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According to Axios, the retail giant said liquidation sales would start in January for 8-12 weeks for full-line and small-format stores as they prepare to close their doors. What is the Bold New Chapter strategy? The Bold New Chapter plan […]

As Blavity reported, Boss’ family and friends, including his brother and cousin, expressed their disdain on social media platforms earlier this week.On Thursday, his mother, Connie Boss Alexander, broke her silence.

As residents of the greater Los Angeles area continue to grapple with the destructive wildfires underway, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Bozoma Saint John has disclosed that she has lost her home to the fires.

In an Instagram post, Saint John, the former chief marketing officer at Netflix, said the current LA wildfires destroy her Malibu home.

“This is the house I wanted. The house I prayed for. The house I worked in blood, sweat, and tears for,” she wrote in a post with accompanying photos of her home that will now become a memory. “The house that I put a key pad instead of a key hole in the front door because I wanted all my family and friends to have a code and use the house whenever they wanted.”

Saint John also opened up about the systemic racism she faced when she initially tried to purchase the home.

“This is the house where I found peace after battling with racist neighbors and a community that made me have to buy it in a trust within a trust so no one would know that widowed, single Black woman with a teenager was buying on the exclusively-held beach. This was my EFF YOU I’m here house.”

“This is an unimaginable loss. I grieve with the rest of Los Angeles as it burns… and even though I’ve found even words to write here, there’s nothing that I could say in this moment to describe this feeling,” Saint John concluded. “I ask for your prayer for Lael, and I. God bless you.”

Saint John is just one of many Los Angeles County residents who are now grieving the loss of their homes where the Palisades and Eaton fires are still burning. 

Similarly, singer Jhené Aiko took to socialmedia on Thursday morning to share that she, too, lost the home she shared with her children to the fire. The “While We’re Young” singer also took a moment to express gratitude that despite losing all of their belongings, she and her family evacuated safely.

“Praying for everyone this morning,” she shared in a story shared to Instagram. “Those who lost their home. those who lost their life’s work, those who lost their life. praying for my city. praying for the wild life and lost pets. praying for the world. let suffering be a gift; a lesson in compassion.”

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as Cal Fire, reported that the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles has covered over 17,000 acres (almost 27 square miles) and the Eaton Fire has affected over 10,000 acres. The fires have destroyed at least 1,000 structures, evacuation orders have affected roughly 180,000 people, and at least five people have died, per CNN.

At this time, more than 350,000 energy customers are currently without power, NBC News reported.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, has called out critics who are blaming diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts for the firefighting response to the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles.

A Minnesota judge has ordered MyPillow to pay nearly $778,000 to package delivery service DHL for unpaid bills and additional costs, according to The Associated Press. The lawsuit also named MyPillow founder and conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell.

Hennepin County Judge Susan Burke signed the order in December. It stated that MyPillow had agreed to pay over $500,000 to DHL in October but failed to do so. Additionally, MyPillow did not send a representative to a hearing last month, where DHL sought to collect the funds. The court’s order includes $48,000 in interest and more than $4,800 in attorneys’ fees.

Mike Lindell’s Defense Amid the Lawsuit

Following the filing of the lawsuit, Lindell, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, claimed that MyPillow stopped using DHL over a year ago due to disputes over shipments. He maintained that DHL was responsible for the disagreement.

Lindell has gained notoriety for promoting baseless election fraud claims about the 2020 presidential election. These claims have also led to separate defamation lawsuits against him and MyPillow by voting machine companies Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic.

MyPillow’s Financial Woes Continue

In October, Lindell’s attorneys defending him in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation case filed motions to withdraw, citing millions of dollars in unpaid legal fees. Lindell later confirmed to The Associated Press that he was out of funds but understood his attorneys’ decision to end their services.

The financial struggles related to the MyPillow DHL lawsuit and other legal battles underscore the challenges Lindell faces as he contends with mounting debts and legal responsibilities.

On Jan. 7, Allison Holker, the widow of Stephen “tWitch” Boss, opened up like never before during an exclusive with People ahead of the release of her forthcoming book titled, This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light.

Patti LaBelle and Luther Vandross had been close friends for decades She and the R&B legend had been close friends for decades, forming a strong bond with his family, particularly his mother, and supported Vandross “’til the end” through his […]

The Watch Duty app, a wildfire monitoring tool, is playing a critical role in saving lives across the United States, particularly during the current Southern California wildfires.

With 7.2 million users just three years after its launch, the app alerts people to wildfire risks and provides real-time incident updates, The Guardian reported. According to Tech Crunch, it has passed ChatGPT as the top downloaded free app in Apple’s Apple Store amid the fires.

How the Watch Duty App Works

The Watch Duty app simplifies finding critical information about wildfire incidents. Its features include detailed maps of fire-affected areas, evacuation sites, and directions to nearby shelters. Users can access live camera feeds, wind data, and the latest aircraft positions. Additionally, the app provides a risk level assessment to keep users informed.

“The app is not just about alerts; it is about a state of mind,” said John Mills, CEO of Watch Duty, in an interview with The Guardian.

The Origins of the Watch Duty App

Mills founded the app after moving from San Francisco to Sonoma County, a region frequently affected by wildfires. Initially focused on four California counties, Watch Duty has since expanded to cover the entire state, all Western states, and Hawaii.

Remarkably, Mills and his team have spent little on marketing. “We just let the genie out of the bottle so the world would know things could never go back to the way things were,” Mills said.

Who Powers the Watch Duty App?

The app relies on volunteers, designated as “reporters,” including former firefighters and community members. They gather emergency updates from multiple sources, collaborate to verify the information, and share updates with users.

Cristy Thomas, a central California resident, said the app provides her with a sense of safety. After a fire broke out near her home, she couldn’t reach 911 but received immediate notifications from Watch Duty that first responders were on the way.

“We were seeing it happen and had questions — but Watch Duty answered all of them,” Thomas said.

Expanding the Reach of the Watch Duty App

In 2024, Watch Duty reached users across 14 states and secured over $5 million in grants. The app also offers a subscription option, providing advanced insights such as fire footprint overlays, utility management zones, and historical fire data.

“People always thank me for Watch Duty,” Mills said. “I’m like, ‘You’re welcome — and I’m sorry that you need it.’”

Ward covered major D.C. events that made both local and national headlines According to NBC Washington, Ward died Tuesday following complications from cardiac arrest. Ward, a D.C. native, grew up in Marshall Heights and the H Street Corridor in Northeast. […]

It’s been three days since many Richmond, Virginia residents have been having issues with their water, and Mayor Danny Avula has provided a much-needed update on the situation.

“Over the past day, we have made gains in restoring function at the plant. Despite experiencing some setbacks along the way, as of 9 p.m. Tuesday, the plant had six filters and one pump in operation, with one more filter coming online late Tuesday,” Avula said in a statement reported by WTVR. “That equipment is putting nine million gallons of water per day into Richmond homes, which is building pressure in the system toward the target of 12 filters and four pumps running to achieve a 50 million gallon per day capacity.”

What Progress Has Been Made?

By early Wednesday, the city reported 42 million gallons of water flowing through 12 filters and three operational pumps. Officials also announced that two bypass pumps would be installed later that day to enhance functionality.

“These pumps will boost pressure to ‘Plant 2’—allowing more filters and pumps to come online,” a city spokesperson said. “With these filters and pumps in operation, water pressure will continue to build in the system.”

How Did the Water Outage Start?

According to The Washington Post, water outages began on Monday after a winter storm caused widespread damage. Snow and ice affected the city’s main water facility, leading to power outages that were quickly restored. However, the storm caused a pump to stop working, and an area containing critical electrical equipment flooded, damaging key controls. This left Richmond residents grappling with empty taps and relying on bottled water distributions.

When Will Water Be Fully Restored?

After a full day without water, Avula expressed cautious optimism on Tuesday morning, saying he hoped water service could be restored by that evening. However, additional setbacks, including an electrical panel failure at a local water treatment plant, have delayed repairs. No updated timeline for full restoration has been provided.

“We’ve had multiple stops and starts over the course of the night,” Avula said. “While progress is being made, residents should continue to conserve water as the system stabilizes.”

Details on the Boil Water Advisory and Where to Pick Up Bottled Water

Avula also said that the boil water advisory likely wouldn’t be lifted ahead of Friday.

“At this point, I think it is unlikely that we will lift the boil water advisory before Friday,” Avula said, per WRIC.

According to WRIC, here are bottled water pick up locations that started giving water out at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday:

Broad Rock Library, located at 4820 Old Warwick Road

West End Library, located at 5420 Patterson Avenue

Hickory Hill Community Center, located at 3000 Belt Boulevard

Bellemeade Community Center, located at 1800 Lynhaven Avenue

Midtown Green, located at 2401 West Leigh Street

Pine Camp Community Center, located at 4901 Old Brook Road

Randolph Community Center, located at 1415 Grayland Avenue

Westover Hills CommunityCenter, located at 1301 Jahnke Road

East End District Initiative (EDI), located at 701 North 25th Street

Southside Plaza, located at 4100 Hull Street Road

Annie Marie Giles Community Resource and Training Center, located at 1400 Oliver Hill Way