Florida Sentinel Bulletin

LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 24: Radio personality Shirley Strawberry (L) and Ernesto Williams attend the Neighborhood Awards Beach Party at the Mandalay Bay Beach at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on July 24, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for Nu-Opp, Inc)

Earnest Williams, the husband of Steve Harvey Morning Show co-host and radio personality Shirley Strawberry

ATLANTA-  Earnest Williams, the husband of Steve Harvey Morning Show co-host and radio personality Shirley Strawberry, has been indicted under the State of Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) on 39 charges. According to the charging documents, that marriage is also coming under scrutiny as the indictment claims it helped facilitate Williams’ alleged criminal activity.

As WSBTV reported, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has become notorious for her office’s expansion of the state’s RICO act , said Williams’ activity stretches back to 2009.

“He’s been conning people from 2009 to 2022. He would pretend to be a legitimate businessman , but he was stealing from people, in United States currency, vehicles, and really just taking advantage of people.”

Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner

Singer and rapper Sean Kingston is back in his home state of Florida, where he’s accused of committing more than $1 million dollars in fraud.

The singer, born Kisean Anderson, was extradited from San Bernadino County, California to South Florida and booked into the Broward County Jail on Sunday, June 2, online inmate records show. Florida authorities also posted Kingston’s booking photo online.

He faces a total of nine charges alleging fraud, grand theft, and criminal use of personal identification information without consent, plus a probation violation. His bail was set at $100,000 — $10,000 for each of the nine counts, plus another $10,000 for the probation violation.

Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, 61, were both arrested on May 23.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office alleges Kingston and Turner have a history of bouncing checks and scamming businesses and banks for furniture, electronics, jewelry and a Cadillac Escalade.

 Uncle Luke, Marquis & Flavor Flav

2 Live Crew rapper Brother Marquis has passed away at the age of 58, according to the pioneering group.

The Miami-based collective announced the news on Monday (June 3), writing on social media: “Mark Ross AKA Brother Marquis of the 2 Live crew has passed away,” although no further details — including a cause of death — were given.

Tributes from around the Hip Hop world were paid to Marquis, most notably from fellow 2 Live Crew member Uncle Luke.

“My Condolence goes out to the Family of Brother Marquis and so many of his Fans from around the World after learning his passing,” Luke wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “We took on so many fights for the culture made Great music together something I would never forget.

Sarah Simpkins

Nationwide — At 102 years old, Sarah Simpkins has achieved her dream of earning a college degree as she recently graduated from Brightpoint Community College’s Early Childhood Education program in Chester, Virginia.

Even more special, she graduated alongside her proud granddaughter, Halimah Shepherd-Crawford.

“I can’t even express my emotions right now,” Halimah told WLBT. “It was all an idea, and we’re here now. And I’m just so excited for my grandmother that she accomplished what she wanted.”

“I feel very wild,” Ms. Sarah said. “I feel very grateful to God for letting me do whatever I do. Thank you, God.”

Returning to college was a long-time goal for Simpkins. She initially attended Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, but had to drop out when she got pregnant when she was 20 years old.

Ms. Sarah focused on raising her family and had 12 children, but she never gave up on her dream.

“It’s something that I had to do,” Simpkins said. “I’m very, very grateful that God has enabled me to do this.”

Dorothy Jean Tillman II during commencement at Arizona State University in Tempe on May 6.

Dorothy Jean Tillman II’s participation in Arizona State University’s May 6 commencement was the latest step on a higher-education journey the Chicago teen started when she took her first college course at age 10.

In between came associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

When Tillman successfully defended her dissertation in December, she became the youngest person — at age 17 — to earn a doctoral degree in integrated behavioral health at Arizona State, associate professor Leslie Manson told ABC’s “Good Morning America” for a story Monday.

“It’s a wonderful celebration, and we hope … that Dorothy Jean inspires more students,” Manson said. “But this is still something so rare and unique.”

Tillman, called “Dorothy Jeanius” by family and friends, is the granddaughter of former Chicago Alderwoman Dorothy Tillman.

Cur’Dericka Rice

Nationwide — Cur’Dericka Rice, a 17-year-old African American girl from Monroe, Louisiana, graduated valedictorian with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a remarkable 33 on her ACT. What’s more, she earned nearly $1 million in scholarships from 13 universities.

Rice attributes her success to the support and guidance of her teachers and parents.

“Walking into college, goals that I have are just to keep my head on straight and continue to make the people around me proud. But, as far as academics, I’m just up for the challenge because I’m ready to be challenged, and do the best that I can,” Rice told KNOE.

In the fall of 2024, Rice will begin her college career at Louisiana Tech University, where she plans to pursue a degree in chemical engineering. Her ambition is driven by a desire to combat environmental pollution and minimize its impacts.

Moreover, Rice encourages others to chase their dreams no matter what.

“Even if you don’t think it’s possible, you should still strive to excel and go beyond whatever the goal may be, because you never know what you can do. If you doubt yourself and count yourself out you won’t even be able to live up to that potential because you didn’t even try,” Rice said.

As she prepares for college, Rice looks forward to tackling the challenges ahead and continuing her academic success.

Kechi Okwuchi

Nationwide — Meet Kechi Okwuchi, a survivor of a devastating plane crash in Nigeria, who years later, successfully earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) with distinction. Despite enduring severe burns covering much of her body, Okwuchi defied the odds and pursued her education with determination.

On December 10, 2005, a tragic plane crash caused the death of 107 out of 109 passengers. Okwuchi, only 16 at the time, sustained third-degree burns over 65% of her body and had only a 30% chance of survival.

Okwuchi was airlifted to Milpark Hospital in South Africa for urgent medical care, and later to Shriners Hospitals for Children in Texas, where she underwent more than 100 surgeries to reconstruct her injuries.

Wealthy white Baton Rouge residents have won a decade-long court battle to split from poorer neighborhoods and form their own city with plans for better schools and less crime.

The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the new City of St George could move forward with incorporation, splitting off from the rest of Baton Rouge.

St George will have 86,000 residents across a 60-square-mile area in the southeast of East Baton Rouge Parish and will have its own Mayor and city council.

Supporters of the new city say that the existing city-parish government is poorly run, with high crime rates and bad schools.

Opponents say the movement is ‘racist’ and will create a ‘white enclave’ as it separates a wealthy area of the city from the majority Black city and school district.

St George (pictured) will become a separate city to Baton Rouge