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OP-ED: Will EPA’s New Regulations Enhance Sustainable Development?

NNPA NEWSWIRE — More clean energy initiatives are needed and proposing them should remain a priority for the administration. That said, the new EPA policy rule on existing coal and natural gas plants should be done in a manner that protects the environment and climate while also enhancing the economy. The administration needs to ensure that new well-intentioned mandates will not have the unintended consequences of making electricity more expensive, especially for underserved communities.
The post OP-ED: Will EPA’s New Regulations Enhance Sustainable Development? first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

May 14, 2024

Oakland Post

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

By responding to the African American community’s concerns about proposed regulatory and administrative policies, the Biden-Harris Administration has proven to be a responsive champion of minority voices and interests.

Take, for example, the administration’s recent reversal of its proposal to ban menthol cigarettes, which are disproportionately used by Black and Hispanic adult smokers, following concerns about unjust racial profiling and targeting.

Through the Affordable Connectivity Program, the Biden-Harris Administration connected over 5 million Black households to affordable, high-speed Internet, bridging the digital divide for millions of African American families nationwide.

As the Biden-Harris 2024 presidential campaign continues to gain momentum among African Americans and other communities of color, I encourage the campaign to remain responsive to the issues and needs of those communities that will provide a solid base for the Democratic Party in the 2024 national elections. Recent national polls continue to indicate that the Biden-Harris campaign still has some work to do to match the Democratic voter turnout that was achieved in 2016 and 2020, so responding to these concerns can pay significant dividends in this respect.

One area where Biden-Harris can energize African American voter turnout is addressing their frustration over the rising cost of living, which is often driven by higher energy prices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this kind of economic pain has fallen more on Black Americans than White Americans.

I applaud my dear friend and colleague, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, who has been a strong advocate for environmental justice and equality for all Americans, particularly minority communities.

In a recent speech at my Alma mater, Howard University, one of the nation’s most prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Administrator Regan announced that the EPA would like to eventually shut down existing coal plants and ban new natural gas plants unless they implement carbon capture technologies that are now emerging in the energy sector.

In his remarks, Administrator Regan argued that the mandates are necessary to protect “communities of color” from hazards at coal and natural gas power plants that do not employ carbon capture goals and objectives. Unquestionably, I know where the administration’s heart is on this issue.

However, those proposals could possibly make electricity more expensive and, at times, less reliable, disproportionately hurting minority consumers. Moreover, many new natural gas plants targeted by the EPA provide reliable critical backup energy sources. That said, Administrator Regan presents some valid points, and the administration can, without question, find a solution to this issue that pleases all its voter bases.

That process can begin by creating a Biden-Harris Sustainable Development Council. President Bill Clinton established the President’s Council on Sustainable Development in 1993. The successful purpose of that council was to bring together leaders of environmental and climate justice with the leaders of energy, commerce, and others in corporate America, including leaders from the coal and gas industries, to jointly explore ways to strengthen America’s economy and protect the environment and climate at the same time.

Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown chaired the President’s Council on Sustainable Development. I was very pleased to represent the interests of the Environmental Justice Movement as an active member of the council. We discovered that the interests of corporate America and the energy sector were not mutually exclusive to the interests of environmental and climate justice.

In other words, a strong economy can and should contribute to sustaining environmental and climate matters — and environmentalists and climate change advocates can and should also work to ensure the growth and sustainability of the national economy.

I am convinced that President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Administrator Regan re-establishing the President’s Council on Sustainable Development — which will work directly with the Congressional Black Caucus Energy Braintrust, prominent urban mayors, elected officials, energy industry leaders, and with the advocates of climate change and the leaders of the Environmental Justice Movement — will allow them to find a way to implement an all-of-the-above energy approach that works for everyone. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), where I serve as the president and CEO, welcomes the opportunity to participate in such an ongoing effort and council.

More clean energy initiatives are needed, and proposing them should remain a priority for the administration. That said, the new EPA policy rule on existing coal and natural gas plants should be made to protect the environment and climate while enhancing the economy. The administration needs to ensure that new, well-intentioned mandates will not have the unintended consequences of making electricity more expensive, especially for underserved communities.

I am confident that the energy-impacting proposals now under review by EPA Administrator Regan and the Biden-Harris Administration will consider the issues I am raising with the ultimate goal of sustainability for the environment, climate, and the economy.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and a lifelong civil rights and environmental justice leader who can be reached at dr.bchavis@nnpa.org

The post OP-ED: Will EPA’s New Regulations Enhance Sustainable Development? first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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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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