Category Archives: Ernie Allen Blog

Tennessee governor signs religious counseling bill into law

Tennessee governor signs religious counseling bill into law

4-28-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-TOP STORY- NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s Republican governor said Wednesday that he signed a bill into law that allows mental health counselors to refuse to treat patients based on the therapist’s religious or personal beliefs. “As a professional I should have the right to decide if my clients end goals don’t match with my…MORE

107-Yr-Old Woman Who Danced with the Obamas Finally Gets Photo ID

107-Yr-Old Woman Who Danced with the Obamas Finally Gets Photo ID

4-27-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-TOP STORY- Dancing with the Obamas is one thing, but getting a non-drivers’ photo ID from the Washington, D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles is a whole different thing. That difference was apparent for Virginia McLaurin, the 107-year-old woman who became an Internet sensation after the White House posted a video of her dancing with…MORE

Cleveland Settles Lawsuit Over Tamir Rice Shooting For $6M

Cleveland Settles Lawsuit Over Tamir Rice Shooting For $6M

4-26-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-TOP STORY- CLEVELAND (AP) — The city has reached a $6 million settlement in a lawsuit over the death of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old black boy shot by a white police officer while playing with a pellet gun outside a recreation center. An order filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland on Monday says…MORE

Billy Paul Dead At 81

Billy Paul Dead At 81

4-25-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-TOP STORY- Billy Paul, the Philadelphia based singer has died at the age of 81, his website and manager confirmed. Paul, born Paul Williams, is best known for the Philadelphia International hit “Me and Mrs. Jones,” written by the legendary Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Paul had been diagnosed with cancer and was hospitalized…MORE

Prince’s Sister Thanks Fans; Obama Reacts; Music Sales Soar; and More

Prince’s Sister Thanks Fans; Obama Reacts; Music Sales Soar; and More

4-22-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-TOP STORY- CHANHASSEN, Minn. (AP) — Prince could play guitar like Carlos Santana or Jimi Hendrix, sing like James Brown, turn out pop melodies worthy of Motown or lay down the deepest grooves this side of Sly and the Family Stone. But no one could mistake his sound for anyone but Prince. The dazzlingly…MORE

Treasury Official: Secretary Lew Has Decided To Put Harriet Tubman On $20 Bill

Treasury Official: Secretary Lew Has Decided To Put Harriet Tubman On $20 Bill

4-21-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-TOP STORY- WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. paper money is getting a historic makeover. Harriet Tubman, an African-American abolitionist born into slavery, will be the new face on the $20 bill. The leader of the Underground Railroad is replacing the portrait of Andrew Jackson, the nation’s seventh president and a slave owner, who is being…MORE

Black Women Booted From Napa Valley Wine Train Settle Suit

Black Women Booted From Napa Valley Wine Train Settle Suit

4-20-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-TOP STORY- SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A group of mostly black women who filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the Napa Valley Wine Train have settled the case for an undisclosed amount. The group’s attorney, Waukeen McCoy, told the San Jose Mercury News on Monday the two parties reached a settlement last week. He…MORE

Man’s Arrest Could Crack Case Of Stepson’s Disappearance

Man’s Arrest Could Crack Case Of Stepson’s Disappearance

4-19-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-OP STORY- SAN DIEGO (AP) — The stepfather of a 2-year-old boy who disappeared in San Diego 14 years ago has been arrested in North Carolina and faces a murder charge, officials say. Tieray D. Jones was arrested Monday by U.S. Marshals and Raleigh Police Department officers in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, a small…MORE

Tennessee School Cop Claims He Was Fired For Having A Black Wife

Tennessee School Cop Claims He Was Fired For Having A Black Wife

4-18-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-TOP STORY- A former school officer in Knox County, Tennessee has filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the district and the city, charging that he was wrongfully terminated because his supervisor took offense to his marriage to a Black woman, writes USA Today. The lawsuit claims that John Smelser, who is White, was fired in…MORE

Texas Campus Slaying Suspect Said Family Made Him Leave

Texas Campus Slaying Suspect Said Family Made Him Leave

4-15-2016-ERNIE ALLEN’S-TOP STORY- AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A 17-year-old runaway who’s been arrested in the campus killing of a University of Texas student claimed he left home in August because his grandmother’s religious beliefs demanded that teenagers his age go “make their own way in the world,” according to court records obtained by The Associated…MORE

Blogs

ANOTHER RECORD FOR SZA AND KENDRICK

ANOTHER RECORD FOR SZA AND KENDRICK

Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Grand National Tour brought in some serious cash. Billboard reports that Grand National is the highest-grossing co-headlining tour ever. The outing has grossed $254.6 million with 1.1 million tickets sold from 23 shows. By comparison, JAY-Z and Beyoncé‘s On the Run II Tour is the only other joint tour to hit…

LEBRON JAMES IS NOT RETIRING

LEBRON JAMES IS NOT RETIRING

LeBron James, 40, isn’t ready to retire yet. King James is staying with the Los Angeles Lakers for another season and he’s set to head into his 23rd NBA season. He’s been playing for the Lakers since 2018 and he won an NBA Championship with the team in 2020. Now, he’s hoping for another one…

SUPER BOWL HALFTIME PERFORMANCE RUMORS

SUPER BOWL HALFTIME PERFORMANCE RUMORS

We’re starting to hear loud rumblings about next year’s Super Bowl halftime show performer. The rumor going around is that Jay-Z will take the stage during the big game in San Francisco on February 8th, 2026. While we’re unable to confirm or deny at this point, it almost seemed inevitable that Hov would headline at…

PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE HAS RESTED IN DIDDY CASE

PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE HAS RESTED IN DIDDY CASE

On Tuesday, both the prosecution and defense rested their cases in the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial. The prosecution finished presenting evidence, wrapping up nearly six weeks of testimony, videos, pictures, and documents. On the same day, Diddy’s defense team brought no witnesses to the stand and presented several pieces of evidence in the case. The…