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Robert Marquel Young

Digital Editor

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Jul 20, 2023

Robert Marquel Young was born on January 9, 1969 in Cleveland, OH. He was the firstborn to Carol and Robert Young. The family moved from Cleveland to Hawaii when Robert was a young boy. Shortly after, they made their roots in San Diego, California in 1970.

Robert was a big-hearted, adventurous, sports-loving kid, but mostly, he perfected
the role of big brother. Robert played in the little league for the Dodgers at Southeast and Pop Warner for Valencia Park. It was through youth sports that he developed several close, lifelong friendships.

Robert attended and graduated from Morse High School and was a star cornerback on the football team. He also wrote for the school newspaper. Robert got his first job laying base in construction and used his earnings to get his first apartment at the age of 18.

Robert married Shalisa Wilson in 2001, and the couple welcomed their only child
together, Marquel Thomas Young.

Robert worked as a Skycap at the San Diego International Airport. However, most
of the work he did throughout his life revolved around cooking. Robert loved his wife, family, and old school music. He was a bonafide Rastafarian, and a die-hard Lakers, Raiders, and Ohio State Buckeyes fan. He called basketball a game of poetry in motion.

Robert’s favorite TV shows were Martin, Everybody Loves Raymond, Perry Mason, and 60 Minutes. His favorite movies were Titanic and The Hunt for Red October. Robert also enjoyed reading, mostly the Bible and Moby Dick, or anything written by Assata Shakur, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Coretta Scott King.

On June 18, 2023, the day of his transition, the last words he heard were of scripture that he asked to be read to him; “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.”

Robert is survived by his wife of 29 years; Shalisa, his sons; Robert Mandela Young and Marquel Thomas Young, siblings; Marie Young of the Philippines, Kimberly McMann, Reese (Nina) Young and Kaci (Jamone) Patterson, who all live in Los Angeles, mother-in-law Emma Wilson of San Diego, sister-in-law Sadalya Diamond, brother-in-law Stefan Wilson, uncles; Ted Johnson, William Mines, Gary Henderson, Rodney Henderson, and Thomas “Skip” Appling, aunts; Anita Miller and Valerie Appling, best friends; Morgan Long and Tim Robertson, Donnie, Lamont, Cass Jr, a host of extended family including first, second, and third cousins, nieces and nephews, church family, and friends.

Vercie Carmon-Johnson

Obituaries

Digital Editor

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Jul 20, 2023

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Vercie Carmon-Johnson was born August 2, 1940 and called by her Maker on June 25, 2023. Her legacy will forever be etched in the hearts and minds of people who knew her as a somewhat private, yet very caring, dedicated, and loving person.

She devoted her life to educating children and adults. Vercie labored, without counting the cost, as an educator for The Diocese of Lafayette, Archdiocese of New Orleans, Diocese of San Diego, San Diego Community College District, the University of San Diego, and San Diego Unified School District, where she held different positions throughout her career.

Although she had no biological children, she considered all of her nieces and nephews as her children. Each of them was her favorite.

Vercie was devoted to her church, where she served in a variety of ministries. She was thankful and felt blessed to have been born into a staunch Roman Catholic family.

Family was important to Vercie. She made sure that special occasions in the life of family members were honored and celebrated.

Vercie is preceded in death by her loving parents Aristile and Edna Carmon, brothers; Bishop Dominic Carmon and Clifford Carmon, and sisters; Theresia Davis and Virginia Fonternot.

Survivors include her devoted husband Amos Johnson, Jr., brothers; Clifton (Ann) and
Aubrey, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends whom she loved and admired.

Vercie will be honored at the following Memorial Services:

Thursday, July 27, 2023 Friday, July 28, 2023
10:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m.
New Creation Church Mission San Luis Rey Parish
3115 Altadena Avenue 4070 Mission Avenue
San Diego, CA 92105 Oceanside, CA 92057

Nordean Carter

Digital Editor

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Jul 20, 2023

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Nordean Carter was born on November 15, 1949 in Clarksdale, Mississippi to Huberta Johnson and Robert B. Carter. Nordean attended Immaculate Conception High School and did well academically and socially. Nordean performed in numerous talent shows, harmonizing with her little sister Doris (Ifraj) and expressed her love of singing to everyone around her.

Nordean raised three children: Tara, Malika, and Sheldon.

Nordean had a pure, giving heart and took in many people in need of a home,
providing them with food, shelter, comfort, and love. Nordean was such a joy and blessing. She loved and gave unconditional love to her family. She is irreplaceable.

Nordean passed on into the afterlife on June 26, 2023

Preceding her in death were her sisters Donna and Doris (Ifraj).

Left to treasure her memory are her children, nine grandchildren; Christopher, Anthony Lee, Jasmyn, Tarik, Anthony (AJ), Neil, Laron, Edwin, and Amber, ten great-grandchildren, sister Brenda, and three brothers; Robert (Bobby), Levandis (Van) and Ray, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Rest is Paradise Nordean!

Justice Thomas: An Insult to Uncle Tom

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Jul 20, 2023

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By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper

A number of people in the African American community have known about the character of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas since before his appointment to the High Court. In fact, it was considered a disgrace to replace someone with the character, intellect and commitment to the struggle of Black people with the likes of Clarence Thomas. When the great debate during his confirmation hearing over the allegations from attorney Anita Hill surfaced and Thomas accused his detractors of committing a legal lynching of him, there was a shortness of sympathy for a man who should never have been nominated in the first place. His subsequent inaction on the court, and his conservative leaning almost always against anything that benefited Black people earned him the name “Uncle Tom” instead of “Justice Thomas”.

But it’s time to set the record straight. The Uncle Tom of Harriet Becher Stowe’s 1852 book, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, had real character. While he appeared to be subservient and docile as a good slave, those characteristics were used to help him disguise the good he was actually about doing to help others. He had a character that allowed him to put himself at risk by helping others. Justice Clarence Thomas, on the other hand, has shown that he is about helping himself first and always.

The favors, money and deals with his billionaire friends, his wife’s support of the January 6 attack on the Capitol and the lie that they never discussed matters of the January 6 riot in which people lost their lives, all reveal what most of us already knew from the beginning, that Justice Thomas was and is always about his interest and not the people.

Let us no longer insult the life and story of Uncle Tom which was actually based on the real life slave, Josia Henson. Let’s just call Thomas the person without character that he is and call for his impeachment, which we know will never happen in the Republican controlled House of Representatives where impeachment proceedings must start before they reach the Senate.

Let’s just call him Clarence Thomas, and know who he really is.

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Catherine Cunningham

Digital Editor

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Jul 20, 2023

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Catherine Cunningham was born February 4, 1933 in Little Rock, Arkansas to Irma Jo Winfrey and William Anderson, Sr. Catherine attended public schools in Little Rock, graduating from Dunbar’s Junior High and High School.

Catherine was baptized in her home town at Gospel Temple Baptist Church. In 1950, Catherine married Clifton Cunningham, Sr., and they started their family before relocating to San Diego, CA in 1960. They welcomed three more children afterwards.

In 1965, she began working at Sears Roebuck & Company, first as a cafeteria server, then Executive Assistant to the General Manager, and retiring as an HR Specialist for the San Diego Branch after thirty-two years of professional service.

Catherine’s faith remained an essential part of her journey. She became a member of Calvary Baptist Church, then later joined Mt. Erie Baptist Church. She was a faithful member for over thirty years, serving in many capacities, including Recorder for the Baptism Committee.

Catherine had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and enjoyed reading, word searches, and crossword puzzles. Her support and dedication to family were extraordinary. She always encouraged them to strive for a higher level of education and explore the world around them.

Catherine kept up with current events. Her favorite television programs were ABC World News Tonight, CNN’s “AC360”, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, American Gladiator, and Wipe Out.

In addition to Catherine’s warmth and generosity, she had a strong sense of Community and found joy in making others feel loved and supported. Her open-door policy created a welcoming atmosphere to all who visited her home. Catherine’s selflessness surpassed her immediate family. It included extended family and friends, leaving a lasting impact on all who knew her.

On Sunday, July 2, 2023, Catherine was called to rest.

Preceding her in death was her father and mother, husband of 56 years, Clifton Cunningham, Sr., two brothers; William Anderson, Jr. and Sherman Edward Anderson, and two children; Jeffie Joanna and Joel Edward.

Left to cherish her loving memory are Clifton Cunningham, Jr. (Bertha), Cheryl Katrina Howard of San Diego, Adriel Lynn Cunningham (Gloria) of Los Angeles, Alan LeMoyne Cunningham (Leslie) of London, England, and Keith Avila Cunningham (Monyca) of San Diego, two brothers; Jessie Anderson (Pauline) and Barry Anderson, of Little Rock, AR, two sisters; Bernice Anderson-Crawford of Temecula, CA, and Mildred Brown of Sacramento, CA; eighteen grandchildren, twenty-five great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, honorary family members, and friends.

The Community and The Anderson-Ragsdale Mortuary

Digital Editor

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Jul 20, 2023

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By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper

For those who might be new to San Diego, it will probably be hard to understand the feelings about the Anderson-Ragsdale Mortuary and the panic over its closing, Since 1955 when Mr. Ragsdale, Sr. opened his doors, his family owned business has been a part of most households in this African American community.

Mr. Ragsdale spoke of how many homes he had visited on a given street over the decades. He handled services for generations within families and his son Skipper, when he entered the business, also had a passion for people. The Pre-Need arrangements also cover generations as great grandparents, grandparents and parents have arrangements paid for and awaiting their use at the appointed time. So the idea of an Anderson-Ragsdale Mortuary is deep and personal to many.

But so many of us today have grown up not knowing that the Black mortician stood out because he had the one business controlled by Black folks, and he helped everyone at some point in time.

We, the community, look forward to the restructuring and re-opening of the Mortuary and hope it will be with us for time to come, but if he can’t, then we must be about the business of determining how we can preserve it.

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California NAACP Launches Employee Discrimination Hotline

Maria

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Jul 19, 2023

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California NAACP Launches Employee Discrimination Hotline

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

Rick L. Callender, President of the California/Hawaii Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (CAL/HI NAACP), has announced that the organization is offering free legal advice and consultations to public and private sector employees in California who have been targets of racial harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

“It is a legal redress clinic for folks who have contacted our branch and believe they have been discriminated against because of the color of their skin or harassed because of the color of their skins,” Callender told California Black Media (CBM).

“We are providing legal service for our people because sometimes they try to get an attorney to listen to them, but the attorney will tell them they are busy. What we have is two (legal) firms that have contracted with us to allow people to come and get free advice,” he continued.

Local NAACP branches across California will have the authority to determine if a complaint is appropriate for the legal redress consultations after affected employees submit a Legal Redress Complaint Form.

However, the CAL/HI NAACP points out that completing the form does not constitute filing an official complaint with a legal authority.

According to the California Department of Industrial Relations, workplace discrimination complaints are based on race, color, ancestry, religion, age (40 and over), disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, marital status, military and veteran status, or national origin (including language restrictions).

The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) established the Discrimination Complaint Tracking System (DCTS), which enables the collection of data on complaints regarding discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and denial of reasonable accommodation in state agencies, according to its “2020 Annual Report of Discrimination Complaint Activity in California State Civil Service.”

The 27-page report stated that the five highest statewide categories of complaints in 2020 were Race, Retaliation, Disability, Sexual Harassment, and Sex/Gender.

According to the report, the categories ranked as follows: Sexual Harassment (44%), Race (23%), Sex/Gender (16%), Disability (9%), and Sexual Orientation (7%).

On May 4, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a joint investigation into allegations of employment discrimination and a hostile work environment at the National Football League (NFL).

The NFL has offices in New York and California with more than 1,000 employees. If discrimination and harassment are taking place at these workplaces it should not be tolerated whether the complaint is lodged with the NAACP or the California Department of Justice, Bonta stated.

“California will not tolerate any form of discrimination,” Bonta stated. “We have serious concerns about the NFL’s role in creating an extremely hostile and detrimental work environment. No company is too big or popular to avoid being held responsible for their actions.”

California employees have the right to speak to representatives of the California Labor Commissioner’s Office or any other government or law enforcement agency about any issues affecting their working conditions in California.

For those seeking assistance for workplace discrimination and harassment, the NAACP offers the first step in the process of filing a claim that could eventually become a case against the accused violator or violators.

The free, legal redress advice and consultation offered by CAL/HI NAACP is funded through the Stop the Hate (STH) Program. The grant – administered by California Department of Social Services – comprises three components: Legal Redress, Youth Development, and Working with Ethnic Media.

The program awards funding to qualified nonprofit organizations to provide support and services to victims and survivors of hate incidents and hate crimes and their families and facilitate hate incident or hate crime prevention measures.

Funded support includes direct services for victims and survivors of hate incidents and hate crimes and their families, including mental and complementary health services; wellness and community healing; legal services; navigation, case management, and referrals.

Founded Feb. 12. 1909, the NAACP was formed in response to the horrific practice of lynching and the 1908 race riot in Springfield, Illinois. It is the nation’s oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization.

The NAACP has more than 500,000 members and supporters throughout the United States, serving as premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, campaigning for equal opportunity and conducting voter mobilization.

The ability to have a program that intends to seek legal redress for workplace discrimination, retaliation, and harassment is an effective tool “to protect employees’ rights,” Callender said.

“We first received ‘Stop the Hate’ funding for the Legal Redress program in January 2023,” Callender told CBM. “This is a necessary program, and we are looking forward to receiving more funding for legal redress in three more years.”

This California Black Media report was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

In Backlash over their Expulsions, 2 Tennessee Democratic Lawmakers Raised $2M Combined

Maria

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Jul 19, 2023

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In Backlash over their Expulsions, 2 Tennessee Democratic Lawmakers Raised $2M Combined

By JONATHAN MATTISE, Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee state Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones have raised more than $2 million combined through about 70,400 campaign donations after Republican lawmakers abruptly expelled the Democrats this spring for their gun control protest on the House floor.

The vast majority of those small donations came over just a few days when the two had been kicked out, but not yet reinstated. If Republicans kept the two young Black House members in office, they would not have been allowed to fundraise as sitting lawmakers while a legislative session was ongoing.

Instead, each of the two lawmakers saw a flood of campaign cash beyond the norm for even Republican legislative leaders to raise, let alone two freshman Democrats who are in the superminority.

Campaign finance reports that were due by the end of Monday show how much Democrats capitalized on the national attention. Jones and Pearson were expelled over a breach of decorum rules for their protest calling for the GOP to pass gun control measures after the March 27 deadly shooting at a Christian school in Nashville. Their white colleague who joined them in protest, Rep. Gloria Johnson, was spared by a single vote.

Jones, from Nashville, brought in almost $959,000 from April 6, the date of the expulsions, to his reinstatement on April 10 by local Nashville officials. In total, he raised nearly $1.1 million from early April through June.

Pearson, from Memphis, raised more than $857,000 from his expulsion until April 13, when he was sworn back into the House and returned to the floor the day after the Shelby County Commission voted to reinstate him. Pearson’s total fundraising topped $971,000 from April through June. His campaign previously provided The Associated Press with preliminary fundraising totals.

Johnson remained in office, so the Knoxville lawmaker was still banned from fundraising while Jones and Pearson were receiving tens of thousands of donations. Johnson raised $27,000 from late April through June.

GOP leaders said the expulsion actions — used only a handful times since the Civil War — were necessary to avoid setting a precedent that lawmakers’ disruptions of House proceedings through protest would be tolerated. They have denied that race was considered in the moves, and some have cited Johnson’s points during the expulsion debate that her role in the protest was lesser — she didn’t speak into the megaphone, for example.

Pearson, Jones and Johnson have hit the national TV news circuit, visited President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House and made appearances outside Tennessee.

Among the biggest high-profile supporters has been Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut. Murphy tweeted a link to a fundraising page in April, and his team said he helped raise more than $605,000 to split between Pearson and Jones.

Tennessee Democrats have been relegated to the superminority in both legislative chambers for years, limiting their recourse mainly to complaining when Republicans want to halt debates quickly, or waive other House rules. Pearson and other Democrats hope the fundraising wave can help them cut into that margin. In recent years, there have been very few competitive legislative districts.

Pearson and Jones first face Aug. 3 special elections to keep their seats.

More than 15 Republican lawmakers have funneled cash to Jones’ Republican opponent, Laura Nelson, in the Democratic-leaning district. Nelson has raised more than $34,000 for the race.

Pearson, meanwhile, doesn’t have a Republican opponent next month. He faces independent Jeff Johnston, who has raised shy of $400 for the contest.

Tupac Shakur’s long-unsolved killing again under spotlight as Las Vegas police conduct search

Arts and Entertainment

Digital Editor

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Jul 19, 2023

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Tupac Shakur’s long-unsolved killing again under spotlight as Las Vegas police conduct search

By Rio Yamat, Jonathan Landrum Jr. and Maria Sherman, Associated Press

Las Vegas police confirmed Tuesday that they served a search warrant this week in connection with the long-unsolved killing of Tupac Shakur, propelling the case back into the spotlight nearly 30 years after his death.

Shakur, one of the most prolific figures in hip-hop, was gunned down the night of Sept. 7, 1996, in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. He was 25.

No arrests have ever been made. Yet attention on the case, which has seen its share of conspiracy theories, has endured for decades.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement that the search was conducted Monday in the nearby city of Henderson, but the agency did not say whether a suspect has been identified. It’s also unclear what they were looking for and where they were looking.

Citing the ongoing investigation, department spokesperson Aden OcampoGomez said in a brief phone call that he couldn’t provide more details on the latest development in the case.

Nevada does not have a time limit for prosecuting homicide cases.

Shakur was shot while sitting inside a black BMW with Marion “Suge” Knight, head of Death Row Records. Police have said the two were waiting at a red light near the Las Vegas Strip when a white Cadillac pulled up next to them and gunfire erupted. Shot multiple times, Shakur was rushed to a hospital, where he died six days later.

Las Vegas police have said in the past that the investigation quickly stalled in part because witnesses refused to cooperate.

Shakur’s death came amid his feud with rap rival the Notorious B.I.G., who was fatally shot six months later. At the time, both rappers were in the middle of the infamous East Coast-West Coast rivalry, which primarily defined the hip-hop scene during the mid-1990s. The feud was ignited after Shakur was seriously wounded in another shooting during a robbery in the lobby of a midtown Manhattan hotel.

Shakur openly accused B.I.G. and Sean “Diddy” Combs of having prior knowledge of the shooting, which both vehemently denied. It sparked enough of a feud that created a serious divide within the hip-hop community and fans.

The New York-born Shakur represented the West Coast after he signed with Los Angeles-based Death Row Records. He often traded verbal jabs in the media and through songs. B.I.G. and Combs hailed from the East Coast while representing New York City-based Bad Boy Records.

Largely considered one of the most influential and versatile rappers of all time, the six-time Grammy Award -nominated Shakur has had five No. 1 albums: 1995’s “Me Against the World,” 1996’s “All Eyez on Me,” and three posthumous releases: 1996’s “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory,” which was recorded under the name Makaveli, as well as 2001’s “Until the End of Time” and 2004’s “Loyal to the Game.”

His professional music career only lasted five years, but Shakur secured 21 Billboard Hot 100s, including top 10 hits “Dear Mama” and “Old School” in 1995, and his best-known track, 1996’s “How Do U Want It/California Love” featuring K-Ci and JoJo. The latter spent two weeks at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 from his final studio album and Death Row Records debut, “All Eyez on Me.”

According to entertainment data company Luminate, Shakur has sold 33 million albums, 41 million when including track sale and streaming equivalents. The rapper’s on-demand video and audio streams total 10.1 billion.

In 2017, Shakur was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Snoop Dogg. In June of this year, the rapper received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He’s also had some museum exhibits that paid homage to his life, including “Tupac Shakur. Wake Me When I’m Free,” which opened in 2021.

Baltimore Squeegee Worker on Trial for Murder Acted in Self-Defense in Motorist’s Death, Lawyer says

Maria

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Jul 19, 2023

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Baltimore Squeegee Worker on Trial for Murder Acted in Self-Defense in Motorist’s Death, Lawyer says

By LEA SKENE, Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — A Baltimore teenager acted in self-defense when he allegedly shot and killed a baseball bat-wielding driver who approached youths washing windshields at a busy downtown intersection last summer, attorneys for the teen argued as his murder trial got underway Tuesday.

The high-profile tragedy reignited longstanding debate about Baltimore’s squeegee workers, mostly Black youths from disadvantaged backgrounds looking to make fast cash. City leaders have since banned the practice at certain high-traffic intersections and stepped up efforts to connect squeegee workers with above-board job opportunities.

“The state would have you believe this case is about squeegee boys,” defense attorney J. Wyndal Gordon told jurors in his opening statement. “This case is about road rage.”

Timothy Reynolds, 48, died from gunshot wounds after the July 2022 confrontation in evening rush hour near Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. An engineer and father of three, he grew up in the Baltimore area and was an avid fan of the city’s major league sports teams.

Defense attorneys argued Reynolds was the aggressor, his anger fueled by a longstanding irritation with squeegee workers whose presence at downtown intersections dates back decades.

“Mr. Reynolds’ personal views triggered him, and it led to an unprovoked attack on children,” Gordon said. “He took the law into his own hands and it ended poorly for him.”

But prosecutors gave jurors a different narrative of the moments preceding Reynolds’ death.

“He was out-maneuvered and he was gunned down,” prosecutor Cynthia Banks said, counting off the five gunshots that wounded him, including three to his back. “You cannot overlook the fact that Mr. Reynolds was shot dead.”

In turn, prosecutors told the jury that something got under Reynolds’ skin that afternoon and elicited a strong reaction. “The fact is he was upset, he was mad, he was human,” Banks said.

It’s not clear exactly what caused Reynolds to confront the squeegee workers he encountered. But he drove through the intersection and parked his car haphazardly, grabbed a metal baseball bat from the trunk and marched across several lanes of traffic toward the group, according to court testimony.

His mother was among several relatives who sat through Tuesday’s proceedings, her face twisting with grief during testimony about the minute details of the shooting.

The defendant, who faces first-degree murder and other charges, turned 15 the day after the shooting. He’s being tried in adult court, but The Associated Press is withholding his name because he’s a minor.

His attorneys repeatedly emphasized the difference in size between the defendant and Reynolds, who was 6 foot 3 (1.9 meters) tall and over 300 pounds (135 kilograms).

“You know who the adult was? Mr. Reynolds,” Gordon said, arguing Reynolds wasn’t acting his age.

One of the witnesses who testified Tuesday was a UPS driver who happened to pass through the intersection when the confrontation occurred. He said Reynolds swung the bat toward one squeegee worker moments before another opened fire. He said he couldn’t tell whether Reynolds struck anyone with the bat and couldn’t hear any words exchanged.

No witnesses positively identified the defendant as the shooter, saying they couldn’t be sure about his appearance because he was wearing a facemask. Multiple witnesses said they thought the shooter was wearing a pink shirt at the time.

Police later found a backpack nearby that contained a loaded handgun.

Another witness testified she was sitting in her car outside a nearby apartment building that evening when she saw a young man take off a pink shirt and don a mask that covered most of his face. She also said she couldn’t positively identify the defendant.

The teen appeared in court Tuesday wearing a gray suit, his shackles clanking loudly as he entered the room. His attorneys acknowledged he looked visibly older than when he was arrested last summer: taller and broader with facial hair beginning to come in.

“Some people would have you believe his name is squeegee worker, but he has a real name. He’s a real human being,” Gordon told the jury, saying his client dreamed of becoming an engineer or lawyer someday.

The attorney’s comments alluded to the heated debate around squeegee work that has long divided Baltimoreans. To some, the windshield washers are hard-working entrepreneurs facing some of Baltimore’s most deep-seated social challenges, including poverty, racism and disinvestment in communities of color; others consider them a nuisance and public safety hazard.

Since the city launched a campaign to address squeegeeing in response to the shooting, squeegee workers have been few and far between at most downtown intersections and officials have reported increased numbers of them taking advantage of social services and job-placement programs.

The trial is set to continue Wednesday in Baltimore Circuit Court.

Biden Administration Takes Action to Increase Transparency and Eliminate Hidden Rental Fees

Maria

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Jul 19, 2023

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Biden Administration Takes Action to Increase Transparency and Eliminate Hidden Rental Fees

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Seeking to promote transparency and fairness for renters, major online real-estate marketplaces have joined the Biden administration’s initiative to crack down on hidden apartment rental fees.

Companies such as Zillow, Apartments.com, and AffordableHousing.com have pledged to incorporate previously hidden costs, like application and convenience fees, into their upfront advertised pricing.

Acknowledging the need for clarity on additional charges that renters often face when securing an apartment, the administration’s call for transparency has garnered support from prominent rental platforms.

Administration officials noted in a Fact Sheet that they know that many tenants have been surprised when encountering hidden fees amounting to hundreds of dollars during the application and finalization of rental agreements.

The White House further highlighted potential surprise fees that renters might encounter after securing their apartments, including convenience fees for online rent payment, fees for mail sorting, and unexplained “January fees” added at the start of a new year.
In response to these concerns, the administration has focused on tackling these so-called “junk fees.”

As part of the latest measures announced on Wednesday, July 19, prospective renters can now expect a more straightforward rental process on three major platforms – Zillow, Apartments.com, and AffordableHousing.com.

These marketplaces will display the total cost of apartments, encompassing all associated fees, unlike the previous practice of revealing only the base rent.
The White House said the change should offer a more accurate representation of the financial commitment of renting, providing renters with better tools to make informed decisions.

“At the front end of the apartment search, people often pay application fees of $50, $60, $100 or more per apartment, and have to do it many times over,” a White House official stated.

“If they’re applying to multiple units, this can add up to hundreds of dollars.”
By exposing hidden fees and encouraging transparency, the administration hopes to empower renters to make more informed choices and foster a fairer rental market.
“Reducing housing costs is central to Bidenomics, and recent data show that inflation in rental housing is abating,” White House officials stated.

“Moreover, experts predict that roughly 1 million new apartments will be built this year, increasing supply that will further increase affordability.
“The actions announced today will help renters understand these fees and the full price they can expect to pay, and create additional competition housing providers to reduce reliance on hidden fees.”

Investigation into Tupac Shakur’s Unsolved Killing Resurrected

Maria

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Jul 19, 2023

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Investigation into Tupac Shakur’s Unsolved Killing Resurrected

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Authorities in Nevada have rekindled the investigation into the unsolved murder of rap legend Tupac Shakur, nearly three decades after his tragic death.

Law enforcement officials disclosed that they executed a search warrant earlier this week, breathing new life into the quest for justice surrounding the rap star’s shooting.
The resurgence of the case follows the June announcement by federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York, revealing charges against a third individual in the 2002 shooting death of Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay.

Authorities in New York said the indictment of Jay Bryant, 49, marked a significant breakthrough in the case involving the late Jason Mizell, professionally known as Jam Master Jay.

Bryant’s indictment builds upon the prior charges against Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. in August 2020, as authorities said they have tirelessly pursued leads to unravel the mystery behind the murder of the influential hip-hop icon.
Tragically, Jay was shot in the head in his recording studio in Jamaica, New York, on October 30, 2002.

His death, occurring several years after the murders of Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., also sent shockwaves through the music industry.
Meanwhile, in connection with the murder of Shakur, fatally shot on September 7, 1996, Las Vegas police confirmed they executed a search warrant on July 17.

Executed in the nearby city of Henderson, the new warrant has left the public curious about the nature of the search and the specific locations involved.
A police spokesperson refrained from providing additional details regarding the recent progress in the case, including the potential identification of a suspect.

The 25-year-old rapper was traveling in a black BMW driven by Marion “Suge” Knight, the founder of Death Row Records, as part of a convoy of about ten cars, supposedly en route to a nightclub following the Mike Tyson versus Bruce Seldon championship fight at the MGM Grand.

The police confirmed that no other occupants were in the car at the time.
At an intersection near the Las Vegas Strip, while the BMW sat at a red light, a white Cadillac carrying four individuals pulled up alongside it.
That’s when one of the occupants opened fire, unleashing a barrage of bullets into the passenger side of Knight’s car.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Shakur sustained four gunshot wounds, at least two of which hit his chest.

A bullet fragment grazed Knight himself or shrapnel from the vehicle.
Following the attack, Shakur was rushed to a hospital, where he battled for six days before succumbing to his injuries.