Tina Knowles Finalizes Divorce From Richard Lawson, Actor To Receive $300,000 Lump Sum Payment
We wish them the best.
Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, has officially closed the chapter on her marriage to Richard Lawson. The couple’s discreet divorce has been finalized, with Tina agreeing to a one-time payment of $300,000 to Richard. Court documents reveal the details of the settlement, which resolves all outstanding issues between the former spouses.
The settlement acknowledges that irreconcilable differences led to the end of the marriage. As part of the agreement:
Tina Knowles will retain:
A 2018 Tesla
A 2020 Bentley
Her book deal with Penguin Random House
A 1% stake in Kirby Beauty Management LLC
Furniture, artwork, and properties in Los Angeles and Texas
All creative works and ideas developed during the marriage
Richard Lawson will receive:
A 2021 Cadillac Escalade
Multiple bank and retirement accounts
All funds owed to Richard Lawson Studios
Any royalties earned
All creative works developed during the marriage
His Screen Actors Guild benefits and royalties
Richard will exit the marriage debt-free, as Tina has agreed to settle any outstanding credit card balances.
Tina, 70, and Richard, 77, were married on April 12, 2015, but separated on July 25, 2023, with Tina filing for divorce the following day. Since their split, both have been seen enjoying their newfound freedom.
In January, Tina celebrated her birthday surrounded by friends, including Holly Robinson-Peete, Lela Rochon Fuqua, and Vivica A. Fox.
New Law Forces Parental Consent For Band-Aids And Basic First Aid In Idaho
A new law will require school staff to get consent before giving a child a Band-Aid or headache medication.
A new law in Idaho will require school staff to get consent from parents before giving a child a Band-Aid or headache medication.
NBC News reported that Senate Bill 1329 went into effect on July 1 and makes it clear that school nurses and staff must have permission before administering non-life-threatening medical services. The bill defines health care services as anything that includes a diagnosis, care, screening, prevention, cure, examination, or relief of any physical or mental health condition, illness, or injury.
“An individual shall not furnish a health care service or solicit to furnish a health care service to a minor child without obtaining the prior consent of the minor child’s parent,” the bill states.
Parents were informed of the changes through a memo The Boise School District recently sent out via email telling them about the new parental consent policy.
“While the Boise School District is not a health care provider in general and does not diagnose medical conditions, we do provide services that are covered by the new law,” the memo reads.
Now, parents will have to provide their official consent to let their child receive routine first aid like bandages, mental health check-ins, and over-the-counter headache medicine. The Idaho School Boards Association notes that parents might not want “to require explicit permission to provide a bandage.” However, school districts are still urged to follow the law and obtain consent.
“While it may be strange to parents who are being asked to do this, they should know that the district or charter are following the new statute created by SB 1329 … and could be faced with a civil penalty if they fail to comply,” executive director Misty Swanson said in a statement.
The law requires parental consent; however, school staff are being encouraged to “use your best judgment and provide the care as needed” when they cannot obtain consent in a timely manner.
Other controversies surrounding the law include how it prohibits minors from getting sexual assault exams or rape kit exams without parental consent. Critics say this could limit protection for a child who might be experiencing abuse at the hands of a family member.
“So, what I’m going to do as a nurse if a child comes in and says, ‘My stepdad did this to me,’ and mom says, ‘She’s a liar; she’s been nothing but a liar since she’s eight years old, this is not true. He would never do that.’ And I will tell you that happens all too often as well,” she said.
The bill’s lead sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Kelly Anthon, R-Burley, sent an email statement saying this was not the bill’s intent. As a result, Anthon says he’s willing to re-evaluate the bill’s language.
“It was certainly not the intent of the law to limit police investigation of these kinds of crimes,” Anthon wrote in an Aug. 2 email. “I will be happy to look at the language of the statue to see if a change is needed. To my knowledge, no one from the Idaho State Police has contacted me on this matter.”
Multibillion-Dollar Florida Reservoir Seeks To Supply South Floridians With Clean Drinking Water
The reservoir will recharge the aquifer that provides South Florida residents with clean drinking water and reduce harmful algal blooms.
A joint project between the US Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) will bring the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), a multi-billion dollar reservoir, to the state of Florida to fulfill a decades-long Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
Florida commenced construction on the reservoir in February 2023, south of the state’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Okeechobee, according to BBC. Dubbed “the crown jewel” of the Everglades restoration, the reservoir will recharge the aquifer that provides South Floridians with drinking water and massively reduce algae-causing discharges that have caused dark-water beaches and pungent stenches due to dead fish. “It is the single most important project to store, clean and send water from Lake Okeechobee to nourish the Everglades and supply clean drinking water to millions in South Florida,” said ecosystem scientist at the Everglades Foundation, Meenakshi Chabba.
Florida’s water supply has worsened due to the state’s rapid population surge, which is expected to expand to 26.4 million people by 2040. “Florida’s current fresh water supply is projected to be unable to meet all of the growing needs of Floridians in the future without the development of alternative water supply projects,” a 2021 annual water report by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection stated.
“Increasing freshwater inputs through restoration has the potential to slow down the impacts of saltwater intrusion into our vulnerable water supply,” Chabba said. However, other environmental experts believe the reservoir comes with its share of concerns, like the reality of rising sea levels and rainfall patterns potentially altering the long-term effectiveness of the project. “…The entire ecosystem is a leaky system. It’s an extremely delicate balance between drinking water and flood control,” said Barry Rosen, a professor of ecology and environment at Florida Gulf Coast University. The professor questions the usefulness of the water if the reservoir becomes home to an algae bloom.
Smaller solutions have already been established as the reservoir is under construction, like raising sections of the Tamiami Trail, which crosses the Everglades, and installing a 2.6-mile-long bridge. Both projects improve the water flow into the Northeast Shark River Slough, located in Everglades National Park.
Ciara, Russell Wilson Clothing Brand Sues Saks For $200K Worth Of Unpaid Merchandise
Ciara and Russell Wilson's clothing brand is suing Saks for allegedly failing to make payments on $200,000 worth of merchandise.
Ciara and Russell Wilson’s House of LR&C brand is suing Saks for allegedly failing to pay $200,000 worth of purchase orders.
Lawyers for the clothing brand filed a lawsuit against Saks on Aug. 13 in Seattle’s King County Superior Court. The suit accuses the luxury retail brand of failing to make payments on orders stretching back to May 1, 2023, Seattle Times reports.
The House of LR&C says Saks ordered “substantial quantities” of merchandise in 2023, which it planned to sell in-store and online. However, by the end of the year, lawyers claim that Saks fell behind on payments for clothes to be sold in a Saks OFF 5th location in downtown Seattle. That same location closed last month, leading to the suit being filed.
The suit says a letter was sent to Saks on July 8 demanding $207,584 in back payments within the next 10 days or threatening a lawsuit. The letter outlined that Saks allegedly owes nearly $120,300 to the clothing brand for merchandise it purchased for Saks OFF 5th stores and almost $90,000 for online merchandise.
The letter claims Saks only paid off $3,000 of the total it purchased between May 2023 and July. The suit follows Saks’ recent $2.65 million deal to buy Neiman Marcus Group, which includes financial help from Amazon, which will hold a minority stake.
Since launching The House of LR&C in 2020 with former Lululemon Athletica CEO Christine Day, Ciara and Russel Wilson have faced challenges operating brick-and-mortar locations. The first store operated in Seattle’s University Village for about five months in 2022 before closing. The company eventually closed all of its locations except for one housed in the Denver International Airport when Wilson played for the Denver Broncos.
The famous couple left Seattle in 2022 after Wilson was traded to the Broncos. In March, the Super Bowl champion signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Roc Nation Amplifies The Needs Of Music Artists With New ROC Nation Distribution Merger
Roc Nation has become ROC Nation Distribution thanks to a merger with Equity Distribution.
Record label Roc Nation has now become ROC Nation Distribution, thanks to a merger with Equity Distribution (EQ) that prioritizes music artists’ needs, interests, and focus.
On Aug. 15, Roc Nation announced its newest entity as a destination for artists. Through the merger, Roc Nation and EQ have intertwined their business models to offer signed artists new access to technology, business expertise, and freedom, a press release states.
Now, through ROC Nation distribution, artists can enjoy a hybrid model of unique services, including retaining independence and ownership of their master’s and creative control. The new platform offers a proprietary dashboard where artists can receive data analytics and have the option to opt into various services across the company.
All artists signed to Roc Nation will be part of ROC Nation Distribution with this new formation. Additionally, Roc Nation co-president Shari Bryant has stepped down from her post.
Bryant joined the label as co-president alongside Omar Grant in 2019 following the exit of former label president Benny Pough. Under her and Grant’s leadership, artists signed to the label included Maeta, Ambre, Reuben Vincent, and Kalan FrFr.
Roc Nation has drastically expanded since its 2008 inception when it launched as a joint venture with Live Nation to cover Jay-Z’s touring and future recordings. But after signing its first artist, J. Cole, Roc Nation quickly grew into a full-service entertainment company.
Its offerings include management, sports, publishing, and distribution divisions and the popular music festival Made In America. Roc Nation also boasts a partnership with the NFL, where the company oversees programming for the Super Bowl Halftime Show and the league’s social justice initiatives.
Current talent under Roc Nation includes J. Cole, Rihanna, Rapsody, Vic Mensa, Belly, Snoh Aalegra, and Jaden and Willow Smith. The management leg includes Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Uzi Vert, DJ Khaled, J Balvin, Yo Gotti, Robin Thicke, Christina Aguilera, and more.
The survey, conducted by Pew Research, found that 7% of Black voters over age 50 identify as Republicans or lean toward conservative values, while 17% of Black voters under age 50 favor the Republican Party. The research found that as people grow older, more conservative values are adopted. With the 2024 election season underway, the conservative shift could impact Vice President Kamala Harris’ Democratic ballot.
On average, young and Black voters tend to vote Democratic. In 2020, 92% of Black voters voted for President Joe Biden, compared to only 8% who cast a vote for former President Donald Trump. However, issues such as a lack of affordable housing, climate change, and rising living costs are prompting some millennials and Gen Zers to be in limbo about which party they identify with.
Jen Iro admits that the last time she voted was for former President Barack Obama, as she is having a hard time facing the recent political culture in America — so much so that she doesn’t think she will vote in November 2024. “[Politics are] not important to me because as of right now, it seems to get worse and worse and worse, which makes me more disinterested,” the 34-year-old from Texas said.
Christopher Towler, an associate professor at California State University, Sacramento, and the principal investigator of the Black Voter Project, investigated why voters like Iro are so disconnected from politics. “Black voters know the importance of elections. They understand what it means to have representation,” Towler said.
“But at the same time, they don’t necessarily feel like they’re being represented by either side of the aisle right now.”
The 2024 Black Voter Project examined the level of young voters supporting the Republican Party. Towler found the highest percentage of Black people who want to support Trump falls in the 18- to 29-year-old cohort. Close to 22% admit they will be voting for Trump. “They’re also the least supportive of the Democratic Party,” Towler said.
One reason Towler says he sees a shift in Black Americans is in identifying with what politicians and parties claim as “wins” within their communities. As the Biden administration continues to celebrate historic feats that cater to Black voters, including lowering Black unemployment and a massive increase in Black small business loans and grants, people may not see opportunities for themselves. “I think there’s an overall sentiment that they want something to support. They really understand the importance of this moment,” he said.
“But at the same time, they’re not necessarily sure that their vote is going to change much.”
Towler also thinks another reason young voters lean on the GOP is that the Civil Rights Movement is distant history. Gen Z voters are now twice or three times removed from a civil rights generation.
Some Black conservative voters in the battleground state of Wisconsin, according to Spectrum News, have already decided that Trump will be getting their vote. David King, a former candidate for mayor of Milwaukee, says politicians have “selective amnesia” and “forget that they told us four years ago that they were going to do something for us.” “The Black community is in an abusive relationship with both parties right now, and I know I’m going to get in trouble [for] saying this, so don’t edit it,” King said.
“But they are in an abusive relationship because it’s like a person [who] abuses a woman. In public, they are so nice to you. They make you think they really love that person, and then when they get home, they abuse that person.”
However, even with that analogy, King said he had already decided he would vote for Trump, who called the city of Milwaukee “horrible” when it hosted the Republican National Convention.
WHO Issues Global Emergency Amid Mpox Outbreak In Africa, Over 500 Dead This Year
Africa CDC has reported over 500 deaths and nearly 3,000 confirmed cases of mpox across several countries and previously unaffected nations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a global emergency due to an increasing outbreak of mpox cases in Africa, a disease caused by the monkeypox virus.
WHO declared the public health emergency on Aug. 14, following an Aug. 13 announcement from the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) which reported a legion of mpox outbreaks across around 12 countries in Africa, including nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, areas experiencing the outbreak for the first time.
“This is not just another challenge; it’s a crisis that demands our collective action,” said Africa CDC’s Director General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, in a release.
Africa has confirmed 2,863 cases and 517 deaths this year, with occurrences prevalent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).Children under 15 years old account for 70% of cases reported in Congo and 85% of deaths.
Speculations of the mpox disease have reached beyond 17,000 cases, indicating a massive increase compared to the 7,146 cases reported during the 2022 outbreak across the continent’s western countries and the 14,957 cases in 2023.
“It’s clear that we’re facing a different scenario with far more cases, resulting in a higher burden of illness,” Professor Salim Abdool Karim, head of CAPRISA, said. “Our concern is that we may be seeing more fatalities in Africa due to the association with HIV.”
According to the Africa CDC, the mpox disease stems from the monkeypox virus, which BLACK ENTERPRISEnoted in 2022 was renamed to avoid discrimination. The virus produces symptoms such as skin rashes, mucosal lesions, fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pains, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. The announcement warns that mpox can be transmitted through physical contact with people, materials, or animals infected with the virus. In 2022, Dr. Leslie Matthews, a surgeon and Vitamin D expert, told BE people should avoid kissing, hugging, or direct contact with anyone with a suspected rash. However, the Associated Press reported that the new form of the disease is more difficult to spot due to its mild symptoms and development in areas like the genitals.
“This is something that should concern us all,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying.”
Vaccines and treatments used to control the 2022 outbreak are scarce in Africa, and Congo has yet to receive any vaccines to treat the disease, even following a request from authorities for 4 million doses. “We need a large supply of vaccine so that we can vaccinate populations most at risk,” said Professor Michael Marks from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Mpox experts are examining the root of the outbreak throughout the continent. Dr. Dimie Ogoina, a chair of WHO’s emergency committee suggests more effective surveillance to track cases.
Kamala Harris Hot Mic Moment With VP Pick Tim Walz Goes Viral
Tim Walz' unseasoned tacos sparks a hot mic moment with Kamala Harris.
If there’s one thing that could make Vice President Kamala Harris reconsider having Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice president pick, it could come down to how he seasons his food.
In a now-viral video shared on Aug. 15, the 2024 presidential hopeful sat down with her running mate for a chat about their campaign. The video included lighthearted digs at the “White guy tacos” Walz eats at home. Harris was seemingly trying to hear Walz out, but he lost her when he admitted to not seasoning his ground beef.
“Like, I have white guy tacos, and —” Walz shared before Harris interjected to ask, “What does that mean? Like, mayonnaise and tuna?”
There’s no mayonnaise and tuna, but Harris was disappointed to learn that Walz was just seasoning his ground meat with cheese.
“Do you put any flavor in it?” Harris asks, to which Walz responds, “Uh, no.”
“Ohhhhh,” Harris says while turning away from her VP pick.
“Listen, I’m just not much of a spice guy,” Walz claimed when tweeting out the video clip.
In the video, Walz goes on to explain that “black pepper is the top of the spice level in Minnesota.” He also admits to wanting to broaden his food knowledge, which Harris says is possible since Minnesota has cantaloupes.
The exchange went viral across social media, with NowThis Impact joking that Walz’s unseasoned tacos could prompt Harris to pick a new VP.
“Tim’s gonna leave his eight year term as VP with a whole recipe book,” one viewer wrote.
“I love having candidates we can laugh WITH and not AT,” added someone else.
While the exchange appeared lighthearted in tone, on the other side of the political debate, conservatives were up in arms about Walz referring to his food as “White guy tacos.”
“Why is Kamala the expert on tacos?” asked Fox & Friends co-host Will Cain. “Did she say white guy tacos are tuna in mayonnaise?”
Conservative pundit Mike Cernovich accused Walz of lying about not seasoning his ground beef and cited an old taco recipe he shared with the public. “Tim Walz is such a compulsive liar and deployment dodger that I decided to see if he lied about not seasoning his food.”
Tim’s Turkey Taco Tot Hotdish includes onions, red peppers, garlic, chili powder, and paprika, all key ingredients in a well-seasoned meal.
Disney Looks to Move Lawsuit Filed By Deceased Doctor’s Husband to Arbitration
'We are deeply saddened by the family’s loss and understand their grief. Since this restaurant is neither owned nor operated by Disney.'
Disney is seeking to have a wrongful death lawsuit filed by a widower dismissed and redirected to arbitration, citing his acceptance of the organization’s terms and conditions when he activated his Disney+ account years ago.
According to NBC News, Jeffrey J. Piccolo filed the lawsuit against Disney Parks and Resorts in February following the death of his wife, Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan.
Tangsuan died after consuming food containing dairy allergens at a Disney World restaurant.
According to the complaint, Piccolo, his wife, and his mother dined at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant in Orlando, Florida, on October 5. They asked a multitude of times about accommodating Tangsuan’s severe allergies, but despite being reassured by the server, the physician suffered a severe allergic reaction and died at a local hospital.
Disney’s court filing in May argues that the $50,000 lawsuit should be dismissed and sent to arbitration based on terms Piccolo agreed to when he signed up for a Disney+ free trial and used the Walt Disney Parks website to purchase tickets. The company asserts that users must check boxes to agree to the terms of use before proceeding and even distributes a copy of said terms.
The terms include a section stating that “any dispute between you and us, except for small claims, is subject to a class action waiver and must be resolved by individual binding arbitration.”
Piccolo’s lawyers filed a response early this month, calling Disney’s reasoning for seeking a dismissal as “preposterous.” They said he signed up for the Disney+ account on his PlayStation but believe he canceled it during the free trial, NBC News reports.
“We are deeply saddened by the family’s loss and understand their grief,” a Disney spokesperson told NBC News. “Given that this restaurant is neither owned nor operated by Disney, we are merely defending ourselves against the plaintiff’s attorney’s attempt to include us in their lawsuit against the restaurant.”
50 Cent: ‘I’m Not In A Hurry To Reach Billionaire Status’
50 Cent is almost halfway to becoming a billionaire but says he's in no rush to obtain that status, but he states "he's very, very rich."
In 2007, 50 Cent’s remix of “I Get Money” featured JAY-Z and Diddy, and the “Bad Boy” executive said in the song, “It’s the billion dollar remix, baby!” Almost 20 years later, with 50 approaching billionaire status, that record may become the only one that featured three (current and former) billionaires.
Although with the moves and projects he’s been working on lately, the Queens-bred entertainer insists that even if he is near that status, he still wants “a discount.”
In an exclusive interview with US Weekly, he states he is “Very, very rich.” Yet, he says that he is “not in a hurry” to be labeled a billionaire.
“I don’t quantify the money like that — I quantify the level of successes and wins I’ve achieved. I have far exceeded anyone’s expectations of me. I think my longevity and staying power in the industry have surprised many, but that’s what drives me further. [Besides,] I’m not in a hurry to reach billionaire status. I’ve reached a point where I don’t want anything I don’t have. What’s the rush? I’ve bought every car I wanted multiple times over.”
According to Celebrity Net Worth, 50 Cent is 40% of the way to becoming worth $1 billion. His net worth was $40 million as of April 2024.
He adds, “Being a billionaire won’t be much different from where I am now. At that point, you have to figure out how to give back. You start building a legacy, doing more sophisticated things. People remember those who helped others more than those who just accumulated wealth. They’ll ask, ‘How did he benefit others? How significant was his success if it didn’t affect other people’s lives?’”
The G-Unit boss just got a tad bit closer to becoming a billionaire after it was reported that his former G-Unit cohort, Young Buck, repaid the $250,000 owed to the “Power” executive.
