Today on News One Now: GOP Health Care Bill Is A 'Hateful Promise' To Repeal And Replace Obamacare; How Dems Can Win 2018: Remember Black Voters
This morning on News One Now, host and managing editor Roland Martin interviewed Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Democratic strategist Joel Payne about the most recent news from the Congressional Budget Office regarding the catastrophic senate health care bill. If the current proposed bill were to pass, 22 million people would lose their insurance in the next decade – 15 million of which would be those covered by Medicaid. The bill would lower federal deficits by $321 billion dollars, but premiums and deductibles would go up significantly.
Governor Abbott Statement On WOTUS Withdrawal Proposal
Governor Greg Abbott released a statement after EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced today that he will propose to withdraw the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. This rule was implemented under President Obama and allowed the Army Corps of Engineers to monitor irrigation ditches – including on private land.
CNN: McConnell to delay the vote on health care bill until after July 4 recess
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will delay the vote on the Republican leadership's health care bill until after the July 4 recess, two sources told CNN.
Governor Abbott Applauds Sen. Kolkhorst, Rep. Simmons' Intention To Author Privacy Protection Legislation
In the upcoming special legislative session, Sen. Lois Kolkhorst and Rep. Ron Simmons will author legislation seeking to protect the privacy of women and children. This is one of 20 items that Governor Abbott previously announced will be added to the special session agenda. Governor Abbott thanked Sen. Lois Kolkhorst and Rep. Ron Simmons for taking the lead on this issue.
Taste of Houston Festival 2017
Taste of Houston Festival 2017 will take place at the bucolic Town Green Park in The Woodlands, September 9th and 10th! For two full days Town Green Park and the promenade will be filled with over 220 Eateries, Artists, Crafters, Boutiques, 20+ Food Trucks and more as well as Live Music from over 20 of Houston's best, an amazing Kid Zone with 20+ rides and activities, artistic performances and a whole lot more.
Ferdinand! New Trailer
20th Century Fox has released a new trailer and poster for FERDINAND! Inspired by the beloved book "The Story of Ferdinand" by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson, FERDINAND tells the story of a giant bull with a big heart. After being mistaken for a dangerous beast, he is captured and torn from his home. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfit team on the ultimate adventure.
Artists Wanted for New Murals Coming to Houston Neighborhoods
The City of Houston is gearing up to add another thirty-eight artworks to street-side traffic signal control cabinets throughout Houston and is encouraging artists to submit qualifications for the opportunity to create a mural. Known as “Mini Murals”, Houston now has over 170 new original artworks in neighborhoods throughout the city that have been funded by Mayor Sylvester Turner and City Council, as well as private sponsors.
TPWD CO-OP Awards $40,000 Grant to the Houston Parks and Recreation Department
Funding Will Benefit Children Participating in Houston PARKS Adventure
The Houston Parks and Recreation Department has received a $40,000 grant through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Community Outdoor Outreach Program (CO-OP). These funds will enable around 3,400 inner city youth to participate in Houston PARKS Adventure, a collaborative, community-based program that promotes nature education, conservation, and outdoor recreation through innovative and affordable programming designed to spark their interest in nature-based activities.
African American Civil War Museum Announces the "Museum Passport to Freedom Festival: Back to School"
Innovative, interactive program designed to engage students, educators
The African American Civil War Museum announces its second Museum Passport to Freedom Festival welcoming students back to school on August 19, 2017 from 10:00am to 2:00pm.
United Airlines Takes New Steps to Elevate Customer Experience at Bush Intercontinental Airport
New efforts at IAH will result in improved connectivity for customers
United Airlines today announced that beginning this fall, the carrier will take new steps to elevate the customer experience at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport by offering customers shorter, more convenient connection times and better access to more destinations.
DC Young Fly and Emmanuel Hudson Star in Hilarious New Social Media Comedy #DigitalLivesMatter
Premieres Exclusively on UMC – Urban Movie Channel Saturday, July 1, 2017
Urban Movie Channel presents the exclusive premiere of #DigitalLivesMatter, a comedic film that teams up the hilarious social media kings, DC Young Fly (Wild ‘N Out, Almost Christmas) and Emmanuel Hudson (Ride Along, Wild ‘N Out), on Saturday, July 1, 2017. When a disgruntled fan of a social media superstar hacks into his account and deletes his millions of followers, hilarious antics ensue in the journey to get them all back. Just how far will the hacker go to prove that followers are people too and #DigitalLivesMatter?
Broadway Veteran Among Cast in 2017 Houston Shakespeare Festival
UH-Produced Event is at Miller Outdoor Theatre July 28-Aug. 6
A Broadway star is among the cast of talented actors who will take center stage at the Miller Outdoor Theatre this year for the 43rd season of the Houston Shakespeare Festival (HSF).
Video Games Live Returns to Houston Symphony with New Concert Featuring Music and Video from Popular Video Games
The highly successful Video Games Live multimedia concert experience will return to the Houston Symphony for the fifth time at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 14, at Jones Hall. A brand-new show from years past, the entertaining spectacle will be led by guest conductor Emmanuel Fratianni.
Make a Wish! Tanabata Japanese Star Festival
Celebrate the annual reunion of Japan’s iconic star-crossed lovers with storytelling, dances and cultural activities!
The Children’s Museum of Houston and the Consulate General of Japan in Houston would like to invite you to celebrate the Make a Wish! “Tanabata 七夕” Japanese Star Festival. As legend is told in Japanese culture, two star-crossed lovers, Vega and Altair, are separated by the Milky Way. They are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. This reunion marks the celebration of Tanabata (meaning the evening of the seventh).
Eric Benet Headlines the 2017 Black Heritage Fest
"Not just a festival, It's an Experience"
Eric Benét and many others set to rip the stage at the third annual Black Heritage Festival. Center stage in the nation's fourth largest black populated city, Houston Texas. Over 10k African-Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, Africans from the Continent, Afro Latinos & Hispanics, multi-cultural guest flock to Houston's iconic Discovery Green, Saturday September 30th 2017.
CAIR-Houston Says SCOTUS 'Muslim Ban' Decision Ignores Anti-Muslim Bigotry, Emboldens Islamophobes in Trump Administration
The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Houston), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, said today's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court allowing a limited version of the Trump administration's "Muslim ban" executive orders to take effect ignores the Islamophobic origins of the policy and emboldens Islamophobes in the Trump administration.
Houston Bicycle Museum Announces Full July Calendar For Cycling's Pinnacle Month
Summer 2017 at the Houston Bicycle Museum kicks off with the celebration of “The Bicycle – the Subculture, Camraderie, and Lifestyle
July at the Houston Bicycle Museum will be our most ambitious month in two and a half years of operation. The month will be full of events and begins Friday, June 30, 8pm-11pm with a Sneak Preview of the Museum's first annual juried art exhibit: “The Bicycle – the Subculture, Camraderie, and Lifestyle” A call was sent out to Houston's art community for submissions in a wide variety of mediums and the only guideline was that bicycle-themed entries were preferred.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Votes to Accelerate Workforce Training
Jackson Lee: “By accelerating workforce training, we move closer to extending the promise of America to every person who just wants a job.”
Mayor Turner Invites Proposals for National Creative Placemaking Grant
Mayor Sylvester Turner is calling for Houston’s best ideas to endorse for the national Our Town grant program.
Enough is Enough: Our Leadership is Keeping Their Eye on The Prize
Jackson Lee: “The line of attack against Pelosi is absurd and does nothing but distract us from our agenda of improving the lives of the American people."
"Excellence Center Stage: A Salute to Scholars" Ivy League Educational & Charities Foundation and Xi Alpha Omega Chapter
Honor Future Pioneers in the Houston Area
On June 17, 2017, the Ivy League Educational & Charities Foundation (ILECF), a Section 501(c) organization established in 2002 by Xi Alpha Omega Chapter (XAO) of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated to promote and provide financial support for education, collaborated with the Achievement, Self-Awareness, Communication, Engagement, Networking, Development (A.S.C.E.N.D.) Committee, chaired by Roxie McKinney, and part of Target I: Educational Enrichment on the international program Launching New Dimensions of Service to award and celebrate local Houston area students.
The Houston Health Department Bureau of HIV/STD Prevention and Walgreens Kick Off National HIV Testing Day
The Houston Health Department Bureau of HIV/ STD Prevention (HHD) kicks off National HIV Testing Day with Walgreens and media sponsor 97.9 The Box to encourage Houstonians to get free HIV testing, get the facts about HIV, and get involved with the strategy to prevent it, June 27-29, 2017 at 5200 Westheimer Rd. Houston, TX 77056.
9-Year Old Queen Running Her Own Home-Based Line of Bath Products
Jelani Jones from Fredericksburg, Virginia is only 9-years old, but she runs her business... like a queen! In addition to making and selling her own line of bath products, Lani Boo Bath, from her home, Jones is also a straight “A” student in school. How does she do it?
27-Year Old Black Entrepreneur Raises $7.2 Million in Just 3 Days
Atlanta-based Patientory, the company behind an advanced healthcare app, has raised $7.2 million in a very successful online Blockchain token sale (not via Kickstarter, as previously reported). The block-chain startup, founded by CEO and Black entrepreneur, 27-year-old Chrissa McFarlane, enables the connecting of digital medical records without compromising privacy.
This Black Family-Owned Enterprise Owns 16 Fast Food Restaurants in Southern California
67-year old Reginald Webb started his career at McDonald's in 1973 and was manager and then regional vice-president for 12 years when the company offered him an opportunity to own his own franchise. He and his wife, Rene, did not hesitate.
This Black-Owned Resort in Barbados Will Blow Your Mind
It took six years for African American husband and wife entrepreneurs Michelle and Guy Jenkins to open their luxury resort in the Caribbean. Located on the west coast of Barbados, Villa La Maison Michelle is the only Black American-owned private luxury resort in Barbados.
DC Councilman Denounces Arrest Of Black Teens Selling Water
D.C. councilmember Charles Allen said he doesn’t understand why the officers didn't take actions that were “less severe than handcuffing.”
10 Year-Old Bishop Curry is Creating Device to Prevent Infants From Dying In Hot Cars
After Bishop Curry heard his neighbor’s 6-month-old infant died from being in an overheated car, he decided to create a life-saving device to prevent incidents like this from reoccurring ― as any responsible 10-year-old would. “It kind of came in my head,” Bishop told HuffPost of his device, the Oasis.
Harlem Will Soon Be Home to 20-Story Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum
Earlier this month, the Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum won a bid to acquire a Harlem building and development site for a new state-of-the-art facility that will “preserve, archive, exhibit, educate, and showcase hip-hop Music and culture from around the world.”
Serena Williams Signs On as New “Purple Purse” Ambassador to Promote Financial Empowerment for Domestic Abuse Victims
Serena Williams has signed on as the newest ambassador for Allstate Foundation Purple Purse, the insurance company’s decade-old initiative to provide financial empowerment to domestic abuse victims. The pregnant tennis star takes over for Kerry Washington as ambassador of the organization, which says it has helped about one million women escape abusive relationships through a mix of financial education and job training.
EPA, Houston Health Department and the John P. McGovern Museum Introduce New Village Green Station
The City of Houston’s Health Department, the John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently unveiled the nation’s eighth Village Green Station during a ceremony in Houston, Texas.
Wedding Weight Loss Tips
Women about to walk down that aisle are very well known for doing some pretty extreme things to slim down for their big day, from the Master Cleanse, to eating bizarre food combinations, to drastically reducing their calories in general. Even more extreme, there has been recent news of brides-to-be wiring their mouths shut or resorting to the K-E Diet, where a feeding tube is used to slowly drip 800 calories of protein, water and fat from the nose, down the esophagus and directly into the person’s stomach every day for up to 10 days.
To Buy or To Rent? That is the Question. - Love and Real Estate
As we enter into the summer, love is in the air. And with love come engagements and weddings. After saying yes to the ring and I do to the love of one’s life, the next important question for couples to ponder is "Babe, should we buy a house or rent one?"
Houston Votes to Join Other Texas Cities in Lawsuit Over New Immigration Law, Senate Bill 4
The largest city in Texas will join San Antonio, Dallas, Austin and other local governments in a lawsuit against the state’s new immigration enforcement law. The Houston City Council voted 10-6 to join the lawsuit, which was filed last month against Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
METRO Cracks Down on Fare Violations
If you don't pay, you will definitely pay. That's what METRO reminded riders when they issued 3,000 citations in the month of May alone.
CPS Under Investigation After Girl is Killed Following Reunion with Mother
An investigation is underway to figure out if more could haven been done to protect the 4-year-old little girl who was killed, allegedly by her own mother. Laquita Lewis made her first court appearance after undergoing a mental evaluation.
H-E-B's Food Bank Assistance Program to Donate More Than 1.5 Million Apples to Texans This Summer
By the Truckload, H-E-B will Deliver the Nutritional Snack to 16 Food Banks across Texas
Summer break signals the end of the school year, which means even more children and families across the state will struggle with the threat of hunger. To combat the problem, H-E-B through its Food Bank Assistance Program will donate 1.5 million apples to 16 Texas food banks this week.
Historic Emancipation Park Rededication
Mayor Sylvester Turner led the rededication ceremony of Emancipation Park, together with OST/Almeda Redevelopment Corridors TIRZ#7, Emancipation Park Conservancy and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, on Saturday, June 17, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. A day long festival (10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) was held in conjunction with the rededication.
H-E-B Tops Another List – This Time for the Most Trusted Brand
H-E-B was ranked as the most trusted brand by U.S. consumers, tied with Mercedes-Benz, according to a ranking by the Temkin Group.
Toyota Kicks Off ‘Juntos Somos Imparables’ Series in Texas to Salute Latino Achievement at the NALEO 34th Annual Conference
Automaker to highlight new home in Plano at conference
Toyota, the best-selling automotive brand among Hispanics since 2004, will highlight its new home north of the Dallas metroplex and kick-off its inspirational ‘Juntos Somos Imparables’ (Together We Are Unstoppable) campaign at the 34th annual conference of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), taking place from June 22 to 24 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
Seven Exemplary Students Awarded Scholarship from Houston Housing Resource
Local high school graduates with outstanding academic performance and demonstrations of community service receive thousands in financial aid to fund expenses for college
Thousands of dollars were awarded to seven outstanding students through the Carmen V. Orta Memorial Scholarship Fund, which provides financial aid to students within the Houston Housing Authority (HHA) Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs.
METRO Reminds Riders, Pay Your Fare or Pay a Fine
Would you rather pay $1.25 fare or a $75 fine? That’s the message METRO is sending violators who try to cheat the system. In May alone METRO conducted more than half a million fare inspections on the rail and wrote more than 3,000 citations. The agency wants riders who don’t pay to know they will get caught.
Demetrius Shipp Jr: All Eyez On Him
For those of us growing up in the 90’s, rapper Tupac Shakur was more than just a hip-hop artist. He was a revolutionary, a brilliant, sometime controversial artist who spoke the truth in every song, interview and movie he was in. He was also cut down in his prime at the tender age of 25. As the son of a Black Panther, he was the perfect mix of intelligent lyricism to uplift a generation with West Coast gangsta rap. To put it simply, his life story has been long overdue.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee statement on the Anniversary of the Charleston Church Shooting
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations released the following statement to mark the second anniversary of the horrifying shooting that killed nine parishioners at the historic Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015:
NAACP Condemns Weakening of DOJ Civil Rights Enforcement Powers
The NAACP released the following statement after the Justice Department issued guidance to the Civil Rights division to settle cases without using consent decrees: no-fault agreements that have helped de-segregate schools, reform police departments, defend religious freedom and ensure access for the disabled.
Houston Native Serves Aboard Navy Warship Homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
A Houston, Texas native and 2008 Booker T. Washington High School graduate, Petty Officer 2nd Class Larnell Smith is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided missile destroyer, USS Halsey.
Snoop Dogg Gifts Jimmy Kimmel With Check for Children’s Hospital
Many people were touched by Jimmy Kimmel’s emotional story involving his newborn son’s serious health issues after being born with a congenital heart disease in April, and it looks like some celebrities reached out to do what they can to support the cause for others who cannot afford health care. Snoop Dogg visited the talk show host on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and gifted the personality with a check made out to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Sharing the Belief that Mentorship Breeds Great Leaders, The U.S. Army Continues to Partner with 100 Black Men of America
(Black PR Wire) New Orleans – Recognizing the vital importance of mentorship in the development of our nation’s next generation of leaders, the U.S. Army continues its partnership with 100 Black Men of America. The partnership includes the Army’s participation at the 31st annual 100 Black Men of America National Conference being held recently in New Orleans.
Wayback Burgers Celebrating First Day of Summer (June 21) with Free Shake Day
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Wayback Burgers, America’s favorite hometown burger joint and fastest growing burger franchise, will (milk)shake things up for the first day of summer by giving away one FREE Junior Black & White Milkshake per guest at all participating locations all day on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 while supplies last.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Condemns Terror Attack Targeting Muslims in London
Jackson Lee: “America must be unambiguous in its condemnation of all acts of terror targeting people because of their religious beliefs.”
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and a member of the Helsinki Commission promoting security and cooperation in Europe, issued the following statement surrounding today’s last night’s terrorist attack targeting Muslims in London:
