National Unrest, ongoing protest about police brutality where is our president...? by Larry Montgomery

DIGITAL Version 2020

Vol: 2 No: 14

AUGUST 28, 2020

WHERE IS OUR PRESIDENT IN THESE PERILIOUS TIMES? Pages 7 and 13

EDITORIAL

WALTER WINFREY 100 BLACK MEN OF LONG ISLAND FOUNDER PASSES Page 39

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SAVE OUR VILLAGE page 82 Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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Barack Obama Delivers a Jeremiad

Such is the purpose of the tradition of the “jeremiad,” in substance and style a rhetorical method born of Puritan sermons in the 17th and 18th centuries, and perfected by America’s greatest writers and some of its politicians in the 19th century. In sermons, patriotic political speeches, abolitionist editorials or slave narratives, the jeremiad has In his convention speech, the foralways called the flock — a congremer president sought to renew gation or the nation — back from faith in the democratic project. its declension from the faith, from On Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, its waning zeal to a renewed activstanding in front of an exhibition ist belief in the covenant. about the Constitution in PhiladelThe rhetorical device is suffused phia, Barack Obama fully became with mixtures of wrath, mystery, an American Jeremiah. pathos, history, justice and optiUnlike that Hebrew prophet, Mr. mism. Because America in its aspiObama did not shatter the earth, ration, if not its practice, is an idea, nor predict the destruction of all a set of creeds, asserted and violatour temples, nor see our Jerusalem ed and then always reasserted, the quite yet in its deserved ruin. He jeremiad became, as the most did not tell us that collectively our prominent scholar of this topic, “clothing is stained with the blood Sacvan Bercovitch, argued, a “ritual of the innocent and the poor,” as plotline” in our national narrative. Jeremiah did. But he came close, We are both fortunate and bureven as he delivered a moving redened to be a covenanted people; assertion of American “ideals” and we thankfully separated church “creeds.” and state, but the civil and sacred Published by The Village Press, Inc.

have always been codependent. Although we are often reminded that many theories of American exceptionalism do not hold up to scrutiny, the jeremiad provides a ritual of return to the hope invested in the Declaration of Independence and the 14th and 19th Amendments, the G.I. Bill, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Clean Air Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act. As Mr. Bercovitch wrote, “The remedy for American abuses was the American promise, and the failure of that promise meant the failure of history itself.” Such was Mr. Obama’s warning delivered at the Democratic convention. Mr. Obama has always been at heart a healer, a reconciler eager to find common ground with people who hated him for ideological, political and racial reasons. It is a primary reason for his political success and status today as the most admired political figure in our culture. Sometimes his opponents despise (Continued on page 4)

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his talent for reminding them that they ought to be better. But Mr. Obama seems to have finally given up on saving Republicans from their moral rot. Indeed, although he has always been a practicing Democrat, this week he truly became a Democrat. He put aside the language of “there is no blue America or red America, only the United States of America.” He named essential elements of democracy, including the right to vote, a free press, a military with civilian leadership, and “fidelity to facts and science and logic and not making stuff up.” Such principles, Mr. Obama said, should not be partisan, but now they are. President Trump and those who enable him “have shown that they do not believe in these things.” Therefore, they must be defeated and driven out. It is almost as if a despairing Barack Obama during the Trump years has decided that if this be partisanship, so be it. Politics is war by other means. And winning this time means the survival of the nation itself. The former president told us that “our democracy” — the American experiment — is on the line in this election, that the Trump presidency has so soiled and corrupted the promise, sent it to the brink of selfdestruction, that we have only 70plus days to save it. Mr. Obama knows that the jeremiad is not a mere lamentation, but a cry for hope. He delivered both. And he spoke of “our democracy” struggling against “them.” “Do not let them take away your power,” he pleaded particularly to young voters. Mr. Trump and his minions, he said, “are counting on your cynicism.” Here was the altar call of the classic jeremiad — come back to the faith, even if you are so young that you were not aware you ever had one. Learn from the dark past and those who survived it — the reviled immigrants, religious groups and especially African-Americans, who all had reasons to quit on the promise but never did. The ultimate target of Mr. Obama’s speech was young voters who do Published by The Village Press, Inc.

not turn out in large numbers. They are, he said, the “missing ingredient.” He insisted that our “system of self-government can be harnessed” to help them follow through on their conviction that everyone has equal worth. In this speech Mr. Obama did not break into his stunning smile, except when talking about his “brother,” Joe Biden. He almost smiled when he said despite its flaws, the original Constitution had “embedded” in it a “North Star,” possibly a reference to Frederick Douglass’s newspaper by that title and to Douglass’s antislavery interpretation of the founding document. No one mastered the jeremiad in the middle of the 19th century quite like Douglass in the crises leading to the Civil War. In 1859, Douglass turned a lament into a wail of hope about President James Buchanan’s disastrous handling of the debate over slavery expansion: “Go on, sir; let the nation go on sir. The end is at hand. The haughty Assyrians will yet be brought low — the ire of offended justice will yet flash upon your soul, and burn up your heart strings with unquenchable fire.” Warnings of impending doom went hand in hand with attacks on na-

tional hypocrisy and calls for action and resistance. During the secession crisis in the spring of 1861, Douglass declared, “We have sown the wind only to reap the whirlwind,” because “the Republic has put one end of the chain around the ankle of the bondman, and the other end about its own neck.” In his speech, Mr. Obama was not as apocalyptic, in tone or metaphor, as Douglass. But he was a somber, deeply worried man, not out to retrieve his presidential legacy from a narcissistic reality-show host unworthy of the office, but a citizen orator, looking us in the eye and telling us to wake up, rise up, read the creeds and do everything possible to save the historical demands of equality before the law and at the ballot box before it is too late and the American project is sent into a long Babylonian Captivity, perhaps to be reinvented by some other people in a distant century. Mr. Obama’s former campaign manager, David Plouffe, described the speech on MSNBC, admiringly, as “alarming.” It was alarming, because the former president, a bit out of character, not only named the enemy, but summoned the entire national family to a moral equivalent of war.

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House Votes to Block Postal Changes and Allocate Funds for Mail The Democratic bill would send $25 billion to the Postal Service and reverse changes that have slowed service until after November’s election. Speak-er Nancy Pelos-i discussing the bill on Saturday before the vote in the House. The bill, as written, appeared unlikely to move through the Republican-controlled Senate. WASHINGTON — The House interrupted its summer recess on Saturday for a rare weekend session to approve legislation blocking costcutting and operational changes at the Postal Service that Democrats, civil rights advocates and some Republicans fear could jeopardize mail-in ballots this fall. The measure, put forward by Democratic leaders, would also require the Postal Service to prioritize the delivery of all election-related mail and grant the beleaguered agency a rare $25 billion infusion to cover revenue lost because of the coroPublished by The Village Press, Inc.

navirus pandemic and ensure it has the resources to address what is expected to be the largest vote-bymail operation in the nation’s history. Democrats were joined by 26 Republicans in voting yes, passing the legislation 257 to 150, with more than 20 Republicans not voting. But the bill, as written, appeared unlikely to move through the Republican-controlled Senate. President Trump opposed the measure in last-minute tweets, calling it a “money wasting HOAX” by Democrats. Democrats framed Saturday’s action as an emergency intervention into the affairs of an independent agency to protect vital mail and package services that have seen significant delays this summer as the new postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, moved swiftly to cut costs to close a yawning budget gap. They said it was also necessary to instill confidence in American voters that the agency would safeguard their ballots despite near daily attacks by Mr. Trump on mailin voting. “This is not a partisan issue,” Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, Democrat of New York and the lead author of the bill, said, as she released Postal Service statistics

documenting the slowdown in delivery since early July. “It makes absolutely no sense to impose these kinds of dangerous cuts in the middle of a pandemic and just months before the elections in November.” Most Republicans in the House opposed it after Mr. DeJoy, facing intense backlash and with the vote looming, announced this week that he would temporarily halt the removal of blue mailboxes and sorting machines, as well as changes to post office hours and to mail delivery operations until after Nov. 3 out of an abundance of caution. In testimony before the Senate on Friday, Mr. DeJoy reiterated that pledge and said ensuring successful mail-in voting would be the agency’s “No. 1 priority.” He called Democrats’ assertion that he was working with Mr. Trump to hinder the program “outrageous” and testified that he planned to continue the agency’s practice of prioritizing election mail. He is scheduled to testify again on Monday before the House Oversight and Reform Committee. The decision to recall lawmakers back to the Capitol underscored just how high the political and electoral stakes have become around the operations of a usually hum(Continued on page 6)

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drum federal service, especially in the eyes of Democrats. Even if it does not become law, they reason, the vote will help elevate the issue in the eyes of regular Americans and further tarnish Mr. Trump. “Don’t pay any attention to what the president is saying because it’s all designed to suppress the vote,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said before the vote. Postal leaders have been warning for months that the sharp decline in mail caused by the pandemic could jeopardize the solvency of an agency that has struggled to turn a profit. But Mr. DeJoy, a Trump donor and former logistics executive, introduced measures to cut down on transportation costs and overtime this summer, leading to substantial delivery delays of vital items like medicines, checks and even chicks. Democrats and postal unions began to caution that the Trump administration may be moving to destabilize the Postal Service during an election year and aid its private competitors because of the president’s animus against mail-in voting. In his tweets on Saturday, he said the Postal Service did not need the money, despite its outstanding request to Congress for the funds, and repeated false claims that voting by mail is fraudulent. He accused Democrats of backing a universal vote-by-mail “scam” in “violation of everything that our Country stands for.” Voting by mail is neither new, a scam, nor at risk of widespread fraud, as Mr. Trump insists. Millions of Americans in conservative and liberal states alike cast their ballots through the Postal Service in 2016 and 2018. Mr. Trump plans to do so this year, but makes a distinction between absentee voting through the mail and programs overseen by Republicans and Democrats that proactively send ballots to all voters. Adding to some lawmakers’ worries, Mr. DeJoy’s changes coincided with the long-planned removal of hundreds of blue postal collection boxes across the country and the decommissioning of mail-sorting machines, part of a regular practice Published by The Village Press, Inc.

to adjust to the steady decline of mail. Many Republican lawmakers have joined Democrats in voicing concern over the slowdowns and demanding assurances from Mr. DeJoy and others that the Postal Service will be able to carry out the vote-by-mail initiatives. Among the Republicans bucking their leadership on Saturday were moderates, representatives of heavily rural districts that rely on the mail for basic services and several lawmakers fighting for reelection this fall. “We should be preserving and enhancing U.S.P.S. delivery standards and services, not implementing operational changes that could delay delivery times and undermine quality services that every American depends on,” said one of them, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican of Pennsylvania. More conservative Republicans and allies of Mr. Trump accused Democrats of continuing to fan hyperbolic and unsupported theories of a conspiracy overseen by Mr. Trump to sabotage the election for their own political gain. “Like the Russia hoax and the impeachment sham, the Democrats have manufactured another scandal for political purposes,” said Representative James Comer of Kentucky, the top Republican on the oversight panel. Many Senate Republicans — including moderate senators facing tough races in November — are supportive of granting the agency a direct appropriation, albeit with some policy stipulations to address its long-term business model. Congress provided $10 billion in loan authority for the agency this spring, as well, that it has yet to use. But Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, said plainly on Saturday that he did not plan to bring up a stand-alone bill in the Senate when lawmakers are at a stalemate over broader coronavirus relief legislation. “The facts show the U.S.P.S. is equipped to handle this election, and if a real need arises, Congress will meet it,” he said in a statement. “The Senate will absolutely not pass stand-alone legislation for the Postal Service while American 6

families continue to go without more relief.” The Democratic legislation would amount to an extraordinary intervention. Though it is a government entity explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, the modern Postal Service functions as a selfsustaining business that raises funds through postal products, not from taxpayers. Democrats’ $25 billion comes with no strings attached, but their bill would effectively bar Postal Service leaders from making any changes that “impede prompt, reliable and efficient service” through at least January. It would reverse changes already put in place that Mr. DeJoy had declined to. The postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, facing intense backlash, said this week that he would temporarily halt the removal of blue mailboxes and sorting machines. By imposing strict requirements until the end of the pandemic, it would, if approved, also effectively block the postmaster general from making more sweeping changes he has planned after Election Day that Democrats generally oppose. The $25 billion in direct funds match a request the Postal Service made of Congress this spring to cover lost revenue. Mr. DeJoy and the Postal Service remain supportive of a direct grant from Congress, though they have more cash on hand than previously anticipated. Still, he opposed the restrictions that Democrats’ bill would impose. On Friday, he urged lawmakers to pass bipartisan legislation to address the agency’s longer-term financial woes by unburdening it from a requirement to prefund retiree benefits that has put it deep in the red. Even a short-term infusion of cash has become tied up in larger political and policy fights over how to respond to the pandemic. Lawmakers had hoped to reach bipartisan consensus on a huge relief bill — including around $10 billion for the Postal Service — before they left town for their recess, but talks stalled. Mr. McConnell expressed some optimism in recent days that the intense interest in the postal issue (Continued on page 18)

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Officer Rusten Sheskey Identified as Cop Who Shot Jacob Blake Rusten Sheskey fired his weapon seven times at Jacob Blake and has told investigators that Blake had a knife.

he fired bullet after bullet at close range went viral on Sunday, prompting protests that were punctuated by violence—police firing tear gas to disperse crowds and a gunman, allegedly a 17-year-old “Blue Lives Matter” fan—killing two people on Tuesday night.

KENOSHA, Wisconsin—The police officer who shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back, unleashing fiery outrage and triggering a federal civil rights probe, was identified Wednesday night as Rusten Sheskey, a seven-year veteran who claims Blake was armed with As President Trump threatened to send in troops to quell unrest, and the U.S. Department of Justice said a knife. a federal civil rights investigation had been opened, In his first update on the shooting since a brief state- details of Sheskey’s background emerged. ment this weekend, state Attorney General Josh Kaul gave law enforcement’s account of how the Sunday On at least two social media accounts, Sheskey used as his profile image a black and white flag with a sinevening confrontation in Kenosha unfolded. gle blue stripe—a totem of pro-cop solidarity in the He said officers were dispatched to a home where a face of public criticism over brutal police violence. woman reported that a boyfriend was present and A post on one social media account bearing his name wasn’t supposed to be there. Officers attempted to said, “I’D RATHER BE JUDGED BY 12 THAN CARRIED arrest Blake, 29, and deployed a Taser to no effect, BY 6.” Kaul said. Blake walked around his car, opened the driver’s side door, and leaned forward, according to Tucker Defends Vigilante Kid: Did What ‘No One Else Kaul. While holding Blake’s shirt, Sheskey fired seven Would’ times. A Flickr account belonging to Sheskey, the son of a Teen ‘Blue Lives Matter’ Fan Charged With Murder in teacher, shows that he participated in the 2011 laborKenosha backed protests against then-Gov. Scott Walker’s efforts to repeal collective bargaining rights for most The Wisconsin Department of Justice claimed Blake public employee unions. admitted that he had a knife, and Department of Criminal Investigation agents recovered a knife from the driver’s side floorboard of his vehicle, according to Kaul.

In an interview with a local news site last year about being part of the Kenosha P.D.’s bike unit, Sheskey said he’d always wanted to be a cop.

Kaul didn’t make it clear if Blake was the same person who turned up at the woman’s house, but Ben Crump, an attorney for Blake’s family, has previously said Blake stopped his car to interrupt a fight when he was accosted by officers and shot in front of his kids. Crump also said Blake didn’t have a weapon on him.

“What I like most is that you’re dealing with people on perhaps the worst day of their lives and you can try and help them as much as you can and make that day a little bit better,” he told Kenosha News.

Video of Sheskey grabbing the back of Blake’s shirt as Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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RNC SPEAKER ABBY JOHNSON ONCE SAID ‘MY BROWN SON IS MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT A VIOLENT OFFENSE OVER MY WHITE SONS’

skinned, white sons, as they grow up,” Johnson said in a 15-plusminutes video posted in late June.

cally my brown son is more likely to commit a violent offense over my white sons.”

The mother of eight goes on to say that her biracial son will eventually grow into an “intimidating-looking brown man” in comparison to her white kids, who will “look like nerdy white guys.”

She added, “So the fact that in his head, he would be more careful around my brown son than my white son, that doesn’t actually make me angry. That makes that police officer smart, because of statistics.”

“Right now, Jude is an adorable, perpetually tan-looking little brown Republicans invited a number of boy. But one day, he’s going to controversial speakers at this grow up and he’s going to be a tall, year’s Republican National Conven- probably sort of large, intimidatingtion. One such speaker is pro-life looking-maybe brown man. And advocate Abby Johnson, who spoke my other boys are probably gonna on Tuesday at the virtual event. look like nerdy white guys,” she In a YouTube video discovered by said.” Vice, Johnson made controversial “Statistically, I look at our prison statements regarding her biracial population and I see that there is a son, who she describes as a disproportionately high number of “perpetually tan-looking little African-American males in our prisbrown boy.” She also said that it on population for crimes, particuwould be “smart” for a police larly for violent crimes. So statistiofficer to racially profile him, cally, when a police officer sees a stating that “statistically, my brown brown man like my Jude walking son is more likely to commit a vio- down the road — as opposed to lent offense over my white sons.” my white nerdy kids, my white “I recognize that I’m gonna have to have a different conversation with Jude than I do with my brownhaired little Irish, very, very palePublished by The Village Press, Inc.

nerdy men walking down the road — because of the statistics that he knows in his head, that these police officers know in their head, they’re going to know that statisti8

Johnson, who has a colorful history within anti-abortion circles, is a former Planned Parenthood employee who says she quit working at a Texas clinic more than 10 years ago after witnessing the abortion of a woman who was 13 weeks pregnant. Vice reports that details of Johnson’s story have been questioned. On Tuesday, Johnson championed President Trump as “the most prolife president we have ever had.” “This election is a choice between two radical anti-life activists and the most pro-life president we have ever had. That is something that should compel you to action, go door-to-door, make calls, talk to your neighbors and friends, and vote on November 3.”

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BLACK OFF-DUTY FIREFIGHTER DIES AFTER RESCUING THREE DROWNING GIRLS

Detroit Police Department Dive Team found the body of the 48-year-old father about 1 p.m. Saturday, said the deputy commissioner of the Detroit Fire Department Dave Fornell. Although he was off duty when the incident occurred, Johnson’s heroic sacrifice will be labeled as a line-of-duty death with the department, Fornell said. “He’s a firefighter, he saw the girls in distress and jumped in. He’s done that his entire Late last week, a Black off-duty firefighter lost his life career,” the deputy commissioner said. “Something while helping to rescue three girls who were drown- happened, and it’s unfortunate to have lost one of ing in a river near Michigan’s Belle Isle, according to our own that way.” He also stated that another person and a nearby boat assisted in the three girls’ resThe Detroit News. Detroit Fire Sgt. Sivad Johnson cue. “From the civilian we talked to last night, there ended up going missing after saving the three girls were a lot of rip currents and the sergeant went out from drowning in the Detroit River Friday night. He into the water. One girl was rescued by the civilian was off-duty at the time and jumped into action and the boat picked up the two other girls.” “It is bewhen he noticed the plight of the girls. He gave his keys and phone to his 10-year-old daughter Hayden lieved the father may have been dragged underwater and sprung to the rescue. After saving the girls, John- by the rip-current and no one noticed,” Michigan son never reappeared and after a six-hour search, the State Police said. Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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Apple's new iPhone operating system is making it harder for Facebook to track people, and Facebook says it will decimate part of its business Ro Pric b e ag rs u o h 2 o

Apple is making it harder for companies to track people's data across apps â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and Facebook says it could have devastating effects on part of its business. On Wednesday, the Silicon Valleyheadquartered social-networking giant published a blog post decrying changes Apple has planned for its iOS 14 mobile operating system. Apple intends to prevent apps from tracking users using their unique device identifier, or IDFA, without their explicit permission â&#x20AC;&#x201D; something that Facebook's Audience Network uses to personalize advertising in third-party apps. Facebook said that doing so would have a significant impact on Audience Network, cutting its revenue on iOS by up to 50% because of an inability to deliver more valuable, targeted advertising. It may even force Facebook to stop developing Audience Network for iOS altogether, the company said. "This is not a change we want to make, Published by The Village Press, Inc.

but unfortunately Apple's updates to iOS 14 have forced this decision. We know this may severely impact publishers' ability to monetize through Audience Network on iOS 14, and, despite our best efforts, may render Audience Network so ineffective on iOS 14 that it may not make sense to offer it on iOS 14 in the future," the blog post said. Audience Network is only one piece of Facebook's revenue (it's unclear precisely how much), and its core business of advertising inside its own apps will be unaffected. But any attempt to curtail data collection can pose a threat to Facebook, and the company has recently been vocal about the risks that regulators and platform changes pose. During a recent earnings call with analysts, company executives argued that Facebook was a "lifeline" for small businesses during the pandemic and that preventing them from effectively targeting people with ads could have dangerous "macro-economic effects." It's an argument that Facebook reiterated in its Wednesday blog post: "We understand that iOS 14 will hurt many of our developers and publishers at an already diffi10

cult time for businesses. We work with more than 19,000 developers and publishers from around the globe and in 2019 we paid out billions of dollars. Many of these are small businesses that depend on ads to support their livelihood."

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Joe Biden Calls For â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Immediate, Full And Transparent Investigationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Into Jacob Blake Shooting Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden issued a statement Monday declaring that "the nation wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force," and called for an "immediate, full and transparent investigation" into the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was reportedly unarmed when he was shot multiple times in the back Sunday afternoon in Kenosha, Wisconsin. KEY FACTS HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ ATTORNEYCRUMP/ VIDEOS/335380680979662 "These shots pierce the soul of our Published by The Village Press, Inc.

nation. Jill and I pray for Jacob's recovery and for his children," Biden wrote. "Equal justice has not been real for Black Americans and so many others," Biden added. "We are at an inflection point. We must dismantle systemic racism. It is the urgent task before us." Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate, also called for an investigation, stating that the officers should be held accountable. According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave. "The police who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times must be fired, arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Sen. Bernie Sanders tweeted. "Congress cannot wait any longer to act forcefully to end the horrific violence against Black Americans at the hands of police." President Donald Trump, who spoke for approximately a halfhour Monday afternoon at the commencement of the Republican 11

National Convention, did not address the shooting. KEY BACKGROUND: Police officers arrived at a residential street in Kenosha at around 5:11 pm on Sunday after receiving a 911 call related to a "domestic incident." The attorney representing the Blake family, who posted a video of the shooting, stated that Blake, 29, was leaving the scene after "breaking up a fight between two women." The footage shows Blake walking away from two officers who have their guns drawn. As Blake enters the driver's side door of his gray SUV, the nearest officer grabs the back of his shirt, and seven shots are fired. Blake slumps over in the vehicle. According to the attorney, Blake's three children, all under the age of 8, were in the car. Blake was transported to a Milwaukee-area hospital where he remains in serious condition, as of Monday afternoon. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, a (Continued on page 12)

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Democrat, tweeted late Sunday night, "While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country." Pete Deates, president of the Kenosha Professional Police Association, said, "As always, the video currently circulating does not capture all the intricacies of a highly dynamic incident. We ask that you withhold from passing judgment until all the facts are known and released." TANGENT: Athletes and coaches from both the NBA and NFL have spoken out about the shooting on social media. Utah Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell, who is leading the NBA in scoring during the 2020 playoffs, tweeted: "F THE GAMES AND PLAYOFFS!!! THIS IS SICK AND IS A REAL PROBLEM WE DEMAND JUSTICE! ITS CRAZY I DONT HAVE ANY WORDS BUT WTF MAN! THIS IS WHY WE DONT FEEL SAFE!!!!" Published by The Village Press, Inc.

Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer opened up his pregame press conference on Monday by talking about Jacob Blake. "We need to have change," Budenholzer said. "We need to be better." LeBron James shared the video of the shooting on his Instagram story. New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara called the shooting "attempted murder." CRUCIAL QUOTE: "We must fight to honor the ideals laid in the original American promise, which we are yet to attain: That all men and women are created equal, but more importantly that they must be treated equally," Biden said in his statement. FURTHER READING: Protests Erupt After Police Shoot A Black Man In The Back In Kenosha, Wiscon12

sin (Forbes) Wisconsin police shoot Black man as children watch from a vehicle, attorney says (CNN) Update: Kenosha Officer Involved Shooting (DOJ)

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A White armed vigilante was out to hunt and shoot at protesters in the City of Kenosha.

ers as they back away with his assault rifle. At least 2 victims were reported dead and 1 injured with gunfire, according to the Kenosha Police Department. Rittenhouse was cited on August 19, 2020 for speeding and driving without a driver's license, according to Kenosha County court records.

10:15 AM PT -- The 'vigilante' shooter in Kenohsa who allegedly shot and killed at least a couple people has been captured by cops -- and he's now facing homicide charges. Kyle Rittenhouse was arrested in Antioch, Illinois. Court records indicate he was booked for first-degree homicide in relation to the Kenosha shooting. It appears he's been assigned a public defender and is set to appear in court for an extradition hearing later this week. A man -- who witnesses described as being part of a vigilante militia group -- with a long gun brazenly walked down a street in Kenosha, Wisconsin Tuesday night and began firing his weapon at people protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake, killing 2, and incredibly walking right past a swarm of cops who let him go into the night. The protest centered around the courthouse and got out of hand, with water bottles, rocks and fireworks aimed at police. The police

By H. Nelson Goodson Hispanic News Network U.S.A. Kenosha, WI - A White armed vigilante identified as Kyle Rittenhouse, aka, Kyle Lewis, 17, from Antioch. Illinois was video recorded just before 2:00 a.m. fatally shooting a protester in the head. Then the vigilante calls someone as people arrived to aid the shot victim and the vigilante says that he just shot someone in the head and killed him as he fled the scene while still on his cell. The vigilante is then video recorded running away from other protesters who want to apprehend him for killing an unarmed protester and then they caught up with KENOSHA 'VIGILANTE' SHOOTER- then fired rubber bullets and tear him. The vigilante falls and others ARRESTED ...Booked For Homicide (Continued on page 14) attempt to capture him, but he re- BREAKING NEWS gains control and shoots at protestPublished by The Village Press, Inc.

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gas into the crowd, which then dispersed and moved several blocks. That's when the white vigilante appears on video with his gun. He reportedly had already shot someone several blocks away, and he was being chased by protesters who were trying to subdue him. The vigilante falls to the ground as he's being chased and then begins unloading his weapon, striking and killing 2 people. And, then the unthinkable happens. As police swarm the area in patrol cars and fortified vehicles, the vigilante -- gun clearly visible around his chest -- put his hands up in the air. The police vehicles all pass him, as the crowd screams he's the shooter. It's a stunning contrast ... the white vigilante posed a clear and present danger, even if cops didn't know he was the shooter, yet Jacob Blake, an unarmed black man, was shot in the back 7 times as he tried to get in his car. Jacob is now paralyzed from the waist down.

The vigilante escaped and is still on the loose.

Kenosha, Wis., Police Search for Gunman Who Fatally Shot 2 and Injured 1 During Civil Unrest Over Jacob Blake Shooting Kenosha, Wis., police are searching for a gunman they say fatally shot two people and wounded a third during a night of volatile protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Protests and chaos erupted in Kenosha the night Blake was Published by The Village Press, Inc.

shot Sunday and continued through Tuesday. According to officials, things went from bad to worse late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning when a man armed with a long gun turned the scene deadly. Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that early Wednesday morning, one of the shooting victims was shot in the head and another in the chest. The third was shot in the arm and ran away from the shooter afterward to seek medical help. From the Sentinel: The incident happened on Sheridan Road in the heart of Kenosha near the Froedert South hospital building. Many people were still on the streets in protest just before the shooting, walking up and down Sheridan Road, where protesters had been driven after being expelled from Civic Center Park. The sounds of gunshots sent people running and looking for places to hide, including behind bushes along the hospital fence line. Social media footage appears to show at least three people were shot. A widely shared video shows a man

arm him. According to the Sentinel, that’s when two of the shooting victims were hit in the chest and arm. The gunman was also recorded heading toward several police officers in tactical vehicles with his arms raised. The tactical vehicles reportedly drove right by him. Some on social media have speculated that the man with the long gun was part of a self-proclaimed militia that had been patrolling the streets in recent nights, but that hasn’t been confirmed by authorities. More from the Sentinel: “They’re a militia,” Beth said. “They’re like a vigilante group.” On Tuesday, a group calling itself the Kenosha Guard, asked members and followers on Facebook to come downtown and be prepared to defend the city. One post read: “Any patriots willing to take up arms and defend out (sic) City tonight from the evil thugs? Nondoubt (sic) they are currently planning on the next part of the City to burn tonight!” A later post, aimed at the Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis, read, in part: “I ask that you do NOT have your officers tell us to go home under threat of arrest as you have done in the past. We are willing to talk to KPD and open a discussion. It is evident, that no matter how many Officers, deputies, and other law enforcement officers that are here, you will still be outnumbered.” A Journal Sentinel reporter earlier in the evening observed a group of armed men with long guns standing guard at a dry cleaning business on Sheridan Road near 59th Street, some on the roof. sprinting into a car lot at 63th Police told them to get off the roof Street and Sheridan Road, carrying and a person shouted back: a long gun. Someone pursuing him “Officer, this is our business.” Poappears to throw something tolice did not ultimately order them ward him. Multiple gunshots are off the roof. heard. According to Beth, a Kenosha resiAccording to Beth, it’s unclear dent approached him before the whether there was only one gunshooting started to suggest that he man or multiple. One video shows deputize citizens to help with the a man with a long gun running civil unrest. Fortunately, Beth had down the street while people more sense than that and he rechased after him shouting that he fused the request. shot someone. At one point, the “I said, ‘There’s no way I’m doing man wielding the gun is seen falling that,’” Beth told the Sentinel. to the ground and shooting at peo- While authorities have no interest ple who appear to be trying to dis(Continued on page 15) 14

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in the assistance of a bunch of zealous vigilantes, they are asking that any citizens with information on the shooter or shooters come forward. Officials asked that anyone who witnessed the shootings contact the Kenosha Police Department Detective Bureau at 262-605-5203. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can contact Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers at 262-656-7333. Police are also asking for videos and photos of the incident that have not already been circulated on social media. In an interview earlier on Tuesday with CNN’s Don Lemon, Blake’s mother, Julia Jackson—who spoke out Tuesday against the violence in the wake of Blakes shooting— talked about her son’s recovery and how the family is handling what happened to him. “I do have a portion of peace from God, but it is still very difficult,” Jackson said. Lemon mentioned that the last public update on Blake’s condition is that he’s paralyzed from the waist down. He asked Jackson about any further updates and she said that Blake is currently in surgery and it’s expected to be “a long one” but Blake is “handling the surgery well.” Jackson said when she saw Blake at the hospital he “just looked at me and kind of cried saying, ‘Mom, I’m sorry, I’m sorry’” to which she replied “What are you sorry for? Did you shoot yourself in the back?” Two people are dead and a third injured in an overnight shooting in Kenosha, police say (CNN)Two people were killed and a third was seriously wounded in a Published by The Village Press, Inc.

shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, late Tuesday during the third night of protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, police said. Officers responded to reports of multiple gunshot victims around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, the Kenosha Police Department said in a news release early Wednesday. The person injured was taken to the hospital with "serious, but nonlife threatening injuries," police said. An investigation into the shooting is ongoing and the names and ages of the victims are still being determined, according to the release. Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth told The New York Times his office is investigating whether the shooting resulted from a conflict between demonstrators and a group of men with weapons who were protecting businesses. Jacob Blake&#39;s mom says he&#39;d be upset over the unrest in city where he came for a fresh start Jacob Blake's mom says he'd be upset over the unrest in city where he came for a fresh start CNN has reached out to the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office. The protests come days after police shot Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, multiple times as he tried to enter an SUV with his children in the vehicle. Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney who represents the family, said police shot Blake after he had tried to break up an argument between two women. Police have not provided any information on what led up to the shooting. Two Kenosha officers have been placed on administrative leave. The 15

shooting is being investigated by the Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley's office and the Wisconsin Justice Department's division of criminal investigation, which plans to present a report to Graveley's office within 30 days, it said. Blake remains in the hospital but his family says he is paralyzed from the waist down. A family attorney said it would take a "miracle" for Blake to ever walk again. Scenes from Tuesday protests Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency Tuesday after cars and buildings were set ablaze. Evers also called in 250 members of the National Guard to assist. Late Tuesday, Anadolu Agency photographer Tayfun Coskun captured a series of images that show a fight between an armed civilian and protesters. Clashes between protesters and armed civilians break out during the protests Tuesday night. Clashes between protesters and armed civilians break out during the protests Tuesday night. CJ Halliburton was recording on Facebook Live during the protests when he heard gunshots in the distance down the street from where he was standing. Halliburton ran in the direction of the gunshots with other demonstrators in an attempt to see what had happened. As he inches closer to a gathering crowd, several more gunshots can be heard in the video. "He shot that guy in the stomach," Halliburton says in the video. In the distance, a man can be heard yelling, "I need a medic," followed by another round of gunshots. "People are getting shot all around us," Halliburton says in the video. "People are just getting shot everywhere guys." CNN's Tina Burnside contributed to this report.

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DETROIT POLICE OFFICER FATALLY SHOOTS BLACK WOMAN’S DOG IN HER GATED FRONT YARD

unfortunate it came to this, we don’t like to see any animal hurt.” Szilagyi stated that the home’s front gate, a 6-foot wrought iron fence, which is situated on the border of the front yard and the sidewalk, is inconsistent with city code. Insisting that the narrative of this incident would have been entirely different if the victim had been a small child or senior citizen walking along the sidewalk. A Detroit police officer was caught on video shooting a “I’m a dog lover, I own several dogs, I have a responsibility Black woman’s dog in the confines of her yard, according to protect the public from my animals, just like anyone to the Detroit Free Press. else,” Szilagyi said. “Keep your dogs in the backyards and The incident, which took place on Aug. 3, was caught on this won’t be an issue. home security cameras. The graphic footage reveals a “No matter what, when force is used on a person or aniwhite pit bull barking at the police officer’s canine before mal, it is ugly. No one likes it, I don’t like it, I’ve been doing the pit bull clamps down on the dog’s face through the this for 25 years and I don’t like it,” Szilagyi said. “But unfence. This is when the police officer takes out her weapon fortunately it’s necessary if you have life or death situaand shoots the dog directly in the head, killing it. tions, and this was a life or death situation, that is the opThe police officer will not be reprimanded for the action as tion that a police officer has to use, and I commend the police department officials say the officer acted according officer for making a decision and coming back to work and to protocol. taking care of her partner. “Her partner was being attacked and we demand that our officers protect not only themselves but their partners and citizens. At this point it was a clear and present danger; her dog was being viciously harmed,” said Police Commander Darin Szilagyi in an interview late last week. “It’s

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lief negotiations, as well. And Mark Meadows, the White House chief could present a new negotiating of staff, spent part of the day buzzopportunity to draft a smaller, ing around the chamber to try to short-term bill to circumvent the reignite talks. impasse. “If you really want to help AmeriDemocratic leaders had also been cans, how about passing relief for under pressure from more than small businesses and unemploy100 rank-and-file lawmakers to use ment assistance ALONG with postSaturday’s session to address oth- al funding?" he wrote in a tweet. er elements of the coronavirus re- “We agree on these. There’s NO (Continued from page 6)

Tennessee Passes Law That Would Punish Protestors By Taking Away Their Right to Vote Republican lawmakers and a Republican governor have green-lit a new law in Tennessee that makes it possible for people to have their voting rights revoked as punishment for participating in protests. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the measure into law last week after a special three-day legislative session, reports AP. Under the new law, demonstrators who camp on state property—as scores have been doing in front of the state’s Capitol building since George Floyd’s killing earlier this year—can now be charged with a Class D felony, up from the misdemeanor it was previously. Tennessee is one of 21 states that punishes felons by taking away their right to vote, and Gov. Lee made it clear that this threat is meant as a warning to the protestors who have been forcing elected officials there to pay attention to their concerns about racial injustice in the state. The bill also imposes a mandatory minimum 45-day hold if convicted of aggravated rioting; enhances the fine for obstructing emergency vehicles from accessing highways; requires a court to order restitution for damaging state property; and creates a Class C felony offense for aggravated assault against a first responder Published by The Village Press, Inc.

reason not to deliver relief for Americans right now.” Ms. Pelosi insisted she was unwilling to break up Democrats’ $3.4 trillion relief bill into parts, arguing that the postal bill was necessary to handle separately because it included policy provisions that the larger measure did not.

— which carries a $15,000 fine and mandatory minimum 90-day prison sentence. The governor said a provision requiring a warning to those camping illegally strengthened the bill, and cited the discretion of prosecutors and judges. Lee has declined to meet with the activists who have been protesting in front of the state’s Capitol building and seeking an audience with him for months, and pointed to fires that were set at a Tennessee courthouse when the protests first kicked off this spring as justification for the draconian measure. “We saw lawlessness that needed to be addressed immediately. And that was done so,” Lee said of signing the new bill into law according to AP, which added in its report that protests in the state have been overwhelmingly peaceful since May. The irony of quelling a constitutional right by holding the right to vote hostage and threatening entry into the racist carceral system is not lost on me, nor is it lost on ACLU Tennessee (which had asked the Governor to veto the bill). “We are very disappointed in Governor Lee’s decision to sign this bill, which chills free speech, undermines criminal justice reform and fails to address the very issues of racial justice and police violence raised by the protesters who are being targeted,” said Executive Director Hedy Weinberg in a statement on the new law. 18

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Federal Investigation Shows Kentucky Welcomed Putin’s $75,000,000 Cash Funnel According to a new report from the Senate Intelligence Committee summarizing the findings of their investigation into Russian interference in U.S. elections, the company Rusal, which has already invested some $75 million in a planned aluminum rolling mill in Eastern Kentucky, is a “proxy for the Kremlin.” Overall, Rusal has agreed to contribute $200 million to the project, although as of December 31, 2019, the company had paused their contributions at $75 million until the planned mill’s main operator, Braidy Industries, could procure additional funds. The connection to the Kremlin comes through Rusal’s part-owner and Putin ally Oleg Deripaska, who, although he decreased his ownership stake in response to U.S. sanctions, still apparently owns a significant chunk of the company. ‘DERIPASKA’S COMPANIES, INCLUDING RUSAL, ARE PROXIES FOR THE KREMLIN, INCLUDING FOR RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE EFFORTS, ECONOMIC MEASURES, AND DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.’ Indeed — if Rusal successfully sees through its plan to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to the planned Kentucky mill, then those behind the company would suddenly have economic leverage against certain interests in the Published by The Village Press, Inc.

United States. The plans for Rusal investment in the Kentucky mill were announced in April 2019, just a short time after sanctions against the company were lifted. Kentucky’s Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who doubles as the Senate Majority Leader, voted against keeping those sanctions in place, but he’s claimed, dubiously, that the vote had nothing to do with the eventually revealed Rusal investment plans. Kentucky Democratic Party spokeswoman Marisa McNee said: IT’S TIME FOR MOSCOW MITCH TO TELL THE TRUTH TO THE PEOPLE OF KENTUCKY. THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, AND TOO MANY PEOPLE FROM MCCONNELL’S ORBIT WHO HAVE BEEN EXPOSED AS PLAYING A BIG ROLE IN THIS DEAL FOR HIM TO CONTINUE TO PLAY DUMB. WHAT DID HE KNOW, AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?’ When asked about the Senate Intelligence Committee’s conclusion about Rusal’s Kremlin ties, McConnell spokesperson Robert Steurer referred, in part, to a recent statement that the Senate Majority Leader made lauding the committee’s efforts overall. McConnell said: ‘THE COMMITTEE’S FINDINGS, ALONG WITH OTHER INFOR19

MATION RECENTLY RELEASED BY THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, CONFIRM WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW: RUSSIA, CHINA, IRAN, AND OTHER FOREIGN ACTORS WANT TO INFLUENCE OUR POLITICS, INTERFERE WITH OUR ELECTIONS, AND STOKE FEAR AND DIVISION AMONG AMERICANS.’ The inclusion of countries besides Russia in that list is no doubt intentionally meant as a distraction. While other political meddling may have emanated from elsewhere, Russia remains a chef peddler of election meddling in the U.S. Thanks to Trump’s compromised one-time campaign manager Paul Manafort, Deripaska ended up just a degree or two away from the Trump campaign for a time. Manafort worked for Deripaska directly and also worked with a Russian intelligence officer, Konstantin Kilimnik, who the committee characterized as Manafort’s “primary liaison to Deripaska.” Manafort’s connections and “willingness to share information… represented a grave counterintelligence threat,” according to the Senate Committee’s new report. Trump, of course, doesn’t exactly seem likely to change his stance that the Russia investigation has been a “witch hunt” from the start.

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ALABAMA COUPLE CREATES ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT

lunch. That lesson stuck with her through the years, and when she got a chance to pay it forward, she did, opening a restaurant focused on merely letting people know they are loved. “When my husband and I opened, we agreed to put a portion of our retirement back into the running of the restaurant. ‘Feed the Need’ is our mission statement," Lisa said. "Whatever needs people have if we Now, this is love! can help them...we will. [What’s important is knowing An Alabama couple opened a soul food restaurant customers leave] with a full stomach, a full heart, and run solely by donations, encouraging customers to the understanding that you are loved and worthy of just “pay what they can,” Good News Netlove.” work reports. The menu at Drexell & Honeybee’s changes daily and Drexell & Honeybee’s is a restaurant in downtown diners are encouraged to leave whatever they can at Brewton, Alabama, a small town near the Florida bor- a private booth near the entrance, even if it’s just a der. They serve the usual Southern dishes - fried thank-you note. One hundred percent of donations chicken, cornbread, cobbler, and collard greens and go back into serving people food, and Freddie and the place is run by a kind couple, Freddie and Lisa Lisa say they plan to keep it that way, even during the Thomas-McMillan. But what makes this restaurant pandemic when the business has been slow. really special is the fact that you don’t have to pay for “The end of June, we figured out a way to do to-go anything. orders and keep everyone safe...It is working out very That’s right! The restaurant has no prices, no cash well, and we feel so proud to be able to do what we register, and Lisa and Freddie say they make absodo, with COVID-19 affecting so many people," Lisa lutely no profit from it. The husband-wife duo decid- said. "As you can imagine, donations are down, but ed they would open the restaurant simply as a way to we will continue to try and be of service to all the give back to their community, investing their retirepeople that come to our door." ment funds into running the restaurant. Lisa used to run a food bank and always opened her home to those in need. Even as a young girl, she found joy in a little girl who always shared her food at Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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‘Overwhelmed’ Ronnie Long to go free after 44 years. NC to vacate rape conviction. Gov. Roy Cooper faces pressure to free prisoner Ronnie Long. If Long were convicted of the same crimes today, his sentence would be 30 years. He’s served 44. BY WBTV Ronnie Long, a North Carolina man who has spent 44 years in prison for a rape he says he didn’t commit, will finally be freed, his lawyer said Wednesday. “The state said it will ask the district court to enter a writ vacating Ronnie’s conviction. In short, Ronnie Long is coming home!” lawyer Jamie Lau wrote on Twitter. Long has steadfastly maintained his innocence over the years. Decades of appeals were supported by a growing body of proof that police, state officials and the prosecutor withheld key evidence from Long’s lawyers at his trial. An unlikely gift of the coronavirus: Cleaner air in Charlotte as traffic dwindled “While it will take some time for the courts to do what is needed to vacate the conviction, the state has set in motion a process that will lead to Ronnie’s freedom,” Lau wrote. “I spoke w/ Ronnie this morning. He is grateful, overwhelmed, and looks forward to reuniting with his loved ones.” “We’re thrilled” by the decision of the N.C. Attorney General’s office, Lau later told The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday. “We’re glad the Attorney General’s office agrees with us that Ronnie Long should be freed as quickly as possible.” Lau wanted Long released immediately, in part due to an outbreak of COVID -19 at Albemarle Correctional Institution that already has sickened more than 150 inmates and killed three. In the mid-1970s, Long was a 20-yearold Black man living in Concord when he was accused of raping a white woman. He was convicted in 1976 by an allwhite jury that included members who had connections to the victim — the 54-year-old widow of a former textile executive at Cannon Mills, the town’s biggest employer. Long was sentenced to 80 years in prison. To support vital, local reporting like the coronavirus coverage, please sign Published by The Village Press, Inc.

up for a digital subscription to charlotteobserver.com Laura Brewer, spokeswoman for N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein, responded to a request for comment from the Observer on Wednesday with a copy of the motion. “The interests of justice call for immediately remanding the case to the district court,” Stein and N.C. Special Deputy Attorney General Phillip Rubin say in the motion. ‘REPUGNANT IN ANY CONTEXT’ Long’s pending release comes as the country — and Long’s home state — find themselves engaged in a renewed debate over how Black men and women are treated by police and the courts. Long benefited from this engagement, as groups of ministers and N.C. legislators called on Gov. Roy Cooper to intercede in the case. ‘That’s why we have clemency,’ says legislator on calls for governor to free Ronnie Long On Monday, the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new hearing that could have led to Long’s acquittal or a new trial. The court sent the case back to a federal court in North Carolina. Nine judges voted in favor of the decision Monday; six opposed it. ‘Ronnie Long must be free.’ New hearing ordered for man who has spent 44 years in prison Ronnie Long’s last shot at freedom: Judge asks, ‘When did justice leave the process?’ Writing for the court’s majority, Judge Stephanie Thacker criticized North Carolina for continuing to defend Long’s conviction despite proof that investigators withheld evidence. In a concurring opinion, Judge James Wynn, who grew up in eastern North Carolina, said the 22

misconduct was all the more shocking because, at the time, Long’s rape conviction carried a possible death sentence. “Such an action is repugnant in any context,” Wynn wrote. “But it takes on a particularly sinister meaning here, given our country’s historical treatment of Black men accused of raping white women. “That evidence has now trickled out, revealing the truth that Mr. Long has declared for decades: he should not have been found guilty.” Long’s attorneys have said that more than 40 fingerprints collected from the rape scene were never shared and did not match Long’s. Semen samples also were never disclosed to the defense. They later disappeared. In his order, Wynn said it was possible that more withheld evidence would come forward in the case. But enough already had, he said. Besides, Long had waited too long. ‘’Forty-four years,” the judge wrote, “is an unconscionably long period to wait for justice. It is time.”

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Kenosha Police Chief: Dead Protesters Shouldn’t Have Been Out After Curfew After two people were killed during Tuesday night protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the city’s police chief equivocated in a press conference as to whom was to blame, the shooter or the victims. Dan Miskinis said: “Everybody involved was out after the curfew. I’m not going to make a great deal of it, but the point is that the curfew is in place to protect. Had persons not been out in violation of that, perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened.” The city has imposed a curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The suspect in the shooting, Kyle Rittenhouse, a self-proclaimed “Blue Lives Matter” fanatic, is accused of killing two people and injuring a third. Miskinis said Rittenhouse “was involved in the use of firearms... to resolve whatever conflict was in place.” The suspect who allegedly fatally shot two people and injured one last night at a protest against police brutality in Kenosha, Wisconsin stood front row at a rally for President Donald Trump in January, according to video footage. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, posted a TikTok from the event just feet away from the podium at a January 30 rally in Des Moines, Iowa as a speaker praised the president in an introduction. BuzzFeed News matched the clip with CSPAN footage that showed Rittenhouse standing to the left of the podium as the commander-in-chief spoke. Protesters gathered Tuesday night in Kenosha to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by local police. Rittenhouse, by contrast, attended in support of law enforcement as a vigilante. He professed support for the “Blue Lives Matter” movement multiple times on social media, which opposes the Black Lives Matter movement and supports law enforcement. He was arrested Wednesday morning in Illinois and charged with first-degree intentional homicide.

He ended up shooting 3 people, 2 died and 1 lost his arm. Since some people are always quick to pull up shooting victims prior criminal history in order to justify their ill fate, I thought I’d post the shooters instead.

His prior criminal history, In 2018, he has a charge for disobeying officers. 2016 Case Number: 2016CM000410 Case Type: MISDEMEANOR Classification: MISDEMEANOR CLASS A Counts: 1 Crime Type: MISDEMEANOR Degree Of Offense: MISD. A Crime County: ROCK

From Rick Willis (Facebook Social Media Reporter) 17 year old Kyle Rittenhouse-Lewis’ mom Wendy drove him and his AR-15 rifle from Antioch, IL to Kenosha WI to “defend” businesses that he does not own from riots.

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Offense Code: 941.20(1)(B)

Offense Date: 01/29/2016 Offense Description: OPERATE FIREARM WHILE INTOXICATED Charges Filed Date: 03/01/2016 (Continued on page 25)

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Offense Description: POSSESSION OF THC Charges Filed Date: 03/01/2016 County: ROCK Plea: NOT GUILTY Disposition: CHARGE DISMISSED BUT READ IN Disposition Date: 10/04/2016 Status: CLOSED POSSESS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 2016 Case Number: 2016CM000410 Case Type: MISDEMEANOR Classification: MISDEMEANOR Counts: 1 Crime Type: MISDEMEANOR Degree Of Offense: MISD. U Crime County: ROCK Offense Code: 961.573(1) Offense Date: 01/29/2016 Offense Description: POSSESS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA Charges Filed Date: 03/01/2016 County: ROCK Plea: NOT GUILTY Disposition: CHARGE DISMISSED BUT READ IN Disposition Date: 10/04/2016 Status: CLOSED FAILURE TO OBEY TRAFFIC OFFICE... 2018 Case Number: 2018TR011432 Classification: FORFEITURE U Counts: 1 Offense Code: 346.04(2) Offense Date: 08/09/2018 Offense Description: FAILURE TO OBEY TRAFFIC OFFICER/SIGNAL Charges Filed Date: 08/13/2018 Plea: NO CONTEST Disposition: GUILTY DUE TO NO CONTEST PLEA Disposition Date: 09/18/20

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County: ROCK Plea: NOT GUILTY Disposition: CHARGE DISMISSED BUT READ IN Disposition Date: 10/04/2016 Status: CLOSED DISORDERLY CONDUCT 2016 Case Number: 2016CM000410 Case Type: MISDEMEANOR Classification: MISDEMEANOR CLASS B Counts: 1 Crime Type: MISDEMEANOR Degree Of Offense: MISD. B Crime County: ROCK Offense Code: 947.01(1) Offense Date: 01/29/2016 Offense Description: DISORDERLY CONDUCT Charges Filed Date: 03/01/2016 County: ROCK Plea: NO CONTEST Disposition: GUILTY DUE TO NO CONTEST PLEA Disposition Date: 10/04/2016 Status: CLOSED POSSESSION OF THC 2016 Case Number: 2016CM000410 Case Type: MISDEMEANOR Classification: MISDEMEANOR Counts: 1 Crime Type: MISDEMEANOR Degree Of Offense: MISD. U Crime County: ROCK Offense Code: 961.41(3G)(E) Offense Date: 01/29/2016 Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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Two Black Owned Banks Just Merged to Form a $1 Billion Lender, the Largest Black Owned Bank in the U.S. Two Black owned banks, City First in Washington, DC and Broadway Financial Corporation in Los Angeles, CA announced today that they have entered into a transformational Merger of Equals agreement to create the largest Black owned bank in the nation with more than $1 billion in combined assets under management and approximately $850 million in total depository institution assets. Combining the two institutions will increase their collective commercial lending capacity for investments in multifamily affordable Published by The Village Press, Inc.

housing, small businesses, and quiring it to deploy at least 60% of nonprofit development in financial- its lending into low- to moderately underserved urban areas while income communities creating a national platform for impact investors. Brian E. Argrett, chief executive of City First, will be chief executive of the combined company, which will use City First as its banking brand but keep the publicly traded Broadway Financial Corporation as its bank holding company. WayneKent A. Bradshaw, Broadwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief executive, will be the chairman of the combined company. BRIAN E. ARGRETT Broadway and City First are Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and have a longstanding history of advancing economic and social equity through the provision of capital in low- to moderate-income communities. The combined institution will maintain its CDFI status, re26

WAYNE-KENT A. BRADSHAW Since the beginning of 2015, City First Bank and Broadway Federal Bank have collectively deployed (Continued on page 27)

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over $1.1 billion combined in loans and investments in their communities “Given the compounding factors of a global pandemic, unprecedented unemployment and social unrest resulting from centuries of inequities, the work of CDFIs has never been more urgent and necessary,” said Brian E. Argrett.“As part of this historic merger, we are demonstrating that thriving urban neighborhoods are viable markets that require a dedicated focus, long-term commitment and critical access to capital.” “The new combined institution will strengthen our position and will help drive both sustainable eco-

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nomic growth and societal reshareholders with 47.5 percent turns,” said Mr. Bradshaw. “We ownership. envision building stronger profitability and creating a multiplier effect of capital availability for our customers and for the communities we serve.” The new institution will maintain bi-coastal headquarters and will continue to serve and expand in the banks’ current geographic areas, with a desire to scale to other high-potential urban markets. Shares of Broadway Financial were up 17 percent on Wednesday afternoon. The transaction, which is expected to close early next year, will leave Broadway stockholders with 52.5 percent ownership of the new company and City First

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African American Gun Manufacturer “Civilian Force Arms”

Now he is focusing on what he does best, designing and building custom AR-15s. Yonas prides himself on producing weapons that are American Made, Built To Survive.™ This is a solid Veteran owned organization that the NAAG community needs to support “Nationwide” and buy products from. They are based in Illinois. Company Website: https://www.civilianforcearms.com/about Location: Civilian Force Arms 1208B Badger St. Yorkville, IL. 60560 Telephone: 630-882-3498 / Phone: 815-341-9165 Email; levon@civilianforcearms.com About National African American Gun Association (NAAGA): The goal of the National African American Gun Association is to have every african american introduced to firearm use for home protection, competitive shooting, and outdoor recreational activities. We are a civil rights organization focused on self preservation of our community through armed protection and community building. The National African American Gun Association provides a network for all african american firearm owners, gun clubs and outdoor enthusiasts. We welcome people of all religious, social, and racial perspectives. We especially welcome african american members of law enforcement and active/ retired military.

Yonas Hagos of Civilian Force Arms National African American Gun Association

USA –-(Ammoland.com)- I ran across a Company called “Civilian Force Arms” they are an African American owned “Gun Manufacturer” in the United States. Yes right here in the USA and they are thriving. The company was founded by Yonas Hagos who is a USA Army Veteran and Purple Heart recipient. The company is delivering a World Class AR-15 platform that is dependable and performs at a quite a high level. Yonas Hagos, a child refugee from Sudan, has always dedicated his life to serving his country and others. After being wounded by a rocket propelled grenade in Iraq during the height of the war in 2004, Yonas became an avid community volunteer and entrepreneur. Volunteering as a Mission Continues Fellow, he along with other post 9/11 Veterans dedicated their time and energy to rebuilding communities across the nation. Soon he turned his drive to serve into business, launching three successful businesses helping to employ fellow Americans.

‘Uncle Tom’ Trends On Twitter After RNC Trots Out Black Men To Deny Trump’s Racism Whether through sheer coincidence — or not — “Uncle Tom” was one of the top trending topics on Twitter Tuesday morning following the opening night of the Republican National Convention (RNC) that featured several Black men making the case for Donald Trump to be re-elected. More than 6,000 “Uncle Tom” tweets were posted following speeches from Democratic Georgia State Rep. Vernon Jones, former professional football star Herschel Walker and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. They each took turns trying to dispel any notion of racism in America or among its leadership despite Trump’s repeated personal demonstrations to the contrary. “The Democratic Party does not want Black people to leave their mental plantation,” Jones, who has been called an “embarrassment” to Democrats, said Monday night at the RNC. “We’ve been forced to be there for decades and generations. But I have news for Joe Biden: We are free. We are free people with free minds.” Walker, who was one of Trump’s employees when he played in Published by The Village Press, Inc.

the USFL — another of Trump’s failed business ventures — said his “soul” was hurt when he learned people called the president racist. “I take it as a personal insult that people think I would have a 37 -year friendship with a racist,” Walker said Monday night with a straight face during his official endorsement of Trump’s reelection. Not to be outdone, though, Scott, the sitting U.S. senator who has previously dared to broach the topic of race with his commander-in-chief, said that Trump gives citizens the best chance “to live the American dream.” For brevity’s sake, here’s the Cliff’s Notes version of Trump’s (Continued on page 30)

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treatment of Black people in America: a decades’ long streak of discrimination that pre-dates his White House stint; repeated attacks against Black women, in particular; and referring to white supremacists in part as “fine people.” The president is racist by the very definition of the word, making the speeches from Jones, Walker and Scott both predictable in the context of Black Republicans and disingenuous whether they truly believe the words they told America or not. If that’s not proof enough, Vox created a whole comprehensive timeline of Trump’s racism for readers to refer to in case there is still any confusion. To be clear, the term “Uncle Tom” comes from a fictional slave in the novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” written by abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. Over the years, the character became synonymous with subservient African Americans who sell out their people to curry favor with white folks. Republicans on Twitter took it upon themselves to try to change the “Uncle Tom” narrative on social media Tuesday morning. You, the reader, can decide whether Jones, Walker and Scott fit the criteria for such a designation. Prior to the RNC’s start, Scott was the only Black person who was listed on the convention’s official schedule of speakers. However, what might be more telling than the RNC’s overtures Published by The Village Press, Inc.

to Black voters was its invitations to people who have been accused of having a racist agenda. That includes: Nick Sandmann, the MAGA hat-wearing teenager who found himself at the center of a racially charged confrontation with a Native American elder and Black Hebrew Israelites at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., last year; and Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the married couple of lawyers who brandished and aimed guns at nonviolent Black Lives Matter protesters marching peacefully past their home in St. Louis in June.

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MARKET ABOUT OUR PUBLICATIONS OUR African-Americans represent a substantial growth In the Bible it is said, “...My people perish for lack of knowledge…” Hosea 4:6 KJV. This statement is not only true for the Saints but for the African American community’s of Nassau County. Over the years I have personally seen the deterioration of the fabric of the Black community first hand and it began in the schools. Now this is not a bad thing but it is an important thing that needs to be addressed before it is too late. While living on Long Island places a lot of pressure on many residents. Long Island is among the top 25 markets in the country. Anything and everything is available to the residents living on Long Island except a professional, stable and strong community news source. If we are not informed how can we make informed decisions? This is why the VILLAGE PRESS was birth and will launch this coming September. An informed community is the worlds best customer as well as best neighbor. We are committed to making that happen. The marketing and sales teams here at the VILLAGE PRESS have a very simple customer marketing strategy. We believe that it is our obligation to meet the client where they are most comfortable, like at Home on a Saturday morning with our Home Delivery Workforce. Or as with this digital publications. Or at their quiet get-a-away; Like their personal SPA, the Gym, or HAIR SALON or even their BARBER SHOP with our Live Streaming Internet Radio Network. Or even at WORK during a break with our Internet Television Podcast. There is no magic to this marketing thing we just want to comfortably meet our clients where it is convenient for them. Published by The Village Press, Inc.

segment of the American consumer market for companies and organizations. As a young population with growing economic power and influence it is an important market for those organizations looking for future domestic growth. When looking toward the future prospects of the African-American demographic some key factors indicate a fertile economic opportunity for corporations. The buying power of African-Americans is $I trillion and expected to grow to $I.3 trillion in the next few years. A younger, growing population and higher educational achievement are the engines behind gains in economic power and show no signs of slowing down or plateauing. Overall growth in the number of households with incomes higher than $50,000, $75,000, and $I00,000 indicates the overall buying power increases are broad-based and not concentrated at the top, allowing for increased branding and sales opportunities for companies. Along with exercising more purchase power, African-Americans have started adopting behavioral changes in their lifestyles. These lifestyle changes and consumer behaviors are concentrated in a majority that is in a prime age demographic, have more durable household income levels, and are driven by cultural and ethnic awareness. Cultural identity and ethnicity are key drivers for consumption for African-Americans. African-Americans are very receptive to advertising and programming that include positive cultural themes and include people of color. Black consumers are more likely to support or purchase products and services that are represented or owned by people of the same ethnicity. Not only are African-American consumers culturally aware they are early adopters of new technology and are heavy users of digital media. Blacks are more likely to positively receive advertising and content via mobile phones and use applications to recommend products to others or rate their experiences. African-Americans consume television and video at higher rates than the general population. Black adults are adopting healthier habits including greater participation in exercise and athletics, eating healthier organic foods, cutting back on riskier habits like smoking and drinking alcohol. Healthier living also includes financial awareness, literacy, and preparedness activities like managing debt, saving, investing, and retirement planning. 8/28/2020

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8/28/2020

HOUSE SITTER So I’ve been getting calls from someone with “No Caller ID” since last week. I don’t answer unfamiliar numbers. I let the call go to voicemail then I see who it was. But this person never left a voicemail. So today I get a call from an area code I’m familiar with thinking it was a relative that I didn’t have locked in my phone. Well it turned out that the caller was a realtor that I gave my number to that called using the phone of the owner of a house I looked at briefly while on vacation that came up “No Caller ID”! He said the owner insisted that he use his home phone to call me rather than the realtors phone. Apparently the realtor goes by the house daily to check on the owner and he called me from the house. Today when I got the call with the area code I’m familiar with I answered the call. It was the realtor calling from his cell phone. He said “Good morning Mr. Edwards. I’ve been trying to reach you for a week and I’m glad I got you! The owner of the house wants to speak to you about the house. Do you have a minute to talk?” I said “Sure!” Then the owner gets on the phone and says “So Mitch tells me you’re interested in buying my house.” I said “Possibly. I rode past the house when I was in town and called the number on the sign and gave Mitch my number.” Then the owner said “When can you come by to see the inside of the house?” I said “I’m in New York now but if the house isn’t sold by December I’ll be back in the area then.” The homeowner said “As slow as Mitch is I might not never get the house sold!” Now I’m thinking Published by The Village Press, Inc.

what kind of person disses their realtor in front of him with a potential buyer on the phone? So I said “Give Mitch some slack. He seem like he’s a good man.” The owner said “To hell with Mitch! If you’re really interested in the house I tell you what I can do. I can take $20,000 off the asking price and throw in a riding lawnmower!” Now I’m speechless! Another realtor diss! I said “Well I haven’t seen the inside of the house! It’s nice from the outside but I need to inspect the inside.” The owner said “Ok when you come to town in December I’ll be in Florida. Call Mitch and he’ll show you around.” I said “Ok. Will do!” The owner said “One more thing, if you buy the house and need a house sitter Mitch can take care of the house while you’re in New York!” I said “Oh hell no! I already have a crazy house sitter up here that taught me something important!” The owner said “What did your house sitter teach you?” I said he taught me how to do this........CLICK!!!! The house search continues!

8/28/2020

Got Something To Say? TUNE IN NIGHTLY AT 10:00 PM I DARE YOU! I DOUBLE DARE YOU! http://streaming.radio.co/s3dc3587b2/listen.m3u

CHECK US OUT ON RADIO.COM Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for NEWS HOST... Published by The Village Press, Inc.

8/28/2020

ANDREAUS GUILTY

AFRICAN AMERICAN MEDIA NETWORK National Convention. Perhaps more alarming for the GOP: Monday’s viewership was a sharp drop of about 26 percent from Night 1 in 2016. That year, the Republicans drew an average of 23 million viewers to their opening night, according to Nielsen.

TV Ratings for Republican Convention take a plunge

The numbers once again demonstrated a polarization in the way many Americans choose to get their news. While left-leaning MSNBC dominated the ratings during the Democratic event, Fox News — often regarded as an overt Trump supporter — flipped the script as the Republicans took the spotlight.

Fox News led all outlets on Monday with 7.1 million viewers during the 10-11 p.m. (ET) time slot. It was the largest audience for opening night convention coverage ever for a cable news network. Fox News was followed by CNN (2 million), ABC (1.97 Numbers fall short of audience for Democrats — and of opening million), NBC (1.7 million), MSNBC (1.6 million) and CBS (1.5 night in 2016 million). In this screenshot from the RNC’s livestream of the 2020 Republican National Convention, U.S. President Donald Trump (C) addresses the virtual convention alongside Jon Ponder (L), a convicted bank robber pardoned by Trump and founder of Hope for Prisoners, former FBI agent Richard Beasley on August 25, 2020. The convention is being held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic but will include speeches from various locations including Charlotte, North Carolina and Washington, DC. (Photo Courtesy of the Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via Getty Images)

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s conventions have been mainly relegated to virtual speeches in nearly empty venues — a dynamic that robs them of the communal energy — and dramatic visuals — that make for better TV.

President Donald Trump often loves to tout his TV ratings. But even he might have trouble spinning the numbers coming out of the first night of the Republican National Convention. Monday’s prime-time festivities attracted a significantly smaller audience than the Democrats did last week, with viewership down on every major broadcast and cable network except the Fox News Channel. An average of 17 million viewers tuned in for the opening night of the convention, according to Nielsen, which based its stats on 11 channels. That fell short of the 19.7 million who turned out for the first night of the Democratic Published by The Village Press, Inc.

8/28/2020

Jacob Blake left paralyzed after shot from behind by police, father says The 29-year-old's father, whose name is also Jacob Blake, says his son has 'eight holes' in his body Jacob Blake, the Black man who was shot from behind by police on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin in front of his children, is now paralyzed from the waist down. Blake’s father, whose name is also Jacob Blake, told the Chicago Sun-Times that his 29-year-old was shot eight times during the harrowing encounter with law enforcement that was caught on video by a bystander. The elder Blake said that his son had “eight holes” in his body. Doctors said they do not know if the younger Blake’s paralysis will be permanent. Jacob Blake thegrio.com Demonstrations in Kenosha continued in the second night of unrest over Blake’s shooting and ongoing police brutality in Wisconsin and across the nation. Parked vehicles close to the courthouse were set on fire and videos of damaged shops were shared on social media. A mattress store was broken into, and banks and offices were damaged as well. On Monday, buildings and cars were burned but the extent of the damage is still undetermined as of Tuesday morning, Kenosha Fire Chief Charles Leipzig told NBC News. However, The New York Times reported that property damages were limited to a relatively small area of the city of 100,000 people. A police armored vehicle patrols an intersection on August 24, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. This is the second night of rioting after the shooting of Jacob Blake, 29, on August 23. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Published by The Village Press, Inc.

The shooting of Blake is being compared to George Floyd who was killed while in the custody of Minneapolis three months ago. Tear gas fills the air in front of the Kenosha County Courthouse as demonstrators clash with police during the second night of rioting on August 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rioting, as well as clashes between police and protesters, began Sunday night after a police officer shot Jacob Blake 7 times in the back in front of his three children. On Monday, Governor Tony Evers deployed the National Guard to assist law enforcement after dump trucks were set on fire. Police officers were also targeted near the courthouse, getting objects thrown at them as protesters chanted “Justice for Jacob” and “No justice, no peace.” An 8 p.m., a curfew was put in place and when protesters refused to leave the courthouse, tear gas was deployed about an hour curfew went into effect, WTMJ, an NBC News affiliate, reported. As theGrio previously reported, Blake was trying to break up a fight between two women before he was gunned down by one of the responding officers as he tried getting inside his SUV.

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Making Business Sense Talking Business with Phil Andrews

Phil Andrews At Large

BYRON ALLEN PURCHASES HONOLULU ABC NETWORK AFFILIATE TV STATION FOR $30 MILLION Byron Allen is continuing to build his media empire with the acquisition of a new television station. Allen Media Group announced that it has signed a purchase agreement for its acquisition of broadcast television station KITV, in Honolulu, from SJL Broadcasting for $30 million. KITV-ABC 4 also operates multiple satellite stations and translators to rebroadcast the station’s programming outside of metropolitan Honolulu. Those stations include KHVO-ABC 13 in Hilo, HI, and KMAU-ABC 12 in Wailuku, HI, which covers all of the Hawaiian islands. “Over the past year we’ve invested over $500 million to acquire bestin-class, top-tier, broadcast network affiliates,” said Allen, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Allen Media Group, in a written statement. “We plan to invest approximately ten billion dollars to acquire more ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX television stations over the next two years with the goal of being the largest broadcast television group in America.” Allen’s purchase of the Honolulu Published by The Village Press, Inc.

ABC Network Affiliate, KITV, increases the number of Big-Four network affiliate broadcast television stations owned and/or operated by his Allen Media Broadcasting to 16 stations that stretch across 12 U.S. broadcast television markets. MeTV, Hawaii TV, Start TV, and Heroes & Icons, as well as a Washington, DC-based news bureau and correspondent, is also included in the KITV portfolio of platforms is a carriage of 4 digital cable networks. SJL Broadcasting is a privately owned American broadcasting company owned and operated by the Lilly Brothers’ Brian Lilly and 38

Kevin Lilly. “SJL is proud of the commitment of our KITV family to serve the Hawaiian community,” said SJL Broadcasting CEO, Brian Lilly. “Allen Media Group recognizes the investment in news and will build on our success.” Allen owns Entertainment Studios, which produces more than 60 syndicated shows, along with The Weather Channel and seven more 24-hour cable TV networks. Allen is coming off of a $20 billion settlement with Comcast Cable that went all the way to the Supreme Court, where Allen lost by a unanimous 9-0 ruling. 8/28/2020

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Club, during the heyday of N.Y.C. club sports, when club teams generated more interest and passion than professional teams. The Condors were a legendary multiracial team noted for undefeated seaPhil Andrews sons and for filling bleachers wherever they played. At Large Sonny had the opportunity to attend the University of Michigan as a track and field athlete, and invitee to the hallowed Wolverine Football team. He then transferred back to his beloved N.Y.C. where he attended City College, ultimately completing his degree in accounting at Seton Hall University in 1956. A stint in the U.S. Army followed, and he was stationed at the Fort Huachuca Military Intelligence installation near Sierra Vista, Arizona. To the wonderment of his fellow G.I.s, Walter often challenged base leadership to champion the rights of Black and Hispanic soldiers in the neighboring community. Upon his honorable discharge, Walter returned to N.Y.C. to continue his romance with childhood sweetheart, Ruth (“Tootie”) Woods of Newark, N.J. They were married in 1962. Walter and Ruth had been introduced by lifelong friends, Leander and Ken Brown of Maplewood, N.J. Ken was Walter’s Seton Hall roommate, and Leander was Ruth’s Delta Sigma Theta line sister. Walter and Ruth enjoyed summer vacations in Martha’s Vineyard with the Brown family for 54 years. Walter built a career as a tax accountant —ultimately becoming a fixture in the Hollis, Queens, business community (affectionately known as ‘H&R Black’)— a business executive, and entrepreneur. He and Ruth raised two sons, Glenn and Gregory, first in Queens Village, and then in their home of 46 years in RooseWith heavy hearts, we report the passing of Walter L. velt, N.Y. ‘Sonny’ Winfree, Jr., Brooklyn Technical HS ‘53 A private memorial service on Nantucket will be held (Aeronautical Engineering), peacefully on July 26th at on Thurs., Aug. 27th at 5:30 pm. age 85. Rest In Peace, Sonny. Walter was born on Nov. 7, 1934. A product of N.Y.C. mvtimes.com/2020/08/21/walter-l-winfree-jr/ public schools, Walter, a gifted multi-sport scholarathlete, began while at Tech to excel at track, specializing in the 110-yard and 220-yard hurdles, which opened collegiate opportunities. He also was a tailback and flanker for the Corona Condors Football

Brooklyn Tech Alumni

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Black-Owned Long Island Royal Cyn Beauty Supply Store - Baldwin, NY (RoyalCyn Hair) For as long as we can all remember, the beauty supply stores in our neighborhood are often dominated by Asian entrepreneurs and large corporations like L’Oréal and Procter & Gamble. Black people purchase nine times more beauty and grooming products and only own 1% of the market share. We are so excited to see Black entrepreneurs working to reclaim the Billion dollar industry. This week we had a chance to catch up with Cynthia, Owner of Royal Cyn Beauty Supply Store in Baldwin and the first to own a business in her family. Cynthia has been in the hair and beauty industry since 2016 when she founded her online business Royal Cyn Hair - one of New York's Hottest New Virgin Hair Company which is still operating online today. In 2019 Cynthia decided to step out on faith and open her first brick-and-mortar Royal Cyn Beauty Supply Store. “I wanted to create a shopping experience that was different from some of the other beauty supply Published by The Village Press, Inc.

stores.” Cynthia prides herself not only on the cozy, clean and friendly environment she creates for her customers, she really stands by the quality of products she offers online and in her store. “I stand by the quality of our products, especially the hair.” Royal Cyn carries everything from natural care products, styling tools, beauty products and of course the best virgin hair around town. It’s important to keep my customers happy and I want to see people feel good.” We had a chance to visit her store and we will say it by far is one of the nicest beauty supply store we have ever been to! Go check her out at 814 Merrick Rd, Baldwin, NY 11510 #blackownedli #blackonwed #blacklongisland #beauty #beautysupplystore #hairstyles #blackhair #newyork #virginhair #buyblack #buylocal #buyblackowned

8/28/2020

Marlene Angela (1984) Eleanor Bumpurs was being served an eviction notice when police officers entered her home in the Bronx and shot her twice because they felt threatened by elderly woman. She was less than $100 behind on her rent and the City of New York could not front her the money(?) they had rather see her on the streets, homeless. The officer that killed her did zero time. Published by The Village Press, Inc.

8/28/2020

BLACK LIVES MATTERPOLICE SHOOT AND KILL BLACK MAN

Donald Durant The Postal Service is NOT a SERVICE, it is a Business, and operates on profit from sales of stamps, Money Orders, Parcels and other orders, and is not fully known to the American public. This Postal operation is able to change internal operations and outside functions with little notice. Years ago the Congress forced the Post Office to lay aside multi billions of funds in preparation Don Durant for the retirement of employees for the next twenty five years. This caused them to practically go broke. Now Trump is interceding, and refusing to accept funding for postal operations until they prove to him that there will be no obstacle to Mail in Ballots. He is also fully aware that Georgia, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, and many other states have purchased Voting Machines, with Chinese Trademarks, issued to Ivanka and Jarad, and these same machines are able to change the name selected in the voting process. WHY ELSE would our President so early in the campaign begin to diminish the value of Mail In Voting and demanding the Use of Voting via voting machine during the COVID 19...

...As He Walks Away From Them 11 SHOTS FIRED https://www.tmz.com/videos/2020-08-22-082220police-shooting-4840234/ A Black man was fatally shot and killed by cops -- shot 11 times -- as he walked away from them, and it was all caught on video. The man was at a gas station in Lafayette, Louisiana when someone called police to report a disturbance. At least half a dozen police arrived, and according to the eyewitness --who shot the video -- he appeared to be holding a knife. You hear cops order the man on the ground, but he continues to walk. The woman who shot the video says she saw police tase him, but he was still upright. As the man reaches the door of the gas station convenience store, shots ring out -- 11 shots, and the man is dead. A spokesperson from the Louisiana State Police says the man was involved in an altercation in an intersection. It's unclear from police reports, but it appears cops may have followed the man for half a mile before the fatal encounter at the gas station.

The officers have all been placed on administrative leave with pay pending an investigation.

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8/28/2020

Complete Bombshell': Former Top USPS Official Reveals 'Disturbing' New Details of DeJoy Selection and Mnuchin Sabotage of Mail Service

the independent agency, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) said the treasury secretary should be called—and, if necessary, subpoenaed— to testify before Congress.

According to David Williams, Mnuchin required members of the USPS Board of Governors to "come to his office to kiss the ring."

"This hearing is a complete bombshell," tweeted David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect, which first reported that Williams resigned from the Board of Governors in protest.

David Williams testifies before the Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security Subcommittee hearing on August 6, 2009 in Washington, D.C.

Williams also offered an inside look at the process that led to the Board of Governors' selection and May appointment of DeJoy, a former logistics executive with zero experience working for the Postal Service.

In his first public remarks since resigning from the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors in protest at the end of April, David Williams on Thursday offered a number of alarming new details surrounding the selection of Trump megadonor Louis DeJoy as postmaster general and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin's efforts to exert influence over mail operations and finances.

Asked whether the board interviewed other qualified candidates for the postmaster general role, Williams answered in the affirmative and characterized DeJoy as uniquely unfit for the job, recounting that he had to be coached through his interviews. Williams said DeJoy's appointment was pushed by John Barger, a board member and Republican donor who—according to WilWilliams, the former vice chairman of the USPS Board of Gover- liams—helped DeJoy "finish a number of sentences where he nors with decades of federal government experience, testified to got stuck" and "explained to the board what Mr. DeJoy meant the Congressional Progressive Caucus that what he witnessed in during the presentation." his final months at the Postal Service was unprecedented, detail- Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) called Williams' description of the ing how Mnuchin required members of the supposedly indeselection process "very, very disturbing." Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D pendent board to "come to his office to kiss the ring and receive -Wash.), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said his blessing before confirmation" and made "illegal" demands of Williams' testimony was "stunning." officials. Williams' revelations came just hours before DeJoy is set to ap"Corruption, plain and simple. Not only is Louis DeJoy a Trump pear before the Republican-controlled Senate Homeland Securicrony and clearly unqualified to be Postmaster General but he ty and Governmental Affairs Committee, where he is expected to also has significant financial conflicts of interest that make him face questions about his sweeping policy changes that caused eager to destroy the USPS altogether. We won't let him." massive mail backlogs across the nation. —Rep. Pramila Jayapal

A day after DeJoy vowed to suspend the operational changes until after the November election, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "The Secretary has called over board members to provide in(D-Calif.) said in a statement that the postmaster general structions and requests and express his displeasure, which is "frankly admitted" to her that he has "no intention of replacing really striking. I'm not sure I've run into that before, where one department is trying to run another department," said Williams, the sorting machines, blue mailboxes, and other key mail infrawho previously served as USPS inspector general. "Normally you structure that have been removed and that plans for adequate overtime, which is critical for the timely delivery of mail, are not would simply reject the effort and report it to Congress." in the works." Williams told lawmakers that the removal of USPS mailboxes in In a letter to the USPS Board of Governors on Wednesday, 90 several states was specifically advocated by Mnuchin, a former House Democrats demanded the immediate removal of DeJoy Goldman Sachs executive who was reportedly involved in the for using his brief tenure as postmaster general "to sabotage the recruitment of DeJoy for the postmaster general position. United States Postal Service." "The blue boxes were maybe the most interesting of all," said Williams, a Democrat who was appointed to the Board of Gover- "Despite recent claims by Mr. DeJoy that implementation of cernors by President Donald Trump. "Those were not part of ongo- tain changes may be delayed," the lawmakers wrote, "he has already done considerable damage to the institution and we ing plans. To my knowledge, as a matter of fact... Secretary Mnuchin wanted that done. His study of the Postal Service asked believe his conflicts of interest are insurmountable." that it be done." In response to Williams' account of Mnuchin's interference at Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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On National Aviation Day, County Executive Curran Dedicates Portion of Street in Memory of 2nd Lt. William M. Wheeler, Long-time Hempstead Resident and Tuskegee Airman On National Aviation Day, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran was joined by local elected officials to designate a portion of Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, outside of the Cradle of Aviation Museum, “William M. Wheeler Way” in honor of the long time Hempstead resident and Tuskegee Airman who helped break the military’s racial barrier. Members of Lt. Wheeler’s family, including his sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren, were in attendance for the dedication. “Here on Long Island, we have a proud history of aviation and it is important to honor that tradition by commemorating those who helped shape our past,” said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. “As one of the first black pilots in the military, Lt. William M. Wheeler was a revolutionary resident and we owe an incredible debt of gratitude to people like Lt. Wheeler who fought the fight on behalf of future generations and changed history for the better. It is my hope that this roadway dedication will give Lt. Wheeler the long-lasting legacy that he deserves.” 2nd Lt., US Army Air Corps, William M. Wheeler was a highly trained World War II combat pilot, decorated veteran and a longtime Hempstead resident who, as one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, helped break the military's prohibition against black pilots. The Tuskegee Airmen became the first black pilots to fly for the Published by The Village Press, Inc.

U.S. military, which before the program began in 1941, refused to allow blacks to apply for aviation training. They faced down discrimination and racism while they were defending our freedoms around the world Lt. Wheeler continued to live up to his legacy long after his career with the army. He traveled with the Tuskegee Airmen’s Speakers Bureau making motivational speeches and presentations to groups around the country. The renamed portion of Charles Lindbergh Blvd. is in Uniondale, from the intersection of Geoffrey Ave. to the intersection of Earle Ovington Blvd., and runs in front of the Cradle of Aviation Museum, which chronicles Long Island’s journey with flight. Elected officials in attendance included: Nassau County Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello, Nassau County Legislator Siela Bynoe, New York State Senator Kevin Thomas, New York State Assemblywoman Taylor Darling, Hempstead Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby and Hempstead Mayor Don Ryan.

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EDITORIAL Ice Cube urged his social media followers to ask themselves: "Where's our f**king bailout?" "A lot of people getting up [at the DNC] talking and everybody really 'What's in It for the Black eating it up, throwing their hands Community?' in the air like they just don't care — Rapper Ice Cube criticized members but what I didn't hear was: what's of the Democratic Party following in it for us?" the rapper said in a this past week's convention, saying video posted Saturday. "What's in that despite all the fanfare, no it for the Black community? Besides speakers talked about "a contract the same old thing we've been with Black America." getting from these parties. What's The hip-hop icon and actor urged in it for us, for real? Black Americans to make both parties "earn that vote." Speaking on EDITORIAL RESPONSE: Instagram Saturday, he ridiculed What did we get out of it when speakers at the Democratic Nation- Obama was President? What did al Convention (DNC) for only talk- we get out of it when Clinton was ing about voting President Donald President? And what did we get Trump out of office in the upcom- out of it when Kennedy was Presiing election. dent? Ice Cube said small businesses with Why you still standing around Black owners were left out of the waiting for someone else to give trillions spent by Congress during you something that you could get the coronavirus pandemic, and he for yourself? doesn't think Democrats have a We keep asking but we don’t hold plan for how to help struggling mi- them accountable when they don’t nority communities moving fordeliver. ward.

Rapper Ice Cube Calls Out Democrats After Convention:

Larry Montgomery, Sr. Publisher and Chairman

We keep complaining about the corruption but we don’t step up and run against them. We keep looking for our fair share and they always eking out a few dollars to a few of us who agree to stand in the way of all of us. Stop standing around crying about what someone else isn’t doing and start doing something for yourself. Want to stop Police brutality? Stop committing crimes against your own people. Want to get your fair share of the tax dollars? Start doing what they do to get tax breaks...give some of what you got to those who don’t have what you got. Want economic power? Then start spending your money with Black owned businesses. Want freedom to protest? Go out and vote…! Now stand around and think about that.

COLUMNIST

Phil Andrews

Joysetta Pearse Published by The Village Press, Inc.

Sr. Pastor Arthur L. Mackey , Jr.

Chef Arrette Harvey

LISA-ANNE BYERS

Don Durant

Shuray Bethea 45

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Billionaire Robert F. Smith Reportedly Under Investigation For Potential Tax Crimes

berg. Some of that money was later moved to a charity Smith headed in the United States, Fund II Foundation, which was created to direct the assets of a reserve set up during the fund’s inception to public charities, according to its website.

Whether Smith is charged with a crime may ultimately depend on whether he was the beneficial owner of the entities in the Caribbean that received proceeds from the fund.

TOPLINE Billionaire investor and philanthropist Robert F. Smith, the wealthiest Black man in America and founder of Vista Equity Partners, is under investigation for possible tax crimes, according to a Bloomberg investigation. KEY FACTS

According to Bloomberg, it’s possible that if the funds were always destined for charity, Smith would not have been considered to be the “beneficial owner” and by extension, wouldn’t have been on the hook for U.S. taxes; Vista Equity Partners did not immediately return a request for comment.

Federal authorities have reportedly spent four years investigating whether Smith failed to pay U.S. taxes on about $200 million in assets that moved from Vista’s first private equity fund through offshore entities, sources familiar with the situation told Bloom-

Smith hopes to convince the Justice Department to resolve the case with a civil settlement instead of a criminal conviction that could result in a prison sentence and force him to resign from Vista, which manages $65 billion in assets, the report says.

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NOW ON YOUTUBE AFRICAN AMERICAN SHOPPING NETWORK

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Don Durant

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AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM African Diaspora Movies

Joysetta Pearse

Outdoors at the African American Museum of Nassau County 110 North Franklin Street Hempstead New York, 11520 (In the Parking Lot on the Jackson Street Side)

Schedule Friday July 24, 2020 at 8:00 pm “White Lies” (96 minutes) Saturday, July 25, 2020 at 8:00 pm (Adults Only*) A Double Feature “Josephine Baker: Black Diva in a White Man’s World” (45 Minutes) “Paris Noir: African Americans in the City of Lights” (60 Minutes)

Thursday, July 30, 2020 At 8:00 pm “Paul Lawrence Dunbar: Beyond the Mask” (105 Minutes) Published by The Village Press, Inc.

Friday, July 31, 2020 At 8:00 pm A Very Special Presentation to Thank You for Participating in Our Summer Black Film Series (The Title is a Surprise. You do not want to miss this!) (150 Minutes) NOTE: A face mask must be worn, and noncontact thermometers will be used to measure temperature. A reading of 99.5 = Entry Denied. Social distancing will be observed so seats are limited. Reservations are required. Call the museum Wed-Sat 10 am – 5 pm to make reservations

516-572-0730 or email: taags.aam@gmail.com

*Some of Ms. Baker’s costumes are for mature audiences.

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THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE We travel through life wondering what the next turn will bring. It is usually a surprise, but there are times we can anticipate what lies around the turn.

encing changes in his personal life and his student life. Hillary remained in college even after graduating in order to be there for Bill, who graduated a year later.

Don Durant

perience in a positive way is the best assurance of success.

The past four years have not proven successful, with the millions currently un-employed, the 180,000 dead Americans, and the Life is full of surprises, some pleas- Her work as an attorney on the six million open cases of Pandemic ant and many not so pleasant. As Watergate Commission, helped her Virus. Police shootings every to establish an awareness of the a young man, I spent more than month and week across the counoperation of government first two years stationed in the Air try, as well as no sympathy even hand. When she and Bill became Force, assigned to Tripoli, Libya. If for Herman Caine, who died after active in politics, and the legal acthey wanted to give the world an attracting this disease at a Trump tivities in Arkansas, she was ready, enema, Tripoli is where they would with sleeves rolled up, to lend him Campaign Rally. Where do we go from here, and what does the next stick the tube, The people were a hand and the necessary support turn bring? wonderful, but the leadership of in his running for office as Attorney the country focused only on their General and Governor. We are I am hoping that Joe Biden will be once again at a turning point. Ex- viewed favorably, and his terms in own needs. The same would be the case in the U.S., since an Oligarch has been elected to office. No matter what they say as a campaigner, it is not the case once they are in office. This current Convention is missing or hiding the true facts that have been shown and displayed over the past four years. The Needs and Interests of the people must and should come first. This is not the case when a wealthy person is in charge. Bill Clinton, ran for the Presidency, as Governor of Arkansas. Hillary had worked with him in all of his campaigns and was highly instrumental in aiding and assisting his election success. They had met in college, and she was highly active, in student interests, and changes, while he was experiPublished by The Village Press, Inc.

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office given valid consideration. The games people play. We can see these same games in effect with the GOP Handling of the RNC Convention, and the reflections on Barack Obama. The difference is that he is a brilliant man, as was Hillary and Bill Clinton. The question is how will we make it through these next four if Biden doesn't win?

RNC Speaker Facing Federal Charges Of Insider Trading Retired NFL player Jack Brewer, seen here in 2015, has been sued by the Securities And Exchange Commission for alleged insider trading. Brewer is a prominent supporter of Donald Trump's reelection campaign and is set to speak at the Republican National Convention. Jack Brewer, a member of Black Voices for Trump who is scheduled to speak at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, was charged with insider trading by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this month. Brewer is a former National Football League player, who went on to work in financial services. The SEC alleges he sold 100,000 shares in a penny stock, because he had inside information that the company's share price was likely to drop. The charges, filed August 6, are civil - not criminal. The SEC is seeking financial penalties, a return of "all ill-gotten gains he received directly or indirectly," and a permanent ban on Brewer "from participating in any offering of a penny stock." Reached briefly by phone on Tuesday, Brewer said, "I'm taking off for my flight," and hung up after NPR asked about the case. He did not respond to additional phone and email messages seeking comment. Brewer has become a prominent supporter of President Trump's reelection, making frequent appearances on Fox News, and tweeting that "Trump has done more for blacks than any [President] since Lincoln." At a White House event in February, Brewer called Trump, "the first Black President." Representatives of Donald Trump's presidential campaign also

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did not respond to multiple messages from NPR. A spokesperson for the SEC declined to comment. The story, according to the SEC's lawsuit, involves a company called COPsync, which developed an app for law enforcement to access databases and share information across multiple agencies in real time. After Brewer retired from the NFL in 2006, he founded his own company, The Brewer Group, and later began consulting for COPsync. He appeared on a local Minneapolis TV show with the company's then-CEO to endorse COPsync. In 2016, Jack Brewer endorsed COPsync and appeared along with the company's then-CEO. The SEC alleges that Brewer later illegally traded stock in COPsync based on inside information. In late 2016, the company was planning a private stock sale, which, once disclosed by press release, would likely lower the share price. Because he had inside information, the SEC alleges, Brewer sold 100,000 shares before the company issued that press release. The stock price did drop and Brewer "profited by approximately $35,000 more than he otherwise would have," according to the SEC. COPsync declared bankruptcy in October 2017, and the next year the SEC revoked the registration of the company's stock altogether. On top of those allegations, the SEC says that Brewer failed to enforce policies at his own company to prevent insider trading, and "unlawfully acted as a securities broker," particularly for penny stock companies.

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FOOD FOR THE SOUL Bellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slow roasted BBQ Pork Shoulder

1 pork shoulder roast 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon celery seed 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup vinegar 1/2 cup catsup 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon sugar Published by The Village Press, Inc.

1 teaspoon Dale's marinade seasoning Chef Arrette Harvey 1 cup water Brown roast in small amount of fat; place in

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Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. congratulates our dear Brother Reginald Turner on becoming President-Elect of the American Bar Association. Brother Turner, who currently serves as a law firm member of Clark Hill PLC, will become President of the association in August 2021. His experience with the ABA is extensive, as he has served as a chair of the ABA House of Delegates Rules & Calendar Committee, the Committee on Issues of Concern to the Profession, and the Committee on Credentials and Admissions. He is also a former Michigan delegate in the ABA House of Delegates. Congratulations again, Brother Reginald Turner! #AlphaPhiAlpha #APA1906Network #ForThe7Jewels #ThereGoesAnAlphaMan #AmericanBarAssociation

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EDUCATION ASK LISA ANNE

found. Information from the wbur.org website reports:

“This group always reported much higher rates of suicide attempts than any other group except for Native American Alaskan Q. I have a 13-year-old son and I read re- Indians since 1991,” says Sean Joe, a procently that Black boys are committing sui- fessor of social work at Washington Unicide a lot lately. Is this true? What can I do versity in St. Louis and one of the study’s to prevent this? authors. “So now we're seeing a stronger, A. Yes, it appears to be true and very sad. significant increase not only for males but Are Suicide Rates Climbing in Black Children?

A child has to be feeling very depressed, hopeless and useless to take his/her own life. The thought of our children in that kind of pain is horrifying. Let’s look at the research. The study that sparked this recent conversation was unveiled in the Journal of Pediatrics in October, 2019. It reported that suicide attempts among black children and teenagers have increased by 73% since 1991. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for teenagers in the U.S., but over the period studied, suicide attempts decreased among teens in every ethnic group except for African Americans. Self-reported suicide attempts among white teenagers fell by 7.5% between 1991 and 2017, the study Published by The Village Press, Inc.

also for black females.” The rise in suicide attempts among black adolescents is marked by higher levels of hopelessness, increased stigma around mental health issues and lack of access to mental health care, Joe says. “There is potentially more increased trauma in this population that's not dealt with [and a] greater level of hopelessness ... for this population that we have never seen before,” he says. “So these are things we must really take a look at.”

Black teen girls often have stronger social networks to connect with than black boys, he adds. The increase in self-reported suicide attempts among black teen girls 59

LISA-ANNE BYERS

could suggest they’ve lost those support systems, Joe says. “For instance, our black young girls [are] less likely now to be engaged in the black church when before they really were avid churchgoers and participation in organized religious activities,” he says. “The other thing we have to look at is whether or not there's increasing in any notions of bullying among young black girls.” CNN Health website reports this study is in line with earlier research that has shown African-American boys, especially younger boys between the ages of 5 and 11, have experienced an increase in the rate of suicide deaths. In black children ages 5 to 12, the suicide rate was found to be two times higher (Continued on page 60)

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me."

compared with white children.

● "You won't have to worry about me much longer."

What seems to be missing is a solution! Suicide is still relatively rare and hard to predict, according to the American Psychological Association, but it says there are some warning signs: If someone is talking about suicide;

What Do Parents Need to Do?

First of all, parents are not at fault when teens commit suicide. Many parents are busy working sometimes two jobs to sustain the family and it can be difficult to tell if they have experienced a recent loss, like which behaviors are depression or normal the death of a friend or parent’s divorce; moody teenage behavior. Education is key in this situation and parents are going to if the person seems different; have to find the time to check in with if you notice a change in their usual pertheir children! Here are some suggestions sonality or behavior; from the Healthychildren.org website and me: or if they tell you they aren't sleeping a lot or have a change in eating habits. Low self-esteem, lack of hope for the future, or if they talk a lot about their fear of losing control -- these can all be warning signs.

f. Encourage your teen not isolate himself or herself from family and friends.

g. Recommend exercise. h. Urge your teen not to demand too much of himself or herself. i. Remind your teen who is undergoing treatment not to expect immediate results. j. If you keep guns at home, store them safely or move all firearms elsewhere until the crisis has passed. k. Do not verbally abuse your teen! You can discipline without name calling. l. Don’t be afraid of therapy and medication! You wouldn’t ignore a broken arm. m. Be present! Pay attention! Know their friends, whereabouts, computer use etc. n. Check in often!

● "Sometimes I wish I could just go to sleep and never wake up."

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800273-8255 (En Español: 1-888 -628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889) or the Crisis a. Don't let your teen's depression or anxi- Text Line by texting 741741. ety go on for a long period without interLisa-Anne Ray-Byers is a licensed and cervening. tified speech-language pathologist who has worked in education for over three Fact: 9 in 10 teens who take their own decades. She holds graduate degrees in lives met criteria for a diagnosis of psychi- speech-language pathology and multiculatric or mental health condition or disor- tural education. She also holds certificader—more than half of them with a mood tion in educational administration. She is a member of the National Education Writdisorder such as depression or anxiety. ers Association and author of the books, b. Listen—even when your teen is not They Say I Have ADHD I Say Life Sucks! Thoughts From Nicholas, They S S Say I’m talking. a St St Stutterer, But I S S Say Nothing! c. Never shrug off threats of suicide as Meet Kelly, The Tail of a Black Panther typical teenage melodrama. and co-author of two reference books on ADHD all available at www.Amazon.com. d. Seek professional help right away. Stop You may contact her at the stigma! speechLRB@gmail.com.

● "Everyone would be better off without

e. Share your feelings.

Other Risk Factors include but are not limited to: ● Major loss (i.e., break up or death) ● Substance use ● Peer or social pressure ● Access to weapons

● Public humiliation ● Severe chronic pain ● Chronic medical condition ● Impulsiveness/aggressiveness ● Family history of suicide ● If your teen says any of the following: "Nothing matters." ● "I wonder how many people would come to my funeral?"

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SPORTS Sports Answer to Virus is the “Bubble” but No Remedy for Policing

tining all participates. The method of testing in the NBA restart at Disney Wide World of Sports has been an immediate success with no one testing positive in the “Bubble,” and testing glitches have been at a minimum, according to NBA.com. While teams are conducting themselves with Hello sports fans, the success professionalism in sport, of the NBA restart is encourand combating the absence aging news in the fight against of family, the struggle for the coronavirus, as the league

social justice shifts onwards. has developed a strategy of On Sunday August 23, 2020 playing all games in one locaJacob Blake was shot by Potion with testing and quaranPublished by The Village Press, Inc.

SHURAY BETHEA AT LARGE lice in Kenosha, Wisconsin several times in the back walking to his car felled with children in the back seat. A scene that has become constant when Police have an encounter with Black people in the simplest of Police procedure circumstances, that too often result in Black citizens getting shot. The cellular phone has once again captured a horrible shooting by law enforcement to act as an eyewitness to the practice of policing Black people, that included Jacob Blake’s children watching from the back seat. This shooting did not result in a person being killed but (Continued on page 65)

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ception of music, may distinguish itself as the leader of a society in sync. The NFL has been the Blake family made public that Jacob was in continuous talks to develop a plan to possidiagnosed as paralyzed from the waist down. bly enact a system that would allow its players The three games that were scheduled to play to function in a bubble under some conditions on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 in the bubble that are deemed safe by scientist in the CDC. are postponed until further notice as NBA The NFL season will not resemble past seaplayers agreed to delay games as a peaceful sons according to Commissioner Roger protest. Denver Nuggets coach Michael Goodell, for example the league has cancelled Malone made public that he vowed to remain this year’s pre-season play. The NFL has refocused on the fight for uniformity in our vealed through ESPN that fans will have accountry and endure the challenge that Black cess to live games in smaller numbers to repeople encounter as a team. Coach Malone strict fans from violating the social distancing made clear his team’s mind-set during the iso- rule, and team owners will consider the isolalation period by sharing the participates frus- tion method for the playoffs. tration about being unable to do anything to help the crisis. Malone also said “I don’t think anybody thought by coming down to the bubble and wearing a T-shirt and talking and painting something on the court was going to end things across this country. This has been happening for hundreds of years.” The word from the cheap seats says that the NBA template may have uncovered the method to continuing sports in the world until a more auspicious solution is established, however policing Black people still has America perplexed. Some other team sports have also used the isolation method such as; the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer JOIN THE DISCUSSION (MLS), and the WNBA, which also has been SATURDAY MORNINGS leading the way for other sports leagues to consider. Sports has been the path for racial togetherness for many years and with the ex- AT 5:00 pm On FACEBOOK LIVE (Continued from page 64)

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NBA to resume playoffs, sources say

who was killed in a police raid in Louisville and the targeting and shooting of Ahmaud Arbery by two white men in Georgia sparked global protests in June. The police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Sunday was the catalyst that made the Bucks, who play about 45 minutes away in Milwaukee feel that enough was enough and that their platform could be used to bring more attention to continued plight of Black men and women in the US. Players from the Bucks, with assistance from the team owners, were able to organize a conference call with Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor, Mandela Barnes, and the state’s attorney general, Josh Kaul.

NBA Players have voted to resume the playoffs, likely starting over the weekend

The NBA season is set to resume this weekend, ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski has reported according to ESPN. Thursday’s Several NBA players, including Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving scheduled games will not be played. advocated for the league not to restart after it was suspended by the pandemic in March. That was ultimately shot down and On Wednesday afternoon, the Milwaukee Bucks decided as a Irving was derided online. Yesterday, his fans on social media team not to take the floor for their game 5 contest with the Ordemanded an apology. lando Magic, likely a closeout game for the Bucks, among the favorites to bring home a championship this season. Players from 22 teams were sequestered at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando in the midst of the pandemAs reported by theGrio, the team told nobody in the league, ic to finish out the NBA 2019-2020 season. The NBA re-start beincluding their ownership or the Magic, about their plans to boygan on July 30. Because of the novel coronavirus, the bubble cott the game. Their decision rippled through the sports world. was thought to be the best way to keep players safe, but some It ultimately caused the WNBA, some MLB teams, most of major players, including Irving, believed returning to the court would league soccer teams and tennis star Naomi Osaka to boycott dilute their message of social justice. games as well. Though no one has publicly spoken, the players were told, acOn Thursday, seven NFL teams did not practice, according to cording to multiple reports, that the collective bargaining agreereports. The Bears, Broncos, Cardinals, Colts, Jets, Packers, Timent would be invalidated if a boycott continued and the playtans and the Washington Football Team all elected to cancel ers would face a lockout and a CBA would be redrawn based on their scheduled practices in solidarity with the other leagues. the financial realities of the coronavirus pandemic. After evening meetings with all of the remaining teams in the Read More: NBA Foundation commits $300M to Black economic NBA ‘bubble’ it was said that the Lakers and Clippers were set to growth boycott the rest of the NBA season and that LeBron James, who has been outspoken on racial issues, walked out of the meeting. The current CBA, signed in 2016, is set to last through the 2023– 24 season but players and the league can opt-out of it after the However, some reports came back that that was not a definitive 2022–23 season. The NBA teams left in the bubble are expected vote. to be joined by their families on Monday, ESPN reports. According to ESPN, players held a meeting at 11 a.m. EST to discuss the next move and have another planned with two players from each team to discuss a way forward to address social justice inequities. The NBA has already committed $300M to social justice initiatives, a move announced earlier this year. The deaths of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police, Breonna Taylor Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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Emotional Doc Rivers on Blake shooting: ‘This country does not love us’

He ranted about inequality for more than three minutes. READ MORE: LeBron James says he can’t celebrate playoff win after Jacob Blake shooting “It’s amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back,” Rivers said. “It’s really so sad. Like, I should just be a coach. I’m so often reminded of my color. It’s just really sad. We got to do better. But we got to demand better.” “It’s funny,” he maintained. “We protest. They send riot guards. They send people in riot outfits. They go up to Michigan with guns. They’re spitting on cops. Nothing happens.”

“The training has to change in the police force,” Rivers The former NBA player and current L.A. Clippers coach got continued. “The unions have to be taken down in the poteary-eyed as he ranted about this country's inequality and lice force. My dad was a cop. I believe in good cops. We’re treatment of Blacks for over three minutes. not trying to defund the police and take all their money away. We’re trying to get them to protect us, just like they Said L.A. Clippers Coach Doc Rivers of Jacob Blake’s protect everybody else.” shooting: “I should just be a coach. I’m so often reminded of my color. It’s just really sad. We got to do Like Rivers, as theGrio previously reported, Lakers star better.” (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) LeBron James on Monday could not enjoy his team’s 135115 victory over the Portland Trailblazers because of Doc Rivers, the Los Angeles Clippers coach, is really angry Blake’s shooting. about Jacob Blake Jr.’s shooting. Rivers vented out his frustrations after the Clippers’ victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five in the NBA firstround playoffs. He expressed how he felt about Sunday’s shooting of Blake, a 29-year-old Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin shot several times by a Kenosha police officer, ESPN reported. Read More: NBA, NFL on the Jacob Blake shooting: ‘Why does this keep happening?’ “All you hear is Donald Trump and all of them talking about fear,” Rivers said, referring to the Republican National Convention. “We’re the ones getting killed. We’re the ones getting shot. We’re the ones that we’re denied to live in certain communities. We’ve been hung. We’ve been shot. And all you do is keep hearing about fear.” Rivers grew noticeably emotional while talking during the news conference. Despite his team beating the Mavericks 154 -115, Rivers was in no mood to be cheerful about sports. Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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KENNY SMITH

"Right now, my head is like ready to explode," Smith said about the aftermath of the Jacob Blake police shooting in Wisconsin. Smith says he can't stop thinking about the incident and the surrounding issues -- whether it's in the car or in the broadcast studio -- and he felt a strong compulsion to take some sort of action. After he walked off, Ernie Johnson said he respects Kenny's decision ... and they continued on with the show. Kenny Smith just walked off the set of "Inside the 55-year-old Smith won 2 NBA titles during his 10 year NBA" in a show of solidarity with the NBA players who career and has become a key member of the "Inside are boycotting Wednesday's playoff games. the NBA" team, the most popular basketball show on "As a black man, as a former player ... I think its best TV. As we previously reported, the Milwaukee Bucks for me to support the players and just not be here to- refused to take the court for Game 5 of their playoff night," Smith said. series with the Orlando Magic. Other NBA teams folSmith then unplugged his mic and walked off the set - lowed suit. Ultimately, the NBA said all 3 games will - leaving co-hosts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal be postponed to a later date. and Ernie Johnson to finish the show without him. Before he left, Smith explained his decision this way ...

WALKS OFF 'INSIDE THE NBA' SET To Support NBA Player Boycotts I'M OUT NBA On TNT

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Queens martial arts instructor who raped 12-year-old gets 7 years in prison: DA

During Quinchi’s arraignment, his attorney acknowledged and did not challenge Quinchi’s confession, which was made to police inside the precinct station house. Quinchi allegedly told detectives, "I did something very bad. I had sex with a student who I love like a daughter." Quinchi allegedly told police he turned himself in because he was afraid the victim’s father would kill him.

Hector Quinchi was sentenced on Tuesday, Aug. 25, “This defendant was supposed to teach this young2020, to seven years in prison for raping a 12-year-old ster how to defend herself, but he was the one from student, District Attorney Melinda Katz said. whom she needed protection. He manipulated a child SUNNYSIDE, Queens — A Queens martial arts instruc- too young to consent to sex,” Katz said Tuesday in a statement. “The court has sentenced him to prison tor was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison for his reprehensible actions. My office will not tolerfor raping a 12-year-old in the Tae Kwon Do studio where he taught, District Attorney Melinda Katz said. ate adults who abuse their positions of trust to victimize children.” Hector Quinchi, of Woodside, pleaded guilty in July to rape and other charges stemming from repeated sex- In addition to his seven-year prison sentence, Quinchi ual contact with the victim between August and Octo- faces 10 years of post-release supervision and will be required to register as a sex offender, officials said. ber 2019, according to prosecutors. The 37-year-old taught at Hugo’s Tae Kwon Do Studio in Sunnyside, where the victim took karate lessons, officials said. He turned himself in to police in October after finding out the victim told her parents about the abuse, according to prosecutors.

TO ORDER A COPY Pastor Arthur L. Mackey Jr. Senior Pastor Mount Sinai Baptist Church Cathedral 243 Rev. Dr. A. L. Mackey Sr. Avenue, Roosevelt, New York, 11575 artbren12@aol.com

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Updates and analysis from Day 2 of the Republican National Convention First lady Melania Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Eric and Tiffany Trump spoke on Tuesday The Republican National Convention continued Tuesday with speeches from first lady Melania Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and two of Trump's children.

this week. RNC speaker pulled after tweet surfaced promoting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories Mary Ann Mendoza was removed from her speaking slot just hours before she was set to appear at Tuesday night's Republican National Convention after she was found to have promoted a series of tweets positing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Mendoza is on the advisory board of President Trump's reelection campaign. She has been an outspoken advocate for Trump's immigration policies. Her son was killed in 2014 by a drunk driver who was an undocumented immigrant. Mendoza was removed from her slot sometime before 6 p.m. ET, according to a Trump campaign source. Mendoza's prepared remarks were still sent out to media organizations.

Melania Trump headlined Tuesday night's line-up with a speech from the White House, where she is reflected on her time as first "We have removed the scheduled video from the convention lady, making the case why her husband deserves another four lineup and it will no longer run this week," Trump campaign years. spokesman Tim Murtaugh told NBC News. Pompeo, meanwhile, addressed the convention from Jerusalem, a move that has drawn fire from diplomats and breaks with long- In a tweet on Tuesday morning, Mendoza encouraged her folstanding tradition aimed at keeping U.S. foreign policy separate lowers to read a long Twitter thread that featured a wide variety of known anti-Semitic conspiracy theories as well as references from domestic politics. to QAnon. She later deleted the tweet and apologized. This live coverage has ended. Continue reading RNC news from

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8/28/2020

Scripture Lamentations 3:21-23

God's Unfailing Faithfulness Reverend Joseph D. Jenkins, Jr., M.Div. Retired Minister African Methodist Episcopal Church The word Lamentations perhaps provides for the reader an immediate insight to the book. To lament means to cry, it has something to do with grief and grieving. When one is lamenting, there is often expressions of agony verbally and emotionally. So the name itself is indicative of someone expressing their fears and pain. It is Jeremiah the prophet who is grief stricken and verbally expressing his emotional agony. He is lamenting over Jerusalem being destroyed by the Babylonians, he is lamenting over the rebellious sins of Israel and the people of God being carried into captivity. Israel has been once again reduced to nothing and bondage is their plight. For Jeremiah it is a dark and dreary damnation for him and God’s people.

have been burned, breached, and broken. The treasury in Israel has been plundered and is now in the hands of ungodly men. The holy vessels of the temple have been confisHow shall we sing the LORD’s song in cated and would be used for una strange land? Psalms 137:1-4 “The holiness, the city is left in desolation. stench of death has assailed his nos- The book only has five chapters, but trils”, in Psalms 137 the city is in in the midst of chapter 3 are these rubble and ruin, the holy place is verses which are almost the middle now a holy ash pile. Women are wid- of the book, Jeremiah pens words of ows and children are orphans, the God’s faithfulness. He is able to find aged men who are maimed are left some hope, some light, some joy in to die, and the aged who were sickly the middle of his lament. He has exare left to starve. The young men perienced darkness, but in the midand maidens are herded off in chains dle he sees some light. He has experienced pain, but in the middle he The Psalmist captures in words their enroute to Babylon. glimpses providence, mindset in captivity, By the rivers of The royal family of King Zedekiah Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we has been made commoners and his he has seen destruction, but in the middle wept, when we remembered Zion. eyes put out. The walls and gates (Continued on page 75) We hanged our harps upon the wilPublished by The Village Press, Inc.

lows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

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(Continued from page 74)

he sees divine destiny. As believers we find that is so true about God, in the middle of our stories, in the middle of our miseries, in the middle of our daily living, in the of middle life’s murkiness and life’s agony, we can see His hand upholding us, His love encompassing us, and His power reveals itself in the middle of our chaos. God’s unfailing faithfulness means that everything He says and does is certain, and that we can be certain that He will always be one hundred percent God, one hundred percent of the time, or He will not be God at all. Jeremiah discovered in verse 22a that His faithfulness is never partial, but He has an unfailing fullness of faithfulness. He does not speak about God’s mercy, he speaks about the fullness of His faithfulness. Jeremiah proclaims not mercy but mercies.

ready to liberate Him if He just asked”. There is a forcefulness with God that no weapon formed against us can conquer.

Finally, His faithfulness is not stale, He has an unfailing freshness of faithfulness. The scriptures say that they are new every morning, verse twenty three. The old church of yesterday coined phrases of praying that has blessed God’s mercies are divinely plural in its nature. The our ears for years. “The act of prayer in the black tradiPsalmist talks about the divine plural-ness of God’s mer- tion reflects a personal involvement that colors one’s cies in Psalms 51:1. Have mercy upon me, O God, accord- total response to and expectations from life” , and “the ing to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude wordings of black prayers usually called for concrete of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions . David imagery rather that abstract thought”. in many passages in Psalms speaks of God’s mercies plu- I now realize the consecrated concreteness there is a ralistically. He sees Him as a refuge, a rock, light, language in our prayer tradition that validates this strength, his shepherd, a hiding place. He is not a God verse. “I thank you Lord, you woke me up this morning who is limited to singleness in His sovereignty, but divine and gave me eyes to see a new day, a day that I have plural-ness is his delight. His mercies are not just divine- never seen before, and one that has been coming from ly plural, they are divinely plenteous. The Apostle Paul the beginning of time”. The same eyes of the aged saw each day a new day. The same eyes that saw the same in Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto him that is able to do places and people saw each day with a fresh newness. exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, The same lungs that inhaled air yesterday inhaled new according to the power that worketh in us,” . air each day, the same eyes that had seen the sun yesterExceedingly is enough, but Paul speaks of divine plente- day saw new rays each day, the same eyes that had seen ousness when he adds abundantly and above. Our God’s the moon the night before always saw a new light. They believed that every day had the freshness of God’s faithfaithfulness is inexhaustible; the cattle on a thousand fulness. hills belong to Him. Moses declared His ability to be plenteous in Deuteronomy 29:5'.And I have led you forty God had fresh new deliverance for their trials, fresh new years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old determination for their situations, fresh new goodness upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. for their lives, fresh new glory for them to see, fresh new grace for their struggles, because He is a God of fresh For forty years God maintained Israel and never had a newness. He sends the freshness of His blessing each shortage or crisis. Secondly, His faithfulness is not fragmorning. God has no stale leftovers for His children; He mented; His is an unfailing forcefulness of faithfulness. gives us fresh blessings, fresh possibilities, fresh opportunities, each day. That is why every day is a day of The Babylonians were forceful, but God was greater, they were not destroyed because God’s compassion was thanksgiving, God has been good to us. Jeremiah ends that verse by declaring, “Great is thy Faithfulness”, and with them. Perhaps that is why we are reminded that He is truly unfailing in being faithful. when we pass through the waters they will not drown us, when we pass through the fire, the fire will not burn us. The hymn of Chisholm and Runyon penned poetic words When the prophet Elisha was surrounded by the Assyri- about this God of Great Faithfulness, when he wrote: ans, his servant was afraid and hopelessness was in his Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father. There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy voice. Elisha prayed that the Lord would open his eyes so compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forhe could see the forcefulness of God. He looked up into ever will be. the mountains and they were filled with horses and chariots of fire. Jesus proclaimed out of His own mouth when He was arrested, “there were legions of angels Published by The Village Press, Inc.

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8/28/2020

Liberty University Doubles Down After Falwell Denies Reports Of His Resignation Officials at Liberty University, one of the nation's largest and most well-known Christian universities, are doubling down after Jerry Falwell Jr. denied reports he'd agreed to step down as president following allegations of sexual behavior at odds with the school's honor code.

that he had suffered emotional distress over his wife's affair with his business partner. Falwell described it as a "fatal attraction" situation that included attempts to extort the highprofile couple financially. Falwell has been at the center of multiple controversies in recent years, including questionable business dealings, accusations of racial insensitivity, complaints about his management style and allegations of other behavior considered inappropriate for the leader of a conservative religious institution. Previous reporting by news outlets, including BuzzFeed, has described a complicated business entanglement and close friendship between the Falwells and Granda. The couple met Granda in Miami several years ago while he was in his early 20s, working as a pool attendant, according to the reports. The BuzzFeed report also claimed that Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who has since been convicted of federal campaign violations and of lying to Congress â&#x20AC;&#x201C; helped arrange Falwell's endorsement of Trump. Separately, Reuters has reported that Cohen helped the Falwells arrange to keep private a set of potentially embarrassing photographs.

Falwell agreed to the indefinite leave of absence on Aug. 7 after he posted a photo to Instagram that showed him with his pants unzipped and his arm around a woman who is not his wife, whose pants also were unzipped. In an interview with a local radio station, he said the photo was taken "in good fun" A statement released late Monday evening by Liberty's at a costume party and the woman, his wife's assistant, could spokesman Scott Lamb said that "matters came to light that not zip her pants because she is pregnant. made it clear that it would not be in the best interest of the Liberty, whose campus is in Lynchburg, Va., holds its stuUniversity for him to return from leave and serve as Presidents to a strict moral code, which includes prohibitions on dent." Falwell had been on an indefinite leave of absence from sex outside of marriage and same-sex relationships. the university since earlier this month, after he posted a controversial vacation photo to social media. Some evangelical Christians critical of Trump, including some The statement said that Falwell initially had agreed to resign Liberty students, have objected to Falwell Jr.'s vocal support immediately as Liberty's president, but then "instructed his for the president since early on in the 2016 Republican primaattorneys to not tender the letter for immediate resignation." It ry. His endorsement was seen as an important step toward said board members plan to meet Tuesday morning to discuss helping Trump coalesce support from this important Republithe matter. can voting bloc. In a text message to NPR late Monday, Falwell said only that things were "still up in the air." The latest breech between Falwell and the university founded by his father, the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, comes on the heels of an investigation published by Reuters in which Falwell's former business partner, Giancarlo Granda, claimed he had a multiyear sexual relationship with Falwell's wife, Becki, which involved Falwell looking on while the pair engaged in sex acts. That report was published a day after Falwell released a statement to the Washington Examiner in which he claimed Published by The Village Press, Inc.

In an interview with NPR in 2017, Falwell was asked for his thoughts about Trump's moral character. Falwell said evangelical Christian theology is about recognizing that everyone is a sinner in need of forgiveness. "You can't go by who's sinned and who hasn't, because we all have," Falwell said. "The ones that you think are so perfect and sinless â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it's just you don't know about it. They're all just as bad. We all are. And that's the bottom line."

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the back seven times. Black Lives Matter!!! AS GOES NEW YORK SO GOES THE NATION!!! Secondly, New York State Governor Andrew Coumo the corrupt cops who brutally beat Akbar Rogers in Freeport, New York; the corrupt cops who brutally beat Ahmad Tillery in Roosevelt, New York; and the corrupt cops who assassinated Matthew Felix in Queens, New York, JUSTICE FOR JA- must also be arrested, charged, convicted, and COB BLAKE & ALL imprisoned. As goes New York so goes the nation. If the powers that be turn a blinded eye to THE VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALI- racist corrupt cop police brutality in the Big Apple, New York State, and makes no arrests at all. TY: Firstly, this weak-minded, ruthless, and racist Kenosha, Wis- Then we will end up with what have right now, a national revival of racism. consin, corrupt cop shot Jacob Blake, an unarmed 29 year old Black Father, seven times in Thirdly, America must have the rock solid the back, right in front of Blake's three Black sons backbone, and a real revival of social justice, and in the car. Jacob Blake's three Black sons have not the good ole boy racist system of just us. A

MACK REPORT

been deeply traumatized by the witnessing this horrific shooting of their Father. This horrific shooting in the back seven times has paralyzed Jacob Blake from the waist down. Jacob Blake is a community hero who was breaking up a fight. These weak-minded, ruthless, and racist Kenosha, Wisconsin corrupt cops must be arrested, charged, convicted, and imprisoned. The following night corrupt cops in Kenosha, Wisconsin, let a 17 year old White racist vigilante and Trump supporter, Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot three people, murdering two of them, walk right by them as their hero holding the riffle of racism. This crystalclear double standard of racism in America must change now. I am praying night and day continually for Jacob Blakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recuperation and recovery. The local District Attorney must have the rock solid backbone to immediately bring murder charges against the officer, Rusten Sheskey, who murdered Jacob Blake by shooting him in Published by The Village Press, Inc.

real revival of social justice, Civil Rights, and Human Rights to arrest corrupt cops throughout the entire landscape of America. Corrupt cops who live only to justify their weak-minded, ruthless, and racist crimes. Governor Coumo it is totally clear that President Donald Trump does not care. Therefore as you took a bold leadership stand as New York State Governor in the current Coronavirus pandemic. You are needed now by our nation to set the social justice, Civil Rights, and Human Rights example by leading the way in the arresting, charging, convicting, and imprisoning in the current racism pandemic all of racist corrupt cops who have clearly brutally beat, and or assassinated Black and Brown people in New York State. As goes New York State so goes the nation.

(Continued on page 81)

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19 FAMILIES PURCHASED OVER 90 ACRES OF LAND IN GA TO CREATE A CITY SAFE FOR BLACK PEOPLE Cooperative economics at work! In Toomsboro, Georgia, a group of 19 Black families banned together to create what has the potential to be the next Black Wall Steet. Black people are resilient, we've had to be to thrive under systems that weren't built for us. This resiliency has created innovative solutions to impossible problems such as racial injustices, food insecurity, and a lack of secure and safe communities. Ashley Scott, a realtor living in Stonecrest, Georgia, was reaching her breaking point after watching the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in her home state. In a Blavity op-ed, she wrote that she was distraught, and for the first time in her life, she felt disempowered, which caused her to seek help. "I sought counseling from a Black therapist, and it helped. It helped me to realize that what we as Black people are suffering from is racial trauma. We are dealing with systemic racism. We are dealing with deep-rooted issues that will require more than protesting in the streets," Scott wrote. "It will take for us as a people, as Atlanta rapper and activist Killer Mike so eloquently put, "To plot, plan, strategize, organize and mobilize." So that's what I and my good friend Renee Walters, an entrepreneur and investor, did." Scott and her good friend Renee Walters spearheaded The Freedom Georgia Initiative, which recently purchased 96.71 acres of land in Toomsboro, Georgia, to establish a self-sustaining Black community. After attending local zoning and city council meetings, Scott said she realized creating a new city would create change and build "real Black power." "We figured we could try to fix a broken system, or we could start fresh. Start a city that could be a shining example of being the change you want to see. We wanted to be more involved in creating the lives we really want for our Black families," she continued. "And maybe, just maybe, create some generational wealth for ourselves by investing in the land. Investing in creating a community that is built around our core values and beliefs." The purchase of these sprawling acres comes at a time when Black land ownership has shrunk drastically. However, recently Black families have been purchasing large acres of land to combat this loss and create a legacy for themselves. Black Family (Man, Woman and children boy in mothers arms and girl standing next to father) at Toomsboro Camping Trip Published by The Village Press, Inc.

After the Civil War, newly freed Africans never received the 40 acres and mule they were promised, which led to them working to buy their own land. At the end of the 20th century, former slaves and their families owned more than 14 million acres of land, there were more Black farmers per capita than white ones. However, 90 percent of that land was lost by the turn of the 21st century due to the Great Migration and racist, yet legal, dispossession of land from Black owners. One such legal loophole that plagues Black farmers is heirs' property, an unstable form of ownership where land is inherited through generations without a will with ownership being divided among all living descendants. A ProPublica report stated The U.S. Department of Agriculture has recognized it as "the leading cause of Black involuntary land loss." Heirs' property is estimated to make up more than a third of Southern black-owned land â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 3.5 million acres, worth more than $28 billion. These landowners are vulnerable to laws and loopholes that allow speculators and developers to acquire their property. Black families watch as their land is auctioned on courthouse steps or forced into a sale against their will. Scott and the rest of the 19 families are reclaiming the generational wealth that has been denied Black people for generations now that they own Toomsboro and plan to equip it with Black farmers, BIPOC and women vendors, suppliers, and contractors. Their goal is to have a community where all Black people feel safe without fear of being murdered for who they are. "Amass land, develop affordable housing for yourself, build your own food systems, build manufacturing and supply chains, build your own home school communities, build your own banks and credit unions, build your own cities, build your own police departments, tax yourselves and vote in a mayor and a city council you can trust," Scott wrote. "Build it from scratch! Then go get all the money the United States of America has available for government entities and get them bonds. This is how we build our new Black Wall Streets. We can do this. We can have Wakanda! We just have to build it for ourselves!" 79

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ers. After Akbar Rogers of Freeport, New York, was brutally beat by Freeport Village Police officers. 19-year-old Black man, Matthew Felix, was assassinated, lynched by Nassau County Furthermore, the Freeport New York Village Police officers illegally over the borderline in Police officers who brutally beat Akbar Rogers of Queens, New York. Black Lives Matter!!! Freeport, New York, must be immediately arrested, convicted, and imprisoned for their highly AS GOES NEW YORK SO GOES THE NAabusive violations of Akbar Rogers' Civil Rights TION!!! Consequently, New York State Governor and Human Rights. Racist Police brutality beat- Andrew Coumo after Akbar Rogers, a Black ing mobs must not be permitted physically man from Freeport, New York, was brutally beat abuse Blacks just because of the color of our by Freeport Village Police officers. George Floyd Black skin in the Village of Freeport, Nassau was lynched in Minneapolis, Minnesota; BreonCounty, New York State, or anywhere through- na Taylor was lynched in Louisville Kentucky; out the landscape of America. When corrupt Ahmaud Albery was lynched in Brunswick, cops who murder Black people are not arrested Georgia; Rayshard Brooks was lynched in Atlanit produces corrupt citizens who kill people in the ta, Georgia; and Jacob Blake was lynched in Kestreets, movie theaters, malls, and more. When nosha, Wisconsin. All Lives Can Not Matter Uncorrupt cops who murder Black people are not til Black Lives Matter!!! arrested it produces honest cops who rather commit suicide than support the cover up of a AS GOES NEW YORK SO GOES THE NAracist, classist, and sexist corrupt cop system. TION!!! Therefore, New York State Governor All Lives Can Not Matter Until Black Lives Mat- Andrew Coumo the Freeport Village Police officter!!! ers who brutally beat Akbar Rogers, the Nassau County corropt cops who brutally beat Ahmad Therefore, I call on New York State Governor Tillery, and assassinated Matthew Felix in Andrew Coumo to officially grant New York Queens, New York, must held totally responsible State Attorney General Letitia Ann James the for sparking a deadly revival of racism that is litGovernor's approval for the Office of the Attorerally spreading like wild fire and destroying the ney General to investigate the brutal racist beat- soul of the nation. George Floyd, Breonna Taying of Akbar Rogers by members of the Freeport lor, Ahmaud Alberry, Rayshard Brookes, and Village Police Department. I commend United Jacob Blake are all victims of this revival of racStates Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for having the ism fire that was lit right here in New York. rock solid backbone to support the Black Lives These corrupt Freeport, New York, and Nassau Matter protest demand in Nassau County that County cops operate in the spirit of the Klu Klux the New York State Attorney General investigate Klan that once was a major stronghold in Freethe corrupt racist Freeport cops. Because Nas- port, New York. Black Lives Matter!!! sau County District Attorney Madeline Singas failed to prosecute the racist mob of corrupt Pastor Arthur L. Mackey Jr. cops who have physically injured many Freeport Senior Pastor residents such as Marty Martinez and so many Mount Sinai Baptist Church Cathedral others. 243 Rev. Dr. A. L. Mackey Sr. Avenue Roosevelt, New York, 11575 A REVIVAL OF RACISM!!! New York State artbren12@aol.com Governor Andrew Coumo after Akbar Rogers, a #AndrewCuomo #tishjames Black man from Freeport, New York, was brutal- #JacobBlake #akbarrogers #matthewfelix ly beat by Freeport Village Police officers includ- #ahmadtillery #georgefloyd #breonnataylor ing the Freeport Mayor's sons. Black Boy Scout #ahmaudalberry Ahmad Tillery of Roosevelt, New York, was bru- #RayshardBrooks #blacklivesmatter tally beat by Nassau County 1st Precinct Offic#BlackLivesMatterMovement (Continued from page 78)

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The Incorporated Village of Hempstead is located in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 53,891 at the 2010 census,[5] but by 2019 had reached 55,113 according to the U.S. Census Bureau estimate.[6] It is the most densely populated village in New York. Hempstead Village is the site of the seventeenth-century "town spot" from which English and Dutch settlers developed the Town of Hempstead, the Town of North Hempstead, and ultimately Nassau County. Several of Nassau County's most historically valuable buildings are in the Village of Hempstead, including Town of Hempstead Town Hall (built in 1918), Carman-Irish Hall at 160 Marvin Avenue (built about 1700), St. George's Episcopal Church (319 Front Street, erected 1822), St. George's Rectory (217 Peninsula Boulevard, built 1793), and the United Methodist Church at 40 Washington Street (erected 1855).[7] The Carman-Irish Hall is occupied by American Legion Post 390. The church structures have been in continuous use by their congregations since they were built. Christ's First Presbyterian Church at 353 Fulton Avenue is Nassau County's oldest Presbyterian congregation, and one of the earliest in the United States, having been founded in 1644 by Richard Denton. Jackson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, housed at 60 Peninsula Boulevard since the mid-1950s, was established between 1825 and 1840.[7] It is one of the county's oldest African American congregations. Diversity has long been a characteristic of Hempstead. While it was majority white until the mid-twentieth century, Hempstead had a significant black population from about 1651 onward, in addition to the native peoples still living on Long Island. Starting in the nineteenth century, Hempstead's diversity increased. Irish, Polish, and German immigrants arrived during the second half of the nineteenth century to join the descendants of the original English and Dutch settlers. Military personnel were trained at Camp Mills during 1918 and at Mitchel Field during World War II, and some stayed to raise families, adding other European-descent groups and African Americans. During the first half of the twentieth century, African Americans from the South who sought opportunities in the North established homes and businesses in Hempstead. Nassau County's first chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was established in Hempstead in 1932. A major case against de facto segregation in Hempstead was taken to the New York State Supreme Court in 1949 by Thurgood Marshall. From the 1950s forward, the village's African American population has increased, and so have Mexican, Central American, and South American groups, as well as Caribbean immigrants, Middle Easterners, and Asians, especially Indians and South Asians

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CLICK HERE SOLUTION #5

The Village of Hempstead is a great place to live and raise a family except for these 15 fixable issues. For each of the next 17 weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s we will offer fixes for each of the below quality of life issues listed below. Follow us and join the diaolog by emailing us at: thevillagepress7@gmail.com.

ISSUES of concern: 1. High Residential Property Taxes 2. Pockets of High Crime 3. Lack Affordable Housing 4. Village Gas and Electric Plant 5. Disproportionate number of Non-taxable properties 6. Under performing School District 7. Poorly designed business district 8. No brand or reason to stop and shop in the Village 9. Poor traffic management 10. Lack of quality medical services-Emergency Triage 11. High Unemployment 12. Failed redevelopment plan 13. Pointless fiscal management plan 14. To many residential properties in disrepair 15. Inability to keep residents informed 16. No plan for the future-No Vision-expansion ideas 17. Poor Voter turn outs 8/28/2020

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