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Lori Lights Up Chicago

NNPA NEWSWIRE — To hundreds of her supporters Lightfoot said, ‘You created more than just history. You created a movement for change. When we started this journey 11 months ago, nobody gave us much of a chance. We were up against powerful interests, a powerful machine and a powerful mayor. [Dr.] Martin Luther King said something when I was very young. Faith, he said, is taking the first step when you can’t see the staircase…We let our faith overcome our fears.

Published

7 years ago

April 4, 2019

Oakland Post

By Erick Johnson, The Chicago Crusader

On a historic night, Lori Lightfoot cemented her inspiring rise to political power to become Chicago’s first Black female mayor commanding a landslide victory over machine politics in the nation’s third largest city where there are more Blacks in public office than anywhere in the country.

In the second mayoral runoff in Chicago’s 182-year history, she swept all 50 wards as she delivered a crushing defeat to her opponent, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, a Black female political “Boss” who after rising to political prominence, lost an election for the first time in 32 years.

The evening also marked an unprecedented achievement for Chicago Blacks-one that set new records in Black political power in Chicago and Cook County. For the first time in the country, two Black women at the same time will lead Chicago, and Cook County, the second biggest county in America.

Chicago is now the largest city to elect a Black female mayor. It joins 13 cities headed by Black female mayors. They include San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Baltimore, New Orleans, Baton Rouge (LA), Charlotte (NC), New Haven (CT) and Rochester (NY).

In another historic victory, State Representative Melissa Conyears-Ervin became the city’s first Black female treasurer.

Blacks in Chicago now head the nation’s second largest police department, the second largest transit system, the third biggest public school system as well as the Chicago Fire Department, the Chicago Housing Authority and the Water Department.

With many Black residents struggling and disillusioned, some of these positions carry more symbolism than power and influence. With Lightfoot poised to take over, there’s the question of whether she will challenge or even shakeup the Black public leadership that Mayor Rahm Emanuel created, to restore trust with Black voters.

Lightfoot will be sworn in next month and replace Emanuel, an embattled official who decided not to run for a third term after losing trust among Chicago’s Black voters amid the police shooting of 17-year Laquan McDonald.

But the spotlight is on Lightfoot, a former prosecutor who was born to a working class family in Ohio. Thirty-six years after Harold Washington became the city’s first Black mayor, Lightfoot steps into the role at a time when hundreds of thousands of Blacks are leaving the city after years of crime, poverty and sweeping segregation among its Black and white residents.

Lightfoot is also the city’s first openly gay public official.

The evening set records on various levels in an election where only 30 percent of Chicago’s 1.6 million voters went to the polls after a long, highly publicized campaign season that for the first time saw two Black women vie for the city’s highest political office.

Lightfoot’s victory is being viewed as extraordinary. She defied odds as a gay, political rookie who had never held an elective office. There was concern that she would not get the support of the Black electorate because of her sexual orientation. In addition to being an ‘outsider’ at City Hall, the Chicago Black Caucus as an organization did not endorse her, or publicly campaign for Lightfoot. A WGN poll on March 5 showed that Lightfoot led her opponent by as much as 53 percent to Preckwinkle’s 30 percent. Another poll showed that 29 percent of voters remained undecided on their candidate of choice.

That left Preckwinkle’s supporters hopeful. But Lightfoot won anyway.

Forty-six minutes after the polls closed at 7 p.m, Lightfoot was declared the winner.

She grabbed nearly 74 percent of 498,154 votes that were cast. Lightfoot kept a massive lead over her opponent throughout the evening. When the first results appeared on the screens at her election night watch party at the Hilton Chicago on Michigan Avenue, cheers erupted from a diverse crowd of supporters in a packed ballroom where Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr., businessman Willie Wilson, activist Ja’Mal Green and several Black aldermen were in attendance.

With her wife and daughter standing behind her, Lightfoot gave an 18-minute speech that highlighted her tough journey to victory and expressed her vision for Chicago.

To hundreds of her supporters Lightfoot said, ‘You created more than just history. You created a movement for change. When we started this journey 11 months ago, nobody gave us much of a chance. We were up against powerful interests, a powerful machine and a powerful mayor. [Dr.] Martin Luther King said something when I was very young. Faith, he said, is taking the first step when you can’t see the staircase…We let our faith overcome our fears.

“Together, we can and will, finally put first the interests of our people-all of our people, and not the interests of a powerful few. We can and will make Chicago a place where your zip code doesn’t determine your destiny.”

Lightfoot also won all of the city’s Black wards, weeks after she was endorsed by Black businessman and former mayoral candidate Willie Wilson, who won 13 Black wards in the general election in February. Wilson’s endorsement is being viewed as a game changer in Lightfoot’s campaign, and his influence signaled his own rise to political prominence in a city that never took him seriously as an ambitious figure seeking to shake up Chicago’s political machine.

His downfall gave rise to Lightfoot, a relatively unknown figure in the Black community who quit her mayoral-appointed job to take on Emanuel and the machine politics at City Hall. She stunned the city’s status quo after beating 14 candidates in the February 26 election with little support from big donors and the political elite.

The victory added more fuel and momentum to Lightfoot as she remained defiant and outspoken about the city’s machine politics that for years have left many residents disenfranchised and disillusioned.

Standing in Lightfoot’s way was Preckwinkle, a political heavyweight, who has grown after she helped put in office Cook County’s first Black female State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, and Juliana Stratton, the first Black female Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. After winning the Primary in March, 2018, Preckwinkle became the first Black female to serve as chairman of the powerful Cook County Democratic Party.

Preckwinkle launched a negative advertising campaign that painted Lightfoot as an affluent attorney who built her legal career on defending powerful corporations while she served as a partner at the high-profile global law firm of Mayer Brown. But in the end, Preckwinkle’s ties to the corruption scandal of Alderman Ed Burke played into her opponent’s message that she is part of Chicago’s political machine. And Preckwinkle’s negative attacks only boosted her negative image as a mean-spirited public official.

In the final weeks leading up to the runoff election, the two racked up political endorsements at a pace not seen before in recent Chicago memory.

Lightfoot was endorsed by the city’s daily newspapers and several Black aldermen. Many of Preckwinkle’s endorsements came from unions. Former President Barack Obama and several organizations remained silent, fueling speculation that many Democrats had abandoned Preckwinkle when she really needed them. Obama’s former Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett endorsed Preckwinkle in the final weeks of her mayoral campaign.

Obama, whose mansion is in Hyde Park where Preckwinkle lives, endorsed Preckwinkle during her campaign for a third term as Cook County Board President.

Lightfoot in her victory speech promised to heal the wounds, after a bitter campaign season among two strong Black women.

“In this election, Toni and I were competitors. But our differences are nothing compared to what we can achieve together. Now that it’s over, I know that we will work together in a city that we both love.”

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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

2 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

2 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.

Published

2 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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