model, stabbing, nyc, ice cream truck, Detroit,
by Ann Brown

October 5, 2024

New York Ex-Gov. David Paterson And Stepson Attacked While Walking Dog

Paterson, 70, who is legally blind, and 20-year-old Sliwa, were confronted a trio of young men.

Former New York Gov. David Paterson and his stepson, Anthony Chester Sliwa, were attacked by a group of young suspects while walking their dog on Manhattan’s Upper East Side on the night of Oct. 4, according to law enforcement sources and Paterson’s spokesperson.

The incident occurred shortly before 9 P.M. near Second Avenue and East 96th Street. Paterson, 70, who is legally blind, and 20-year-old Sliwa, the son of Guardian Angels Founder Curtis Sliwa, confronted a trio of young men, possibly teens, climbing a fire escape. After the two warned the group to stop, they were attacked by the suspects as they walked away, The New York Post reports.

Paterson’s spokesperson, Sean Darcy, confirmed that both Paterson and his stepson sustained injuries but were able to fend off the attackers. “They both suffered some injuries but were able to fight off their attackers,” Darcy said, also noting that there had been a previous interaction between Paterson’s stepson and the suspects.

The former governor sustained a head injury, while Sliwa suffered a facial wound. Sources indicated that Sliwa’s injuries were more severe. Both were taken to NY-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center as a precaution, and a police report has been filed. No arrests had been made.

Paterson, who served as governor of New York from 2008 to 2010, is married to Mary Paterson, the ex-wife of Curtis Sliwa. The couple married in 2019, and Sliwa had previously praised Paterson for being an excellent stepfather to Anthony.

Anthony Sliwa has long been involved in his father’s Guardian Angels activities. The Guardian Angels is a volunteer unarmed crime prevention organization founded in 1979 in New York City by Curtis Sliwa. In 2016, The New York Post reports that Sliwa, then 12, had been patrolling the subway with his father, Curtis, as part of the Guardian Angels.

NBC News New York reports that the NYPD is investigating the incident, and Paterson and his family are recovering from the ordeal. The attack has sparked concerns about safety on the Upper East Side, a typically quiet and affluent neighborhood, especially for public figures like Paterson.

RELATED CONTENT: New York Governor Takes Bond Issuance to Task

Black MAGA, Trump, Michigan
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 5, 2024

Social Media Clowns Black Trump Supporter Jumped By White MAGA Supporters 

An unidentified Black man was physically attacked by two white men while standing in line at a Trump rally in Saginaw, Michigan.

A viral video posted to X of a Black Donald Trump supporter being jumped by two white MAGA supporters has people clowning him up and down social media timelines. 

The video shows an unidentified Black man being physically attacked by two white men while standing in line at a Trump rally in Saginaw, Michigan. Bystanders were seen filming the encounter, which lasted around 20 seconds. As the video went viral, the man, labeled a MAGA supporter due to his bright red Trump hoodie and hat, received more punches online as users jumped in. 

Democratic account holder @popularliberal laughed at the incident. “Aha… that’s what they get!!!” he said. 

https://twitter.com/PopularLiberal/status/1841943842561654907

Book influencer @whatupsisi reposted a screenshot of the attack, saying, “when you do clownery…”

One user wondered why he was there to begin with, while another questioned if he thought his attire would be enough to have him “included.” “When 90 percent of the people that attend those rallies are racist, this is what you can expect. Did the black Trump supporter think he was going to be welcomed at a Trump rally?” @dwericks2 wrote. 

https://twitter.com/dwericks2/status/1842118845793743009

@TruWordsRSpoken compared the encounter to when a white lawmaker patted Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fl.) on the back of the head, referring to another way of saying “good boy.” 

The reality is that there is an influx of Black Trump supporters in the battleground state of Michigan. According to ABC News, Black voters make up close to 13% of Michigan’s electorate. While polls show Vice President Kamala Harris is gaining confidence among Black voters, Trump is still standing his ground in Michigan. A poll shows a significant drop in Democratic support among young voters. 

However, young voters are very specific about what they want to see from Trump if he is elected in November. Michigan voters want him to focus on the economy more, specifically job creation and decreasing inflation. As a battleground state, he narrowly won voters over in 2016, but they feel if he shifts his focus some, the 2024 election is his.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Trump Fan Sues NY Mets After Staffer Allegedly Forced Her To Remove MAGA Hat

Bible, Trump, Oklahoma, IVF, education
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 5, 2024

Oklahoma School Superintendent Lists ‘Trump Bible’ As One Book That Meets New Classroom Criteria

America is going to hell.

A Bible endorsed by former President Donald Trump will be used within Oklahoma schools, thanks to state school Superintendent Ryan Walters, the Oklahoman reports. 

On Sept. 29, bids were made public for a contract to supply the state Department of Education with 55,000 Bibles. Bid documents show that bid requirements include Bibles being of the King James Version, holding the Old and New Testaments, and including copies of the Pledge of Allegiance, Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Lastly, all Holy books should be bound in leather or leather-like material.

Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the U.S.A. Bible, praised by Trump, made the cut. It costs $60 each online, including a cut for the four-time-indicted businessman due to his endorsement. With 55,000 Bibles in the schools, that amounts to $3.3 million in Trump’s pocket. 

Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice Executive Director Colleen McCarty says the RFP seems “fair” but found it odd that few Bibles match the requirements. “We can see there are very few Bibles on the market that would meet these criteria, and all of them have been endorsed by former President Donald Trump,” she said. 

However, former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson thinks the request may violate some laws. “It appears to me that this bid is anything but competitive. It adds to the basic specification other requirements that have nothing to do with the text,” Edmondson said. 

“The special binding and inclusion of government documents will exclude almost all bidders. If the bid specs exclude most bidders unnecessarily, I could consider that a violation.”

According to the New Republic, Trump is cashing in on another Bible. The troubled politician signed a different version of Greenwood’s publication and sold it at retail for $1,000 each. Supporters gravitated toward the book because it played on Trump’s campaign, saying, “We must make America pray again.” 

In July 2024, Walters revealed new guidelines for teaching Bibles in classrooms and laid out the consequences if districts refused to comply. “Every teacher, every classroom in the state, will have a Bible in the classroom and will be teaching from the Bible in the classroom,” Walters said at the time of the announcement.

Some superintendents said they have no problem being reprimanded as they won’t permit their teachers to follow suit. “We will not be forcing our teachers to do this,” Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller said on Aug. 12. “As a Christian myself, the idea of diminishing the word of God to a mere classroom prop is a little repulsive to me, so we will not be complying with that directive of having a physical Bible in every classroom.” 

Close to 130 people have resigned or been terminated since Walters took office in 2023. 

Walter’s controversial request came about on Sept. 26. He asked for $3 million to purchase as part of the fiscal year 2026 budget request that will go before the Oklahoma Legislature. The funds allegedly come from payroll savings. He boasted about being “proud” that the state would be “the first state in the country to bring the Bible back to every classroom.”

Paperback versions of the New King James Version are sold online for $2.99 each, 5% less than the cost of the Trump-endorsed Bible. Many Bible apps are also free. 

As elected superintendent, Walter appeared on conservative podcasts, radio shows, and TV stations. He makes $60,000 a year under a contract with D.C.-based Vought Strategies, which books him for weekly national interviews.

Atlanta
by Kandiss Edwards

October 5, 2024

Atlanta Inspector General Report Reveals ‘Pay To Play’ Scheme In Local Government

The former Atlanta employees are being accused of bribery and extortion in a 'pay to play' scheme.

The Atlanta Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a new report citing corruption in the Department of City Planning’s Light Commercial Division. Sheaner Magee, Shaniecia Tucker, and Angela Epps are accused of soliciting bribes to expedite compliance permits. The women are former City of Atlanta Department of City Buildings Planning Office of Buildings (OOB) employees.

According to OIG’s Oct. 3 report, the investigation began in March 2023 and was prompted by a tip from an OOB customer. After Magee contacted a customer to request a $500 fee to expedite the application review process, the customer alerted another OOB employee. It was this employee that reached out to OIG. 

The investigation revealed, “Magee contacted the OOB customer via her personal email account and personal cellular phone, actions that deviated from OOB permit technician protocols.”

Once the investigation into Magee began, the larger plot involving Tucker and Epps unfolded. From January 2022 to February 2023, OIG discovered, “Magee accepted at least five Zelle payments ranging from $75 to $450.’

Tucker and Epps were also found to have accepted Zelle payments from potential customers. The subject lines read “plans” or “expeditor.” 

“Tucker accepted four payments from OOB customers, ranging from $200 to $1,200, from November through April 2023. As was the case with Magee, all of the customers had active OOB applications on which Tucker was assisting near the time of payment,” the report states. The report continues, “Epps received five payments from an electrician, ranging from $50 to $200.”

The OIG interviewed current and former employees for information on the application process.

An unnamed employee says switching from paper to electronic applications will cause confusion and create an easy-to-manage application process.

“The type of business that we’re in, and there’s so much fraud in this industry, and the only way to be able to mitigate it is to have it in a space where you can control it, and you can control it when it’s in your face. I can’t control you giving me somebody else’s signature through the internet, but you can’t sign for somebody else if you’re standing in front of me.”

The OIG has turned over its evidence to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. They allege Magee, Tucker, and Epps participated in bribery and extortion.

RELATED CONTENT: Atlanta-Fulton Is Under A Smoke Advisory After Chemical Fire

homeless, England, Blacks
by Kandiss Edwards

October 5, 2024

Food Insecurity Plagues Atlanta’s Elderly Population, Mayor Andre Dickens Takes Action

On Oct. 3, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined residents to discuss the food insecurity plaguing the city’s seniors. Atlanta Community Food Bank partnered with the Commodity Supplemental Food Program to help senior citizens access healthy, free food.

The city posted about the “Cooking with the Mayor” event on its X account.

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program provides elderly residents with a free monthly food box. The rising cost of groceries has made it difficult for them to keep up with food procurement costs.

Atlanta senior resident Jacqui El Torro spoke to Atlanta News First about the challenges associated with grocery shopping.

“Just the cost of healthier foods. Food is expensive and constantly going up, and with this program, with the box, it’s staples and automatically goes into the pantry,” Torro said.

Atlanta is not the only city battling food insecurity among seniors. The nonprofit organization Feeding America is working to help seniors across the nation. As the elderly population grows, so do the issues of hungry citizens.

The number of aging Americans in the United States is growing, “Feeding America” cites, “6.9 million out of 79 million seniors in the United States were food insecure.”

“Food insecurity is closely tied to health, which becomes especially critical as we age. Addressing food insecurity among seniors would help reduce chronic health conditions and could result in healthier communities overall,” said Linda Nageotte, Feeding America president and chief operating officer. “The size of the aging population in America is growing each year, and we must work together to ensure seniors have access to the food they need to thrive,” she continues.

While the Atlanta Food Bana is steadfast in its mission, other food programs nationwide need volunteers. To lend a hand in your community, visit the End Hunger official website to find volunteer opportunities in your state.

RELATED CONTENT: Ron ‘Boss’ Everline And Kyle Arrington Join ‘Get Fit For No Kid Hungry’ To Help End Childhood Hunger

BLK MEN SMILE CAMPAIGN
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 4, 2024

BLK Encourages Black Men To Smile In Their Online Dating Profile Picture

A recent study reveals that on dating apps 70% of Black men don't smile in their profile photo.

Oct. 4 is World Smile Day and the folks at BLK want Black men to smile with their #BLKMenSmile Campaign.

BLK, a dating app, wants to encourage Black men to smile to spread Black joy. They want Black men to smile more as a new study reveals that over 70% of Black men do not smile in their profiles on dating apps. It’s suspected that it may be because of societal standards, perceptions of masculinity, and cultural pressures.

“The #BLKMenSmile campaign is about challenging the norms that hold Black men back from expressing their joy. We want to show that a smile isn’t just an act of positivity — it’s a powerful expression of self-love, confidence, and authenticity,” said Jonathan Kirkland, head of Brand & Marketing at BLK in a written statement.

BLK has collaborated with Express Yourself Black Man for this campaign as the company commits to showcasing positive Black male expression, mental health, and cultural empowerment.

#BLKMenSmile highlight the smiles of all varieties of Black men as the video clip shows over 50 of them displaying their smiles to the world. In an effort for Black men to smile more, the video highlights everyone smiling as each one is shown through the clip. Hopefully, when Black men do create their profiles on dating apps, they show off their smiles to let the world see that they are not the stereotypical non-smiling, disheartened Black men as perceived in society.

The video shows inspirational quotes for Black men to follow and live by to make Black men feel better about showing their smiles.

“Every Black Man Deserves to Smile,” “Smile, Black Man,” “Your Joy is Your Power,” and “A Smile is a Revolutionary.”

While Black men are using the BLK app, they will be able to use a limited-edition digital sticker that was made exclusively for Black men utilizing the app. The sticker shows a Black man smiling, with “Black Boy Joy” written in grillz across his teeth.

RELATED CONTENT: 100 Black Men Organization Begins Mentorship Program With Boy Scouts Of America

Cecred, Beyonce, hair care, products
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 4, 2024

Levi’s Bags $5M In Media Impact Value After Beyoncé Campaign

Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter-inspired Levi's commercial helped the legendary brand reach $5 million in Media Impact Value (MIV).

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter-inspired Levi’s commercial helped the legendary brand reach $5 million in Media Impact Value (MIV).

Amid the recent release of Queen Bey’s reimagined “Launderette” commercial and her three promotional posts on Instagram, Levi’s received $5 million in MIV over 48 hours with $1.3 million coming from Beyoncé’s first two Instagram posts, WWD reports. The partnership was seamless following the singer’s Post Malone-assisted country track “Levii’s Jeans” which she featured on her platinum-selling country album debut “Cowboy Carter.”

The advertisement, released on Sept. 30, features Beyoncé confidently walking into a laundromat dressed in Levi’s denim and a white t-shirt. She then removes her jeans and tosses them into the washer, all while her song “Levii’s Jeans” plays in the background.

“My song ‘Levii’s Jeans’ celebrates what I believe is the ultimate Americana uniform — something we all wear with pride,” Beyoncé said.

“I am honored to work with Levi’s to create quintessential American iconography. Denim on denim has often been seen through a male lens, so this reimagining campaign, which celebrates the iconic female perspective, is important to me. I look forward to exploring innovative ways for our visions to align in empowering women and honoring their strength,” she said.

She followed up the commercial with an Instagram slide that gave a close-up of her Levi’s fit.

“Give you these Blues, it’s in my Genes,” she captioned the post.

Kenny Mitchell, chief marketing officer at Levi Strauss & Co., knew the company could push the brand even further by partnering with Beyoncé after she released her country album with the “Levii’s Jeans” song included.

“Once that album came out, it was obviously a moment where we said, ‘Hey, maybe we can start to have some conversations about whether a deeper partnership makes sense,’” Mitchell told The New York Times.

“What this partnership does is just furthers us into being relevant,” Michelle Gass, CEO of Levi’s, added. “I think this is the biggest one we’ve ever done.”

The Beyoncé campaign seeks to increase Levi’s visibility among women, who currently represent one-third of its customer base. With the help of the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer, the company aims to raise this figure to 50%.

“Not only did it modernize it, and it’s Beyoncé and all of the goodness that comes from that, but I think, importantly, it really does put a female lens on this approach on the campaign, and that squarely fits into one of our key strategies: winning with women,” Gass said.

RELATED CONTENT: Fawn Weaver Gives Sound Advice To Beyoncé And LeBron James On Entering The Whiskey Game

Flava Fav, Clock
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 4, 2024

Flavor Flav Auctions Trademark Clock To Combat Racism

The winning bidder bought the clock for $15,000.

The Black Music Action Coalition held an event Oct. 3 in Beverly Hills and unexpectedly, former Public Enemy group member Flavor Flav placed his trademark signature clock up for auction.

According to Billboard, the Long Island-bred entertainer put up his clock to help raise money for the organization. The former reality TV star jumped on stage to showcase the timepiece and told the audience, “I want to auction off my clock, man.” He made a bold claim with what he felt the piece of jewelry would get. “We can go to $80,000 or $90,000 for this clock.”

Although the clock did not get that high of a bid, it was taken home by a bidder who put up $15,000 for the personal item from Flav.

The $15,000 spent on the clock will go toward initiatives to help address “systemic racism within the music industry” while also preparing the “next generation of industry leaders.”

The event raised money for the Black Music Action Coalition, an advocacy organization that was founded to address systemic racism within the music business.

“When most are turning down the volume around social, racial, and economic justice, we’re doubling down on efforts and spotlighting the positive and meaningful impact that the music industry has made on society, which is what we hope to inspire with this event,” BMAC CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers stated before the fourth annual gala.

Flav is no stranger to helping others as he showed recently at the Paris Olympics. The clock-wearing personality lent his support to the USA Water Polo team before the Olympics after team captain Maggie Steffens asked for support on social media. The Associated Press reported that Flav worked out a deal naming him as a sponsor for the USA Water Polo team and promised the team he’d be there for the support the team needs.

Raven-Symoné, African American, show, the view, address
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 4, 2024

Raven-Symoné Watches ‘A Lot More Politics’ Since Leaving ‘The View’

Raven-Symoné is more open to watching politics now that she's no longer being "scolded" on "The View."

Raven-Symoné stopped by The View for a guest appearance following her brief stint as a co-host and jokingly admitted to having “PTSD” from the experience.

The veteran actress, a permanent co-host on The View from 2015 to 2016, returned as a guest on Wednesday to discuss her journey as a former child star and mentor to young talent. The That’s So Raven star also reflected on her time as a co-host and shared how she now watches much more politics since leaving the show.

“Does it feel good to be back here at all?” panelist Joy Behar — who worked with Symoné as a co-host during her short tenure — asked the star, who replied,

“Um, certain things do!” she jokingly replied. “Actually, no, as you guys know, every time I come here, I have to come to this job maybe, like, 45 minutes early to say hi to everybody. And then when I get on this, I have PTSD. Please don’t ask me any questions!”

That’s when Behar segued right into a question about Symoné’s visit to The White House during Pride Month, where she met Vice President Kamala Harris. Behar asked her former co-host if she’s been keeping up with the current presidential election and caught last week’s Vice Presidential debate.

“I watch a lot more politics now that I’m not on the show,” she declared after jokingly telling Behar, “I told you not to ask me any questions.”

Behar claimed that The View didn’t focus as heavily on politics during Symoné’s time as a co-host, but The Cosby Show star disagreed with that statement.

“Well, yes, I got a lot of scolding back in the day that I’m not paying attention to it as much, but I watch it now for actual entertainment,” she replied.

“It is absolutely amazing, and there are so many different ways you can go about it, but the one thing I wanted to say about it is if you’re confused about who to vote for because certain policies sit certain ways, because, like, yeah, there are some things I like about the Republican side and there are some things I like about the Democrat side, but ultimately I’m choosing the person that best represents me as a human to the rest of the world and what that looks like.”

Symoné and Whoopi Goldberg have stayed in touch over the years, with the EGOT-winning actress appearing as a guest on Symoné’s The Best Podcast Ever with Raven and Miranda in August 2023. During the episode, the two laughed at Symoné’s playful remark that Goldberg gave off “lesbian vibes.”

RELATED CONTENT: Raven-Symoné Was ‘Misunderstood’ When She Said She’s ‘Not An African American’

Donald Trump,judge, DEI, Executive orders
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 4, 2024

Donald Trump Plans To Deport Haitian Immigrants If Elected  

Trump attacked Haitians as part of his anti-immigration stance

Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he will “absolutely” send Haitian immigrants back to their home country in a new impromptu interview, The Miami Herald reports. 

During an interview with NewsNation, Trump attacked Haitians as part of his anti-immigration stance. The Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, has been targeted after false claims that they are stealing and eating neighborhood pets; Trump said if he is elected, he plans to revoke their Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a protection granted by President Joe Biden that affords migrants from Haiti and 15 other countries in political turmoil to live and work in the U.S temporarily.

“In Springfield, what’s happening there is horrible…and about 30,000 were put into that community rapidly…you have to remove the people; we cannot destroy our country,” Trump told the NewsNation cable network reporter.

“You had a beautiful, safe community…and all of sudden in a short period, they have 32,000 more people there. It doesn’t work, it can’t work. It has nothing to do with Haiti or anything else. It doesn’t work. You have to remove the people, and you have to bring them back to their own country.”

When asked if he would revoke TPS for Haitians, he boldly responded, “Absolutely, I’d revoke it, and I’d bring them back to their country.” 

According to HuffPost, the claims by Trump and his VP nominee, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, who continued the false claims during Vice Presidential debates on Oct. 1, have resulted in several attacks, including schools having to be evacuated because of bomb threats. Ohio’s Gov. Mike DeWine has to station Highway Patrol troopers on school grounds at district buildings as an extra precaution. 

White supremacists were seen standing outside of Springfield’s City Hall building with a sign that read, “Haitians have no home here.” Residents bantered against them, saying the town is a place of love and not hate. 

https://twitter.com/mmpadellan/status/1840194786688676308

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time Trump has promised to remove TPS status from immigrants. In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security, under the 45th president’s reign, announced the end of TPS for Haitians, claiming the protections caused the agency to conclude that Haiti no longer met the conditions. The decision came just two weeks after Trump terminated similar protection for 2,500 Nicaraguans that lasted nearly 20 years.

RELATED CONTENT: Meet The Black-Owned Event Companies Helping Organize The Democratic National Convention

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