(WASHINGTON) — Racquel McCray grew up with two Navy parents, so when she turned 18 she decided she wanted to follow in their footsteps. This year, she got the rare chance to be able to see her mother in action after being assigned to her ship, the USS Gerald R. Ford.
When she joined the Navy in May, Racquel chose to pursue the same logistics specialty as her mother. When she realized that she could have the opportunity to watch her mother, Tonya McCray, in the field, she reached out to her chain of command to be assigned to her mother’s ship.
Even though she was in the Navy, Tonya never pushed Racquel to follow in her footsteps, Tonya told “Good Morning America.” However, watching her father and mother inspired her to follow the same path.
“I chose to join because I watched my parents for my entire life,” Racquel told “GMA.” “They both served, so watching them every day go to work made me actually want to follow in their footsteps, with how successful they were and what they were able to provide for my sister and I.”
When Racquel first discussed the idea with her parents, they “didn’t believe her or take her seriously,” Tonya said. Once she realized how serious Racquel was about enlisting in the Navy and pursuing the logistics speciality, though, she warmed up to the idea.
“I was a proud mother,” Tonya said. “It took a while for her to get everything situated to come in, but that was my baby and I was so proud.”
Soon after enlisting, Racquel realized that she wanted to work alongside her mother, Tonya said.
“I shared some pictures with her and I talked about the experience, and she told me that was why she wanted to join the military — to be able to participate in things like that,” Tonya explained. “I talked to my chain of command, she talked to her chain of command and we thought it could be used as a training opportunity.”
For the four weeks that Racquel and Tonya worked on the same ship, Tonya enjoyed getting to share her profession with her daughter, describing the experience as “great.”
“I was able to share what I did with my daughter every day. She saw what respect that someone of my pay grade gets on a day to day, how they look up to me, and it just felt great to be able to share that experience with her, and also, just to see her hard work,” Tonya said.
While Racquel said she was disappointed about not having more time with her mother, she found her time on the ship valuable. Now, she knows that she made the right decision in choosing her specialty.
“It was a great experience for me, even though it only lasted four weeks,” Racquel said. “I would have liked for it to be a little bit longer, but it was really nice to be able to see the benefits of all of [my mom’s] hard work, how people looked up to her and respected her.”
Netflix has just dropped the trailer for the final season of Lucifer, which stars Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar, aka The Devil, — yes, the actual Devil — who works as a consultant for the LAPD. When we last saw Lucifer, he’d won the right to become God — yes, the actual God — after his Father, played by Dennis Haysbert, abdicated the throne to be with the woman he loves.
In the new trailer, Lucifer appears to be dragging his heels on actually taking the throne, and as a result, the world begins to unravel. Meanwhile, there’s a female angel in Hell who’s plotting to destroy Lucifer, and in one scene, he’s engaging in hand-to-hand combat with his girlfriend, Det. Chloe Decker, who apparently wants to stab him to death.
However, there’s also a hint that we’re getting an animated episode, as well as more singing and dancing, to follow last season’s fully musical Lucifer episode. And we also see several glimpses of Lt. Dan Espinoza, who — spoiler alert — died last season. It appears as though he’s returned from the dead, which happens a lot in this show.
The final season of Lucifer hits Netflix September 10.
The Scorpions have given fans a taste of one of the new songs that’s expected to appear on the band’s upcoming studio album. A video clip of the veteran German rockers rehearsing a tune, apparently called “Seventh Son,” has been posted on the official social media sites of the group and of drummer Mikkey Dee.
Commenting about the song, Dee writes in an Instagram post, “Scorpions — rehearsing new songs for [upcoming] Tour. Pretty damn heavy.”
There’s been no official announcement about when the album will be released or what its title is, although frontman Klaus Meine revealed in a video message posted on May 29 that The Scorpions “were in the mixing process,” adding, “We can’t wait to get the album out for you guys to hear it.”
Then, on June 7, Meine and guitarists Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs appeared in another video clip from The Scorpions’ Peppermint Park studio in Hanover, Germany, and played a snippet of one of the new tracks.
The Scorpions’ most recent studio album, Return to Forever, was released in 2015. According to The-Scorpions.com, the band’s next scheduled shows will be part of a nine-date Las Vegas residency next year at The Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood that runs from March 26 through April 16.
Richard Marx recently released his memoir, Stories To Tell, and he says putting it out was far more nerve-wracking than any album he’d ever released. Richard tells ABC Audio that he felt so much “anticipation and tension” about it that he was grateful he and his wife were overseas when it came out.
“It was better than just sitting at home and and telling myself, ‘Don’t click on reviews!'” he laughs. “But the reaction has been so heartwarming. And when I look through social media and people are posting pictures of them reading my book or with their feet up next to my book, it’s been amazing.”
He laughs, “Even some people who maybe have voiced, ‘You know, I never really was that into his music,’ [are saying] ‘Man, I loved this book and I laughed out loud!'”…yeah, it’s really nice to be hearing that stuff.”
But why did Richard think people wouldn’t like the book in the first place?
“One of my concerns was people who were hoping for a real tell-all, sort of tawdry, detailed [book about] my exploits with women in bed…, like, that was never going to happen,” he explains. “And I thought, ‘Are people going to be disappointed?'”
“And it’s been the complete opposite,” he admits. “If anything, I’ve been complimented for that!”
In fact, the only complaints Richard’s gotten seem to be from his three adult sons, who yelled at him for not sharing one particular story with them.
“For whatever reason, I guess I never told them about this horrendous situation I was in in Taiwan in the early days of my career, where we were basically held captive by these Chinese mafia guys,” he laughs. “And my sons were all like, “How could you have not told us this?!?”
Milwaukee’s massive all-genre Summerfest is returning in September with a lineup of over 100 performers, including Jonas Brothers, Gabby Barrett, Miley Cyrus, The Kid LAROI, G-Eazy, Kesha, Lindsey Stirling, Goo Goo Dolls, Flo Rida, Masked Wolf, Tai Verdes and many more. But now new rules have been announced regarding what’s required to attend.
Those coming to the concerts will need to show proof of either COVID-19 vaccination or a current negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the festival grounds and American Family Insurance Amphitheater.
More information is available at the festival’s website. Those who are not fully vaccinated can find information on local testing availability before they head to the event.
The new protocol comes on the heels of an announcement from the nation’s largest concert promoter, Live Nation, which recently decided that it will allow the touring artists it works with to require proof of vaccination or a negative test from event attendees.
Summerfest 2021 is scheduled to take place September 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18.
(NEW YORK) — Andrew Cuomo has said he will step down as governor of New York after many called for his resignation and before a potential impeachment trial.
Cuomo began his press conference Tuesday morning by continuing to defend himself against 11 women who’ve accused him of sexual harassment, stating that the report by New York Attorney General Letitia James was “false” and biased.
The disgraced governor admitted that he “truly offended” the women but contended that there have been “generational and cultural shifts” that precluded him from understanding the necessity for “personal boundaries.”
“In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone,” Cuomo said. “But I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn.”
About halfway through his 20-minute speech he said he couldn’t govern effectively given the current situation, which would “generate months of political and legal controversy,” adding that it was no longer in the “best interest” of New Yorkers for him to continue.
Cuomo ended his address by telling New Yorkers that it was the “honor” of his life to serve as governor.
He will step down in 14 days and will be succeeded by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, the first woman to hold that post in state history.
Here are Cuomo’s full remarks:
Good morning. Let me begin by thanking Rita Glavin for that powerful presentation. I’d like to address several issues today. First, I’ve always told New Yorkers the facts, before my opinion. So let’s start New York tough with the truth. The Attorney General did a report on complaints made against me by certain women for my conduct. The report said I sexually harassed 11 women. That was the headline people heard and saw, and reacted to. The reaction was outrage. It should have been.
However, it was also false. My lawyers, as you just heard from Rita Glavin, have reviewed the report over the past several days and have already raised serious issues and flaws that should concern all New Yorkers. Because when there is a bias or a lack of fairness in the justice system, it is a concern for everyone — not just those immediately affected. The most serious allegations made against me have no credible factual basis in the report.
And there is a difference between alleged improper conduct and concluding sexual harassment. Now, don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that there are not 11 women who I truly offended. There are. And for that I deeply, deeply apologize. I thought a hug and putting my arm around a staff person while taking a picture was friendly. But she found it to be too forward. I kissed a woman on the cheek at a wedding, and I thought I was being nice, but she felt it was too aggressive.
I have slipped and called people honey, sweetheart and darling. I meant it to be endearing. But women found it dated and offensive. I said on national TV, to a doctor wearing PEE and giving me a COVID nasal swab, you make that gown look good. I was joking, obviously, otherwise I wouldn’t have said it on national TV.
But she found it disrespectful. I take full responsibility for my actions. I have been too familiar with people. My sense of humor can be insensitive and off-putting. I do hug and kiss people casually, women and men. I have done it all my life. It is who I’ve been since I can remember. In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone. But, I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn.
There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate. And I should have. No excuses. The report did bring to light a matter that I was not aware of and that I would like to address. A female trooper relayed a concern that she found disturbing, and so do I. Please let me provide some context. The governor’s trooper detail had about 65 troopers on it. But of the 65, only six women and nine black troopers.
I’m very proud of the diversity of my administration. It is more diverse than any administration in history. And I’m very proud of the fact that I have more women in senior positions than any governor before me. The lack of diversity on the state police detail was an ongoing disappointment for me. In many ways, the governor’s detail is the face of state government that people see. When I attend an event, people see the detail that’s with me. I was continuously trying to recruit more to diversify. On one occasion, I met two female troopers who were on duty at an event.
Both seemed competent and impressive and I asked the state police to see if they were interested in joining. I often meet people, men and women, and if they show promise, I refer them to be interviewed. The state police handled the interviewing and the hiring, and one of the two troopers eventually joined the detail. I got to know her over time and she’s a great professional. And I would sometimes banter with her when we were in the car. We spent a lot of time driving around the state.
This female trooper was getting married, and I made some jokes about the negative consequences of married life. I meant it to be humorous. She was offended, and she was right. The trooper also said that in an elevator I touched her back, and when I was walking past her in a doorway, I touched her stomach. Now, I don’t recall doing it, but if she said I did it, I believe her.
At public events, troopers will often hold doors open or guard the doorways. When I walk past them, I often will give them a grip of the arm, a pat on the face, a touch on the stomach, a slap on the back. It’s my way of saying “I see you. I appreciate you, and I thank you.” I’m not comfortable just walking past and ignoring them. Of course, usually they are male troopers. In this case I don’t remember doing it at all.
I didn’t do it consciously with the female trooper. I did not mean any sexual connotation. I did not mean any intimacy by it. I just wasn’t thinking. It was totally thoughtless, in the literal sense of the word. But it was also insensitive. It was embarrassing to her, and it was disrespectful. It was a mistake, plain and simple. I have no other words to explain it. I want to personally apologize to her and her family.
I have the greatest respect for her and for the New York State Police. Now, obviously in a highly political matter like this, there are many agendas, and there are many motivations at play. If anyone thought otherwise, they would be naive, and New Yorkers are not naive. But I want to thank the women who came forward with sincere complaints.
It’s not easy to step forward, but you did an important service, and you taught me, and you taught others an important lesson. Personal boundaries must be expanded and must be protected. I accept full responsibility. Part of being New York tough is being New York smart. New York smart tells us that this situation and moment are not about the facts. It’s not about the truth. It’s not about thoughtful analysis. It’s not about how do we make the system better. This is about politics, and our political system today is too often driven by the extremes, rashness has replaced reasonableness. Loudness has replaced soundness. Twitter has become the public square for policy debate. There is an intelligent discussion to be had on gender-based actions, on generational and cultural behavioral differences, on setting higher standards and finding reasonable resolutions.
But the political environment is too hot, and it is too reactionary for that now, and it is unfortunate. Now, you know me. I’m a New Yorker, born and bred. I am a fighter, and my instinct is to fight through this controversy, because I truly believe it is politically motivated. I believe it is unfair and it is untruthful. And I believe it demonizes behavior that is unsustainable for society. If I could communicate the facts through the frenzy, New Yorkers would understand, I believe that. But when I took oath as governor, then it changed. I became a fighter, but I became a fighter for you, and it is your best interests that I must serve.
This situation, by its current trajectory, will generate months of political and legal controversy. That is what is going to happen. That is how the political wind is blowing. It will consume government. it will cost taxpayers millions of dollars. It will brutalize people. The state assembly yesterday outlined weeks of process that will then lead to months of litigation — time and money that government should spend managing COVID, guarding against the delta variant, reopening up states, fighting gun violence and saving New York City. All that time would be wasted. This is one of the most challenging times for government in a generation. Government really needs to function today. Government needs to perform. It is a matter of life and death, government operations, and wasting energy on distractions is the last thing that state government should be doing.
And I cannot be the cause of that. New York tough means New York loving. And I love New York. And I love you. And everything I have ever done has been motivated by that love, and I would never want to be unhelpful in any way. I think that given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing. Therefore that’s what I’ll do, because I work for you. And doing the right thing is doing the right thing for you. Because as we say, it’s not about me. It’s about we.
Kathy Hochul, my lieutenant governor, is smart and competent. This transition must be seamless. We have a lot going on. I’m very worried about the delta variant, and so should you be. But she can come up to speed quickly, and my resignation will be effective in 14 days.
To my team and the hundreds of dedicated administration officials, I want to say this: Thank you. Thank you. And be proud. We made New York state the progressive capital of the nation. No other state government accomplished more to help people, and that is what it’s all about. Just think about what we did. We passed marriage equality, creating a new civil right. Legalized love for the LGBTQ community, and we generated a force for change that swept the nation. We passed the SAFE Act years ago, the smartest gun safety law in the United States of America, and it banned the madness of assault weapons. We’ve saved countless lives with that law.
Fifteen-dollar minimum wage, the highest minimum wage in the nation, lifting millions of families’ standard of living, putting more food on the table and clothes on their backs, and we led the nation with in economic justice with that reform. We have managed every emergency mother nature could throw at us — fires, floods, hurricanes, super storms and pandemics. We balanced the state budget, and we got it done on time — more than any other administration — because government should work and perform. Free college tuition for struggling families. Nobody in this state will be denied their college because of their income. We have built new airports, rail, transit, roads all across this state, faster and better than ever before.
And more than any state in the nation, the most effective green economy program in the nation. We did more for Black and Latino families and any other administration. We did more for working families. We did more for our union brothers and sisters. We did more to battle racism and anti-Semitism. Today so much of the politics is just noise — just static. That’s why people begin to doubt. That’s why people tune out. What matters is improving people’s lives, and that’s what you did. You made this state a better state for the generations that follow, and that is undeniable, inarguable, and true.
In in these ugly, crazy times. I’d like to thank the speaker and the leader for their leadership. Let me say this on a personal note. In many ways I see the world through the eyes of my daughters. They are 26 and 26, twins, and 23. I have lived this experience with and through them. I have sat on the couch with them, hearing the ugly accusations for weeks. I have seen the look in their eyes and the expression on their faces, and it hurt. I want my three jewels to know this. My greatest goal is for them to have better future than the generations of women before them. It is still in many ways a man’s world. It always has been.
We have sexism that is institutionalized. My daughters have more talents and natural gifts than I ever had. I want to make sure that society allows them to fly as high as their wings will take them. There should be no assumptions, no stereotypes, no limitations. I want them to know from the bottom of my heart that I never did and I never would intentionally disrespect a woman or treat any woman differently than I would want them treated. And that is the God’s honest truth. Your dad made mistakes, and he apologized, and he learned from it. And that’s what life is all about. And I know the political process is flawed and I understand your cynicism and distrust and disappointment now. But don’t give up, because government is still the best vehicle for making positive social change.
Lastly, I want to remind all New Yorkers of an important lesson and one that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and that’s what you New Yorkers did in battling COVID. The enemy landed in New York state. COVID launched the attack here. It came on us from Europe, and we had no idea. It was an ambush. And it was up to New Yorkers to fight back. We were on our own, and it was war. Nurses, doctors, essential workers became our frontline heroes.
Hospitals became the battlegrounds. Streets were still and sirens filled the city’s silence. You refused to give up, and you fought back, and you won, going from the highest infection rate in the nation to one of the lowest. No one thought we could do it, but you did it. You lead the nation, and you show the way forward. And how you did it is what’s most important. You did it together. Not as Black New Yorkers or white New Yorkers. Not as LGBTQ New Yorkers or straight New Yorkers or Democrats or Republicans or Upstate or downstate or Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Catholic New Yorkers, but as one community. One community, one family, the family of New York. You overcame the naysayers and the haters and unified, and you rose and you overcame. You saved lives, and that was powerful in its effect. It was beautiful to see. And it was an honor to lead. Please remember that lesson. Hold it dear and hold it up high for this nation to sees, cause it is New York state at her finest, creating her legacy, fulfilling her destiny, giving life and animation to the lady in the harbor saying, “We can be better! We can reach higher!”
That is our founding premise and our enduring promise. That is the salvation of this nation that it so desperately needs to hear. Thank you for the honor of serving you. It has been the honor of my life. God bless you.
Bonnaroo and Summerfest have announced that attendees must either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or provide a negative test result.
Both festivals require that those who are not fully vaccinated — i.e. two weeks after the second of the two-jab Pfizer or Moderna shot, or two weeks after the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine — must have obtained a negative test within 72 hours of entering the grounds.
Bonnaroo also “requests” unvaccinated attendees to “wear a mask at all times.” For Summerfest, masks are “recommended” in all indoor spaces on the festival grounds, and for unvaccinated individuals “when attending large gatherings.”
Bonnaroo takes place September 2-5 in Manchester, Tennessee. The lineup includes Foo Fighters, Tame Impala, Mastodon, Incubus, Phoebe Bridgers, Run the Jewels, Dashboard Confessional, Young the Giant, Glass Animals and Brittany Howard.
Milwaukee’s Summerfest is held over three three-day events in September. Headliners include Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer, Guns N’ Roses, Twenty One Pilots, Dave Matthews Band, Rise Against, ZZ Top, Bleachers, Joan Jett, Coheed and Cambria, Black Pumas, and The Struts.
Kane Brown and rapper Nelly have already teamed up once for a 2020 “Cool Again” remix, but it seems that the pair aren’t yet done working together.
This week, Nelly shared a smiling snapshot of himself to Instagram, hinting in the caption at some of the collaborations that fans can expect to hear on his upcoming Heartland project, which is due out August 27.
He mentioned his duet with Florida Georgia Line, “Lil Bit,” which fans have already heard, as well as a previously-announced team-up with Blanco Brown and Breland called “High Horse.”
But also listed is a song called “Gritz & Glamour,” which Nelly says features Kane. He hasn’t yet shared any more details about the song. On a recent appearance on an episode of Breland’s Land of the BRE podcast, however, the rapper spoke about why he wanted to collaborate with country artists — and specifically, Black country artists — on his new album.
“But then also inviting more Black artists that are into country. Because I don’t know if they know, but we’re everywhere!” Nelly explains.
“…And then you had the OG who’s no longer with us anymore, Charley Pride. And just imagined some of the things he probably went through…Just being who he is, though. Not trying to be somebody else, but being who he naturally is,” he continues. “Country music is from the heart. It’s the stories. And I mean, we all have stories, so this isn’t the end of the road, so to speak.”
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges is a proud girl dad. The Atlanta rapper-turned-actor announced on Tuesday that he had welcomed another daughter with his wife, Eudoxie.
“The Movie “Girls, Girls, Girls, Girls” starring Chris Bridges coming soon,” Luda wrote in an Instagram post that showed photos of him and his wife holding their newborn daughter.
In the caption, Ludacris also shared his daughter’s name and birth date: “Chance Oyali Bridges Born 7:57am 7/28/21.”
This is the second child and daughter for the couple, who are parents to six-year-old Cadence. Ludacris has two other daughters — Cai, 7, and Karma, 20 — from previous relationships.
(MIAMI) — Residents given hours to evacuate ‘unsafe’ Miami condoResidents of an eight-story condominium in Miami were given hours to evacuate after city inspectors deemed the building “unsafe,” the latest residential structure in the area cleared out since the deadly collapse of a tower in nearby Surfside in June.
An emergency evacuation order for the 137-unit structure, which according to city records was built in 1973, was taped to the front glass door of the building in Miami’s Flagami neighborhood Sunday night, giving residents just hours to pack up and get out.
“This building or structure is, in the opinion of the building official, unsafe,” read the notice posted on the building, at 5050 Northwest Seventh Street, just east of the city’s Little Havana district.
Residents were still seen packing belongings into vehicles outside the art deco-style, pink and beige building Tuesday morning, according to ABC Miami affiliate WPLG-TV.
The building is about 16 miles from Champlain Towers South, the 12-story oceanfront condominium that partially collapsed before dawn on June 24, killing 98 people. What remained of that building was demolished, and an investigation is underway into what caused the disaster.
City of Miami officials told WPLG that they’re working with nonprofit groups to help displaced residents find temporary housing.
The building on on Northwest Seventh Street was put on notice on July 7 after city inspectors found several violations, including not obtaining a 40-year recertification, according to the Miami Herald.
City building officials met on July 26 with residents “who were concerned about the condition of the building,” an official told the newspaper. A day after the meeting, a city inspector found structural problems in the building’s elevated garage, prompting it to be closed, and informed the property manager about damaged columns on the first floor that “required emergency shoring.”
The city said it never received requests for permits or a plan to fix the problems, but city inspectors found emergency repairs were being done on the structure’s degrading first-floor columns without a permit, officials told the Herald.
During a meeting on Monday with the building’s condo association and engineer, city inspectors “found the columns to be structurally insufficient” and ordered the building to be vacated, the Herald reported.
“We felt the building occupants were not safe,” Miami Building Director Asael “Ace” Marrero told the newspaper.
Following the catastrophic collapse of the Surfside building, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava called for a 30-day audit of residential buildings at least 40 years old and five stories tall.
Several buildings, including a 10-story residential tower in North Miami Beach, were ordered to be evacuated by the city after inspections deemed them unsafe.
