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OP-ED: Vice-President Kamala is Ready!

CAPITAL OUTLOOK — As I noted in my Op-Ed, three weeks ago, our vice president is ready to be the next president of the United States. End of discussion! The delegates to the Democratic National Convention next month, should enthusiastically nominate her to lead the ticket. Vice-President Kamala Harris will energize the electorate; she will create great excitement and hope. President Biden’s decision has proven again that he loves this country; he is a dear patriot; and he is a great man!
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By Reverend Dr.  RB Holmes, Jr.

We must commend and appreciate President Joseph Biden for being a quintessential leader and, perhaps, one of the best presidents in modern political history. He is not finished yet. He will complete his agenda of appointing qualified federal judges, reducing the cost of prescription drugs, working for a cease-fire in the Middle East, and building a stronger economy for all Americans. President Biden has endorsed his Vice-President, the Honorable Kamala Harris, to head the Democratic ticket for the presidency.

As I noted in my Op-Ed three weeks ago, our vice president is ready to be the next president of the United States. End of discussion! The delegates to the Democratic National Convention next month should enthusiastically nominate her to lead the ticket. Vice-President Kamala Harris will energize the electorate; she will create great excitement and hope.  President Biden’s decision has proven again that he loves this country; he is a dear patriot; and he is a great man!

President Biden: Should he stay, or should he leave?

By Reverend Dr.  RB Holmes, Jr.

This query is perhaps one of the greatest questions of the last 248 years. In my humble opinion, the answer to this question will decide what kind of nation we will leave to future generations. As it relates to baby boomers, the answer to this question will determine the quality of ourselves as it relates to, hopefully, “the bonus years” that remain.

The Democratic Party is having a proverbial meltdown since the June 27, 2024, debate debacle by President Biden. Democrats can’t get out of their way. Some believe that President Biden should step aside for what appears to be his failing health. Others in the party are standing with the president, saying, in essence, he should remain in the race. What are you saying? Should he stay, or should he leave?

Full disclosure: I am an independent. I once was a Democrat and even a Republican. The Republican Party ran me out of the party.  I really couldn’t stay in a party that is destroying and dismantling programs and policies that I truly believed made this country great.

Let’s turn our attention back to the Biden challenge. I voted for President Biden and will gladly vote for him again if he remains in the race.  President Joe Biden is a good man:

He is a man of great character and integrity.

He brought us through the worst pandemic in our lifetime. He didn’t recommend injecting “bleach.” He provided resources to struggling Americans to keep food on their tables and most importantly, he trusted the vaccine and the medical community’s advice. This president didn’t weaponize this deadly virus for political points.

President Biden helped bring this economy out of an impending recession and has advocated for the expansion of Medicaid rather than its elimination.

President Biden is bringing down the high cost of prescription drugs, especially for the elderly and the poor.

President Biden is fighting to save Obamacare, social security, the environment, and good-paying jobs for all Americans.

President Biden is a strong advocate for the Civic Rights Bill of 1964, The Voting Rights Bill of 1965, and the Fair Housing Bill of 1966.

President Biden is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

President Biden is for affirmative action programs.

President Biden is for women making their own health decisions.

President Biden will stand up for the rights of the Dreamers. He hasn’t demonized immigrants. Unlike the Republican Party’s likely nominee, I don’t recall President Biden ever saying he doesn’t want people coming to the United States from those “s____ hole” countries.

President Biden has never been an advocate for white supremacy. Remember, he decided to run for president because of the pro-supremacy march in Charlottesville, Virginia. His slogan became “I am fighting for the soul of the nation!” Friends, unfortunately, this nation’s soul is sick. We need someone in that White House who does not give voice to white supremacy nor give support to the proud boys. President Biden is proud to be an American.

The question is whether President Biden should stay or go. Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits. (St.  Matthew 7:16) After the debate between President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump, begin to examine the fruit. In essence, I became a fruit inspector. Yes, the president acknowledged he had a bad debate and confirmed that he is no longer a smooth talker: his steps are slower, and he isn’t as articulate as he was in the past.  The question is, who is? As a fruit inspector, I don’t think we ought to cut down the entire tree because of a bad branch.

Let me continue to examine the Biden fruit. Yes, it is an old tree, but old trees are full of shade, wisdom, hope, experience and tenacity. Biden was appointed by the first Black president to serve this country in 248 years, the honorable Barack Hussein Obama.  Oh yes! He saw the good fruit. The powerful United States Congressman, the Honorable Jim Clyburn (D-SC), saw this good fruit when he enthusiastically endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 for president. I met Congressman Clyburn a few Sundays ago when he spoke at the Mount Zion Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, where the pastor is Reverend Daniel Simmons.  At that service, Congressman Clyburn told the story of an elderly woman at a funeral who asked him, “who was he voting for.” He told her Joe Biden and the rest is history. Congressman Clyburn is still standing with Joe Biden. Why? He has seen a fruit tree producing good fruit.

Congressman Clyburn has witnessed up front and close the good decisions that President Biden has made and will continue to make. The man has sound judgment, and he has wisdom. President Biden selected The Honorable Senator Kamala Harris to be his Vice President. Her selection was indeed an historic and transformative decision.  Listen, I have personally met Vice President Kamala Harris. She is the real deal. She is brilliant, she is intelligent, and she is probably one of the best vice presidents to ever serve this nation.

Also, as I examine the Biden tree, he is decisive and courageous in making the right decisions and appointments. He appointed the first black female to the United States Supreme Court. Yes, the Supreme Court: the honorable Associate Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson. In reference to federal judges, President Biden has appointed more black federal judges than any president in these 248 years of this nation. Trust me, federal judges matter.

The next president will most likely appoint two or more justices to the mighty Supreme Court, a court today that is radically and cynically erasing the significant rulings of the 20th century. Melvin and the Blue Notes are prophetically telling us to “Wake up everybody!” While the country is in a debate about Biden, we are losing our hard-earned rights of yesteryears.

The question is should Biden stay, or should he step down? My answer is he should stay in the race for a second term.  This decision is between President Biden and his family. I believe this president will make the best decision for the good of this country. Moreover, he has an impressive record of achievements and accomplishments in his fifty-plus years as a faithful public servant. I hope we would not allow a 90-minute debate to be the defining moment of a stellar political career of fifty remarkable years. He has provided this nation with faithful, forthright, and fruitful leadership. I pray to God that he would be healthy enough to continue to “bring forth good fruits.”

Let’s look into the future. If, for some reason, President Biden should step aside, there is a viable and venerable alternative. That person is the sitting vice president of this nation, the gifted Kamala Harris. This nation is blessed and highly favored to have such an incredible person ready to accept the baton and lead us to victory in November.  Please do not let the negative talking heads convince you that she isn’t ready. She will be ready, and she is ready to serve, protect, and defend the values of this nation.

Again, President Biden made a masterful decision to select her as his running mate. If she gets the call, she will motivate the base to turn out in record-breaking numbers. She will defeat her opponent; she will unite this country, and she will bring hope and steadfast leadership as our next president. Listen, there should be no division at the Democratic Party’s National Convention if President Biden should decide to step aside. Vice-president Harris is ready to step up!

Reverend Dr.  RB Holmes is CEO and Publisher of the Capital Outlook Newspaper and the Pastor of the Historic Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Tallahassee, FL.

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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.

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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.

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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)

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)

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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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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