National News Archives

Musk sending Starlink terminals to storm-ravaged North Carolina

October 3, 2024

By Miranda Nazzaro SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday the aerospace company is sending more Starlink terminals to North Carolina following the widespread devastation of Hurricane Helene. “Since the Hurricane Helene disaster, SpaceX has sent as many Starlink terminals as possible to help areas in need,” Musk wrote in a post on the social platform X. “Earlier today, @realDonaldTrump alerted me to additional people who need Starlink Internet in North Carolina. We are sending them terminals right away.” Former President Trump, who said he spoke with Musk earlier this week about providing Starlink internet service, lauded Musk for the assistance. “Great news. So badly needed in North

Harris’s Candidacy Has Fired Up HBCU Students. Will the Enthusiasm Turn Into Votes?

October 2, 2024

Campus News/Kamala Harris/National News

By Sara Weissman Last week, Tevon Blair went to Yard Fest—a celebratory event for freshmen at Virginia State University—armed with a tent, a table, a photo booth and games like Jenga and Connect Four. He wanted to create what felt like a block party, in hopes of energizing and informing students at the historically Black university about the voting process. University cheerleaders performed. Members of the Divine Nine—historically Black fraternities and sororities—did signature step routines. Thousands of students turned up, according to Blair, and at least 77 registered to vote. A few dozen students even stuck around for a panel

Trump brings Hurricane Helene into 2024 campaign

October 2, 2024

National News/Politics

By Kimberly Leonard Former President Donald Trump is making Hurricane Helene into a campaign issue, planning a stop in storm-ravaged, battleground Georgia on Monday and criticizing the Biden administration’s response with just weeks left until the November election. During a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, Trump accused President Joe Biden of “sleeping” at his beach house in Delaware and dragged Vice President Kamala Harris for holding fundraising events in California over the weekend “when big parts of our country have been devastated by that massive hurricane.” At least 84 people have been killed from Hurricane Helene. The storm made

Justice Department sues Alabama for violating federal law’s prohibition on systematic efforts to remove voters within 90 days of an election

October 2, 2024

National News

By the Alabama Justice Department The Justice Department announced that it has filed a lawsuit against the State of Alabama and the Alabama Secretary of State to challenge a systematic State program aimed at removing voters from its election rolls too close to the Nov. 5 general election, in violation of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA). “The right to vote is one of the most sacred rights in our democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As Election Day approaches, it is critical that Alabama redress voter confusion resulting from

Tim Walz and JD Vance’s 2024 VP debate is tonight. Here’s what to know.

October 1, 2024October 2, 2024

National News

By Caitlin Yilek Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — both relative newcomers to the national political spotlight — face off Tuesday in the only scheduled vice-presidential debate before the November election. The debate is being held three weeks after former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris had their only scheduled debate. Walz, who is Harris’ running mate, has had a long career in politics but was largely unknown to voters outside of Minnesota before he joined the Democratic ticket. Vance, the author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” was first elected to office in 2022, less than two years before being

Expanding Transfer From California to HBCUs

October 1, 2024

National News

By Ashley Mowreader California lawmakers hope to decrease gaps in degree completion between Black college students and their non-Black peers through transfer guarantee and financial aid programs. In 2023, the California Assembly passed Assembly Bill 1400, which provides a one-time grant to community college students planning to attend a historically Black college or university. A Sept. 19 webinar by the California Student Aid Commissions (CSAC), which oversees the Cal-HBCU grant funding, highlighted opportunities to support Black student success within California through the grant and other programs. California, which lacks an HBCU, has worked to expand access to institutions that promote student success for

HBCU receives another million plus to enhance campus facilities

September 30, 2024

Campus News/Money/National News

Courtesy of Livingstone College Livingstone College an HBCU in Salisbury, NC, has recently received an additional $1.2 million in grants and donations from various sources, fortifying its commitment to enhancing student services and campus facilities. The College received a significant anonymous $8 million donation last month and has since secured various grants and donations to bolster its infrastructure and capital investments. President Dr. Anthony J. Davis expressed gratitude, stating, “If Livingstone College can be better, then better we will be.” Notably, the National Science Foundation awarded the College a $448,000 grant to support the STEM Innovation Ecosystem, benefiting students pursuing STEM-related programs.

Congress approves funding bill to avoid government shutdown

September 30, 2024

National News

By Deidre Walsh Congress voted Wednesday evening to approve a stop-gap spending bill to fund government programs through December 20. The bipartisan spending bill postpones the debate on full year funding levels for federal programs until after the election, and avoids a shutdown. Government agencies run out of money on September 30. “Our focus now turns exclusively to Nov. 5,” Johnson told reporters after the House vote, referencing Election Day. “Our members are now returning to their districts and they’ll be working in their districts until the election and they will be making their case to the voters.” The House

White House Initiative on HBCUs announces 2024 scholars – all D.C. and Maryland HBCUs represented

September 30, 2024

National News

By Deborah Bailey The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities has announced the 2024 class of scholars, marking the 10th anniversary of this program that has highlighted the scholarship, talent and rigor of America’s HBCUs. This year, 110 exemplary students hailing from 77 of America’s HBCUs have been selected for their outstanding academic achievement, prospective leadership and contribution to their communities. The 2024 cohort includes students from all HBCUs in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, displaying the strong and diverse educational experiences students receive in the nation’s capital and its neighboring state. “For 10 years the HBCU Scholars

More U.S. schools are taking breaks for meditation– teachers say it helps students’ mental health

September 27, 2024

National News

By Sharon Johnson The Associated Press The third-grade students at Roberta T. Smith Elementary School had only a few days until summer vacation, and an hour until lunch, but there was no struggle to focus as they filed into the classroom. They were ready for one of their favorite parts of the day. The children closed their eyes and traced their thumbs from their foreheads to their hearts as a pre-recorded voice led them through an exercise called the shark fin, part of the classroom’s regular meditation routine. “Listen to the chimes,” said the teacher, Kim Franklin. “Remember to breathe.”