::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

    NEW ALBUM FEATURES COLLABORATIONS WITH TASHA COBBS LEONARD, JAMAL ROBERTS, JORDAN G. WELCH, JOE L. BARNES, TIM BOWMAN JR., ENRIQUE HOLMES & MORE  (Nashville, TN)  - GRAMMY, Dove, & Stellar Award-winning gospel singer/songwriter, Jonathan McReynolds releases a brand new album today,  Closer (Live in Chicago) . Recorded live in his hometown of Chicago, the 13-track project captures the raw emotion, spiritual depth, and musical innovation that have made McReynolds one of the most trusted voices in inspirational music.  Closer (Live in Chicago)  is available now wherever music is sold and streamed.  Closer  is Jonathan McReynolds’ most personal and spiritually centered project to date. A deeply personal body of work, CLOSER serves as an honest reflection of McReynolds’ spiritual journey—an invitation for listeners to pursue a deeper relationship with God. It is an honest journey of pursuing God and getting closer to Him. The album e...

    Today the U.S. Department of State announces a series of reforms to the United States Foreign Service to ensure that America’s diplomats are prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century and effectively advocate for our national interests across the globe. These modernization reforms impact both the selection and orientation processes for the Foreign Service. Applicants will be tested on American history, foreign policy concepts, and logical reasoning, while questions intended to test alignment with ideological agendas have been eliminated. Foreign Service orientation will now focus on training on core skills, including public speaking and negotiation, as well as lectures on essential topics like economic strategy, commercial diplomacy, and diplomatic history. The State Department invites patriotic Americans to apply to join the Foreign Service. Testing registration is now open. Tests will be held from May 15th to May 22nd. “The Trump administration is modernizing th...

The Department of War, in partnership with Boeing and Lockheed Martin, today announced a landmark framework agreement to triple the production capacity of seekers for the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3®) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE). This agreement marks a pivotal step in executing President Trump and Secretary Hegseth's vision to build the Arsenal of Freedom, accelerate the delivery of critical capabilities to the warfighter, and create thousands of jobs across the defense industrial base.   This seven-year agreement with Boeing, a crucial supplier for the PAC-3 missile, directly supports the recently announced agreement with prime contractor Lockheed Martin to more than triple the output of the PAC-3 MSE all-up round.  It is a direct application of the Department's new Acquisition Transformation Strategy, which prioritizes engaging directly with key suppliers at all levels of the industrial base.    This approach ensures the entire supply chain – no...

In a major victory for public broadcasting a federal judge struck down Donald Trump’s executive order that attempted to defund PBS and NPR, ruling that the order violated the First Amendment. The judge said the administration’s move amounted to viewpoint discrimination — essentially punishing public media for reporting on what the president didn’t like. This ruling makes the order unlawful and unenforceable. Key points from the ruling The judge said the government cannot cut funding to media organizations as retaliation for their past reporting. The order targeted NPR and PBS because Trump claimed they were biased. The court emphasized that public media serves the public interest, not political agendas. Funding for NPR and PBS must be restored. Why it matters This decision protects: Independent journalism Local public media stations, especially in rural areas Educational programming that relies on federal support

B lack Bird Smart Innovations, a leader in life-saving wearable technology solutions, is proud to announce Dr. Liz Black as the company’s official Brand Ambassador. This strategic partnership strengthens Black Bird’s mission to empower caregivers and protect communities by bridging critical information gaps through innovative wearable technology. https://blackbirdtech.app/ Dr. Liz Black is a respected media personality, entrepreneur, and advocate who has built a powerful network of caregivers, families, and community leaders dedicated to improving the quality of life and access to critical resources. She is the founder and owner of Inspired Living Network LLC. She is also the visionary behind the nonprofit Dr. Liz Black Community Impact, which focuses on providing outreach, support services, and resources to underserved communities. Through her work, Dr. Liz Black has become a trusted voice and leader among caregivers, championing their needs, amplifying their challenges, and equipping...

Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened a complaint into the Contoocook Valley School District (the District) in Peterborough, New Hampshire based on reports that the District is allowing biological men to use girls’ restrooms and locker rooms. OCR will determine whether the District violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) by allowing students to access intimate facilities based on “gender identity,” not biological sex.   The District allegedly violates federal law by applying state law and district policy to allow boys in girls-only spaces, despite complaints from female students about the privacy and safety issues that their presence presents. It is alleged that discrimination based on sex is also notably absent from Contoocook Valley High School’s non-discrimination policy, with the clause only explicitly promising “a   learning environment that is free from discrimination based on race, religion, disabili...

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for various raw beef and pork products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection and may bear a false mark of inspection. Food produced without inspection may contain undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria, or other contaminants that put consumer health and safety at risk. FSIS is continuing to investigate and may add additional products to this alert as more information is obtained. The beef and pork items were produced from April 2024 through March 2026. The following products subject to the public health alert are [ view labels ]: 5-lb. box of 8-oz. packages containing a VACUUM-PACKED piece of "BLACKWING ORGANIC MEATS ORGANIC BEEF NEW YORK STRIP STEAK," with "EST. 1996" inside the USDA mark of inspection. 10-lb. box of 16-oz. packages containing a VACUUM-PACKED package of "BLACKWING ORGANIC MEATS ORGANIC GROUND BEEF." ...

( NEW YORK  – Mar.  30,  2026):   BET today announced the launch of the  BET Creator Studio , a dedicated space where culture-forward creators come to amplify their content with the power of the BET brand behind them.  THE JASON LEE SHOW  will serve as the marquee series,  set to launch Wednesday, April 8  at 8:01 AM ET/7:01 AM CT ,  on   BET.com   and  BET’s official YouTube channel . Media entrepreneur Jason Lee joined forces with BET to be the marquee series for the Studio launch. With new episodes dropping every Wednesday,  THE JASON LEE SHOW  combines access to Lee’s day-to-day life with sit-down conversations alongside his celebrity guests. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the untold stories shaping today’s public narratives and the people driving culture forward. The series expands Lee’s growing digital storytelling slate, giving audiences direct access to the pace, pressure, and strategy behind...

  A ONE-NIGHT ORCHESTRAL CELEBRATION OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ICONIC ALBUM VICTORY LIVE! (NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- March 30, 2026):  Tye Tribbett is marking a milestone. Twenty years after the release of  Victory Live! , one of the most transformational albums in gospel music history, Tribbett returns to the stage for “V20” Live!, a one-night-only Juneteenth orchestral celebration of the record that changed the sound of a generation. TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT  TICKETMASTER.COM The show takes place on June 19th, 2026, at The Theater at MGM National Harbor in Washington, DC. Tribbett will perform alongside a live orchestra, bringing  Victory Live!  to life in a way audiences have never experienced it before. Twenty years in, Tribbett is not slowing down or looking back. In his own words, the timing could not be more perfect. "This is not just about remembering a classic album. It's about remembering a classic message. The world needs this energy, this spirit,...

Pentecostalism is often described as the “shouting side” of the Black church—but that shorthand barely scratches the surface. For more than a century, Black Pentecostal believers have carried a theology rooted in the power, presence, and immediacy of the Holy Spirit , shaping worship traditions, musical forms, and spiritual expectations across the United States and around the world. At the center of this movement stands a man whose name should be as widely known as any major religious reformer: William Joseph Seymour , the son of formerly enslaved parents who ignited a spiritual revolution from a small mission house in Los Angeles. Pentecostalism is often described as the “shouting side” of the Black church—but that shorthand barely scratches the surface. For more than a century, Black Pentecostal believers have carried a theology rooted in the power, presence, and immediacy of the Holy Spirit , shaping worship traditions, musical forms, and spiritual expectations across the United Sta...

BET has announced that its hit series LOVE & HIP HOP: MIAMI returns for the explosive second half of Season 7 with its midseason premiere on Wednesday, April 8 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET. Welcome back to the 305 — where the sun is hot, the tea is hotter, and everybody’s business is everybody’s business. LOVE & HIP HOP: MIAMI picks up where it left off for the explosive second half of Season 7, as broken hearts, buried secrets, and burning bridges turn up the heat on the series’ most combustible cast to date. WATCH THE TRAILER HERE . When the truth about MICHAEL BLACKSON ’s relationship with NADIA finally comes to light, the fallout is swift and devastating – sending the famous comedian into a tailspin and his fiancee Mz. RADA DARLING out the door. Enter HEAVEN , who swoops in as Michael’s new assistant and closest confidante – with an agenda all her own. As he navigates high-stakes legal drama, a social media war that spirals out of control, and a volatile entanglement with an ...