Latest news with #Culpepper
Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
In race to replace Fernandes Anderson, District 7 candidates debate housing affordability, reparations during forum
Said Ahmed, a nonprofit executive, said if elected he would push to make the lottery systems that distribute affordable units in private developments more transparent. Miniard Culpepper, a lawyer Advertisement Community activist WaWa Bell supported the idea of creating a more localized area median income that would better reflect the demographics of District 7. Area median income is the standard used for determining income eligibility for affordable housing projects. Such a change would require the state Legislature's approval. Advertisement Mavrick Afonso, who works for the state's executive office of housing and livable communities, also supported the idea of a localized area median income for the district, noting that areas like 'Locally in Roxbury, that median income is a lot lower,' Afonso said, 'we're not making housing for Waltham in Roxbury.' The candidates are running in the only open seat on this year's ballot, and would represent a district that encompasses parts of Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and part of the South End. The previous District 7 councilor, Fernandes Anderson, The District 7 race is crowded, with a total of 11 candidates on the Sept. 9 preliminary ballot. Only the top two vote getters in that election will move on to November's general election. The organizers of the event only invited the first four candidates who responded to them so that each candidate would get around 30 minutes to answer questions. The other candidates will be interviewed at future events. When asked by an audience member about how he would make sure that Black people from Roxbury could afford to stay in the neighborhood, Bell said reparations were the solution. Community organizations like Advertisement 'I think I can go a step further and establish the infrastructure,' Bell said, 'so that if reparations does happen … we have a dedicated office that will be able to deliver those resources properly.' On reparations, Culpepper said that Black students at Madison Park vocational high school should be able to attend nearby Northeastern University tuition free if they are admitted. 'The little white kids are paying cash right from the money that was made from the slaves on our back,' Culpepper said. Culpepper said that the University developing the land in the area has limited access to students of the long-underinvested high school to facilities like Carter Playground. The high school was set to get a new building, but 'Look at the disparity,' Culpepper said, 'it's amazing how we've given up the city to Northeastern University.' Afonso, who previously worked for the city's parks and recreation department, said a public discussion about past injustices like redlining was needed before deciding on how reparations may be implemented. 'The first step for me is to really do the work to try to understand the damages that happened at the time, a model that was set forth in South Africa with the Truth and Reconciliation trial,' Afonso said, " I can't tell you I have a solution for all of that right now, because we don't know how deep it's gone and how much it's infected and hurt families over generations." Advertisement Ahmed did not directly voice his opinion on reparations, but said he supported efforts to keep Roxbury residents in the neighborhood. Ahmed, who came to Roxbury at the age of 12, as a refugee from Somalia, went on to become a member of the US track and field national team and later, work in the Boston Public School system. He works as a supervisor of attendance for the school system. Ahmed said he became passionate about advocating for Black and brown families when he saw that those families were disproportionately involved in truancy hearings. He said he began working with students, particularly those from low-income and immigrant families, to address attendance issues before the issue escalated to a court hearing. 'No one wins in court,' Ahmed said, 'The judge might not make the decision that's good for our community.' The candidates were also asked about how they would maintain transparency while in office given that Fernandes Anderson resigned after she plead guilty to violating state ethics laws by hiring immediate family members as paid staff and receiving a $7,000 kickback from a staff member's city funded bonus. All four candidates said they would host regular town halls, Ahmed said he would set up a district office in Roxbury for easier communication and Bell said he would continue the Advertisement 'I know single mothers that make more prudent decisions than some of these [city] departments in their own homes,' Afonso said, 'I'm sure they can handle some of our budget issues.' There will be another forum with the remaining District 7 candidates this Thursday at 6 p.m. at the same location, One Westinghouse Plaza, in Hyde Park, also hosted by Speak Boston. Thursday's forum will also be live-streamed Angela Mathew can be reached at
USA Today
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Blake Cashman shares hilarious message he gave to Vikings legend
Blake Cashman shares hilarious message he gave to Vikings legend When you are a kid on Halloween, there isn't much more you care about than your costume and the amount of candy in your bucket at the end of the night. Some kids are lucky enough to live in neighborhoods where some houses spoil kids with king size candy bars and it can leave a lasting impact. It is something that Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman can attest to. This week, Vikings legend, quarterback Daunte Culpepper, visited the team during OTAs and spoke with the quarterbacks, all of whom were not old enough to enjoy his best years with the team, outside of Brett Rypien. Despite that, there was one player on the team who made sure he made it up to Culpepper to let him know the impact he made on his childhood in the most hilarious way possible. Blake Cashman grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and attended high school there before going to the University of Minnesota. He is a native kid through and through, so apart from him being able to call himself a Viking, he now can tell Culpepper thank you more formally for the proper Halloween treats all these years later.
USA Today
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Three Florida football legends land on 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot
Three Florida football legends land on 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot Three former Florida football greats are among the nominees for the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class. The National Football Foundation announced on Monday that defensive linemen Alex Brown and Brad Culpepper, along with wide receiver Percy Harvin, are part of a star-studded ballot that includes 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, along with 100 players and 35 coaches from the divisional ranks. Ballots are distributed to more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers. Voting closes July 1, with the 2026 class to be officially announced early next year. Brown, a dominant pass rusher from 1998 to 2001, was a consensus All-American and two-time first-team All-SEC selection. He ranks second all-time in career sacks for Florida and played a critical role in the Gators' 2000 SEC Championship run. Brown later enjoyed a successful NFL career with the Chicago Bears. Culpepper anchored the Gators' defensive line in the early 1990s and earned consensus All-America honors in 1991. Known for his strength and intelligence, Culpepper was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy and the recipient of an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. He played nine seasons in the NFL and remains involved in advocacy for athletes post-retirement. Harvin, one of the most electrifying players in college football during his time, was a key figure in Florida's national championships in 2006 and 2008. The versatile receiver and return man scored 32 total touchdowns in just three seasons, earning All-American honors before being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. With this trio under consideration, Florida continues to assert its historic legacy within the sport. The Gators boast multiple inductees in the College Football Hall of Fame, including Steve Spurrier, Emmitt Smith and Tim Tebow. Urban Meyer was the latest Gator to be inducted as part of the 2025 class. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Florida football: Three former Gators named to CFB Hall of Fame ballot
Three former Florida football standouts ― Alex Brown, Brad Culpepper and Percy Harvin ― were named on June 2 to the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame ballot for the 2026 class. Harvin helped lead the Florida Gators to national championships in 2006 and 2008 as a two-way rushing and receiving threat in head coach Urban Meyer's spread offense. In three seasons at UF, Harvin had 33 catches for 1,929 yards and 13 TDs, while rushing 194 times for 1,852 yards on 19 TDs. He went on to a seven-year NFL career, winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014. Advertisement Brown played at UF from 1998-2001 under Steve Spurrier, earning consensus All-American honors his final season at UF. A Japser native and former Hamilton High standout, Brown finished his four-year Florida career with 161 tackles, 47 tackles for loss and 33 sacks. He went on to an eight-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears (2002-09) and New Orleans Saints (2010). Culpepper played at UF from 1988-91, finishing his career with 47.5 tackles for loss, 18 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries and 4 pass breakups. In 1991, Culpepper captained the Gators to their first SEC Championship and led the defense with 50 tackles. Culpepper went on to a seven-year NFL career from 1993-2000 with the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears. Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@ Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators' national championship basketball season in 'CHOMP-IONS!' — a hardcover coffee-table collector's book from The Sun. Details at This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: CFB Hall of Fame ballot includes three former Florida football standouts
The Guardian
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Add to playlist: Kashus Culpepper's ‘southern sounds' and the week's best new tracks
From AlabamaRecommended if you like Luke Combs, Tony Joe White, Charles BradleyUp next Supporting Leon Bridges in the US Kashus Culpepper's story has something of the Hollywood movie about it. A former firefighter who went on to enlist in the US Navy, he only picked up a guitar five years ago to entertain his fellow troops when they were locked down in barracks during the pandemic. On his return to the US, he began working for a cement company while posting clips of covers and his own songs to social media: one attracted the attention of Samuel L Jackson, who reposted it to his 9 million followers. Within a few months, Culpepper had both a record deal and a co-sign from another navy veteran, country star Zach Bryan. By the end of last year, Culpepper was performing at Nashville's legendary Grand Ole Opry. It's obvious why his career has been fast-tracked. The handful of songs he's released so far take a smart, often witty route through the classic Nashville topics of romantic despair, boozing and the struggles of everyday life, performed in a style he classifies as 'southern sounds', based on 'the music in the cars on the freeway, in the restaurants and in the churches' in his home town of Alexander City, Alabama. More traditional and rootsy than the current wave of country-pop, it flits between country, blues, soul, folk and southern rock, occasionally over the course of a single song, as on 2024's Out of My Mind. Most importantly, Culpepper has an incredible voice: raw, vulnerable, the product of an upbringing in a Baptist church. He's referred to his approach to performance as 'singing like it's my last day on Earth', but his future looks assured. Alexis Petridis SL – Paranoia The balaclava'd south London MC has such endearingly musical inflections to his raps – quizzical then crestfallen – even when slowly rolling through a brooding, smoke-filled track like this. Durand Jones & the Indications – Flower Moon The classic soul revivalists' drummer Aaron Frazer takes the lead vocal here, with doo-wop levels of harmonised romance over a funk backing as crisp yet soft as a hearthside rug. Zara Larsson – Pretty Ugly Reminiscent of glorious high-street-nightclub trash such as Hollaback Girl, Like a G6 and Christina Aguilera's Dirty, the Swede's return has the dizzy buzz of a Wednesday-evening round of shots. Full of Hell – Knight's Oath Relatively clean and accessible business here from the returning grindcore band – which is to say that despite the big, bright riffing, it's still got its fair share of hellacious screaming. Kara-Lis Coverdale – Freedom Trumpet lines wobble in heat haze and French horns sound hopeful notes through an almost tropically lush wall of strings and synthesised sound: another imaginative work by the Montreal composer. Quadeca – Monday Once a YouTuber and video-game commentator, then a rapper and now a singer-songwriter, Quadeca tries to get through a rocky relationship patch over Sufjan-leaning cellos, flutes and more. Annea Lockwood – On Fractured Ground The octogenarian NZ composer visited the peace walls that divided zones in Belfast, 'playing' them with hands, leaves and stones: history shivers through this nape-prickling work. Ben Beaumont-Thomas and Rachel Keenan Subscribe to the Guardian's rolling Add to Playlist selections on Spotify.
