COVID-19
Continued prayers are going out to the Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife, Jacqueline, who both tested positive for COVID-19. Physicians were “carefully monitoring their condition” because of their ages, with the reverend being 79, and his wife being 77 years old. It should be noted that Reverend Jackson received his first dose of the COVID vaccine in January during a publicized event as he urged others to get vaccinated. His diagnosis falls under the realm of yet another breakthrough case, in which fully vaccinated people still get infected. Jackson, our beloved civil rights leader, has Parkinson’s disease, but has stayed active and continued to travel, even during the pandemic. He was also hospitalized earlier this year for an unrelated gallbladder surgery. Family members say Jackson and his wife are resting comfortably and are responding positively to their treatments. Our thoughts and prayers are with the reverend, his wife and their entire family as we all pray for a full and speedy recovery.
Kroger Houston, as part of Kroger Health – the healthcare division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) – is eager to motivate more Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine to better protect communities across America. Through the newly launched #CommunityImmunity Giveaway, Kroger Health will provide customers and Kroger Family of Companies associates the opportunity to win life-changing prizes like one of five $1 million checks or one of 50 “groceries for a year.” The giveaway starts Thursday and runs through July 10, with winners scheduled to be selected weekly. The #CommunityImmunity Giveaway was created by Kroger Health to support the Biden Administration’s national effort to have at least 70% of U.S. adults receive their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by July 4. “Since day one of this pandemic, Kroger’s most urgent priority has been the health and safety of our associates, customers, and communities,” said Joe Kelley, President of Kroger, Houston Division. “Kroger’s #CommunityImmunity Giveaway is designed to inspire more adults to get vaccinated and help Houston recover and move ahead.” How the #CommunityImmunity Giveaway Works: Between June 3, 2021 and July 10, 2021, Kroger Health is giving away $5 million, reflecting a $1 million winner each week for five weeks, as well as 50 “groceries for a year,” ten each week for five weeks, each valued at $13,000 (which is the equivalent of $250 a week for 52 weeks). To enter, participants must be 18 years of age or older, and legally reside and physically be located in one of the 50 United States or Washington, D.C. To enter online, entrants must receive or have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a Kroger Family Company location or by a Kroger Family Company healthcare professional at an off-site event. To schedule a vaccine, visit Kroger.com. To enter the giveaway and view the Official Rules, visit KrogerGiveaway.com. Additionally, The Kroger Family of Companies will continue to award a one-time payment of $100 to associates who become fully vaccinated. As of today, the Kroger Health’s organization’s pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and healthcare technicians have administered more than 4.7 million COVID-19 vaccines — and that number continues to increase daily. Kroger Health has created more equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine through its scheduling tool, walk-in appointments, and mass vaccination off-site clinics. According to the CDC, 62.8% of adults in America have received at least one vaccination shot.
Ben Williams is the owner and co-founder of Highway Vodka, Texas’ first hemp seed vodka and the first Black-owned distillery in Texas. His business partner is Wendell Robbins III, a childhood friend. The friends started making vodka as a hobby in 2012 in a former horse barn on Robbins’ property in south Houston. That former barn is now home to The Highway Distillery. Highway Vodka is now a thriving business, which has experienced 500 percent growth year-over-year. Williams’ creativity and entrepreneurial spirit is something that, as the old folks say, “he got honest.” A Houston native, Williams developed an affinity for venture management at an early age. The product of an entrepreneurial lineage, he honed his knack for business operations at Howard University in Washington D.C. before spreading his wings into the full-time management and expansion of developing enterprises. That included his own live events promotion company, which oversaw the national promotion for several Grammy award-winning artists. After moving back to Houston, Williams put his business and fiscal strengths to use in the private education sector, serving as Business Development + Financial Director at The Imani School — a private, Christian elementary and middle school in southwest Houston which his mother, Patricia Williams, founded in 1988. In August 2012, he partnered with his brother, Chef Chris Williams, to open Lucille’s restaurant in a 1923 Mission-style home on a quiet, tree-lined street in the Houston Museum District. The restaurant serves as a tribute to the culinary tradition begun by their great-grandmother, Lucille B. Smith, an educator, culinary innovator and successful entrepreneur who has been called “the first African-American businesswoman in Texas.” So, how did he go from restaurants to hemp-seed vodka? Williams’ foray into the hospitality sector eventually sparked an interest in the world of spirits. Seven years of experimental distilling led to the launch of Highway Vodka. After launching commercially in 2019, Williams has led the company through robust expansion, with his Houston-based distillery now distributing product throughout the state of Texas with forthcoming distribution into Georgia, California, Florida and beyond. VIBE HOUSTON asked Williams to share a few of his ideals to help the younger generation — or anyone for that matter — with a dollar and a dream. What advice do you have to give to budding entrepreneurs? The biggest thing is to follow your passion. If you can make a viable business out of something you love to do then you are all good! And also know that it takes time. Nothing happens overnight! What is your philosophy on giving back? It’s an honor to be in the position to give back. It’s also a duty to do so. It doesn’t always need to be a financial thing. Giving your time can be just as valuable. What have you learned during this pandemic? The biggest lesson is to be fluid and never quit. When circumstances change you have to figure out how to roll with it. It’s sink or swim for real. Click here for more information on Highway Vodka.
Singer Trey Songz is in trouble with the law, facing numerous charges after allegedly assaulting a police officer during a football game. According to reports, Songz was at the Kansas City Chiefs game when he got into an argument with other game fans, who were allegedly complaining that the singer and his friends/ entourage were not wearing masks. Video obtained by TMZ shows security coming to the stands several times to talk to the parties. At one point, a Kansas City police officer showed up. That’s when things got real. A verbal exchange between Songz and the officer turned physical, with video showing Songz holding the officer in a headlock for a period of time. Songz claims the officer swung first, but the officer claims Songz threw the first punch. Songz was taken into custody and charged with trespassing and resisting arrest, but is maintaining his innocence, saying he was only reacting in self-defense. Check out the video below and tell us what you think.
The 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards committee has decided to postponed the highly-anticipated awards show due to the coronavirus. The show, which was scheduled to air on January 31, has been moved to March 14. A statement was released on the Recording Academy’s Instagram page. “After thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear, we are rescheduling the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards to be broadcast Sunday, March 14, 2021. The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do,” the Academy said. This will be the first time in the history of the show that it will not be aired at its designated time, but the Academy says safety is its first priority. “Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show,” the release stated. We are glad to see that they are taking the virus seriously and using the precautions set by the Centers for Disease Control. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@recordingacademy)
Leading by example to encourage Houstonians to protect their health during the global pandemic, Mayor Sylvester Turner rolled up his sleeve to get a Moderna COVID-19 vaccination Monday afternoon. The mayor was joined by a diverse group of community members, health care personnel, and essential frontline workers. The doses were given by trained Houston Health Department staff to the mayor and others who are at least 65 and older, or age 18 and older with at least one chronic medical condition putting them at increased risk of severe illness and death. “I want everyone to know, especially people of color in this diverse community, that this is not the Tuskegee Project,” said Mayor Turner. “This is not the time for people of color to stay away from the vaccine.” Police Chief Art Acevedo, Fire Chief Sam Pena, Council Members Amy Peck, Michael Kubosh, Letitia Plummer, David Robinson and Judge R.K. Sandhill, Mary Ramos, William A. Lawson, Susannah Wong, Zhengyi Wu, and several frontline city workers also received the vaccine. Ramos said she wanted to publicly get the vaccine to send a message to the Hispanic community. “I am asking all my people to take the vaccine. I just took it, and it does not hurt,” said Ramos. “You have a better chance of surviving this pandemic if you take the vaccine. If you care about your family, do it,” Darryl Flood, a Houston Public Works maintenance employee, also got the vaccine Monday. “I feel good, and I encourage everyone eligible to get vaccinated.” Also on Monday, the Houston Health Department launched an online registration portal allowing Houstonians at the highest risk of coronavirus disease to schedule appointments to receive free COVID-19 vaccinations. While appointments are full for the rest of the month, Mayor Turner said he soon plans to announce a vaccination mega-site. A larger site would allow the health department to increase the number of daily vaccinations. “We know there are people reluctant to get the vaccine in certain communities,” said Mayor Turner. “But there is a lot of demand. Our goal is to open more sites as we get increased vaccine supply.”
Music fans were shocked last week after learning that singer Jeremih had been admitted to the hospital and on a ventilator, fighting for his life due to complications from contracting the coronavirus. The 33-year-old ‘King of Collaborations’ is now said to be out of ICU and on the road to recovery. His family released a statement to TMZ that read in part, “Jeremih has been transferred out of ICU. He will spend the rest of his recovery time in a regular hospital room. The true healing begins. Thank you all for your prayers and wishes.” To date, there have been 12 million reported cases and 55.6 million worldwide. The Center For Disease Control advises everyone to wash their hands, wear a mask and stay away from activities involving large crowds. Continued well wishes, Jeremih, for a speedy recovery.
Singer Trey Songz has joined the many Americans who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The R&B singer posted a video, confirming his diagnosis to his 12.2 million followers on Instagram. View this post on Instagram Down but not out! Stay safe y’all! Wear your mask. Wash your hands. 🙏🏾 A post shared by treysongz (@treysongz) on Oct 5, 2020 at 5:04pm PDT “Here with a very important message to let you know that I tested positive for COVID-19,” he said in the video. “I’ve taken many tests as I’ve been out protesting, food drives, of course I have a very young son at home, so I get tested periodically and this time unfortunately it came back positive.” The “Mr. Steal Your Girl” singer says he is taking everything very seriously and will be self-quarantining. “I will be taking it seriously, I will be self-quarantining,” Songz said. “I will be in my house until I see a negative sign.” Songz is among the many celebrities who have contracted the virus, including actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, Dewayne “The Rock Johnson” and most recently, President Donald Trump and his wife Melania.
The 2020 Billboard Music Awards is scheduled for Oct. 14, and boasts an all-star lineup of superstar talent. This year’s awards are based on the chart period of March 23, 2019 through March 14, 2020, and was originally scheduled for April 29, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Singer and Talk Show host Kelly Clarkson will serve as the host, and country crooner Garth Brooks will be taking the stage as this year’s ICON Award recipient. Other performers will include; Post Malone, Doja Cat, Swae Lee, Demi Lovato, and BTS to name a few. Post Malone leads the pack with 16 nominees, followed by first-time nominees Lil Nas X with 13 and Billie Eilish with 12. See the shortlist of nominees below: Top Artist:Billie EilishJonas BrothersKhalidPost MaloneTaylor Swift Top New Artist:DaBabyBillie EilishLil Nas XLizzoRoddy Ricch Top Song Sales Artist:Billie EilishLil Nas XLizzoPost MaloneTaylor Swift Top Gospel Song:Kirk Franklin “Love Theory”Kanye West “Closed on Sunday”Kanye West “Follow God”Kanye West “On God”Kanye West “Selah” Top Rap Female Artist:Cardi BCity GirlsMegan Thee Stallion Top R&B Album:Beyoncé “Homecoming: The Live Album”Justin Bieber “Changes”Chris Brown “Indigo”Khalid “Free Spirit”Summer Walker “Over It”
HOUSTON – He’s a chart-topping rapper, an author providing sound financial advice and is even in the construction industry — now, the “BOSS” Slim Thug is taking a near-tragedy and turning it into a lucrative business. Slim, whose “government name” is Stayve Jerome Thomas, has launched a Personal Protection Equipment line after surviving a bout with COVID-19. The mogul has teamed up with Jimmy Choung, owner of Uptown Beauty, and Adam Beason, CEO of Rubix Entertainment Group, to launch “SlimHTX.” “I’m excited to launch my PPE Products as this is a time where safety should be our priority, but we can also make it look like a boss”, the entrepreneur said. “We need to make wearing masks cool. The most important thing right now is staying safe. This virus is serious and people need to be cautious.” The FDA-approved products will include stylish masks, disposable masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, and personalized N95 masks. Prices range from $2.99 to $6.99 per mask, face shields, on average, are $3.99 each, and a bottle of hand sanitizer is $6.99. With over 21 years in the music industry, the Houston native has never been shy about building his many brands. In addition to BossLife, he has BossLife clothing, BossLife Beer, BossLife Construction, BossLife Worldwide, and the BossLife Foundation where they do philanthropy yearly. In March, the 39-year-old tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, he’s been on a mission to educate and protect the community. Slim has donated 1,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to the Houston Police Department and Metro bus drivers, and is also participating in Mayor Sylvester Turner’s “Mask Up” campaign. For more information, visit www.slimhtx.org.
