DMX, the acclaimed New York rapper and actor, will be laid to rest this weekend. The artist, born Earl Simmons, died at the age of 50 on April 9 after suffering a heart attack in his New York home. He burst onto the rap scene in the late 1990s with songs including “Get At Me […]
Posted inHealth Plus
Blood banks phase out collecting convalescent plasma, but fear a US blood shortage
In the early months of the pandemic, blood donation centers around the country rushed to collect convalescent plasma as it was seen as a potential wonder treatment for Covid-19. Now many are moving away from plasma collection, and even doing away with antibody testing to find volunteers who want to donate. With vaccinations up and […]
Posted inEntertainment
Fred Hampton’s son and widow, on ‘Judas,’ the Oscars and the fight to preserve the Black Panthers’ legacy
The real Deborah Johnson hasn’t watched the scene in “Judas and the Black Messiah” where a cop puts a gun to her pregnant belly after a predawn raid that killed Black Panther leader Fred Hampton. The 70-year-old now goes by Akua Njeri. She remains a revolutionary, as well as the mother of Hampton’s namesake. She’s […]
Posted inEntertainment
‘Mortal Kombat’ ratchets up the gore, but as a movie, it’s not a winner
Any sober analysis of “Mortal Kombat” already risks overthinking it, but even taking this adaptation of the game on its decidedly R-rated terms, the movie offers few of the visceral thrills that might produce a collective audience response, which makes its consumption on HBO Max perfectly adequate. Of course, in that setting, chuckling at the […]
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From scarcity to abundance: US faces calls to share vaccines
Victor Guevara knows people his age have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in many countries. His own relatives in Houston have been inoculated. But the 72-year-old Honduran lawyer, like so many others in his country, is still waiting. And increasingly, he is wondering why the United States is not doing more to help, particularly as the […]
Posted inCollege
Productive spring game has Georgia State feeling optimistic
The Georgia State Panthers’ hosted their 2021 Blue-White Spring Game at Center Parc Stadium on Friday night to give fans a glimpse of the team before Fall. Head Coach Shawn Elliott switched things up this year with a traditional scoring matchup versus an offense-vs-defense scrimmage. The white team won the game 23-17 and was led […]
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Release of body camera videos varies – from hours to months
In Columbus, Ohio, it took five hours. In North Carolina, it requires a court order. In New York City, police can wait up to a month — sometimes longer. As the U.S. debates the future of policing, the policies that govern the release of body camera footage still vary widely across the nation, and pressure […]
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MasterCard’s Strivers Initiative stops in Atlanta
The MasterCard’s Strivers Initiative traveled to Atlanta Tuesday to connect with local small business owners, small business associations, and nonprofits. Their mission seeks to elevate Black female business owners that are overcoming obstacles to maintain and grow their companies. This event connects local leaders with small businesses based on the needs of each company. While […]
Posted inSmall Business
Atlanta-based Black-owned hair care brand for young men launches across over 1200 Target, Walmart storesAtlanta-Based Black-owned hair care brand for young men launches across over 1200 Target, Walmart stores
Atlanta-based hair brand Young King Hair Care launched in December 2019, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic negatively affected many businesses, the young brand was able to thoughtfully revise its go-to-market strategy, tested various social and digital campaigns, and partnered with engaged bloggers and influencers in the community. This pivot led not only […]
Posted inEducation
Atlanta Public Schools, DeKalb County Schools manage to learn throughout pandemic
The coronavirus began over a year ago in March of 2020. Today the disease is still taking lives. Covid-19 vaccines are available now and reportedly over 132 million Americans have gotten the first shot (over 85 million are fully vaccinated). Although more and more people are getting vaccinated, social distancing and wearing a mask is […]
Posted inElection Central
President Biden and Jill Biden set to travel to Atlanta April 29th
President Biden and the First Lady will travel to Atlanta next Thursday to mark his 100th day in office, according to the White House and Press Secretary, Jen Psaki. April 29th will mark President Biden’s 100th day in office. Biden’s visit to Atlanta comes one day after his speech to a joint session of Congress. […]
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Atlanta father & daughter plead guilty to selling millions of dollars in stolen retail products online
Robert Whitley and Noni Whitley, father and daughter, have each pleaded guilty to a separate criminal information charging them for their roles in operating Closeout Express and Essential Daily Discounts, which for years sold millions of dollars of stolen retail product online. According to a press release by the U.S. District Attorney’s office, Robert and […]
Posted inEntertainment
In possible Oscar preview, ‘Nomadland’ wins at Spirit Awards
Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” won best feature at the 36th Independent Spirit Awards in a ceremony that turned the annual beach soiree into a virtual, mostly pre-taped event, and, possibly, an Oscar preview. The Spirits, usually held in a giant tent on the Southern California coast, have sometimes been a laid back dress rehearsal for the […]
Posted inElection Central
How struggling households can get federal rental assistance
An estimated 8.8 million Americans are behind on their rent, according the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. While relief efforts have staved off some of the housing crisis, rent is still going to come due. The federal government has approved two rounds of rental assistance, worth more than $46 billion total, that is slowly making its […]
Posted inHealth Plus
CDC recommends that pregnant people get a Covid-19 vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that pregnant people get a Covid-19 vaccine, Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday. Her comment follows a new study that found no safety concerns among a large group of pregnant people who received the vaccine in their third trimester, and no safety concerns for their babies. “As […]