Florida Sentinel Bulletin

USPS Wants To Cut More Costs — And Some Mail Delivery Could Get Slower

The U.S. Postal Service on Thursday said it needs to shave more costs from its operations to get into better financial shape. To do that, the postal agency wants to overhaul its delivery logistics, resulting in some customers likely seeing a slowdown in their mail delivery.

The new plan, which will be filed with the USPS’ regulatory commission, comes about three years after the mail service embarked on a 10-year plan to stanch billions of dollars in losses and put the agency on the path to profitability. The 10-year plan, implemented by Postmaster Louis DeJoy, also slowed delivery standards, with the service guaranteeing five-day delivery instead of its previous three-day delivery window.

The proposed changes will shave about $3 billion a year, the USPS said on Thursday. But, it added, “Depending on location, time and distance, expected time to deliver will increase for some ZIP code pairs.”

The USPS has also boosted the price of Forever stamps several times within the past few years, prompting some critics to say that customers are paying more for worse service. With the proposed changes, the slower service could be felt by rural areas and for mail that needs to travel long distances, DeJoy told the Washington Post.

Susan Lorincz was found guilty of killing her neighbor  Ajike “A.J.” Owens

A white Florida woman was convicted last Friday (August 10) of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a Black neighbor after the jury rejected her claims that she fired through a metal door in self-defense amid a dispute over children playing outside her home.

The all-white jury in Ocala, Fla., found 60-year-old Susan Lorincz guilty after 2½ hours of deliberation. Lorincz faces up to 30 years in prison at sentencing.

She had claimed self-defense when she fired a single shot with a .380-caliber handgun through her front door on June 2, 2023, killing 35-year-old Ajike “A.J.” Owens.

The confrontation was the latest in a dispute between the two neighbors over Owens’ children playing in a grassy area near both of their houses.

Prosecutors said Owens had come to Lorincz’s home after Owens’ children complained that Lorincz had allegedly thrown roller skates and an umbrella at them amid a long-running annoyance at their boisterous play outside.

The family stated Monday that ‘they were at  peace with the verdict two weeks  ago  ago. “

Breonna Taylor

A judge in Kentucky has dismissed core charges against two former Louisville police officials involved in the raid that ended in Breonna Taylor’s death.

Judge Charles R. Simpson III of western Kentucky’s U.S. District Court on Thursday said Taylor’s death was triggered by the actions of her boyfriend, who opened fire when police arrived outside her Louisville apartment March 13, 2020.

Regardless of whether former Louisville Police Detective Joshua Jaynes and former Sgt. Kyle Meany wrote and approved a falsified request for a warrant, it was boyfriend Kenneth Walker‘s gunfire at what he believed were intruders that caused a deadly police response, Simpson said.

Taylor, 26, was killed by officers who returned fire.

The case was already being upheld by civil rights activists as an example of police allegedly disregarding the life and rights of a Black woman when George Floyd, a Black man, was murdered by officers in Minneapolis two months later, which gave Taylor’s death renewed attention.

A federal grand jury in 2022 returned indictments against Jaynes, 40, and Meany, 35, charging them with depriving Taylor of her constitutional right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures resulting in death.

Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao, and Lester Walker

Ghetto Gastro, a Black-owned Brooklyn-based brand created by entrepreneurs Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao, and Lester Walker, is now selling their line of “ghetto” pop-tarts (toaster pastries) and pancake and waffle mix in Target stores nationwide. The name of their brand, however, has caused some controversy because some people feel that the word “ghetto” should not be made synonymous with Black culture.

But the three founders don’t quite see it that way. They’ve notably defined their own lane, merging food, fashion, music, art, and design.

According to their website: “We’re a flavor company. We layer flavor the same way hip hop layers samples and interpolations: as a way to expand, comment, shake up, share, and revel in our collective memory. To us, ‘Ghetto’ means innovation. It’s in our name as a reminder of why we do what we do and who we do it to honor the under-represented, under-estimated, and too often ignored.”

They say that the Bronx New York City serves as their home, muse, and a driver of global culture. It’s where Caribbean, Latin, Asian, and African cultures seamlessly thrive together, often creating new flavors of their own – including us.

Swae Lee and Vice President Kamala Harris

Swae Lee, best known for being one-half of the rap duo Rae Sremmurd, decided to voice his opinion about Vice President Kamala Harris over the weekend and was quickly reprimanded for it.

In a bizarre post, he encouraged his followers not to vote for the presumptive Democratic nominee in the upcoming presidential election.

“Do not vote for Kamala !!! Do your research on that whole camp,” Lee declared on X Saturday. He also criticized the Biden-Harris administration for sending millions of dollars in aid to Ukraine.

“I pay over millions in tax dollars every year this man Sent it to A whole nother country !!!!!!!!! Those lil dollars that come off your checks they gave it away !!!!!!! Think about that s**t,” he stated. Lee also said that “voting just cuz you think she’s black is not going to end in your favor.”

Of course, the backlash to Lee was swift. User @DeePhunk retweeted one of his older tweets in response to the “Black Beatles” emcee which explained: “Please do not get your political and/or socioeconomic news, views or opinions from rappers. I beg of you.”

Sonya Massey

Sonya Massey, the Illinois woman fatally shot by a deputy while responding to her 911 call, died by homicide due to a gunshot wound to her head, according to an autopsy report released Friday by the Sangamon County coroner.

Though the autopsy report did not state the manner of death, Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon confirmed it was homicide.

“The cause of death; gunshot wound of the head. The manner of death; Homicide,” Allmon told ABC News in a statement.

The bullet that killed Massey, 36, entered at the lower eyelid of her left eye and exited through the posterior left surface of her upper neck, according to the autopsy report.

Massey’s family held a press conference in Springfield, Illinois Friday after the autopsy report was released.

“Sonya meant the world to me. I loved her so much. This tragedy has been so much on my family. Her kids. Her daughter cannot sleep at night,” Shadia Massey, Sonya Massey’s cousin, said. “This is the hardest thing that we have ever been through as a Massey. It just breaks my heart that our family has to go through this.”

Taylor Casey

The family and friends of a Chicago woman who went missing in the Bahamas last month are calling on the United States to intervene in the investigation into her disappearance.

Taylor Casey was last seen on June 19, about two weeks into a monthlong yoga retreat on Paradise Island in Nassau. Her family and friends held a news conference in Chicago on Thursday, Casey’s 42nd birthday, demanding action from the federal government.

“Please help us find Taylor,” Casey’s mother, Colette Seymore, said through tears. “I just want the senators to light a fire under the people in the Bahamas feet so they can correctly search for my child and help to bring my child home.”

Casey’s friends and relatives have been urging Illinois’ senators to pressure the State Department and FBI for help. They said they want U.S. officials to intervene with Bahamian authorities in Casey’s disappearance.

The family and friends of a Chicago woman who went missing in the Bahamas last month are calling on the United States to intervene in the investigation into her disappearance.

Taylor Casey was last seen on June 19, about two weeks into a monthlong yoga retreat on Paradise Island in Nassau. Her family and friends held a news conference in Chicago on Thursday, Casey’s 42nd birthday, demanding action from the federal government.

“Please help us find Taylor,” Casey’s mother, Colette Seymore, said through tears. “I just want the senators to light a fire under the people in the Bahamas feet so they can correctly search for my child and help to bring my child home.”

Casey’s friends and relatives have been urging Illinois’ senators to pressure the State Department and FBI for help. They said they want U.S. officials to intervene with Bahamian authorities in Casey’s disappearance.

Dr. Taylor Dee

Dr. Taylor Dee is an innovative educator, song-singing children’s author, and dynamic entrepreneur. As a former school teacher, she has now launched her own academy and has also created a YouTube Channel that is making waves in the world of education and youth development with her creative way of thinking and passion to empower the next generation.

With a Doctoral Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, a Master’s Degree in Youth Development Leadership from Clemson University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Early/Elementary Education, Dr. Taylor Dee brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her multifaceted career and the understanding of how representation matters in the Educational space.

Transitioning from public school teaching to entrepreneurship, Dr. Taylor Dee took a leap of faith, investing her talents in writing, singing, movement, and literacy for children. Her journey began with the unexpected acquisition of a converted, seatless school bus, which she transformed into a mobile platform for promoting music, movement, and literacy across the Carolinas through her business, BEYOND Fit Kids and TUMBLEBUS. Despite the pandemic-induced closure of this venture, Dr. Taylor Dee pivoted to launch Right Now Works Education and Taylor Dee Kids TV Media. Since then, her YouTube has grown to 4.9K subscribers, with more than 70 videos uploaded and 1,580,768 views and counting.

For more information on Dr. Taylor Dee, visit DrTaylorDee.com or subscribe free to her YouTube channel YouTube.com/@taylordeekidstv

Also, be sure to connect with her @drtaylordee and @taylordeekidstv on Instagram.

Mychal Connolly Jr.,

Nationwide — Mychal Connolly Jr., known affectionately as Mikey, embarked on his entrepreneurial journey with a powerful message: Dreams come true. And dreams are meant to be pursued. During his senior year of high school, his teacher told him it was “unrealistic” for him to be a CEO. From the age of 10, Mikey had aspired to be a CEO, and he responded by asserting that it is realistic.

For more information about Mychal Connolly Jr. and his “Realistic CEO” initiatives, to watch the podcast, buy the book, or book Mikey to speak, visit RealisticCEO.com

For press inquiries, contact myke@realisticceo.com or 413-356-0820.

Now on his Realistic CEO Podcast, Mikey holds interview conversations with successful Founders, CEOs, Presidents, Business Owners, Executives, and Community Leaders to learn from them what it takes to be a successful CEO. He and his father also co-wrote a book entitled I Am a CEO. Realistic CEO, based on his story, to help people never give up on their dreams, no matter what.

Mikey is more than just a budding entrepreneur; he is also an avid basketball player and video game enthusiast. These interests have honed his strategic thinking and team-building skills, essential traits for any aspiring CEO.