by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 20, 2024

Kentucky Motel Must Pay Over $2M After Man Fatally Suffers From 150-Degree Shower Burns

Econo Lodge Motel must pay the estate of Alex Chronis a total of $2.06 million after the 76-year-old man died after sustaining third-degree burns after shower at the motel

A Kentucky motel has been ordered to pay more than $2 million to the family of a man who died after suffering severe burns after taking a 150-degree shower.

According to Business Insider, the Econo Lodge Motel in Erlanger, Kentucky has to pay the family of Alex Chronis a total of $2.06 million after the 76-year-old man sustained third-degree burns after taking a shower at the motel. A jury awarded the estate a judgment of $1.3 million to cover medical expenses, $250,000 for pain and suffering, $16,000 for funeral costs, and $500,000 for punitive damages.

The estate originally filed the lawsuit in October 2022 in Kentucky’s Kenton County Circuit Court for $7 million in damages.

The lawsuit said the water temperature exceeded 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

The incident took place on November 19, 2021, a day after Chronis checked into the Econo Lodge. According to the lawsuit, he took a shower and was “almost immediately bombarded with scalding hot water which knocked him to the floor of the shower tub where the water continued to scald him.”

He died of his injuries on June 19, 2022, after having numerous medical procedures and being in the hospital for over five months, where he had surgical grafting for his wounds. He ended up in a rehabilitation facility before re-entering another hospital in June 2022 before dying from his injuries.

NBC News reported that the attorney for Chronis’ family, Jeffrey Blankenship spoke to the media outlet after the judgment was announced.

“He had to go through skin grafting because he had deep-tissue second-and third-degree burns from the scalding temperature of the shower at the hotel.”

Chronis had no children and wasn’t married, but his niece filed a lawsuit against the motel on his behalf.

The 76-year-old man was at the motel with his nephew, who took pictures of the aftermath of the scalding shower. The photographs revealed severely damaged and discolored patches of skin all over Chronis’ legs.

by Stacy Jackson

July 19, 2024

‘Songtalker’ Civil Rights Activist Dr. Bernice Reagon Dies At 81

The civil rights activist, scholar, and musician described herself as a "songtalker" and believed singing pulled people together.

Civil rights activist, musician, and scholar Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, who co-founded The Freedom Singers, died at the age of 81 on July 16, 2024, according to her daughter, musician Toshi Reagon.

Toshi shared the news via Facebook, quoting her mother’s poignant words: “I was here before I came, and when I die, I am not leaving…”

Born to Reverend Jesse Johnson and Beatrice Wise Johnson, Dr. Reagon devoted over five decades to combating racism and systemic inequities globally. As a civil rights activist and musician, she described herself as a “songtalker.”

“These days, I come as ‘songtalker,’ one who balances talk and song in the creation of a live performance conversation with those who gather within the sound of my voice,” Reagon stated on her website. “As a student leader and activist in the Albany Movement, I sang and stood in the sound of the congregational singing of the freedom songs charging the air we breathed.”

The influential civil rights activist and musician was born October 4, 1942, in Dougherty County, Georgia. She served as a field secretary for the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and co-founded the SNCC Freedom Singers in 1962.

In 1973, while at Howard University, Reagon established the renowned African American women’s cappella group Sweet Honey In The Rock. Her illustrious career included leadership roles at the Smithsonian Institution and a professorship at American University. As a musician and civil rights activist, Dr. Reagon received numerous accolades, including the MacArthur Foundation Genius Award and the Presidential Medal for contribution to public understanding of the humanities.

Throughout her life, Reagon seamlessly blended her roles as a civil rights activist, musician, and scholar, leaving an indelible mark on American culture and social justice movements.

Reagon’s influence extended beyond activism and performance into scholarly and media realms. She spearheaded the creation of “Wade in the Water,” a groundbreaking series on African American sacred music that earned a Peabody Award. This project, along with her work on Africans in America, showcased her expertise in cultural history. Her talents also enriched the film industry. Reagon lent her musical prowess to several acclaimed productions, including the civil rights documentary Eyes on the Prize and the adaptation of Toni Morrison’s novel, Beloved.

Plans for a public celebration of life will be announced.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Bill, Environmental Hazards

by Sharelle Burt

July 19, 2024

Rep. Ayanna Pressley Introduces Bill To Protect Prison Workers And Inmates From Environmental Hazards

These are the types of bills we want to see!

A new bill from Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) targets environmental hazards that are harming prison workers and inmates.

The Environmental Health in Prisons Act would require the Federal Bureau of Prisons to implement an independent advisory board responsible for conducting research on environmental threats, including information on air, water quality as well as mold presence, contagious diseases or dangerously low or high temperatures.

The board would then have to recommend policies on how to mitigate such hazards by offering reports that outline protective measures.

Co-sponsored by fellow Democratic Massachusetts lawmaker, Sen. Edward Markey, the bill’s goal is to “improve the environmental health outcomes” for people inside prison walls. A study published by Earth Island Journal in 2017 found Superfund sites, environmental programs created to address abandoned hazardous waste sites, were within miles of several prisons.

“People who are incarcerated are no less deserving of having their dignity and humanity respected — and that includes clean air, water, and living environments,” Pressley said in a statement. “As we work to dismantle our shameful mass incarceration crisis, our bill would affirm the fundamental right to a safe and healthy environment for every person behind the wall.”

At the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, prisons suffered at higher rates than the general population, and experts think poor facility ventilation contributed to it. Research from the Prison Policy Initiative found close to 13 states in the South and Midwest go without adequate air conditioning inside.

According to the study, almost half of all U.S. prisons are housed near water sources that are likely contaminated with described “forever chemicals” that put nearly one million incarcerated people at risk of negative long-term health effects. “As we work to reduce the number of people behind bars, we must also ensure that those currently incarcerated have access to clean air, water, and living environments, are treated with dignity and respect, and can live in conditions that aren’t dangerous and dehumanizing,” Markey said in a statement.

According to NBC News, if the legislation passes, agencies, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, will be instructed to make any exposure to environmental hazards public. It would also lead to a grant program for state, local, and tribal facilities to gather data in state prisons and jails that deal with inadequate conditions.

Prison rights advocates are celebrating the bill. William Ragland, an inmate who heads the African American Coalition Committee at MCI-Norfolk, said he hopes data will show how racial disparities in prisons and jails are persistent with the nation’s longstanding reputation of “environmental injustices” hindering Black and brown communities.

“Incarcerated people get the bottom of the barrel when it comes to food, healthcare, and environmental protection. But these inequities aren’t just hurting people behind bars,” Ragland said in a statement. “Toxic prison environments are just a continuation of the pollution that affects many Black communities in Massachusetts and across the country.”

Cam’ron, Coack K, Duke, NIL Deals, Athletes, Mike Krzyzewski, Cam'ron

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 19, 2024

After Saying He Was Snubbed By Coach K, Cam’ron Accuses Him Of Paying Student-Athletes

A failed attempt to get a selfie with a basketball legend set Cam'ron off.

Cam’ron proved that he is not one to be ignored.

During a recent episode of his show, It Is What It Is, the commentator saw former Duke University basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski, known as Coach K, walking past his studio. After going after him to get a picture during a show, Cam’ron said the legendary college coach snubbed him.

That set the Harlem rapper off.

Several seconds later, Cam walked back into the studio and informed his co-hosts that Coach K ignored him. Cam sat back down in apparent disbelief that the coach didn’t stop for him. But that just led to the “Hey, Ma” rapper feeling slighted and saying that they needed to start an investigation into Coach K for allegedly compensating past Duke players before colleges were able to do so.

“We need to do an investigation on Coach K behind that s**t,” Cam started. “We do a It Is What It Is investigation, n**ga. All them banks you got in North Carolina, I know what’s going on. Nah, f**k that, now I’m going to expose Coach K.”

Ma$e and Stat Baby were shocked, but Cam continued

“N**ga, you think you got Zion (Williamson) for free before the NIL? Google the shit real quick. How many banks do Coach K own? You gonna walk off on me, Coach K? Coach K own mad banks in North Carolina, and he been funneling n**gas money for years. I don’t give a f**k.”

Laughing hysterically, Ma$e left the camera shot; Stat followed him. That led Cam to say, “Yeh, give me a solo! Coach K got mad banks in North Carolina, Zion to Grant Hill to everybody… he been putting through his banks so it looks legitimate.”

He kept going when the show’s ending credits rolled and the cameras stopped filming.

Cam’ron saw former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski walking by It What It Is set and wanted to introduce himself but got curved in real time

He lost his mind and went in on Coach K right after, which made the show end while he was ranting 😵‍💫😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/rfzRPMTaA9

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) July 16, 2024

Voting, Alabama, redrawn map, congressional district

by Shanique Yates

July 19, 2024

Federal Court Ruling Maintains Lifetime Voting Ban for Mississippi Felons

Mississippi's lifetime voting ban for convicted felons was officially upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Tens of thousands of Mississippi residents will continue to be affected by a lifetime voting ban on those with felony convictions.

On July 18, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a 2023 ruling dismantling Mississippi’s harsh lifetime voting ban. As the nation’s most conservative federal appeals court, civil rights advocates knew the moment could happen despite a shocking ruling made by a three-judge panel that deemed the no voting for life penalty as a “cruel and unusual punishment.”

In a 13 to 6 decision, the Fifth Circuit, which consists of judges mainly voted in by members of the Republican party, determined that the claims of cruel and unusual punishment made during the previous three-panel judge ruling were not true.

“In short, ‘cruel and unusual’ is not the same as ‘harmful and unfair,’” wrote Judge Edith Jones of the majority side’s decision. “The matter should be decided by the legislature, not a court.”

All six of the dissenting judges in the ruling were selected by Democratic presidents. However, twelve of the 13 judges included in the majority were chosen by Republicans except Biden nominee Judge Irma Carrillo.

“Voting is the lifeblood of our democracy and the deprivation of the right to vote saps citizens of the ability to have a say in how and by whom they are governed,” said Judge James Dennis in his dissent. “Denying released offenders the right to vote takes away their full dignity as citizens, separates them from the rest of their community, and reduces them to ‘other’ status.”

As Bolts reports, Mississippi’s lifetime voting ban went into effect during the inception of the state’s 1890 constitution. When written by delegates that summer, it was made known that the goal was to limit Black political power.

The right to vote would be lost by Mississippi citizens who were convicted of certain felonies. The list featured crimes that the drafters thought “Black residents were most likely to be convicted” of. In the since amended list, 23 crimes are listed, including theft, perjury, carjacking, and murder.

“We’re living in the community, driving on the streets, working our jobs—but our voice isn’t heard,” Cornelius Clayton, a Mississippi resident who lost his voting rights in 2007 over a conviction for theft, told Bolts in a 2023 interview. He hasn’t voted since.

Currently, no public record accurately states the number of people affected by Mississippi’s lifetime voting ban. However, one report says that roughly 50,000 people were disenfranchised from 1994 to 2017.

“We know this is all about POWER,” Jarrius Adams, an advocate at the nonprofit Mississippi Votes, wrote in a statement. “African Americans make up 36 percent of Mississippi’s voting-age population but nearly 60 percent of its disenfranchised individuals. Imagine if just half of those folks could vote,” he continued. “Our elections and elected officials would look much different.”

In Mississippi, for a person to regain the right to vote, state legislatures would have to create a law that specifically caters to that individual. In 2024, only 16 people had their voting rights restored through this process.

States like Virginia, Tennessee, and Nebraska have passed harsher laws regarding disenfranchisement in recent years, while places like Maine, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., never strip their citizens of the right to vote.

Donald Trump, the GOP’s nominee for president, is a convicted felon. In May, he became the first former American president to be convicted of felony charges when a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election by paying “hush money” to porn actor Stormy Daniels.

St. Petersburg mayor Ken Welch, Tropicana Field

by Shanique Yates

July 19, 2024

St. Petersburg’s Mayor To Right Past Wrongs With Tampa Bay Rays’ Proposed New Ballpark

A vote on the plan is set for July 30.

St. Petersburg’s mayor is on a mission to address racial injustices with a new ballpark project, NBC News reports.

As the Tampa Bay Rays search for a new home, a major redevelopment project in St. Petersburg, Florida, may be the answer to what they’re looking for. Not only would the $6.5 billion project beautify an 86-acre tract located in the city’s downtown neighborhood, it would guarantee a home to the Major League Baseball team for the next 30 years.

Additional plans for the space include affordable housing, a Black history museum, a hotel, green space, entertainment venues, as well as office and retail space, which, in turn, would bring thousands of jobs to the area.

For Ken Welch, St. Petersburg’s first Black mayor, the new project would also work toward his mission to undo historical wrongdoings that have plagued the city for decades.

Tropicana Field is currently home to the Tampa Bay Rays. The dome’s expansive parking lots on what was The Historic Gas Plant District, once home to a thriving Black community. The people were pushed out of the neighborhood to construct Tropicana Field, which has the lowest attendance across MLB’s 30 ballparks, and to build an interstate highway.

Mayor Welch’s commitment to addressing racial injustices includes the proposed $1.3 billion ballpark, which would 30,000 seats and open in time for the 2028 MLB season.

“Lifting up residents from every part of St. Pete is imperative for our city’s success,” said Mayor Welch in a September 2023 letter announcing details of the ballpark project. “You can expect dynamic growth from the largest development project in the region to create more jobs, provide more affordable/workforce housing, feature top-notch educational and cultural facilities, offer expansive office space, community space and green space, and generate impactful economic development, including equitable opportunities for local and minority businesses. This project will be a prosperous game changer for those who live in, work in, and visit St. Petersburg.

“Like many others, I used to call the Gas Plant home,” he continued. “Some 40 years ago, my family’s livelihood was uprooted with the promise of economic opportunity that would improve and enhance their lives. Now, we have a chance to fulfill those promises and preserve the legacy of the Historic Gas Plant neighborhood.”

As the Rays face uncertainty about their future, a final vote from the Pinellas County Commission will determine if the new ballpark will become their home. To fulfill the vision, the city will have to spend roughly $417.5 million, which includes $287.5 million for the actual ballpark as well as $130 million toward infrastructure for the larger redevelopment plan. Despite the big numbers, St. Petersburg does not envision new or increased taxes.

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For Pinellas County, which currently holds the deciding power, would spend $312.5 million for its share of ballpark costs. County officials say a bed tax funded mostly by tourists would be where they’d pull their portion of the money needed for the project.

A vote on the plan is set to take place on July 30.

Michael Jackson, Katherine Jackson, Prince Jackson, Paris Jackson, Bigi, Jackson trust funds, irs, estate

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 19, 2024

Katherine Jackson Loses Battle To Stop Sale Of Michael Jackson’s Catalog

MJ's mother felt the sale violated the terms of her son's will.

Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, has lost a dispute with her son’s estate regarding the proposed sale of MJ’s music catalog to Sony Music.

According to Rolling Stone, the matriarch of the Jackson family opposes selling the catalog because she says the sale violates the terms of Michael’s will. The appellate court ruled since she had a chance to contest it last year she can’t do so now on appeal.

The estate’s executors, John Branca and John McClain, said Katherine Jackson “forfeited” that opportunity by not raising that argument when a court approved the deal more than a year ago.

The three-judge panel from California’s Second Appellate District ruled that even if Katherine Jackson had raised that issue in the probate court the result would have been the same. The judges agreed with the judge’s ruling that Branca and McClain had the full power and authority to negotiate the sale.

“Katherine did not contend [in the lower court] that the sale violated the terms of Michael’s will or were inconsistent with the Probate Code. Indeed, as the executors note, Katherine agreed in the probate court that the will gives the executors the power to sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of the estate’s real or personal property,” the judges wrote.

“We tentatively conclude that Katherine’s challenge fails on the merits because the probate court’s order does not violate the terms of Michael’s will.”

Earlier this year, it was reported that Sony Music Group had signed an agreement to purchase half of MJ‘s publishing and masters catalog. The assets included in his catalog are valued to be between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion. With the valuation being at a minimum of $1.2 billion, it means that SONY Music Group will pay the estate at least $600 million.

The beneficiaries for MJ’s estate are his three children—Prince, Paris, and Blanket. In his will, it was stipulated that his mother, Katherine, be taken care of for the rest of her life.

by Stacy Jackson

July 19, 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Launches Power Move For Senior Citizens After Hurricane Beryl

Meg's Emergency Power Program will distribute generators to Houston senior citizens affected by Hurricane Beryl for short and long-term relief.

In response to Hurricane Beryl’s destruction, rapper Megan Thee Stallion has launched the Emergency Power Program to aid senior citizens in her hometown of Houston.

This initiative aims to provide power during natural disasters, addressing the urgent needs of elderly residents affected by the recent catastrophe. The Emergency Power Program, a collaboration between the rapper’s Pete and Thomas Foundation and Bread Of Life, Inc., will distribute generators to senior citizens in Houston. This effort seeks to offer both immediate relief and long-term protection against future power outages and emergencies.

Hurricane Beryl’s destructive force plunged over two million people into darkness. The National Weather Service cautioned about dangerous heat conditions arising from the lack of proper cooling and outdoor cleanup activities. (At least 22 people have died from the storm, according to The Houston Chronicle.) Megan expressed her concern in an announcement on X, stating, “It’s been painful to watch the elderly population in Houston suffer without electricity during these devastating storms.” She emphasized the need to “provide our elders with the best resources possible to withstand future emergencies.”

.@petethomasfdn have partnered with @breadoflifehtx to launch the Emergency Power Program in Houston to ensure senior citizens across Houston have access to electricity during natural disasters. pic.twitter.com/eNJM3ILBBc
— TINA SNOW (@theestallion) July 18, 2024

The Emergency Power Program reflects a strategic approach to safeguarding senior citizens during crises. In addition to generators, Megan’s foundation distributed gift cards for groceries and essential items to families impacted by Hurricane Beryl, which set records as the strongest early-season Atlantic tropical storm.

We have also donated gift cards to @nacchelp for groceries and other essential items to support impacted families. pic.twitter.com/uJDqFfVJRe
— TINA SNOW (@theestallion) July 18, 2024

This initiative aligns with the broader mission of Megan’s Pete and Thomas Foundation, established February 22, her 27th birthday, to honor her parents. The nonprofit focuses on uplifting women, children, senior citizens, and underserved communities in Houston and beyond, addressing areas such as education, health and wellness, and housing.

Visit the Pete and Thomas Foundation website for more resources and information on food distributions, cooling stations, storm damage and recovery, and more.

by Jeffrey McKinney

July 19, 2024

Report: 51% Of Black Generation Zers Worry They May Never Own A Home

Stable employment and building a career are among goals Black Gen Zers prioritize over home ownership.

Like many Americans, Black Generation Zers would like to own homes, but the problem remains that they plainly cannot afford them.

In fact, new data shows that 51% of Black Gen Zers worry they might never own a home, compared with 60% of Gen Z entirely who felt that way. Clever Real Estate surveyed 1,000 Gen Z adults to get their views on buying and owning a home. Some 200 of the respondents—20%—included in the study were Black.

Almost all Black Gen Zers who don’t own a home cite expensive homes (38%), high interest rates (29%), and saving for a down payment (27%) as top common barriers for homeownership.

Jaime Dunaway-Seale, author of Gen Z Home Buyer Report: 2024 Edition, provided BLACK ENTERPRISE some data on Black Gen Z. It showed 59% of Black Gen Z non-homeowners have under $10,000 saved for a home. With that amount put toward a standard 20% down payment, they could only afford homes worth less than $50,000.

In addition, just 20% of prospective Black Gen Z buyers feel they can afford a home, versus 18% of those surveyed overall. Still, 40% of Black Gen Z eventually expect to own a home worth over $1 million.

Roughly 64% of Black Gen Z homeowners express regrets, with 37% reporting they didn’t have enough knowledge about the home-buying process. Nearly 92% of Black Gen Z non-homeowners say owning a home is important. However, 96% prioritize other goals over homeownership. Those goals include stable employment (47%), building a career (49%), and starting a family (37%).

Dunaway-Seale reflected on how overcoming the affordability barrier is challenging.

“Many Gen Zers will have to consider radical life choices to begin to save for a home, such as living with their parents for a long period even after starting their career, living in small apartments, living in more rural and lower cost of living areas, and living with roommates.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 19, 2024

Odell Beckham Jr.’s $20M Lawsuit Against Nike Ends With No Monetary Judgement

After accusing the sneaker giant of withholding money, the jury decided that Nike did not breach its contract.

In 2022, NFL player Odell Beckham Jr. filed a $20 million lawsuit against sneaker giant Nike. The athlete took to his social media account to give Nike a message after the case was heard and the jury decided to award neither party a financial amount.

According to the Portland Business Journal, Beckham sued Nike for $20 million and accused the sports apparel of withholding royalties. Nike responded by countersuing the football player, claiming that customizations he made to Nike gloves violated the terms of his contract and asking for damages between $7 million and $15 million. The jury decided that Nike did not breach its contract when it withheld royalties from Beckham. Jurors also ruled against Nike when they ruled that the customizations Beckham did with his gloves did not breach his contract.

So, neither was rewarded with monetary damages.

“JUST DO……RIGHT @nike . I wanna take this moment to thank God first and foremost, thank you, Heavenly Father. I wanna thank my team for every hour they have spent preparing on this case. I wanna thank the jury for simply doing what’s right in a world full of wrong… my message to whoever needs this is, STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN! JUSTICE WAS SERVED!!! ✊🏾”

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Complex reported that Nike released a statement about the lawsuit as well.

“With this verdict, all of Mr. Beckham’s claims have been decided against him without any monetary award. The decision confirmed that Nike complied with its commitments. Nike is grateful to the jury and the Court for their careful attention to this case.”

Nike’s official statement on the Odell Beckham Jr. lawsuit:

“With this verdict, all of Mr. Beckham’s claims have been decided against him without any monetary award. The decision confirmed that Nike complied with its commitments. Nike is grateful to the jury and the Court for… pic.twitter.com/mb7NHhrrSX

— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) July 19, 2024

When Beckham filed the lawsuit, he claimed he found out that Nike didn’t give him the money owed because it accused him of committing violations that were detrimental to his agreement. It stated he had footwear and glove violations when he changed them toward the end of the football season. Yet, Beckham stated that wasn’t the case. He said he was essentially forced to personally customize his cleats due to Nike not giving him cleats that matched the colors of his new team.