Tabla de contenidos para February 7, 2025 en ScoopUSA Digital

In the days following President Barack Obama’s first inauguration, the preparations for Black History Month felt especially joyful. That was a moment when the entire nation could see Black history and American history being written--at the same time. The record-breaking sea of nearly two million multicolored faces of all ages and from every nook and cranny of America cheering together on the National Mall during the inauguration ceremony was a visual representation of the way the threads of our diverse stories were woven together and everywhere one looked were reminders of how Black history and American history converged. Historians pointed out that the Capitol and White House were built with enslaved people’s labor, and the Mall itself sits on land that once held markets where people were sold. At a…

PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA, February 2, 2025 – Pennsylvania’s world-famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, predicted six more weeks of winter after emerging from his Gobbler’s Knob burrow and seeing his shadow. To help celebrate the 139-year-old tradition, Governor Josh Shapiro and Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger attended the event, demonstrating its importance to the Commonwealth. Tourism is a key piece of the Governor’s economic development strategy, generating $76 billion and supporting more than 486,000 jobs each year in Pennsylvania. “People across the country and around the world have their eyes on Pennsylvania today for Phil’s prognostication for 2025,” said Anne Ryan, DCED Deputy Secretary of Tourism. “Today’s event is one of many that makes our Commonwealth unique. It underscores Governor Shapiro’s continued commitment to elevating the tourism industry by…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Frustration boiled over Wednesday among supporters of the United States' lead aid agency at a Washington rally, and anxious aid workers abroad scrambled to pack up households after the Trump administration abruptly pulled almost all agency staffers off the job and out of the field. The order issued Tuesday followed 2 1/2 weeks that have seen the Trump administration and teams led by billionaire ally Elon Musk dismantle much of the U.S. Agency for International Development, shutting down a six-decade mission intended to shore up U.S. security by educating children, fighting epidemics and advancing other development abroad. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been touring Central America on his first visit in office, defended the administration's broad shutdown of aid funding and other actions while saying,…

Theresa Ann Souders was born in Frankfort, Kansas, the only child of Robert Souders and Leuvenia Ann Bryant, African American natives of Kentucky who emigrated to Kansas, like others from the South to the American West due to the Exoduster Movement. Souders grew up in Frankfort and graduated from Frankfort High School in 1918. After graduation, she moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where she was employed as a maid in private homes, a job she would perform for most of her working life. It is not known how Souders got into the filmmaking business. However, it is known that she acted in an amateur theatrical production, a morality play entitled "Every Negro" written by the Reverend A. Lawrence Kimbrough of the Holsey Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church of Frankfort in…

PHILADELPHIA, January 29, 2025 — The Mayor’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) officially launched its annual “Claim Your Money Philly” Campaign. For the past six years, CEO, with the support of several nonprofit community partners, has implemented a robust communications and support strategy to help ensure Philadelphians file for the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). The campaign works to remove barriers to filing and provide the information, confidence, and free resources—including tax preparation and filing services—needed to motivate Philadelphians to claim the money they are owed. Motivating more people to file stands to make a significant impact on Philadelphia residents. It's estimated that more than 40,000 Philadelphians annually miss out on claiming their federal EITC refund, which averages $2,250 and may be…

Lord, We Bless Your Holy Name. Teach Us To Love Like You Unconditionally. Amen The Bible says that we must love the LORD OUR GOD with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength and our neighbor as we love ourselves. First, we must love GOD. Time and time again, GOD has proven to us that HE loves us unconditionally. His love is beyond our comprehension. The Bible tells us that GOD IS LOVE and loved us before we were born. GOD so loved you and me; yes, HE so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON, and whosoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life. So, love GOD because HE loved us first. We all remember this song: "JESUS loves me, this I…

A number of prominent companies have scaled back or set aside the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that much of corporate America endorsed following the protests that accompanied the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, a Black man, in 2020. The changes have come in response to a campaign by conservative activists to target workplace programs in the courts and social media, and more recently, President Donald Trump's executive orders aimed at rooting out DEI policies in both the federal government and private sector. DEI policies typically are intended to root out systemic barriers to the advancement of historically marginalized groups in certain fields or roles. Critics argue that some education, government and business programs are discriminatory because they single out participants based on factors such as race, gender and…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tennis star Coco Gauff donated $100,000 to UNCF to provide scholarships for students playing competitive tennis at historically Black colleges and universities. UNCF will administer the Coco Gauff Scholarship Program, which was announced Tuesday. "My family has a deep-rooted history with HBCUs, going back to my great-great-grandfather. From aunts and uncles to cousins, HBCUs have played a huge role in shaping who we are," Gauff said. "Supporting UNCF in creating opportunities for student-athletes in tennis means a lot to me. As a young Black athlete, I understand how impactful it is to see people who look like me thriving in both sports and education." Gauff, a 20-year-old from Florida, won the 2023 U.S. Open singles championship and the 2024 French Open women's doubles title. She is currently…

HARRISBURG, PA, February 4, 2025 – Governor Josh Shapiro presented his 2025-26 budget proposal to the General Assembly and the people of Pennsylvania — a commonsense plan that builds on two years of progress, continues to solve problems, and paves the way for a stronger, more competitive Pennsylvania. The Governor’s budget proposal places a special emphasis on workforce development, reduces health care, housing, and energy costs, invests in economic development, and continues bipartisan efforts to support Pennsylvania students — all while maintaining fiscal responsibility. This budget will build on the foundation the Shapiro Administration has constructed over the past two years and move Pennsylvania forward as Governor Shapiro continues working across the aisle to get stuff done and ensure people across the Commonwealth have the freedom to chart their own…