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U.S. House of Representatives passes debt ceiling bill, which now heads to the Senate for possible approval....By clevelandurbnanews.com

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Staff article

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Following weeks of wranglings by Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a debt ceiling bill Wednesday in hopes of averting would could be a first-ever default unless Congress passes the measure by the June 5 deadline for which the treasury department has said it will no longer be able to pay the nation's bills.

The debt ceiling bill at issue, which suspends the country's $31 trillion debt limit to avoid a government shutdown, passed the Republican-dominated House 314-117 and now heads to a split Senate of sometimes cantankerous lawmakers. If it passes the Senate, which Democrats control, it would need President Joe Biden's signature to become law.

Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached a bipartisan deal before the House passed the bill on Wednesday, though 71 Republicans voted no. The measure approved by the House calls for the nation's debt limit to be suspended until January 2025. This would allow the government to keep borrowing money so it can pay its bills on time.

The president called bipartisan passage of the bill 'good news' and urged the Senate to follow suit and to also pass the proposed legislation. It is the first major political compromise reached by the House under the leadership of Speaker McCarthy since the Republicans wrestled the House away from Democrats via the November midterm elections. And it comes as the 2024 presidential election nears.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio and in the Midwest Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

Last Updated on Thursday, 01 June 2023 19:21

16-year-old Cleveland teen found dead with multiple gunshot wounds behind abandoned middle school....By Clevelandurbannews.com, Ohio's Black digital news leader

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Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — As crime continues to increase in the largely Black major metropolitan city of Cleveland, a 16-year-old boy was found Tuesday with multiple gunshot wounds behind the abandoned Audubon middle school on the city's east side

Police were called to the 3000 block of MLK Jr. Drive at around 7 p.m. and upon arriving they found the boy with multiple gunshot wounds. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene and police have not arrested any suspects in the case.

This is a developing story.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio and in the Midwest Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 31 May 2023 22:44

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown's FEND Off Fentanyl bill wins law enforcement support nationwide, Brown a Cleveland Democrat and seasoned member of Congress....Some 109,680 people died in 2022 alone from the fentanyl crisis in the U.S.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (pictured), a Cleveland Democrat and seasoned member of Congress, (D-OH) led the introduction to his Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill designed to help combat the country’s fentanyl crisis by targeting opioid traffickers devastating Ohio and other communities.

If the proposed legislation passes Congress it would enhance current law so that U.S. government agencies can more effectively disrupt illicit opioid supply chains and penalize those facilitating the trafficking of fentanyl. Some 109,680 people died in 2022 alone from the fentanyl crisis in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the epidemic continues to deepen.

The bill also ensures that sanctions are imposed not only on the illicit drug trade, but also on the money laundering that makes it profitable. Brown, who chairs the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, introduced the legislation with the committee’s ranking member, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and the leaders of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI) and Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS). The bill now has over 40 cosponsors in the Senate.

In addition to cost issues, critics of the bill say it heightens criminal penalties and that increasing criminal penalties does not necessarily decrease crime. But supporters of the initiative say it has merit, particularly law enforcement types.

Read what law enforcement officials in support of the bill are saying about U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s FEND Off Fentanyl Act:

Sheriff Dallas Baldwin, Franklin County:

  • “The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office continues to be committed to fighting the opioid epidemic that is devastating our country, virtually leaving no community untouched. I fully support all federal actions and sanctions to disrupt the flow of international trafficking of fentanyl from China through Mexico and the money laundering that the drug cartels are greatly profiting from. The FEND Act targets these dangerous drugs at the source, thus saving lives in Ohio.”

Chief Deputy Rick Minerd, Franklin County:

  • “Cartels in Mexico and transnational criminal organizations in China alike are capitalizing on the deep roots of addiction among Americans across the country. Their thirst for money comes at the expense of real lives. Law enforcement agencies are on the front lines of intercepting the supply of fentanyl and other deadly drugs before they seep into our communities, while clinicians work tirelessly to curb the demand from those suffering with substance abuse disorders. I applaud Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and his bipartisan colleagues who stand in support, with legislation such as the FEND and POWER Acts to monetarily sanction these criminal organizations, while also providing much needed tools to law enforcement for early detection.”

Police Chief Scott Comstock, Zanesville:

  • “The Zanesville Police Department is committed to fighting the opioid epidemic and recognizes the negative impacts fentanyl has had on communities. We support any measures that can be taken to limit the suppliers and any sanctions that can be imposed on the proceeds of these illegal gains that are being made at the expense of our citizens.”

Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police:

  • “Administrator Anne Milgram at the DEA has described fentanyl as ‘the single deadliest drug threat’ our country has ever faced, and she is right. We need to do more as a nation to interdict the flow of this drug and its precursors into our country and severely sanction individuals and organizations involved in making and distributing this poison. Senators Tim Scott and Sherrod Brown have developed a comprehensive approach that codifies an existing Executive Order giving the President broad authority to attack fentanyl trafficking by using all the resources of the United States. We strongly support this effort and look forward to working with them and with Senators Wicker and Reed to pass this important legislation.”

Sheriff Jim Skinner, Collin County, TX (National Sheriffs’ Association):

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's leader in Black digital news

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 31 May 2023 17:54

Rock and soul icon Tina Turner dead at age 83

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Tina Turner — one of rock and soul music’s greatest icons and comeback stories — has died, leaving a seven-decade legacy that blazed a trail for divas like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse, Jazmine Sullivan and Annie Lennox. In a statement released Wednesday, her representative announced: “Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll,’ has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE AT YAHOO.COM

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

City of Cleveland expands gun shotspotter detection technology to all 5 neighborhood police districts to deter crime

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CLEVELAND, Ohio- Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb, Chief Director of Public Safety Karrie D. Howard and Police Chief Wayne Drummond announced on Tuesday that the city of Cleveland has expanded ShotSpotter technology to all five neighborhood police districts in an ongoing effort to combat gun violence in neighborhoods.

The Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) launched a pilot program in 2020 to use ShotSpotter technology on a three-year lease in the fourth district. Since then, the system has reportedly detected more than 10,000 incidents, including over 24,000 rounds fired.


City officials say the technology was instrumental in saving 12 lives, as victims were provided immediate medical aid by both police officers and Emergency Medical Service. ShotSpotter has also helped law enforcement take some 66 firearms off the streets of Cleveland.


“The results of Cleveland’s ShotSpotter pilot show that this technology is effective and is making a difference,” said Mayor Bibb. “ShotSpotter is one of many tools we are incorporating in our fight against gun violence. We are focused on investing in technology and intelligence to reduce gun homicides in our city.”


Chief Drummond added that “the ShotSpotter technology is an incredibly important element that is greatly improving the capabilities of police officers to act swiftly in the event of critical incidents.”


Studies show that more than 80 percent of gunfire incidents are not reported to 9-1-1 in low income urban neighborhoods. ShotSpotter helps law enforcement to identify and locate incidents of outdoor gun violence that may have gone unreported to law enforcement. Alerts are sent within 60 seconds of gunshots, notifying officers precisely when and where gun incidents occur, allowing for a fast, location specific response that can save lives and preserve evidence.


The ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology uses a series of acoustic sensors deployed atop light posts and buildings. Upon recognizing gunfire, the sensors work instantly to triangulate the sound and pinpoint the location and number of shots fired. Expertly trained ShotSpotter acoustic professionals are available 24/7 to review and qualify all gunfire incidents before sending an alert. There have been, however, concerns, raised by the ACLU  about effectiveness, reliability, privacy, and equity. The company, SoundThinking Inc., which was formerly ShotSpotter Inc, has been partnering with cities and police since 1997, and as of 2023 has been utilized by more than 150 cities and law enforcement agencies in the U.S.

By providing a more accurate location to a crime scene, the technology is designed to help responding officers collect additional evidence, like shell casings, they may have otherwise not been able to find.

 

This also helps detectives, who can use the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to compare evidence from other crime scenes and uncover patterns.


An August 2021 study that looked at the technology’s use in Pittsburgh showed that 96 percent of shots were located within 50 feet or less and an audit released two weeks ago by an independent data science firm in Washington D.C. confirmed that citing an accuracy rate of over 97 percent. In Oakland, 101 gunshot wound victims were located and kept alive due to the technology, and the Albuquerque Police Department reported finding and coordinating EMS response for 179 gunshot wound victims in less than 11 months due to the technology’s alerts.


The ShotSpotter expansion is funded through a $2.76 million American Rescue Plan allocation. The administration also issued an RFP through the Department of Urban Analytics and is finalizing a contract with Cleveland State University’s Criminology Research Center (Crim Center) to independently evaluate ShotSpotter’s effectiveness as well as determine its impact on building community trust.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 31 May 2023 18:27

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