Author: Carma Henry

      We were in one of those finish-everything-before-the-holidays meetings, pussyfooting about an accusation someone had made. Suddenly a colleague confessed, “My hands are clenched. My shoulders are tense.” He paused. “If I listen to my body, clearly I feel like I’m being attacked.” As he described his feelings, I recognized them in myself. Judging by their faces, so did the others.

     This is thanks to Joe Biden’s decision to grant clemency to Michel Conahan, one of two juvenile-court judges in Luzerne County. Pennsylvania, convicted of accepting cash from private detention centers – as much as $2.8 million over a period of about six years – in exchange for sending them children (my God, as young as 8-years-old) convicted of petty offenses, such as fighting, shoplifting, underage drinking, to serve prolonged sentences in prison.

     Dictionaries have selected enshittification, brain-rot and polarization as their 2024 Words of the Year. Each are depressingly apt reflections of the past 12 months. Roméo Dallaire’s latest book The Peace includes the words Ubumwe (Kinyarwanda), Ubuntu (Zulu) and Niw_hk_m_kanak (Cree) – which all convey more uplifting ways of being that were much needed in 2024.

     Those opposed to militarism regardless of who is espousing it were rightly appalled by Barack Obama’s routine use of drones over his two terms as president, including in many countries where no hostilities had been declared. Nonetheless, the numbers show that far from ending these often unproductive strikes that killed so many innocents, President Trump doubled down on them.

    Change is an inevitable part of growth, both personally and professionally. Embracing change enables us to adapt, innovate, and improve.  It can initially feel uncomfortable, but it often brings valuable opportunities to learn and evolve. As we face transitions, let’s approach them with an open mind, focusing on how we can leverage new circumstances for positive outcomes.

Rising premiums and insurer withdrawals are creating a financial disaster that threatens national property values and economic stability.

‘Test Your Bible Knowledge’

A woman who grew up in the community around North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, earned a master’s degree from A&T and became the first African American elected both to the Greensboro City Council and to the Greensboro mayorship has passed, and the Aggie family locally and nationwide are mourning her death.

Former South Carolina Sen. Kay Patterson, who rose from cleaning offices at the segregated Statehouse to serving as a state legislator for over 30 years died Friday. He was 93.

   Hans Ottinot, a prominent South Florida attorney, has been appointed  this week as the interim city attorney for Lauderhill, a role that comes with a significant price tag for taxpayers. City records reveal that Ottinot will earn over $1 million annually in retainer fees.