Stop N Go’s Are A Scourge On Philly’s Poorest Communities
Source: n/a / n/a
By: Solomon Jones
Enforcement on Stop N Go stores have been lax for decades. That’s why they don’t want Cindy Bass’s bill to pass.
I spoke with Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board spokesperson Elizabeth Brassell, who told me that some of the establishments operate with no license at all, while others have not been adhering to the terms of the state-issued liquor licenses they’ve been granted.
Until this year, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board could only object to a license being renewed after its two-year cycle was completed. The business owner could appeal to Common Pleas Court, and without evidence of bad acts, such as murders taking place in or around the business, a judge could and often did overturn the objection.
During the two-to-three year appeal process the business gets to keep operating.
And the unit charged with ongoing enforcement of the liquor code is a unit of the Pennsylvania State Police called the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. Calls to that unit were not returned by press time.
The state cannot be trusted to do anything for Philadelphia. Cindy Bass’s bill must be passed.
‘Tavis Smiley’ Show Suspended By PBS Amid Sexual Misconduct Probe
Source: Earl Gibson III / Getty
On Wednesday, PBS announced that it was suspending the ‘Tavis Smiley’ Show pending an investigation into alleged sexual harassment allegations against the host of the nightly talk show.
“Effective today, PBS has indefinitely suspended distribution of ‘Tavis Smiley,’ produced by TS Media, an independent production company,” PBS said in a statement.
“The inquiry uncovered multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS, and the totality of this information led to today’s decision,” the PBS statement said, citing interviews with witnesses and Smiley himself.
Russell Simmons Accused Of Rape By Three Women
Source: Splash News / Splash News
Yahoo.com- Three women have told the New York Times that they were raped by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons in incidents dating back to 1988.
Tina Baker, a singer, alleged that Simmons raped her in the early 1990s, when he was her manager. Drew Dixon claimed that Simmons sexually harassed and then raped her when she was an employee of Def Jam Recordings in 1995. Toni Sallie, a music journalist, said that Simmons raped her in 1988.
Simmons denied the allegations in a statement provided to Variety.
“I vehemently deny all these allegations,” he said. “These horrific accusations have shocked me to my core and all of my relations have been consensual.”
Simmons had already stepped down from his companies, including Rush Communications, following allegations from writer Jenny Lumet, who alleged that he sexually assaulted her in 1991. Variety had earlier reported that Simmons and Brett Ratner were both investigated by the Beverly Hills Police Department for an alleged sexual battery in 2001. The L.A. Times also reported allegations that Ratner and Simmons engaged in sexual misconduct in the early 1990s. Simmons has denied each allegation of non-consensual sex.
