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How NBA Legend Isiah Thomas Is Rewriting the Rules of Wealth, Industry, and the American Dream

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — There is something tender and knowing in the way Isiah Thomas speaks about the earth. It is the tenderness of a man who understands struggle and sunlight, who respects what grows slowly and what survives storms.

Published

7 months ago

November 17, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

There is something tender and knowing in the way Isiah Thomas speaks about the earth. It is the tenderness of a man who understands struggle and sunlight, who respects what grows slowly and what survives storms. When he began describing how his journey into renewable materials first took root, he started not with profit sheets or projections, but with the living world beneath our feet.

“I began by understanding the plants and the soil,” Thomas told Black Press USA. “Rice, corn, soy, all of these crops work directly with the earth. They are biofeed. They speak to the ground.”

He said he watched how these plants responded to wind, water, and purpose. He spoke of them almost like kin. “They show you what they can become if you pay attention,” the NBA Hall of Famer stated. “They show you how to live with the earth instead of against it.”

From those thoughts came a deeper question. Thomas wanted to know how to reduce plastic use during a time when industries across the world were scrambling to shrink their carbon footprints. “I began looking at how we take carbon out of the system, how we reduce plastics, and whether there was something in these natural fibers that could answer that call,” he said.

He hired engineers. He worked with Stellantis. He poured time and thought into a field most people in his world did not consider. “There were a lot of research moments, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of failures,” Thomas acknowledged. “But eventually, we got it. And once we got it, we patented the process and started moving it into automotive.”

That path led to a milestone no NBA player had ever reached. Thomas became the first in league history to hold majority control of a publicly traded company, guiding One World Products into its transition as Isiah Enterprises, a clean-tech leader rooted in renewable materials and sustainable production.

His rise in business leadership began with a near-failing facility in Midland, Michigan. Eco Bio Plastics Midland was close to bankruptcy. Thomas said he saw more than broken machines and struggling workers. “When I looked at that place, I saw a chance to rebuild something. I saw possibility,” he explained.

He bought it. He nurtured it. And under his direction, the company expanded into advanced materials used in vehicles, reusable containers, and packaging solutions. The transformation became the foundation of Isiah Enterprises.

The company began gaining ground. It shipped over 100,000 pounds of pelletized rubber compounds from the Michigan facility, proving that sustainable manufacturing could be scaled with precision and care. “This milestone represents more than just output,” Thomas declared. “It tells us the strategy works.”

The growth continued as One World expanded its Eco Bio Plastics division through a compounding partnership with Full Circle Technologies. “We are processing tens of thousands of pounds of renewable materials every week,” Thomas proclaimed. The expansion opened doors to a massive global packaging industry valued in the trillions and built on earlier successes, including hemp-based reusable containers delivered to Flex-N-Gate in collaboration with ORBIS and West Michigan Compounding.

The two-time NBA champion’s leadership in sustainable innovation stretches back further. He stepped in as CEO of One World Pharma in 2020, bringing with him relationships across continents and a commitment to working honorably with indigenous communities in Colombia. He said the company had “deep commitment to excellence and humanitarian partnership.”

To secure the future he envisioned, Thomas increased his own investment in the company while working alongside institutional backers who believed in the mission. “I wanted to make sure we had the capital we needed to grow responsibly,” the all-time great Detroit Pistons floor general said. He added that long-term supporters helped restructure debt and strengthen operations.

Yet the story that holds his heart rests with family. When asked whether he always dreamed of leading a public company, he shook his head. “It wasn’t always part of the plan,” Thomas related. “What was always part of the plan was uplifting my family out of generational poverty.”

He said some nieces, nephews, and cousins still struggle. The knowledge grounds him. It gives weight to each decision. “I started looking at the penny stock differently,” Thomas said. “I thought about people buying in for one, two, or five dollars. I thought about what that could mean for families like mine.”

He spoke with the memory of someone who has watched wealth pass through other communities without stopping in his own. “We never get a chance to participate at the ground level,” he said. “The only time we get to play with that kind of money is the lottery. But what if instead of buying tickets, we bought shares? What if we became shareholders and not ticket holders?”

Thomas noted that he watches how wealthy families give stock to their children every holiday. “They pass out stock,” he said. “They stuff the stockings with stock. And by the time those kids are in high school, it is worth something. I want that for other families too.”

His long-term dream is bold. “My goal is to be the first NBA player to uplift a company to the NASDAQ,” Thomas said. “If we take this stock from two cents to a dollar, people can do the math. They will know what it means.”

The challenge now is spreading the word and delivering the applications that industries are demanding. “The automotive and food packaging worlds are calling for alternatives,” he continued. “We have come up with several applications already. Now I have to make sure we execute.”

With a calm that feels both gentle and resolute, Thomas looked toward the horizon of his new work. And with the same tone he used many times on the court when victory required faith, he said, “Now I have to come up with the applications to do it.”

Stacy M. Brown

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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

1 month 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

1 month ago

May 3, 2026

admin

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.

Published

1 month 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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