Hundreds of police officers and members of the community honored slain Chicago Police Officer Ella French on Monday night on the city’s southwest side.
French, 29, was fatally shot on Saturday night, Aug. 7, during a traffic stop. Her partner, also a member of the Chicago Police Department’s Community Safety Team, was hospitalized in critical condition. The man, who was not named, was said to be “fighting for his life.”
“Tonight in the 6300 block of South Bell, 10th District & Community Safety Team officers organized a prayer service and balloon release in loving memory of fallen Officer Ella French. #NeverForget,” the Chicago Police Department posted on Twitter, with photos, on Monday night.
“We will continue on in your honor Officer French,” the department tweeted.
“Officer Ella French was murdered by cowards while conducting a traffic stop with her partners. We lost a sister in blue. Today, Ella’s family, friends, and fellow officers mourn and our hearts go out to them. What an incredible loss for this city, state, and the entire nation,” the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police — Chicago Lodge 7 tweeted on Monday night.
Officer Ella French, 29, was shot and killed during a traffic stop Aug. 7 in Chicago. (@Chicago_Police/Zenger)
Two brothers have been charged in French’s death.
Emonte Morgan, aka Monte Morgan, 21, is charged with first degree murder of a peace officer, attempted first degree murder of a peace officer (two counts), aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Eric Morgan, 22, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and obstruction of justice for his role in the alleged crime, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said.
A balloon release on Monday was part of the vigil in honor of fallen officer Ella French. (@Chicago_Police/Zenger)
Police allege that Emonte Morgan shot and killed French and shot her partner three times. Eric Morgan, police allege, drove the car that officers had pulled over because it had expired tags.
Both men were ordered held without bail on Tuesday.
After French’s partner was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, dozens of uniformed police turned their back to Mayor Lori Lightfoot when she visited the hospital.
French, the mother of a 2-month-old daughter, is the first female police officer to die in Chicago in the line of duty since Irma Ruiz in 1988.
Ten people were shot and killed and 73 were injured in Chicago over last weekend, police said.
WASHINGTON — Netflix, on Aug. 6, 2021, released the second teaser for the upcoming season of supernatural series, “Stranger Things,” which confirmed that season 4 would debut in 2022, nearly two and a half years after the July 2019 release of season 3.
The new 30-second teaser features classic moments from the first three seasons of “Stranger Things” mixed with quick snippets from season 4 footage, including a glimpse of the new monster, an amusement park, and a creepy old clock.
The teaser also will air on Aug. 13, 2021 night during the National Broadcasting Company’s (NBC) Tokyo Olympics coverage.
The first season 4 trailer, which was released on Feb. 14, 2020, teased fans with the return of David Harbour’s Hopper. The second trailer, released in May 2021, hinted at the rumored return of Dr. Martin Brenner, played by Matthew Modine.
However, a month after “Stranger Things” started production on season 4 in February 2020, it was suspended due to the escalating coronavirus pandemic. It resumed in September 2020, as per reports.
The show’s season three concluded with the heroes of Hawkins triumphant once again, but they suffered a loss.
Hopper (Harbour) perished due to Joyce (Winona Ryder) closing the door to the Upside Down below the Star Court Mall. And during the battle with a monster, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) lost her powers. Following Hopper’s death, Joyce took Eleven and moved with the Byers family, including Will (Noah Schnapp) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), out of Hawkins.
Teasing its fan, during a credits scene set in Russia, “Stranger Things” revealed Russians had a Demogorgon and “the American” captive. Could Hopper be alive? That remains to be seen.
“Although it’s not all good news for our ‘American’ (Hopper); he is imprisoned far from home in the snowy wasteland of Kamchatka, where he will face dangers both human…and other,” said Duffer brothers, the series creator to a media outlet in 2020.
“Meanwhile, back in the states, a new horror is beginning to surface, something long-buried, something that connects everything. Season 4 is shaping up to be the biggest and most frightening season yet, and we cannot wait for everyone to see more,” they said.
The series, homage to 1980s genre films, first premiered on Netflix in 2016 and has since swept away many award nominations, including 31 Emmy nominations and seven wins. The Duffers, writers, directors, and showrunners of the series, previously worked on the Fox series “Wayward Pines” and wrote and directed the post-apocalyptic horror film ‘Hidden.’
Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, “Stranger Things” is produced by Monkey Massacre Productions & 21 Laps Entertainment. The twin brothers serve as writers, directors, executive producers, and showrunners on the series alongside executive producer/director Shawn Levy and executive producer Dan Cohen of 21 Laps and executive producer Iain Paterson.
A man who performs backflips in slow motion is a hit on social media.
Micah Moeller’s videos on TikTok have 155,000 followers. Numerous videos have drawn more than 1 million views.
“I have been flipping since I was young and my family bought a trampoline, but I never took it seriously until I met my friend Kendan Smiley,” said 20-year-old Moeller, of Bellingham, Washington. “We would do trampoline tricks daily during the summer of 2017. I learned how to flip over years of practice and repetition. I never had traditional coaching, like gymnastics or cheerleading.”
In one TikTok clip viewed 3.4 million times, Moeller is standing in a garden before performing a backflip in slow motion that extends over two days and one night.
A similar video filmed in a living room has been viewed 3.7 million times on TikTok. Moeller flips backwards as the camera turns 360 degrees.
“Shorter-term content usually takes about two days for me to produce (one day filming and one day editing). But some of my short content has taken up to 80 hours to produce,” Moeller said.
“My longest project was a video on my YouTube channel about creating a trampoline park in my backyard. This video took about 800 hours to edit.
“Most of my VFX videos are use practical effects (in camera effects), but sometimes I will use cross dissolves or motion blur to make the final product smoother,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to create videos professionally, and I have been for the past four years. So you could say this is a childhood dream.”
Micah Moeller performs one of his popular backflips. (@micah.moeller/Zenger)
However, Moeller draws the line at competitions.
“I haven’t competed in any flipping events, but I have filmed for a few. I find that competing takes the fun out of how open the sport is,” he said.
“The flipping community is more about supporting others for their own progression rather than how good someone is compared to the top athletes in the sport. The events are lots of fun though and usually have about 60 to 80 people competing.”
For any wannabe flippers out there, Moeller has some advice.
“Flips are definitely dangerous and should be learned in a proper facility if you have access to one,” he said. “Lots of gymnastics and cheerleading gyms have open gyms, and there are also trampoline parks available. These are great places to learn how to flip.”
Forty-year-old Ed Herman will enter the UFC’s Octagon for the 28th time on Saturday night, this time in a match against the explosive Alonzo “Atomic” Menifield.
Now competing at light heavyweight, Herman (27–14–0, 1 no contest) has the longest uninterrupted tenure on the UFC’s active roster. He competed as a middleweight for much of his career, but feels fresher than ever now that cutting drastic amounts of weight is a thing of that past.
Herman’s UFC 265 preliminary bout opponent, Menifield (10–2–0), is coming off of a first-round submission of Fabio Cherant in March. Herman, known as “Short Fuse,” hasn’t competed since September 2020. He will be competing in his 41st fight as a mixed martial artist. UFC 265 can be seen live on pay-per-view via the Disney Bundle and ESPN Plus.
Zenger caught up with “Short Fuse” during fight week to discuss his battle plan against Menifield and what his future might hold after the fight.
Percy Crawford interviewed Ed Herman for Zenger.
Zenger: How is everything going, Ed?
Herman: Everything is going really good, man. It sounds a bit cliché, but almost better than ever. I’m feeling amazing at 40 years old.
Zenger: Would you credit that to your ability to continuously evolve with the game, taking good care of your body or a combination of the two?
Herman: Definitely a combination of both and a little of luck on my side.
Zenger: We all need a little of that. You have been in the UFC for a long time. Some of the guys you came in with aren’t even fighting anymore. How different is the game now as opposed to when you started?
Percy Crawford interviewed Ed Herman for Zenger. (Heidi Malone/Zenger)
Herman: It’s a lot different. Back then, it was kind of tough guys in the sport, and now it’s supreme athletes as well. There’s still tough guys, but the level of athletes that are in our sport now is very high. Guys are making the choice to come over now, to where they could be playing other professional sports and instead are choosing this path.
Zenger: You are coming into UFC 265 on a three-fight winning streak. You have shared the Octagon with a lot of great fighters. Do you feel like the experience gained in those fights are the keys to some of the consistency you’re having right now?
Herman: Yeah, a little bit. I would like to take some of the credit myself by putting in the work, continuing being a student of the game and continuing to try and evolve and get better to compete at this level.
Zenger: You have always had a blue-collar approach to fighting. That’s obviously what keeps you relevant and winning, but what keeps you motivated?
Herman: Well, I gotta say those paychecks are a part of it. I got college to pay for, for three kids. That kind of stuff. I like to be able to walk away from this sport and have some things to show for it. Now the money is better than it was before. Before I was making a living, but that was about it. Now I’m able to start to put some money away for my retirement, make some investments, and like I said, save for college for my kids. With inflation and everything becoming more expensive from real estate to gasoline, it’s hard to walk away from the money sometimes. And I’m still winning. I still feel good and healthy, so if I can do that, why not?
Zenger: Menifield is your opponent on Aug. 7. During one of his recent fights, you said you weren’t impressed by him or his opponent for that particular performance. What do you see in him heading into your matchup with him?
Herman: He’s a stud athlete. He’s very explosive. He looks really strong. He’s definitely a dangerous guy, but I feel my experience and my skill level is higher. I feel I can weather that storm, and I’ll have the opportunity to shut him down with my skills and my durability.
Zenger: It always feels like a pick your poison when someone is fighting against you because we have watched your standup get so much better, and obviously the wrestling has always been there. Stylistically, what type of fight are you expecting from Menifield?
Herman: You know, it’s kind of hard to say. I feel like in a lot of his fights, he’s come out with some big bursts, he likes to control the cage. Put a lot of pressure on guys and keep them pinned against the cage, and step back and flurry. He’s definitely strong enough to get a takedown and I can see him trying to get a takedown, but he’s got a smart coaching staff, and I don’t think that would be a very smart option for him. Especially after my last fight when my energy bar was down to the bottom and I still pulled off a submission.
I’m dangerous on the ground, man. I got legit jiu jitsu for fighting. You’re not going to see me rolling underneath for ankle locks or anything, but if it presented itself there, I’m going to look for it. I’m well-versed on the ground. I feel like he’s in trouble anywhere. I feel like he’s going to be nervous. I’ve got the reach on the outside. But he’s got that explosive power and that speed on me a little bit.
Ed Herman will take part in his 41st pro MMA fight on Saturday night, a light heavyweight match against Alonzo Menifield. (Courtesy of Ed Herman)
Zenger: Is it concerning to you that he may be a bit sharper, as he fought in March and you haven’t been inside the cage since last September?
Herman: I’ve been in the gym this whole time because I was supposed to fight in May; that got pushed back. I think I was supposed to fight in July, and that got pushed back. I’ve been in the gym all year. It’s not like before, when I was injured and out of the gym for months at a time. But I have trained this entire time. I don’t see any type of ring rust will be a problem for me. I haven’t fought for a little while, but I have still been really active, so I don’t see it being a problem.
Zenger: You have weathered so many storms throughout your career. What has it been like just making it to the cage and crossing your fingers hoping your opponent does the same, with COVID being a thing?
Herman: It’s been a crazy year. Last year I had a fight canceled the day of, and that was really frustrating. I had to get right back into camp right afterwards and get ready for Mike Rodriguez. At 39–40 years old, it’s a lot harder to do that than when you’re a kid. I use that time to recover. The camp is what takes it out of you a lot of the times. It’s been a tough time with COVID. Not only that, but all the separation of family and friends, and all the chaos throughout the world.
In the gym, you don’t see a lot of that. Every race, religion, none of that matters here. We’re all brothers. But I feel like outside of here, the world has become an ugly place right now. We gotta love each other and love our neighbors and get back to being there for people. Hopefully, that can continue to happen, and we can all get along.
Zenger: This will be your 41st fight, and in October you turn 41 years old, so that would seem to be a bit of an omen for you.
Herman: Ah, I didn’t think about that. That’s kind of crazy. I feel really good. Like I said, a little bit of luck and all that stuff we talked about with taking care of myself has gone a long way. I feel good. My first fight at 205, I didn’t cut any weight. I weighed in at 203. But I’ve been able to actually lift weights between camps and put on a little more muscle. That keeps me from getting injured as easy.
When you’re always too lean and constantly cutting weight, I feel like you get injured easier. Building a bit of muscle mass for this camp, I’ve been able to stay healthier that way. It’s the first time in my life that I have lifted weights on a consistent basis, so you’re going to see the biggest, baddest, strongest Ed Herman that you have ever seen, and I’m going to be shredded, too. That’s wassup, man. I’m ready to go. I feel great.
Zenger: Given your longevity, what’s your approach to these fights now?
Herman: I’m definitely not overlooking Alonzo, he’s a very dangerous opponent. I try to take it one fight at a time now. Each time we go back and talk to my coach and talk to my family to make sure my body’s right, my mind is right. I think a lot of it is mental at this point. I know how to fight. I know how to do all this stuff, but being in the right mindset matters. I’ve lost fights in the past before I even stepped in the cage because I wasn’t in the right place mentally. That’s a lot of it. I gotta enjoy these moments. What’s the worst that can happen, it’s already happened.
Zenger: What does Ed Herman have to do to be successful on Saturday night?
Herman: I just gotta go out there and put the work in. I gotta fight composed, I gotta fight smart, stay with my game plan and not let my emotions control what I’m doing, which isn’t always easy in the heat of the moment. I just gotta go do my thing and do what I do best, get out there and fight.
I’m up for a contract negotiation after this fight, so I’d love to stick around for a little bit longer. I’m taking it one at a time, but at the same time I think I’ve got another three or four fights in me before I hang them up.
Zenger: Win, lose or draw, you have never disappointed in terms of giving your all. I expect much of the same on Saturday night, and good luck to you.
Herman: It’s good to talk to you again. It’s been a long time, Percy. I want to thank all the fans for sticking by me. I got a lot of support coming into this fight. A lot of people giving me a lot of love, respect and support. I appreciate that from the fans and all my people who got my back. My gym here, American Top Team-Portland, my coaches and teammates, I couldn’t do this without them. You don’t do this by yourself, so also my family, of course.
Badou Jack was set to avenge what many boxing insiders felt was an unjust split-decision loss to Jean Pascal on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather’s June 6 exhibition bout against YouTuber Logan Paul.
Instead, Jack was notified at the end of May that Pascal had tested positive for several performance-enhancing drugs and the fight was canceled. Jack went on to knock out undefeated late replacement Dervin Colina in the fourth round.
Jack has seemingly put Pascal and the light heavyweight division in his review mirror as he prepares to move up to cruiserweight in hopes of capturing his third world title in as many divisions.
Jack opens up to Zenger about the disappointment of not being able to avenge the Pascal loss, shoots down a potential bout against Andre Dirrell and talks about the Badou Jack Foundation.
Percy Crawford interviewed Badou Jack for Zenger.
Zenger: Before our last interview could appear, Jean Pascal tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, and your anticipated rematch with him was off the week of the fight. This seems to be the Badou Jack playbook where you just roll with the punches.
Jack: Yeah, I mean there have been so many bad things that have happened in my career, bad decisions, and bullshit, so it’s nothing new to me. And the same thing with drug testing happened before when I fought Lucian Bute.
Zenger: Your career seems to be a Hollywood producer’s dream, so maybe that’s the silver lining (laughing).
Jack: (Laughing). Right!
Zenger: You put a lot into landing that rematch. Obviously, you don’t want to fight a drug cheat, but in the same breath, that had to be devastating news.
Percy Crawford interviewed Badou Jack for Zenger. (Heidi Malone/Zenger)
Jack: It was really sad. First of all, they robbed me the first time, then I had to wait 18 months for the rematch. I was actually on my way up to cruiserweight before I was offered the fight with Pascal. Floyd [Mayweather] asked me if I could make the weight, and I said, “Sure!” I had a little time, four months, so I said, “Yeah!” I was up to 220 pounds and then I had to cut all that weight to fight at 175 and got robbed.
Floyd called me a couple of days after and said I had to fight him [Pascal] in April in LA. Then the pandemic happened, and then he wanted more money, excuses, excuses. Then the week before the fight, I was in the best shape of my life mentally and physically. I was so ready to stop him this time.
Zenger: It seems like you always felt that something wasn’t right about Pascal in terms of being a clean fighter.
Jack: Yes. Before the first fight, we asked for VADA [Voluntary Anit-Doping Association] testing, and there was no testing. We were begging for it. It didn’t happen. And then this time we asked from the beginning. It didn’t happen for the full camp, but it was the last five weeks. That was better than nothing.
Badou Jack held the WBC super-middleweight title from 2014–2017, and the WBA light-heavyweight title in 2017. (Courtesy of Team Jack)
Zenger: It served its purpose because it caught him. I’m sure you have moved on from any potential fight with Pascal. You have talked about moving up to cruiserweight for a long time. However, Andre Dirrell respectfully said he would like to test his skills against you at 175. Is that something you would entertain?
Jack: No, definitely not. He’s not in my plans. But you’re right, at least he was respectful. … At the stage where he’s at right now, he brings nothing to the table. He has no title, he’s ranked way below me, there is no money in a fight like that. I have nothing to gain, other than his name, but his name doesn’t mean nothing right now to me. He’s not a part of my plans. My plan is to become a three-division world champion. If it’s a crazy money fight, I will stay at 175, like a Canelo [Álvarez] fight or something. Other than that, he’s not a part of my plan.
Zenger: From light heavyweight [175 pound weight limit] to cruiserweight [200 pound limit] is probably the biggest gap in between weight divisions in boxing. How do you plan to properly put on the weight and grow into the division?
Jack: It takes time to put on real muscle. Also, I’m cutting a lot of weight to make 175. I was cutting at least 30 pounds. We’ll see. I will grow into the weight class. I’m about to be 38, I’m tired of cutting weight. Who says that cutting 30 pounds is better than gaining 30 pounds? Plus, I want to make history. I want to challenge these bigger guys. And stylistically I have an easier time with the bigger guys.
Badou Jack’s record is 24–3–3. (Courtesy of Team Jack)
Zenger: Do you feel like the speed advantage that one would think you would have at cruiserweight will play a factor in your success in the division?
Jack: Yeah definitely. And I came from super middleweight. I’m not even the biggest light heavyweight. Canelo has conquered a lot of weight classes, Floyd did it, so there is no reason why I can’t try that. Just to be big and heavy, that’s easy. You can just eat and lift weights. It’s gotta be functional strength. I’m going to keep my speed, and it’s going to be fun.
Zenger: Given the time needed you would need to do everything you just mentioned of growing into your cruiserweight frame. When can we expect to see you make your official cruiserweight debut?
Jack: I’m not sure. I hope to be back before the end of the year. It might not be for the title in that fight, but never say never. I’m going to talk to my team and see what’s next.
Zenger: You always have so much more than boxing going on. You are very active in other countries with philanthropy work, and your foundation. Is that the perfect balance for you during your fighting downtime?
Jack: Yeah. Right now, during the pandemic, it’s been kind of slow with the foundation as far as visiting refugee camps and stuff. We still got a lot of stuff done though. My fight before last, we donated a lot to my foundation. I just came back from Dubai. That’s when I saw that Andre Dirrell had called me out.
Badou Jack with a Syrian refugee. His foundation is working with Palestinian and Syrian refugee camps and plans to start working with foster children in the United States. (Courtesy of Team Jack)
Jack: We are trying to make it one of the biggest foundations in the world, especially for refugee kids and orphans in those poor countries. The focus is mostly where my dad is from, West Africa, Gambia and the Middle East. We’re working with a Palestinian refugee camp, a Syrian refugee camp, and we’re going to start with foster kids here in the states, as well.
Zenger: You are an amazing man and fighter, Badou. Continue fighting the good fight, and I wish you the best of luck. Is there anything else you want to add?
Jack: Hopefully, I will have some good news soon. Thank you, Percy.
WASHINGTON — Facebook-owned Instagram announced that new accounts of users under the age of 16 would be set to private by default to ensure the safety of young people.
The update is one of the few new features rolled out by Instagram to make the application safer for everyone, especially minors.
“Creating an experience on Instagram that’s safe and private for young people, but also fun comes with competing challenges,” Instagram said in astatement on July 27.
“We want them to easily make new friends and keep up with their family, but we don’t want them to deal with unwanted DMs or comments from strangers. We think private accounts are the right choice for young people, but we recognize some young creators might want to have public accounts to build a following.”
Users below the age of 16 (18 in some countries) will now have private accounts by default, and only approved followers can see posts and like or comment under private accounts.
Instagram will roll out new technology aimed at reducing unwanted contact from adults — like those who have already been blocked or reported by other teens — and it will change how advertisers can reach its teenage audience, as per a media report.
“For young people who already have a public account on Instagram, we will show them a notification highlighting the benefits of a private account and explaining how to change theirprivacy settings. We will still give young people the choice to switch to a public account or keep their current account public if they wish,” the company’s statement said.
The decision has been taken after detailed research carried out by Instagram. The research suggested that eight out of ten young people accepted the private default settings during sign-up.
However, Instagram will not force teenagers to remain private. They can switch to public accounts at any time, including during sign-up, as per the media report.
Instagram has also introduced an up-gradation for its multi-clip video ‘Reels. The social media app has now said that users can create 60 seconds videos on Reels.
The recent update also adds functionality for a captions sticker on Reels, which transcribes audio to text, as per a media report. The caption sticker is currently available only in a handful of English-speaking countries.
Reels wasintroduced last year in August as “a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram.” It earlier supported Reels up to 30 seconds only, while its competitor TikTok recently expanded its limit to three minutes for all creators.
Announcing the news, Instagram posted ameme on its official Twitter handle on July 27 showing the progression of its Reels feature. However, Instagram did not reveal further details about the latest update.
(With inputs from ANI)
Edited by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan and Praveen Pramod Tewari
Time-lapse footage by a Turkish drone artist shows views of Mount Nemrut, a World Heritage Site since 1987. The mountain is believed to be a royal tomb from the first century B.C.
The 7,001-foot mountain in southeastern Turkey is noted for having large statues around its summit.
In 62 B.C., King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene built a tomb-sanctuary on the summit flanked by huge statues of himself, two lions, two eagles and various Greek and Iranian gods. The statues once had the names of each god inscribed on them. The heads were removed from their bodies at some point and are now scattered throughout the site.
Antiochus I was the son of King Mithridates I Callinicus and Queen Laodice VII Thea of Commagene. He was half Armenian and half Greek, a distant member of the Orontid Dynasty. Although the Roman Republic was annexing territories during his reign, Antiochus used diplomacy to keep Commagene independent. He made peace with Pompey in 64 B.C, when the Roman general invaded Syria, eventually becoming an ally.
Sunset over Mount Nemrut, captured in time-lapse video by Isa Turan. (@jesus_tr/Zenger)
To capture a broad range of views of Mount Nemrut, Isa Turan took time-lapse footage, which he posted online.
“The video starts with the sunset on the western face of Mount Nemrut on the evening of July 10,” he said. “Later, it becomes night and the Milky Way and the stars are visible. Finally, after continuing with night scenes on the eastern terrace, the sun rises.
“All night long, we were alone with the statues under the stars,” said Isa Turan, who filmed time-lapse video of Mount Nemrut, near Ad?yaman, Turkey, on July 10. (@jesus_tr/Zenger)
“We didn’t even close our eyes for a minute during the 30 hours that passed until we went from Izmir to Nemrut and completed the shooting,” he said. “We were one of the few lucky people who experienced the sunset, starry nights and sunrise at the same time in Nemrut, which we arrived at in the evening.
“All night long, we were alone with the statues under the stars. It is really difficult for me to express my experience and my feelings into words. We have officially made a journey into history among these ruins built thousands of years ago.
“It was an extraordinary experience to be so close to the sky in the pitch black of night, with the howling of the strong wind and the stars seemingly within touching distance.”
Clarksburg, MD — Three-time Olympian Dominique Dawes still maintains her focus and dedication to what’s important in life — including laughter.
During her performances, Dawes says she rarely smiled. But today, as a wife, mother of four young children and owner of a gymnastics academy, she encourages the girls she trains to express emotions that would not have been acceptable during her career.
It’s part of a shift in the cutthroat culture of American gymnastics that was brought to the fore at the Tokyo Olympics by the decision of Simone Biles — considered the “Greatest of All Time” in the sport — to pull out of the team event final due to mental exhaustion.
“She needs to do what is best for Simone,” Dawes told Zenger in an interview.
“At the end of the day she is the one who has to live her life. Just like [Japanese world tennis No. 1] Naomi Osaka, who made the decision to not partake in a press conference because she was concerned about her mental health, athletes need to be able to say no,” she said.
“If they feel that it’s unhealthy for them, they need to be able to step away.”
Dawes was a member of the “Magnificent Seven” team that won gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. She was also the first black person — male or female — of any nationality to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics, and the first African American to win an individual Olympic medal in the floor exercise.
A lot has changed since then, she said, with her Olympic successors like Biles more empowered to stand up for their own interests.
“When I think about the Olympic Games, it brings me back to the level of sacrifice and commitment and what it took to earn a spot on that Olympic stage,” Dawes said. “We did what was told of us. Back in the ’90s, gymnasts were literally trained to be to robots.”
“It is very much a breath of fresh air to be a 44-year-old mom and to listen to my inner voice now.”
A different focus
Dawes said her views on gymnastics changed after she became a mother.
“I think it is important for our kids to enjoy their childhood,” said Dawes, who started in gymnastics when she was 6 years old.
In the 2020 documentary “Art of the Athlete,” Dawes talks about moving away from her parents and siblings when she was 10 to pursue her dream of being a world-class champion. While she later would be nicknamed “Awesome Dawesome,” her journey was not easy.
“Everything that came out in 2016 regarding [former USA Gymnastics national team doctor and convicted sex offender] Larry Nassar … it was the culture that allowed that to go on,” Dawes said. “He abused so many young girls, and now we are shining a light on a culture that has some horrible, physical and psychological abuse.
“I want to make sure that we are focusing on building and not tearing kids down, building them up to be champions in life.”
“I want people to have a healthy introduction to the sport of gymnastics,” says Dawes. (Courtesy of Dominique Dawes)
Her academy “is all about creating a healthy environment and being honest about the journey that I had, back in my career. While I love sports, it can be a very grueling environment. What I am offering is quite different. I want people to have a healthy introduction to the sport of gymnastics. It is not about building champions. It is more about happy and healthy kids growing up to be healthy adults.
“As a mom of four, I see life differently,” she said. “Everyone has different strengths and abilities. I see every kid there as gifted and talented. That’s how my facilities run, as opposed to a highly competitive facility.
“It can be a very grueling environment, but I want people to have a healthy place. We are planting positive seeds, and it is really about building the self-esteem and the emotional psychology of smiling and laughing and caring about [children] as people.”
Changing the “spirit of gymnastics”
“We are really striving to change the spirit of gymnastics. It was the culture that allowed the abuse of so many young girls,” she said.
Dawes, who spoke with Zenger before Team USA began their performances in Tokyo on Sunday, said she and her family would be watching.
“I feel like everyone in the globe is going to be watching, being what we have been through over the last year and a half,” she said. “We are cheering for them.”
Dawes married Jeff Thompson, a teacher in Potomac, Maryland, in 2013, and today they are parents of a 7-year-old, a 5-year-old and 3-year-old twins.
When she was asked what name she goes by, she said: “It is still Dawes. But my husband gets on me to change it to Dominique Thompson.”
Her husband, a former professional basketball player, said of Dawes: “She is amazing. I want to elevate her as a mother, wife and businesswoman.
“I see the business as a calling. I look at her all the time, and as a man, I have to put the ego aside because she is so well-loved, and let her be the mother and the wife. It is often a complicated road to navigate,” he said.
Dawes celebrates with a student at her gymnastics academy. (Courtesy of Dominique Dawes)
A trailblazer
Milton Kent, a professor at Morgan State University, said Dawes was clearly a trailblazer for modern athletes because at the time she was competing, the Eastern Europeans set the standards in gymnastics and the Americans were not serious contenders.
“They were controlled by Béla Károlyi, the Hungarian [coach] who had a big influence in the U.S.,” Kent said. “Dominique had her own private coach, Kelli Hill.”
Kent said Biles and other present-day Olympic gymnasts owe much to Dawes. But now Dawes wants to chart a new course for her students.
Dominique Dawes shares her truth about competition and mental health. (Claire Swift/Zenger News)
“In terms of some parents, they don’t really [understand] the journey and the level of sacrifice it takes for a young child,” she said.
“I want to be part of the change by creating a healthy environment. I see life different now that I am a mother of four kids. I now see things in terms of my children and as a protective parent. … I am going to be part of the parents who really care.”
Edited by Judith Isacoff and Fern Siegel, Visuals Edited by Claire Swift, John Diaz and Brian Coen, Director of Photography, Adrian Muys
SBVC Launches Machinist Training Pilot Program for?Individuals with AutismSAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Among Americans with disabilities, there is a high rate of unemployment and underemployment — something San Bernardino Valley College and the Uniquely Abled Project are working to change. This August, Valley College will launch a pilot program providing Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinist training to individuals with autism. This first cohort of eight students will receive on-campus instruction and hands-on work experience using SBVC’s state-of-the-art machinist technology, with San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board later providing job placement. The program will be made possible thanks to a $10,000 award from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, $15,000 from the San Bernardino Valley College Foundation, and $10,000 from Goodwill. This $35,000 will cover the cost of a job coach who will assist students enrolled in the program.
“We are committed to equity in education and ensuring all students have access to educational opportunities at SBVC that will improve their quality of life,” SBVC Foundation Interim Director Mike Layne said. The Uniquely Abled Project’s Uniquely Abled Academy Program offers vocational training and job development for high-functioning adults on the autism spectrum and has successfully placed more than 90 percent of its graduates with jobs. Using funds provided by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Goodwill purchased the Uniquely Abled Academy curriculum for SBVC. “The Uniquely Abled Project is delighted to partner with SBVC to extend the benefits of a Uniquely Abled Academy to the manufacturers and uniquely abled individuals of the Inland Empire,” Uniquely Abled Project Founder and President Ivan Rosenberg said. “Manufacturers get the skilled CNC operators they need, and individuals with Level 1 autism will have good paying career jobs that will enable them to live productive and fulfilling lives. Our hope is that this will be the first of a number of UAAs in the Inland Empire.” Machinist Prof. Miguel Ortiz first learned about the Uniquely Abled Project in 2017, and thought it would be a good avenue for SBVC to explore. A CNC machinist operates equipment that produce parts and tools made from plastic, metal, and other materials. There is a shortage of qualified CNC machinists in the manufacturing sector, and when students complete the Uniquely Abled Academy, they can get matched with jobs paying anywhere from $33,000 to $54,000 annually. “For the individual and the industry, it’s a win-win,” Ortiz said. “Being a CNC operator is the most prevalent job and easiest way to get into the industry.” The California Department of Rehabilitation will provide participant referrals to SBVC, and before starting the Uniquely Abled Academy Program, students will go through a screening process to ensure this is the right fit for them. Layne said the hope is to have a second, larger cohort start in 2022, and because of the key partnerships with the Department of Rehabilitation, Goodwill, and San Bernardino County Workforce Development, SBVC should be able to “successfully launch, grow, and sustain the project in future years.” Jonathan Weldy, chairman of the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board’s Special Populations Committee, said the organization “applauds Valley College, the Uniquely Abled Project, and all of the supporters of this model program that will create great career opportunities for a segment of the population that is often left out. At Workforce Development, we look forward to working with program graduates and our business community in providing job placement services.”
TARRANT, Ala. — As a white city councilman in an Alabama town faces outrage for directing a racial slur at a black city councilwoman, the town’s mayor says the episode was a calculated political stunt meant to harm him.
Video footage of the July 19 town meeting in Tarrant, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, rocketed across the U.S. at the speed of Twitter, drawing demands for John “Tommy” Bryant’s resignation.
Interviews and Internet messages reviewed by Zenger reveal a power struggle with Bryant and his wife, who are white, battling black first-term mayor Wayman A. Newton, who has become a disruptive force in one corner of the Deep South. The fight in this majority-black town of about 6,200 has an unusual complication: Newton says Bryant and Veronica Bandy Freeman, the councilwoman he smeared, often work together to thwart his proposals.
Bryant was caught on video during a hearing Monday night, pointing to a black councilwoman and asking, “Do we have a house n*****r in here?” He later said he was trying to draw attention to Newton’s use of the phrase, which typically refers to a black American who chooses to be subservient to white people.
Newton denies using the phrase but says he was targeted for being critical of a fellow black politician who has fought him on vote after vote. Newton and Bryant are both Republicans. City council elections in Tarrant are non-partisan and party affiliation is not required, according to Newton.
Bryant’s wife Nancy Mahler Bryant claimed in a Facebook post before Monday’s hearing that Newton started the racial fireworks by using the slur to berate Freeman. Mrs. Bryant said Freeman sided with the white city council faction and opposed Newton’s move to fire a private garbage collection firm and bring that work under the town’s control.
In this later-deleted Facebook post, Tommy Bryant’s wife accused Mayor Newton of calling black councilwoman Veronica Bandy Freeman a “house n*****,” an allegation Newton denies. (Facebook/Tracie Threadford)
“He [Newton] called another council member a house n*****r because she did not want to vote with him,” Mrs. Bryant wrote on Facebook. She initially wrote the word “bigger” but later corrected her typo, spelling out the two-word racial slur, the post’s version history shows. Mrs. Bryant later deleted her comment, but Newton read it aloud during Monday’s town meeting.
“He hollered ‘f-you’ multiple times to all the council members when they did not agree with him for independent garbage service,” Mrs. Bryant wrote. “He has demeaned, harassed and slandered two council members to the point of having the police called on him and police reports filed.”
Newton told Zenger he hasn’t verbally abused anyone. “It’s not true,” he told Zenger. “The one time I actually made a point of being verbal was when he [Mr. Bryant] called me ‘boy.’”
Freeman called Bryant’s words “unconscionable racial discrimination and harassment,” in a statement issued through her attorney. She is one of two black members of the Tarrant City Council. The other, Tracie B. Threadford, sent Zenger a screen capture of Mrs. Bryant’s Facebook post.
“He’s got to go,” Threadford said of Bryant. She said, too, that Mrs. Bryant is openly racist, “calling us ‘the blacks’ and using the n-word.” She declined to reveal her party affiliation.
Tracie Threadford, an elected Tarrant, Ala. City councilwoman, says the Bryants and others are trying to stop Mayor Wayman Newton’s reforms because they don’t want progress to come as a result of a black man being elected. (@cityoftarrant/Facebook)
Bryant is defiant, denying he’s a bigot and telling local reporters that he may run for mayor against Newton.
Democrats and their allies are calling for Bryant to step down. “He is a racist and unfit to serve,” Alabama Democrats Executive Director Wade F. Perry said in a statement that called him and two other Republicans “embarrassments to Alabama.”
“THIS MAN HAS TO GO!” the Alabama state conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said in a statement. “We are fed up with the way he feels emboldened to spew his racist hate in the public.”
In a statement, Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl did not say whether Bryant should resign, but called his language a “racially charged outburst” that “is completely unacceptable in any setting.”
Wayman Newton, the black first-term mayor of Tarrant, Ala., says Bryan’t racial slur was part of a calculated plot to draw attention to a false claim that he himself had used the same words to refer to a black councilwoman who opposed him politically. (@cityoftarrant/Facebook)
Wahl praised Newton as a member of the GOP and said the party “deeply appreciate[s] his commitment to serving his constituents honorably, even in the face of adversity.”
The Republican National Committee did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Newton accused Freeman and Bryant of coordinating a clumsy political attack against him that was rooted in politics, not race. “I’ve had ongoing battles with Bryant that have also included Freeman,” he said. “Together, they’ve undermined everything I’ve tried to do. They’ve been hand-in-hand for some time, voting together on practically everything.”
He said he received written notification on July 15, four days before Bryant used the racial slur in public, that Freeman would file an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against him and the city for racial discrimination.
“The timing is peculiar. I believe it was all orchestrated,” Newton said. “It was a political strategy poorly executed.”
Veronica Bandy Freeman, an elected Tarrant, Ala. City councilwoman, was the object of Bryant’s “house n*****” slur, but according to Mayor Wayman Newton the two work together often to obstruct his proposals. (@voteveronicafreemandistrict1/Facebook)
Newton is seated next to Freeman in the video. He questioned the sincerity of her tearful exit from the council chambers, saying that she wasn’t crying when Bryant used the racial slur.
“She didn’t even start crying until I started reading the Facebook post from Bryant’s wife,” he said.
Newton’s first-term agenda includes initiatives to attract businesses to a city known mainly for producing foundry coke, a coal byproduct that’s burned to melt iron. He said Bryant and Freeman, along with two other council members, have thwarted him at every turn.
“I once tried to hire a consultant with extensive experience helping small municipalities identify economic development and brownfield development opportunities,” he said. “They refused to even listen to him.”
Newton did win a battle of wills by introducing and passing an anti-nepotism bill.
“We had a case where a father was the direct supervisor of two sons, and I wanted to ensure that city hiring and promotion practices were based on merit,” he said. “But, every time I introduced the bill, it was DOA [dead on arrival] with Freeman and Bryant and the rest of the council. It wasn’t until I threatened to add the bill to every council agenda did they finally vote for its approval.”
Threadford said Newton is right about the other council members’ obstructionism. But she blames racism, not politics, for a series of impasses.
“The fact is that Tarrant wants to change, but not through a black man,” she said. “This is buffoonery at its finest.”
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