest, the Carnegie Library allowed Black people to use the public service.

Albany historian Clennon King wants to honor Crawford and her work by renaming the current central library branch after her. He said, “This has got to be done. There is a section in history where you lose history completely. And so we want to make sure she gets her flowers now and those like her.”

He explained the significance of the location to WALB 10 News. “This was an important stop on the trail to Democracy in this country, and I’m talking about the Albany Movement, Albany, Georgia. And so, we need to start reclaiming our history,” he stated.

Crawford expressed her gratitude for King’s efforts to get the library renamed after her, and she agreed that it would be a cornerstone in preserving Albany’s history. “To even go to the library now, there were people that had to fight for that for them and so it’s essential for people to know our history, to know what we did,” she said.

King has already contacted the Albany Library Board of Trustees to change the building’s name, and he has announced his next step: He will begin writing to Albany county leaders to continue to call for the change. He’s encouraging others to follow suit and do the same.

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Frontier airline, emergency aisle
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 15, 2024

Frontier Airlines Employees Accused Of Trying To Extort Passenger At Atlanta Airport

Demonta Roach said the Frontier Airlines employees tried to pressure him to give them some money so they could buy some weed and get their nails done.

A passenger boarding a Frontier Airlines flight claims two of the airline’s employees tried to extort him as he boarded his flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

According to WSB-TV, Demonta Roach said that the Frontier Airlines employees tried to pressure him to give them some money so they could purchase some weed and get their nails done. He assumes they have done this before after an exchange where they tried to charge him half of what they typically do because he was in the military. They wanted him to give them $50 after telling him they usually get $100. The incident took place on Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day. After Roach stated that he arrived at the airport two hours early for a flight heading back to his base in Los Angeles, the flight was delayed, and he left the area to get something to eat. When he returned, he said he happened to be the last passenger to board, but he arrived well before the final boarding call. This is when the extortion attempt took place.

He told the media outlet, “The lady closed the door. She said, ‘I don’t care who you report to. If you want to get back on this plane, you have to pay me.‘”

After her demand, he started recording the interaction on his mobile phone.

The video clip revealed that the two employees repeatedly asked Roach to send them money via Cash App. He refused, and they threatened to keep him off the flight if he didn’t comply with their request. After he pretended that he would send them the money, they allowed him to board the flight.

The media outlet reached out to Frontier, and they responded to the alleged incident by saying:

“We take claims like this seriously, and our team is investigating the situation to determine what happened. In the meantime, we have offered the customer a voucher for $150 as a customer service gesture.”

Roach feels the women should be terminated.

“If she did this to me, I can only imagine how many other people she’s also done this to,” Roach said.

Margaree
by Mary Spiller

November 15, 2024

Activist & Member Of Greenville 8, Margaree Crosby Dies At 82

Crosby was also the first African American woman to become tenured at Clemson University.

Margaree Seawright Crosby, a Greenville, South Carolina, Civil Rights icon, passed away on Friday, Nov. 8. Dr. Crosby was 82 and the first African American woman to become a tenured professor at Clemson University’s College of Education.

Crosby became the first African American woman to receive a full professorship at Clemson’s College of Education during her later years; before that, she was an activist. Back in 1960, Crosby was one of The Greenville Eight, one of eight Black students who conducted a sit-in at a Greenville County Public Library to protest against segregation. They took a stand against the rampant segregation and public resource inequality by quietly sitting and reading books in the “white-only” library. Crosby and the seven other students were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

The Greenville Eight’s sit-in was integral in the push to desegregate local public libraries later, and a federal lawsuit that stemmed from the incident finally led to the racial integration of Greenville’s libraries.

Crosby’s family told WYFF that she’s always been a fighter, and she’s a Parkinson’s disease fighter and a breast and ovarian cancer survivor. The South Carolina Commission of Women awarded Crosby the state’s Women of Achievement award for her work in education and activism.

She was also a Silver Star and Life Member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. She made history as the first female member of the board of trustees at the Greenville Hospital System.

The Macedonia Baptist Church will handle her funeral services on Nov. 23.

Following the news of her passing, South Carolina Mayor Knox White released a statement honoring Crosby:

“Dr. Crosby made history as a young girl and part of the “Greenville 8″ who challenged segregation, then lived a long life of community service. Her legacy of service helped make Greenville a better place.”

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Erica Lee Carter, Sheila
by Sharelle Burt

November 15, 2024

Erica Lee Carter Passed The Torch To Fill Late Mother Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s Vacant Seat

Celebratory words poured in from local Texas leaders including Rep. Jasmine Crockett

Fox 26 reported that Erica Lee Carter, the daughter of late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, was officially sworn in to take over her mother’s seat in the 18th Congressional District of Texas. 

Carter declared her candidacy to fill her mother’s seat in August 2024 after Texas’ Republican Governor, Greg Abbott, called for a special election to fill the seat after Lee passed following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Her election didn’t come as a shock. After her mother’s death, Carter said in a statement, “I want to finish for my mom!” 

After taking the oath in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 12, she addressed her fellow Congress members and alluded to her excitement about working with them.

“Thank you to the voters of the 18th Congressional District of Texas for entrusting me with the remainder of the term for the 118th Congress.

“I am honored to finish for you and in the memory of my mother, the late great Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee,” Carter said, according to Click 2 Houston. 

“I am ready to stand up and work for you. I look forward to collaborating with Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and all of my Congressional colleagues on the important issues facing the United States House of Representatives on behalf of the American people.”

Carter will fill the seat until Jan. 3, 2025. Afterward, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will serve the 18th Congressional District of Texas after the results of Election Day. 

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee held the position from 1995 until her death. Carter documented her journey on X, formerly known as Twitter, posting a picture of her seated in her mother’s old office. “It is an indescribable honor and deeply humbling to be sworn in as the next Congresswoman of Texas’ 18th Congressional District,” she tweeted. “Standing here today, I proudly take the place of my mother, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.” 

She also posted a touching comparison photo of her giving her first speech to Congress in the same spot where Jackson Lee gave her first speech almost 30 years ago. 

Local Texas leaders, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, offered celebratory words. She extended a “warm welcome” to Carter, who resembles her mother, saying she knows the former Congresswoman “is looking down with pride.”

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Rocket Community Fund: Bridging the Digital Divide Through Investment and Connectivity
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

November 15, 2024

Rocket Community Fund: Bridging the Digital Divide Through Investment and Connectivity

In today’s digital age, access to technology is essential for success in nearly every aspect of life, from education and employment to healthcare and civic engagement. Yet, many communities still face barriers to internet access, digital literacy, and affordable devices. Rocket Community Fund is committed to closing this gap, promoting digital equity through strategic investments and partnerships.

Police Officer, Federal Prison, Jail, Gavel, Court
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 15, 2024

Black Disciples Member ‘Foolie’ Gets 55 Years For Committing Murder While Out On Bond

Brodrick Jaamel Sayles was sentenced for killing Demetrius Daniels in a Texas parking lot in 2020.

A gang member associated with the Black Disciples has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for a 2020 murder in Texas. 

A Harris County (TX) jury convicted Brodrick Jaamel Sayles, 37, for shooting Demetrius Daniels, 28, while he sat in his car in a Texas parking lot on Nov. 5, 2020. The Black Disciples gang member, known as “Foolie” on the streets, was captured on surveillance video going to the parking lot and hiding between two dumpsters before shooting Daniels. 

“This was a brazen ambush in broad daylight by a gang member who thought he could get away with murder,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said in a news release. “We’re thankful that a Harris County jury was able to see the truth and handed down justice for the victim’s family.”

Assistant District Attorney Brett Batchelor said Sayles essentially stalked Daniels, lying in wait before ambushing him.

“During the trial, we showed jurors video of the defendant looking directly at the surveillance camera, so it is clear that he is the killer,” Batchelor said. “We could track all of his movements, and we know exactly what he was doing for the hour leading up to the shooting.”

Sayles, who has an extensive criminal history, was free on bond at the time of the shooting. He had been arrested for stealing a car, burglarizing a home, possession of a firearm, and possession of crack and ecstasy/methamphetamine. Nearly a year after he committed the crime, police officers arrested him for evading arrest, aggravated assault, and felon in possession of a firearm.

“He committed the murder in November, and then the next year, in April, he is shooting at a crowd of people in broad daylight at a gas station,” Assistant District Attorney Lindsey Pearson said. “He has absolutely no regard for human life or any remorse—he knows he killed someone, and he’s out doing the same thing five months later.”

Sayles won’t be eligible for parole until he serves at least half of his prison sentence.

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Michelle Obama, former first lady, election, presidential, 2024
by Sharelle Burt

November 15, 2024

New Memoir Outs Secret Service Agent’s Rendezvous At Obama’s Hawaii Mansion

'Under Cover Heartbreak: A Memoir of Trust and Trauma' was released on Oct. 28.

A new memoir is dropping spicy details of a former Secret Service agent being fired for bringing a past lover to former President Barack Obama’s Hawaii mansion, ABC News reports. 

Undercover Heartbreak: A Memoir of Trust and Trauma, written by the unidentified agent’s ex-lover, Koryeah Dwanyen, details how she was invited to join the agent at the Obamas’ beachfront property in 2022 while the former First Family was away.

“No one will know. If anything, I’m the one who could get in trouble,” the agent, identified as “Dale,” said, according to Dwanyen.

Dwaynen said Dale had photos of the mansion, including Michelle Obama’s bathroom, which prompted a suggestion. “We should have sex in Michelle [Obama]’s bathroom, like a mile-high club,” Dwanyen writes.

The Oct. 28 release of the book, heaped more scrutiny on the Secret Service following a headline-generating security lapse in July 2024 which resulted in calls for operational reform. Then Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was shot at during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, causing the former agency’s director, Kimberly Cheatle, to resign. The allegations pinned on “Dale” in the memoir called for a thorough internal investigation. 

Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service’s chief of communications, confirmed one incident matching the Hawaii incident described in the self-published book. That led to the agent being terminated immediately.

“On Nov. 6, 2022, a Secret Service agent involved in protective functions brought an individual who did not have authorized access into a protectee’s residence without permission,” Guglielmi said. 

“As soon as the Secret Service became aware of the incident, the agent involved was immediately suspended and after a full investigation, terminated…The U.S. Secret Service’s top priority is ensuring the safety and security of our protectees, and any actions that compromise this commitment are addressed with the utmost seriousness.” 

Dwanyen seemingly uncovered the former agent’s secret double life. He mentioned being divorced but the writer found out he was still married after meeting him during a Martha’s Vineyard vacation in Massachusetts. He was still on duty to protect the Obamas who have a home on the upscale island, according to the New York Post.  

The agent allegedly also spoke about then-Vice President Mike Pence, whom he was cast to protect during his tenure in the White House. Dwanyen said she then emailed “Dale”‘s boss, whom she once met, to go over safety concerns about the agent, his family, and her own.

“I knew their code names. I knew what day Orangetheory was, what day [Michelle Obama] had private tennis lessons and when her personal trainer came,” she said. “Things that I should not have been privy to as a civilian.”

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