Tesla stocks are plunging as protestors continue to speak up against Elon Musk‘s involvement in the federal government. On Monday, Tesla’s shares fell by more than 13%, marking its lowest point since November, Yahoo Finance reported. At the same time, Musk’s net worth has dropped by $105 billion in recent months.
In 2019, Tia Hamilton opened Urban Reads Bookstore in Baltimore. The storefront was inspired after she shopped the magazine she created, State vs Us, to different locations, according to CBS News. The purpose of her publication is to spotlight mass incarceration and systemic […]
Michelle Obama is adding podcast host to her already lengthy resume.
The former first lady is collaborating with her brother and executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Craig Robinson, on IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson. It’s a podcast that’ll explore various facets of life with well-renowned guests like Issa Rae, Jay Shetty and Keke Palmer.
Other guests joining the show for its inaugural season include Tyler Perry, Tracee Ellis Ross, Angie Martinez, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union.
“With everything going on in the world, we’re all looking for answers and people to turn to,” Obama said in a statement per The Hollywood Reporter. “My brother Craig and I launched the IMO podcast to create a space for people to come as they are, ask honest questions, give their opinions, and have thoughtful conversations about life. There is no single way to deal with the challenges we may be facing — whether it’s family, faith, or our personal relationships — but taking the time to open up and talk about these issues can provide hope.”
Obama and Robinson’s new podcast will include a conversation with Rae about “the challenges of mismatched expectations in adult friendships” and a discussion with psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist Orna Guralnik, Psy.D., about “building healthy connections in a marriage.” Palmer will appear on the show to discuss balancing personal and professional lives, navigating tending to aging parents and “the rise of the phone-based childhood.”
“We grew up talking through life’s big and small questions together,” Robinson said. “And now, we’re inviting listeners into that conversation, with the hope that it sparks new ideas, new perspectives, and creates the connection we could all use right now.”
IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson is produced by Higher Ground, the production company the Obamas founded in May 2018. The podcast is Obama’s third, following The Michelle Obama Podcast and Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast. The latter saw Obama interview celebrity guests like Ellen DeGeneres, Tyler Perry, Conan O’Brien and Oprah Winfrey, among others.
Obama and Robinson will appear at South by Southwest in Austin on Thursday to record a live episode in front of an audience.
The first two episodes of IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson premiere on Wednesday. New episodes will be released weekly on all audio platforms and YouTube.
Sudiksha Konanki was a 20-year-old pre-med student, an Indian citizen and a legal permanent resident of the United States. She traveled with five other female students to Punta Cana. The group was staying at Riu Republic Resort, according to The […]
His attorney Amy E. Greer said Khalil was told by ICE agents that his student visa had been revoked. He told agents he was a permanent resident and had a green card but was detained anyway. Where is Khalil reportedly […]
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that it plans to fully recover all overpayments to beneficiaries. The SSA previously abandoned the policy last year following public outrage over beneficiaries losing their monthly payments. However, the agency has reinstated the policy to recover overpaid benefits.
“People who are overpaid after March 27 will automatically be placed in full recovery at a rate of 100% of the Social Security payment,” the SSA said in a statement, per WFTV.
However, the withholding rate for overpayments issued before March 27 remains at 10%, the SSA announced. The rate for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) overpayments also remains at 10%.
A recent investigation by WFTV revealed that the overpayments were largely caused by government accounting mistakes. According to another report from the SSA’s inspector general, about 73,000 overpayments in 2022 resulted from a lack of “effective controls over benefit-computation accuracy.”
The SSA faced massive backlash last year when beneficiaries received bills demanding repayment of overpaid funds within 30 days, CBS News reported. Some recipients said they received bills for thousands of dollars. At the time, the agency warned that beneficiaries could lose their entire Social Security payment if they failed to repay the amount owed.
According to Newsweek, the SSA expects to save about $7 billion over the next decade as it cracks down on overpayments. SSA Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek said it is the agency’s “duty to restore the overpayment repayment policy to full withholding.”
“We have the significant responsibility to be good stewards of the trust funds for the American people,” Dudek said in the agency’s latest statement, per CBS News.
At least 70 million people, including retirees and beneficiaries with disabilities, rely on Social Security benefits.
Stores and restaurants across Canada are boycotting American-made alcoholic beverages after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on the country. According to The New York Times, TV broadcasts showed Canadian employees from multiple establishments removing American spirits and wine from their shelves after the tariffs took effect on Tuesday.
“People are going to get frustrated, but I think they’ll adapt,” Giovanni Cassano, a restaurant owner in Canada, told The Times.
After Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on Canadian exports, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau retaliated with a 25 percent tariff on American goods. On Thursday, however, the U.S. announced the tariffs on Canada would be delayed until April 2. Despite the delay, some Canadian business owners plan to continue boycotting American products.
American products being boycotted
In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford told The Times that approximately 3,600 American products will be pulled from liquor stores in the province. Several other provinces are following Ontario’s lead.
In the Manitoba region, Premier Wab Kinew shared a video in which he imitated Trump while mockingly signing an executive order.
“This order, it’s a wonderful order, it’s a beautiful order. This order is pulling American booze off the liquor market shelves,” Kinew said, surrounded by staff members who responded with applause.
Lawson Whiting, CEO of Brown-Forman, the parent company of Jack Daniel’s, said removing American products may be costly for Canadians.
“Not just beverage alcohol, but a lot of American-made products have come off the shelves in Canada, which is tough,” Whiting told The Times. “That’s worse than a tariff because it’s literally taking your sales away.”
Brown-Forman, parent company of Jack Daniel’s closed a cooperage and laid off people
According to CNN, Whiting said Canada accounts for only 1 percent of his company’s total sales, and they are prepared to “withstand” any potential losses. However, other organizations have expressed concerns about the impact of tariffs on American businesses. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), a trade group representing spirits makers, issued a statement on Tuesday.
As CNN reported, prior to the tariffs being imposed, the company “laid off around 700 employees and closed a Kentucky cooperage, where wooden barrels are produced to age whiskey and bourbon.”
“American wines and spirits have benefitted from fair and reciprocal trade with Canada and Mexico,” DISCUS said, per CNN. “These U.S. tariffs on Mexico and Canada will result in great harm to U.S. companies and employees throughout the wine and spirits supply chain.”
The USAA will pay $3.25 million in a class action settlement after failing to prevent a 2021 data breach that exposed customers’ personal information. Affected individuals can file a claim through the USAA settlement website within the next four weeks.
USAA has already sent notifications by email or postal mail to eligible recipients, My San Antonio reported.
Details on filing a USAA claim
Many of these notifications were sent after USAA agreed to the settlement in December. Recipients should retain the letter, as it includes unique ID numbers and essential codes. The deadline to file a claim is April 7. Those who miss the deadline may forfeit their payments if the settlement administrator cannot locate them. To begin the process, go to usaadatasettlement.com.
More on the litigation
USAA was sued for using vehicle records to auto-populate driver’s license numbers and other information in insurance quotes. Customer Vincent Dolan filed the lawsuit after USAA informed him that a hacker accessed his information and used his name to open a membership in 2021. As the class-action representative, Dolan will receive the largest payout—$10,000.
USAA maintains its innocence despite agreeing to the settlement.
“USAA takes our responsibility of protecting personal information seriously, and our security measures are continuously strengthened to prevent unauthorized access and use. This event occurred in 2021 and was part of industry-wide targeting by cybercriminals,” a USAA spokesperson told MySA in December. “At that time, USAA contacted all affected consumers and provided complimentary identity theft detection and resolution services. This settlement is in the best interest of our membership and allows USAA to avoid lengthy and expensive litigation.”
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has slashed government spending and dismantled entire federal agencies and programs, with billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency leading the charge. Musk has now turned his attention to the United States Postal Service (USPS) and Amtrak, indicating that he wants both services in private hands.
Big Lots will soon determine its next step after recently filing for bankruptcy protection.
According to Fast Company, retail company Variety Wholesalers is set to take over many of Big Lots’ locations. A spokesperson told Fast Company that the North Carolina-based company will assume control of several locations in the South and Midwest. According to the spokesperson, Variety Wholesalers has implemented a tentative plan for the “soft openings.”
Before filing for bankruptcy, Big Lots had more than 800 locations. Earlier this month, a bankruptcy filing revealed that Variety expects to take over 200 locations. However, the court has not yet assigned all the stores. Big Lots has been holding going-out-of-business sales in recent months while preparing to close its stores.
When will some Big Lots stores reopen?
Jeff King, Variety’s vice president of sales and marketing, said the company expects to start its soft openings in four separate waves beginning in April and will go through June. King noted that the timeline could change. Currently, the states with the most Big Lots locations are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Many of these stores will now be transferred to Variety.
Variety also owns Roses, Maxway, Super 10, and several other retail chains. In 2024, the company revealed its plan to acquire at least 200 Big Lots locations. According to Variety, the deal is part of its partnership with liquidation firm Gordon Brothers, which is managing store closures after purchasing Big Lots.
According to El Adelantado,, Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to financial struggles. The company experienced a $114.5 million drop in sales from 2023 to 2024, El Adelantado reported. Adding to its challenges, Big Lots is facing $3.1 billion in debt.
“Most of our stores remain profitable, but we’re shifting toward a more streamlined operation to stay efficient and better serve our customers,” CEO Bruce Thorn said, according to El Adelantado.
List of 200 stores Big Lots could reopen:
Alabama
1619 Town Sq SW, Cullman, Ala.5363 Hwy 90 W, Ste C, Mobile, Ala.603 US Hwy 72 W, Athens, Ala.1820 6th Ave SE, Decatur, Ala.1100 Hwy 78 W, Jasper, Ala.5510 McFarland Blvd, Northport, Ala.
Florida
3401 13th St, Ste 100, Saint Cloud, Fla.146 SE US Highway 19, Crystal River, Fla.4901 Palm Beach Blvd, Ste 230, Fort Myers, Fla.13970 N Cleveland Ave, North Fort Myers, Fla.843 W Bloomingdale Ave, Brandon, Fla.122 S Nova Rd, Ormond Beach, Fla.9119 Merrill Rd, Ste 50, Jacksonville, Fla.3048 E College Ave, Ruskin, Fla.6247 Highway 90, Milton, Fla.2384 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, Fla.4700 Highway 90, Marianna, Fla.225 S Tyndall Pkwy, Callaway, Fla.
Georgia
127 Commerce Ave, LaGrange, Ga.110 E Northside Dr, Valdosta, Ga.2305 E 1st St, Vidalia, Ga.3791 S Cobb Dr SE, Ste G, Smyrna, Ga.3111 Highway 278 NW, Covington, Ga.1803 Knight Ave, Ste A2, Waycross, Ga.260 Merchants Square, Dallas, Ga.13 Lester Rd, Ste C, Statesboro, Ga.323 Habersham Village Cir, Cornelia, Ga.4420 Altama Ave, Ste C2, Brunswick, Ga.2932 Canton Rd, Ste 210, Marietta, Ga.4125 Highway 20, Ste A-2, Buford, Ga.558 Battlefield Pkwy, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.
Ohio
2837 Winchester Pike, Columbus, Ohio498 Cadiz Rd, Wintersville, Ohio9025 Ohio River Rd, Wheelersburg, Ohio1965 W State St, Alliance, Ohio3961 Hoover Rd, Grove City, Ohio3946 W Alexis Rd, Toledo, Ohio408 Bluebell Dr NW, New Philadelphia, Ohio12588 Rockside Rd, Cleveland, Ohio7100 South Ave, Youngstown, Ohio400 Silver Bridge Plaza, Gallipolis, Ohio1336 Whipple Ave NW, Canton, Ohio4331 Mahoning Ave NW, Warren, Ohio8489 Market St, Mentor, Ohio1890 W Market St, Suite #500, Akron, Ohio405 Howe Ave, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio426 East Waterloo Rd, Akron, Ohio6300 E Livingston Ave, Reynoldsburg, Ohio1800 E State St, Fremont, Ohio3640 Werk Rd, Cincinnati, Ohio56104 National Rd, Bridgeport, Ohio367 County Rd 406, Ste B, South Point, Ohio825 Cleveland St, Elyria, Ohio10560 Harrison Ave, Harrison, Ohio110 S 7th St, Marietta, Ohio2050 E Dorothy Ln, Kettering, Ohio1700 E Main St, Lancaster, Ohio241 W Wooster Rd, Barberton, Ohio
Michigan
659 24th St, Port Huron, Mich.5112 Miller Rd, Flint, Mich.7651 23 Mile Rd, Shelby Township, Mich.14333 Eureka Rd, Southgate, Mich.4157 E Court St, Burton, Mich.
Mississippi
5778 Hwy 80 E, Pearl, Miss.2605 W Main St, Tupelo, Miss.
Indiana
195 S US Hwy 231, Jasper, Ind.
Kentucky
200 Sycamore St, Ste 151, Elizabethtown, Ky.472 Eastern Bypass, Richmond, Ky.86 Appalachian Plaza, South Williamson, Ky.294 Village Ln, Hazard, Ky.1714 Perryville Rd, Ste 400, Danville, Ky.1342 Indian Mound Dr, Mount Sterling, Ky.845 S Main St, London, Ky.400 Campbellsville Bypass, Campbellsville, Ky.102 N 12th St, Middlesboro, Ky.
Louisiana
755 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie, La.
Pennsylvania
2611 Ellwood Rd, New Castle, Pa.11628 Penn Hills Dr, Pittsburgh, Pa.697 Allegheny Blvd, Franklin, Pa.1425 Scalp Ave, Ste 130, Johnstown, Pa.750 Ohio River Blvd, Rochester, Pa.3437 Simpson Ferry Rd, Camp Hill, Pa.2444 Philadelphia St, Indiana, Pa.467 W Penn Ave, Cleona, Pa.820 Water St, Meadville, Pa.2140 White St, York, Pa.2431 Columbia Blvd, Bloomsburg, Pa.1010 O’Neill Hwy, Dunmore, Pa.1241 Blakeslee Boulevard Dr E, Lehighton, Pa.6041 State Route 30, Ste 20, Greensburg, Pa.7405 Westbranch Hwy, Lewisburg, Pa.1150 Carlisle St, Hanover, Pa.156 Eagles Glen Plaza, Ste 190, East Stroudsburg, Pa.5522 Shaffer Rd, Unit 7, DuBois, Pa.500 Lincoln Hwy, Ste 4, Fairless Hills, Pa.4717 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, Pa.866 Scranton Carbondale Hwy, Eynon, Pa.389 N Reading Rd, Ephrata, Pa.
North Carolina
1504 N Bridge St, Elkin, N.C.1811 S Church St, Burlington, N.C.1328 Carter St, Mount Airy, N.C.4600 Main St, Ste 1, Shallotte, N.C.526C US Highway 70 SW, Hickory, N.C.100 Westwood Village Dr, Clemmons, N.C.838 Winston Rd, Lexington, N.C.1403 S Pollock St, Selma, N.C.
South Carolina
207 Oconee Square Dr, Seneca, S.C.1000 N Pine St, Spartanburg, S.C.1023A S Pendleton St, Easley, S.C.1370 S Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, S.C.339 Bypass 72 NW, Greenwood, S.C.
Tennessee
3110 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, Tenn.420 Park Blvd, Rogersville, Tenn.1301 S James Campbell Blvd, Columbia, Tenn.
Virginia
1090 Millwood Pike, Winchester, Va.1090 Bypass Rd, Vinton, Va.4300 Portsmouth Blvd, Chesapeake, Va.
West Virginia
1350 Stafford Dr, Princeton, W.Va.104 Thompson Dr, Bridgeport, W.Va.110 Eagle School Rd, Martinsburg, W.Va.
Stay up to date on exciting projects and upcoming events from the Black Promoters Collective.
©2024 Black Promoters Collective (BPC) All Rights Reserved.
