Author: Tia Freels, DI
The second round of 12 Democratic primary debates at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan has concluded. Night two featured the remaining 10 candidates not featured in night one: former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Cory Booker, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, Gov. Jay Inslee, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Sen. Michael Bennet. Here are a few key moments from the second night: Healthcare: Joe Biden vs. Kamala Harris Biden was the first to take the stage at the debate with Harris joining him…
West Mifflin police identified 20-year-old Grace Brown as the woman in a surveillance video urinating on a bin of potatoes at Walmart. What We Know: According to the criminal complaint, she “appeared to be unsteady on her feet and appeared intoxicated.” A Walmart employee noticed a “puddle of liquid” on the floor and reported it to store security. In the video, Brown is seen walking over to the produce section, where she pulled down her pants, squatted on a produce rack, and proceeded to urinate. Walmart released a statement on the incident stating, “The safety of our customers is a top…
A financial aid loophole is allowing families who are well off, to turn over guardianship of their teenagers to friends or relatives so that they can declare financial independence to qualify for tuition aid and need-based scholarships. What We Know: The investigation done by ProPublica Illinois shows that families near Chicago are exploiting this loophole. Andy Borst, director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, called the tactic a scam. “Wealthy families are manipulating the financial aid process to be eligible for financial aid they would not be otherwise eligible for. They are taking away opportunities from…
ABC is reportedly “close to finalizing a deal” that would make Keke Palmer a full-time third host on its daytime talk show, “Strahan and Sara” alongside “Good Morning America” personalities Michael Strahan and Sara Haines. What We Know: The network became fond of Palmer, who has frequently filled in as a guest co-host including during Haines’ recent maternity leave. “Keke has been so much fun filling in, so they decided to make her an offer,” said the insider. “The audience knows her and she’s got great chemistry with both [hosts],” an insider told Page Six. The network is hoping that…
Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” made history by breaking the record for most weeks at number one on Billboard’s Hot 100! What We Know: Billboard announced on Monday that the song has topped the chart for 17 straight weeks. Lil Nas X surpassed other artists who’ve previously held the record of 16 weeks — 1995’s “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men and 2017’s “Despacito” remix by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber. The rapper tweeted a thoughtful message after the news broke. “This song has changed my life…and the way i see the world around me…in less than a year,”…
It was announced in May that the sixth season of Power will be the last for the Starz series. However, the drama will continue in the “first of several” prequel series titled Power Book 2: Ghost, and will feature Mary J. Blige. What We Know: The Grammy winner made the announcement with the series’ creator/co-showrunner Courtney Kemp and executive producer 50 Cent at the show’s Television Critics Association press tour on Friday, Variety reported. The series will “continue the journey” of some of the show’s “most controversial characters,” Kemp revealed. “This is probably the most exciting thing that’s going to happen to me this…
Update 7/31/19 4:12 p.m.: After multiple artist pulled out of the festival along with it moving to a different state, the 50th anniversary of the iconic festival in music history is officially cancelled. Jay-Z pulled out of the 50th anniversary Woodstock festival just weeks before the event is supposed to take place, a source close to the hip-hop mogul confirmed Friday. What We Know: Hov was set to close out the three-day event that was scheduled for Aug. 16 through Aug. 18—50 years after the original celebration of “Peace, Love and Music.” The event—which has had major financial and legal…
A shooting occurred over the weekend at a California food festival that left 12 people injured and three people dead, including a 6-year-old boy. What We Know: Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee confirmed Monday that the shooting at Gilroy Garlic Festival claimed the lives of 25-year-old Trevor Irby, 13-year-old Keyla Salazar, and 6-year-old Stephen Romero. “I couldn’t believe what was happening, that what she was saying was a lie, that maybe I was dreaming,” Romero’s father told The Mercury News. According to Joy Alexiou, a spokesperson for Santa Clara County Health System, five patients remain at their hospital after one patient…
Over the weekend, California Sen. Kamala Harris caused some confusion on Twitter when she announced a program for student loan debt forgiveness. What We Know: Harris tweeted that the program is geared toward Pell Grant recipients. Grads can have $20,000 of loans erased if they start a business that operates for three years in a disadvantaged community. During that period, they can also defer their debt interest-free. Many were quick to point out their concerns with the proposal. For one, only people who receive a Pell Grant are eligible, which are reserved for students from low-income households. According to data…
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) passed a resolution on Tuesday calling on the House of Representatives to carry out impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. What We Know: Delegates from NAACP chapters across the country voted unanimously voted for the resolution—which was introduced by Rep. Al Green (D-Texas)—during the group’s 110th annual convention held in Detroit. In a press release, the President and CEO of the NAACP Derrick Johnson called the 45th president “unfit to serve” the nation and accused Trump of leading “one of the most racist and xenophobic administrations since the Jim Crow…