Sybil Wilkes 'What You Need To Know' July 18th, 2023

Source: REACH Media / Reach Media

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ON TUESDAY, JULY 18TH, 2023

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Sybil’s Birthday Shoutouts

Happy Nelson Mandela International Day!

People all over the world are encouraged to make a difference in our communities in honor of the life and legacy of the late President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela

Happy Birthday to:

Singer, Politician Madame Martha Reeves

Rapper, Producer, Media Exec Benzino, born Raymond Scott

Broadcaster Wendy Williams

Actor Jason Weaver

Actress Anne-Marie Johnson

Actress Starletta DuPois

Actor, Singer Alex Desert

Dancer, Actor Lamar Johnson

Rapper Lil Bibby, born Brandon Dickinson

And we remember:

Human Rights Activist, First Black President of South Africa, Mr. Nelson Mandela, born in 1918

Singer, Composer Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, born Jalacy Hawkins in 1929

TOP 5 NEWS STORIES

#WHATYOUNEEDTOKNOW

1. Trump Lawyers Trying to See What Sticks

What You Need to Know:

It’s a busy week on a couple of legal fronts for former President Donald Trump and his legal teams, in Florida and Georgia. This week, Judge Aileen Cannon will preside over a pre-trial hearing in the federal classified documents case against Donald Trump. The first pre-trial hearing is set for Tuesday and is designed to set the terms for the handling of classified information related to the case. Last week, Trump lawyers asked the Georgia Supreme Court to “quash” the final report of a special grand jury as well as disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from continuing her investigation into Trump’s alleged election interference. 

The Tuesday date in Florida arrives as his legal team is putting forth its last-ditch effort to delay the trial indefinitely. Their aim is to delay the trial until after the November 2024 presidential election. The Hill reports that the Trump team is “arguing his status as a candidate and other factors require punting the case, indefinitely.”

The New York Times reported that the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith pushed back on the request, stating “there is no basis in law or fact for granting a motion, that could push the start of the trial until after Election Day.”

In the meantime, Donald Trump and his lawyers are pushing forward to dismiss the case under the direction of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. There is a sense of urgency on the part of Donald Trump to disqualify D.A. Willis in the criminal probe of the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, “In a petition filed before the Georgia Supreme Court, Trump’s attorneys also sought to quash the final report of a special purpose grand jury that recommended people be indicted. Additionally, they (Trump lawyers) requested a ruling that would forbid Willis from using any evidence obtained by the investigative jury, which heard testimony from about 75 witnesses between May 2022 and Jan. 2023.”

Why You Need to Know:

The Trump legal team is carrying out the wishes of Donald Trump and his campaign team who say they need all of his time to carry out a campaign that results in the re-election of Donald Trump.  Will the judge appointed to the federal bench by Donald Trump, acquiesce and not follow the rules of a speedy trial? Will she break the law and delay the trial, perhaps giving the former president the opportunity to get his old job back and, as he has boasted, perhaps pardon himself?

 All eyes will be on you, Judge Cannon, in your Ft. Pierce, Florida courtroom. Who are you serving, the American people or the person who gave you your job?

As for District Attorney Willis, she’s got the brains, the skills, and the facts….she’s got this.

(SOURCE: AJC.COM)

2. The Search for Chicago's Next Top Cop

WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED BY KHAMERON RILEY

What You Need to Know:

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA), charged with picking Chicago’s next top cop, named three finalists Thursday, starting a 30-day countdown for Mayor Brandon Johnson to make one of the most consequential decisions of his young administration.

The current commission was created after a bruising political battle ended in July 2021, after the Chicago City Council approved its creation, fulfilling the final reform recommendation to emerge in the wake of the 2014 police murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

The CCPSA recommended two veterans of the beleaguered Chicago Police Department and one outsider to lead CPD, as Johnson takes a new approach to the surge of crime and violence that began during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and has yet to fully recede.

The finalists are 22-year veteran Angel Novalez, now the head of CPD’s office of constitutional policing and reform; 31-year veteran Larry Snelling, the chief of CPD’s counterterrorism bureau; and Shon Barnes, the police chief in Madison, Wisconsin.

Barnes, the only semifinalist from outside CPD, worked for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the agency charged with investigating Chicago police misconduct, for about a year before becoming Madison’s police chief in February 2021.

Johnson has promised to re-envision public safety in Chicago to address the root causes of crime and violence by increasing funding for youth employment programs and expanding mental health services across the city. Johnson has also promised to solve more crimes by adding 200 detectives to the Chicago Police Department. The new superintendent of CPD will work closely with the mayor in implementing this new era of public safety, police reform, and accountability.

Why You Need to Know:

Our guest on tonight’s show is Remel Terry, a member of the CCPSA who’s been a part of the search for Chicago’s next top cop. Join us as we unpack what this new era of policing is supposed to look like for Chicago, how these three candidates came to be, and how you can get involved in police accountability in your city.

(SOURCE: NEWS.WTTW.COM)

3. An Active Sex Life Can Improve Your Health and Well-Being

What You Need to Know:

This is just another reason to roll over when you get that shoulder tap.

Sex is good for a lot of things—strengthening your relationship, intimacy, fun, and orgasms reproduction.

But did you know it’s actually good for your health? Scientific studies prove that certain chemicals released during the act can fight illnesses and combat physical ailments.

A study from Germany’s Munster University found that migraine sufferers saw their symptoms ease up after sex, thanks to oxytocin, which is a brain chemical that works as a natural “feel good” hormone. So you may want to say “yes” when you have a headache, versus turning sex down.

Another study, coming from a Scottish research center, demonstrated that men and women who reported they enjoyed sex looked physically younger than their actual age. Scientists give credit to estrogen, which is also released during sex, for helping women look younger by plumping skin and smoothing lines.

Sex is also proven to help your immune system. A Pennsylvania Wilkes University study discovered people who have sex once or twice a week have higher levels of antibodies. So maybe you can switch that vitamin C for that vitamin D.

Sex has also been linked to lowering blood pressure (from the University of Paisley) and helping to reduce your chances of incontinence.

To sum it up, sex is good—very good—and multipurpose. (READ MORE)

(SOURCE: BLACKHEALTHMATTERS.COM) 

4. Black Man Harassed While Fishing….in His Neighborhood

WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED BY COY MALONE

What You Need to Know:

On July 11, Anthony Gibson, a Black resident of Columbus, Georgia, was questioned by a White neighbor while he was fishing in a “residents only” lake. Gibson recorded a video of this encounter, which has since gone viral on TikTok (see link below).

In the video, a White woman, later identified as Tanya, asked Gibson and his friend if they were neighborhood residents. Gibson’s friend said, “Are we bothering you in any way?” Tanya replied, “I just have to ask.” Later, Tanya told the two individuals that she’ll take a picture of their license plates and “forward it on.” Holding the camera, Gibson said, “OK, so this is what I go through. This is the third person. I’m in my own neighborhood and a White person came and bothered me while I am fishing… Another White person bothered me while I was fishing.” Gibson went on to say this was the third time this has happened with a White person in his neighborhood and that he would speak to their neighborhood association about this incident.

In response to the viral video, Tanya’s employer, Sea Glass Therapy, posted a statement on Facebook saying that she was fired “In order to uphold our values and standards…Sea Glass Therapy is a place of acceptance, healing, and inclusion of all people regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or background. We stand against discrimination of all forms.“ The company also stated, “We turned off our comments due to some unhelpful ones that were being made on our business page. You are welcome to reach out to us with any questions you may have.”

Why You Need To Know:

If y’all don’t leave WELL ENOUGH, ALONE! We are DONE with White women policing Black men who are doing nothing but minding their own business, just as they should have done! I’m starting to think that it should be mandatory for a Karen or Roger to be fired after they harass innocent Black people. Would this be enough to stop them from committing harassment in the first place?

(SOURCE: YAHOO.COM)

5. 3 Tips That Will Make Purchasing a Home More Doable

WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED BY CATRINA M. CRAFT, CPA

What You Need to Know:

Homeownership can be a great way to build wealth and maintain housing stability. Here are three tips that may help prospective homebuyers work toward that goal.

1. Prepare for monthly home payments in advance
One of the ways to be in the best financial position to purchase a home is to save. And that goes beyond just the down payment.

You should also work on improving your credit score, which will put you in the best possible position to get a good rate on your mortgage. That means reducing the utilization of your credit cards, watching your spending, and looking at your credit report to correct any inaccuracies, if necessary.

2. Anticipate unexpected homeownership costs
One of the benefits of buying versus renting a home is the ability to have fixed costs. But homeowners still need to anticipate surprises. With many cities increasing property taxes, prospective homeowners would be wise to anticipate those costs going up.

Additionally, they should anticipate paying for landscaping, furnishing, and unexpected emergencies such as a pipe bursting.

Make sure you have enough liquidity to handle those additional expenses as a homeowner.

3. Look for flexibility in your purchase
Though home prices and interest rates are high, there are still possible ways prospective homebuyers can cut costs. By getting a shorter-term mortgage — say, for 15 years instead of 30 years — borrowers may access lower interest rates.

Homebuyers may also want to consider buying points on their mortgage, which can let them lock in a lower interest rate. Prospective buyers who have lower incomes should explore their city or county websites for homeownership or down-payment assistance programs.

As homebuying incentives start to come back, such as with closing costs, be sure to ask if there are opportunities to reduce the overall price of the home at this time.

(SOURCE: CATRINA M. CRAFT,  CPA FOUNDER & CEO )