by Sharelle Burt

July 13, 2024

Candace Owens Tells Don Lemon He Is Living In ‘Sin’ By Being In A Gay Marriage 

Some wondered why Lemon invited Owens on his platforms.

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Journalist Don Lemon recently came to verbal blows with conservative analyst Candace Owens on YouTube’s The Don Lemon Show after she told him he was in a “sinful relationship” because he is openly married to a man. 

The two strong-minded media hosts engaged in a heated discussion on an array of topics including trans people, gay rights and Owens’ views on the Jan. 6th insurrection. During the segment on same-sex marriage and interracial couples, Lemon asked her “What do you think about same-sex marriage?” and Owens didn’t hold back. “It’s a sin,” she answered. 

After Lemon asked the follow-up question of if she thinks he is sinful because he is married to a man, the outspoken conservative doubled down. “Yes, you’re sinning. You are in a sinful relationship. I actually don’t believe that marriage can be between two men.”

The former CNN anchor married his longtime partner, real estate agent Tim Malone, in a New York City ceremony in April. Owens has been an outspoken opponent of the LGBTQ+ community for years. 

Following a school shooting in Perry, Iowa, the BLEXIT founder correlated gender-affirming healthcare to the increase of mass shootings. “I am not interested in engaging in another discussion about a school shooter that does not begin and end with discussing big Pharma and its clinical promotion of insanity,” Owens wrote on X.  

“We are mass drugging children and conducting psychiatric experiments on them in classrooms across America.”

After discussing her commitment to Christianity and conservatism, Lemon brought up her viewpoints on the meaning of words, in particular, the f-word used in a derogatory sense towards gay people. Lemon played an old clip from Owens’ past Dailywire show where she defended the use of the word, defined allegedly as “a bundle of sticks.” He then asked his guest if she thinks it’s okay to say the word to people’s faces. “When you start allowing perverts to dictate speech, then words just have to go away,” she said. 

“And then they said you can no longer say this word that has a real meaning, a bundle of sticks, because some pervert took that and threw it as an epithet towards gay people. I think that’s a wrong way of thinking.” 

Lemon checked Owens on her views, saying that “language evolves over time” and broke down his feelings about when people used the term towards him.

“When people say that word to me, they aren’t calling me a bundle of sticks,” he said. To take the conversation to another level, he asked if she would use the word toward him. “Why would I just randomly call you a f——?” Owens shockingly responded. “I’m a 35-year-old mother. I don’t go around saying, ‘Hey, you’re a f——!’ I’m not 18 years old.”  

The episode ended on odd terms when Owens called Lemon an “absurd human being” after asking her if she was homophobic. She carried her thoughts of the interview to social media.

“Today I did Don Lemon’s podcast and he straight up asked me if I would ever look him in the face and call him a f*ggot,” she wrote on X. “I just never thought he’d ask me a question like that so sincerely. These are remarkable times we’re living in.”

RELATED CONTENT: Is Candace Owens Attempting A Black Media Rebrand After Parting Ways With Conservative Daily Wire?

• Career

by Jeffrey McKinney

July 13, 2024

Black Workers Would Take A Demotion And Pay Cut To Avoid Being Laid Off, Survey

Affording housing and food are among the largest concerns of Black workers about being laid off.

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With a growing number of companies planning to erase jobs, 30% of Black workers would take a demotion to avoid being laid off, according to a new survey.

And the same percentage of those employees would accept a pay cut to prevent being out of work. Becoming jobless can be devastating, particularly if those affected have limited severance pay and are wrestling to pay essential bills.

Overall, those statistics nearly mirrored what ResumeBuilder.com discovered in a survey of 1,250 U.S. workers last month. Workers were quizzed to learn how a layoff would affect them and what workplace adjustments they would make to survive a possible cut. Some 257 Blacks were surveyed.

The latest examination comes after this recent report indicated that 60% of employers expect to have layoffs during the second half of this year.

For Blacks, 18% of those workers could only sustain their current lifestyle for a week or less if laid off. Affording housing and food are their largest concerns about being laid off. And one in five of them have made sacrifices at their current workplace to remain employed.

All told, 76% of workers indicated that they would be willing to work weekends, when questioned about compromises they would be willing to make. Some 58% would endure less preferable work, while 48% would avoid taking time off for the foreseeable future. Further, 43% would accept a longer commute, 38% would relocate, and 37% would switch to a part-time or freelance role.

The top concern with a layoff is paying rent or a mortgage, with 48% saying they would be very worried. And losing benefits, like health care, is a significant worry for 41% of respondents. Having money to buy food is another major concern, with 40% being very worried.

ResumeBuilder’s Chief Career Advisor, Stacie Haller, reflected on the survey in a news release.

“When facing a potential layoff, negotiating to retain your position, even if it involves a pay cut or longer hours, can provide valuable time to explore other options, such as seeking additional income or initiating a job search. Staying employed while you evaluate your next steps can offer stability and a clearer path forward,” she said.

Of workers surveyed, 19% reported they could keep their current lifestyle for one week or less if they were let go. Some 22% stated they could do that for two to four weeks, 28% for one to three months, 15% for four to six months. Ten percent said they could achieve that over a year.

Undergoing a layoff can be painful, especially if you are not prepared. Begin with understanding your immediate needs concerning benefits and the specifics of your severance package. Haller added that you should ensure you can secure good references from your former employer, and apply for unemployment benefits promptly to help get your first check quicker.

“Once your immediate needs are addressed, you can begin planning your job search and strategy. Taking the time to create a thoughtful and well-organized plan will help you navigate this transition more effectively and set you up for success in your next role.”

Check this out to learn more on this topic.

RELATED CONTENT: CNN Eliminates ‘Race and Equality’ Team As Part Of Layoffs

• Money

by Jeffrey McKinney

July 13, 2024

Report: Black Americans, Particularly Black Women, Among Those Hit Hardest By Wage Disparities

Fresh report by Oxfam suggests the essential need for the federal government to address working poverty and raise the minimum wage.

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New research shows that a much larger percentage of Black Americans, particularly women in that group, now make less money than their peers nationwide.

While 23% of all U.S. workers are bagging low wages (defined in a report under $17 an hour), the proportions are much higher when broken down by race and gender.

Some 32% of Black workers earn less than $17 an hour, versus 21% of white workers, based on a fresh analysis by Oxfam, which describes itself as a global organization fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. And 35% of Black women earn low wages, compared to 29% of Black men, 25.9% of white women, and 17.4% of white men.

The report, “The Crisis of Low Wages,” uncovered some startling findings. Over 39 million U.S. workers — nearly one in four — earn low wages. Single parents working make up 42% of those earning less than $17 an hour, opposed to just 12% of partnered parents.

Among Those Most Impacted: Women And Communities Of Color 

The discoveries revealed that women and communities of color, including Black workers, are most affected by low wages and stagnating minimum wage policies. The federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees is $7.25 per hour, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Oxfam reported the $7.25 has been stuck at the level since 2009. Earlier this year, it was reported the minimum wage rose $15 per hour in 22 states as of Jan. 1.

The organization said states that have not raised their minimum wage above the federal standard have a higher share of workers of color making low wages, particularly in the South. Take Mississippi, with 34% of all workers earning low wages, 46% of Black workers earn low wages. In Texas, the state with the nation’s largest Black population, 34.2% of Black workers earn low wages.

The report stresses the urgent need for the federal government to address working poverty and raise the minimum wage.

“Low-wage workers, who are disproportionately women of color, are the backbone of our economy. The least this country can do is pay them wages that cover basic necessities—something the current federal minimum wage does not do, regardless of where in the U.S. you live,” stated Kaitlyn Henderson, the report’s author and senior researcher at Oxfam America.

She added, “We’re talking about the childcare and domestic workers who care for our families, and the agricultural workers who help put food on our tables. But decades of occupational segregation have meant these jobs that employ majority women, immigrants, or people of color have been systemically underpaid and undervalued. This needs to change.”

William Michael Cunningham, an economist and owner of Creative Investment Research, declared that the lack of effective federal action on reducing income inequality led to wider gaps and more significant hardships for the communities.

He said Black women are often doubly disadvantaged due to both racial and gender discrimination, leading to higher rates of low-wage employment versus other demographics.

He mentioned Black women are disproportionately represented in low-wage sectors such as healthcare support, retail, and food service. He added they earn just 63 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. “Black women also shoulder significant caregiving responsibilities, both for children and elderly family members.”

Why Black Americans Are More Greatly Impacted

Henderson shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE that the higher percentages of low-wage workers in the Black community stem from long legacies of racial and gender discrimination in the United States that can be traced throughout the history of this country.

She explained when minimum wage laws were written in the late 1930s, industries that employed mostly Black workers in the South, such as agricultural workers and domestic workers, were written out of wage protections.

She said these exclusions are echoed today, with continued occupational segregation. She pointed out that includes jobs that employ disproportionately high numbers of workers of color, and especially women of color, who are paid lower wages.

“As we mention in our report, there was a recent study done by the Department of Labor Women’s Bureau that show how Black and Latina women lose literally billions of dollars due to occupational segregation.”

Suggestions To Help Improve Future Conditions

So, what can be done to help reduce those numbers? Henderson suggested that wages for all workers need to be raised as well as ending all exclusions to minimum wages by passing the Raise the Wage Act, to increase the minimum wage to $17. Oxfam indicated it partly was inspired to do the latest report by the changing terms of the act.

As for occupational segregation, Henderson said there are bills in Congress now that can confront head-on wage gaps, like the Paycheck Fairness Act. She said that that can support women entering higher paid professions that tend to be dominated by men — like the FAMILY Act and the Schedules That Work Act.

Going forward, Cunningham said the most critical factor in improving the economic situation for low-wage workers, particularly Black women, is robust policy intervention.

He said that increasing the federal minimum wage would provide immediate financial relief to low-wage workers. Further, he stated there’s a need to provide better access to affordable education and job training programs, including community colleges, vocational training, and apprenticeships. He also suggested strengthening childcare support, healthcare access, and paid family leave.

While the situation remains dire, Cunningham said there have been some improvements under the current administration compared to the Trump era. He pointed to a greater focus on addressing racial and economic inequalities through various policy measures, though progress has been slow. He sais some states, outside the South, have taken independent action to raise their minimum wages, providing a better standard of living for low-wage workers.

“The persistent high proportion of low-wage workers of color in the South highlights the need for comprehensive federal and state-level interventions to address wage disparities and systemic barriers. Significant efforts are required to ensure equitable economic opportunities for all workers, regardless of race or geography.”

RELATED CONTENT: Black Women Lose Out Over $1 Million in Their Careers Thanks to the Wage Gap

• Health and Wellness

by Stacy Jackson

July 13, 2024

Allyson Felix Receives $20M Grant From Melinda Gates, Invests In Advocacy For Black Maternal Health

Felix is among 12 grant recipients of Melinda Gates' initiative, which she will use to fuel her advocacy for Black maternal health.

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Allyson Felix, the renowned Olympic track star and Black maternal health advocate, was awarded a substantial $20 million grant from Melinda Gates’ $1 billion investment initiative that Gates announced in May.

This grant honors Felix’s relentless dedication to advancing Black maternal health in the United States, reflecting Gates’ commitment to supporting organizations that champion women’s, families’, and reproductive rights. In a statement to The New York Times, Gates emphasized the severe underfunding of women-focused causes, stating, “Despite the pressing need, only about 2 percent of charitable giving in the United States goes to organizations focused on women and girls, and only about half a percentage point goes to organizations focused on women of color.”

Gates’ grant to Felix is part of a broader initiative. “In nearly 20 years as an advocate for women and girls, I have learned that there will always be people who say it’s not the right time to talk about gender equality,” Gates said. “Not if you want to be relevant. Not if you want to be effective with world leaders (most of them men). The second the global agenda gets crowded, women and girls fall off.”

The grant aims to tackle pressing concerns such as the disproportionately high maternal mortality rates among Black and Native American mothers, the loss of reproductive rights in 14 states, and the lack of national paid family leave in the U.S.

In addition to the grant, Felix’s personal experiences have driven her advocacy for Black maternal health. According to NBC Olympics, the athlete has partnered with Pampers to establish the first-ever Olympic Village nursery for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This innovative initiative, located at the Athletes’ Village Plaza, the heart of the athletes’ residential area during the Games, provides a sanctuary for competing mothers to nurture and bond with their infants.

“It was top of mind to support athletes who are mothers,” Felix said. “It’s a space where families can get away from it all and have some of the comforts of home. They can have playtime and places to feed their babies…It’s here so that mothers and families feel supported.”

She previously partnered with the brand to champion Black maternal health, securing a $250,000 pledge to the cause and providing $100,000 to the National Birth Equity Collaborative. As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Felix spoke about her 2018 experience where she underwent an emergency C-section due to preeclampsia, later testifying before Congress about racial disparities in maternal care. Felix described her pregnancy as “a really isolating and lonely time,” revealing she had to conceal it from Nike due to contractual concerns.

• News

by Shanique Yates

July 12, 2024

Senior Citizens Are Catching Hell Economically Despite Inflation Dropping, Receiving Social Security Benefits

The Senior Citizens League reports that those living off Social Security continue to see an uptick in the cost of living despite declining inflation rates.

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Inflation rates are decreasing, but the cost of living for Social Security recipients continues to rise.

The Senior Citizens League reports that nearly half of Social Security recipients continue to rely on monthly checks to survive. “About 50% of senior households depend on Social Security as the difference between [staying out of] poverty,” said Alex Moore, Senior Citizens League Social Security and Medicare statistician.

A 2021 report conducted by the Social Security Administration (SSA) reveals that 33% of Black and Hispanic people make up the amount of adults over age 62 who currently rely on Social Security due to lack of other income during their retirement years. On the other hand, 16% of their white counterparts count on the government-led program for their livelihood. Moreover, minorities are often responsible for taking care of others in their household, thus, making the need for Social Security more dire than others.

Living on a fixed income means that every penny counts. According to the Senior Citizen League’s most recent membership survey, 34% of retirees admitted to visiting a food pantry or applying for food stamps within the last 12 months, which may not change any time soon, given a recent forecast of the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment also known as COLA.

While it is estimated that they can expect an increase of 2.63% on their monthly checks in 2025, it is not a huge difference from the 2.57% forecasted in June.

“Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are based on the average inflation rate during the third quarter, the three-month period that includes July, August, and September. Curiously, COLAs are calculated using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), a subset of the better-known CPI-U,” according to Motley Fool.

In 2023, the COLA calculation was 8.7%,. However, the forecast for 2025 was 3% in June ,and it has recently slipped to 2.7% following reports that inflation declined more than what was previously anticipated last month.

While the most recent report shows that Social Security recipients may start to see their checks fall behind the overall pace of inflation, it is important to note that price surges are likely at any time of the year. The COLA may not account for the changes. The official forecast for the next year is generally announced in October.

As the economy continues to grapple with the effect that COVID-19 had on society both during and after, there has been a reported 20% increase in CPI-W from January 2020 to December 2023. The COLA only rose by 19% in that timeframe.

RELATED CONTENT: As Inflation Rises, So Should Your Pay

• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 12, 2024

Olympic Hopeful Sues Gatorade Over Doping Ban

Issamade Asinga is suing the company after being given a supply of Gatorade Recovery Gummies before a banned substance was discovered

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An Olympic hopeful banned after ingesting “recovery gummies” made by Gatorade is suing the company that labeled the product “NSF Certified for Sport.”

According to Reuters, Surinamese sprinter Issamade Asinga filed a lawsuit against Gatorade on July 10, alleging his doping ban was caused by the contaminated “recovery gummies” manufactured by the company. In May, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) suspended Asinga for four years after the detection of cardarine, a performance-enhancing drug. Inside Bodybuilding has reported that The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has cardarine on its list of prohibited substances.

The suspension stripped Asinga of his two South American Championship gold medals and his under-20 100-meter world record.

The paperwork was filed in Manhattan federal court. The sprinter claims Gatorade provided the gummies to him a year ago. The packaging claimed the product was “NSF Certified for Sport” and, therefore, free from banned substances. The suit claims that the gummies lacked NSF certification and “had been made using shoddy manufacturing processes and were contaminated with trace amounts of an illegal performance-enhancing drug.”

The sports drink company provided a statement to the media outlet.

“The product in question is completely safe and the claims made are false. Gatorade products are FDA compliant and safe for athlete consumption, which was validated by the findings of the Athletics Integrity Unit investigation.”

“Gatorade fully complied with the Athletics Integrity Unit investigation, including producing evidence that was accepted by the AIU that the gummies were not contaminated with the banned substance in their original ruling.”

The Washington Post reported that Gatorade honored Asinga as its high school track and field athlete of the year last July. He was given a gift basket that included Gatorade Recovery Gummies. Asinga alleges that the product is the reason he tested positive for the banned substance. He also accused the company of taking measures to protect its reputation while damaging his reputation in the process.

Asinga is attempting to “recoup the millions of dollars he has lost in economic opportunities, as well as compensation for the devastating emotional harm he has suffered.”

The teenager believes his performance at the Olympics could have yielded large monetary gains by way of sponsorships. His ban effectively stops his future opportunities in the sport.

RELATED CONTENT: Sha’Carri Richardson Graces ‘Vogue’ Cover Ahead Of Paris Olympics

by Sharelle Burt

July 12, 2024

Family of Black Man Killed By Milwaukee Hotel Security Promises To Push For Criminal Charges

Justice for D'Vontaye....

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The family of D’Vontaye Mitchell expressed promises of pushing for criminal charges against the security guards allegedly responsible for his death.

During Mitchell’s funeral on Jul. 11, chants of “Justice for D’Vontaye” flooded Milwaukee’s Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ as friends, family and supporters remembered Mitchell as a son, husband and brother who his mother, Brenda Giles, described as a “harmless teddy bear” and “a joy in his family.” “We’re going to fight. We’re not going to give up,” Giles said. 

Mitchell, 43, lost his life on June 30 after being held down on his stomach outside of the held down on his stomach June 30 outside of a Hyatt hotel. Police report he allegedly entered the hotel and, after causing a disturbance, fought with security guards as they were escorting him outside. Civil rights attorney representing Mitchell’s family, Ben Crump, claims Mitchell was having a mental health crisis, according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 

Attorneys working alongside Crumo, B’Ivory Lamarr and William Sulton said the victim spent the last few minutes of his life allegedly being beaten repeatedly by a security guard with a retractable baton while witnesses just looked and did not intervene. The legal team said video footage sent by the Hyatt shows Mitchell running from something or someone and hiding in the women’s bathroom. 

Crump said a signed affidavit from a hotel employee said a security guard was striking Mitchell with a baton, and Mitchell posed no threat while on the ground. When the guards approached him, footage shows his hands were up, but he was still dragged to the ground, beaten, begging for the blows to stop, according to the legal team. “D’Vontaye was trying to run for his life,” Sulton said. 

Mitchell’s widow, DeAsia Harmon, saw the surveillance videos and called the content “disgusting.” She said the video showed her husband being dragged outside while he was bleeding. “It makes me sick to my stomach,” Harmon said during a news conference. 

“He ran for his life. He was trying to leave. He said, ‘I’ll go,’ and they didn’t let him go.”

Aimbridge Hospitality, the company that manages the hotel, released a statement saying several employees involved have been fired. “The conduct we saw from several associates on June 30 violated our policies and procedures and did not reflect our values as an organization or the behaviors we expect from our associates,” the statement read. 

“Following review of their actions, their employment has been terminated. We will continue our independent investigation and do everything we can to support law enforcement with their investigation into this tragic incident.”

However, Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, who gave the eulogy at the funeral, said termination isn’t enough and questioned if Mitchell was white, would this have happened. “You should not lose just your job when D’Vontaye lost his life. What they did was a crime and criminals need to be prosecuted. And criminals need to face the penalty of their action,” he said. 

“This wasn’t a mistake at the job. This was taking somebody’s life, and there is no justice until you pay for the life you’ve taken. We’re not asking for an apology. We’re asking for justice.” 

Sharpton continued to compare Mitchell’s death to that of the death of George Floyd, the Black man killed in May 2020 by then-white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, by putting his knee on Floyd’s neck. Chauvin later was convicted of Floyd’s murder. “I thought you’ll learn that you can’t put your knee on our necks,” Sharpton said. 

“But if we have to go from Minneapolis to Milwaukee, you’re going to learn to keep your knees off of our necks.”

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office announced they, along with police investigators, were waiting on full autopsy results and that the case was being reviewed as a homicide.

• News

by Sharelle Burt

July 12, 2024

50 Cent’s Humor & Harmony Festival Denied Outside Liquor Permit By Louisiana City Council 

Isn't too hot to drink outside anyway?

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Rapper 50 Cent’s upcoming Humor & Harmony Festival hit a major roadblock as the Shreveport city council voted against allowing public alcohol consumption at the event, KTBS reports. 

The 5-2 vote for Resolution 109 received mixed reviews from council members, some of whom raised concerns about safety. Others felt the denial would have economic consequences. Councilman Gary Brooks expressed issues with clean-up and security and what the overall benefit would be.

“I don’t see any tax benefit from people drinking outside,” Brooks said. “I just don’t see this being a good idea at all.”

The plan proposed by Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor would have allowed the open container zone to extend to the Red River District, consisting of Stageworks of Louisiana and Independence Stadium, during the upcoming festival. The festival is scheduled for August 8-11, with an estimated 60,000 visitors attending. 

According to KSLA, Taylor said outside alcohol consumption is typical for the city so it wouldn’t be a problem at the Humor & Harmony Festival.

“We’ve passed an open container regulation,” she said. “We’ve done amendments and ordinances to suspect the rules for alcohol 215 plus times since 2010 with the city of Shreveport administration, so I thought with the number of people that were coming into the City of Shreveport that this would be a workable plan because we’ve done it before.” 

“I just think that sometimes fear, false information appearing real, you know, let’s see if it works. If it doesn’t work, then we have a capable police department that can take care of whatever,” Councilman James Green said. “And I know they can take care of four blocks.” 

Other council members like Ursula Bowman wanted to make sure the crowd can control be controlled “and the crowd doesn’t control us.”

The proposed open-container zone would have gone into effect from 5 p.m. on Aug. 8 to 3 a.m. on Aug. 9. City Attorney Marcus Edwards said at least 10 vendors were scheduled to sell alcohol in the zone if the measure passed. Since the resolution did not pass, festival participants will have to finish their drinks at Stageworks prior to walking outside to stay in compliance.

• Women

by Stacy Jackson

July 12, 2024

Family Of Woman Who Went Missing In The Bahamas Demands U.S. Involvement

Taylor Casey's mom says her transgender daughter has been missing in the Bahamas for three weeks and demanded U.S. officials intervene.

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The family of Taylor Casey, a Chicago woman who went missing in the Bahamas, is urgently appealing for the involvement of U.S. officials in the investigation.

On Casey’s 42nd birthday, her loved ones held a press conference demanding action from federal authorities. The woman’s mother, Colette Seymore, shared that her daughter had been missing for three weeks.

“Please help us find Taylor. I just want the senators to light a fire under the people in the Bahamas feet so they can correctly search for my child and help to bring my child home,” Seymore said. Casey went missing in the Bahamas during a yoga retreat and was last seen on Paradise Island on June 19, BLACK ENTERPRISE previously covered.

The family has urged U.S. officials to intervene with Bahamian authorities. During Thursday’s news conference, Emily Williams, Casey’s close friend, stated, “If we don’t have answers, we’re going to keep pushing…That’s why we’re calling on the senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, to put pressure on the State Department to tell the Royal Bahamian Police Force to get the FBI down there right now and find Taylor.”

Seymore expressed deep concern over the apparent lack of progress in the investigation during a Monday appearance on News Nation’s “Banfield” podcast. She voiced her apprehensions about potential bias affecting the case’s handling, citing her daughter’s identity as both Black and transgender. “I feel like my child had two strikes against her when she went to the yoga retreat. One is that she’s Black, and the other is that she’s transgender,” Seymore said.

According to NBC News, Sen. Durbin’s office acknowledged the distressing nature of Casey’s disappearance in the Bahamas, emphasizing the importance of continued U.S. cooperation with Bahamian authorities.

However, conflicting information has emerged regarding FBI involvement. While Bahamian National Security Minister Wayne Munroe suggested FBI advisory participation, the U.S. Embassy reportedly told the family that the FBI was not involved.

While no evidence of foul play has been indicated since Casey went missing in the Bahamas, the woman’s phone and journal have been recovered, and several of her belongings remained in her tent at the retreat. However, her passport has not been located.

• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 12, 2024

Angel Reese Extends Double-Double Streak In Front Of Record Crowd At Barclays Center

'The basketball gods keep blessing me. I don’t even know how I did that.'

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Angel Reese has extended her record-breaking double-double streak to 15 games. The Chicago Sky rookie scored 10 points and collected 10 rebounds in the team’s 91-76 road loss Thursday, July 11, to the New York Liberty.

The “Chi Barbie” continues to have an excellent rookie season, although she admittedly didn’t have a great game. “The basketball gods keep blessing me,” Reese said. “I don’t even know how I did that. I didn’t have a great night tonight, obviously.”

The game against the Liberty proved to be a challenge for the WNBA rookie, with Reese nabbing her 10th rebound with 2:12 left in the game.

“She goes hard, she’s not out there for records, she’s out there for wins,” Chicago head coach Teresa Weatherspoon said. “She puts in the work, it just so happens every time you look at the stat sheet there she is again with a double-double. I’m sure she’d want the win more than just the double-double.”

Reese is in contention for the league’s Rookie of the Year Award. This week, she was the first rookie this season to win the WNBA Player of the Week. In week seven of the WNBA season, the former LSU star averaged 16.8 points, 14 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. She was also named to this month’s All-Star Game in Phoenix. 

Reese was named WNBA Rookie of the Month in June when she averaged 14.5 points and 13.2 rebounds per game and had double-digit rebounds in all 11 games. After her record-breaking performance in June, she now leads the league in rebounding with 11.4 a game.

Thursday’s game broke the previous home attendance record for the Liberty. Earlier this season, the team faced another star rookie and Reese’s nemesis, Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever. A record 17,758 people at Barclays Center witnessed Reese continue her double-double streak.