She is the fifth musician to ever reach billionaire status, according to the outlet.
By Kate Reilly , NBC News
Beyoncé has officially reached billionaire status, Forbes reports. She is the fifth musician to ever hit the milestone, joining her husband, Jay-Z, as well as Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna. Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammys history, has had major success in recent years. In 2023, her 39-city, 56-show Renaissance tour made more than $500 million and drew more than 2.7 million concertgoers.
Her “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” topped the box office during its opening weekend in December 2023, grossing $21 million. In 2024, she released the country album “Cowboy Carter,” which was named album of the year at the 2025 Grammys, where she took home three awards. The “Cowboy Carter Tour” grossed more than $400 million, making it the highest-grossing country tour in history, according to Pollstar. But her success extends much further back. In 1990, a 9-year-old Beyoncé formed the singing-rapping girl group “Girl’s Tyme,” which became known as “Destiny’s Child.” In 1999, the group won two Grammys for its album “The Writing’s on the Wall.” The group eventually split, and Beyoncé pursued an incredibly successful solo career. In 2003, she released her first solo album, “Dangerously in Love,” which dominated charts worldwide. Beyoncé founded Parkwood Entertainment in 2010, which gives her control over almost every aspect of her music career in-house, according to Forbes. Beyoncé’s company “produces all of her music, documentaries and concerts, fronting most of the production costs in order to capture more of the back-end economics,” it said.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland will create a commission to study potential reparations for slavery after lawmakers voted Tuesday to override a veto by Gov. Wes Moore — currently the nation’s only Black governor — that disappointed many fellow Democrats. Moore said in his veto letter in May that it was a difficult decision to veto the bill, which was a priority of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. But he wrote there has been enough study of the legacy of slavery, and it was now time to “focus on the work itself” to address it. But Democrats who control both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly decided the commission was needed to better examine how to do that. “This topic isn’t easy, but, again, without formal study, reparations risk being dismissed as symbolic or unconstitutional, regardless of moral merit,” said Sen. Charles Sydnor, a Democrat. After his veto was overridden, Moore said that while he disagrees with the legislature’s decision, “I am eager to move forward in partnership on the work of repair that we all agree is an urgent and pressing need.” “I believe the time for action is now — and we must continue moving forward with the work of repair immediately,” Moore said in a statement. “That mission is especially vital given the immediate and ongoing effects of this federal administration on our constituents, including communities that have been historically left behind.” Potential reparations outlined in the bill include official statements of apology, monetary compensation, property tax rebates, social service assistance, as well as licensing and permit fee waivers and reimbursement. Reparations also could include assistance with making a down payment on a home, business incentives, childcare, debt forgiveness and tuition payment waivers for higher education. Maryland’s Black population is about 30%, the highest percentage of any state outside of the Deep South. Support for reparations gained momentum in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. However, the issue has been a difficult one, particularly for high-profile Democrats, and comes amid a broader conservative backlash over how race, history and inequality are handled in public institutions. “At a time of growing attacks on diversity and equity, today’s action reaffirms our shared commitment to truth-telling, accountability, and meaningful progress for Black Marylanders,” the state’s Legislative Black Caucus said in a statement. In October, California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered a mixed bag for proponents of bills aimed at addressing racist and discriminatory policies against African Americans. He signed a law authorizing $6 million for California State University to study how to confirm an individual’s status as a descendant of an enslaved person. But he vetoed other bills the California Legislative Black Caucus championed as tools to atone for the state’s history. Newsom, who is considering running for president in 2028, signed a law last year to formally apologize for slavery and its lingering effects on Black Californians. Moore has said he is not planning to run for president in 2028, but he has continued to cultivate a national profile that has drawn pundits’ attention as a potential White House contender. New York City lawmakers approved legislation last year to study the city’s significant role in slavery and consider reparations to descendants of enslaved people. In 2021, Evanston, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, became the first U.S. city to create a reparations plan for its Black residents, using tax revenue from the sale of recreational marijuana. As recently as a few years ago, Americans viewed the prospect of reparations mostly negatively. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2021 found that only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults said descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some way, such as given land or money. About 7 in 10 said these descendants should not be repaid. Maryland lawmakers did not take up congressional redistricting in their one-day special session. Moore has expressed interest in pursuing a new map, which could come up when lawmakers convene in January for their annual 90-day session. However, the state Senate president has said he doesn’t support moving forward with a new map. Democrats hold a 7-1 advantage over Republicans in the state’s eight congressional district.
Harry Dunn, Capitol Police Officer and people attacking the U. S. Capitol on January 6, 2021
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
On the fifth anniversary of January 6, a date now fixed in the American conscience, Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn returned to the moment that altered his life and the nation’s course. Appearing on “Let It Be Known,” Dunn spoke about the unforgettable day that’s shaped by time, pain, and resolve, revisiting what he has called the worst day of his life.
Dunn joined the United States Capitol Police in 2008 and has served as a Private First Class since 2011. His career placed him on duty for presidential inaugurations, joint sessions of Congress, State of the Union addresses, and hundreds of peaceful protests. As a Crisis Intervention Officer on the USCP Crisis Negotiation Team, he was trained for hostage situations, barricades, and mental health emergencies. None of that training, he said, prepared him for January 6, 2021. “I lived the worst day of my life on national TV,” Dunn said. Five years later, Dunn said something he had not always been able to say. “I’ve healed from that trauma,” he said, referring to his personal wounds from that day. The healing, which he made clear, did not mean forgetting. Dunn said it is possible to recover personally while remaining troubled by what continues to unfold in the country. “As we look around at the things that are going on,” he said, “it’s hard to be okay with everything. If you’re okay right now, I feel like you’re kind of like a callous soul.” Dunn said he remains focused on what he can change and where his voice still matters. January 6, he noted, made him known to much of the world, but it did not define the limits of his responsibility. Accountability, or apparent lack of it, ran through the conversation. Dunn spoke as civil lawsuits continue against President Donald Trump and as Trump has pardoned those convicted for their roles in the attack. Dunn said he was not surprised, adding that Trump had promised those pardons openly. “I knew it was coming,” Dunn said. “So, I had time to prepare.” Preparation meant action. Dunn said he worked as a surrogate for former Vice President Kamala Harris during the Harris–Walz campaign, trying to stop Trump’s return to office. When that effort failed, he said the pain was not sudden. It was familiar. “The wounds were already there,” Dunn said. “I just had time to brace for it.”Dunn rejected calls to move on from January 6, saying the record remains unsettled. “History bends toward distortion when accountability is denied,” he said. “A hundred years from now, somebody is going to read about January 6 and read that he was elected again and ask, ‘How could that happen?’” He said Americans do not need explanation to understand what occurred inside and around the Capitol. “You don’t need a talking head,” Dunn said. “Just press play. Put it on mute. Watch.” Dunn recalled how rioters filmed themselves, how juries later watched those same videos in court, and how the attackers felt emboldened. He said they told officers repeatedly that the president had sent them. “They were telling us, ‘The president said we could,’” Dunn said. He addressed comparisons often drawn between January 6 and Black Lives Matter protests. Dunn said Black Lives Matter demonstrators came to the Capitol, protested, shouted, and left. “They didn’t storm the Capitol,” he said. “Every single person went home that night. I can’t say the same thing about January 6.”Dunn spoke of officers who died and of others who later took their own lives. He said attempts to equate the events ignore those losses. The conversation turned to the present, with Dunn saying January 6 laid groundwork for what he sees now, from threats against other nations to the erosion of democratic norms. He said Americans were warned in advance. “He told us what he was going to do,” Dunn said. “And when he did it, people acted surprised.” The cost, he said, remains deeply personal. Dunn described election night as feeling like a knife through his heart, saying it was difficult to accept that many voters returned to power a man he holds responsible for one of the darkest days in U.S. history. Dunn said he continues to receive hateful messages and death threats, including in recent weeks. He said he takes precautions, leans on his community, and keeps showing up. “That means I’m doing something right,” he said. Dunn also discussed his New York Times bestselling memoir, “Standing My Ground: A Capitol Police Officer’s Fight for Accountability and Good Trouble After January 6th,” which he said was part of his healing. “Where does it end?” Dunn said. “The story is still being written. You can add to it, but you can’t take away from it.”
He said he now speaks across the country about resilience, rejecting easy assurances. “I don’t know if it’s going to be okay,” Dunn said. “But I do know if we don’t fight, if we don’t show up, they’re going to steamroll us.” He paused, then offered what he could promise. “If we show up,” Dunn said, “we give ourselves a fighting chance.”
Maduro being escorted by Federal agents to court trial
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces set off an immediate reckoning in Washington, where protesters poured into the streets, security tightened around federal buildings, and lawmakers confronted the reality of an American operation that removed a foreign head of state and brought him to U.S. soil. That reckoning widened Monday as Maduro was transported under heavy guard to federal court in Manhattan, with demonstrations unfolding across major U.S. cities and overseas, from New York and Chicago to Bogotá and Caracas, exposing a global divide over the Trump administration’s military action. Outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, protesters chanted for Maduro’s release and questioned the legality of the operation. “What’s stopping Trump from doing this to other countries?” said Zoe Alexandra of the ANSWER Coalition, as demonstrators lined the sidewalk near the facility where Maduro is being held. In Detroit, hundreds gathered near federal buildings, braving winter conditions to oppose the intervention. Organizers said the rallies began within hours of the announcement of Maduro’s capture and continued through the weekend, drawing activists, labor organizers, and members of the Venezuelan diaspora. Similar scenes played out in Minneapolis, where marchers moved through city streets carrying signs calling for an end to U.S. military action. “They don’t want war,” said Andrew Josefchak, an organizer with the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition. In Chicago, protesters filled Federal Plaza before marching toward Trump Tower, while in San Francisco and Seattle, crowds gathered with banners reading “No War on Venezuela” and “Hands Off Latin America.” The reaction overseas was swift and sharply critical. China and Russia condemned the operation, while leaders across Latin America warned of regional instability. Colombian President Gustavo Petro issued one of the most forceful rebukes. “A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy,” Petro said. “To keep Epstein’s list from coming out, they send warships to kill fishermen and threaten our neighbor with invasion for their oil.” Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the action crossed an unacceptable line, while the United Nations secretary general expressed concern about violations of international law. The Trump administration has defended the operation as a law enforcement action tied to long-standing narcotics charges. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, face U.S. indictments alleging narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States is targeting drug trafficking organizations, not Venezuela itself, while President Donald Trump said the U.S. would temporarily oversee Venezuela during a transition. On Capitol Hill, criticism crossed party lines. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the operation was reckless without congressional authorization, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar warned of unintended consequences from regime-change actions. Supporters of the operation, including some Venezuelan Americans, gathered in New York’s Times Square and near the Simón Bolívar statue in Washington, waving flags and celebrating what they described as the end of years of repression. “We share this feeling of joy, of happiness, of hope,” said Leonardo Angulo, who has lived in the United States for eight years. As Maduro prepares to enter a Manhattan courtroom, the protests show no sign of slowing, with organizers planning additional demonstrations as the legal proceedings begin and the world watches what comes next.
Robert J. Lee Sr. (Rob), local attorney and life-time Eutaw resident, has officially qualified as a candidate for Greene County District Judge. With 28 years of legal experience he has built a reputation for fairness, integrity and respect for the rule of law. Rob has a wealth of experience in criminal, domestic, juvenile, and civil law providing a balanced and thoughtful approach to justice. “I am committed to applying the law fairly, treating every individual with dignity, and ensuring our courts remain impartial and accessible”, stated Rob.
Rob humbly asks for your support and vote in the Democratic Primary Election to be held May 19, 2026.
The Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement, Inc., (ACRMM) is sponsoring a series of programs commemorating the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to Greene County, the State of Alabama, and this nation. Mr. Spiver W. Gordon, ACRMM President, organizes these events each year in celebration and as a reminder of the struggles and sacrifices of so many leaders who brought about civil, social, and economic changes in our lives. The work of Dr. King and SCLC, the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA) and others provided the courageous leadership that changed laws and practices on voting rights, holding public office, desegregating public education, public accommodations, and employment opportunities for Black people in particular. As Mr. Gordon noted: “These rights are still not secured, especially the right to vote. There are strong movements to diminish those and other civil rights going on right now.” The annual events of ACRMM, open to the public, are scheduled as follows: On Thursday January 15, 2026, at 10:00 am, the Dr. MKL, Jr. Educational Seminar Student Development Session will be held at New Peace Baptist Church on Prairie Ave., Eutaw, AL. Keynote Speaker, Hon. Shelton Berry, Civil Right Leader, Port Allen, LA, Special guests. Attorney John Stamps,III., Curtis Travis, Hon. Leo Branch, Hon. Garria Spencer, Hon Darryl Airkerson, Interim Superintendent of Education, Greene County High School students are the primary invitees. Monday January 19, 2026 8: 00 A.M. Unity Freedom Breakfast Program at the Eutaw Activity Center, Harris Avenue, Keynote Speaker Rev. Joe Webb, Pastor of New Generation Church, Eutaw, Alabama. The Freedom Breakfast is followed by the Countywide Freedom March to the William M. Branch Courthouse. Religious Women Freedom Rally, 10:30 a.m. Keynote Speaker, Dr. Kelvin Cockrell, Special honored guest, Civil Right Leader Attorney John Due, Atlanta , GA; Pastor Carolyn Branch and others. Come join us for music, food, and celebration, “We can never let ourselves forget from whence we have come. We must keep the vigil to protect our rights and continue to serve and build our communities,” Gordon said.
After a second interview with the top two candidates for the position of Superintendent of Schools, the Greene County Board of Education selected Dr. Timothy Thurman for the position. After a lengthy discussion, the Board made the selection of Thurman a unanimous decision of the five board members to show unity and support for the selection of Dr. Thurman to be the next leader of the educational system in Greene County. In a separate motion, the Board designated a committee of the Board Chair (Leo Branch), Vice Chair (Robert Davis) and Legal Counsel (Attorney Hank Sanders) to negotiate a contract with Dr. Thurman, setting his compensation, benefits and other requirements, which will be reviewed and approved by the Board at its next meeting. Dr. Timothy Thurman comes to Greene County after serving as the Superintendent of the City of Linden School System in Marengo, County. Thurman’s experience also included serving as Assistant Superintendent Linden City Schools; Principal Linden High School; Teacher and Coach Perry County Schools; Director Perry County Alternative School. Education: Doctorate Educational Leadership; Master’s Education Administration; Bachelor’s Elementary Education. He also serves as the pastor of two Baptist churches in Marengo County.
The Linden City School system is the smallest in the state with 400 to 500 students and is about half the size of Greene County’s school population. They have three schools – primary, middle and high school – like Greene County.
In the interview, when asked about whether Greene County was robbing Linden by offering him the Superintendent’s position, Thurman responded by saying that he was leaving the system in “good shape” and that all his goals for the system had been met over the decade that he had been Superintendent. “I have done what I wanted to do in Linden,” he said.
At the start of the interview, Dr. Thurman distributed a written plan to the Board on how he would tackle his first 90 days as Superintendent. The plan includes meeting with the Board to clarify goals and then meeting with staff to listen to their concerns, build relationships and develop a very specific implementation plan to reach the system goals. He said based on his experience; he could move “relatively fast to improve the conditions in under-performing schools.”
When asked what it would take to improve parent and teacher morale in the schools, he said regular communications with Board, schools and the community, as well as a winning football team. He said, “ In Linden, we were a 1A school, but no-one wanted to challenge us in football, which really helped people in the community and the schools to appreciate what Linden was doing within its school system.
Dr. Thurman said he was ready to go to work, as soon as the Board agreed on a contract and wanted him to start.
Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest full-time National Park Service ranger, at a news conference announcing her retirement at the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in April 2
By Victoria Meza, NBC Bay Area
Betty Reid Soskin, an iconic former National Park Service ranger, died Sunday, according to her family. She was 104. Soskin’s family said she died peacefully at her home in Richmond on Sunday morning. “This morning on the Winter Solstice, our mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Betty Reid Soskin, passed away peacefully at her home in Richmond, CA at 104 years old. She was attended by family. She led a fully packed life and was ready to leave,” the family wrote. Soskin was the nation’s oldest park ranger. She became a permanent NPS employee in 2011. She worked on a park service grant to tell yet untold stories of Black Americans who worked in the U.S. during the war, leading to a temporary job with the park service when she was 84 years old. She retired in 2022 and was a long-time docent at the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park Museum.
Average household electricity bills in 2025 are running 9.6 percent higher than in 2024, rising faster than wages and overall inflation.
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Americans across nearly every region of the country are paying more to keep the lights on and the heat running, according to a new nationwide analysis that shows electric and natural gas rate increases spreading deeper into households from coast to coast. “There are several reasons why utilities are raising rates so rapidly, including the need to modernize the aging electric grid, which has been burdened by extreme weather events made more frequent and costly due to climate change and growing energy demand due to artificial intelligence data centers,” Center for American Progress (CAP) researchers declared. “At the same time, higher natural gas costs and a policy assault on new clean energy generation from the Trump administration are driving energy costs even higher.”
An updated utility rate tracker released by the CAP in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council shows that roughly two out of every three electric customers and more than six in ten natural gas customers are now facing higher bills. The increases affect more than 108 million electricity customers and nearly 49 million natural gas customers across 49 states and Washington, D.C., with total added costs approaching $85.8 billion by 2028.
Federal data shows that the financial pressure is already being felt. Average household electricity bills in 2025 are running 9.6 percent higher than in 2024, rising faster than wages and overall inflation. The analysis identifies at least 222 electric and natural gas utilities that have already implemented rate hikes, received approval for increases, or are seeking new increases through 2027. The impact varies sharply by state. In Missouri, some households are seeing monthly electricity increases exceeding $45, while parts of Massachusetts and Arkansas face projected increases of more than $30 a month. In Texas, customers served by multiple utilities are absorbing monthly increases ranging from single digits to more than $20, depending on provider and region. Florida electric customers in some service areas are seeing increases above $30 per month, while households in Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio are facing steady upward adjustments tied to both electric and natural gas service. The report points to several drivers behind the rising costs. Utilities across the country are investing billions to upgrade aging infrastructure, much of it stressed by extreme weather and rising demand. At the same time, growing electricity consumption from artificial intelligence data centers is placing additional strain on regional grids. The analysis also links higher costs to federal policy decisions that have slowed the expansion of new clean energy generation, limiting supply options and increasing long-term system expenses. Natural gas customers are experiencing parallel pressures. Higher fuel costs and infrastructure spending are pushing bills upward in states such as Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, and Maryland, where monthly gas increases now exceed $10 in some service territories. The report warns that winter heating demands combined with higher rates increase the risk of missed payments and service shutoffs, particularly for low-income households. The tracker is based on filings with state public utility commissions, utility company disclosures, and federal energy data. Researchers note that the list is not exhaustive and will continue to grow as additional rate cases move through regulatory approval. The latest analysis shows that rate increases already approved or proposed will raise electricity customer bills by $67.7 billion and natural gas customer bills by $18.1 billion nationwide by the end of the decade, affecting households in nearly every state.
In a surprising turn, the Supreme Court has blocked President Donald Trump from deploying the National Guard to Chicago. According to The New York Times, the unsigned ruling cited an 1878 law that bans the use of the military for domestic policing as the reason they refused to grant Trump broad authority to deploy the military on American soil. The court found that the Trump administration didn’t successfully argue that the statute “permits the president to federalize the Guard in the exercise of inherent authority to protect federal personnel and property in Illinois.” The Supreme Court has sided chiefly with Trump in his unprecedented efforts to expand the scope of presidential power. The preliminary injunction was issued in a 6-3 ruling, with justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., and Neil M. Gorsuch dissenting. In a lengthy dissent, Justice Alito wrote that “the protection of federal officers from potentially lethal attacks should not be thwarted.” Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, cosigned with Alito’s dissent, saying in a statement, “He activated the National Guard to protect federal law enforcement officers and to ensure rioters did not destroy federal buildings and property. Nothing in today’s ruling detracts from that core agenda.” You know, I’m pretty sure federal law enforcement has been regularly doing its job without the assistance of the National Guard for at least the 33 years I’ve been alive. Maybe if the federal government properly vetted and trained Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, there wouldn’t be so much concern about their ability to protect themselves. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker released a statement celebrating the ruling. “This is an important step in curbing the Trump administration’s consistent abuse of power and slowing Trump’s march toward authoritarianism,” Pritzker’s statement read. “The brave men and women of our National Guard should never be used for political theater and deserve to be with their families and communities, especially during the holidays.” Trump’s efforts to deploy the National Guard across American cities with Democrat leadership have continually faced legal pushback throughout the year. A federal judge blocked Trump from deploying the National Guard in Memphis and Portland, with federal judges also ruling that Trump must withdraw the National Guard from California and Washington, D.C. The deployments have sapped morale among Guardsmen, with some forming a group chat where they’ve openly questioned the point of the deployments in the first place. Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, the consistent legal pushback, and the consistent drop in morale within the National Guard, The Guardian reports that Trump approved the deployment of 350 National Guardsmen to New Orleans ahead of the new year. Federal law enforcement already has a presence in New Orleans, with Border Patrol launching an immigration crackdown earlier this month. It remains to be seen if this deployment will face any legal pushback. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is a staunch Republican and a Trump loyalist who has been supportive of efforts to deploy the National Guard in New Orleans. “It’s going to help us further crack down on the violence here in the city of New Orleans and elsewhere around Louisiana,” Landry said in an appearance on The Will Cain Show on Fox News. “And so a big shoutout to both of them.” New Orleans Mayor-elect Democrat Helena Moreno issued a statement in support of the National Guard deployment. “Like in past years, including last year, we appreciate the support provided by our federal and state public safety partners to increase the visibility of security assets during major events such as Carnival, New Year’s, and the Sugar Bowl,” Moreno said in a statement provided to USA Today. “I have been assured that the added support of the Louisiana National Guard to help secure these large events comes at no cost to the city and plays an important role in strengthening public safety.” So while the New Orleans deployment looks like it will proceed without any legal pushback, the Supreme Court’s ruling may make it harder for Trump to continue deploying the National Guard in the new year.
