Gov. Evers Appoints Nia Enemuoh-Trammell and David Conway to the Dane County Circuit Court
Gov. Evers announced two more appointments to the Dane County Circuit Court. Nia Enemuoh-Trammell will serve on Branch 6, replacing Judge Shelly Gaylord. David Conway will serve on Branch 17, replacing Judge Peter Anderson. With these appointments, Evers has appointed five judges to the Dane County Circuit Court. Trammell will be the sixth Black woman to serve as a judge in Wisconsin history, and the first Black woman in Wisconsin to serve as a judge outside of Milwaukee County.
“I am keenly aware of the important role that the court plays in our community and the difference that judges can make in administering justice,” Trammell said in a statement. “I look forward to the awesome responsibility of positively contributing to the judiciary.”
Trammell is the deputy secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. She previously was a senior administrative law judge for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and an attorney in private practice. She served as chair of the board of directors for the Urban League of Greater Madison and a commissioner on the City of Madison Equal Opportunities Commission. Trammell earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
“Dane County is fortunate to have Nia Trammell join the other excellent Dane County circuit court judges,” said Judge (Ret.) Paul Higginbotham. “Nia’s vast experience as an attorney, community activist, administrative law judge, and most recently as deputy secretary of a state administrative agency has prepared her for the important job of being a judge. Nia’s passion for justice and fairness for all people, but especially for the marginalized citizens of this community, is well known. She has worked hard as a member of the Urban League of Greater Madison’s board of directors on social justice issues and on improving the lives of African Americans in Dane County. I have no doubt, that as a judge, Nia will listen closely, bring a strong sense of fairness and justice, and an excellent understanding of the law and courtroom know-how to the bench. Kudos go to Gov. Evers for this great appointment.”
Madison College Establishes Scholarship in Honor of George Floyd
During the memorial service for George Floyd, Dr. Scott Hagan, President of North Central University where the service was held, challenged every university president across the nation to establish a scholarship in Mr. Floyd’s name. Since then dozens of colleges and universities have followed North Central’s lead and started scholarships in memory of George Floyd, whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police has led to massive national protests and worldwide demonstrations.
In solidarity with the nation’s colleges and universities coming together to support the Black community and racial equity, the Madison College Foundation in collaboration with Madison College is establishing the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship with an inaugural gift from President, Dr. Jack E. Daniels, III.
This scholarship will be available to Black students studying at Madison College through the Madison College Foundation scholarship process. Go here to learn more: https://www.supportmadisoncollege.org/stop-racism-now/
Sen. Kamala Harris first African American pick for Vice President by Major Party
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden chose Kamala Harris as his vice president running mate. A U.S. Senator from California and Biden’s formal rival during early presidential primaries, Harris becomes the first Black woman to run on a major political party’s presidential ticket.
“I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris— a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate,” Biden twitted.
Harris is 55, more than 20 years younger than Biden, 77, the former vice president under President Barack Obama whose age was a concern for some Democratic voters.
Harris was born in Oakland, California, to parents of Jamaican and Indian descent. She went on to become the first woman and African American person to serve as San Francisco district attorney and later as California attorney general.
Biden, she wrote, “can unify the American people because he’s spent his life fighting for us. And as president, he’ll build an America that lives up to our ideals. I’m honored to join him as our party’s nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief.”
Harris joined the Senate in 2017 after winning the race to succeed longtime Sen. Barbara Boxer, becoming only the second Black woman to serve in the chamber and the first South Asian American elected to the Senate.
Legendary Georgetown Coach John Thompson Jr. Dies at Age 78
By ESPN
Legendary Georgetown coach John Thompson Jr., known simply as “Big John” throughout college basketball, has died at age 78.
Thompson, who led Georgetown to the 1984 national championship, built the program into a juggernaut, taking the Hoyas to three Final Fours in the 1980s, while also winning seven Big East titles and leading the 1988 United States national team to a bronze medal in the Olympics.
“We are heartbroken to share the news of the passing of our father, John Thompson, Jr,” the Thompson family said in a statement released by Georgetown. “Our father was an inspiration to many and devoted his life to developing young people not simply on, but most importantly, off the basketball court. He is revered as a historic shepherd of the sport, dedicated to the welfare of his community above all else.”
Thompson’s coaching legacy includes the recruitment and development of four players in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo and Allen Iverson.
“This is a person that, when I came to college ̶ I was 18 ̶ helped me to grow,” Ewing, the current Georgetown coach, said during Big East media day last October. “Even though my mom and dad were always there, he was always a person I could pick up the phone and call if I had a problem or if I had a question.”
Thompson, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, was a pioneer credited with opening the door for a generation of minority coaches. His national title run in 1984 was the first by a Black head coach and altered the perception of Black coaches.
Never afraid to speak his mind, Thompson walked off the court in 1989 before a game against Boston College to protest Proposition 48, an NCAA measure that would ban academically ineligible freshmen from receiving scholarships. Thompson said he protested because he believed the proposition aimed to limit opportunities for minority students.
Washington NFL Team Hires Jason Wright, League’s First Black President, to Transform Franchise
NFL.com
The Washington Football Team made a historic hire, naming Jason Wright as the team’s president. He is the first Black team president in NFL history.
A former NFL running back, Wright, 38, becomes the youngest team president in the league and is the fourth former player to serve in the position. His duties running Washington’s business affairs include the operations, finance, sales and marketing departments.
“This team, at this time, is an ideal opportunity for me,” Wright said in a statement. “The transformation of the Washington Football Team is happening across all aspects of the organization ̶ from football to operations to branding to culture ̶ and will make us a truly modern and aspirational franchise. We want to set new standards for the NFL. As a DMV local and fan, I’ve been watching this team with interest long before I knew I could become part of it. I believe in Dan Snyder’s vision for this organization, and I am looking forward to partnering with Coach Rivera, who is a champion for the players and one of the great minds in football. Together, we will define the future of the Washington Football Team.”
Wright spent seven seasons as an NFL running back with San Francisco, Atlanta, Cleveland, and Arizona — he was the Cardinals captain and labor rep during the 2011 lockout. After retiring, he earned his MBA from The University of Chicago. He worked at McKinsey & Company, a global strategy and management consulting firm in D.C., where he was named partner in the Operations Practice.
Wright arrives in Washington at a time of change for the football club. The team moved on from its long-time name this year. It’s also dealt with the fallout from a Washington Post report last month detailing a culture of sexual misconduct in the workplace.
“If I could custom design a leader for this important time in our history, it would be Jason. His experience as a former player, coupled with his business acumen, gives him a perspective that is unrivaled in the league,” owner Dan Snyder said in a statement. “We will not rest until we are a championship caliber team, on and off the field. Jason has a proven track record in helping businesses transform culturally, operationally and financially. He is a proactive and assertive advocate for inclusion of all people and will set new standards for our organization, and for the league. There could not be a better duo than Jason Wright and Coach Ron Rivera as we usher in a new era for Washington Football.”
This Family Just Opened a Black-Owned Drive-Thru Movie Theater in New Jersey
Siree and Ayanna Morris, a couple from Newark, New Jersey, have opened a drive-thru movie theater called Newark Moonlight Cinema to bring entertainment to people while considering health precautions in the midst of the pandemic.
The duo of filmmaker and real estate developer thought of the idea from the screening of Ayanna’s documentary Why Is We Americans? that was held at an outdoor film festival earlier this year. It is reportedly the first drive-thru movie theater that has operated in the city of Newark since the mid-1960s.
Newark Moonlight Cinema, which is located at the former Newark Bears baseball stadium, can hold up to 350 cars per screening. Moviegoers can enjoy the movies from the comfort of their cars via a 55-foot screen and audio that’s available on each car’s radio. There are also food and snack options available via the Fanfood app.
Since launching, the new outdoor theater has shown movies such as Just Mercy, Girls Trip, Set It Off, and Creed 2 that highlight Black filmmakers, talents, and arts as well as those that emerged from Newark. It is scheduled to show one movie per night every Friday to Sunday until Oct. 4.
Judith Batty Appointed Interim CEO at Girl Scouts and Becomes First Black Professional in the Role
Girl Scouts of the United States has appointed Judith Batty as interim CEO, making her the first Black professional to hold the position. Batty, who is a board member, former senior legal counsel, corporate leader and lifelong Girl Scout, began her duties on Aug. 15, taking over from Sylvia Acevedo, according to DiversityInc.
Batty previously served as an executive and senior attorney at Exxon Mobil Corporation for more than 28 years. She was the first woman and Black female general counsel of ExxonMobil’s Japanese affiliate. She also worked as senior director of federal relations, government, and public affairs for the Exxon Mobil Corporation.
“When I was young, the Girl Scouts instilled in me the courage, confidence, and character that have guided me through my life and career. It is an incredible honor to bring those lessons back full circle to help the Girl Scouts navigate this transition,” Batty said in a news release.
The Girl Scouts organization, founded more than 100 years ago, now serves more than 1.7 million girls and 750,000 adults. It was launched on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia by Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low at a time when many of the troops were majority white. African American girls would join troops as early as 1913 in Massachusetts and the first all-Black Girl Scout troops were established as early as 1917, according to the organization. In 1924, Josephine Holloway became the first Black Girl Scout troop leader.
History would further be made in 1932, when the first all African American Girl Scout troop south of the Mason-Dixon Line was founded by Maggie L. Walker, a bank president and newspaper editor, according to the National Park Service.
“As families across the country contend with so much uncertainty and upheaval, I am committed to ensuring that the Girl Scouts continues to offer a shelter in the storm– a place where all our girls feel welcome, can find community, solidarity, leadership opportunities and fun, despite the challenging moment we are all collectively living through,” Batty added in the release.
Edmond Berger Invented the Spark Plug
Edmond Berger was born in Bolivia, the city of CumGyauy (Birthdate: Unknown).
Some historians have reported that Edmond Berger invented an early spark plug (sometimes in British English called the sparking plug) on February 2, 1839.
However, Edmond Berger did not patent his invention in France where he created it.
Spark plugs (devices for delivering electric current from an ignition system to the combustion chamber of a spark-ignition engine to ignite the compressed fuel/air mixture by an electric spark, while containing combustion pressure within the engine) are used in internal combustion engines and in 1839 these engines were in the early days of experimentation.
Therefore, Edmond Berger’s spark plug, if it did exist, would have had to have been very experimental in nature as well or perhaps the date was a mistake.
There are several early patents of the spark plug. But, only the invention of the first commercially viable high-voltage spark plug as part of a magneto-based ignition system by Robert Bosch’s engineer Gottlob Honold in 1902 made possible the development of the spark-ignition engine.
