by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 19, 2024

Cardi B Tells Estranged Husband Offset To Sign The Divorce Papers ‘TODAY’

Cardi B and Offset took their divorce drama to social media.

Cardi B’s recent social media feud on X with her estranged husband, Offset, leaves little doubt about how over their relationship she is.

The Grammy Award-winning rapper engaged in a messy back-and-forth with the Migos rapper on Wednesday, months after she filed for divorce. During the heated exchange, Cardi B urged Offset to sign the divorce papers she filed in August, one month before they welcomed their third child together.

“So dating because I’m single means I’m just worried about d*ck?? You sound like a dummy,” she tweeted in response to Offset. “Trying to be fake nice after you did what you wanted from the beginning trying to push a narrative to these people. Congratulations!! Fu*k off and sign the papers TODAY.”

Cardi B and Offset get into a heated exchange online; she tells him to sign the divorce papers already.

"babymomma acting ass bitch !!!" pic.twitter.com/wxuxKZY9zs
— No Jumper (@nojumper) December 18, 2024

The exchange, captured by No Jumper, started after the former couple attended the same nightclub in Miami over the weekend, where Offset was celebrating his 33rd birthday. Online comments suggest Cardi accused her estranged husband of following her to the venue.

The “Bad and Boujee” rapper responded by sharing a photo he had taken of Cardi earlier that night, attempting to refute her claims and show they had been together.

“Nobody win when the fam fight stop capping to these ppl to make yourself look like the h*e,” he wrote. “It ain’t the look u a fire [woman] good music, but you focus on d*ck and tryna make me look bad focus bra this sh*t is whack from us both, honestly. Drop the album and go up.”

Offset’s remarks set off the “Bodak Yellow” rapper, who took to X Spaces to claim she only gave her estranged husband “spite time” and “attention for one day” and had no intentions of getting back together. After Cardi demanded Offset sign the divorce papers, he claimed he would once she agreed to split custody of their three children, calling his soon-to-be ex-wife “single and miserable.”

But Cardi clapped back, claiming that her ex won’t let her move on, and reached out to all the guys she tried to date.

“You thought ni**as wasn’t going to be on me cause in your words, I got three kids in my thirties,” Cardi wrote in response. “I’m miserable. I don’t bother none of the h*es you fck, but every guy I talk to, you dming and talkin sh*t about me like let’s not !”

Cardi’s divorce filing in August marks her second attempt to end the seven-year marriage, following an initial filing four years ago that she later withdrew. The couple shares three children: daughter Kulture, 6, son Wave, 3, and a baby girl born in September.

by Mitti Hicks

December 19, 2024

Maryland PD Releases Body Cam DUI Arrest Of ‘Real Housewives Of Potomac’s’ Karen Huger

The arrest took place in March 2024.

The details surrounding what happened the night Real Housewives of Potomac star Karen Huger was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) have come to light.

Maryland Police released a body cam video showing what appears to be an intoxicated Huger and her 2017 Maserati, which she damaged after striking a median and crosswalk sign before crashing into a tree.

This week, a jury found Huger, 61, guilty of DUI along with several other charges, including negligent driving, during the March 2024 incident.

Body cam footage first obtained by Fox 5 DC shows Huger standing near a damaged white car that appears to be in a ditch on the side of the road.

As she walks to the ambulance with paramedics, a responding officer informs Huger that he’s recording on his body cam.

At one point, her husband arrives to assist a defiant Huger, who doesn’t want to hand officers her driver’s license. He also helps her answer the officer’s questions.

When the officer asked Huger if she remembered the car accident, she hesitates before saying yes. “You said someone ran you off the road,” Huger’s husband adds.

Police arrested Huger after a back and forth with police officers, who attempted to keep her from her car, which they said was on fire. She also refused a sobriety test.

During the trial, Page Six reported a cousin testified in Huger’s defense, saying he was on the phone with her the night she crashed. He said that while Huger was upset with personal matters, she did not seem drunk at the time.

Under Maryland law, drivers convicted of an impaired driving offense face up to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail for the first offense. In addition, drivers will accumulate 12 points on their driving record.

by Stacy Jackson

December 19, 2024

Macy’s To Say Farewell To 65 Locations After Holiday Season

Macy's plans to close 150 store locations over the next three years as the retail giant embarks on its 'Bold New Chapter.'

Finding a Macy’s is going to get a little more difficult. The department store chain will close about 65 locations by the end of January 2025.

Macy’s chairman and CEO Tony Spring reported the closures during Macy’s, Inc.’s third quarter 2024 earnings conference call on Dec. 11, according to a call transcript released by The Globe and Mail.

Store closures in 2025 are part of the chain’s “Bold New Chapter,” which will find 150 locations shuttered over the next three years.

“…We believe our Bold New Chapter initiatives, including the closure of roughly 65 non-go-forward locations this year, gets us even closer to our go-forward end state of becoming a more profitable Macy’s, Inc.,” Spring said.

ComingSoon.net reported that total net sales for the mega-retailer were $4.7 billion, a 2.4% decrease from last year. Spring reported positive third-quarter comps with both Bloomingdales and Bluemercury.

Macy’s operates 503 retail and small format stores, but as it focuses on its “Bold New Chapter,” announced back in February, the retailer wants to return to enterprise growth, focusing on the luxury market, strengthening its nameplate, and modernizing end-to-end operations.

In 1858, the department store chain opened its doors as a small dry goods shop on 14th Street in New York City. Macy’s opened its Herald Square location in 1902 and became the largest store in the world after completing its 7th Avenue addition over two decades later. The organization hosted its first parade in 1924, now widely known as the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.”

The retail giant launched its online shopping platform, macys.com, in 1996. Between 2009 and 2011, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s reached more customers by launching social media programs and by offering International Shipping online.

“America’s Department Store” has not announced what locations will be permanently closed.

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 19, 2024

Amazon Workers And Teamsters Link In ‘Largest Strike’ With Accusations Of ‘Insatiable Greed’

Strike efforts by union advocates The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Amazon warehouse workers have begun before one of the busiest delivery seasons of the year after claims that the company holds “insatiable greed,” ABC News reports.

The strike started on Dec. 19 in a number of large Amazon facilities in cities including New York City, Atlanta, three locations in Southern California, San Francisco, and Skokie, Illinois. In what Teamsters call the “largest strike against Amazon in U.S. history,” local unions will also be seen in primary picket lines at hundreds of Amazon Fulfillment Centers across state lines.

Things took a turn after the online shopping giant allegedly refused to bargain with workers organized with the Teamsters. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said in a statement that if shoppers are upset over delivery delays, they can blame Amazon. “If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed,” O’Brien said.

“We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it.”

According to the Associated Press, Teamsters represents close to 10,000 workers at 10 different Amazon facilities, which is only a small portion of the 1.5 million people that work for the company within its warehouses and corporate offices. O’Brien continued to say the strike is another demand for workers to get their respect. “Amazon is pushing its workers closer to the picket line by failing to show them the respect they have earned,” he said.

However, Amazon says they have been more than accommodating and accuse Teamsters of illegally coercing workers to join them. Spokesperson Kelly Nantel touched on the company taking a number of measures to enhance employee morale and the hiring process, including increasing the starting minimum wage for fulfillment center and transportation employees by 20%.

In September 2024, the company’s average base wage went up to $22 per hour. Nantel says the strike is just “another attempt to push a false narrative.” “For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public – claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers’. They don’t, and this is another attempt to push a false narrative,” she said.

“The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union.”

The company also claims that the fight for drivers is not theirs as Amazon claims they are not employees under a new business model. Delivery drivers allegedly work for a third-party business called Delivery Service Partners. However, Teamsters continue to stand on the shopping conglomerate controlling everything the drivers do, meaning they should be characterized as employees.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 19, 2024

Former Google CEO Warns That As AI Develops ‘We Need to Seriously Think About Unplugging It’

Google's former CEO is warning about the dangers of advanced AI being able to control itself.

A senior tech expert is raising concerns about the risks of advanced AI and recommending that platforms consider “unplugging it” as it continues to evolve.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt appeared on ABC News’ This Week with George Stephanopoulos on Dec.15, where he expressed his support for the U.S. leading the ongoing artificial intelligence (AI) race against China while cautioning that rapidly advancing technology needs to be properly controlled.

“We’re soon going to be able to have computers running on their own, deciding what they want to do,” Schmidt said. “And the way that happens is it’s a series of decisions. We go from agents to then… more powerful goals, and eventually, you say to the computer, ‘Learn everything and do everything.’ And that’s a dangerous point.”

“When the system can self-improve, we need to seriously think about unplugging it,” he added.

Stephanopoulos asked if an advanced AI tool can avoid someone being able to “unplug it,” to which Schmidt replied, “Well, in theory, we better have somebody with the hand on the plug – and metaphorically.”

Schmidt emphasized the government’s role in establishing safeguards for AI development, noting that “As long as human values – and by that I mean democratic liberal values in the classic sense of individual freedom and respect for an individual are preserved – we should be OK.”

The former Google head referenced previous beliefs on the U.S. being several years ahead of China in the AI race. However, China has closed the gap over the past six months “in a way that is remarkable,” he said.

“There’s a point at which, maybe in the next year or two, where the systems can begin to do their own research,” Schmidt said.

“They’re called AI scientists, as opposed to human scientists. So you go from having 1,000 human scientists to a million AI scientists. I think that increases the slope when you’re moving at this pace; it’s very hard for your competitors to catch up.”

“That’s the race,” he added. “It is crucial that America wins this race globally, and in particular, ahead of China.”

Schmidt cited expectations for the incoming Trump administration to prioritize U.S. competitiveness with China, a focus he described as beneficial.

by Roz A. Gee

December 19, 2024

Emmanuel Bailey: From Humble Beginnings To the First Black Lottery Operator

In a city that attracts millions of people worldwide, Emmanuel Bailey’s success story began in Washington, DC. Starting from humble beginnings—he grew up with a single mother and moved from rental unit to rental unit across the city and the Washington metropolitan area for most of his childhood. He saw his hometown stricken with crime and poverty at the height of the drug epidemic, and when he returned from college, his city was considered the murder capital of the country. But despite this adversity, he always worked hard and looked toward a brighter future—an ideal his mother instilled in him since he was a young child.

As Bailey began his journey toward a brighter future, he realized he needed to earn a college degree to be successful. Through this pursuit, he became the first member of his family to attend and graduate college. He enrolled at Eastern Kentucky University, earning a BA in Business Management. While at EKU, he set out to achieve the high standard of success his mother expected of him in all pursuits. After his time at EKU, he earned an Executive MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.

Emmanuel found success working in the financial sector early. Over the next 25 years, he rose through the ranks, starting as a branch officer at Citizens Bank of Maryland and eventually becoming a vice president at Fannie Mae. These roles provided him with invaluable experience as a savvy businessperson and a leader. After all he accomplished at Fannie Mae, it was time for him to strike out on his own.

Seeing potential in the lottery business, Emmanuel founded an operation services and management firm to run lotteries more efficiently and effectively. Vital Services Contractors (VSC) has management experience in all facets of a state lottery contract, including providing direct oversight and management of lottery agents, retail systems, gaming equipment deployment and maintenance, and oversight of the central gaming system performance. He worked in various roles in state lotteries throughout the country to gain a true institutional knowledge of the ins and outs of this new industry he was entering. Coupling his new knowledge with his business savvy, he set out to win contracts alongside the biggest names in the industry.

The lottery industry is extremely competitive, and contracts are often granted to large national companies. But, as Emmanuel grew his business, bringing in experienced staff and expanding VSC’s capabilities, he began to make a name for himself as a trustworthy and talented operator in the industry. Before long, he was collaborating with the titans in the field and eventually became the only Black business owner operating a state lottery in the entire U.S., in his home “state” of Washington, DC.

But his success did not end there.

Bailey continued honing his expertise, making VSC a multimillion-dollar company with over one hundred employees. He was recognized with the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries’ (NASPL) Powers Award in 2020, which he won based on a nomination from the DC lottery itself. In its nomination, the District of Columbia said that Emmanuel is “far from the stereotypical executive … and ensures that the DC Lottery is operable every day and that our business remains viable for the long-term future.” He is continuing to expand his business, opening a VSC office in Maryland and seeking to expand his geographic reach.

Despite all his success, Emmanuel never forgot about his family and connections to his community. He remains deeply committed to giving back to DC communities. He has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to various local DC-based organizations supporting programs like school sports and arts departments, educational support, and health services. He has also served on and continues to serve on multiple boards of local organizations.

Now, Emmanuel is looking to the future. Always seeking to enhance his business, Emmanuel is working to refine operations and improve the efficiency of the DC Lottery while continuing to give back to the community and create more opportunities for young children growing up in circumstances like his own. While his feet are firmly planted in the DMV, his ambitious and entrepreneurial spirit has his eyes on expansion into additional states. Above all his other accomplishments, he says his proudest achievement was helping his mother retire.

Jay-Z, jerseys, roc-a-fella, the black album, 20th, anniversary, Mitchell, Ness, Tony Buzbee

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 19, 2024

Tony Buzbee Files Lawsuit Against JAY-Z, Roc Nation, Marcy Croft, And Law Firm Quinn Emanuel

The Texas attorney claims they offered a former client money to sue his law firm.

The latest chapter of the Jay-Z/Tony Buzbee dispute has the Texas attorney suing the billionaire and his company, Roc Nation, alleging that they violated Texas state laws by offering one of his former clients money to sue his law firm.

According to USA Today, Buzbee has filed a lawsuit against not only the entrepreneur and his entertainment company but also the lawyer and law firm, Marcy Croft, and Quinn Emanuel, respectively, that represent Jay-Z.

The suit was filed on Dec. 18 in Harris County, Texas.

Jay-Z has previously asked that a lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2000 be dismissed after NBC News reported that there are “inconsistencies” in the now-38-year-old woman’s story.

Croft, who works with Team Roc, Roc Nation’s philanthropic arm, released a written statement to the media outlet regarding the latest lawsuit.

“Tony Buzbee has now conjured up fantastical allegations against me and my firm—well-known corruption fighters—in a desperate attempt to distract from his mounting legal woes. We look forward to addressing these false allegations and having them dismissed,” Craft told USA Today.

Buzbee addressed the lawsuit on his social media account, stating that the suit is being brought by his former client, who alleged that agents for the attorneys posed as Texas state employees.

He said that they “flashed fake badges” and offered the former client up to $10,000 to file a lawsuit against the Buzbee Law Firm. He also alleges that this was a directive coming from Roc Nation. Buzbee claims a similar action has happened more than “two dozen times to date and has resulted in two utterly frivolous cases against the firm.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tony Buzbee (@tonybuzbee)

“Tony Buzbee’s baloney lawsuit against Roc Nation is nothing but another sham,” Roc Nation said in a statement. “It’s a pathetic attempt to distract and deflect attention. This slideshow won’t change the ultimate outcome, and true justice will be served soon.”

The original lawsuit was first filed in October in the Southern District of New York, naming Sean “Diddy” Combs as the person accused of sexually assaulting the then-13-year-old girl. Buzbee then refiled it, adding Jay-Z as a second defendant.

Jay-Z has denied the claims.

blackenterprise.com/alex-spiro-tony-buzbee-false-diddy-claims

Florida, skyrise, high-rise, uildings, sinking

by Mitti Hicks

December 19, 2024

Florida High-Rises Are Sinking, According To Study

Almost three dozen high-rise condos and luxury hotels along a nearly 12-mile stretch from Miami Beach to Sunny Isles Beach have sunk or settled between 0.8 and 3.1 inches.

A study finds that high-rises in South Florida are sinking. Almost three dozen high-rise condos and luxury hotels along a nearly 12-mile stretch from Miami Beach to Sunny Isles Beach have sunk or settled between 0.8 and 3.1 inches.

According to scientists and researchers from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and the Earth Science, about half of the buildings are under a decade old.

“The discovery of the extent of subsidence hotspots along the South Florida coastline was unexpected,” Farzaneh Aziz Zanjani, the lead author, said in a statement. “The study underscores the need for ongoing monitoring and a deeper understanding of the long-term implications for these structures.”

The study also points out the devastating Champlain South Condominium Tower collapse in Surfside, Florida, on June 24, 2021. Ninety-eight people died in the building collapse, which researchers say highlights the need for monitoring building stability in coastal areas.

“While the collapse was primarily attributed to the deterioration of reinforced concrete because of poor maintenance and design flaws, ongoing concerns persist regarding the potential impact of South Florida’s coastal Karst environment on the structural integrity of buildings,” the report reads.

While scientists say it’s not uncommon for buildings to sink slightly during and even soon after construction, it’s alarming that some changes occurred
several years later.

What’s Going On With The Surface?

Researchers say South Florida’s geology plays a significant role in its vulnerability.

“South Florida’s geology is generally characterized by young, highly porous limestone containing dissolution features like vugs, cavities, and sinkholes,” said researchers, adding, “but the geological situation of the barrier islands is complex because the limestone may contain interbedded sand layers.”

The limestone under the South Florida beach, which is also mixed with layers of sand, can ultimately shift under the weight of the buildings and high rises. According to the report, construction activities accelerate the settling.

The scientists’ report is clear: They want to continue studying how buildings are impacted and whether they sink at different rates. This will provide them with more insight and help to monitor long-term damage.

State courts to consider blocking Trump from 2024 ballot under the ‘insurrection’ clause

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 19, 2024

New Hair, Who Dis? Social Media Clowns Trump Over New Hairdo

New do or hat hair?

Newsweek reports that President-elect Donald Trump debuted a new look underneath his signature “Make America Great Again” hat.

Trump removed his hat and showed off his new look while appearing at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. As the video circulated throughout social media, some users gushed over his new look, claiming it made him look “more youthful.”

The swirly birds nest is gone! Trump gets a makeover, debuting a new closer cropped hairstyle. Got to admit it’s a big improvement, and makes him look more youthful. pic.twitter.com/sFeP33yv05
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) December 18, 2024

But others welcomed an opportunity to clown the incoming President. One user compared his look to the “Home Alone” character Buzz McCallister.

https://twitter.com/chadharperx/status/1869421085160321180

@AJFrancis410 said the hairdo reminded him of the “1980s NFL Bust haircut.”

https://twitter.com/AJFrancis410/status/1869473930085618033

It even caught the attention of some conservative news hosts. During a Fox News broadcast, Outnumbered panelists Emily Compagno and Harris Faulkner debated whether Trump’s new look was an updated haircut or a case of hat hair. According to The Independent, Compagno celebrated Trump for keeping the “same iconic hairdo” since the 1980s and ranked it amongst the legendary looks of Elvis Presley and Farrah Fawcett. She labeled it as “one of history’s most iconic cuts.”

She then asked her co-hosts for their thoughts. Faulkner labeled it “winds of winning” when Compagno said the ‘do is a golfer’s issue because of his hat. “They have blown back his ‘do,’ and he is leaning into the victory,” Faulkner said.

The indicted businessman has historically been protective of his hair, as there have been claims of him sporting a wig for decades. During a 2011 interview with Rolling Stone, Trump claimed he doesn’t comb his mane forward, nor does he have “a bad hairline.” “When you think about it, it’s not bad. I mean, I get a lot of credit for comb-overs. But it’s not really a comb-over. It’s sort of a little bit forward and back,” he said.

“I’ve combed it the same way for years. Same thing, every time.”

He maintained that same energy in 2013 by tweeting, “As everybody knows, but the haters and losers refuse to acknowledge, I do not wear a ‘wig.’ My hair may not be perfect, but it’s mine.”

To prove it, shortly before winning the White House in 2016, late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon rubbed his hand in his hair, messing it up during an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

INGRID LLEWIS-MMARTIN, NYC, MAYOR, EERIC ADAMS, RESIGNATION

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 19, 2024

Former NYC Mayor Top Aide And Son Likely To Face Bribery Charges

Lewis-Martin allegedly helped two businessman who gave her son, Glenn Martin II, a $100,000 loan to buy a Porsche.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ top aide, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, and her son will likely face bribery charges.

According to the New York Post, she is the latest and highest-profile city official to be indicted following the September shakedown of Adams’ administration and its alleged illegal practices.

In the early hours of Dec. 19, as Lewis-Martin entered the Manhattan Criminal Court to surrender to authorities. Her son, Glenn Martin II, followed.

Prosecutors have accused Lewis-Martin of helping progress construction plans prompted by two businessmen, who then gave her son a $100,000 loan to purchase a Porsche.. One of the men, hotelier Mayank Dwivedi, will also face charges over the matter.

Ahead of her impending indictment, Lewis-Martin abruptly resigned from Adams’ administration. Adams has yet to step down as mayor.

“I’m here falsely accused of something,” said the 63-year-old during a Dec. 16 news conference. “I don’t know exactly what it is, but I know that I was told that it’s something that’s illegal, and I have never done anything illegal in my capacity in government.”

She stood outside the Midtown office of her attorney, Arthur Aidala, who accused the Manhattan prosecutors of trying to redeem their image following Daniel Penny’s acquittal. Penny was tried for applying a fatal chokehold on homeless man Jordan Neely on a New York City subway.

“They wanted a press conference. They wanted headlines. And sadly, that’s because politics has really infiltrated the justice system,” said Aidala, who once represented Harvey Weinstein and Rudy Giuliani. “We all know that the Manhattan DA’s office took a big black eye last week…with the Penny verdict.”

He added, “We’re preparing for an indictment to come down, and I am sure it will be written in a way that sounds damning. And again, pieces of puzzles are going to be put together to make it look as horrible as possible. But we know the truth. And the truth is that Ingrid Lewis-Martin never broke the law.”

Adams has refused to comment at length about Lewis-Martin’s new legal battle, but he did refer to her as “longtime friend and sister.”