• Lifestyle

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 22, 2021

August Alsina Posts Cryptic Instagram Message That Has Fans Thinking He’s Dying

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We haven’t heard much from or about recording artist August Alsina since he spoke about an affair he had with actress Jada Pinkett Smith back in the summer of 2020.

Outside of Smith introducing us to the term “entanglement,” about a relationship she had with Alsina, he has pretty much been low-key. However, he popped back on the scene after posting a message to his Instagram account essentially telling his almost seven million followers that his next upcoming project was “likely to be” his last on his “last victory lap around the sun.”

“To all the loved 1’s who support me; 📝

These last couple projects are likely to be the last you see/hear of August Alsina. W/ that said, it is my hope that we can enjoy each other while I’m here, on my last victory lap around the sun. ☀️💫 I’ll strive to make it as nostalgic as possible for you w/ beautiful tunes & high vibes 🎶 . With great love, always.🕊 -AA”

 

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Fans are speculating that the artist may be referring to a liver disease he revealed in a since-deleted Instagram post in an interview with Pinkett Smith earlier last year.

“I have a liver disease where my autoimmune system is fighting against itself,” he said in the since deleted post. “Reality is I’m sick all the time. I’d really like to talk about it and I’m not looking for anybody’s sympathy. Don’t treat me like I’m a f–king cancer patient, because I’m not.”

He also explained that the illness runs in his family.

“I’m sicker than ever and having a hard time accepting what I feel and what the Doctors are saying is most true. After sitting down and talking with my fathers mother and sister.. They explained to me that sickness and illness runs in my family. My father and grandfather both died of severe illness. But they were FIGHTERS and that’s all that matters. Just ride with me is all I ask.”

Until he clarifies what he meant in his Instagram post, people will continue to speculate.

Rep. Cori Bush has joined with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and more than 36 of their colleagues to introduce the Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021.

This bill was presented to enact an urgently needed nationwide eviction moratorium.

“Housing is a human right, not a bargaining chip to let fall between bureaucratic cracks,” said Bush in a written statement.

“Nearly 40 million Americans have tested positive for COVID-19. Over 670,000 people have died of this virus, and countless are living permanently disabled from its aftereffects. As the Delta variant continues to force individuals to quarantine, close schools, and stifle businesses, we must do all we can to save lives. That starts with keeping every person safely housed. The Keeping Renters Safe of 2021 will save lives and give us more time: time for renters to receive financial assistance, time for the economy to fully recover, and time for the pandemic to finally come to an end. I’m humbled to introduce this critical, actionable legislation with Senator Warren and so many of my colleagues.”

The bill is in direct response to the Supreme Court’s recent decision to eliminate President Biden’s eviction moratorium. The justices stated that the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lacked the statutory authority to mandate such a moratorium.  The presentation of the Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 would give that authority, permanently, to the HHS Secretary to implement an eviction moratorium in the interests of public health.

“This pandemic isn’t over, and we have to do everything we can to protect renters from the harm and trauma of needless eviction, which upends the lives of those struggling to get back on their feet,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “Pushing hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes will only exacerbate this public health crisis, and cause economic harm to families, their communities, and our overall recovery. Congress must pass the Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 to put the eviction moratorium back in place and clarify that HHS has the authority to protect renters throughout this public health crisis. Safe housing saves lives.”

The Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 will protect renters from eviction and curb the spread of COVID-19 by:

• Amending section 361 of the Public Health Service Act to grant permanent authority to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement a residential eviction moratorium to address public health crises.
• Directing HHS to implement a national residential eviction moratorium in response to COVID-19 that:
  • Must be automatic, without requiring individuals to apply for coverage.
  • Applies to all residential eviction filings, hearings, judgments, and execution of judgments.
  • Allows the Secretary to establish appropriate moratorium exceptions necessary to protect the health and safety of others.
  • Remains in effect at least 60 days following the conclusion of the public health emergency.

• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Derek Major

September 22, 2021

Virginia Capital Unveils Monument Marking The End Of Slavery After Removing Confederate Statue

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Reuters – Two weeks after Richmond, Virginia, removed a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee that had prompted protests over racial injustice, the city unveiled a new monument on Wednesday commemorating the end of slavery.

The Emancipation and Freedom Monument, designed by Oregon sculptor Thomas Jay Warren, comprises two 12-foot bronze statues depicting a man and a woman carrying an infant, newly freed from slavery.

“The enslaved built this city with their hands,” Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said at a ceremony to mark the occasion. “We will rebuild this city with our hearts.”

The new monument is located in Richmond less than two miles from the site where the towering 61-foot Lee statue had stood for more than a century.

Statues honoring the leaders of the Confederacy, the pro-slavery group of Southern states that seceded from the United States and fought in the 1861-65 Civil War, have become targets of anti-racism protests. Richmond was the Confederate capital during the war.

Governor Ralph Northam announced the Lee statue’s removal in June 2020, days after George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, sparking nationwide demonstrations.

“Just a couple of weeks ago, one of my proudest days, we took down a statue of a man who led an army to stop the emancipation and freedom these figures symbolize,” Northam said at Wednesday’s ceremony.

The pedestal features the names and biographies of 10 Black Virginians who contributed to the fight for liberty before and after emancipation, including Nat Turner, who led a briefly successful slave revolt in 1831 in the state, and Dred Scott, a slave whose unsuccessful lawsuit seeking his freedom led to the infamous U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1857 that people of African descent were not entitled to citizenship.

The project began a decade ago as part of the state’s commemoration of the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which abolished slavery in the United States.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 22, 2021

Son Charged With Killing His Mother Ahead of Her Performance Dedicated to Domestic Violence

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A Virginia singer that was set to perform to raise awareness on domestic violence was fatally shot outside of her home on Friday, and her son was charged with her murder.

Latoya Acree, 41 was found with a gunshot wound to her upper body lying in her home’s driveway last week. They responded to a call about a shooting at around 12:30 a.m. Friday.

Her 21-year-old son, Elijah D. Smith, was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, NBC News reports. He was found at a nearby hotel after being identified as a suspect.

An investigation found that “there was a domestic argument that occurred before the shooting between the mother and son,” authorities said.

Acree was known for her powerful voice as part of the band True Soul. The group was gearing up for a show this Saturday that’s aimed at raising awareness about domestic violence. But now the performance will be dedicated to her memory.

“She was really, really happy,” her bandmate Caesar Roy said. “Seemed like things were just turning around for her, and this happened.”

Roy said he had just seen Acree a few hours before her death.

“Obviously God had a better plan, a bigger plan, for her to sing in,” he said.

Smith is currently being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail,” WTVR reports. He was already out on bond prior to the murder and was awaiting trial on an unrelated assault and battery charge.

• Lifestyle

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 22, 2021

Kanye West Buys a $57.3 Million Part Home/Part Sculpture In Malibu

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It seems like with all the hoopla over his “Donda” album, it paid off for him!

Billionaire Hip-Hop artist and fashion maven, Kanye West has purchased a residence in Malibu that is being described as part house, part sculpture.

According to Dirt, Kanye paid an extensive price for his latest residence. The eclectic artist spent $57.3 million, in an off-market deal, for a Malibu residence that’s part house, part sculpture. The place is reportedly one of only a handful of Ando-designed homes in the United States.

The house, which is nearly 4,000-square-foot, was, at first, initially offered for an astounding $75 million just last year, before the house was removed from the market. Yet, the Malibu residence, which sold for less than the $75 million price tag, was still the second-highest number paid for a Malibu home this current year, behind a property that sold for $87 million this past February.

According to Haute Residence, Kanye, who once visited Naoshima, which is the Japanese “art island” designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando, reportedly became so enamored with the “life-changing” place. With his most recent purchase, West now has his own artful residence.

The property is being described as just under 5,700 square feet. Inside the Brutalist-inspired house, it has 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths. Based on the design on the house, each level of the home serves a distinct purpose.

The lowest floor exhibits three ensuite guest bedrooms, while the middle level shows off the public areas of the home which includes the living room, kitchen, and powder room. On the top floor, it is exclusively reserved for the owner of the house with a penthouse level bedroom suite and a rooftop terrace overlooking the oceanside.

Kanye owns various homes around the country from his Hidden Hills and Malibu properties, to his Wyoming ranch to a condo in Calabasas and two condos in NYC.

• Politics

by Derek Major

September 22, 2021

President Biden Promises Relentless Diplomacy In Defense Of Democracy

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Reuters – U.S. President Joe Biden mapped out a new era of vigorous competition without cold war in his first United Nations address on Tuesday, promising restraint from the U.S. military and new commitments to cope with climate change.

The United States would help resolve crises from Iran to the Korean Peninsula to Ethiopia, Biden told the annual U.N. General Assembly gathering.

The world faces a “decisive decade,” he said, and leaders need to work together to fight a raging coronavirus pandemic, a warming planet and cyber threats. He said the United States would double its financial commitment on climate aid and spend $10 billion to fight hunger.

Biden didn’t address America’s rising authoritarian competitor, China, directly but sprinkled implicit references to Beijing throughout his speech, as the United States butts heads with China in the Indo-Pacific and on trade and human rights issues.

He said the United States will compete vigorously, economically and to push democratic systems and rule of law.

“We’ll stand up for our allies and our friends and oppose attempts by stronger countries to dominate weaker ones, whether through changes to territory by force, economic coercion, technical exploitation or disinformation, but we’re not seeking – I’ll say it again, we are not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs,” he said.

Biden came to the United Nations facing criticism at home and abroad for a hasty U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan that left some Americans and Afghan allies still in that country and struggling to get out.

His vow for allied unity is being tested by a three-way agreement between the United States, Australia and Britain that undermined a French submarine deal and left France feeling stabbed in the back.

“We’ve ended 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan and as we close this era of relentless war, we’re opening a new era of relentless diplomacy,” Biden said.

Biden vowed to defend vital U.S. national interests, but said “the mission must be clear and achievable,” and the American military “must not be used as the answer to every problem we see around the world.”

Biden, a Democrat, hoped to present a compelling case that the United States remains a reliable ally to its partners around the world after years of “America First” policies pursued by his Republican predecessor Donald Trump.

Overcoming global challenges “will hinge on our ability to recognize our common humanity,” he said.

Biden added that he remained committed to peacefully resolving a dispute with Iran over its nuclear program. He vowed to defend U.S. ally Israel but said a two-state solution with the Palestinians is still needed but a distant goal.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who begins a second five-year term at the helm of the world body on Jan. 1, warned earlier of the dangers of the growing gap between China and the United States, the world’s largest economies.

“I fear our world is creeping towards two different sets of economic, trade, financial and technology rules, two divergent approaches in the development of artificial intelligence – and ultimately two different military and geo-political strategies,” Guterres said.

“This is a recipe for trouble. It would be far less predictable than the Cold War,” Guterres said.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Steve Holland; Editing by Heather Timmons, Will Dunham and Grant McCool)

• Lifestyle

by Derek Major

September 22, 2021

Singer R. Kelly Declines to Tesify In His Own Defense At Trial

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Reuters – R. Kelly said on Wednesday he will not testify in his own defense at his sex trafficking trial in Brooklyn, where the government accused the R&B singer of grooming and sexually abusing women and underage girls.

Kelly, 54, announced his intention after five witnesses spoke in his defense over nearly two days, following 4-1/2 weeks of testimony from prosecution witnesses.

“No, ma’am,” Kelly told U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly when asked if he would testify, which he is not required to do. Kelly also said he understood the implications of his decision.

Closing arguments are expected to begin later Wednesday, and jurors could begin deliberating on Thursday.

Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, had pleaded not guilty to one count of racketeering and eight counts of illegally transporting people across state lines for prostitution.

Prosecutors have tried to portray him as an intemperate predator who exploited his fame to attract fans into his circle, where he would demand strict obedience or else punish them.

Kelly has repeatedly denied sexual abuse accusations, which have dogged him for about two decades.

The defense’s fifth witness, music industry executive Julius Darrington, testified on Wednesday that he sometimes spent 10- to 12-hour days with Kelly after meeting him in 2016.

Darrington said he never saw women being locked in rooms, heard screaming or crying, or saw the singer strike anyone, which other witnesses have said took place.

On cross-examination, prosecutor Elizabeth Geddes tried to emphasize how Darrington was not monitoring the singer around the clock.

“You have no knowledge of what the defendant did behind closed doors when you weren’t there, correct?” she asked.

“Correct,” Darrington responded.

Kelly also faces separate criminal charges in federal court in Chicago, and state charges in Illinois and Minnesota.

(Reporting by Tyler Clifford in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

A bipartisan group of politicians failed to reach an agreement on a long-discussed overhaul of police practices meant to stop police killings of Black men and women.

Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) along with Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif) have been negotiating on a police reform deal for months. The sticking point that couldn’t be resolved seems to be qualified immunity which shields police officers from civil liability in cases of misconduct.

According to Booker, the last offer made by Democrats omitted any changes to qualified immunity. Booker told reporters at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday that he had a brief conversation with Scott and the group and was unable to make any meaningful progress on police reforms.

“We made it clear from the beginning of our negotiations that a bill must ensure true accountability, transparency, and the policing standards necessary to bring an end to horrific incidents of violence Americans are routinely seeing — like the murder of George Floyd. After months of exhausting every possible pathway to a bipartisan deal, it remains out of reach right now,” Booker said in a statement.

The negotiations began late last year in the aftermath of Floyd’s murder last year, which led to nation and worldwide protests against police brutality.

Democrats initially took a hardline stance in the negotiations on police reform, but as time passed and pressure mounted to complete a deal, Democrats began giving in and making changes to their plans on qualified immunity. Republicans meanwhile, resisted making any changes as they were fearful of the backlash of exposing police officers to lawsuits. Additionally, Republicans also believe reform will force police to adopt less aggressive and effective tactics.

“Unfortunately, even with this law enforcement support and further compromises we offered, there was still too wide a gulf with our negotiating partners and we faced significant obstacles to securing a bipartisan deal,” Booker added.

“Inspired by Nissan Pathfinder, writer Chris Atwell has written a series about the fictional Anderson Family and imagined the adventures they might have on a summer road trip with Pathfinder. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this article are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, or entities is intended or should be inferred.”

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Mastering the Unfamiliar

It’s a long stretch today for the Andersons and their all-new Pathfinder. The family is piloting their rugged, tech-advanced Pathfinder toward Louisville, Kentucky, a long-desired destination for diehard sports fans Darryl, Denise, and their kids Janae and Zane. (Eldest daughter, Malena, has left the family road adventure to start classes at college.) However, before their pilgrimage is complete, the Andersons will have to cover plenty of miles (and take a few detours). Fortunately, the Pathfinder is ready for the unexpected. Darryl talks about the day’s journey.

Louisville has been near the top of my list of cities to visit for a long time. It’s a big baseball town, and I was excited by the prospect of seeing the baseball museum and taking the kids along. So many of my childhood heroes are featured there; last year, our son Zane wrote a report on the Negro Leagues for school—and he, of course, got an “A.” I wanted to show him the plaque honoring one of his favorite league legends.

Beyond baseball, Louisville is also home to some famous boxing legends that I can’t miss a chance to teach the kids about them.

So, Louisville was the plan, but first, we had to get there. It’s supposed to be a three-hour drive to Louisville from our last stop in Rock City, Tennessee, and we figured we had time for a brief detour to Mammoth Cave Park. That was Janae’s idea. She saw something about these fantastic underground caverns on some nature channel and wanted to check them out if we could.

We had never driven through this part of the country before, but that didn’t faze us. One of our first discoveries on this road trip was how well the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder’s ProPILOT feature takes the stress out of long drives in unfamiliar territory. Today’s route, for example, was scenic but twisty, with a lot of deep road turns and those abrupt speed limit changes that can get you ticketed if you’re not on it. Well, the Pathfinder was on it! The Navi-Link navigation system detected the road changes and auto-adjusted our speed accordingly.

With the ProPILOT’s assistance, we made excellent time driving to Mammoth Cave Park, and Janae was right. The place is spectacular. We got so caught up exploring the caverns that we spent more time there than we planned.

We were about 20 minutes out of Louisville when Denise came up with a solution. Connected to the high-speed Wi-Fi, she searched online and saw an old-school drive-in movie theater nearby. Man, I hadn’t been to a drive-in since I was little, and the kids had never been to one ever! And since a new blockbuster movie was playing, off we went. And you know what? I think we made drive-in converts out of Janae and Zane!

There we were, chilling inside the Pathfinder’s spacious EZ FLEX seats, with the coziness of the Tri-Zone Automatic Temperature Control and the movie’s soundtrack pouring into the cabin through our peak Bose audio system; watching yet another hero save the universe. It wasn’t how we expected the day to end, but there were no complaints.

My sports heroes will be waiting for me tomorrow.

_{ProPILOT Assist: ProPILOT Assist and ProPILOT Assist with Navi-link cannot prevent collisions. It is the driver’s responsibility to be in control of the vehicle at all times. Always monitor traffic conditions and keep both hands on the steering wheel. System operates only when lane markings are detected. Does not function in all weather, traffic and road conditions. System has limited control capability and the driver may need to steer, brake or accelerate at any time to maintain safety. See Owner’s Manual for safety information.}

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 22, 2021

Nicki Minaj’s Husband’s Rape Victim Breaks Her Silence on ‘The Real’, Says a $20,000 Bounty Was Placed On Her Head

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Jennifer Hough is finally speaking out about the sexual assault she suffered 26 years ago at the hands of Nicki Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty.

On Wednesday, Hough appeared on The Real for her first televised interview about the traumatic experience and the harassment lawsuit she launched against Minaj and her husband. While sitting alongside her lawyer, Tyrone A. Blackburn, Hough said she was “tired of being afraid.”

“I feel like the actions that were taken in regards to this whole situation put me in a different type of fear at my age, and it was wrong,” Hough said. “The only way not to be afraid is to continue to speak up.”

 

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Petty was convicted of the 1994 assault in April of 1995, according to New York’s sex offender’s registry.

During her interview, Hough recalled how she had been contacted to get the charges removed in recent years. She said an associate of the couple came to her home and put $20,000 in her lap. After she refused to take the money, she was allegedly told that she “should’ve taken the money because they are going to put that money on my head.”

Once the case resurfaced on social media following Petty’s marriage to Minaj, the “Chung Li” rapper seemingly downplayed the assault saying her husband was dating Hough at the time.

When asked about how Nicki responded to her sexual assault, Hough admitted that as a woman, she felt hurt.

“It was like reliving it again because it was a lie, it wasn’t true, we both were 16, we were never in a relationship. I just felt woman to woman that was wrong of (Minaj),” Hough said.

She launched a lawsuit against the couple last month, claiming that Minaj and Petty attempted to intimidate her into recanting her rape accusation, People reports.

Minaj has been silent on social media as many react to the revealing interview.