Naomi Asaka, Coco Gauff, US open
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 3, 2024

Coco Gauff Assists Naomi Osaka Off The Court After Back Injury Forces Forfeit

'I wish Naomi a speedy recovery.'

A competition couldn’t stop Coco Gauff from helping out an opponent when she had to bow out of a tennis match.

According to People, the young tennis phenom was engaged in a match against Naomi Osaka when her opponent had to retire from the match because of a back injury she suffered. When the game was awarded to Gauff, after sitting on a bench on her side of the court, Gauff was seen hugging and talking to Osaka as they both approached the referee. Instead of heading back to her bench, Gauff offers to help Osaka carry her bag and items into the locker room.

Osaka looked surprised that she offered and accepted as Gauff grabbed one of her bags and proceeded to walk side-by-side with her opponent off the tennis court.

This took place at the China Open on Oct. 1. With the forfeit, Gauff advances to the quarterfinals. The match was heading into the third set when Osaka had to leave due to the injury. Osaka took the first set with a 6–3 score, while Gauff rebounded and won the second 6–4.

Sports Illustrated reported that Gauff addressed the media, wished Osaka a speedy recovery, and admitted that her play wasn’t her “best tennis.”

“I wish Naomi a speedy recovery. Nobody wants to win a match like this, especially at one-set-all. Overall, I tried my best. It wasn’t my best tennis. I don’t know, it was just one of those matches where you’re trying your best each point.”

After the match, Osaka did address her fans via social media after the match and explained what happened on the court.

“Hi, everyone. I just wanted to say I’m extremely thankful and happy to have played in Beijing. That being said I feel like I owe a little backstory about today- So I locked my back up during practice earlier and honestly wasn’t sure if I could even play, but I just wanted to try, unfortunately things just got progressively worse during the match. Totally worth it though lol 😅.”

RELATED CONTENT: Coco Gauff Becomes First U.S. Tennis Player Selected As Flag Bearer For Olympics Opening Ceremony

Gary Payton, Green Label Rx, hemp, Cannabis
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 3, 2024

Georgia’s Hemp Farming Act Is Now In Motion

The law went into effect Oct. 1.

Georgia state officials, including Gov. Brian Kemp, Commissioner Tyler Harper, and Colonel Billy Hitchens, announced the implementation of the Hemp Farming Act, Fox 5 Atlanta reports. 

Under the law, residents under the age of 21 are banned from purchasing or being in possession of consumable hemp products. The law’s implementation marks new public safety restrictions on consumable hemp products in the state.

The act is designed to protect consumers, specifically minors, as there is a vast increase in the growth of the hemp industry. 

Hemp retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers are now required to get a Georgia license to operate in the Peachtree state. Both Kemp and Harper praised the act, stating it guarantees the safety of residents, with a focus on children, by regulating hemp products with potentially dangerous hazards.

“Knowing these dangers, I want consumers to be aware of these new laws and know that all law enforcement officers in the State will be enforcing them starting October 1,” Kemp said, according to Atlanta News First.

In addition, Harper said the law, which is a response to the 2018 Farm Bill that allowed Congress to legalize hemp production, will be a focus of the Georgia Department of Agriculture and law enforcement agencies. 

By definition, hemp is a cannabis plant that holds naturally small amounts of the delta-9 strain of THC, a psychoactive cannabinoid. In recent years, consumable hemp products such as oils, gummies, and beverages have been sold throughout Georgia and other states. The move is part of a bigger effort to give broader oversight to a business that healthcare industry leaders claim previously lacked stricter regulations.

“The consequence of that is the public health aspects were often given a backseat, and we’re now playing catch up for that,” Dr. Steven Teutsch, chair of the National Academies Committee, said. 

The use of regular cannabis has skyrocketed in the past 30 years, going from less than one million people reporting almost daily usage in 1992 to more than 17 million in 2022. The increase is a result of weed being more accessible because of its legal status. Approximately two-thirds of people 12 and older labeled it “fairly easy” or “very easy” to get their hands on. 

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classified cannabis as a Schedule I substance, meaning the government considers it to be a drug with high abuse potential.

RELATED CONTENT: Meet The Black Founders Looking To Disrupt New Jersey’s Cannabis Market

David steward
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 3, 2024

Richest Black Man In America Worth $11.4B

David Steward's $11.4 billion net worth earned him a spot on the Forbes 400.

David Steward has the highest ranking for a Black person on the 2024 Forbes 400 list.

Tied in 84th place with a net worth of $11.4 billion, Steward secured his placement as the founder and chairman of IT provider World Wide Technology. He co-founded the company in 1990 and now holds a majority stake in the $20 billion enterprise, which counts Citi, Verizon, and the federal government among its clients.

Steward, 73, comes from humble beginnings in the segregated South. He grew up with seven siblings and a father who worked as a mechanic, janitor, and trash collector. After earning his degree from Central Missouri University, he worked in sales for Missouri Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific, and FedEx before co-founding World Wide Technology. It was still a struggle before finding financial success, as Steward can recall watching his car get repossessed from the office parking lot.

His philanthropic efforts include contributing $1.3 million to the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2018 to establish the David and Thelma Steward Institute for Jazz Studies. Stewards’ rags to riches story instilled a strong belief in the accessibility of the American Dream.

“The breadth and depth of opportunities we have here, coupled with a culture that allows you to be all you can be, makes it possible for anyone to be successful,” Steward said, as cited by the Horatio Alger Association. “We have a competitive edge over other countries, and it is important for us to preserve that. It’s great that my story is only one of millions in America. I feel blessed to live in this great country.”

Steward is engaged with various organizations dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion for historically underrepresented communities, including the National Urban League, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Boy Scouts of America, Boys Hope Girls Hope, BEYA, NPower, the National Minority Supplier Development Council, and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation.

His family is avid supporters of the family of the late Wendell Scott, the first African American driver in NASCAR and the first to win a race in what is now the Cup Series. Their advocacy played a crucial role in prompting NASCAR to acknowledge Scott’s historic achievement officially, culminating in presenting a long-overdue trophy to Scott’s children and grandchildren in 2021—almost 58 years after the race and 31 years after Scott’s passing.

Along with Steward, other Black billionaires who earned a spot on the Forbes 400 include Robert F. Smith, who came in at the 88th spot.

Lawsuit, Prisoner, Parole, inmate, denies, inmate Rights, inmates rights
by Kandiss Edwards

October 3, 2024

Department Of Justice Found That Georgia Violates Inmates Rights

Georgia correctional facilities, once again, show lack of concern for inmate safety.

The Department of Justice completed a years-long investigation into Georgia correctional facilities. The DOJ found that 17 institutions are actively violating the rights of Georgia inmates. The DOJ report, released Oct. 1, found that the state of Georgia, specifically, violated the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution.

In a 93-page report, the department found the following violations at Georgia state-operated and private correctional facilities:

  • Failing to protect individuals housed in medium- and close-security facilities from widespread physical violence and subjecting incarcerated persons to unreasonable risk of harm from sexual abuse across its facilities.
  • Critical under-staffing and systemic deficiencies in physical plant, housing and classification, contraband control, incident reporting, and investigations all contribute to the widespread violence.
  • Georgia allows gangs to exert improper influence on prison life, including controlling entire housing units and operating unlawful and dangerous schemes in and from the prisons, harming both incarcerated people and the public.

The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section conducted the investigation, and no criminal charges were filed against the state.

U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan stated, “Our constitution requires humane conditions in prisons that, at a minimum, ensure that people in custody are safe. The findings of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections reveal grave and diffuse failures to safeguard the men and women housed in its facilities, including disturbing and increasing frequencies of deaths among incarcerated people.”

The recourse appears minimal as the DOJ’s press release did not list any tangible steps to rectify and improve inmate conditions. Instead, it gave a warning, admonishment, and hope for future improvements.

“We hope to work collaboratively with the State of Georgia to improve these deadly conditions; indeed, the Constitution requires it,” said U.S. Attorney Peter Leary.

This is not the first time a Georgia institution has been called out for its practices. In August, Fulton County Jail completed an investigation into four women security officers. The women were charged with improper sexual contact with an inmate and smuggling contraband, according to Law and Crime.

The investigation into the women initially began as a probe into the safety of the prison after the death of an inmate. The inmate was found deceased and covered in insects.

Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said, “The Fulton County Jail is structurally unsafe, that prevalent violence has resulted in serious injuries and homicides, and that officers are being prosecuted for using excessive force.”

Both state and local facilities are being called to the carpet for inhumane practices. Only time will tell whether or not the DOJ is serious about keeping inmates safe.

RELATED CONTENT: Rikers Island Prison Officer Known As ‘Champagne’ Accused Of Sexually Assaulting 24 Female Inmates

Michael Jordan, lawsuit, NASCAR, antitrust
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 3, 2024

Michael Jordan Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against NASCAR

'I love the sport of racing and the passion of our fans, but the way NASCAR is run today is unfair to teams, drivers, sponsors, and fans.'

In May, NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan (owner of 23XI Racing) warned NASCAR that the way they run the business is unfair for car owners and that the “sport’s going to die” if it did not change its business practices and have a “good partnership.” Jordan has now filed an antitrust lawsuit with another car owner, Front Row Motorsports, against NASCAR and CEO Jim France, stating that it has used anticompetitive practices to prevent fair competition in the sport.

According to CNBC, the lawsuit alleges that NASCAR and France operate without transparency and in such a way that it doesn’t benefit team owners, drivers, sponsors, partners, and fans.

“Together, we brought this antitrust case so that racing can thrive and become a more competitive and fair sport in ways that will benefit teams, drivers, sponsors, and, most importantly, fans,” 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports said in a joint statement.

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports take issue with NASCAR controlling all aspects of the business, including buying the racetracks that are exclusive to its races and allegedly making teams buy their supplies from single-source suppliers chosen by NASCAR. Another point of contention is not allowing teams to participate in other stock car races.

Jordan’s team was founded and joined NASCAR in 2020 with racecar driver Denny Hamlin and Jordan’s business partner, Curtis Polk. Bob Jenkins owns Front Row Motorsports and has been involved in the sport since 2005. Jenkins said he’s been in the business for 20 years and has yet to make a profit.

“We need a more competitive and fair system where teams, drivers, and sponsors can be rewarded for our collective investment by building long-term enterprise value, just like every other successful professional sports league,” he stated.

The lawsuit mentions that out of the 19 team owners who were originally granted charters in 2016, only eight of those teams remain in the sport.

According to CBS News, a recent change in revenue sharing and new charter rules have placed NASCAR on a path of not being profitable for car owners. The media outlet reported that the league is negotiating with the 36 team owners about renewing a charter system put in place in 2016. All teams are guaranteed a spot in each Cup Series race. The owners want to make the current charter arrangement permanent, as the agreement expires at the end of the 2024 season on Nov. 10.

“Today’s action shows I’m willing to fight for a competitive market where everyone wins,” Jordan said. “Everyone knows that I have always been a fierce competitor, and that will to win is what drives me and the entire 23XI team each and every week out on the track. I love the sport of racing and the passion of our fans, but the way NASCAR is run today is unfair to teams, drivers, sponsors, and fans.”

RELATED CONTENT: Michael Jordan’s Game-Changing Investment Propels Michigan To National Football Glory

FAMU, Florida A and M University,DI, Black History Month
by Stacy Jackson

October 3, 2024

FAMU Senior Struggles To Find On-campus Adviser For College Republicans Club

With a heavy presence of Democrats at FAMU, Charrise Lane says she has faced several threats as she pushes for a College Republicans club.

Florida A&M University student Charrise Lane wants to bring a College Republicans chapter back to the Tallahassee HBCU. However, the 25-year-old pro-Black conservative has not found an on-campus adviser for the group.

If Lane successfully re-establishes the chapter, it would become the only official, active College Republicans club on an HBCU campus, but due to FAMU policies confirmed to NBC News by school officials, the on-campus organization may not happen without at least 10 members and a faculty adviser.

The public relations major said she has already reached out to several professors. “The two that responded said they couldn’t do it,” Lane said. “So it’s not like I’m not trying.”

FAMU’s assistant director of student organizations, Felicia Barnes, recommended that Lane contact more professors about the College Republicans club and confirmed that the university would welcome it back on its campus.

College Republicans had a presence on FAMU’s campus in the past but haven’t been active since the 2018-2019 school year. The club was established in 2015 by FAMU alum Marquise McMiller, who felt a need for representation in the Republican party.

The Rattlers’ campus isn’t the only HBCU that has welcomed the club to campus before. GOP chapters were once active at Howard University, Morehouse College, and Central State University. According to the College Republican National Committee, the youth political organization, founded in 1892, is present on nearly 2,000 college campuses and boasts over 250,000 members nationwide.

Lane, as a Black Republican at her HBCU, is not popular. She spoke on Instagram about a few occasions where her peers threatened her through FAMU’s social app, Fizz. In one message, a student wrote, “A n*gga like me would have you jumped by some locals,” while another said, “Please…don’t disrespect our prestigious HBCU. Take that sh*t [across] the tracks to FSU.”

Although she has received hateful and intimidating messages, Lane said the threats don’t faze her, and she gets pushback from both sides about her views and affiliation.

“From Republicans, I get called a Black supremacist, and sometimes they say that I race bait, and then, from the Dems, sometimes I get called an Uncle Tom.”

Despite the constant political clash, Lane desired to be around her own people and left her predominately white college in North Carolina to transfer to FAMU. This school year, Lane linked up with a few of her classmates to attend a watch party for the presidential debate with the College Republicans at Florida State University.

Mark Robinson
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 3, 2024

Did North Carolina’s Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson Fail To Vote On The Same Hurricane Helene Emergency Relief He Demanded?

How do you think he will try to get out of this one?

North Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson reportedly opted out of voting for emergency help for Hurricane Helene after Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s office asked top state officials to support it–and blamed Democrats for not doing enough, WRAL reports. 

Public records show Cooper needed approval from the elected officials in North Carolina’s executive branch, a group of nine members known as the Council of State, who have the right to exercise authority under the N.C. Emergency Management Act. Robinson is one of the nine that Cooper gave 48 hours to issue a vote on Sept. 24, just days before Helene wreaked havoc on the western territories of the state. 

Robinson’s vote never came.

Votes from the Council of State would help the governor quickly mobilize rescue vehicles, order evacuations, and begin necessary emergency actions by waiving some of the state’s transportation regulations for heavy vehicles. Cooper sent more than 700 members of the North Carolina National Guard to help rescue over 400 people and dozens of animals in western North Carolina, which has been crippled by flooding and mudslides. More than 1,000 people have been left homeless, and dozens have been found dead. 

On Oct. 1, the GOP gubernatorial candidate jumped on X to call for Cooper to do more to help the victims of Helene, calling it a “life or death situation” and credited Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis for his hurricane relief efforts. “The time for politics is over. We are talking about saving people’s lives here. North Carolina must follow the lead of successful governors like @GovRonDeSantis. Cut the red tape. Stop waiting on federal resources, allow private industry to assist with rescue and recovery efforts, and repair infrastructure immediately,” he wrote. 

“This is a life and death situation.”

According to The New Republic, several NC political leaders, like former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, condemned Robinson’s lack of support and called his tweet “inexcusable in a time of crisis.”

“This is not a time for criticism,” McCrory said. “This is a time for working together as a team and asking how you can help. I’m sure there are people who feel stranded out there, but right now is not the time to start throwing arrows.”

Robinson was seemingly being hypocritical in his words about politics being over. On Oct. 2, he continued his social media tirade, blamed the state’s Democratic leaders, including his opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein, and claimed Cooper wasn’t paying attention to relief efforts. “When Hurricane Helene was on its way to North Carolina, Gov. Cooper was too busy hob-knowing with rich folks in New York to care about preparing for the storm,” Robinson wrote.

“Now Democrats like Cooper, Josh Stein & Joe Biden want to hide behind bureaucratic resolutions that pass automatically -– instead of getting out there and working to help people in dire need. I won’t stand for this. While they are playing politics, my team and I remain committed to doing all we can to help our neighbors in the wake of this devastating storm.”

Even without Robinson’s vote, President Joe Biden approved Cooper’s request for expedited federal support. Since the storm, guardsmen and other volunteers have delivered hundreds of water pallets and food. More than 1,100 people are staying at shelters.

credit bureaus?
by Jameelah Mullen

October 3, 2024

How To Stop The Credit Bureaus From Giving Your Information To Potential Lenders

The credit bureaus are out here telling folks about your business. Here’s how you can stop them.

Are you receiving an onslaught of pesky calls from potential lenders or “pre-screened” offers from credit card companies? This may be because the credit bureaus have sold your information.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, credit reporting agencies such as Transunion, Equifax, or Experian are legally allowed to sell your credit information, including an unlisted phone number, to potential lenders.

“Trigger leads” occur when a lender gives specific criteria to the credit reporting agencies, and the agencies create a report based on those criteria. The National Law Review states that the most common trigger event is when one applies for a mortgage.

Harry Samler, investigative reporter for Atlanta News First, said that after he applied for a loan, he received more than 100 calls from potential lenders in one day.

“Three lenders confirmed they received my number from one of the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and Transunion,” Samler wrote for Atlanta News First.

Unless you opt out, all three major credit reporting agencies provide your personal information to third-party lenders.

“We use and sell personal data to non-affiliated parties for the following commercial purposes: Commercial credit reporting. Some of our affiliates collect, use, and sell personal data when acting as a consumer reporting agency, as this activity is regulated by the FCRA,” Equifax states on its website.

There are several ways to opt out at Equifax. Consumers can call  888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688). Click here to opt-out online.

You call also mail in your request by sending a letter to:

Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 740123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123

To opt out at Experian, click here. You can also send an email to optout@experian.com with your full name, including name variations, address, email address, and phone number.

Transunion requires you to create an account to opt out online. You can also call them at 866-310-8763.

Your cell phone carrier may also provide tools to help reduce unsolicited calls and texts. T-Mobile users can dial #662 to activate the Scam Shield feature, and Verizon users can download the Call Filter app from their phone’s app store.

RELATED CONTENT: 4 Ways To Protect Your Credit During Vacation

food drive, Black Feast Week
by Kandiss Edwards

October 3, 2024

100 Families Fed During Black Feast Week

'A lot of people don't have...the help of family to get food or don't have that money or financial resources.'

District Fish and Pasta House in Kansas City, Missouri, fed 100 single mothers and their children in one night during the the city’s inaugural Black Feast Week.

Leeko Khalifah, owner of District Fish and Pasta House, told KHSB41, that he planned to open his restaurant at 6 p.m. Tuesday but the overwhelming response from Black single mothers prompted him to begin giving away food early.

The restaurateur said being raised by a single mother inspired him to give more than he’d initially planned. 

“Knowing that struggle with my mother, us three, my brothers and sister…how she had to struggle just to make a meal for us sometimes…I understand,” he said. 

Monique Bowls, a single mother living in Kansas City, spoke about the hardships associated with raising children and keeping food on the table. She said basic necessities grew heavier after the loss of her co-parent.

“A lot of people don’t have the help, get food stamps, have the help of family to get food or don’t have that money or financial resources,” Bowls said. “This right here, what they’re doing, is real powerful, real powerful and strong.”

The people of Missouri are not the only ones facing food insecurity in the United States.

According to Feeding America, “in 2023, 27% of Black children lived in food insecure households. That’s 1 in 4 Black children without reliable access to food.”

As Bowls pointed out, many families are ineligible for government assistance. Organizations like Feeding America are partnering with Black-led food banks across the nation to help families in need.

If you would like to volunteer Feeding America provides a database and volunteer, form on its website to help you find a food bank near you.

RELATED CONTENT: Meet The Chefs Cooking Up a Culinary Renaissance in Charlotte

HBCU Go, HBCU GO Secures 10-Year Partnership With The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, SIAC, streaming, Allen group, media rights, 10-year, deal
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 3, 2024

Delaware State University Launches First HBCU-Owned Clothing Line

The HBCU has partnered with a Black-owned business, Everything Collegiate, LLC.

Delaware State University launched a clothing line this week, becoming the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to own and distribute a private clothing line.

The university has partnered with a Black-owned business, Everything Collegiate, LLC, based in Atlanta. The merchandise branded with the school’s logos and the athletic teams’ emblem can be purchased on the Everything Collegiate website and on Amazon Marketplace and Walmart.com.

“We are not competing with our campus stores or partners who sell merchandise with our brand. We value their contributions and the royalties they generate,” Dr. Dawn Mosley, senior associate vice president of marketing and communications at DSU, said in a written statement. “It’s simply smart business to establish our own revenue stream from custom products. This also creates an exciting opportunity for our students and alumni to share their unique design ideas, which can further support scholarships for our students.”

The clothing line allows DSU to control the design, quality, and variety of products. The inventory will include limited-edition merchandise that can only be purchased directly from Delaware State University. Five percent of all sales will go toward funding scholarships.

Terance Harmon, who owns Everything Collegiate, has run the company for over 20 years. He holds over 85 brand licenses for colleges, societies, and fraternities.

“This partnership marks a significant milestone in our journey,” said Harmon. “Our goal has always been to support and uplift HBCUs, and working with DSU has been a fulfilling step in that direction. I am excited to work with DSU on this historic move.”

Everything Collegiate will manage the distribution while DSU will grow the brand in more retail spaces as well as online.

The first round of student scholarships from the items that are initially sold through Everything Collegiate will be awarded in spring 2025.

RELATED CONTENT: Delaware State University Becomes First HBCU To Acquire Another University With Takeover of Wesley College 

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