#NNPA BlackPress
Love of farming goes back to childhood for local farmer
NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER — These days, there’s more to Lockards Produce than a patch in the front yard, and Lockard is growing much more than just greens. In total, Debra Lockard said that more than 165 acres has been passed down since the family bought the farm nearly 90 years ago.
For as long as she can remember, Debra Lockard has been about getting that green.
No, not money – though she’s definitely about that, too. Actual greens. As a child, her grandfather gave her a little patch of land, right there in the front yard. In it, Lockard would cultivate greens – turnip, collards, mustards…
“I don’t know, there’s something about greens that I love to pick greens,” said Lockard, who now runs Lockards Produce from the family farm in Glimp, just north of Memphis. “I can still see him today saying, ‘This is her green field.’ And I would just sit there and pick greens.
“To this day, they have to say ‘Would you come out of the green field?’” she continued. “I just love picking greens!”
These days, there’s more to Lockards Produce than a patch in the front yard, and Lockard is growing much more than just greens. In total, Lockard said that more than 165 acres has been passed down since the family bought the farm nearly 90 years ago.
She owns 30 acres of that land and, with her helpers, runs her farm on about seven acres of it. Her brother owns the rest. But that’s plenty of room to grow the greens, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and whatever else Lockard believes will sell at local farmer’s markets – just like her grandparents and parents did when she was a child.
“I grew up here in Memphis, I went to school here, but we would always go back up to the farm and harvest,” she said. “We would harvest and bring the harvest back here to Memphis and sell it at the farmer’s market.
“And (we’d sell to) people in the neighborhood,” Lockard said. “They knew that they could come to us and get some good vegetables and fruit.”
While farming has always been in her blood, she hasn’t always been a farmer. Lockard returned to farming about four years ago, after a lengthy career as a teacher, technology coach and school principal. She also spent time caring for her aging parents until their deaths.
One unexpected drenching can set off a cascade of events that can set back a small farmer, Lockard said. Take for example last April, when the National Weather Service reported that three inches of rain fell on Memphis in a 24-hour period.
Lockards Produce is certified naturally grown, meaning she only uses natural methods to fertilize her crops and manage pests. Her methods require a little more work and attention. And even if you do everything right, Mother Nature still has the final say.
“The rain came at the beginning of the last season,” Lockard remembered. “Because of that, we were late getting crops in the ground. And when we did place the crops in the ground, continuous rain washed our seeds away. We would have to start over.”
Lockard is excited about what the new federal Farm Bill means for her and other African-American farmers. Not only does the legislation make it easier for farmers to pass land onto their heirs, it also bolsters funding at land-grant HBCUs and earmarks money to teach the next generation of “agripreneurs” how to farm.
She’s not planning on missing out. Even on New Year’s Eve, Lockard said she was applying for grants. If successful, she’ll use the funds to shore up her operation, including securing a food processing facility, food storage, transportation and a high-tunnel greenhouse to extend her growing season.
And once a teacher, always a teacher…
“I want to train students on how to be a farmer,” the former educator added, noting that some youngsters at her church approached her about learning to garden. “To get them started looking at agriculture as a business opportunity. I feel I’m being a good role model to them also.”
Think you have a green thumb? Well, like any other business, Lockard recommends starting small – perhaps with a garden in your yard. “That way you won’t waste so much money, if you try it and find out you don’t like it,” she said.
But can you be a full-time farmer in the Mid-South? That takes a major commitment, she said.
“For those who can get in and put in 100 percent, not working any other job, you should be able to sustain yourself,” she said. “But most people can’t do that. The weather affects you. Also finding a market to sell your produce can be a challenge. For most people, agriculture can be supplemental income.”
As a retiree, farm income only makes up a part of Lockard’s finances. But farming makes plenty of work for Lockard, who isn’t above doing the heavy lifting herself.
“Being a woman in agriculture, there’s so much that we have to be able to do,” Lockard said. “I’m just now learning how to work my tractor. I got a three-point hitch, and I drive the tractor. So I have to be able to lift the hitch, which might be 40 pounds. And other things like that. It’s very physical.”
And all of that doesn’t count the usual stresses of being an entrepreneur, she said.
“I have an overseer on my farm, he’s one of my helpers,” she said. “But if something happens, I get an immediate call and sometimes that means stop, drop (what I’m doing), gotta go. That’s a challenge when you don’t live adjacent to your farm.
“And then, trying to maintain your family life, your home, trying to put in a vacation when you’re trying to grow. . . .that’s the difficulty of it.”
But she knows it’s worth the challenges when the taste of freshness brings her customers back for more.
“It pays off when a customer comes back and tells me how good (my produce) tastes,” she said. “When they talk about what quality it is, and how it makes them feel.”
Though the days can be taxing, she doesn’t mind a bit. She’s got generations of Lockards smiling on her. “I know my parents are happy because all they knew was that I wanted to farm,” she said.
“I don’t call it hustling. I call it having fun and living my dream and making people happy.”
This article originally appeared in The New Tri-State Defender.
#NNPA BlackPress
Black Americans Still Face Deep Retirement Gaps Despite Higher Incomes
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Debt remains a significant barrier. 63% of higher-income Black households said debt is a problem, while just 45% of non-Black households at the same income level said the same. Nearly half of upper-income Black respondents said debt affects their ability to save or live comfortably in retirement.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
A report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute shows that Black Americans continue to face serious challenges in saving for retirement, even as their incomes grow.
The 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey, which included a special oversample of Black workers and retirees, found that the wealth gap remains wide at every income level. Among households earning $75,000 or more, only 33% of Black Americans reported having $250,000 or more in savings and investments, compared with 63% of non-Black Americans. Debt remains a significant barrier. 63% of higher-income Black households said debt is a problem, while just 45% of non-Black households at the same income level said the same. Nearly half of upper-income Black respondents said debt affects their ability to save or live comfortably in retirement.
While many Black Americans expressed confidence managing day-to-day budgets, fewer felt prepared to invest or plan for the long term. The study showed that Black Americans with higher incomes were less likely to have personally saved for retirement, 77%, compared with 87% of non-Black Americans. Retirement experiences also differed sharply. Forty-four percent of Black retirees said they retired earlier than planned because of a health problem or disability, compared with 32% of non-Black retirees. After leaving their main jobs, Black retirees were more likely to work for pay to make ends meet, and more often said their retirement lifestyle was worse than expected. Access to financial advice and planning remains uneven. Just 31% of Black respondents reported currently working with a financial advisor, although nearly half expect to do so in the future. Black Americans were more likely to seek help with reducing debt, creating wills or estate plans, and arranging life insurance than simply determining if they had saved enough to retire.
Researchers Craig Copeland and Lisa Greenwald wrote, “Black Americans reported disproportionately lower financial resources, and how they feel about retirement and financial security is clearly impacted by having less resources.” They continued, “In particular, Black retirees are struggling with higher likelihoods of their retirement lifestyle being worse than expected and having to retire earlier than planned because of a health problem or disability.” “Still,” the researchers concluded, “there are some modifications in the financial system that could help improve their prospects, such as increased assistance in balancing competing financial priorities like debt reduction, supporting family, and building long-term savings.”
#NNPA BlackPress
Scorching Heat Sparks Bipartisan Climate Alarm
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — As record-breaking heat waves sweep across the country this summer, a new national poll reveals an overwhelming majority of Americans are linking the punishing temperatures to climate change — and voicing deep concern about the government’s ability to respond.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
As record-breaking heat waves sweep across the country this summer, a new national poll reveals an overwhelming majority of Americans are linking the punishing temperatures to climate change — and voicing deep concern about the government’s ability to respond.
The American Climate Perspectives Survey 2025, conducted by ecoAmerica, found that 86% of Americans say rising temperatures have increased their concern about climate change, with more than half reporting they are “a lot” more concerned. The sentiment cuts across demographic and political lines, with 97% of Democrats, 83% of Independents, and 79% of Republicans expressing heightened worry about the climate crisis. “Americans are connecting extreme heat to climate change, their health, and government inaction,” said Meighen Speiser, Executive Director of ecoAmerica.
Nearly nine in ten respondents recognize the toll heat is taking on public health, with 58% saying extreme heat affects health “a lot.” This awareness is remarkably consistent across racial, age, and income groups. Among Black Americans, 91% said rising temperatures have intensified their concern about climate change, reflecting some of the highest concern levels among any group surveyed. Those concerns are not abstract. Decades of research by the Brookings Institution, NOAA, and others show Black communities often face the greatest exposure to extreme heat and the fewest resources to adapt. Studies have documented that historically redlined neighborhoods, where many Black Americans live, are routinely up to 10 degrees hotter than wealthier, predominantly white neighborhoods nearby.
In cities such as Atlanta and Baltimore, Black homeowners are significantly more likely to face heat risks and energy insecurity, limiting their ability to cool their homes as temperatures rise. Nationally, Black renters experience higher rates of energy insecurity, with over half struggling to afford adequate cooling during heat waves. Meanwhile, the latest study also points to a notable shift in how Americans perceive the link between climate change and extreme weather. Eighty-two percent now believe that climate change is making extreme events, such as floods, wildfires, and hurricanes, more frequent and severe, up six points since 2021. The most dramatic change is among Republicans: the share who recognize that climate change is fueling extreme weather surged 17 points over four years, from 58% in 2021 to 75% in 2025.
These findings arrive as proposals to slash funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) advance in Washington. The agencies are widely seen as the nation’s front-line defense against disasters and a critical source of weather forecasting and emergency relief. The risks are particularly acute for Black communities already facing disproportionate impacts from hurricanes and flooding, as seen in the devastation of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and more recent storms that have repeatedly displaced predominantly Black neighborhoods in the Gulf Coast and Southeast.
The survey shows Americans are not just worried about rising temperatures — they’re anxious about the government’s readiness to protect communities. Seventy-nine percent said cuts to FEMA and NOAA make them more concerned about the federal government’s ability to respond to climate impacts. That includes 92% of Democrats, 76% of Independents, and 69% of Republicans, underscoring that the anxiety is bipartisan.
Generational divides are also apparent. While 95% of young adults reported that extreme heat has boosted their concern about climate change, the figure was lower — but still significant — among adults over 65, at 70%. However, across all age groups, majorities agree that the crisis is escalating and requires immediate action. “These findings show it’s time to drop partisan politics and rather meet this moment with urgency, leadership, and protection,” Speiser said.
#NNPA BlackPress
Michael Jackson Estate Files Court Petition Alleging $213 Million Extortion Plot by Frank Cascio
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The court action, exclusively obtained by Black Press USA, reveals in unprecedented detail how the estate contends that Cascio and unnamed associates used their proximity to Jackson—once proudly touted in books and interviews—to demand a fortune from the most successful celebrity estate in history.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
The Estate of Michael Jackson has filed an explosive petition in Los Angeles Superior Court accusing Frank Cascio, a man once described as Jackson’s “second family,” of masterminding a $213 million extortion plot to force payouts by threatening to flip decades of public support into salacious allegations about the King of Pop. The court action, exclusively obtained by Black Press USA, reveals in unprecedented detail how the estate contends that Cascio and unnamed associates used their proximity to Jackson—once proudly touted in books and interviews—to demand a fortune from the most successful celebrity estate in history. “For over 30 years, these individuals held themselves out as Michael Jackson’s most passionate defenders,” the petition states, quoting Cascio’s repeated assertions—under oath and on national television—that Jackson never harmed him or any child. “It was a shakedown,” the estate’s lawyers charged.
A Decades-Long Public Defense
As recently as 2011, Cascio promoted his memoir My Friend Michael, describing a warm, fatherly relationship with Jackson. “I want to be precise and clear, on the record, so that everyone can read and understand,” he wrote. “Michael’s love for children was innocent, and it was profoundly misunderstood.” He doubled down in dozens of interviews. During a 2005 ABC Primetime Live broadcast, Cascio—then using the name Frank Tyson—declared: “If Michael ever laid a finger on me, I would not be in this chair right now.” In a 2011 sit-down with Wendy Williams, he said with conviction, “Nothing at all. And that’s what makes me so upset,” when asked whether Jackson had ever acted inappropriately. Even years later, one of the respondents continued to insist Jackson was a target of “liars,” telling Oprah Winfrey during a televised interview: “Michael couldn’t harm a fly. He’s such a kind and gentle soul. Michael was a target.” In 2019, when HBO’s controversial Leaving Neverland documentary ignited a fresh wave of criticism and threatened multiple Jackson-related projects—including Cirque du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson ONE”—estate co-executors John Branca and John McClain, along with the Michael Jackson Company, sought Cascio’s support. Instead, they say, Cascio turned on them.
A Secret Settlement
Facing mounting public pressure and what they describe as repeated threats to invent new claims, the estate entered into a confidential settlement on January 10, 2020. Under the agreement, Cascio and his associates would receive millions over five years—$3 million each, according to sources familiar with the negotiations—in exchange for comprehensive waivers, a sweeping nondisclosure clause, and an ironclad promise to arbitrate any disputes. The estate said it acted reluctantly to protect Jackson’s children and preserve projects that would cement the late artist’s legacy. “We have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize the income of the estate,” Branca said in an earlier interview. “Our counsel insisted we sign the agreement. They didn’t want it disclosed either because Michael’s fans would have gone after these people.” The settlement contained an unusually strict provision barring even the disclosure of the agreement’s existence.
The $213 Million Demand
Despite having collected payments under that deal, Cascio, through lawyers, allegedly re-emerged in July 2024 with a stunning ultimatum: Pay $213 million more, or face a media spectacle. According to the court filing, Cascio’s legal team—then led by attorney Howard King—threatened to “expand the circle of knowledge” and leak allegations to the buyer of Jackson’s $600 million music catalog if their demands were not met. In one email sent August 29, 2024, King wrote, “We expect a substantive response by the end of day tomorrow. Otherwise, we will be forced to expand the ‘circle of knowledge.’” The estate called this an extortionate threat designed to pressure them into paying for silence. The estate responded by initiating a confidential arbitration proceeding on September 17, 2024, accusing Cascio of civil extortion and anticipatory breach of contract. Days later, Cascio’s lawyers delivered draft lawsuits “riddled with outlandish scurrilous allegations” that directly contradicted his years of public statements.
The Geragos Factor
By January 2025, Cascio had replaced his counsel with Mark Geragos—ironically, Jackson’s former defense lawyer who had proclaimed to Good Morning America that “there’s nothing sexual going on” and that Jackson was “100 percent innocent.” In his 2013 book Mistrial, Geragos wrote of Jackson’s 2005 acquittal: “The evidence was overwhelming that he never touched this kid, and the entire thing was a huge shakedown.” He also appeared on The Megyn Kelly Show in December 2021 to blast Leaving Neverland, calling it “a complete rewrite of history” and an “absolute travesty.” However, now Geragos has taken the opposite stance, representing Cascio in a renewed effort to file public litigation. According to the estate’s filing, Geragos lowered the demand to $44 million but warned that if the estate refused, they would sue for defamation, emotional distress, and an alleged “cover-up.” The estate insists these claims are “bogus” and barred by the original settlement’s releases and arbitration clauses. The petition points out that the agreement explicitly requires arbitration for any disputes, even the question of whether a claim is arbitrable. “The question of arbitrability is itself a question to be resolved finally by the arbitrator,” the contract states.
The Estate’s Broader Mission
This latest legal battle comes as the Jackson estate continues to flourish. Since Jackson died in 2009, Branca and McClain have transformed a $500 million debt into an empire generating over $3 billion. Projects include the record-breaking concert film Michael Jackson’s This Is It, Cirque du Soleil productions, and the upcoming Antoine Fuqua biopic MICHAEL, starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar. Yet Branca says managing the estate means protecting it from opportunistic attacks. “Michael was acutely aware of the racial undertones in how he was perceived,” Branca told Black Press USA in a prior interview, recalling Jackson’s lament: “Sinatra’s the chairman of the board. Elvis is the king. Springsteen is the boss. But what do they call me? The Gloved One…that’s racist.” Branca added, “I definitely believe there’s a racist element in the media coverage of Michael Jackson since the 1980s. Michael got so big many were jealous.” The estate has requested that the court order Cascio into arbitration and award legal fees. If the petition is granted, any subsequent proceedings would take place in private. For now, the estate is vowing not to yield. “We will continue to manage the estate with the integrity and dedication that Michael deserved,” Branca said. “Attempts like this to tarnish his memory for financial gain will not succeed.”
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Congress Says Yes to Rep. Simon’s Disability Hiring and Small Biz Support Bill
-
Activism4 weeks ago
OPINION: California’s Legislature Has the Wrong Prescription for the Affordability Crisis — Gov. Newsom’s Plan Hits the Mark
-
Activism4 weeks ago
The Case Against Probate: False Ruling Invalidates Black Professor’s Estate Plan, Ignoring 28-Year Relationship
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Juneteenth: Celebrating Our History, Honoring Our Shared Spaces
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025
-
Antonio Ray Harvey4 weeks ago
Air Quality Board Rejects Two Rules Written to Ban Gas Water Heaters and Furnaces
-
Uncategorized4 weeks ago
Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments