Chris Rock declines to file police report on Will Smith

Chris Rock has decided not to file a police report against Will Smith after the King Richard actor hit him in the face onstage at the Oscars on Sunday — at least for now.

Los Angeles Police Department officers on the scene at the well-guarded event at the Dolby Theatre spoke with Rock soon after the ABC telecast ended, sources confirm. If Rock had filed a report with the LAPD and Smith was charged with assault, the newly minted Oscar winner could have faced up to six months behind bars and a fine up to $100,000.

“LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program,” the police said in a statement tonight. “The incident involved one individual slapping another,” they added. “The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report.”

[SOURCE: DEADLINE]

The Queen of Basketball documentary wins an Oscar

"The Queen of Basketball", a documentary by about Lusia "Lucy" Harris Stewart, a pioneer in women's basketball won an Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject.

The documentary tells the story of Lucy Harris, one of the greatest women’s basketball players. She won 3 national college championships playing for Delta State University. She scored the first basket in women’s Olympic basketball at the ‘76 Olympics. She was also the first and only woman ever officially drafted by the NBA.

The film was directed by Ben Proudfoot and includes Shaquille O'Neal and Stephen Curry among its executive producers.

Tennessee Comptroller scales back financial oversight plans for African American town of Mason

After a state takeover of the finances of the majority Black town of Mason Tennessee, Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower said that the town could be free from state financial oversight as soon as July or August after a "very positive meeting" between state and local officials.

"We were able to put together a positive plan moving forward," Mumpower said shortly after a 70-minute meeting with Mason's Mayor, Vice Mayor and financial staff. "We can release them from financial oversight sooner rather than later."

Mason's Vice Mayor Virginia Rivers said that — while she is hopeful the meeting will lead to restoring autonomy to locally elected leaders — she remains frustrated. Mason officials presented current financial statements that appeared to satisfy Mumpower and his staff on Tuesday, including proof they had complied with a repayment plan for longstanding debt. That information has been available all along, she said.

Mason officials have been making $10,100 monthly payments toward debt for the past two years, Vice-Mayor Virginia Rivers said. Those payments were not accounted for in the Comptroller public statements about Mason's financial status, she said.

"All of this could have been avoided if Mr. Mumpower had come to us and had a meeting with us like we did today," Rivers said. "He just came in with a demand."

The meeting took place after several contentious weeks beginning with the Comptroller's ultimatum to Mason's elected leaders in February:

Either give up their town's charter — subsuming the predominantly Black and Democrat community under the governance of majority white, majority Republican Tipton County — or, Mumpower said, he would take control of the town's finances for an open-ended period of time, controlling any expenditures of $100 or more.

The dispute gained national attention, with public criticism over the Comptroller's efforts to exert control over a financially struggling, majority Black town just as it was poised to reap the benefits from a $5.6 billion Ford Motor Company electric vehicle plant soon to be built less than five miles away. Ford Motor Company officials weighed in, too, saying they had reached out to state and local officials to express concern.The agreement hammered out between Mason and state officials Tuesday appears to put the town on a far different footing than it faced last week.

[SOURCE: PATCH MEMPHIS]

Cory Booker on Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation hearings: Outrageous and beyond the pale.”

During an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) says Republican behavior during Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination hearings were “very different” than the previous confirmation hearings.

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) says Republican behavior during Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination hearings were “very different” than the previous confirmation hearings. #MTP @CoryBooker: "What we saw though this week was to me, outrageous and beyond the pale.” pic.twitter.com/ohTMYCARGD

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 27, 2022

Congressman Donald McEachin statement on wanting Fort Lee named after African American general

Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) issued the following statement after the U.S. Naming Commission released a narrowed list of options, including African American Lt. General Arthur Gregg, to rename Fort Lee and eight other U.S. military bases across the nation:

“The U.S. Naming Commission has been tasked with the critical responsibility of renaming military installations honoring individuals who took up arms against the United States to preserve the institution of slavery. Fort Lee in Central Virginia was shortlisted as one of the first nine to be renamed. Since that time, I have advocated for Fort Lee to be rededicated in honor of Lt. General Arthur J. Gregg, a thirty-five year veteran of the U.S. Army and a celebrated military logistician who broke barriers to rise through the ranks from private to three-star general.

“Since the inception of this process, the U.S. Naming Commission has received more than 34,000 recommendations. I am thrilled that Arthur Gregg remains on the shortened list of 87 names, and I reiterate my call to rededicate Fort Lee as Fort Arthur Gregg. He is one of the most highly decorated Black military officers in U.S. history and represents the very best of the American Armed Forces.

“For far too long, the heroism, bravery, and sacrifices of Black servicemembers has been inadequately recognized and revered. We must rectify that injustice and honor the brave African Americans who defended our nation and its ideals. Renaming Fort Lee as Fort Gregg would be an incredible acknowledgment, not only of Lt. General Gregg’s contributions, but of the innumerable sacrifices men and women of color have made for generations in service to our nation.

“I will continue to advocate for Fort Gregg and engage with Admiral Michelle Howard, Chair of the Naming Commission, throughout this process.”

Background: Rep. McEachin has consistently advocated for Fort Lee to be renamed in honor of Lt. General Arthur J. Gregg. Following an independent commission organized by Rep. McEachin which agreed that the military base should be rededicated in honor of Lt. General Gregg, Rep. McEachin and Majority Whip James E. Clyburn sent a letter to Admiral Michelle Howard. Rep. McEachin then led a cohort of state and local leaders in reiterating that call. Finally, Rep. McEachin, once again joined by Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, led a letter with Members of the Congressional Black Caucus supporting the rededication of Fort Lee as Fort Gregg.