57How Choice Hotels Is Putting Its Weight Behind Black Women Ownership
A new survey by Mandala Research shows that African American travelers are a significant travel group who contributed about $63 billion to the U.S. travel and tourism economy in 2018.
96 Charged in Immigrant Marriage Scheme That Provided Fake Wedding Albums
Nearly 100 people were charged in connection with what federal prosecutors described as the largest sham marriage scheme ever documented in the Houston area.
Texas Senate Removes Exception That Allows Abortion After 20 Weeks
The Texas Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would ban abortions on the basis of the sex, race or disability of a fetus, and criminalize doctors who perform what opponents call “discriminatory abortions.”
Nipsey Hussle’s Estate Sued
Rapper Nipsey Hussle who was as noted for his business acumen as he was for his music, apparently died in debt to a music company, which now wants his estate to cough up the money they claim he owed them.
Texas Southern to Recognize James Prince with Honorary Degree
Houston native and legendary entrepreneur/music mogul James Prince will receive an honorary doctorate degree from Texas Southern University during Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 18, 2019.
Tiffany Haddish Is Readyyy for Kids Say the Darndest Things Reboot
Tiffany Haddish has been known to say and do the darndest things—and now she’ll be hosting a show full of kids with that same energy!
Largest Class of African-American Women Set to Graduate From West Point
The United States Military Academy at West Point will see a historic number of African-American women graduate this year.
Texas Among Most Vulnerable to Measles Outbreak
Four Texas counties are among the top 25 in the nation identified as being most at risk for a measles outbreak, according to a new study.
‘Empire’ To Get 1 More Season On Fox Amid Schedule Shake-Up
“Empire” will return for its final season this fall on Fox — with Jessie Smollett a question mark — and should count itself lucky.
Mayor Vows No Layoffs After Prop B Is Ruled Unconstitutional
A state district judge has ruled Proposition B unconstitutional. District Court Judge Tanya Garrison issued her ruling saying the voter-approved measure granting pay parity to firefighters with the Houston Police department, violated Texas Local Government Code and the Texas Constitution.
Texas School District Moving to Four Day School Weeks
Officials in the Dime Box ISD recently decided to move to a four day school week starting next school year.
Have Too Many Bad Habits? Here Are 6 Ways To Create Good Ones
It’s said that we become our habits. In some cases that is not a good thing; bad habits prevail among many Americans. One report found that over 70 percent of US adults have at least one unhealthy behavior associated with chronic health problems.
Tony Buzbee Comments On Latest Prop B Ruling
This morning, during the weekly City Council meeting, Mayor Turner announced that a state district judge ruled Proposition B unconstitutional.
How To Ditch The Techie Jargon And Improve Your Organization’s Cybersecurity
An office memo that tosses around terms like DRM, botnet, FTP, spear phishing and worm could be a quick, easy read for the head of the IT department.
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am Is Out In Theaters June 21, 2019
TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM is out in theaters June 21, 2019
Check out the new trailer for Magnolia Pictures upcoming documentary, TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM, releasing in theaters on Friday, June 21st.
Houston Sailor Serves in Atlantic Aboard USS Carney
Fire Controlman 1st Class Alexander Perez, from Houston, reloads a phalanx close-in weapons system aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) during Formidable Shield 19, May 11, 2019.
Melissa McCarthy is replacing Steve Harvey on 'Little Big Shots'
Steve Harvey is losing another one of his gigs. On the heels of the news that his daytime talk show, "Steve," has been canceled, NBC has announced that Melissa McCarthy will replace Harvey as the host of "Little Big Shots."
Diverse Coalition of Students and Community Organizations Ask to Intervene in Suit to Defend Expanded Access to Elite New York City Public Schools
LatinoJustice PRLDEF, LDF, ACLU, and NYCLU File Motion to Intervene to Allow Students and Advocacy Groups to Join the Defense of Efforts to Improve Racial Equity at Specialized High Schools
Court Orders Expansion of Spanish Language Access in Florida for Upcoming Elections
Today, Judge Mark Walker, the Chief U.S. District Judge in Northern Florida, issued a court order granting a preliminary injunction requiring Florida’s Secretary of State and the Supervisors of Elections of 32 Florida counties to take further steps to comply with section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act.
Meet the Latina From the Bronx Whose Documentary About NYC Yellow Cab Drivers Is a Tribute to Immigrants
Latino Rebels highlights NYC yellow cab drivers documentary. For decades, immigrants arriving to New York City saw in the yellow taxi medallion —which used to give cab drivers exclusive rights to pick up people— their golden ticket out of poverty and into middle class life. But with ride-sharing apps like Uber, the price of the medallion plummeted, sinking the dreams of many along with the price.
Rape And Kidnapping Trial Begins For Ex-NFL Star Kellen Wins
Jury selection kicked off Monday in the trial of ex-NFL tight end Kellen Winslow II, who faces charges of rape, kidnapping and indecent exposure, CBS reports.
Beto O’Rourke Hires Obama Delegate Guru Jeff Berman
Beto O’Rourke has hired one of the masterminds behind Barack Obama’s unlikely 2008 primary victory, part of the Democratic candidate’s efforts to balance his freewheeling style with the organizational demands of a presidential campaign.
Black Teen, Now 32-Years Old, Still Serving 11 Life Sentences in Prison For Crime He Didn’t Commit
Juan Rayford Jr. was 17-years old when he was wrongfully accused of attempted murder and ultimately sentenced with life imprisonment despite his non-involvement in the crime. Now at 32-years old, Rayford Jr. has spent 15 years of his life behind bars and he still dreams that he could one day be free.
Man Awarded $60K After Being Arrested for Refusing to Give Police His Name During Traffic Stop
Robert Mitchell, a Black man who filed a lawsuit against the Bakersfield Police Department for allegedly making an “unconstitutional arrest” on him during a traffic stop two years ago, has reached a settlement with the city of Bakersfield which agreed to pay him $60,000.
Once Homeless, Black Doctor Tells His Story of Beating the Odds in New Film
Dr. Tommy Watson is sharing his empowering life story in a new film called Resilient that is scheduled to start filming in Charlotte, NC in the summer of 2019. Based on his award-winning book A Face of Courage: The Tommy Watson Story, the film tells the story of Watson’s inspiring journey from homelessness, abandonment and childhood neglect to successful Big Ten football player with hopes for the NFL and later a fulfilling career as a school principal and motivational speaker.
Physicist Walter E. Massey to Receive Vannevar Bush Award from National Science Foundation For Contributions to Public Service and Technology
The National Science Board (NSB) recently announced that Dr. Walter E. Massey will receive the prestigious Vannevar Bush Award. The award honors science and technology leaders who have made substantial contributions to the welfare of the nation through public service in science, technology, and public policy.
Kenya Barris to Write, Star in Netflix Comedy Series ‘Black Excellence’ Opposite Rashida Jones
According to Variety.com, since signing a lucrative overall production deal with Netflix and after years at ABC, “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris has lined up his first series for the streaming giant.
Urban Scooter Collisions: What Riders and Motorists Need to Know
Dockless scooters have rapidly gained popularity in cities across the US, providing people with an inexpensive and environmentally friendly way to get around, but many people complain they are a nuisance and a hazard.
Hogg Foundation Awards $11.5 Million in Grants to Address Well-being in the Houston Area
The Hogg Foundation has awarded $11.5 million in grants to 11 organizations for the Communities of Care initiative. The initiative supports collaborative approaches to well-being in the Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area. The grants will strengthen efforts to transform the environments where people live, learn, work, play and pray, bringing a population health approach to support resilience, mental health and well-being for all members of a community, and with a focus on children and youth of color and their families.
Mayor Turner Announces Entertainment for CITGO Freedom Over Texas - July 4th
Featuring a Space City Experience That’s Out of this World
This year, guests will celebrate more than America’s Freedom at the city’s signature Independence Day event, as this July marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. CITGO Freedom Over Texas has partnered with NASA’s Johnson Space Center, to bring an exclusive Space City Experience to all patrons at the event featuring its history and what the future holds for intergalactic exploration and travel. The signature area will include an opportunity to be up close and personal with astronauts, robotic demonstrations, virtual reality fieldtrips to the International Space Station, the Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV), NASA’s Destination Station, and other NASA assets and activities.
Houston Sailor Serves in Atlantic Aboard USS Carney
Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Chance Vaughan, from Houston, Texas, gives a brief to the flight deck crew before flight operations aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) during Formidable Shield 19, May 12, 2019. Formidable Shield is designed to improve allied interoperability in a live-fire integrated air and missile defense environment, using NATO command and control reporting structures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV/Released)
AARP Applauds Texas House Approval of Prescription Drug Price Transparency Bill
AARP Texas Director Urges Senate Passage of HB 2536
The Texas House of Representatives has taken a major step to address the skyrocketing cost of prescription drug prices that are making it harder for Texans to afford the medicines they need.
Cardinals Sign Top Pick Murray To Four-Year Deal
The Arizona Cardinals have signed Kyler Murray in time for their rookie minicamp. Arizona signed the No. 1 overall draft pick to a four-year contract Thursday worth about $35 million with a team option for a fifth. It includes a signing bonus of more than $23 million.
H-E-B Names Winners in 2019 Excellence in Education Awards
On Sunday, May 5, H-E-B announced statewide winners for the 18th annual H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards during an awards ceremony at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin. During the ceremony, H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt handed out $430,000 in cash awards and grants, and congratulated eight educators, two school districts, one early childhood agency and a public school board for being among the best in Texas. The program has given away more than $10 million in cash and grants to Texas teachers and schools since 2002.
Tuskegee Fighter Pilots Visit Houston to Remember the Historic Flight Squadron
Two World War II heroes are visiting Houston on Monday evening. Retired Lieutenant Colonels Harry T. Stewart Jr. and Alexander Jefferson flew numerous combat missions in Europe as part of the Tuskegee Airmen’s 332ndFighter Group, and will appear during a presentation of a documentary about their lives as fighter pilots in the historic squadron.
Stepfather of Missing Houston Girl, 4, 'Person of Interest' in Her Disappearance
As desperate searchers combed the landscape Tuesday in a wooded area of a Northeast Houston neighborhood where a man told investigators his 4-year-old stepdaughter was abducted last Friday by three men in a pickup truck, police revealed he's now a "person of interest" in her disappearance.
Houston Rapper Trae Tha Truth Helps with Rescues Around the City
ABC13.com reports Houston rapper Trae Tha Truth and his team, the Relief Gang, are out in the streets of Houston searching for people in need of rescue.
It’s Time to Free Small Businesses from the Ghosts of Wireless Past
For months now, I have been talking about all the good things the New T-Mobile would do for consumers and for the country – and what we will do to spark competition and innovation in the 5G economy. As I’ve shared before, the facts make it clear that keeping the status quo is not just wrong, it’s bad. Really bad. But did you know it can get worse?
Béla Wellness Drinks Launch in LifeCafe
Life Time will be Béla's first national customer
Béla, the Atlanta-based wellness beverage brand, announced today that it will soon be available at LifeCafe fast casual restaurants in Life Time's athletic resort destinations nationwide. Béla will implement a multi-faceted marketing campaign through 2019 to support the launch at Life Time, the nation's premier healthy lifestyle brand.
Houston Native Serves aboard USS John C. Stennis
U.S. Navy Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Kassandra Lopez, from Houston, stencils a life ring aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) in the Atlantic Ocean, May 7, 2019. The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG) is deployed in support of maritime security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Jordan Ripley)
CFPB proposes helping debt collectors instead of consumers: Unlimited text messages, email, and 7 phone calls per week per collector
When it comes to personal finance, multiple issues confront consumers every day. From ever-deepening student debt, to denials on mortgage applications, and small-dollar borrowing known as payday loans that come with legal triple-digit interest rates in 33 states -- all contribute to a series of financial challenges.
Bethune-Cookman University to Remember Alfred Adams During Service of Consecration, Wednesday, May 8, 2019
The Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) campus community is deeply saddened by the loss of Alfred Adams, who passed away on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Adams, a former student-athlete, completed his undergraduate education at B-CU. He was currently enrolled in graduate school at the University.
Big3 Names New CEO
Amit Bajaj Joins the BIG3 as CEO at a Time of Rapid Growth
BIG3 announced today that the professional 3-on-3 basketball league founded by producer, actor and music legend Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz recently added Amit Bajaj as its CEO. His appointment to CEO comes at a time of tremendous growth for the league, which recently announced its broadcast deal with CBS as well as its expansion from eight to twelve teams set to play in a total of 18 cities this summer.
Houston Army Vet, Salon Owner Helping Girls become Entrepreneurs with Free Braiding and Success Workshop Saturday
Houston Girls ages 7-17 can get a head start on launching their own business this Saturday, May 11th thanks to US Army Reserve Veteran and Braids for Hope Founder Jessica Ray.
CVB Honors Partners in Tourism and Recently Retired CEO, Shelley Johnson with Special Guest Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser
The Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau (LC/SWLA CVB) honored partners in tourism who have made significant contributions to the tourism industry in Southwest Louisiana as well as recently retired CEO of the LC/SWLA CVB, Shelley Johnson, at the award ceremony held in honor of National Travel & Tourism Week on Tuesday, May 7, at Treasures of Marilyn’s. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser was on hand at the ceremony to deliver the keynote address and assist with awards.
Partial METRORail Shutdown for Emergency Repairs
Immediate repairs are underway on portions of METRORail to address potential hazards involving overhead electrical wires. The Red Line extension from UH-Downtown to the Northline Transit Center along with the Green and Purple lines were shutdown late Wednesday afternoon. Bus shuttles are available along those lines to transport customers. Rail Service along the Red Line between UH-Downtown and Fannin South will not be impacted.
Houston Business Owner Challenges 13-Time Congressional Incumbent
For longer than many of its voters have been alive, Houston’s 18th Congressional District has known one representative. That’s likely to change for the better in 2020 thanks to Dr. Bimal Patel, a native of Houston, a trusted optometrist, and a business owner in the 18th. Dr. Patel—or Bimal, as he prefers to be called—will challenge incumbent Sheila Jackson Lee in next year’s March 3rd Democratic primary.
Single Mother and PhD Student Uses GoFundMe to Help with NASA Internship in Houston
Have you ever been so close to your dreams you could taste it but there was just one thing holding you back? India Jackson of Decatur, Georgia knew that feeling. After being selected to intern for NASA at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Jackson's excitement was dwindled by the costs associated to take the internship.
Five Side Hustles for Digital Hustlers
Given that more than one-third of Americans have a side hustle and more than half of all millennials are supporting themselves with one, too, you might be interested in knowing more ways to hustle. Here are the top five easiest and most fun side hustles that don’t require leaving your house—or desk (shh).
New self-improvement book offers a thoughtful collection of essays based on wisdom gained from life experience
Debuting author Rebecca Meredith shares ‘Lessons in Life’
Debuting author Rebecca Meredith writes about motivational experiences and inspiring true stories from the heart. Taking place in the healing process after losing her mother, Meredith’s self-improvement book titled “Lessons in Life” (published by Lulu) offers a thoughtful collection of essays based on wisdom gained from life experience.