Source: Mike Alarid / EyeEm / Getty This new legislation being proposed by Hawaii is so smart, you’ll wonder why nobody has ever thought of it before. All across the many islands that make up Hawaii, there are approximately 150,000 smokers. According to the state legislature, that number is about 150,000 too many-so they’re working on an idea to change that. In an effort to bring that number down rapidly, one legislator has proposed a new law that would outlaw the sale of cigarettes to anyone under the age of 100. Yep, you read that right. 100-years-old. “Basically, we essentially have a group who are heavily addicted — in my view, enslaved by a ridiculously bad industry — which has enslaved them by designing a cigarette that is highly addictive, knowing that it’s highly lethal. And, it is,” Representative Rich Cregan, the one who proposed the bill, told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald . The bill reads, in part, “In Hawaii, cigarettes have caused more preventable disease, death, and disability than any other health issue, each year claiming the lives of more than one thousand four hundred adults and contributing to more than twenty thousand premature deaths of minors.” Beside his role in politics, Cregan is also a physician and he asserts that the already increased purchasing age has curbed tobacco usage, but just hasn’t curbed it enough. Research does show that most tobacco addictions start young: According to the American Cancer Society , almost 90 percent of cigarette smokers start before they even reach 18-years-old. This proposed legislation should really come as no surprise from a state like Hawaii , who already has some of the strictest cigarette laws on the books; They’re one of six states which have raised the minimum purchase age for tobacco–including e-cigarettes–to 21-years-old. If this new bill passes, the ban will go into effect gradually: the minimum age will increase to 30-years-old in 2020, 40-years-old in 2021, 50-years-old in 2022, 60-years-old in 2023, and finally, by 2024, the legal age for purchase will jump to 100-years-old. Included in this, however, is that tourists will still be able to bring cigarettes with them to the island. Beyond that, this ban will not include e-cigarettes, cigars, or chewing tobacco in order to make the bill legally sound. Though setting the age to 100 seems like a not-so-sly scheme to just eradicate cigarettes altogether, Hawaii is actually home to the highest concentration of centenarians (a person who is one hundred or more years old) in the United States. Are you on board for taking the legal age for cigarettes from 21 (or 18 in many places) to 100?!
Source: Splash News / Splash News On this fine Black History Month, Liam Neeson shocked the Internet when he revealed that he once went looking for a “Black bastard” to kill after a close friend of his was raped. Neeson made the confession in an interview with Independent when he was promoting his new flick Cold Pursuit. While explaining his character’s need for revenge, Liam described an instance when his friend was raped and she told Liam that a Black man did it. In fits of anger, Neeson said he would roam the streets with a cosh (a bar used as a weapon) looking for the nearest Black man to provoke him: “I went up and down areas with a cosh, hoping I’d be approached by somebody – I’m ashamed to say that – and I did it for maybe a week, hoping some [Neeson gestures air quotes with his fingers] ‘black bastard’ would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could…kill him.” Many online souls were flabbergasted by Liam’s words. Liam Neeson didn't say he wanted to kill his friend's rapist….which you could chalk up to revenge…..bruh straight up said he wanted to kill any black man…..if you're defending him….you're just as trash as he is…. — Bae Mama (@mc_magic1887) February 4, 2019 Liam Neeson being ready to take any Black life over what one person allegedly did just shows how meaningless and inconsequential black lives are to some. Even him telling the story demonstrates a level of privilege and understating that there may not be repercussions. — Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) February 4, 2019 Yup so Liam Neeson is definitely cancelled. — King K. (@Unkle_K) February 4, 2019 Liam then went on Good Morning America on Tuesday to clarify his story… But he just made things worse. In his interview with Robin Roberts, Liam said “There were some nights I went out deliberately into Black areas in the city, looking to be set upon so that I could unleash physical violence.” He continued: “And I did it maybe four or five times, until I caught myself on and it really shocked me, this primal urge I had. It shocked me, and it hurt me. I did seek help. I went to a priest who heard my confession…[I had] two very, very good friends that I talked too, and believe it or not, power walking two hours everyday to get rid of this. I’m not racist, this was nearly 40 years ago.” Like whaaaa??? First off Liam, you said you deliberately went into Black neighborhoods to take out your anger on any random Black person. This is, in fact, racist. Like…you didn’t go to the nearest Whole Foods in your neighborhood to find a Black person. You specifically went into Black neighborhoods to enact terror. And even if your need for revenge has subsided over the years, you’ve yet to acknowledge that your targeting of Black communities was racist, which proves you still have some racism up in your bones. Finally… And listen closely… If you’re a White person, you should more readily assume you are racist, rather than believing you’re not. It’s times like these that self-identified “non-racist” White people love to distance themselves from other White people who are blatantly racist, because if there’s one thing that “non-racist” White people H A T E, it’s to be called racist. “I’m not like that horrible Liam Neeson who said he wanted to beat a random Black person,” said your random White neighbor. “I would NEVER say the N-word,” said your White lover. “Liam Neeson is canceled,” said the White head of your marketing team. I get you “non-racist” White person. But what about your racist cousin demanding more police presence in their newly gentrified neighborhood ? What about your racist uncle who bought private prison stock when Trump got elected ? It can be outright dangerous to use Liam’s actions as the sole measuring stick for racism. Wanting to kill a random Black person is the tip of the iceberg and the most primal manifestation of racist attitudes. But the system of racism is inherently violent and White people either participate in it or benefit from it. Racism, and especially anti-Black racism, is a system of power that subjugates Black people in all corners of society, from institutions to your own personal circles. While Liam’s attitude might be an inter-personal manifestation of racism, the wealth gap between races is just one example of institutional racism that White people can benefit from. A 2019 study by the Institute for Policy reported that the median Black family today owns $3,600, which is just 2% of the wealth median White families own at $146,984. On top of this, median White wealth is continuing to increase, while median Black wealth is on track to reach zero by 2082, according to the report. This major gap is due to years of wealth-stripping practices aimed at Black people in the housing market , prison-police systems and more. Now you’d think with such reports, there’d be complete social media outrage from “non-racist” White people demanding more research on the racial wealth divide, discriminatory practices and the need for reparations . The same criminalization of Black people enacted by Neeson is the same criminalization used to keep Black people out of wealth stability and instead, in prisons and resource-stripped environments. Is this not the groundwork for targeted violence? Are the “non-racist” Whites starting a social media campaign around this? If they’re aware of these issues and do nothing, aren’t they complicit in racism? Any White person claiming they’re not racist is not beneficial to anti-racist work. In contrast, it might be better for a White person to say “how do I benefit from racism” or “how can I be less racist today?” Part of this can be just doing your research on how systematic racism can be violent along with searching for the nearest Black person to pummel with a “cosh.” I understand violence is on a spectrum and might require different reactions, but “I’m not racist” attitudes aren’t helping the conversation. Racism is normal. The goal is to make it not normal on all levels.
A s the deep freeze sweeps several parts of the country, concerns surrounding the homeless population have been heightened. Temperatures have reached dangerously cold levels and many are worried about how those living on the streets will stay warm. A Chicago woman has taken matters into her own hands. According to CBS Chicago , Candice Payne rented hotel rooms this week so that the city’s homeless residents could have shelter in the cold weather. Candice Payne's selfless act spurred a group to rent 60 hotel rooms to keep homeless people off the streets of Chicago during the historic cold. “Maybe they didn’t know how to or where to start to help, so I’m glad that I was able to be that vehicle.” https://t.co/m7s5WVjgaC pic.twitter.com/Nip4kI8bKh — CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) February 1, 2019 Payne was motivated to step in and help men and women in need after she learned that a propane tank where many homeless people stayed in a cluster of tents had exploded, the news outlet writes. That tank was one of the only sources of heat for the community. Payne decided to step in and rented 20 rooms on her credit card so that individuals without homes would have a place to stay during the frigid temperatures. After posts about her efforts to help the homeless circulated on social media, other individuals volunteered to help. People rented out additional hotel rooms, and donated food, water, and clothes. With the support of volunteers, there has been a total of 60 rooms rented. Nearly 100 people have been accommodated for three-night stays. Payne is happy that she was able to make an impact. “Maybe they didn’t know how to or where to start to help, so I’m glad that I was able to be that vehicle,” she told the news outlet. The individuals that she has helped are thankful for all that Payne has done. “We don’t get that type of help,” one of the people staying at the hotel said. “I really needed them at that point, so they came right in time.” She and the volunteers are working towards creating more of a lasting solution for the city’s homeless population. Efforts like the one she has led are needed. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development , in 2017 there were 554,000 homeless people in the United States and 193,000 of those individuals were living on the streets and didn’t have access to shelters. SEE ALSO: Marshawn Lynch Launches Initiative To Provide The Homeless With Smartphones Solutions? 17 Percent Of Black Baby Boomers Are Homeless At Some Point, Study Says [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3844698″ overlay=”true”]
Malaysia Goodson , a 22-year-old Black woman, died after falling down the subway steps at the Midtown’s 7th Avenue station while trying to carry her 1-year-old daughter Rhylee in a stroller. She had apparently been also carrying groceries. Goodson was found “unconscious and unresponsive” at the bottom of the steps. The baby survived with minor injuries. “It may have been a medical episode,” an NYPD spokesperson told PEOPLE . “There’s no indication that the fall may have caused her death. But we can’t know for sure until the [medical examiner] lets us know.” “I don’t know, maybe she was starting to feel faint,” Goodson’s mother, Tamika Goodson, told the Post . Goodson reportedly suffered from problems with her thyroid and complained of headaches prior to her untimely death. “I’m just still trying to take it all in,’’ the mom said. “I’m trying to see if I’m dreaming. I’m in disbelief.” Goodson’s death raised concerns around the lack of elevators in stations like the one Goodson died in. The MTA has approved 50 new elevators in stations across the city.
Dopest Restaurants In Atlanta In honor of this year’s star-studded Big Game in Atlanta Adlanna, we compiled an ESSENTIAL list of the city’s most delicious, non-touristy and life-changing food spots to guide you through a week filled with next-level flexin, never-ending traffic, twerking in Waffle House parking lots, extravagant lacefronts and good ‘ole southern hospitality. Hit the flip for our must-see Atlanta restaurant Bible to guide you during Super Bowl week.
Source: Sacramento Bee / Getty Stephon Clark’s Family Files Federal Lawsuit Stephon Clark was gunned down in his grandmother’s backyard by two Sacramento police officers who failed to identify themselves and failed to seek medical attention for him according to a new federal lawsuit filed by Stephon’s family. According to CNN , the Clarks, like so many Black families across America, are looking for some level of accountability from police officers who wanton kill, dare we say murder, unarmed Black people. The lawsuit not only alleges that the unidentified officers used excessive force when they fired 20 shots without a single warning, but also that Stephon was racially profiled. Of the twenty shots fired, seven of them hit Stephon, three of those in his back according to the Clark family’s forensic pathologist. “When the facts are fully disclosed, we are confident that a jury will deliver justice that reflects how grossly the police land city officials failed Stephon, his family and the people of Sacramento,” Brian Panish an attorney for Clark’s children said in a statement. What does the city have to say about this? “Out of deference to the judicial process and because this is a matter of active litigation, we must respectfully decline to comment,” City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood said in a statement. Of course. SMH. We hope the Clark family can get some form of justice out of this murderous abuse of power.
Two Baltimore natives are getting the opportunity of a lifetime after appearing on the Ellen Degeneres. The drumming duo A1 Chops a Timothy Fletcher and Malik Perry, will appear in an original digital series called “The Build Up.” The series will launch on DeGeneres’ ellentube website and YouTube channel. The web series showcases how the duo is using their art and connections build the city of Baltimore back up. In the series A1 chops renovates a new music room for their former high school, assist in creating a new mural for their community center and show off a new routine on the M & T Bank Stadium field at a Baltimore Ravens game. “The Build Up” premieres this Wednesday on EllenTube.
Source: Nick Barrotta / Image via Nick Barrotta For your viewing pleasure… Nick Barrotta Talks Divorce Court, Upcoming Ventures Nick Barotta a.k.a Nicky B is more than just a pretty face. If you watch “Divorce Court ” then you should be familiar with the handsome bailiff that keeps plaintiffs and defendants in line alongside Judge Lynn Toler. Nick recently chatted with Bossip about his background, his acting, and his career goals. Tell us about your background. “I was a broadcast journalism major at Hofstra University. Being that Hofstra is near the city I took advantage of a lot of events and red carpets and I really fell in love with that side of the industry. From Hofstra I was able to get some great internships and early on I would sneak into parties and shake hands and build as many relationships as I can. I networked as much as possible and made a name for myself in New York.” How did you get started on Divorce Court? “The opportunity came across my desk, at first I wasn’t necessarily open to it because I thought I’d have to relocate to Atlanta. I wasn’t sure what the position was all about. Once I learned more about it and they brought up being able to work alongside Judge Lynn, I had to take the shot and fly down for the casting process. Someone I know who’s based in L.A. had a great relationship with some producers and one thing lead to another, and I made my way down there.” Source: Nick Barrotta / Image via Nick Barrotta What’s the craziest case you’ve ever heard on Divorce Court? “There’s been a whole lot of crazy things! Everything from a guy coming in who had 19 children with 11 different women who couldn’t remember the name of all of his kids, or a couple coming in having met through these crazy situations whether it be a threesome or some crazy situation that sparked this love interest. Everybody comes in with a different angle which makes this show so exciting to this day. It’s entertainment on one end but all these questions on the back end. I’m cracking up half the time because I can’t believe what’s going on.” What’s it like working with Judge Lynn? She’s pretty tough. “I was a little nervous when I had my first one-on-one with her. She’s got that intimidating personality but to be honest she’s one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met. She is just lovely, even with the cast, the crew and how she carries herself every day. She’s just a true professional, on camera she doesn’t hold back. As much as she cares about every person that comes on the show, she still means business. She’s the best at what she does and she gives you the hard truth. I’ve seen her talk to these people off camera and get to know them a little more and follow up to see how they’re doing.” Source: Nick Barrotta / Image via Nick Barrotta How would you describe your brand? “I would consider myself an entertainment personality. Someone who is still learning about himself but motivated driven and passionate about the industry and the whole entire experience in itself. As much as I’ve done some hosting and modeling stuff, I wear a few different hats and I think that’s a good or bad thing depending on who you ask. I like to stay busy and keep things interesting. What’s next for you? “I’m in the middle of meeting with a bunch of agencies that I’m really excited about. I’m doing a lot of fun things, I work with a marketing agency so I’m constantly going to a lot of events, I’m heading down to Super Bowl and working some of the bigger parties down in Atlanta. For me its always been about building relationships and I’m excited about building up this momentum. “Divorce Court” has been a great platform for me to not only learn about the industry but learn about myself. I’m excited to hopefully get back there for next season to contine to work with Judge Lynn. It’s nice to be at Tyler Perry Studios, I actually just met him. It’s just been fun to be at Tyler Perry Studios and working on a show that’s been around for so long. Judge Lynn’s been around for 12 seasons, the show’s going on 21 seasons. I’m just excited to continue to be a part of it!” Instagram, Twitter, Facebook: @NickyBTV
Source: Matthew Borkoski Photography / Getty There will be street closing throughout the city for the entire week of the Super Bowl. Some will even start as early as Monday January 21st and end February 8th. Check out all the city street closings below… 1. Super Bowl Campus Starting Monday, January 21 through Friday, February 8 Baker St. NW will be closed between Centennial Olympic Park Dr. NW and Luckie St. NW. Starting Monday, January 21 through Thursday, February 7 Mitchell St. SW will be closed between MLK Jr. Dr. SW (South) to Elliot St SW. Mangum St. will be closed between Markham St to Foundry St. MLK Jr. Dr. SW (South) will be closed between Northside Dr. NW to Centennial Olympic Park Dr NW Starting Wednesday, January 23 through Thursday, February 7 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW will be closed between Marietta St. NW and Centennial Olympic Park Dr. NW. 2. NFL Honors Starting at 1 AM on Friday, February 1 through 5 PM on Sunday, February 3 Peachtree St. between Ponce De Leon Avenue and 3rd Street There will be a full closure of Ponce De Leon Avenue and 3rd Street between West Peachtree and Peachtree 3. Super Bowl LIII: Gameday Closures Starting the Evening of Saturday, February 2 through morning of Monday, February 4 Northside Dr. NW will be closed between Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd NW and MLK Jr. Dr. SW (South) CLICK HERE FOR MAPS
T he late legendary boxer and social activist Muhammad Ali will receive a major honor from his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. According to the Courier Journal , the city will rename Louisville International Airport after Ali. Muhammad Ali's Kentucky hometown will honor the boxing champion by renaming its airport for him. He would have turned 77 Thursday. https://t.co/9PUbEklUHL — ABC 7 News – WJLA (@ABC7News) January 17, 2019 The push to have the airport renamed after the boxer began in 2017, the news outlet writes. The plan was recently approved by the Louisville Regional Airport Authority board. Once airport officials finalize the plan with Muhammad Ali Enterprises LLC within the next few weeks, the project will officially be brought to fruition. The renaming is a part of a $100 million plan to improve the airport. Within the span of three to five years, the airport will get a new terminal, walkways, elevators and jet ways. Officials are aiming to have the airport renamed by June, which will mark three years since he passed away. “We felt a clear takeaway was that the profile of our city could be greatly enhanced by associating Ali’s name with our airport,” said Louisville Regional Airport Authority board member Dale Boden . He also shared that the city is making a major effort to illustrate how Ali was embedded in the fabric of Louisville through different tributes. Ali’s loved ones are excited about the airport renaming. “I am happy that visitors from far and wide who travel to Louisville will have another touch point to Muhammad and be reminded of his open and inclusive nature, which is reflective of our city,” his widow Lonnie Ali told the news outlet. “Muhammad was a global citizen, but he never forgot the city that gave him his start. It is a fitting testament to his legacy.” News about the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport comes just weeks after it was revealed that at-large Councilwoman Sharon Hurt is fighting to have Nashville International Airport named after media mogul Oprah Winfrey . SEE ALSO: Councilwoman Pushes To Have Airport Named After Oprah Winfrey Legendary Guitarist Jimi Hendrix To Have Post Office Renamed In His Honor [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3843759″ overlay=”true”]
