Texas Grandmother Faces Charges After 9-Month-Old Left In Hot Car Dies
The baby's grandmother awaits a trial before a grand jury after leaving her inside a hot car investigators measured to be 107 degrees.
Sixty-nine-year-old Ruth Rodriguez, a Texas grandmother, faces a criminally negligent homicide charge in the death of her 9-month-old granddaughter, Gabriella Ruth Arroyos, after she allegedly left the baby inside a hot car for several hours.
A Facebook post stated that the City of Beeville Police Department appeared on the scene after the grandmother found the child unresponsive in the backseat of her car at around 4 P.M. on Aug. 21. Officials said the child had been in the car since approximately 8:30 A.M., seated in a child safety seat. When first responders arrived, the grandmother was holding the unresponsive baby in her arms outside a home near East Flournoy and Saint Mary’s, according to KRIS 6 News.
KSAT reported that Beeville Police Chief Kevin Behr said Rodriguez was on her way to pick up her grandson from his high school and realized the infant was still in the car after the father called about the baby’s absence from daycare. “She failed to check her back seat. She forgot that the child was there. And again, didn’t discover the child until four o’clock that afternoon,” Behr said.
Beeville Police Department and the Texas Rangers investigated the incident, finding the temperature in the car was 107 degrees. The grandmother posted a $50,000 bond for her release and awaits a trial before a grand jury.
The grandmother, who was taking care of the baby while her parents were at work, was hospitalized on Aug. 22 with a “severe medical condition.”
“Under extreme circumstances, if you see a child that’s been left inside a hot car, break a window if you have to,” advised Beeville Assistant Police Chief Richard Cantu Jr. “As the heat progresses or it gets hotter, we need to slow down and be more aware of who we have in the vehicle.” As of the date of Rodriguez’s incident, 27 hot car deaths were reported in 2024 across the U.S., with three reported in Texas.
Meek Mill Wants To Perform At Presidential Debate In Philadelphia
The rapper took to X and said, 'Let me do dreams and nightmares at this debate lol.'
With the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump set to take place in Philadelphia in less than two weeks at the National Constitution Center, a homegrown recording artists has offered to perform.
According to AllHipHop, Philly emcee Meek Mill showed a news story confirming the upcoming debate and wrote on his Instagram Story on August 28, “Let me do dreams and nightmares at this debate lol.”
Meek is referring to his 2012 hit record, “Dreams and Nightmares,” which is definitely a Philly favorite.
The recording artist has confused people recently. On August 14, he took to X in what appeared to some as an endorsement of Trump. Meek stated he never did a “history check” on Trump but seems willing to do so now.
When I was locked up tv programming taught me every detail about “stormy Daniels’” that was when I learned the art of programming …. My X has turned back to trump life again … i never did a history check on trump he even been to my hood with ot7 mobbing!
He seemingly praised Trump after he was shot several weeks ago, even bringing up the fact that Trump is an indicted (and convicted) man running for the Oval Office.
He got shot at basically put his middle finger up after a bang out got hit in the head nobody ran ….hope you get well too we get shot at a lot! Got indicted still running for president! Who is this guy trump fr I know some wild guys but wtf lol just my thoughts!
He then said he was not endorsing Trump and knew nothing about politics, but he seemed to want to get involved now.
I’m not endorsing anybody I know nothing about politics …he was owning building I was living in north Philly in poverty getting shot at seeing death going to jail for environmental sh*t … all I see on phones and tvs is trump , it’s like tf is this guy 🤔 https://t.co/Jm9K6HyRIC
He even said he would welcome a sitdown with Trump to hear what he has to say.
AllHipHop reported that Meek Mill stated he would like to speak to Harris since he has been a strong advocate for prison reform after his time in prison.
“All I hear is rumors of her, he wrote. “I would ask her 3 questions about black and brown men going to prison and her views and try to help her understand from a survival standpoint point she may have never had to encounter!”
The town, located between Oxford and Anniston, held its 125th Founders Day along with recognizing two Anniston natives, the 16th U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, and Alabama Rep. Barbara Bigsby Boyd (D-Anniston), Alabama News Center reports.
Hobson City was founded on August 16, 1899.
“For 125 years, the town of Hobson City has been the cornerstone to the heritage of generations of African American families in Alabama,” Terry Smiley, vice president of Alabama Power’s Eastern Division, said.
“The legacy of individuals with roots in Hobson City have made an impact far beyond the municipal lines,” Smiley added. “It is a privilege to partner with Mayor (Alberta) McCrory to help celebrate the town’s history as well as honor both Dr. Barbara Boyd and Dr. David Satcher for their significant contributions to our community, state and country.”
Hobson City began as a small, all-Black neighborhood in Oxford, Alabama, known as Mooree Quarter. It served as one of the first places in the state where the Black community had significant voting influence. Once a Black candidate successfully won the position of justice of the peace, the Oxford mayor honored a promise to request the state of Alabama redraw the corporate boundaries. As a result, Mooree Quarter was officially incorporated and renamed Hobson City, the first official Black municipality in Alabama.
To start the 125th Founder’s Day celebration, McCrory spoke to an enthusiastic crowd at a spirited gospel show at the local park.
“We’ve been talking about doing this for some years now,” McCrory told attendees. “Having a gospel show out here in the park has finally come to fruition. We came to praise the Lord, uplift the name of Jesus, and celebrate our 125 years of history.”
Along with the gospel show, other celebratory events included a Community Night, a Stop the Violence fashion show coordinated by Vanessa Irvin, and a ceremony to honor local citizens for their contributions to maintaining and promoting Hobson City.
Bill Withers’ Former Hollywood Hills Home Acquired Amid Rising Investor Takeovers
The former Hollywood home of Withers has been sold to an investment group for $3.7 million.
The former Hollywood Hills home of late legend Bill Withers is the latest property to be snatched up by investors to flip it and put it back on the market.
According to TMZ, the Hollywood Hills pad purchased by Withers for $714,000 in 1998 went to real estate property-tech app Belwood Investments for $3.7 million in an off-market sale. The company, a “real estate crowdfunding firm,” purchased Kanye West’s Malibu estate for $21 million nearly 24 hours before it got its hands on Withers’ former home.
Before his passing in 2020, Withers sold the home to an unnamed tech CEO in 2019, who kept his OG recording studio on the ground floor intact and in good use as it was reported that stars like Wiz Khalifa have recorded in the studio thanks to the CEO’s music producer roommate.
The Hollywood Hills home was sold in an off-market deal in June and is an example of the recent uptick of investors purchasing real estate predominantly owned by Black people, thus cutting Black families out of homeownership.
In a 2023 study led by the Georgia Institute of Technology, research shows that investors are most likely to push Black, middle-class homeowners out of their neighborhoods. According to the data, which observed 800 metropolitan Atlanta neighborhoods from 2007 to 2016, major investors purchased homes in majority-minority neighborhoods far from downtown and more likely to be in low-income areas.
Per the research, Black people as a whole lost out on more than $4 billion in home equity across the span of 10 years due to investors.
“That $4 billion refers to the home values that would have gone to individual homebuyers if these large institutional investment firms hadn’t purchased those properties,” said Brian An, assistant professor at the School of Public Policy. “This is a very conservative, lower estimate than what the actual effect probably is.”
Often undervalued due to minority populations, the homes purchased were still profitable and offered investors good market value. However, this approach to investing in properties not only keeps Black people out of the homeowner conversation but also prevents them from getting a piece of the pie when it comes to investing in property and accumulating generational wealth.
TikTok Sparks Target Frenzy: Nespresso Machine Discounted to Less Than Half of Original Price
A viral TikTok sparks Target frenzy after a user reveals that the price of a Nespresso Vertuo Plus coffee machine is priced significantly lower than the original price.
A recent price markdown at Target has consumers flocking to the stores to purchase a Nespresso coffee machine initially priced at $200.
In a TikTok video shared by user @ohtessuh, it was revealed that the Nespresso Vertuo Plus coffee machine, worth $200, was selling at a remarkably low price at a Target in Atlanta’s North Druid Hills neighborhood. Instead of full price, she paid $60 for the popular household appliance and urged others to “run” and “not walk” to the popular retailer to do the same.
The customer even revealed that once she realized it was marked lower than half the original price, she ran back to the aisle to grab another one for a family member.
“Oh yeah, I got two,” she quipped in the video that has since gone viral on TikTok. “One for me and one for my sister.”
Moreover, the customer also went to another Target location in a nearby Atlanta neighborhood to double-check the offer, which might be considered a dream for shoppers looking to take advantage of a good bargain. She was shocked that they were still ringing up at the discounted price of $60 at a separate location.
“You might have to go in stores to see if they have it,” she explained in the video. “The clearance prices sometimes don’t show up online.”
The Vertuo Plus Nespresso machine is currently priced between $129.99 and $349.99 on Target’s website. However, another TikTok user shared that although the household appliance didn’t cost $59.99 as described in the initial video, the retailer did honor the price for her.
“I ran right after I saw this video,” said the TikTok user in the comments of the original clip shared by @ohtessuh. “It didn’t ring up at $59.99, but they price matched for me!”
While some could take advantage of the deals, others questioned the discounted price in Georgia versus the initial $200 the Vertuo Plus Nespresso machine was priced at in other states like Florida, Virginia, and Illinois.
Someone who previously worked at Target explained why there may be a difference in price according to the state.
“As a former Target worker, it all depends on your location,” said the commenter. “Different locations will have things on clearance at different times -– or the Nespresso color that they did have on clearance is out of stock.”
At this time, Target has yet to make a statement regarding the discounted item.
CeeDee Lamb Becomes Highest-Paid Wide Receiver In Dallas Cowboys History With New Deal
The team gave Lamb a four-year deal worth $136 million.
The Dallas Cowboys have announced that they have agreed to a multiyear deal with their star wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb.
According to ESPN, the team came to terms with giving Lamb a four-year deal worth $136 million, effectively ending his holdout. This agreement keeps him with the Cowboys until the 2028 season. A $38 million signing bonus was also included, making it the largest one signed by a wide receiver. Along with the bonus, $100 million of the contract is guaranteed. This deal makes Lamb the highest-paid wide receiver in Cowboys history.
The Cowboys sent a message via its X account, signifying that the deal was in the books.
DallasCowboys.com reported that Lamb returned for his first practice for the upcoming season and said, “I can’t put it into words, but I’m grateful to be here.” Lamb said after his first practice back. “This whole process was very crazy for me, as we all know. It was very bittersweet. I had plenty of time to revamp myself physically and become more prepared for the season. Granted, I wished I would’ve had a camp, but it’s OK.
“It’ll work out in the back end. I’m very excited for the moment. I cherish every bit of it.”
The Cowboys drafted Lamb as the 17th overall pick after he played his collegiate career at Oklahoma in 2020. In his short, three-year professional career, he has amassed 3,396 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging 13.1 yards per catch. He has been to the NFL Pro Bowl twice and hit career highs in 2022 with 1,359 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
ESPN reported that Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy is anxious to get him back on the field.
“Not only with what he brings to the table — we’ve been talking about what he does with his production — but when that big smile he walks in the locker room, everybody’s going to be fired up because that’s the kind of juice. He brings that type of energy to our locker room,” McCarthy said.
First All-Black Sports Radio Station Ceases Operation Less Than 3 Months After Launching
'I’m proud of the product the staff delivered. But I’m devastated that I couldn’t deliver this for our culture,' says Sports Rap Radio owner, Rob Parker.
In June, veteran sports anchor Rob Parker launched Detroit’s first all-Black-led sports rap radio station. Barely three months later, he announced that Sports Rap Radio on AM 1270 had ceased operations.
According to Barret Media, Sports Rap Radio stopped broadcasting and went officially off the air at 5 p.m. ET on Aug. 27. The station was broadcasting from Detroit’s WXYT-AM. After Sports Rap Radio went off the air, the radio station switched back to BetQL Network programming, which occupied that space before Parker launched the station.
“Sadly, our second round of funding didn’t come through, making it difficult to continue,” Parker stated. “Sports Rap Radio, the idea and concept, is viable and serves the underrepresented Black community in sports-talk radio. I’m proud that we were able to launch the first all-Black sports talk station in this country. I’m proud of the product the staff delivered. But I’m devastated that I couldn’t deliver this for our culture. I failed my people.”
Parker was not alone in this endeavor; the other owners of Sports Rap Radio were his longtime friend Dave Kenney, former NBA player BJ Armstrong, and former Detroit Country Day football star and University of Michigan wide receiver Maurice “Moe” Ways. Detroit Metro Times reported that the station was initially supposed to launch on May 16 but didn’t reach the airwaves until June 4 through a two-year lease with Audacy, WXYT’s owner. Audacy’s syndicated BETQL Network previously held the slot before making room for Sports Rap Radio.
Parker had high hopes for the station before the launch.
“Just four years ago, there were no Black full-time sports hosts on the radio in Detroit,” Parker said. “In a city that’s nearly 80% Black, I looked at that as a problem.”
Parker assures that all station employees will be compensated for their services.
Ford Joins Other Major American Companies In Scaling Back DEI Efforts
Ford Motor Co. is the latest leading American company to end its efforts toward diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Ford Motor Co. is the latest leading American company to end its efforts toward diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The American car manufacturer emailed employees announcing the changes to company DEI initiatives, including ending its annual survey from an LGBTQ advocacy group and quotas for minority dealerships and suppliers. Robby Starbuck, a conservative who’s been pressuring corporate America to call off commitments to DEI, climate change, and issues affecting LGBTQ+ people, revealed the private company email to USA Today.
“We are mindful that our employees and customers hold a wide range of beliefs,” Ford CEO Jim Farley wrote in the email. “The external and legal environment related to political and social issues continues to evolve.”
Following the announcement, Ford joins a growing list of large American companies scaling back DEI efforts, including Lowes, Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley-Davidson, and Jack Daniel’s whiskey maker Brown-Forman. Other changes Ford made to its DEI programs include opening its employee resource groups to all workers, not just select minority groups.
While Starbuck calls the announcement a “great start,” Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said the organization “could not be more disappointed to see Ford Motor Co. shirking its responsibility to its employees, consumers, and shareholders.”
“By failing to support women leaders, employees of color, and LGBTQ+ employees, Ford Motor Co. is abandoning its financial duty to recruit and keep top talent from across the full talent pool,” Robinson said in a statement. “In making their purchasing decisions, consumers should take note that Ford Motor Company has abandoned its commitment to our communities.”
Companies have been scaling back DEI efforts in response to conservative activists attacking the private sector following a 2023 Supreme Court decision that banned affirmative action at the college level.
“We’re now forcing multibillion-dollar organizations to change their policies without even posting just from fear they have of being the next company that we expose,” Starbuck wrote on X.
Big news: We were in the middle of investigating woke policies @Ford but this morning Ford confirmed to me that they’re making changes.
Here are the changes:
• Ending participation in the @HRC’s woke Corporate Equality Index social credit system.
The push to reverse DEI comes despite a recent study by the Global Black Economic Forum and the Korn Ferry Institute that found that fostering diverse teams and creating inclusive workplaces enhances innovation and supports other business objectives.
“Opponents of DEI seek to dismantle initiatives because they work,” Andrea Abrams, executive director of Defending American Values Coalition said in a statement.
“Rather than bowing to the pressures of anti-DEI activists, companies should speak up about the economic successes of DEI and stand firm in their support for programs that increase the talent pool and expand the bottom line.”
Russell Wilson Named Pittsburgh Steelers’ Starting Quarterback
Wilson emerged victorious against Justin Fields, the former Chicago Bears starter.
The battle to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers at quarterback has been decided: Russell Wilson will take the reigns.
According to NFL.com, Wilson, who signed with the team after playing the last two seasons with the Denver Broncos, emerged victorious against the competition, former Chicago Bears starter Justin Fields. Head coach Mike Tomlin said he spoke to both players and informed them of the “difficult decision”
Tomlin previously said Wilson had the advantage going into the preseason but a calf injury to Wilson allowed Fields to make a case for starting.
The Steelers officially start their season in Atlanta against the Falcons on September 8.
When Tomlin made the announcement after the team practiced at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, he acknowledged the professionalism both players displayed when telling them.
“Russ’ resume is a unique one in terms of length and success,” Tomlin told reporters. “That tends to play a factor in the decision-making, but not from a decision-making perspective. It’s just the fruits of his labor. He’s seen and done a lot, and I think that was displayed in the way he played and conducted himself.”
“I’m super excited to be here, obviously,” Wilson said. “I came here to help us win. That’s the focus. And I think the best part is how hard we’ve all worked every day from all the way from OTAs to Latrobe. And obviously, we’ve got a great season ahead of us, and we’re excited about it.”
This is Wilson’s third team after being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012. He was with the team for 10 seasons and helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl in 2014. The Seahawks traded him to the Denver Broncos in September 2022. The team inked him to a five-year, $245 million contract and will be paying Wilson $85 million over the next two seasons.
Wilson had an 11-19 record in 30 starts for the Broncos, completing 63.3% of his throws for 6,594 yards and had 42 touchdowns with 19 interceptions. He is the only player in NFL history with at least 40,000 passing yards and 5,000 rushing yards. Wilson has thrown for 43,653 yards and 334 touchdowns with 106 interceptions in his 12-year career.
Car Salesman Accused Of Doing ‘Dirty’ Business After First-Time Buyer Receives 14% Interest Rate
A car salesman is under fire on TikTok after revealing the 14% interest rate one of his buyers drove away with.
A car salesman is under fire on TikTok after revealing the 14% interest rate one of his buyers drove away with.
A Hyundai car salesman, who goes by @jrodsellscars on TikTok, shared a video testimonial about the used Toyota he sold an allegedly happy buyer. While JRod claims it was the “perfect” sale, many who viewed the video accuse him of doing the first-time buyer “dirty.”
“I just sold a car to the most perfect first-time buyer,” the TikToker claimed before sharing details about the car the buyer purchased. “This gentleman came in. He saw a car that we had online. It was a 2019 Toyota Camry, priced like $2,000 below the market.”
The car salesman then shared how he handed over the keys to the car to the buyer and gave him ample time to take his time reviewing the car.
“At first, he just wanted to look at the car. Open the door. Make sure everything looked good,” he said. “He connected his phone. I threw him the keys I told him, ‘Listen take your time make sure you like the car. If you need any help, I’m inside.’”
JRod claimed the buyer returned and told him that the used Toyota was “the one,” which led the salesman to proceed with the sale.
“So, ended up doing a credit app,” he says while describing the buyer’s financial status. “He’s a 650 score. Makes a little bit over $3,000 a month from Amazon, so full-time work at Amazon.”
“Came with six g’s down baby,” he adds before revealing the 14% interest rate the buyer was given, “which isn’t bad for a first-time buyer,” JRod claims. He also cited Santander, the lender the buyer had to work with.
However, TikTok had different views from many who felt like JRod let the first-time buyer leave with a bad deal.
“Sir, you must have sold him to the highest bidder because there is no way you would allow him to finance with Santander,” one TikTok user wrote. “They are the devil. Speaking from personal experience, you did him dirty.”
“Got me at Santander. You did him dirty,” added someone else.
While some might be skeptical about the 14% interest rate, Bankrate cites the average rate for first-time buyers with credit scores ranging between 601 and 660 to be around 13.72% on a used car loan. Interest rates for newer vehicles start at 9.62%, and rates vary by state.
