James Group Awards $140,000 to Detroit Entrepreneurs and Students Money. A5
Michigan Chronicle
Vol. 85 – No. 14 | December 8-14, 2021
Powered by Real Times Media | michiganchronicle.com
President Biden Sounds Warning on Omicron Variant By Stacy M. Brown The Washington Informer
President Joe Biden cautioned Americans not to panic as omicron, the latest COVID-19 variant, threatens to further stall recovery from the nearly two-year-old pandemic. The President called the variant a cause for concern but not panic. “We have the best vaccine in the world. The best medicines, the best scientists, and we’re learning more every single day,” President Biden asserted. “And we’ll fight this variant with scientific and knowledgeable actions and speed. Not chaos and confusion.” President Biden continued: “Look, we’re going to fight and beat this new variant as well.” The White House earlier announced that the U.S. would restrict travel from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, and Mozambique. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has already declared a state of emergency, announcing that while the omicron variant hadn’t arrived, she expects it would soon. “We continue to see warning signs of spikes this upcoming winter, and while the new omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it’s coming,” Hochul insisted. Officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) said the Omicron coronavirus variant on Monday carried a “very high risk of infection surges.” The WHO reportedly advised its 194 member nations that any infection surge could have severe consequences but said no deaths had yet been linked to the new variant. “Omicron has an unprecedented number of spike mutations, some of which are concerning for their potential impact on the trajectory of the pandemic,” the organization noted in a news release. “The overall global risk related to the new variant of concern Omicron is assessed as very high,” WHO officials stated. South African officials reportedly first detected the new variant a week ago in Botswana, with cases confirmed in Germany, Japan, Canada, and Belgium. The Biden administration remains hopeful while still embracing the likelihood of omicron in the United States. “While we have said that travel restrictions can slow the speed of omicron, it cannot prevent it,” President Biden stated. “Here’s what it does: it gives us time. It gives us time to take more action. To move quicker, to make sure people understand, you have to get the vaccine. You have to get the shot. You have to get the booster.”
WHAT’S INSIDE
The Biden Effect: Is the Biden Adminstration Benefiting the Black Community? By Megan Kirk
stood by her predecessors. An HBCU graduate, Black Greek-letter sorority member and the first female District Attorney in San Francisco, Vice President Harris may have succeeded in earning the Black vote, but maintaining the trust from Black communities is proving to be a different feat.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been in office for close to a year and critics of the duo remain displeased with the promises made during the campaign versus the reality of the administration’s approach to leading the country. Rallied by millions of Black voters across the country, the historical win, for some, signified a promising new beginning after four years under the troubled Trump Administration. Voters are scrutinizing the pair under a watchful eye and have yet to be swayed. The Black vote carried the Biden/ Harris ticket and inevitably led them to their historic victory. Running on ambitious promises, the duo is now facing a herd of constituents who are waiting to see the proof of the pair’s work. Assuming office with an approval rating as high as 53 percent, the president’s appeal to the American people has sharply declined. Since January 2021, ratings have plummeted. As low as 38 percent of Americans stand behind the President according to recent polls. However, more than 50 percent of Americans now disapprove of Biden’s handling of the country. Amid a worsening pandemic, rising inflation and an unsteady economy, the Biden Administration is facing some backlash from voters. “The backlash and approval rates plummeting can be attributed to vaccine mandates, mask requirements, potential broken promises, gas prices increasing and not appropriately recognizing some of our essential workers who have worked through the entire pandemic,” said Steven A. Chisholm, councilman for Inkster’s 4th District. “Folks don’t want to be told what to do. When vaccine mandates were enacted within the federal government, people got fearful. As a U.S.
Steven A. Chisholm, councilman for Inkster’s 4th District. citizen, people want the right to remain pro-choice, but pro-choice should be applied across the board for everything.” Vice President Kamala Harris is also falling short of the expectations of some voters. Hailed for being the first woman of color elected to the vice presidency, the Black community viewed her as a potential voice and ally in the White House. Much to their dismay, voters have seen little to no push specifically servicing Black and Brown communities. “They’re not doing anything good. It’s like they used Kamala Harris and Joe Biden to get the Black people’s vote. Kamala Harris hasn’t helped Black people do anything,” said Adrian Humphries, a real estate entrepreneur. Holding a 28 percent approval rate, Vice President Harris is facing a new level of scrutiny not previously with-
“Kamala Harris asked the people to vote for the first Black woman in office. Now, all of a sudden, she’s in the White House and won’t do anything for Black people,” said Humphries. Formerly, Dick Cheney was once noted as the most unliked Vice President in the country’s history with a 30 percent approval rating. Now, the reigning VP ranks even lower. The Biden Administration is credited for generating a much-needed economic jolt during the height of the pandemic. The American Rescue Plan provided direct relief to Americans with the help of stimulus checks, unemployment insurance, support for small businesses and childcare. This coupled with the recent infrastructure bill, which has been met with bipartisan support, are seen as two major wins for the administration. However, the pandemic continues to permeate the country and frontline workers are bearing the weight. “I have a multitude of peers who work in the health industry and/or the public safety sector. They worked through the entire pandemic and never received any real recognition or they were ineligible for any of the amenities that were spread amongst many workers. They’ve voiced these concerns and blame the president as well as their state officials,” said Chisolm. “Some just want a simple thank you while others may want something monetary. It made matters a bit worse when they didn’t receive the official thank you they stated they deserved on
into vacant houses, changed the locks, listed them for sale or rent, then collected payments from victims. Some fake sellers have even filed false deeds to make fake sales look legitimate, lawyers and experts say.”
Fake landlords are costing Americans a pretty penny, and Detroiters falling victim to these vicious housing rental scams are paying up, too.
City.Life.Style. B1
According to national data, about 5.2 million U.S. renters have lost money due to rental scams, Forbes reported – and that’s just the start. Locally one in 10 Detroiters dealing with an eviction are more than likely to be victimized by this insidious crime that the city, and vulnerable residents, especially Black residents, have dealt with for 10 years. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, and others, are not sitting idly by.
$1.00
EFFECT page A2
Fake Landlord Scam Causes Rippling Effect Over a Decade for Detroit Residents By Sherri Kolade
Cream Liqueur Brand Extends into Michigan
See BIDEN
Nessel recently reissued consumer alerts related to housing
scams following a local investigation and reported instances of scammers looking for monetary gain taking advantage of unsuspecting Detroit residents. An NBC News and Outli-
er Media report noted that in some cases, “people who have lost their house to foreclosure have kept collecting rent from tenants without letting on that they’re no longer the landlord. In others, con artists have broken
“I was appalled and saddened to read the hardship these victims are facing at the hands of scam artists who target tenants,” Nessel said. “The best way to prevent a scam from happening is to know the red flags to look for, so you can spot them before a bad actor tries to take advantage of you or someone you know. It’s also important to remember my team is ready to investigate consumer complaints. We just need help from the public in reporting suspected scams.” In response, Nessel is reissuing two consumer alerts that
See LANDLORD
SCAM page A2