What You Need To Know

Urban One Podcast Network
Urban One Podcast Network
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Everyday, Sybil Wilkes gives you "What You Need To Know."

  1. 3h ago

    WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: NOVEMBER 4, 2026

    1. Keisha Lance Bottoms made history Tuesday night, becoming the nation's first Black female governor. The former Atlanta mayor defeated Republican Rick Jackson to become Georgia's 84th chief executive and the state's first Black woman elected to statewide constitutional office. Her platform centered on expanding Medicaid, lowering housing costs, and fully funding Georgia's schools.2. Hakeem Jeffries is on track to become the first Black Speaker of the House. Senior Black Democrats spotted his rise early, meeting over dinners a decade ago to plan his path to succeed Nancy Pelosi. With Democrats resurgent, he is set to take the gavel in January, second in line to the presidency.3. U.S. job postings jumped sharply in September, a hopeful sign hiring could pick up. Openings rose to 7.5 million from 7.19 million in August, the most since May, while layoffs fell. The October jobs report arrives Friday and is expected to show 65,000 new jobs, with unemployment holding at 4.2 percent.4. Eighteen incarcerated women in Illinois just made history, trading prison uniforms for caps and gowns. They earned bachelor's degrees Oct. 16 through Northwestern's Prison Education Program — the first time a top-rated American research university has awarded degrees to incarcerated women. Nancy Pelosi delivered the commencement address at the Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center.5. Keziah Lowery, 16, has been missing from Philadelphia since October 26, 2026, last seen near Fox Street and Abbottsford Avenue in the city's 16th district, and the circumstances of her disappearance are unknown. She is Black with a medium complexion, 5-foot-1 and 120 pounds, with brown eyes and long blond-strawberry hair worn with green braids. Anyone with information should contact the Philadelphia Police SW Detective Division or BAMFI through BAMFI.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. 1d ago

    WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: NOVEMBER 3, 2026

    Millions of Americans have already voted in the midterms that will decide control of Congress. By Saturday night, more than 52.7 million early ballots had been cast nationally, including about 29.1 million in person. Georgia set a midterm record, with more than 2.8 million early votes. History is on the midterm ballot, and Black women candidates are writing it. No state has ever elected a Black woman governor, and no more than two Black women have served in the Senate at once — both could change today. Seventy-two Black women are nominees for Senate, House, and statewide offices. If you own a partnership LLC, you may be paying business expenses the wrong way. Partners who cover costs like software and travel personally can lose the deduction if the partnership agreement does not require it. A clear reimbursement policy is often cleaner, letting the firm deduct the cost and making the partner whole. Notre Dame swept Villanova at the Eternal City Tip-Off in Rome, the doubleheader honoring Pope Leo, the first American pope, that opened the college basketball season Sunday. The men rallied for a 74-72 win, and Hannah Hidalgo led the No. 13 women past the Wildcats, Pope Leo's alma mater, 99-75. Both Notre Dame head coaches, Micah Shrewsberry and Nielle Ivey, are Black. November 3 is the feast day of St. Martin de Porres, the first Black saint of the Americas. Born in Lima, Peru, in 1579 to a Spanish nobleman and a formerly enslaved Panamanian mother, his father refused to acknowledge him. He became a Dominican brother known for humble service and charity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. 2d ago

    WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: NOVEMBER 2, 2026

    More than half of U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens' staff quit Sunday, protesting her endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers for U.S. Senate over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Former chief of staff Justin German said the team was shocked and heartbroken, and urged voters to back El-Sayed and Democrats. The move came days before Tuesday's election. One person was killed and eight injured in a shooting Saturday night near Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, after the Magic City Classic between Alabama A&M and Alabama State. Police said nine people were hit, one critically, with seven in stable condition, and multiple firearms were recovered. One person was detained. Affordable Care Act open enrollment is underway in most states through January 15, with shoppers warned to expect higher premiums and fewer options for 2027. Marketplace prices are expected to rise about 13 percent, as financial help is restricted for many previously eligible. Experts say people who do not qualify for a subsidy will be hit hardest. In a Ministry Monday message, Willie Mae McIver writes that to rebuke is to criticize, and in the Bible it confronts a person with their sin. She says correcting loved ones should be done softly and from love, with restoration as the goal. She cites Proverbs: an open rebuke is better than hidden love. On November 1, 1910, W.E.B. Du Bois published the inaugural issue of The Crisis as the magazine of the NAACP. Du Bois, a co-founder of the NAACP, edited it until 1934, saying it would show the danger of race prejudice. He called it a record of the darker races. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. 5d ago

    WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: OCOTOBER 30, 2026

    Former President Obama knocked the White House response to his Cheesecake Factory jab at President Trump, calling the administration "not serious people." Campaigning in Georgia for Senator Jon Ossoff and Keisha Lance Bottoms, Obama said officials mounted a government-wide response to a joke, not to inflation, though many families can barely afford to eat out. He had joked Trump's $900 million renovations made the White House look like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. David Crowley is leading Wisconsin's governor's race, but growing Black political fatigue could threaten it. Polls and voter interviews suggest Crowley may struggle to reach the Black support Democrats usually need to win the divided battleground state. Some Black Milwaukee voters say Democrats have taken their votes for granted for years, voting Democrat simply to keep Republicans out rather than because support was earned. Brennan Williams turned a passion for lemonade that began at age 9 into Brennan's Lemonade, perfecting his "Premium Blend" over years before bottling it in 2021. The Louisiana business is now in 11 stores, and Williams, a junior at Southeastern Louisiana University, plans to bring it to airports next. He says persistence is key, using failures as motivation. Fifteen-year-old Phillip Mullin of Alexandria, Louisiana, rang the bell at Manning Family Children's Hospital in New Orleans after a treatment his team called a functional cure for sickle cell disease. Hospitalized more than 100 times, he became Louisiana's first pediatric patient to receive the LYFGENIA gene therapy, and the second person in the state to get it. Sickle cell affects about 100,000 Americans, disproportionately Black Americans. On October 30, 1979, Richard Arrington was elected the first African American mayor of Birmingham, Alabama. His run followed the killing of 20-year-old Bonita Carter, shot by a Birmingham police officer though she had committed no crime; a citizen review board ruled the shooting justified. Carter's death changed Birmingham politics and pushed Arrington to run for mayor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. 6d ago

    WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: OCTOBER 29, 2026

    1. History is on the line in this year's Senate races: since 1789, only one of every 400 U.S. senators has been a Black woman. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware recently became the first two Black women to serve at the same time. Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton is set to join them, and if Florida's Angie Nixon wins, four Black women would serve together.2. Black farmer Jamie Davis is running to become Louisiana's next U.S. senator, traveling farm to farm to shake hands with voters. The Democrat from Waterproof is challenging Representative Julia Letlow, who has President Trump's endorsement. If Davis wins, he would be the first Black person to hold the seat since P.B.S. Pinchback, who was elected in 1873 but never allowed to take it.3. The cost of the Iran war to American taxpayers has grown to an estimated $47.1 billion. The Pentagon's latest figure to Congress, as of October 16, is up $3.5 billion since early September, and the cost has become a key issue in the midterm elections. With the war now eight months old, most voters say they want Congress to prioritize ending it.4. Beyoncé's BeyGOOD Foundation has awarded $25,000 to Camp HBCYouth, a summer camp that introduces young children to HBCUs. The seven-week program has served 2,000 children in kindergarten through fifth grade, with HBCU students and alumni as mentors, and partners including Spelman, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta and Tennessee State. Founder Reagan Fresnel says the grant will put more children on HBCU campuses and keep the camp affordable for families.5. On October 29, 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education that school segregation had to end "at once," replacing Brown v. Board's "all deliberate speed." The case was led by Beatrice Alexander Ross, a Mississippi ninth grader. Her stand forced Southern districts into immediate desegregation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. Oct 28

    WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: OCTOBER 28, 2026

    1. Angie Nixon Urges National Investment in Southern Black Voters Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon is calling on national party leadership to increase investments in Southern races and stop taking Black voters for granted as a guaranteed constituency. Nixon expressed frustration among grassroots organizers and community members who feel the political establishment often seeks Black labor without supporting Black leadership. Her remarks reflect a broader push ahead of the midterm elections for sustained campaign funding and genuine engagement across Southern battleground states. 2. Alabama Senate Nominee Everett Wess Navigates Uphill Campaign Democratic nominee Everett Wess is mounting an uphill campaign for the U.S. Senate in Alabama, seeking to become the state’s first Democrat elected to the upper chamber in a general election in over three decades. Facing Republican nominee Barry Moore, Wess contends with significant fundraising disparities and limited national party investment in a reliably conservative state. Despite facing long odds, Wess remains committed to grassroots voter outreach, focusing his platform on local economic concerns and the needs of working families. 3. Regulators and 20 States Sue Dollar General Over Deceptive Pricing Federal consumer protection regulators alongside twenty states filed a joint lawsuit against Dollar General, alleging long-running deceptive pricing practices at stores nationwide. The complaint states that the discount chain routinely charged shoppers higher amounts at checkout registers than the prices displayed on shelves and in promotional ads. Officials emphasized that failing to correct these known pricing discrepancies causes significant financial harm to working-class families and low-income communities trying to make every dollar count. 4. Viral Outpouring Supports 3-Year-Old Soccer Phenom After League Incident A viral video sparked widespread public support for three-year-old Nevada after local police were summoned to a Florida youth soccer game where the toddler was dominating play and scoring repeatedly. The organization subsequently removed the child from the league and issued a refund to his parents, sparking national conversation around youth athletic policies. Children’s educator Ms. Rachel stepped into the situation on social media, encouraging professional soccer players to rally around the toddler with positive mentorship and memorable experiences. 5. Black and Missing: Samuel Spencer Jr. Samuel Spencer Jr., 20, has been missing from Mobile, Alabama since October 16, 2026; his car was found abandoned on the Cochrane Bridge, still running, with his wallet, ID, and phone inside. His family later got a threatening text from someone claiming to have him. He is Black, medium complexion, 5-foot-8, 150 pounds, short black hair, brown eyes — call Mobile Police at 251-208-7211 or BAMFI at 877-97-BAMFI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. Oct 27

    WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: OCTOBER 27, 2026

    1. Abdul El-Sayed Mobilizes Black Voter Support in Detroit Campaign Stop Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed campaigned alongside Detroit civic officials, labor leaders, and community organizers to solidify support among Black voters ahead of the midterm election. Facing Republican nominee Mike Rogers in a high-stakes contest that could determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate, El-Sayed highlighted his track record as Detroit’s former health director. Community leaders emphasized his long-standing work advancing public health initiatives, educational equity, economic opportunity, and voting rights protections across the city. 2. Teen Suspect Charged as Adult in Tallahassee Mass Shooting A fifteen-year-old suspect faces eleven counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of unlawful firearm possession after a weekend shooting near Florida A&M University's football stadium left eleven people wounded. Authorities confirmed that the suspect will be charged as an adult and ordered held in custody following a detention hearing. Investigators determined that a physical altercation between acquaintances preceded the gunfire, noting that none of the injured bystanders appeared to be the intended targets. 3. Balancing Business Growth with Strategic Tax Planning Growing service enterprises frequently direct substantial capital toward marketing, branding, and customer acquisition while neglecting proactive tax strategies. Postponing strategic tax planning can lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars in missed deductions and eroded profits over multiple fiscal years. Establishing tax strategy as a foundational component of a company’s financial infrastructure enables business owners to protect their cash flow and retain more of the wealth they generate. 4. Maryland Driver Uncovers Winning Lottery Ticket in Sun Visor A Maryland motorist experienced an unexpected windfall after discovering a forgotten lottery ticket tucked away in his car's sun visor. After purchasing the ticket earlier in the month and losing track of it, the slip fell directly into his lap while he was stopped at a local gas station weeks later. Upon checking the numbers through the state lottery app, the driver discovered his casual purchase had yielded a significant winning payout. 5. Know Our History: Celebrating GPS Pioneer Dr. Gladys Mae West Born on October 27, 1930, in Sutherland, Virginia, Dr. Gladys Mae West overcame rural poverty and Jim Crow barriers to become a groundbreaking mathematician and technological trailblazer. After graduating as high school valedictorian and earning advanced mathematics degrees from Virginia State University, she joined the Naval Surface Warfare Center in 1956 as only its fourth Black employee. West performed intricate calculations and programmed early supercomputers to model the precise geodetic shape of the Earth, creating the mathematical foundation that made the modern Global Positioning System possible. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  8. Oct 26

    WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: OCTOBER 26, 2026

    1. Barack Obama Rallies Midwest Democrats, Criticizes Campaign Rhetoric Former President Barack Obama campaigned across Ohio and Michigan, urging voters to reject divisive rhetoric and mobilize for the midterm elections. Speaking in Cleveland, Obama denounced personal attacks leveled against Ohio gubernatorial nominee Dr. Amy Acton before traveling to Detroit to rally support behind Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. 2. Mass Shooting Following FAMU Homecoming Leaves 12 Injured A mass shooting outside Bragg Memorial Stadium following Florida A&M University’s homecoming game left twelve people injured, including six children. Eleven victims sustained gunshot wounds, with three suffering serious injuries and one remaining in critical condition. Authorities are investigating the tragic shooting as the campus and local community work to support the affected families. 3. FDA Announces Massive Nationwide Toothpaste Recall Over four million tubes of toothpaste sold nationwide under the Brush Buddies, Evo, and ARU brand names have been recalled by manufacturer Pritam International Private Limited. The FDA designated the voluntary action as a Class II recall following deviations from Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) standards, warning that use of the products could cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences. The recall affects 17 different product lines—ranging from children's flavored toothpastes to whitening formulas—with specific lot numbers and expiration dates detailed in the FDA's official enforcement report. 4. Ministry Monday: Finding Lifelong Refuge in God This week’s reflection highlights God as an enduring refuge and source of strength during seasons of distress and uncertainty. Drawing from Psalms and Proverbs, the message reminds believers that faith, scripture, and prayer offer complete protection from fear. Leaning on divine guidance enables believers to navigate challenges with steadfast peace. 5. Know Our History: Celebrating Gospel Icon Mahalia Jackson October 26 marks the birth anniversary of Mahalia Jackson, born in 1911 and revered as the "Queen of Gospel Music." A powerhouse vocalist and vital figure in the Civil Rights Movement, Jackson was a close confidante of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. At the 1963 March on Washington, her prompt from behind the podium to "tell them about the dream" inspired King's iconic, improvised address. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Everyday, Sybil Wilkes gives you "What You Need To Know."

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