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There is No Place Like Home

HISD taps former Jack Yates High School student and teacher, Stephanie Torrez Square, to lead the historic school into the future After weeks of concern, angst, and uncertainty in the community about who would become the next principal of the historic Jack Yates Senior High School, an exciting decision has been made. Jack Yates is […]
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HISD taps former Jack Yates High School student and teacher, Stephanie Torrez Square, to lead the historic school into the future

After weeks of concern, angst, and uncertainty in the community about who would become the next principal of the historic Jack Yates Senior High School, an exciting decision has been made.

Jack Yates is welcoming its newest principal to the legendary Third Ward campus; but listen, although this newly-hired individual may be new to the principal role at Jack Yates, they are not new to serving as a principal.  On top of that, they definitely are not new when it comes to understanding the traditions and appreciating the rich history of Jack Yates Senior High School.

So, who is the new principal?  Drum roll, please …………

Stephanie Torrez Square, who is a proud Yates alumnus and former teacher at the school, has officially been named the new principal at Jack Yates. The announcement was made earlier this week.

Best believe, there has been tremendous excitement, a sigh of relief, and an enormous buzz in the community regarding the announcement of this new hire.

Square, 39, takes the helm at Jack Yates, just in time for the start of the upcoming school year.

Square took to Facebook on July 24th to announce the exciting news about the hire, stating:

“I am proud to announce I will be serving as Principal at THE ONE AND ONLY Jack Yates High School.”

As part of her social media announcement, Square also posted several pictures of her that featured family members, former coaches—like several of her with popular longtime Coach Maurice McGowan—fellow classmates, former teammates, and several other individuals.

The Facebook post has garnered hundreds of positive responses, especially from members of the Jack Yates alumni, and the post continues to be liked and shared.

Square replaces former Jack Yates principal Tiffany Guillory, who was one of three principals removed from their respective schools and reassigned by new Interim Superintendent Mike Miles this month. Guillory served as the principal of Jack Yates High from the start of the 2018-19 school year, up to her removal and reassignment.

Prior to Jack Yates, Square served as the principal of East Early College High School.  Under her leadership, the school earned an A rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) last year. Square takes the reins of a Jack Yates campus that the TEA claims has failed four out of the last six state assessments, although there are many advocates who dispute those expressed outcomes.

Square is excited and tells the Forward Times that she is humbled about being the new Jack Yates principal and is thrilled about taking the reins of leadership at the school she calls home.

“I’m elated to come back home! My priority is for Yates to thrive,” said Square. “I was voted ‘Most Athletic’ out of my graduating class as a student and was voted ‘Teacher of the Year’ by my peers in 2011, as a teacher. I have so many connections here. I met my husband here (a Square). Coach McGowan was the closest thing I had to a father. I know I’m home.”

Those who know, know that the “Square” last name is a well-known staple when it comes to Jack Yates and in the Greater Houston area.  There are so many to name, such as NFL football defensive tackle Damion Square—who also was a three-time national champion with the Alabama Crimson Tide during his college career—and many more who attended Jack Yates.

“As a student athlete, I interacted with three ‘Squares’ while at Yates,” said Square. “When I was a student at Yates, Poppa Square would always volunteer. I would see him buying lunch for students who didn’t have money. John Michael “Supe” and I competed in UIL Math. I loved how the Square family showed up and showed out to watch all the games. I learned later on how almost synonymous the family name is with Jack Yates.”

Square was born and raised in Houston, after her parents immigrated to Houston from Nicaragua in the 1980s. They had five children, including two sets of twins. Square and her sisters started their educational journey attending Rusk and Anson Jones Elementary, as part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD).  Square went on to attend Gregory Lincoln Education Center, where she played basketball and competed in gymnastics.

While in middle school, her father was deported, which led to her relocating with her mother and sisters from Clayton Homes to the Cuney Homes in Houston’s historic Third Ward. Square found herself enrolled as a student at Jack Yates, where she became a multi-sport athlete, having played basketball, soccer, softball, tennis, and even running track and cross country.

After graduating from Jack Yates in 2002, Square matriculated to Texas Southern University (TSU), where she graduated manga cum laude with distinguished honor roll, earning a B.B.A. in Accounting. Soon after graduation from TSU, she came back home to Jack Yates for the first time, beginning her teaching career as a secondary math teacher at the school. During her time as a teacher at Jack Yates, she also served as Small Learning Community lead, math department chairperson, a member of the Shared Decision-Making Committee (SDMC), varsity soccer coach, and was a part of the Faculty Advisory Committee.

Square continued her education at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business, earning an M.B.A. with a concentration in Accounting. While attending Rice University, she was also a member of the Finance Club, Hispanic Business Student Association, Rice Education Entrepreneurship Program, Rice Educational Leadership Club, Net Impact Club, and the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. Square went on to serve as a Teacher Specialist at Wheatley High School, and assistant principal at both North Forest and Austin high schools.

At Austin High School, Square led the mathematics department, oversaw dual credit programming, and executed a plan to increase linkage and usage of Khan Academy and College Board resources, prior to being named principal at East Early College High School in 2018.

Square served with distinction at East Early College High School from 2018, until she received the call to return home and serve as the newest principal of the high school where her educational journey and career all started—Jack Yates Senior High School.

When asked what message she wishes to share with the students, parents, alumni, staff, and community regarding the future of Yates with her at the helm, Square tells the Forward Times:

“The future is bright. Any students that don’t choose to attend Yates will wish they did later. Our school website will be updated soon and will serve as our main source of information, especially our calendar. I’m working to create systems to make myself more accessible. I’m beyond grateful for the outpouring of support and encouragement I’ve received so far. There is no place like home!”

The post There is No Place Like Home appeared first on Forward Times.

The post There is No Place Like Home first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Forward Times Staff

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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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