Hero officer Crystal Griner throws out the first pitch at the women's softball game on Capitol Hill

Crystal Griner, The Capitol police officer was injured last week when a gunman opened fire on members of Congress during practice for a charity baseball game. Watch video of that great moment below.

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More Breast Cancers Diagnosed Early After "ObamaCare" Took Effect

MAYWOOD, Ill., June 23, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A Loyola University Chicago study published this month has found an increase in the percentage of breast cancer patients who were diagnosed in early Stage 1, after the Affordable Care Act took effect.

The increases in Stage 1 diagnoses were higher among African American and Latina breast cancer patients, compared to white patients.

The study by Abigail Silva, PhD, MPH, and colleagues is published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology. Silva is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

The Affordable Care Act eliminated copayments and other out-of-pocket costs for 45 preventive care services, including mammograms. This made mammograms more affordable, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses.

The earlier cancer is detected, the more effectively it can be treated. Diagnosing breast cancer when it is still in Stage 1 could improve the prognosis for thousands of women and reduce the need for invasive treatments such as chemotherapy for a substantial number of women, Silva and colleagues wrote.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates nearly 253,000 women will be diagnosed this year.

Compared to white women, Latinas are less likely to receive mammograms overall and African Americans are less likely to receive mammograms at recommended intervals. Out-of-pocket payments have been identified as a potential barrier to getting screening mammograms.

The retrospective study included 470,465 breast cancer patients between the ages of 50 and 74 who were covered by private insurance or Medicare and were newly diagnosed with Stage 1-4 cancer. Researchers examined two time periods: 2007-2009 (before the Affordable Care Act took effect) and 2011-2013 (after the act took effect). Researchers obtained data from the National Cancer Database, which includes approximately 70 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers in the United States from about 1,500 hospitals.

Overall, the percentage of breast cancers that were diagnosed at Stage 1 increased 3.6 percentage points, from 54.4 percent to 58.0 percent. There was a corresponding decrease in Stage 2 and Stage 3 diagnoses, while the proportion of Stage 4 cancers did not change. The shift toward Stage 1 breast cancer diagnoses increased by 3.2 percentage points among whites, 4.0 percentage points among African Americans and 4.1 percentage points among Latinas.

Compared to African Americans and Latinas, a higher percentage of white breast cancer patients are diagnosed at Stage 1. This disparity decreased following the Affordable Care Act, as minorities saw modestly higher improvements in Stage 1 diagnoses.

Researchers concluded that further studies to evaluate the impact of the Affordable Care Act on cancer outcomes and disparities "should be supported as they will help inform future policy recommendations."

The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Avon Foundation.

The study is titled "Potential impact of the Affordable Care Act's preventive services provision on breast cancer stage: A preliminary assessment."

In addition to Silva, other co-authors are Talar Markossian, PhD, MPH, of Loyola's Department of Public Health Sciences; Yamile Molina, PhD, of the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Nazia Saiyed, MPH, of the Sinai Urban Health Institute.

New trailer for Thurgood Marshall movie: MARSHALL

Before MLK Jr. and Malcom X, there was Marshall.

Long before he sat on the United States Supreme Court or claimed victory in Brown v. Board of Education, Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) was a young rabble-rousing attorney for the NAACP. The new motion picture, MARSHALL, is the true story of his greatest challenge in those early days – a fight he fought alongside attorney Sam Friedman (Josh Gad), a young lawyer with no experience in criminal law: the case of black chauffeur Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), accused by his white employer, Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson), of sexual assault and attempted murder.

The film is directed by Reginald Hudlin release date is October 13, 2017. Watch the trailer below.

Congressional Black Caucus turns down Trump invitation

The Congressional Black Caucus turned down an invitation to meet with President Donald Trump, telling him Wednesday they believe their concerns are falling on "deaf ears" at the White House and his policies are devastating to the millions of Americans in the nation's black communities.

A White House spokeswoman said the development was "pretty disappointing" and pledged to arrange for individual members to meet one-on-one with Trump.

Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond told Trump in a letter that his proposed budget, his efforts to dismantle Democrat Barack Obama's health care law and actions by Attorney General Jeff Sessions are detrimental to many African-Americans. Richmond said the caucus had expressed its concern several times, including in eight letters and a document, but the administration has failed to respond.

"The CBC, and the millions of people we represent, have a lot to lose under your administration," Richmond wrote. "I fail to see how a social gathering would benefit the policies we advocate for."

Trump and top members of the caucus met in March, but Richmond said there has been no follow-through on promises like helping black lawmakers meet with Trump's Cabinet.

Specifically, the caucus criticized Trump's budget proposal, which would cut money for Pell Grants for low-income college students and eliminate the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps seniors and others on fixed incomes heat their homes.

The caucus singled out moves by Sessions on drug prosecutions and civil rights enforcement, and complained that the House GOP health care bill that Trump celebrated during a Rose Garden ceremony would "strip millions of black people of their health care."

Richmond's letter responded to an invitation from Trump aide Omarosa Manigault, chief spokeswoman for the White House Office of Public Liaison.

"It's pretty disappointing that Cedric Richmond has decided to go back on his commitment to meet with us," Manigault said in a telephone interview.

She said caucus members who were excluded from the March meeting have been reaching out to her personally, as well as to the White House legislative affairs team, seeking one-on-one meetings with Trump to discuss issues their constituents are concerned about.

"We will do that because they have made those requests and we will honor those requests," Manigault said. "That's not going to be deterred because of Cedric Richmond's political gamesmanship."

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said caucus members want substance from the White House, not a social event.

"We want to talk and deal with issues that are of concern to the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and we've not gotten any response," Meeks said. "My opinion and the opinion of most of just about all of the members of the CBC is that the board met (with Trump). They gave him substantive issues which we wanted to deal with and they have not been dealt with."

Meeks added, "Until we can deal with substance and issues what's the benefit of a meeting."

The Congressional Black Caucus was right not to meet with Trump again

Ferguson settles wrongful death lawsuit with the family of Michael Brown

The parents of black teenager Michael Brown and the city of Ferguson, Missouri, have settled a lawsuit over his fatal shooting by a white city police officer in 2014, according to a court document filed on Monday.

Brown's death triggered sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and around the United States, fueled by later police killings of unarmed black men in other cities. It also helped spark debate about racial bias in the U.S. justice system.

Terms of the wrongful death settlement between Ferguson and Brown's parents, Michael Brown Sr. and Lesley McSpadden, were not disclosed. U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber approved the settlement and ordered it sealed.

"The gross settlement amount is fair and reasonable compensation for this wrongful death claim and is in the best interests of each plaintiff," Webber wrote.

[SOURCE]

Trump wants to try again with Congressional Black Caucus

UPDATE: The Congressional Black Caucus turned down an invitation to meet with President Donald Trump, telling him Wednesday they believe their concerns are falling on "deaf ears" at the White House and his policies are devastating to the millions of Americans in the nation's black communities: Read more here:CBC turns down Trump invitation

Almost three months after President Trump tried to mend fences with African American members of Congress at the White House, Mr. Trump is once again trying to restart talks with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).

Mr. Trump's adviser Omarosa Manigault sent a letter to the CBC on June 9, inviting all members of the CBC back to the White House for a follow up meeting to "discuss issues pertinent to your members."

A source inside the CBC was skeptical about the latest invitation, saying, "We're willing to engage with the president, but it has to be a substantive policy discussion, not a photo op."

"The caucus has been quite clear that the policy proposals of this administration, from cutting early childhood education funding to dismantling the Affordable Care Act, would cause great harm to African American communities across the nation," the source added.

Mr. Trump's outreach to African American community leaders has resulted with more photo ops than actual results.

Presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) met with Mr. Trump at the end of February, when he signed an executive order that moved an HBCU task force into the White House from the Department of Education.

The college presidents sought a 5 to 10 percent increase in funding for black schools during the meeting. But Mr. Trump's recently released budget proposal revealed no new funding for the schools, despite signals otherwise.

[SOURCE: CBS NEWS]

Seattle Police release dashcam audio in shooting of Charleena Lyles

Her name was Charleena Lyles. She called 911 for help and was killed by those officers who arrived to "protect and serve".

Charleena Lyles a pregnant mother of four was gunned down at her own home after calling 911 due to a burglary. Police claim she had a knife and was coming at them. To back up their claims they released dash cam audio, but that audio shows that those same officers knew she had four kids who may be in the house and that she suffered from mental illness before entering the home. The audio has been redacted by Seattle Police in some places, listen to the audio below.

Camille Cosby slams the press and the DA in statement after mistrial

Camille Cosby, the wife of Bill Cosby released a statement after a mistrial was declared in Cosby's sexual assault trial. A statement in which she slammed the judge, the media, and the district attorney handling the case. Read that statement below.

Camille Cosby:

“How do I describe the District Attorney? Heinously and exploitively ambitious. How do I describe the judge? Overtly and arrogantly collaborating with the District Attorney. How do I describe the counsels for the accusers? Totally unethical. How do I describe many, but not all, general media? Blatantly vicious entities that continually disseminated intentional omissions of truths for the primary purpose of greedily selling sensationalism at the expense of a human life.

Historically, people have challenged injustices. I am grateful to any of the jurors who tenaciously fought to review the evidence; which is the rightful way to make a sound decision ... ultimately, that is a manifestation of justice, based on facts, not lies. As a very special friend once stated, ‘truth can be subdued, but not destroyed.’

Moreover, I express humongous gratitude to counselors Brian McMonagle and Angela Agrusa for their hard work. Mr. McMonagle for his passionate and powerful articulations of truths; Ms. Agrusa for her thorough research to bolster Counsel McMonagle; to Mr. Andrew Wyatt for his unequivocal skills in public relations; to our team, who worked diligently and intelligently; to our staffs for their continuous commitment to our family and me ... and to our children, grandchildren, and other family who loves us ... and to our dear friends and supporters, who never gave up on us, despite it all.”

Princeton professor named country's next poet laureate

Tracy K. Smith has a long list of accomplishments, from publishing three books of poetry to winning the Pulitzer Prize in 2012, and she just added one more prestigious achievement.

The Library of Congress named Smith its 2017-18 Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry, an honor she shares with only 21 others.

"I am profoundly honored," sad Smith, a creative writing professor at Princeton University. "As someone who has been sustained by poems and poets, I understand the powerful and necessary role poetry can play in sustaining a rich inner life and fostering a mindful, empathic and resourceful culture."

"I am eager to share the good news of poetry with readers and future readers across this marvelously diverse country," she said.

Smith is the author of the poetry books "Life on Mars"; "Duende"; and "The Body's Question"; all of which have won awards. Her memoir, "Ordinary Light", was a finalist for the 2015 National Book Award in nonfiction and recognized as a notable book by The New York Times and the Washington Post.

Smith was appointed by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on Wednesday, and is succeeding Juan Felipe Herrera.

Hayden called Smith a "poet of searching," and said she has a way with her poems.

"Her work travels the world and takes on its voices; brings history and memory to life; calls on the power of literature as well as science, religion and pop culture," Hayden said.

[SOURCE: NJ.COM]

NFL commissioner denies that Colin Kaepernik is being blackballed

If you believe in zombies, Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster, and that Biggie, Tupac, and Elvis are all still alive then you might believe NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell about Colin Kaepernick. Goodell says that Colin Kaepernick refusal to stand during the national anthem last year has nothing to do with him remaining unsigned.

During a Rams fan event at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Goodell addressed the issue and insisted it’s not because the star once refused to stand for the national anthem.

Goodell tried to make the point that teams "all want to get better," so they'll all be looking to sign the best player available.

"If they see an opportunity to get better as a football team, they're going to do it," Goodell said, via ESPN.com. "They're going to do whatever it takes to make their football team better. So, those are football decisions. They're made all the time. I believe that if a football team feels that Colin Kaepernick, or any other player, is going to improve that team, they're going to do it."

"Those are decisions that the 32 clubs are going to have to make individually," Goodell said of signing players. "They're going to give whatever player they think can help them win that opportunity. And I think that's what's great about the NFL is that we're a meritocracy, and you earn your opportunities and you get to keep your opportunities on the way you perform, ultimately. That's what the NFL is about. I think that's why fans love the game. People go out and they earn those opportunities, and it's a competitive league, which is great for us."

Statement from Philando Castile's mother on jury's verdict

Jeronimo Yanez, the Minnesota police officer who fatally shot Philando Castile during a traffic stop last year, was found not guilty of second-degree manslaughter Friday. He also was acquitted of two counts of intentional discharge of firearm that endangers safety. Philando Castile's mother, Valerie Castile does not mince words when discussing the non-guilty verdict of her son's killer when making statement to the press. Watch that statement below:

Meet the two heroic Capitol Police Officers who prevented a massacre

Special agents Crystal Griner and David Bailey are being hailed as heroes for taking down the gunman who shot House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and several others at a baseball practice. Their brave actions saved the lives of many.

Crystal Griner

Griner and Bailey are both members of Scalise’s security detail. Both were wounded in their encounter with the gunman. Bailey has been treated and released while Griner who was shot in the ankle is in good condition.

According to Bailey’s LinkedIn page, he’s been a Capitol Police officer for more than nine years. Bailey described his job as: “Primarily responsible for the protection of life and property. Also preventing, detecting and investigating criminal acts.”

Bailey graduated from North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., in 2007 with a degree in physical education and worked at U.S. Fish and Wildlife before joining the force.

Crystal Griner graduated from Hood College in 2006 where she also played on the woman's basketball team. At this time not much more is known about this hero.

Kamala Harris questions Jeff Sessions and makes him nervous

During a senate hearing Senator Kamala Harris ferociously questioned AG Jeff Sessions until he became flustered and said that he was making him nervous.

Dave Chappelle Donates $50,000 From Michigan Show To Flint Foundation

Dave Chappelle is putting his money where his mouth is and donating $50,000 to a local Flint, Michigan foundation.

The comedian donated all of the proceeds from his June 7 comedy show in Flint to The Community Foundation of Greater Flint, TMZ reports. Established in 1988, the foundation has provided people with “philanthropic interests to easily and effectively support the issues they care about - immediately or through their will.”

“I’m honored that you guys came here tonight,” Chapelle said to the June 7 audience. “I want you to know that just by coming to see me you supported this city. I’m not taking a dime.”

[SOURCE: HUFFINGTONPOST]

McCain says American leadership was better under Obama

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said American leadership was stronger under President Trump's predecessor, President Barack Obama, according to a Guardian report published Sunday.

Asked if the country stood on sturdier ground under Obama's leadership, McCain said "yes," according to the report.

“As far as American leadership is concerned, yes," said McCain, who also vocally criticized many of the Obama administration's foreign policy decisions.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Oprah Winfrey wont be saving the TV series Underground

Rumor had it that The Oprah Winfrey Network was one of the channels (in addition to BET and Hulu) considering picking up the show starring Jurnee Smollett and Aldis Hodge. But at an L.A. press event this week for her network's series, Queen Sugar, Winfrey confirmed that won't be happening.

"I can't afford Underground," Winfrey told a group of eight journalists. "It cost twice as much to make as Queen Sugar. As a matter of fact, my dear friend John Legend called me personally and asked me about it, but we'd already been talking about how we could make it work [...] it's like $5 million an episode, so we can't afford it. It's not cheap, I think because it's a period piece."

Winfrey added that on top of the price, though the show was often trending on Twitter, it just didn't have the ratings to justify the expense, especially considering that OWN is still a young and growing network. "We really tried to make it work," she says. "I wanted to make it work because I think it's a good show. I wanted to be able to save that show, but it did not make good business sense for me."

[SOURCE: Refinery29]

Desperate Search for Missing 12-Year-Old Twins

UPDATE: Twins found! Rickhia and Nicolette McClam, the 12-year-old twin girls who went missing Tuesday, have been found safe, their father told Local 10 News. Read more: Missing 12-year-old twin girls found safe

Rickhia McClam and Nicolette McClam, 12-year-old twin sisters, were supposed to get on a school bus to their Coral Springs middle school Tuesday morning, but police say they never made it.

On Wednesday, Coral Springs Police Department was asking for the community's help in finding the preteens, who were last seen by their father at about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday in the area of Northwest 85th Avenue and 35th Street.

“They are believed to be runaways at this point,” said Coral Springs police spokeswoman Karla Kmiotek. “But they are only 12.”

The girls, who have long dark hair and brown eyes, are approximately 5 feet, 2 inches and weigh 105 pounds.

Police say the sisters may be in the West Palm Beach area or headed to New York City, where their mother lives.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Michelle Kull at 954-344-1800.

[SOURCE: Miami Herald]

Morehouse College Interim President William J. “Bill” Taggart has died

ATLANTA – June 8, 2017 – The Morehouse College Board of Trustees is mourning the loss of Interim President William J. "Bill" Taggart.  Interim President Taggart passed away unexpectedly Thursday at his home in Atlanta.

“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Bill Taggart, a beloved colleague, father and friend whom I’ve known for many years,” said Willie Woods, '85, Chairman of the Morehouse College Board of Trustees. “For the past two years, Bill devoted himself wholeheartedly to Morehouse College and we were pleased when he assumed the role of Interim President. We are eternally grateful for his loyal support, counsel and the leadership he provided to students, faculty and alumni.”

Woods continued, “Bill was a good friend and a beloved member of the Morehouse community. He was a strong leader who had a positive impact on Morehouse College, the greater Atlanta business community, and all those who knew him. Bill leaves behind a long legacy of commitment to others and unwavering integrity. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, and the entire Morehouse Community, we extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones he leaves behind during this difficult time.”

An Atlanta native, Interim President Taggart was appointed to lead Morehouse College on April 7, 2017. He brought more than 30 years of professional experience to the role. Prior to that, Interim President Taggart served as the College's Chief Operating Officer, beginning in 2015. 

Interim President Taggart worked closely with the Board of Trustees, students, faculty, staff, and alumni to lead and transform the institutional development, technology, campus operations, and human resources functions of the College. During this time, he also served as the external relations liaison to the Atlanta business and civic community, as well as with corporate America and various global philanthropic organizations.

Outside of Morehouse College, Interim President Taggart was actively involved in various business and civic organizations. He served as CEO of Atlanta Life Financial Group and was a key member of 100 Black Men of America, as well as the Rotary Club of Atlanta. He also served as chairman of the Atlanta Business League, and was a board member of The Carter Center, Woodruff Arts Center, Westside Future Fund, Carver Bank, and Children Healthcare of Atlanta. He was recently named to the 2018 Class of Leadership Atlanta. Interim President Taggart’s contributions within and outside of Morehouse College are a reflection of his immense dedication and commitment to his community.

The Board of Trustees will be working internally to determine its next steps and the future direction of the College. Provost Michael Hodge will serve as Acting President until a new Interim President is named by the Board of Trustees. 

Kamala Harris questions James Comey

Today, in a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing, U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris questioned former FBI Director James Comey about Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ continued involvement in the Russia probe despite having recused himself from the investigation. This included Sessions’ recommendation that the President fire Director Comey as head of the FBI, even though Comey was leading that exact investigation in which Sessions recused himself from participating. Watch her 7 minute session with Comey below:

Congressman Payne, Jr. Statement on Former FBI Director James Comey’s Testimony

Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement today on former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee:

“The former FBI director testified, under oath, that President Trump lied, requested a pledge of loyalty, and pressured him to drop the bureau’s investigation of the president’s former National Security Advisor. We are potentially looking at obstruction of justice by President Trump—a felony for which Comey believes the president is being investigated. Many questions remain, including whether Comey was fired in an attempt to undermine the Russia investigation. An independent, bipartisan commission must be formed to get to the full truth.”