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Black Women in Rural Areas Grapple with Stark Decline in Obstetric Care

THE AFRO — “The risks facing women in rural communities is due to hardship in receiving routine screenings and also access for treatment if conditions/diseases arise. Also, in rural areas there are few specialists,” Dr. Sonya Buchanan, a preventative medicine physician and Meharry Medical College graduate, told the AFRO.

Published

1 month ago

April 8, 2026

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By Ashleigh Fields, Special to the AFRO

Black women in rural areas are facing the brunt of declining medical services, including access to obstetric care as new policies threaten clinic and hospital closures.

Under the current White House administration’s summer spending package, federal reimbursement for services covered through Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act severely declined leaving rural healthcare providers to fend for themselves amid pressing patient concerns.

“The risks facing women in rural communities is due to hardship in receiving routine screenings and also access for treatment if conditions/diseases arise. Also, in rural areas there are few specialists,” Dr. Sonya Buchanan, a preventative medicine physician and Meharry Medical College graduate, told the AFRO.

“Most specialists practice in larger cities with larger populations. Commuting to and from for treatment of chronic illnesses or cancer may not be possible for a number of reasons including financial, logistics or missing time from work,” she added.

In response to the 47th president’s spending bill, Georgia Rep. Nikema Williams (D) introduced the Maternal Health Equity Under Medicaid Act to raise federal matching rates to 90 percent for Medicaid expenditures on maternal healthcare.

Nearly 1 in 5 or 20 percent of rural adults and 40 percent of rural children rely on Medicaid or Children Health Insurance Program. Amid cost concerns, rural Americans also face geographic challenges that present threats to healthcare.

Most live an average of 10.5 miles from the nearest hospital, versus just 4.4 miles for their urban counterparts, according to the National Rural Health Association.

“Medicaid is the largest payer of maternity care in this country and must be part of the solution to the maternal health crisis. Too many people are still falling through cracks in our healthcare system, especially Black mamas who continue to face a worsening maternal health crisis,” Williams said in a statement noting that 42 percent of births are financed by Medicaid.

Still, women who enroll in Medicaid in their third trimester have a 4.7 times higher likelihood of experiencing maternal mortality and a 1.5 times higher risk for infant mortality, according to her office.

“Raising the federal match for maternal care will give states the resources they need to expand care and save lives. As Republicans threaten devastating Medicaid cuts, this legislation is a clear statement: we must invest in care, not cruelty,” the Georgia lawmaker said.

As of 2022, more than two-thirds of rural hospitals in eight states were without obstetric services, according to a Health Affairs study. From 2010- 2022, 12 states also reported the loss of 25 percent or more obstetric services in rural hospitals.

“The mass closures of obstetric wings in rural hospitals have been a major issue for years now. In North Carolina, 40 percent of our counties have no facilities at all for maternity care. The passage of the Big Beautiful Bill—I like to call it the Big Ugly Bill—is only going to make these issues so much worse. Labor and delivery units are often the first to get cut when hospital budgets get low,” Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.) told the AFRO.

“This bill made major cuts to Medicaid dollars, which hospitals rely on to stay afloat. It also created new restrictions making it more difficult to remain eligible for Medicaid,” she added.

The United States remains the only developed country with a rising maternal mortality rate, according to UNICEF, with deaths skewed towards women of color.

Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications and twice as likely to lose an infant to premature death. Women in rural communities are threatened the most.

All 50 states were given access to the federal Rural Health Transformation Fund which provides over $100,000 to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities across the country.

“While it won’t fully alleviate the burden of these Medicaid cuts, our state will be using some of these dollars to keep rural hospitals in business and expand maternity care access in our state, focusing on non-medical barriers to care, too,” Rep. Adams said.

“Let’s be honest, though—this is a band-aid to our country’s Black maternal health crisis. We need comprehensive legislation to address it, like the Momnibus Act, which we’re reintroducing soon with Rep. Underwood and Sen. Booker. We need major action soon, because our country is reaching a boiling point, and our moms deserve better,” Adams continued.

The Momnibus Act is a package of 13-bill acts that address social determinants, mental health, workforce diversification, and data collection, with over $1 billion in proposed investments dedicated to solving the maternal mortality crisis.

While lawmakers address issues through policy, doulas have also been stepping in to bridge the gap by providing travel services to address the lack of care in rural communities.

“Historically, doulas were responsible for assisting those giving birth and midwives, and were often among the few enslaved individuals who were allowed to travel due to the indispensability of their services. However, as births moved into hospitals, the non-clinical support system declined — removing an invaluable service for expectant mothers, particularly those within communities disproportionately affected by maternal mortality rates and limited access to medical care and birthing services,” according to Valerie Rochester, chief health equity officer at Creating Healthier Communities (CHC).

“Increasingly, research suggests that doulas are not only beneficial in better health outcomes, but also in reducing unnecessary medical procedures and, therefore, healthcare costs. A recent study of Medicaid beneficiaries found that women who received doula support had both lower cesarean and preterm birth rates,” she added.

Jacque Souza, a self-employed doula, said families in areas without immediate access to healthcare or concerns about care in hospitals have benefitted from the at-home services doulas provide.

“A birth doula holds space so birth can unfold with dignity. She does not replace medical care but helps mothers make the best decisions when bringing a baby into the world,” Souza told the AFRO.

Doulas also provide extensive treatment after babies are born.

“A postpartum doula also has an important, though often less visible, role. She helps families navigate the unique and delicate time of postpartum. those days when nights are long and the days feel endless. A postpartum doula guides and cares for new mothers during this profound transition,” Souza said.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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