CeeLo Green, confederate flag, Instagram

by Mary Spiller

January 4, 2025

Ceelo Green Under Fire For Wearing Confederate Flag Hoodie In Instagram Post

Ceelo Green captioned the post "soul" and "rebel."

Fans of rapper Ceelo Green are expressing their disappointment with the “I’ll Be Around” songwriter. On Jan. 2, Green posted a photo on Instagram of himself donning a Confederate flag hoodie.

He captioned the controversial picture with the hashtags “soul” and “rebel.”

In response to Green’s post, dozens of his fans took to the comment section to give their opinions on his choice of clothing.

The post has since received over 2,000 likes, but commenters were offended by Green’s photo, and they let the “Crazy” artist know exactly what they thought about his insensitive outfit choice.

One commenter wrote, “Love you lo, but you bout to get unfollowed.”

Another fan added, “You could’ve kept this one to yourself, unc.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEVMVl6u_Bp/?igsh=OHV3ZmE1Z2Izczg1

The Confederate flag has a long and violent history associated with racism and white supremacy and often stood as an indication of deep South support in the Civil War era.

Another commenter suggested that Green leave controversial pics to other artists like Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

They commented, “Leave this kinda work to Kanye. [You too] cool for this one bro.”

However, others believe there may be a common thread between Green’s latest post and the pictures that preceded it. The former Goodie Mob member posted two others the same day, one showing him draped in the African American flag and another wearing an American flag sweater.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DETjY37Nm_6/?igsh=MTE5Y2w2eHFudHRvZw==

An online user pointed out, “What’s the issue? His last few posts have been flags! We’re so quick to judge! Process it for a minute & keep watching! The Dungeon has always been ahead of its time!!!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DERIeALtJQP/?igsh=Yjd4eDY4MG52d3Ji

Ceelo Green addressed a few of the comments directly underneath his post. In one where a fan asked him what’s changed between 1998 and now, he responded, “Nothing has changed, unfortunately, and that’s the point.”

by Daniel Johnson

January 4, 2025

NBA Star Derrick Rose Debuts As Filmmaker With Short Honoring Chicago Roots

'Becoming A Rose' is a film Rose has dedicated to his hometown, Chicago.

Retired NBA star Derrick Rose will debut as a director on Jan. 4 at the United Center with his short film “Becoming A Rose,” which he has dedicated to his hometown, Chicago. The film, which has a runtime shy of four minutes, was co-directed by the former Chicago Bulls player in collaboration with his shoe sponsor, Adidas.

According to The Athletic, a private screening of the film was held on Jan. 2 before its public debut. Rose donned black sunglasses at the screening because he knew he would become emotional, partly because his son, 12-year-old PJ Rose, narrates the film.

“That’s why I had to wear the glasses, because I knew I was going to get emotional. I can’t explain it. That’s something that you see in movies, or I’m normally on the couch watching somebody get this,” Rose told the outlet.

https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1875343256902602976?s=19

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson marked Jan. 4 as Derrick Rose Day. Although the Bulls’ game against the Knicks, another team Rose played for during his career, is being marketed as “Derrick Rose Night,” the film is about the city that made him.

“I want the city to feel like they can stunt on another city or state and be, like, ‘Look what we got. Look what we made,’” Rose told The Athletic. “Because it’s no way that I could tell my story without telling the city’s story.”

According to Joakim Noah, his former Bulls teammate and friend Rose, whose nickname “Pooh” was given to him by his grandmother, is a rare talent who thrived in the spotlight of leading his hometown team.

“Pooh’s as special as they come. When that crowd (Saturday) is going to chant ‘MVP,’ it’s bigger than just basketball. It’s just beautiful to see how far he’s come. This story is about more than just winning a championship. This is a painful story. This is as soulful as they come. This is a Chicago story,” Noah told the outlet.

Although the film is a coming home of sorts for Derrick Rose, the basketball player, it is also a settling of the learned values of Derrick Rose, a citizen of Chicago.

As he told The Athletic, Rose was determined to use Black and Latinx people from Chicago as opposed to hiring outsiders.

“We could shoot this film, and we could have used everybody from different cities and fly them in, but we used people who were from here. A lot of us were (Black and Brown people) on the set working. That’s where I see us, our team, adapting: giving in different ways, finding unique ways to show gratitude,” Rose said.

He continued, “When you look at the economy and really think practically about what’s going on and how people are hurting, coming back here and just seeing the visual, certain places still look the same. Every year I’m going to come back, it may still look the same. I’m going to say that for the next 10, 20 years The question is going to come up, ‘Who’s going to change it?’ I’ll answer the question: It’s going to be me. It’s going to have to be me or my team to change it. Taking responsibility, taking ownership in it…but doing it smart and doing it the right way by employing people and giving people opportunities.”

Rose concluded, “This is going to represent a Chicago feel, a Chicago way, of presenting ourselves to the world. It’s all intrinsic. It’s all real, and I hope you guys love it.”

by Daniel Johnson

January 4, 2025

Trump To Be Sentenced For Hush Money Conviction

Judge signals unconditional discharge, sparing jail time for the convicted felon.

President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sentenced on Jan. 10, with Judge Juan Merchan granting the option to appear in person or virtually.

On Jan. 3, Judge Merchan upheld Trump’s conviction but indicated he was leaning toward sparing him jail time. He referred to the decision as an “unconditional discharge, ” which would make Trump a felon without affecting his freedom.

Although Trump would be a felon by definition of law, carrying the distinction of being the only felon to occupy the White House in American history, an unconditional discharge reportedly carries virtually no penalty for his conviction.

Trump had faced a potential four-year prison sentence but could still appeal Judge Merchan’s decision to uphold the jury’s verdict. The ruling rejected Trump’s argument that his 2024 presidential election victory should overturn his conviction.

According to Judge Merchan’s ruling, “To dismiss the indictment and set aside the jury verdict would not serve the concerns set forth by the Supreme Court in its handful of cases addressing presidential immunity nor would it serve the rule of law.”

Judge Merchan continued, “On the contrary, such (a) decision would undermine the rule of law in immeasurable ways,” adding in his ruling that “the sanctity of a jury verdict” is “a bedrock principle in our nation’s jurisprudence.”

Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, said in a statement that Trump’s sentencing could potentially become a distraction but did not comment on any plans to appeal Judge Merchan’s ruling.

“President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the witch hunts,” Cheung stated. “There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.”

Trump’s lawyers also invoked the Justice Department’s long-standing precedent not to prosecute sitting presidents and the recent Supreme Court ruling granting presidential immunity in their calls to dismiss the jury’s decision. Judge Merchan also addressed their arguments in his Jan. 3 ruling.

“Binding precedent does not provide that an individual, upon becoming president, can retroactively dismiss or vacate prior criminal acts nor does it grant blanket presidential-elect immunity,” Judge Merchan wrote.

The New York Times reported that no other defendant convicted of the same felony as Trump has received an unconditional discharge. All others faced some combination of jail or prison time, probation, conditional discharges, community service, or fines.

by Mary Spiller

January 4, 2025

Olympic Sprinter Fred Kerley Arrested After Police Confrontation In Miami

Kerley has been charged with battery and resisting arrest following the altercation.

Fred Kerley, a 29-year-old Olympic sprinter, has been arrested and charged with battery following an altercation with Miami Beach Police. According to a local news report, Kerley was tased after allegedly approaching the scene of an active investigation on Jan. 2.

Following his arrest, Kerley was charged with battery on a police officer, corrections officer, or firefighter, resisting an officer without violence, and disorderly conduct.

Miami Beach Police reported that Kerley approached the scene of an active police investigation in Miami near the 100 block of Ninth Street.

The Team USA sprinter told officers he was concerned about his car parked near the investigation site. Authorities explained that Kerley was interfering with the investigation when he approached the crime scene.

Detectives on the scene described the sprinter as becoming increasingly aggressive and repeatedly refusing orders to get back.

Police used a stun gun on Kerley after he denied officers’ request for him to leave the scene.

As seen in the NBC–obtained body camera footage, the officer’s altercation with Kerley ensues after one pushes Kerley in the chest. Several officers on the scene then proceeded to force the sprinter to the ground — while one struck him multiple times.

Kerley’s girlfriend, Cleo Rahman, was reportedly also at the scene when the altercation broke out. She urged officers to stop during the altercation, and she was eventually arrested for resisting arrest as well.

She described, “And they tased him, hit him with the Taser. Look, as soon as he tries to get up. [An officer] pushed my hand out of the way, and when I tried to pull back, they arrested me.”

She continued, “I was literally recording because he’s an athlete, and I didn’t want anything to happen to him, and if something did happen to him, I wanted to make sure that I had the footage.”

After Kerley was tased, officers called for emergency backup.

The Olympic sprinter appeared before Judge Mindy S. Glazer of the Miami-Dade Circuit on Jan. 3.

During the initial hearing, Glazer seemed to express some disappointment at how the Miami Beach Police treated Kerley.
She said, “This could have been handled a different way, and I don’t know if the officers in Miami Beach are busy handling a lot of complicated crime scenes.”

Kerley has won Olympic medals in the men’s 100-meter race for the past two global events. He won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and a bronze at last year’s 2024 Paris Games.

Livingstone College, organ Donation, kidney

by Mary Spiller

January 4, 2025

HBCU Livingstone College Receives $3M Donation

The gift came from an anonymous donor who has been supporting Livingstone throughout the last fiscal year.

Livingstone College has received a substantial anonymous donation from a long-time donor. The private Christian HBCU in Salisbury, North Carolina, will enter its spring semester with a $3 million boost.

As reported by HBCU Gameday, Livingstone President Dr. Anthony J. Davis announced in a faculty speech, “Over the vacation — over the paid time off — I received notification that Livingstone College will kick off this academic year with another anonymous gift from our anonymous donor to the tune of $3 million.”

He added, “We don’t receive philanthropy at this level because of a president who gets up and makes an eloquent speech. This happens because all of you have been committed to this miracle approach. It’s because of the work that you’re doing, and it’s making us [Livingstone] the fastest-growing HBCU in North Carolina.”

The donation money will be used for renovation projects on Livingstone’s campus, including several residence halls and cafeteria services.

The donation came from a source that has previously supported the HBCU. The college reportedly received $23 million from the donor over the fiscal year, mostly through a $10 million donation in July.

Davis credited the donations partly for Livingstone’s success in the past year. The university has a 13% growth rate and is one of only five private HBCUs in North Carolina.

Davis explained that the impressive growth puts Livingstone in the spotlight now.

He said, “Which means that the world is watching. The world wants to know. — ‘Wait a minute, Livingstone? They’re getting philanthropic contributions like Morehouse and Spelman. We are. It’s because of the work that you’re doing.”

He added, “When we talk about slow control growth, it’s about capacity. We could not function above 1,200 students right now, physically on campus. So right now we’re at 941. We’re almost close to capacity.”

CDC ,HIV Research Prevention, Black Women

by Kandiss Edwards

January 4, 2025

CDC Awards $1.4M To HIV Research Prevention For Black Women

Cisgender Black women are disproportionately affected by HIV.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded a $1.4 million grant to a University of Albany professor, Melonie Walcott, to research HIV prevention for Black women, the university’s website announced.

Professor Walcott’s study will focus on cisgender women in New York State and will span four years. The project, titled “PrEP-WISE” (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for Women in Charge of Sexual Decision-Making and Engagements), will explore the use of the HIV prevention drug PrEP.

“Black women face unique vulnerabilities to HIV, including systemic inequities and socioeconomic challenges, yet they are often overlooked in HIV prevention efforts,” Walcott said. “This study seeks to address those gaps through culturally relevant and community-centered interventions.”

Walcott is assembling a diverse team of prevention experts, faith-based organizations, and community collaborators to help with the research.

The initial phase will involve interviews with 25 women and 10 healthcare providers to examine access to PrEP, barriers to its use, and potential solutions.

Walcott believes the inclusion of multiple demographics will foster more authentic community engagement.

“By involving a variety of stakeholders, our study aims to identify and understand the nuanced challenges that Black women face, including systemic barriers within healthcare systems,” Walcott said.

In addition to working with medical professionals, Walcott plans to conduct community outreach to share life-saving information.

“In addition to reaching out to medical providers, I’m also actively visiting community spaces such as salons, churches, and corner stores to share information about the project,” Walcott said.

Once the study’s first phase is completed, Walcott will begin peer-led intervention sessions. These sessions will address systemic inequalities and educate Black women about sustainable well-being practices.

Proposed topics for the upcoming sessions include:

Assessing HIV vulnerability: Helping participants evaluate their personal risk, considering environmental and social factors, as well as the risk level of their partner(s).
Gender norms and power dynamics: Building skills to communicate effectively with health providers and sexual partners about HIV prevention.
PrEP basics: Combating stigma, understanding the medication, and reducing barriers to its use.
Financial literacy: Providing tools to enhance financial stability and overall health security.

Walcott’s study is sorely needed as Black people make up “37% of new HIV infections, even though they make up 12% of the population,” according to the CDC.

Florida Woman, Arrested , Child Neglect, Alleged Abuse, Girlfriend's Son

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 4, 2025

Former Nurse Charged With Child Abuse After 3 Premature Babies Sustain Fractures At Virginia Hospital

Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman has been charged with child abuse in the neonatal intensive care unit at a Virginia hospital.

A former nurse was arrested on Jan. 2 following an investigation into alleged child abuse taking place in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Virginia’s Henrico Doctors’ Hospital.

Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 26, was arrested and is facing charges of malicious wounding and felony child abuse in connection with a late 2024 incident that left three infants in the NICU with “unexplainable fractures,” according to officials. Strotman was arrested and charged with malicious wounding and felony child abuse, which the hospital confirmed occurred in late November or early December, NBC News reports.

Her arrest follows the hospital’s announcement, one week prior, that it was temporarily halting NICU admissions after three babies were discovered with unexplained fractures in late November and early December. Strotman was already placed on paid administrative leave in 2023 after the hospital conducted an internal investigation.

She was determined to be one of two staff persons “found to have had contact with all of the infants in the timeframe identified,” and unlike the other employee, Strotman was “new to the unit and had more direct care responsibilities with the NICU infants.”

According to a statement from HCA, which operates Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, the recent fractures reported in late 2024 resemble incidents involving four other babies at the hospital during the summer of 2023. One of those injured babies, Noah Hackey, suffered a fractured tibia while in the NICU at the hospital in September 2023.

A CPS report cited “level 1 for physical abuse of Noah by an employee by the Henrico Doctor’s Hospital NICU.” After the hospital re-opened Noah’s case and a few others, Strotman was identified as the suspect.

She was taken into custody Thursday and booked at Henrico Jail West early Friday morning. The hospital stated that, out of an abundance of caution, it is no longer accepting new babies into its NICU.

They have also implemented additional security measures, such as installing live-streaming technology and mandating safety training for all caregivers. Police also said they are “re-examining the 2023 and 2024 cases as part of this broader investigation.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 4, 2025

Michigan Governor Signs Law Preventing Landlords From Rejecting Renters Over Source Of Income

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has just signed three Senate bills on Monday, Dec. 30, stating the provisions that can't be used to discriminate based on the tenants' source of income.

A new law in Michigan prevents landlords from rejecting prospective tenants based on how they receive income, such as housing vouchers, veterans’ benefits, or Social Security.

According to M Live, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has just signed three Senate bills on Dec. 30, stating the provisions that can’t be used to discriminate based on the tenants’ source of income. Senate Bills 205, 206, and 207 state that landlords cannot deny someone a place to rent based on their source of income. That stipulates renters can’t be excluded because they receive Section 8 housing choice vouchers, public assistance, veterans’ benefits, Social Security, supplemental security income, or other retirement programs.

“I am committed to growing access to affordable housing so every Michigander can raise their family in a vibrant community,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a written statement. “That’s why I am proud to sign these commonsense bills that expand affordable housing options and protect Michiganders from housing discrimination.”

The law is in place for landlords who preside over five or more units.

Whitmer added that the latest law could help 34,290 families “afford a roof over their heads.”

Detroit Free Press reported the details of the senate bills signed by the Michigan governor.

Senate Bill 205 prohibits landlords from refusing to rent or lease a unit to someone based on how they earn the money they use to pay their rent. Senate Bill 206 specifies that people who are receiving public assistance like housing, veterans’ benefits, Social Security, and several other types of benefits or subsidies would be covered under this new law. Senate Bill 207 updates the state’s civil rights law to reflect the changes to the state’s rental regulations.

Tenants who feel landlords are denying them apartments based on their source of income, which falls under these laws, can file complaints with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 4, 2025

Dame Dash Says He Discovered Kevin Hart But Comedian Won’t Help Him In Return, ‘I Should Never Have to Ask for Nothing’

Damon Dash claims that he discovered Kevin Hart and apparently believes the comedian should repay him financially.

Damon Dash takes credit for discovering Kevin Hart and calls the comedian out for not paying it forward or reaching back.

The Roc-A-Fella co-founder recently sat down with Art of the Dialogue, where he didn’t hold back while expressing his gripes over his soured relationships in Hollywood. Among them is Kevin Hart, whose first acting role was in Dash’s film State Property 2.

“I discovered him. That was the first movie he was ever in,” Dash declared.

“So, you know, I was looking for comedians, and I went to the club…..I told him I had a movie I wanted him to be in, and I put him in the movie the next week. I directed them. That was like my first, that was like my directorial debut.”

He went on to cast Hart in another movie, Death of a Dynasty, which Dash says was the comedian’s second acting role, citing the early potential he saw in the rising star.

“I thought he was funny. I knew that he was safe, that white people were funny. He didn’t mind being teased,” Dash said of Hart.

When asked about the current status of his relationship with the superstar comedian, Dash mentioned that the two remain on speaking terms, but Hart “don’t help” whenever he asks for favors.

“I’ll be like, ‘yo, could you put,’ he won’t put, you know, he won’t help me promote anything I’m doing,” Dash said of Hart.

According to Dash, he shouldn’t have to ask for money from the successful individuals he helped bring into the public spotlight.

“You know what I mean? Like, to be honest to me, the amount of people that I actually put on, I should never be broke, ever in life,” Dash quipped. “I should never have to fund nothing. I should never have to struggle.”

Dash continued. “I should just look like, it should just be an anonymous bag with money all the time. The amount of people whose lives I’ve changed, if they were like on it, like, I shouldn’t even have to move, but it seems like the people that I help the most, they end up resent me the most. I don’t know why. Like, I should never have to ask for nothing.”

In March 2022, Dash was ordered to pay director Josh Webber and Muddy Water Pictures $805,000 after losing a copyright infringement lawsuit. Last year, the former hip-hop mogul sold off his shares of Roc-A-Fella Records to satisfy the lawsuit judgment.

Since his financial fall from grace, Dash has sat down for interviews where he vents his frustrations about many of his former peers. His latest remarks on Kevin Hart have been met with criticism on social media.

“Black people are the only race that expects a favor back; we’re also the only race that feels like you owe us if you make it big; we’re also the only race that would rather someone do badly than be more successful than you,” one person tweeted.

Black people are the only race that expects a favor back, we’re also the only race that feels like you owe us if you make it big, we’re also the only race that would rather someone do bad than be more successful than you.

It needs to end.
— Dom (@Underrated_Dom) January 2, 2025

“So you helped him, so you should be able to extort him for the rest of his life?” another user wrote. “But Dame, you told us all to boss up. Pocket-watching Kevin Hart and complaining about him not returning the favor is not what I would have expected.”

by Mitti Hicks

January 4, 2025

Report: Here Are The Top 10 Safest Cities In The U.S.

WalletHub conducted a study that compared more than 180 cities across 41 key safety indicators to determine where Americans feel most secure.

Many factors impact safety in the United States. Natural disasters, mass shootings, and domestic terrorism are some of the threats that impact safety. According to WalletHub, another threat Americans worry about is their financial safety, as inflation continues to affect many Americans’ daily lives.

Avoiding all danger is impossible, but certain places mitigate risks. WalletHub conducted a study comparing more than 180 cities across 41 key safety indicators to determine where Americans feel most secure. The data set included traffic fatalities, assaults, unemployment rate, and the percentage population of those uninsured.

Here are the top 10 safest cities in the U.S. for 2024

South Burlington, Vermont
Casper, Wyoming
Warwick, Rhode Island
Burlington, Vermont
Boise, Idaho
Yonkers, New York
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Columbia, Maryland
Portland, Maine
Virginia Beach, Virginia

What Experts Say About The Top 3 Safest Cities

South Burlington, Vermont

Road safety is a significant factor in South Burlington’s ranking at the top of the list. It has one of the lowest pedestrian fatality rates nationwide and has the 13^th-lowest percentage of uninsured motorists.

The city has the lowest unemployment rate in the country, at 1.9%. Over the past year, it has had the second-lowest share of seriously underwater mortgages and the third-lowest number of non-business bankruptcy filings per capita.

“This demonstrates that residents are doing well financially and are at a reduced risk of being unable to pay their bills, losing their property, or becoming homeless,” the report reads.

Casper, Wyoming

Like South Burlington, Casper is ranked as the second-safest city because of its low pedestrian fatality rate and the 32^nd-lowest aggravated assault rate. Casper has the 42^nd-lowest murder rate among the cities WalletHub analyzed.

Another win for living in Casper is it has a low risk of natural disasters or severe weather.

“The city has the sixth-lowest risk of hail, 20th-lowest risk of flooding, 24th-lowest risk of tornadoes, and 32nd-lowest risk of earthquakes,” the report reads.

Another benefit of living in Casper is residents are generally safe from fraud as it has the fewest identity theft complaints and the second-fewest fraud complaints per capita.

Warwick, Rhode Island

As the third safest city in the country, Warwick, Rhode Island, has the lowest number of murders and the second-lowest number of aggravated assaults per capita.

For natural disasters, Warwick ranks as the city with the seventh-lowest risk of hail, the 10th-lowest risk of wildfires, the 23rd-lowest risk of tornados, and the 29th-lowest risk of earthquakes.

“Warwick provides good conditions for financial safety,” the report reads. “It has the seventh-lowest percentage of residents without health insurance and the sixth-lowest percentage living in poverty.”

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