Fulton County Superior Court Judge McAfee ruled that six of the charges in the 41-count indictment related to former President Trump and some co-defendants allegedly soliciting the violation of oath by a public officer lacked the required detail about what underlying crime the defendants were soliciting. Essentially, Donald Trump now faces ten charges.
The charges dismissed have to do with soliciting elected officials to violate their oaths of office. McAfee says the indictments were not detailed enough. However, the order leaves intact many other charges in the indictment and the judge wrote that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis could seek a new indictment on the charges he dismissed.
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Itoro Umontuen currently serves as Managing Editor of The Atlanta Voice. Upon his arrival to the historic publication, he served as their Director of Photography. As a mixed-media journalist, Umontuen…
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In a surprise to no one, President Joe Biden, Donald Trump captured primary victories in Georgia. Biden secured 95.2% of the Democratic primary vote, while Trump garnered 84.5% of Republican votes.
As a result, Biden and Trump will head for a rematch of the 2020 election. An accomplishment for both candidates, but what does it really say about America?
Both candidates have glaring issues as they head on a path for a rematch.
Trump is undoubtedly the most controversial presidential candidate in American history. Following his tumultuous four years in the White House, his last few days as president was engulfed in alleged crimes and tragedy.
After Biden captured victory in 2020, Trump and his affiliates allegedly attempted to steal the election. Georgia served as ground zero. During a recorded call that took place on Jan. 2, 2021, Trump told Secretary of State Raffensperger, “All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.”
Trump and 16 others were eventually indicted in Fulton County by District Attorney Fani Willis for allegedly attempting to steal the 2020 election. In August of 2023, Trump was arrested and booked into the notorious Fulton County Jail. However, due to stall tactics such as inquiring about Willis’ personal relationship, he has yet to see his day in court.
He’s also facing possible punishment for his role in the Jan. 6 attack where his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Trump is also facing civil cases where he owes millions of dollars.
On Jan. 25, Trump, after a judge declared him guilty of rape, was forced to pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll, a writer who accused him of sexual assault. The hefty judgment came on the heels of a previous $5 million sexual abuse and defamation verdict issued against Trump in 2023.
In February, a New York judge ordered Trump to pay $454 million, including interest, in a fraud case.
Overall, Trump is facing 91 criminal charges as he seeks re-election.
On Biden’s end, he stands as the oldest sitting President in U.S. history. At 81, Biden would be 85 by the time he leaves office. Some have questioned his ability to lead at his age. However, Trump is only four years younger than Biden.
In terms of political issues that became prominent during his tenure in office, Biden has faced backlash over inflation and lack of affordable housing; the immigration problem; and Israel’s war on Gaza that some believe has become genocide.
Biden and Trump both have their issues that make them less than ideal candidates. It’s a reflection of America and the dismal political landscape that has become more about popularity than actual policy.
A.R. Shaw serves as Executive Editor of Atlanta Daily World. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ABC News, NBC, BBC, CBC. He’s also the author of the book “Trap History: Atlanta Culture and the Global Impact of Trap Music.”
(CNN) — The presiding judge in former President Donald Trump’s Georgia election subversion case says he is on track to order this week on whether to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
In an interview last week on WSB Radio in Atlanta to discuss the challenger he will face in his reelection bid, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee briefly spoke about Willis and his pending order on whether to remove her from prosecuting Trump and the remaining co-defendants.
“I gave myself a deadline because I knew everyone wanted an answer. And I’ll tell you that an order like this takes time to write,” McAfee said in the interview.
“There is a lot that I have to go through. And so, I’ve had – and again I’ll emphasize this – I’ve had a rough draft in an outline before I ever heard a rumor that someone wanted to run for this position, so the result is not going to change because of politics,” McAfee added.
“I am calling as best I can and the law as I understand it. So, I still feel like I’m on track to having that done by the deadline that I put on myself,” he said.
McAfee told the court at the end of the Willis disqualification hearings that he would take at least two weeks to decide.
Trump and others in the case are seeking to disqualify Willis after accusing her of financially benefiting by hiring her special prosecutor in the case, Nathan Wade, with whom she became romantically involved.
During the eight-minute audio clip from “The Shelley Wynter Show” on WSB Radio – and in a rare instance he has spoken about the case – McAfee talked about how the case has impacted him personally, saying he looks forward to the day he can speak with his toddler-aged children about his experience presiding over the historic case.
“What I think about is I got two kids, 5 and 3. They are too young to have any idea what’s going on or what I do.,” the judge said. “But what I’m looking forward to one day is maybe they grow up a little bit and ask me about it, and I’m looking forward to looking them in the eye and tell them I played it straight and I did the best I could.”
James Beard Award–winning chef Scott Peacock leading a small-group biscuit-making workshop
Photo by Jen Causey
My biscuits have always resembled hockey pucks. I’ve dreamed of making biscuits like the ones that once floated by on plates of fried chicken at Watershed, the former Decatur, Georgia restaurant of James Beard Award–winning chef Scott Peacock. They’re the masterpieces that were featured on the cover of Gourmet magazine and in The Gift of Southern Cooking, Peacock’s 2003 cookbook co-authored with his late mentor, Edna Lewis.
So here I am, on a Saturday morning, standing in the kitchen at Reverie, the 1858 historic Greek Revival mansion in Marion, Alabama, where Peacock hosts his Black Belt Biscuit Experience. As one of four “biscuiteers,” I am as eager to soak up Peacock’s wisdom as I am to sample one of the fresh-from-the-oven biscuits brushed with butter.
As he stands before us, Peacock explains why biscuits, a universally adored Southern favorite, have become his life’s work. “I chose biscuits because, in addition to being delicious, they can be made quickly with staple ingredients,” he says, noting how they cross boundaries including race and income.
In addition to using buttermilk, unsalted butter, and heirloom flour he now grows on his farm, Peacock has a secret weapon: homemade baking powder, a simple combination of cream of tartar and baking soda. “Commercial baking powders contain aluminum sulfate and leave a metallic taste,” explains Peacock, recalling the culinary tip he learned from his mentor. “You don’t need that. You’re better than that.”
As his hands create tiny rose petals from the butter in the dough, Peacock warns, “There is no self-correction in biscuit-making and no resurrection.”
The rolled-out dough is already risen as Peacock dusts a biscuit cutter and slices circles with it. He then shoves the tray into a 500-degree oven, eyes keeping close track of the chemical reaction occurring inside.
Just four minutes later, his biscuits emerge, beautifully browned and looking like gently risen…pucks. These aren’t the perfectly bouffanted biscuits served at Watershed. But rather, they reflect everything Peacock has learned in the two decades since. “When I was a younger biscuit-maker working in restaurants, we used White Lily flour because uniformity was important,” he explains.
As he distributes the still-warm delicacies topped with jam and country ham, Peacock explains why he left the bustle of a busy Atlanta restaurant for a quieter life of intimate biscuit-making in rural Alabama. “To me, this is so much more than a biscuit. It’s an offering. It’s a prayer. It’s time travel.”
This article appears in the Winter 2024 issue of Southbound.
Atlanta-based fashion designer Abbey Glass is starting 2024 with a bang: a new spring/summer collection, a new bridal capsule, two new retail stores, and a spot in Dillard’s new concept, the Coterie. Here, she shares her inspiration and how she’s expanded her business.
You have a lot going on!Let’s start with the spring/summer collection. What was your inspiration? Spring was very much inspired by florals—groundbreaking, I know! There’s also the influence of our muses, our 1960s-style icons. This spring, it was heavily influenced by Grace Kelly, with royal- and coastal-inspired pieces, and lots of dramatic bows. There’s a beautiful blue and yellow fabric that’s almost like an interior fabric, which I think will be really popular, and aqua and green organza pieces. I’m excited about a focus on floral fabrics and attention to isolated dramatic details on classic shapes.
A dress from the spring/summer 2024 collection
Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass
You’re new to Dillard’s this year in their the Coterie collection. What’s the collection like? The collection was designed with the Dillard’s team for the Coterie. It’s our Abbey Glass brand DNA and our best sellers which have been expanded or modified for the Dillard’s customer. There’s crossover [from the Abbey Glass collection] in the mood, but merchandised a little differently. There are also exclusives coming. Dillard’s is doing that beautiful yellow and blue fabric I mentioned in shapes that are a bit more avant-garde, and we’re running it in more of our best-seller shapes at Abbey Glass. We started dropping in January of this year. There are drops monthly from now until June.
A dress from the Dillard’s collection
Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass
How did the partnership come about? We had a very successful event in Charleston with Southern Living (I’m a Southern Living Tastemaker) about two or three years ago. That team said that it was the best pop-up shop they’d had. There’s a lot of cross-over between their reader and the Abbey Glass customer.
We followed the thread with Southern Living, thinking about how could it apply to retail, to find our customers. We identified Dillard’s as a target retailer. It was an organic chain of introductions, and we pitched the brand to the contemporary department. They said they had been looking for a brand like us for so long, amazing quality with great fabrics at a great price point. [Atlantan and VP, General Merchandise Manager of Dillard’s] Alexandra Dillard Lucie and her team were starting a new concept called the Coterie. The premise of it is to bring female-founded brands with very unique points of view to a larger audience through Dillard’s. They made it accessible for brands like us to get into the big leagues and to scale this way and get visibility, without putting us at risk. We’re now a top-selling new brand at Dillard’s.
An Abbey Glass bridal dress
Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass
Why did you decide to also launch a bridal capsule collection this year? We’ve always had white dresses in the line that were meant to be bridal, but we never could launch at the right time and curate it properly. Now, we have a marketing team that is intentional in their messaging, which made it the right time. The collection is our best-selling Abbey Glass styles in gorgeous white fabrics. Who wouldn’t want a beautiful classic one-shoulder gown with a bow, just in white? I love the Annabelle, a new silhouette. It’s a retro pleated fit-and-flare with spaghetti straps and a super low back meant to be a pre-wedding or getaway outfit.
A dress from the spring/summer 2024 collection
Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass
You’re on a huge growth trajectory in 2024. Why is this your year? We raised money in 2023 through the Tory Burch Foundation’s the Fellows Program. Each year, they select 50 women entrepreneurs for a yearlong program to help grow their businesses. I had a lot of support from them, asking ‘What’s next for the brand?’ and ‘What’s our value proposition, and is our customer market big enough?’ I’m a designer, but the fellowship made me a business person.
I started in custom dressmaking, so being able to make accessible, designer-quality clothing that most women can wear is where my passion is. It’s also what the market needed. I think a lot of mature and modest women aren’t being designed for anymore and they’re out of options unless they want to get to that custom $3,000 price point. So raising money to scale through the Tory Burch Fellowship has set me up for success. We’re excited to be a resource for women who want a trusted, go-to brand they can wear and feel confident in that feels timeless and classic. We want our customers to feel comfortable in their skin, focused on being with people they love instead of worrying about what they’re wearing.
A dress from the spring/summer 2024 collection
Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass
You’re even opening new stores. Yes, this spring we’re expanding into [brick-and-mortar] stores in Charleston and Dallas in late spring/early summer 2024. Charleston is the special occasion hub of the Southeast, and people from all over the world come to Charleston. We saw a lot of customers in Dallas coming from online, and it’s a very similar culture to Atlanta, people love hosting and pay attention to dressing up. We love being where people like to be fancy and get dressed up.
On the latest episode of The Sharon Reed Show, Sharon goes one-on-one with Judge Greg Mathis. In this new podcast, Judge Mathis discusses his family, meeting his wife, being raised in politics by Rev. Jessie Jackson, his support for media mogul Byron Allen, his next TV project, and more. Watch the full interview now.
“I am the poster child of why people living with obesity must have access to all options of care. We must work together to create policies that allow Health Care cultures to promote strong patient-provider relationships that build trust and reduce stigma,” said Michele Tedder, M.S.N., R.N. Senior Program Manager for the Black Women’s Health Imperative.
This is one of the many points shared during a virtual round table discussion with advocates, doctors, and politicians on effective treatments for obesity. All of them were gathered by the independent nonprofit organization Healthywomen. They aimed to explain why obesity should be considered a disease and all parties’ struggles. The group revealed where we are regarding access and progress and shared what the government plans to execute regarding the problem.
“The only way to achieve better health is to ensure access to the tools necessary to create individualized comprehensive treatment plans that include surgery, anti-obesity medications, lifestyle change programs, healthy foods, and mental health care. This should be a right for all, not a privilege,” said Tedder.
Healthywomen’s virtual congressional briefing on treatment for obesity was held on February 1. The online conversation featured Tedder and Dr. Angela Fitch, president of the Obesity Medicine Association, and Dr. Travis Batts, a representative of The Association of Black Cardiologists. The briefing was moderated by WUSA9 weeknight anchor Lesli Foster.
The group explained obesity should be considered a disease because an individual’s genetics, development, environment, and behavioral factors play a role. According to the CDC, 40 percent of American adults are affected by obesity. In 2013, The American Medical Association defined obesity as a chronic disease because it meets specific benchmarks. Conditions lasting more than one year, requiring ongoing medical attention, and limiting the activities of daily living are those benchmarks.
The panel elaborated that people’s belief that it is not a disease is holding back solutions to this problem. Dr. Fitch highlighted that for centuries, everyone has placed the blame on obese people for how they got into that state instead of looking at it as a complicated problem. She informs the panel that Medicaid does not cover obesity, and the T.R.O.A. (Treat and Reduce Obesity Act) needs to be passed for that to change.
“if I go into the doctor and say I want help with my obesity and my doctor codes my obesity as a disease, that claim gets denied. The doctor doesn’t get paid for that visit. Commercial insurance does not cover obesity, and we need to pass T.R.O.A. to get around so people get the care they need,” said Dr.Fitch.
The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act is a bipartisan bill introduced to the Senate in 2021. If passed, T.R.O.A. will expand Medicaid to cover obesity treatment. Right now, there are six FDA-approved anti-obesity medications available. Without insurance, people would pay close to $1,000 for it. The anti-obesity medication would reduce fat absorption in the body. It would also reduce cravings and appetite, increasing the feeling of fullness after eating.
“This is a game changer. We are seeing the results, and we are seeing people getting healthier because of research and new options in treating and managing obesity as a disease,” said Beth Battaglino, RN C.E.O. of HealthyWomen
The panel discussed how anti-obesity medication is among the few things Americans need for total health care. They break down how people with obesity need nutritional, behavioral, and mental health counseling. Bariatric surgery is recommended when appropriate. Dr. Batts has a method for his patients that helps their behavior and mental issues before they start taking the anti-obesity medication. It is an acronym for his patients that can help them balance their lifestyle.
“I ask my patients if they took their M.E.D.S.S.S.? I ask them if they focus on mindfulness, exercise, diet, sleep hygiene, social connections, and avoiding risky substances. When they’ve done these steps, I then institute the medication so the patient can see those pounds come off,” said Dr. Batts.
The briefing concluded that Medicaid needs to expand coverage to Obesity treatment. The panel unanimously agreed that science has proven it is possible to resolve this national issue. More information can be found on Healthywomen.org.
A new poll recently released shows 62 percent of Black voters are in favor of the Food Drug Administration (FDA) ruling prohibiting the sale of menthol cigarettes. The Mellman Group, a leading political research firm, oversaw the poll for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. These results mean the disapproval of the tobacco industry myth of this matter being a political liability in the 2024 presidential election.
“This new data proves what we already know to be true – Black voters want to see a menthol ban,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP.
“Now, it’s time for the Biden Administration to put people over profits and swiftly enact a rule that will save countless Black lives. We’re done waiting. The NAACP will do everything possible to hold this Administration accountable for its promises to our community. Enough is enough. Our lives are at stake,” said Johnson.
The banning of selling menthol cigarettes has been a battle going on for over a decade. FDA ruling to prohibit the selling was supposed to go into effect in August 2023, but it was delayed until December 2023. Organizations like the NAACP, The Congressional Black Caucus, and more have expressed disappointment with the White House administration’s delay. Everyone has concerns with that last delay because it came two days after the tobacco industry and its lobbyists met with officials from the white house. With the election eight months away, tobacco companies were sharing information about the menthol rule that would have an electoral impact.
“These poll results demonstrate that voters, especially Black voters, strongly support eliminating menthol cigarettes, and they debunk the tobacco industry myth that moving forward will be a political liability,” said Yolanda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
“The Biden Administration must issue a final rule without further delay. There is no other single action the Administration can take that would do more to advance health equity and help achieve the goals of the President’s Cancer Moonshot,” said Richardson.
According to the report from Mellman, Tobacco conglomerate Altria Group Incorporated revealed the red flags the menthol rule’s effect would have on “Biden core voters,” based on poll data. Altria Group Inc. is the parent company of Black and Mild’s, Marlboro cigarettes, and other brands. Biden core voters considered by Altria Group are non-White voters and non-conservative White voters under 45. The Mellman poll uncovered this notion as false and conducted a separate survey to back it up.
Mellman’s poll first asked participants an initial presidential horse race question between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The results show President Biden had a two-point lead over Trump, 44 percent to 42 percent. The organization introduced the proposed FDA menthol rule to participants. Mellman asked the presidential horse race question again, prefacing the vote question with, “If the Biden Administration ended the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes in the United States…” Assuming the Administration ended menthol cigarette sales produced no change in the margin, with Biden maintaining a 2-point lead.
Tobacco companies are doing all that they can to interfere with this ruling. Menthol cigarettes have been scientifically proven to be more addictive, more accessible for kids to start smoking, and more challenging for smokers to quit. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids shares how the tobacco industry has marketed these products to Black communities. The organization has research that reveals prohibiting menthol cigarettes will save up to 654,000 lives within 40 years, including the lives of 255,000 Black Americans.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will continue to monitor The Biden Administration for updates regarding the ruling.
Registered voters in Georgia will get an opportunity to vote in the 2024 Presidential Primary. Today’s primary will decided which candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties will appear on the 2024 ballot.
The top two candidates from both parties are President Joe Biden (Democrat) and former President Donald Trump. The two candidates could ignite a potential rematch of the 2020 election. In that election, Biden won the state by receiving 49.5 percent of votes to Trump’s 49.3 percent.
Trump was eventually indicted in Fulton County for allegedly attempting to steal the 2020 election, but he has yet to see his day in court.
Winners of the primary will be awarded delegates and the nominees for each party will be announced at conventions this summer. The Democratic National Convention will take place from August 19-22, 2024, in Chicago. And the Republican National Convention will take place in Milwuakee from July 15-18, 2024.
Other states with primaries today include, Hawaii, Mississippi and Washington.
In Georgia, voters can find out their poll location by visiting mvp.sos.ga.gov.
A.R. Shaw serves as Executive Editor of Atlanta Daily World. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ABC News, NBC, BBC, CBC. He’s also the author of the book “Trap History: Atlanta Culture and the Global Impact of Trap Music.”
In this week’s edition of “BIN News Weekend Recap” presented by iHeart, A.R. Shaw and host Ramses Ja discuss Malcom X being honored; Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul; Chuck D’s thoughts on the presidential election; and Police misconduct in Alabama.
A.R. Shaw serves as Executive Editor of Atlanta Daily World. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ABC News, NBC, BBC, CBC. He’s also the author of the book “Trap History: Atlanta Culture and the Global Impact of Trap Music.”
During a typical day during the legislative session, Georgia State Representative Dar’shun Kendrick is usually walking around the House Chamber as she speaks to different lawmakers. It doesn’t matter if they’re from Elberton or East Atlanta. Decatur or Dacula. Kendrick, a Democrat from Lithonia, will speak to anyone in order to build consensus in order to get bills passed.
Last week, Kendrick qualified to run for House District 95, an area that includes portions of Lithonia, eastern Dekalb, southern Gwinnett, and western Rockdale counties. After the 12:00PM deadline on March 8th, Kendrick found out she would not have an opponent in the upcoming 2024 elections. Before she embarks on her eighth term in the Georgia House, the financial securities attorney would sit for an interview with The Atlanta Voice, from her legislative office.
“We’re only down here for 40 days, even though it’s not consecutive, it goes by really fast,” explained Kendrick. “So it’s almost like the time period, which we’re down here, forces you to be fearless because you don’t have all day. And I think I’ve developed some really good relationships. I try to control the things I can control. It gives me such peace.”
Kendrick has championed access to reproductive care and abortion rights, is on the forefront of the tech revolution while fighting against book bans. She also encourages concerned citizens to get more involved in the political process.
In 2017, Kendrick started her law firm, the Kendrick Advisory & Advocacy Group (KAAG). Her firm specializes in corporate securities law. It also helps companies that are raising investor capital. Plus, KAAG is a resource that allows clients focused on growing their company by outsourcing the regulatory services to her firm. So, by definition, KAAG is a registered investment advisory firm. Kendrick possesses a Series 65 license, which means she is licensed to give investment advice in the state of Georgia.
Georgia State Rep. Dar’Shun Kendrick, D-Lithonia, is a panelist during the Black Women and Policy seminar at Clark Atlanta University on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
Since then, the larger Republican party has leaned into the culture wars. Since the death of George Floyd, Conservatives have been attacking any form of diversity initiatives. Plus, their attacks on investment firms that fund historically disadvantaged groups have been unrelenting since the United States Supreme Court struck down Affirmative Action in 2023. For example, The Alliance for Equal Rights have characterized the purposes of the Fearless Fund and Hello Alice as “discriminatory” and “unlawful.”
Concurrently, there is a lack of commitment across corporations and universities to stand firm on the principles that they were talking about in 2020 because they’re now getting a little bit of a green light that they do not have to invest in DEI programs, if at all.
All the while, State Representative Kendrick, who is a licensed securities attorney, is well-equipped to not only withstand those attacks, but fight back. In 2023, Kendrick began advocating for the Fearless Fund. Black women received less than .39% in venture capital funding. And as a result, Conservatives are fighting Black women, Black families and minority-owned companies because we are receiving crumbs of the cookie.
Kendrick and the Invest Georgia Fund
During the 2024 Legislative Session, Kendrick had four bills that made it to committee hearings. One of them has passed out of the House. House Bill 1138 is legislation that would command the Invest Georgia Fund to consider companies that “Promote and reflect the demographic makeup of Georgia.”
Ryan Wilson, Shamea Morton, Ayana K. Parsons, Arian Simone, Benjamin Crump, Georgia State Rep Dar’Shun Kendrick and Chloe Cheyenne pose for photographs at The Gathering Spot on Thursday, August 17, 2023 in Atlanta. (Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
“It’s just one line adding investment criteria to make sure that it reflects the demographic makeup of Georgia,” explains Kendrick. “The Invest Georgia Fund was a fund that was passed in 2013. Two years after I got here, we started funding it with the legislature through the state budget in 2015. It was $10 million over four years, which, if you know, anything about venture capital, $10 million, is nothing. But it was something. It was supposed to be a $100 million fund but ended up being $10 million.”
The Invest Georgia Fund is state funded. It also receives federal funds and treasury funds. Secondly, Invest Georgia does not directly invest into portfolio companies. It only invests in venture funds.
“So, the purpose of the fund was to be a fund of funds,” Kendrick added. “Essentially, it was a venture fund, a publicly-ran venture fund that would give to other venture funds that would then the end user would be Georgia companies, portfolio companies, as part of that particular venture fund.”
Georgia’s population is 33% African-American. Georgia has about 30,000 former Armed Service members. Also, half of Georgia’s population is made up of women. Kendrick says those characteristics are not quotas, because it’s part of sixteen other investment criteria.
According to the bill, the State of Georgia must include businesses that meet all the requirements that are going to give the necessary returns. If the companies are homogenous in any demographic, that’s an opportunity for Invest Georgia to step back and say, ‘does this reflect Georgia? Does that reflect the purpose of the bill, which was to give to Georgia businesses that are representative of every demographic makeup here in the state of Georgia?’
In the end, Kendrick desires to get rid of the Invest Georgia Fund’s current structure as it is known and allow the fund to do direct investments into companies, if the bills do pass. She is tired of our companies not having access to capital while indirectly paying for other people’s generational wealth.
“And I think that’s important and powerful in one line,” explains Kendrick. “It makes all the difference to send to the rural areas and to the state of Georgia that we care about every part of the state. From north to south, east to west, no matter what your background is, we want to consider that. When we’re giving out public funds, and I think this is important to note, because this is your taxpayer money, that’s my taxpayer money. So I want it to reflect how Georgia looks.”
Quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons have agreed upon a four-year contract. The deal is potentially worth up to $180 million. $100 million is guaranteed, with $90 million being paid in the first two years of the deal. There is also a $2 million incentive if Cousins leads the Falcons to a Super Bowl title.
The maximum value of Kirk Cousins’s contract is potentially $188 million.
Cousins’ move to Atlanta was first announced by his agent, Mike McCartney. Cousins played 12 seasons for the Vikings and Washington. He threw for 39,471 yards and 270 touchdowns. He was selected to play in 4 Pro Bowls. However, after suffering an Achilles’ injury, the Vikings allowed Cousins to test the free agency market. The Vikings were serious about bringing back the quarterback, however the Falcons were serious about bringing Cousins in the building.
“After significant and positive dialogue with Kirk and his representatives, we were unable to reach agreement on a contract that fits the short and long-term visions for both Kirk and the Minnesota Vikings,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said in a statement on Monday. “Kirk holds a special place in Vikings history, and we appreciate his leadership and contributions to the team and the Minneapolis-St. Paul community over the past six seasons. We wish him, his wife, Julie, and their children all the best.”
The Falcons were set on addressing the quarterback position after a mediocre season by 2023 starters Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. Ridder would finish the season with 2,836 passing yards, twelve touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Despite running for 976 yards, catching 58 passes for 487 yards and eight combined touchdowns, Bijan Robinson was never the every-down back the Falcons envisioned. Kyle Pitts struggled once again to be featured in an offense that didn’t have an above average quarterback. Pitts only had 53 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns. Drake London finished the season with 905 yards and two touchdowns.
During the NFL Combine, new Falcons head coach Raheem Morris did not mince words when describing the performance of the previous starting QBs.
“Now, it’s time to implement a couple new things, go out there and find out who’s gonna be the triggerman for us and put ourselves in a position to win,” Morris said. “I’m not afraid to say that we have the ability, and we’re capable of going out there to win next year. If we do some of the right things, make the right moves, we can do that.
“And that’s not an arrogance. That’s not a cockiness. That is more of a credit to the people who are in the building with me still and the people still and some of the people who are not there now.”
“I am very excited about where we are, but we will be aggressive and we have to make this total team better,” Fontenot said. “Clearly, we’re going to get the quarterback position right, not close.”
Lawmakers in Georgia have introduced a bill that would increase funding and development at the state’s 10 historically Black colleges and universities.
SB 235 would create a commission relating to the Department of Community Affairs, so as to create the HBCU Innovation and Economic Prosperity Planning Districts Commission; to provide for membership and operation; to provide for an executive director; to provide for advisory committees; to provide for powers and duties; to provide that the commission may accept outside funding from public or private grants, devises, and bequests; to provide for reporting; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Senator Sonya Halpern serves as the bill sponsor.
It comes months after Education Secretary Miguel Cordona wrote a letter to Gov. Brian Kemp stating that Fort Valley State University could be owed $603 million from the state of Georgia.
The letter sent to Gov. Kemp revealed how Fort Valley State University has not received equal funding.
“Fort Valley State University, the 1890 land-grant institution in your state, while producing extraordinary graduates that contribute greatly to the state’s economy and the fabric of our nation, has not been able to advance in ways that are on par with University of Georgia, the original Morrill Act of 1862 land-grant institution in your state, in large part due to unbalanced funding,” Cardona and Vilsack wrote in the letter.
The Biden Administration sent letters to 16 governors, pushing them to invest more funds to the HBCUs.
U.S. Secretary of Education and Miguel Cardona and Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack sent the letters to governors with state-funded HBCUs such Alabama A&M University, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Florida A&M University, Fort Valley State University (Georgia), Kentucky State University, Southern University and A&M College (Louisiana), University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Alcorn State University (Mississippi), Lincoln University (Missouri), Langston University (Oklahoma), South Carolina State University, Tennessee State University, Prairie View A&M University (Texas), Virginia State University, and North Carolina A&T State University.
The letters pushed for funding under the Morrill Act of 1890 which mandated that states either consider Black students equally or found separate land-grant schools. As a result, per-student funding for HBCUs should be equal to per-student funding for PWI schools.
SB 235 will now go to the state’s House for approval.
A.R. Shaw serves as Executive Editor of Atlanta Daily World. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ABC News, NBC, BBC, CBC. He’s also the author of the book “Trap History: Atlanta Culture and the Global Impact of Trap Music.”
Da’Vinchi understands the complexity of portraying one of the most notorious figures of this generation. Tasked with the role of Terry “Southwest T” Flenory in the Starz hit series “BMF,” Da’Vinchi brings depth to the drama which sheds light on the real-life story of the Black Mafia Family.
During a recent visit to Atlanta, Da’Vinchi sat down with ADW/Real Times Media at iHeart Studios to discuss the new season of the series and how the role has impacted his life.
A.R. Shaw serves as Executive Editor of Atlanta Daily World. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ABC News, NBC, BBC, CBC. He’s also the author of the book “Trap History: Atlanta Culture and the Global Impact of Trap Music.”
