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Sunday World
26-05-2025
- Business
- Sunday World
Conor McGregor claims he is in ‘serious talks' to buy OnlyFans
The website is popular among influencers, models, and public figures, with some top earners making millions every year The disgraced MMA fighter took to social media, where he shared a post from an entertainment news website reporting that the subscription website was for sale. 'OnlyFans owner has reportedly put the platform up for sale,' the post read, with McGregor adding: 'I'm in serious talks to buy this.' OnlyFans is a content platform which allows creators to share videos and images with subscribers, who pay a fee for access to their exclusive content. The website is popular among influencers, models, and public figures, with some top earners making millions every year. It is famed for its use among sex workers who use the website to sell both professional and amateur pornographic material. According to Reuters, the 43-year-old Ukrainian-American entrepreneur behind the company is in talks to sell his business to an investor group for an estimated €7 billion. Conor McGregor News in 90 Seconds - May 26th 2025 The publication have said that talks have been ongoing March. Leonid Radvinsky earned €414 million in dividends from the site last year, boosting his net worth to €3.3 billion, according to Forbes Magazine. He purchased OnlyFans in 2018 from a U.K.-based family, who founded the company in 2016. The New York Post has reported that he is struggling to find a buyer 'because of its X-rated business model.' 'You're looking to find billionaires and trying to sell it as not an adult content company but just a platform like X that allows adult content,' a source told the publication. 'But I think most people right now view OnlyFans as an adult content company.' McGregor has previously claimed interest in buying Chelsea F.C for £1.5billion from former owner Roman Abramovich. Earlier this year he expressed an interest in purchasing two League of Ireland clubs. 'How much is it to buy a League of Ireland team? I might buy two,' he posted on X. Forbes Magazine has estimated McGregor's net worth is $43 million, while other sources claim it is closer to $200 million. In January, a judge ordered McGregor to pay Nikita Hand €100,000 of her €250,000 damages and €200,000 of her expected €1.3m legal costs. It came after a jury found McGregor civilly liable for raping the hair colourist at a hotel in Dublin in 2018. Both McGregor and his friend James Lawrence, who was also named in the civil law suit, denied raping Ms Hand, insisting they both had consensual sex with her. During the trial, Ms Hand testified she had been 'brutally raped and battered' by McGregor and at one point thought she was going to die and never see her young daughter again. The trial heard how Ms Hand and her work colleague Danielle Kealey had been out on December 8, 2018 at a Christmas work party. Ms Hand wanted to continue partying into the next day and, after contact with McGregor via Instagram, the UFC fighter collected them from the salon where they worked. The group picked up Lawrence from his home and arrived at the Beacon Hotel around midday. Ms Hand said she was raped by Mr McGregor some time between 12.30 pm and 6 pm. The jury heard she remembered the rape but had gaps in her memory about what happened afterwards. They also heard evidence that a tampon was wedged so far inside her vagina it needed to be removed with a forceps in the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit of the Rotunda Hospital, where she presented in a terrified state the following day. The court was shown photos of Ms Hand's badly bruised body, taken by Gardaí two days after the events in the hotel. After the jury found McGregor had assaulted Ms Hand in the Beacon Hotel, the mother-of-one spoke outside court where she said that she felt vindicated, and urged victims to 'keep on fighting for justice'. While the jury found that Lawrence had not assaulted Ms Hand, Justice Alexander Owens later ruled that Ms Hand would not be penalised for having to pay costs for losing her action against Lawrence. 'It would be completely inappropriate to award Mr Lawrence any of his legal costs, even though he succeeded in his case,' the judge said. Conor McGregor outside court during the civil case taken against him by Nikita Hand. Photo: Collins Courts Although a jury dismissed her case against Lawrence, the judge found that they had not believed his claim that he and Ms Hand had consensual sex. 'Mr Lawrence was entirely successful in defending the claim but not for the reason advanced in his defence,' the judge said. Mr Justice Owens said the verdict of the jury was, in his view, on the basis no sex took place between Mr Lawrence and Ms Hand, rather than his claim that they had consensual sex. He said for this reason, he would depart from the normal rule that the losing side pays the costs of the winning side. The judge said he would make no costs order in relation to Lawrence, which means he must pay his own costs. The court has previously heard that Lawrence is a man of 'limited means' and that McGregor was paying his legal costs. McGregor has since launched an appeal, which is set to be heard by the court in July.
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Tech entrepreneur took our money but failed to deliver our start-up dreams'
Former clients of a Canadian tech entrepreneur say they were let down after they paid his company tens of thousands of dollars to help launch their across the world - from Scotland to the southern states of the US - have told the BBC they paid Josh Adler's software company ConvrtX up to $245,000 (£184,000) but did not receive the websites and apps they spoke to more than 20 former employees and customers who say that Mr Adler continued to sell services and ask for more money, despite repeatedly not delivering everything customers paid a letter to the BBC, Mr Adler's lawyers say the allegations are false and have been incited by one former client who they are add that although Mr Adler was "inexperienced" when he founded his business, aged 21, his company became very successful in a short period of time and "the vast majority of clients were happy with their work". Launched in 2019, ConvrtX claims to be a "world-leading venture studio" that has helped more than 700 aspiring entrepreneurs start companies by developing business plans, making pitch documents for potential investors, and building custom websites and pitches to clients, the company claims it has a five-star satisfaction rating. It also says it has 70 staff worldwide and operates from the UK, US and Canada. Mr Adler runs the company from internal documents suggest ConvrtX billed more than $5m (£3.8m) in sales to more than 280 customers between 2019 and 2023 alone, but senior insiders say there were few success investigation found: Customers who say they spent their life savings without receiving a viable product - they told the BBC they received products from ConvrtX which didn't work or match what they had paid forClients who received legal or financial threats after complaining, including one woman who was sent inappropriate, flirtatious emails from a lawyer working for the companyFake positive website testimonials - one attributed to a complainant who had in fact requested a refund of $18,000 (£13,600)ConvrtX said on its now-disabled website that it had been featured in Forbes Magazine and had a working relationship with Harvard Business Review - both publications have denied this was the case In response, Mr Adler's legal team say ConvrtX had only received about 12-15 complaints out of about 340 customers - adding that after the incident of the sexually inappropriate emails, the company immediately terminated its contract with the (not her real name), a 37-year-old single mother from the UK, says she was "led down the garden path" after paying $53,000 (£40,000) in 2021 for a website and an app for her non-profit organisation, which aims to match people with fertility issues to potential says she was strung along for two years, only ever receiving a basic website and no working app, while Mr Adler continued to ask for more funds. Amy was particularly annoyed by a text she says Mr Adler sent to her, featuring a picture of him celebrating New Year's Eve on a tropical beach in Bali."Why flaunt your money to me? It's disgraceful," says Amy, who had funded the project by remortgaging her home and using credit she requested a refund through her bank and complained to the UK's Financial Ombudsman Service. A senior investigator there has provisionally recommended that the bank return $39,000 (£30,000) to Amy, according to documents seen by the BBC. She is still waiting for her bank to agree to the part of the process, two expert software developers reviewed the app developed by ConvrtX. According to the senior investigator, the evidence supported Amy's claim that the company had breached their contract by failing to provide the service she paid for."I think it's fair to say ConvrtX failed to exercise reasonable care and skill when they were providing the service," the investigator said. "It seems the work completed by ConvrtX cannot be salvaged and the entire process would need to be completed again if [Amy] wanted a working app to be developed."In response, lawyers for Mr Adler say that the client had "received a website, clickable prototype and a fully developed mobile app from ConvrtX".Former senior staff say that Josh Adler - the son of Kerry Adler, a wealthy Canadian businessman - presided over a culture of instability, resulting in high turnover of staff and errors due to "cutting corners" and hiring and firing inexperienced his Facebook profile, Mr Adler described himself as #YoungAndReckless and #LivingTheDream. We spoke to a number of former employees who described him as immature and a poor company meetings, they say he "bragged" about living at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Abu Dhabi, boasted about renting a villa in Bali, and showed off a newly purchased Porsche 911 and multiple speeding cared about "his rich kid, bling-bling lifestyle," says a former senior employee speaking on the condition of anonymity. "When you have that many unhappy clients, it can't be a coincidence."Mr Adler's lawyers describe him as "highly ambitious" and say he sought to build a world-leading business, but that not all staff lived up to his high standards and would be "let go" if they under-delivered. "Young and Reckless" is a clothing brand he likes, they several senior ex-staff told us they had concerns about how Mr Adler ran his company, saying he continued to take on new clients even after being warned that some business and app ideas were unviable or impossible to make. They say he requested payments from clients in advance, sometimes as much as $53,000 (£40,000), though the company had a no-refund senior ex-employees claim that when Mr Adler was informed that some apps were not working, he would subsequently tell customers - against the advice of the development team - that he could fix the problem if they paid more money, or their outstanding balance."So don't tell the client that it cannot be done because we'll find [a contractor] that can do it when they've paid," one ex-staff member recalls Mr Adler repeatedly telling them. "He's a good talker, he's good at sales… but he gives a lot of false promises." A former customer, DeShawn Womack, says he felt "lied to" after he hired ConvrtX in 2021. He says he paid more than $50,000 (£37,750) for a mobile app that would allow users to remotely access their phone and all its data from another device if it was lost, stolen or says he received a design prototype, but not a finished working making payments over two years, Mr Womack - a truck driver from the US state of Georgia - messaged a senior ConvrtX employee for clarity about whether his app would be able to sync missed calls and voicemails. He also asked if it would allow users to make phone calls from a different device using their same number - a specific feature he said Mr Adler had told him was possible and was referenced in his contract with ConvrtX."This is impossible, your app was never ever possible in the first place," the employee responded in messages seen by the BBC. "Did someone tell you this was possible?"Mr Womack replied: "Yes, Josh [Adler] did and plus it's in my project sign-off." The 40-year-old, who says he spent his life savings on the project, told the BBC he stopped making additional payments after he believed his app was not being properly worked on. "He [Josh Adler] sold me a dream and this is frustrating," he for Mr Adler say he denies telling customers that their ideas were viable when they were not. They say ConvrtX was always clear about the difficulty of developing an app, but if the client wanted to proceed it would usually take on the project. Gemma Martin from Dundee, who runs a tarot-card-reading business, says ConvrtX failed to deliver after she paid more than $35,000 (£26,000) for services including a working interactive website and mobile app that would let users request readings and subscribe to her she wrote negative reviews online, the 33-year-old says ConvrtX refused to release her website unless she signed a non-disclosure agreement stopping her from criticising the company - which she emails seen by the BBC, a company lawyer then made sexually inappropriate remarks to Ms Martin while trying to resolve the dispute, writing that he had researched her online and her "professional profile" did not "match [her] beauty".Lawyers for ConvrtX say the emails were sent by a part-time third-party contractor who was terminated immediately once Mr Adler, who also apologised to Ms Martin, learned of the Martin says she received a business plan from ConvrtX and eventually raw source codes for her website and app, though she says these were unusable and for ConvrtX say it delivered Ms Martin a fully developed mobile app and source code, despite her having failed to pay her remaining balance. The company has since taken legal action against her for defamation, which she is Marshall, 53, says he was also threatened with legal action by ConvrtX when he asked for a full refund. He says he was "thoroughly disappointed" with work he had paid $5,183 (£3,920) for to help launch his business supporting independent emails seen by the BBC, ConvrtX's compliance officer told Mr Marshall that if he publicly shared his "baseless allegations" it would be "criminal and civil libel" and the company would seek a "criminal charge" against compliance officer also said that Mr Marshall had "signed away" his right to post negative reviews online about ConvrtX because of a non-disclosure agreement signed prior to the work starting. Other former customers say they also faced threats - including Ayesha Imran, who told the BBC she had requested a refund of $18,000 (£13,500) when she did not receive an app and a privacy policy for her website, after hiring ConvrtX in March 2023, she complained to Mr Adler for what she described as a breach of contract because of ConvrtX's failure to her complaint, she wrote she had been informed that Mr Adler was not paying his development team the appropriate amount for the work that needed to be done, causing several delays because of staff turnover, and resulting in insufficient product company's compliance officer responded that Ms Imran would face damages of at least $60,000 (£47,000) if she publicly shared negative comments about ConvrtX or attempted to contact any of its employees. She says she viewed this as an attempt to intimidate and scare her experience, Ms Imran was being featured - until last month - as a false testimonial on the company's website."ConvrtX has helped us go from vision, to launch and supported with everything in between. They are really quite holisitc [sic], in what they do!" the post read."Those words never left my mouth," says Ms Imran, who tells us she had previously asked Mr Adler to remove it. Alongside Ms Imran's fake testimonial, the BBC has found that Mr Adler also used an image of Jen Selter, a lifestyle and fashion influencer with more than 13 million followers on social media. Ms Selter confirmed she had never used ConvrtX's services, and that the image had been used without her Adler's lawyers say these testimonials were on a "dummy site" that was "not intended by ConvrtX to be publicly available".However, they were publicly available as recently as last month and some date back to August 2020, according to website archives and screengrabs taken by the this year, Mr Adler rebranded ConvrtX and, until being contacted by the BBC, was selling eight-week "bootcamps" for $159 (£124). In a promotional video, he claimed to have helped "founders raise capital - six, eight, nine figures and the like" and to have "positively impacted 10,000 lives".The BBC wrote to Mr Adler asking what these numbers were based on, but his lawyers did not answer our a letter, lawyers for Josh Adler say he "unequivocally" denies the allegations. They say that Mr Adler and his business are the "victims" and that, until Gemma Martin made defamatory statements about it, ConvrtX had received very few, if any, complaints from its clients. Additional reporting by William Dahlgreen and Tom Beal
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Too many Michigan communities fall through the cracks of our health care system
Wayne County, Michigan, ranked as the least healthy county in America on a recent Forbes Magazine survey of data. That unfortunate fact highlights the looming public health crisis across the Midwest, where many communities fall through the cracks of our healthcare system. And it's getting worse, not better. Pharmacy closures continue to prolong the crisis. Across Michigan, pharmacies are closing at alarming rates, leaving many without a trusted resource for medical advice. Michigan saw a decline of 2,200 pharmacies in the first quarter of 2024 alone. Many Michiganders now have to trek long distances to pick up their prescriptions. As much of healthcare shifts to digital, broadband has become an important commodity for Michiganders. Yet, in 2019, more than half of rural Michiganders lacked access to broadband internet. We've put Michiganders in a pickle: with closing pharmacies and broadband gaps, they're left isolated and alone without access to vital health resources. But the Food and Drug Administration is planning to push crucial medication information online — even as the expiration of an important federal subsidy jeopardizes internet access for nearly a million Michigan households. Last year, the U.S. Congress allowed the expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which helped over 941,000 Michigan households pay for internet service. With no congressional action in sight, digital health records, telehealth appointments, and general health advice will become nearly impossible to access, potentially threatening the lives of thousands. Even worse, the FDA is considering a regulation that would worsen public health access here in Michigan. The agency is considering two dangerous proposals that could make it even harder for Michiganders and their pharmacists to access critical health information. The agency wants to push Patient Medication Information — the leaflets that come with prescriptions detailing dosage, side effects and safety instructions — to a digital-only format, along with Prescribing Information — the printed guidelines pharmacists use to counsel patients on their medication plans — completely digital as well. Digital-only medication and prescribing information could spell disaster for the thousands of disconnected Michiganders and their pharmacists. Patients could be left guessing how to take their medications safely, increasing the risk of dangerous drug interactions, improper dosage and serious health complications. Over 120,000 Americans lose their lives due to taking medications improperly every single year, and it could get even worse. Michigan lawmakers may soon have a chance to act. Last Congress, a bipartisan coalition introduced the Patients' Right to Know Their Medication Act — a bill guaranteeing every patient printed, effective medication information. Congress must reintroduce and pass this legislation to protect patient safety. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI), as a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, can play a key role in raising awareness of this important issue and helping to build momentum and support for the bill's reintroduction. Michigan's public health issues won't be solved overnight. Still, we can take commonsense steps right now: supporting community pharmacies, expanding broadband, and ensuring that every patient has access to vital medication information in print. Congress must act now before the looming public health crisis gets even worse. Milan Gandhi is the Vice President of Med-Share, a Southfield-based medical imaging company; chairman of the Small Business Association of Michigan's Political Action Committee; and board member for the National Small Business Association. Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online and in print. If you have a differing view from a letter writer, please feel free to submit a letter of your own in response. Like what you're reading? Please consider supporting local journalism and getting unlimited digital access with a Detroit Free Press subscription. We depend on readers like you. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: FDA regulation could make health info elusive in Michigan | Opinion
Daily Mail
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Big Brother star is barely recognisable 14-years after being evicted and moving to LA to become a millionaire with VERY famous friends following battle with homelessness
Former Big Brother star Tashie Jackson looks barely recognisable a whopping 14-years after she first star evicted from the house during the show's 12th series. The stunner, 35, now known as Natasha Graziano, has jumped the pond and built her own multi-million pound career in the US as a motivational speaker and podcasters, counting the the likes of Nick Cannon, 44, as friends. Natasha only lasted four days in Big Brother back in 2011, in the first series after being rebooted by Channel 5, and after receiving the most nominations from fellow housemates and facing the public vote was met with boos upon her exit. The mother-of-two is also a best selling author and according to Forbes Magazine is the '#1 Female Motivational Speaker under 40' and has also featured in Vogue and The New York Times and a whopping 14M followers on Instagram. As well as presenting her podcast Laws Of Attraction Secrets, Natasha is also creator of the MBS Method (Meditational Behavioural Synchronicity) which claims to help transformation lives through ancient breathing techniques and meditation. However her rise to the top has not been an easy one and told Fabulous Magazine in 2022 how she and her eldest son Rio, now seven, were left homeless amid her spiralling debts. She told the publication: 'It was very hard to admit that I needed any help, but when you are in debt that much, you have so much shame and guilt and you feel like the world is just shunning you'. 'When I was forced to leave my home because of my spiralling debts I was forced to sell everything so I just had two suitcases and black bin liners on the back of his buggy.' Before adding: 'I just went on the street and just prayed. I thought people would never take me seriously, I was really quite suicidal to be honest.' Last week Celebrity Big Brother contestant Tila Tequila also looked worlds away from her extremely controversial time on the reality show. The former glamour model and reality star, 43, was kicked off the 16th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2015 after it emerged she previously posed in front of Auschwitz wearing Nazi gear and claimed to be 'Hitila' or 'Hitler reborn'. She reportedly begged Channel 5 bosses to let her back into the CBB house by claiming she was high on drugs and severely depressed when she made the shocking comments. In 2021, Perez Hilton shared a bizarre clip of Tequila ranting about resurrection which he captioned: 'This is what she's up to now.' Tequila looked a far cry from her modelling days in the clip, with fans speculating that she could be on drugs as she reeled off bible passages about rising from the dead. Long gone were her fair wavy locks and glitzy ensembles as she sported straight dark tresses and a conservative white blouse. Another snap shared by fans showed Tequila with thin dark hair and sporting a very modest high-neck white blouse. In 2018, Tequila called out social media users who had been scrutinising her physical appearance. She wrote: 'Meanwhile, I find it hilarious how all the haters have been calling me "fat" and telling me that God is going to punish me for the things I have been saying and always trying to send curses my way. But God took all your wretched curses and turned them into huge blessings for me instead!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!' Tequila's axing from the 2015 series of CBB, which was also known as Celebrity Big Brother: UK vs USA, came after her shockingly offensive posts, made in 2013, were unearthed. The posts prompted complaints from hundreds of viewers as well as the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, and she was removed from the house one day after entering. A spokesman for Channel 5, that airs the programme, said at the time: 'Unfortunately, Channel 5 and Endemol did not know about the views and attitudes Tila had expressed in social media postings prior to her involvement in Celebrity Big Brother. Tequila looked a far cry from her modelling days in the clip, with fans speculating that she could be on drugs as she reeled off bible passages about rising from the dead 'The views Tila had expressed, and permitted to remain uncorrected, are totally unacceptable and, accordingly, her continued involvement in the program was untenable.' Speaking to The Sun on Sunday after her axing, she said: 'I was doing a lot of drugs and suffering from severe depression. I wasn't well in the head.' Tequila strongly denied that she is anti-Semitic at the time - but in a series of online postings, including a blog entitled 'Why I sympathize with Hitler Part 1', she described the Nazi leader as a 'good man' who deserved forgiveness. She has since referred to the killing of six million Jews by the Nazi regime as the 'Holohoax.' Tequila was then banned from X, then-Twitter, the following year after a 24-hour Twitter tirade that began with wishing Adolf Hitler a happy birthday. In a truly shocking rant, Tequila called the Nazi leader her 'boo,' claimed to be the reincarnation of the dictator and posted a photo of herself wearing a Nazi cap, Hitler mustache and Swastika armband. 'On this great day of 420 I will HONOR our TRUE KING! They tried to destroy your legacy, but I will fight for you!' she tweeted along with a black and white photo of Hitler. In another tweet, she wrote: 'And happy birthday to my past life historical figure, most epic legend of all time, Mein Furhor (sic), Adolf Hitila! The MOST HIGH!' 'We all knew this day was coming! The 2nd coming of Christ in the end times prophecy has been fulfilled! #HeilHitila.'
Washington Post
13-04-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
She's been D.C.'s mayor for a decade. Here's how her vision changed the city.
Thank you, everybody, and good evening. Please. Isn't it great to be in this beautiful theater in the District of Columbia? And good evening, my fellow Washingtonians. I'm here tonight, humbled and proud to be your mayor. It's an honor to have this opportunity to deliver the 2015 State of the District Address. Today, I'm pleased to report that the District is strong and growing stronger. We are one of the strongest economies in the country. We are the economic engine of this region, accounting for one quarter of the job market, and in the past year, over two-thirds of the private sector job growth. Yes. We are, too, the No. 1 tech hot spot and among the top 10 cities for venture capital investment. Forbes Magazine even says we're the coolest. Wall Street knows our city finances are strong, and this year, increased our bond rating. We are — that's good news, too. We are a top U.S. city for construction, top 10 most walkable city in the U.S., No. 2 fittest city — but we'll catch you, Minneapolis, St-Paul. We're No. 1 in the U.S. for attracting entrepreneurial founders of companies, and the No. 2 best paying U.S. city for women. We are home to the best new restaurant in America, and we are [among] the top five best U.S. cities to come and vacation. So no wonder why we're one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Big cities, like the District of Columbia, have world-class schools and parks and libraries. They are home to vibrant cultural institutions that highlight the arts and entertainment. We are making strides in these areas, too. But we all know there's room to improve. We face, in our city, historic economic inequality with tragic rates of homelessness. Too many of our residents can't afford to continue to live in their own neighborhoods. Our schools are not yet good enough, and our transit system isn't reliable or safe enough. And as good as our finances are, we're heading into the next fiscal year, starting this October, we face a $200 million budget gap. We know it's tougher and tougher for many people to start down and stay on the pathway to the middle class. When my parents bought our home — and they're here tonight, Joan and Joe Bowser. Good to see you — they bought a simple three-bedroom home in 1960 in Ward 5's North Michigan Park. They could afford to do so on two modest government salaries. Growing up in that middle-class household meant that we had food in the fridge, new clothes at the start of the school year and money in our pocket to go to the movies or a vacation every now and then. Growing up middle class meant that, my siblings and myself, we didn't always have everything we wanted but we always had everything we needed. So back in 1960, when my parents bought their home, the average home in D.C. costs — get this — about $15,000. That was only three times the average family income. Today, the median home value tops $500,000, and that's six times the average family income. If we're going to be a city where families can stay and grow, we must do more to create opportunity for them. Creating opportunity means — that's right — taking steps every day to improve the quality of life for residents of the District of Columbia. Creating opportunity means economic development that makes life easier and more convenient, while preserving the rich heritage that makes D.C. so unique. And it means promoting the arts and those cultural institutions that will continue to make it so. It means being able to take a walk or wait for a bus without concern for your safety. It also means access to the modes of transportation you need to get to and from your daily life. And it means neighborhoods that welcome all District residents, whether they've been here for five minutes like some or five generations like the Bowser family. Sometimes it means just getting out of the way, especially for small businesses, so they can get to work. But it always means creating pathways to the middle class. Now, you may have heard me say the following two words. In fact, I know you have. Fresh start. Some have called it a catchy slogan; others have embraced it on social media. And no matter what you think of it, I can assure you, it's a promise I will fulfill. I believe — that's good. I believe it is critical that we walk forward together proud of all the things that we have accomplished and where we stand, yet step away from the shadows that haunt our past. We achieve this and uphold the public's trust by doing what we say we will do, being responsive to what residents want and demand and striving always to be open and transparent. You have my commitment that my administration understands that integrity is paramount, and we are forever grateful to those who came before us. We are always committed to the residents who rely on us, not just today, but every single day. On the campaign trail last year — for the last two years — I told you that a Bowser administration would reflect your values and beliefs. I told you that we, the 660,000 residents of District of Columbia, believe in education reforms that guarantee every child a quality seat — no matter her zip code or her parent's tax bracket. I believe, and I know you do, in housing that is safe, clean and affordable. We believe in health care for all. We believe in marriage equality, a sustainable D.C., a level playing field for women, African Americans, Latinos and D.C. residents of every background and belief. We believe taxation without representation is fundamentally undemocratic. And we know corruption at any level is unacceptable in our city. And we believe the government has a duty to ensure a fair and equal pathway to the middle class. Last year, I promised you that as mayor I would make, and I would wake up every day humbled, energized and motivated to do the little things and the big things needed to pursue our shared beliefs and make the District the greatest city in the world. To put it another way, I promised you, that ours would be a government that would create opportunity and do so decisively. And for the last 89 days, this government has been working doggedly to deliver on that promise. And for the last 89 days, this government has been working doggedly to deliver on that promise. So, I walk the halls of Congress and the White House. I entered into an agreement with the Prince George's and Montgomery County executives to focus on regional housing affordability and an end to homelessness. I've traveled to Austin, Texas, to sell our tech community and to New York City to achieve a better bond rating. I've hosted the mayors of Mexico City and of Paris. I've made big asks of billionaires and hosted foreign investors. I've met with big labor, big utilities, big business, to make the pitch for D.C. jobs for D.C. residents. And as the Sports Capital, we will continue to meet with the biggest sports guys and gals — right, Jack? Absolutely — so that they know that D.C. is ready to host the 2018 MLB All-Star game, and perhaps a Super Bowl one Sunday. We will do all of this while keeping in mind that this is your city and your government. We work for you. You do not just get a seat at the table in a Bowser administration. We know you are the table. But I think John Dewey said it best. He said this: 'The cobbler may know how to fix the shoes, but only the wearer knows where it pinches.' So when it came to cobbling together my first budget, I wanted to hear from you on the front end. And that is why we've hosted hundreds of residents from all eight wards in budget engagement forums. More than 2,300 of you — employees, residents — gave us fresh ideas about how to spend your tax dollars to create opportunity. The budget I will submit to my friends — our friends — at the council will reflect your input and priorities. It will also reflect the looming $200 million budget gap that will require some tough decisions in order to pave the way to the middle class and allow those who need it the most to prosper. Dr. King challenged us to develop 'a kind of dangerous unselfishness.' We will do that by giving a little more to create and preserve affordable housing, to care for our homeless neighbors and to invest in a safe and reliable transportation system to get residents to work and school and to keep the visitors coming to the District of Columbia. We will do that by making 'Black Lives Matter' more than just a hashtag. We will take concrete steps like investing in, and creating opportunity for, those students who are falling behind. Creating opportunity, in particular for our youngest residents, is a driving focus of our administration. That starts with our infants and toddlers, and that's why we launched the Early Childhood Learning Quality Improvement Network to ensure those who care for our babies meet national standards. We have the fastest improving urban school district in the nation. We should congratulate our chancellor, our teachers, our staff and our officials who are standing strong for school reform. But we know we also need to increase the pace of reform. Nowhere is that more necessary than in our middle schools. That's why in next year's budget, we will spend $15 million to support our middle school students with more extracurricular activities, summer programming and international travel. We will create a state-of-the-art middle school in Petworth at the former McFarland. And next fall, the school building [where] I attended as a kindergartner will reopen in Ward 5 as the Brookland Middle School. And whether you go to McFarland, or Murch or Maya Angelou, your child will ride free on the bus or rail because of our commitment to make it just a little easier on our families. And that's why, beginning this school year, parents will have predictability and consistency, and a clear path from pre-K to graduation, thanks to long overdue boundary realignments. We take these steps because we know that when children succeed, we all succeed. For our older students, we have to turn the corner at UDC and align our community college with the careers that will yield pathways to good-paying jobs and to the middle class. Last week, I announced the creation of the LEAP Academy. The Academy is borne from a simple idea: We will train District residents to work in the District government. The District employs hundreds of workers to maintain our buildings and keep our fleet of vehicles road-ready. The Academy will serve as a conduit for motivated District residents to enter the workplace in a good, steady job and begin down the pathway to the middle class, all the while providing you with first-class city services. Exposing youth to work prepares them for jobs as an adult. That's why I announced an additional $5 million in funding to expand the Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program. The program will now serve young people ages 22 to 24. Creating employment opportunities means rethinking our workforce development investments. Did you know our creative economy generates over $19 billion to the local economy annually? We should be more creative in how we think about investing in the arts so that we're retaining and developing a creative workforce that not only provides revenue and jobs, but that sustains the District as a cultural capital. We all know the Streetcar has been a long promised program. It's been long on promises and short on results. But tonight we pledge that that changes now. I promise you we will get the Streetcar along H Street and Benning Road up and running. Then we will extend the line to downtown Ward 7, so Council member Alexander's constituents can get from Benning Road to H Street to Union Station and, eventually, all the way to Georgetown. Earlier this month, we announced a new technology partnership with Howard University that will — some Howard grads out here? — that will bolster efforts to support our growing technology and innovation sectors by addressing the needs of startups and entrepreneurs in D.C. We've also brokered an agreement between labor and our soccer team so that UNITE HERE and DC United will come together to make sure that not only will we have a new soccer stadium with the support of our taxpayers, but we will also have good-paying jobs. Because we know that when we stand with our brothers and sisters in labor so that they can succeed, then we all succeed. You saw my friend John Boardman in the video, and he may not know this, but he introduced me to a woman named Juanita King and meeting Juanita King changed my life. I caught the bus with Juanita. I cleaned rooms with Juanita at the Marriott Marquis. And it cemented within me the notion that every economic development dollar this government spends must lead to good-paying jobs. In the coming year, we are committed to this goal. We will look for new opportunities to get D.C. residents, including returning citizens, on the job. Whether it's by way of our largest infrastructure projects or by creating incentives to attract and retain businesses, large and small … … We will make, in this commitment, first-time capital investments to reinvigorate upper Georgia Avenue at Walter Reed and to spur development at Hill East. We will experiment with Our RFP, a new endeavor to give the community the first opportunity to shape development. We will try it first right down the street at Parcel 42 in Shaw. We will support vibrancy in historic Anacostia by reimagining and redeveloping the Gateway at MLK and Good Hope Road. Just this week, I announced our intention to redevelop a huge government-owned parcel right at that very important intersection. And we will ensure our small businesses are given a fair shot to compete for work on all of this development that's moving in our city. Your government is hard at work to give everyone a fair shot. We are active participants in President Obama's 'My Brother's Keeper' initiative to narrow the achievement gap that is too pervasive in America today. Late last year, I invited a group of 100 boys to take the Audacity of Hope Challenge. The participants were challenged to read President Obama's book and to examine how they can each improve themselves by improving their communities. Each time I meet with the participants, I am struck by their tenderness and their desire to be engaged. They are not as tough as they think they are. They're not even as tough as you think they are. What they are looking for is a pathway. What they are looking for are caring adults to show them the way. They are not looking for a hand out, but a hand up. And earlier today, I announced a partnership that will guarantee 100 students in the Audacity of Hope Challenge year-round internships in businesses throughout the city. Now that's a fresh start. And tomorrow, I am excited to say I will announce the first ever Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity. The deputy mayor will be charged with creating solutions to improve outcomes for residents who face challenges to enter the workforce and start their way on the path to the middle class. Because we know that when they succeed, we all succeed. Being mayor of my hometown is the greatest job in the world and the greatest honor. We are a city on the move, and we have our share of challenges. But many of the decisions have been easy in the past 89 days. Like standing up for marriage equality as we did, by urging the Supreme Court to end marriage discrimination nationwide. Like deciding not to send any District employees to Indiana. Because we always — where's Grosso? Grosso's absolutely right — because we know that when we stand with the LGBTQ community, we won't sit by. We stand in our city. We won't stand by while other cities discriminate against the LGBTQ community. We stand with dreamers who deserve a chance to succeed. And we also join hands with our congresswoman and our fighter on the hill to stand up to the bullies — like Congressman Andy Harris of Maryland's 1st District — who seek to undermine the will of D.C. voters. And I think I can say this for the congresswoman: We won't stop until we achieve statehood. We will stand together for the District's right to spend its dollars. As a council member, I supported Phil Mendelson's efforts for budget autonomy. And as mayor, I stand with him, the council and the 83 percent of D.C. voters who approved the referendum. Because when we stand together, we will succeed. I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish together, and I am excited about what more we will do together to create opportunities for all eight wards. In one way or another, much of what we will do will be linked to my first budget, which I will deliver to the council, balanced, this week. I've already mentioned the budget deficit that we're facing, and simply put, we came into office with a budget deficit of about a quarter of a billion dollars. That deficit means we will have to make tough decisions about which programs to fund, which to cut and whether to raise taxes. I challenged my budget team to look for savings, to trim only those programs that could withstand it, and I tasked them to do more with less. This is what we have in store. So this year, we're adding an additional $32 million for DCPS and our public charter schools to keep pace with growing demand. Our public school system will enroll 2,000 more students this year. We're growing. We are making capital investments in our D.C. public schools so students can be comfortable, engaged and inspired. These investments will do much to improve educational outcomes for our students. Unfortunately, the prospects of success for many students are poor. For instance, by fourth grade, nearly 50 percent of Black and Latino males are reading below grade level. We know we have to do a better job engaging these students and accelerating the pace of academic achievement so that they have an equal chance of being successful in college, career and in life. They aren't failing themselves. We are failing them. To address this failing, in my first month in office, I stood with Chancellor Henderson, and we announced a $20 million initiative to empower young boys and men of color. We will also launch an all-male public high school that will focus on the academic success of these boys. Council members David Grosso and Kenyan McDuffie were bold, courageous and right to recognize that eight years of education reform has moved our boys too slowly. And Attorney General Karl Racine knows the importance of this effort and has those students' backs just like we all do — regardless of whether the challenge comes from within or beyond. We thank him. We need you involved as well. And that's why we launched the 500 for 500 — an effort to recruit mentors to participate in the Empowering Males of Color Initiative. We are very proud to say that we're two-thirds of the way there, which means we have one-third of the way to go. Students have been matched with a mentor to improve their literacy skills and enhance their sense of self-worth. And there is more we can and will do. Last year, the Council approved, unanimously, the creation of the At-Risk student formula. Not an equal student funding formula, but a formula to give the schools with the most kids facing the most challenges the resources necessary so they can succeed. Now, this year, Chancellor Henderson fully implemented the council's plan, and the budget reflects that. If we're going to move the needle, we cannot poke holes in this funding. Last year, I introduced legislation that allows students to ride free on Metrobus, which saves families with two kids $720 a year. We know those savings go a long way to help families make the rent, pay for field trips, or even buy a family computer. More families could benefit from Kids Ride Free if it were extended to Metrorail, and we know that we should change that. Because when those families succeed, we all succeed. We know, too, that creating opportunities to attain pathways to the middle class means that we have to invest more in affordable housing. The Housing Production Trust Fund is the District's primary tool for creating and preserving affordable housing at a variety of income levels. I made a commitment last year that, if elected mayor, the Housing Production Trust Fund would be budgeted at $100 million every single year. And I am proud to say that we will deliver on that promise. I know we will because the At-Large Council member for housing — that's what I call her — Anita Bonds is going to fight for it. I know that NKOTB — you know, you know what that means. The New Kids on the Block, that's what I call them: Elissa Silverman and Brianne Nadeau and Charles Allen — they're going to stand up for that $100 million for affordable housing and fight for it. Isn't that right, New Kids on the Block? Part of that effort will entail a genuine commitment to new communities. I spent a great deal of time as a council member shining a light on the failings of that program. Now I pledge to you to redouble my efforts to get it right. Today, the District's Interagency Council on Homelessness finalized a plan to end homelessness by making it rare, brief and nonrecurring. And, with the council's support of our homeless funding plan, we will deliver on another promise: ending family homelessness by 2018 and chronic homelessness by 2025 in the District of Columbia. And you told me, 'Bowser, D.C. General is no place to raise a child,' and we will, with your support, close D.C. General once and for all. Now I've tasked Brenda, Laura and Kristy with a hefty task. I have. But they can't do it alone. We can't do it alone. We need your help. Closing D.C. General means this: producing small, safe, attractive, transitional emergency housing throughout the District of Columbia's all eight wards. Long-time Boston Mayor Tom Menino used to say this: 'The true privilege of being mayor is that I have the opportunity to be everybody's neighbor.' And tonight, I extend that privilege to each and every one of you, and I challenge you to be more inclusive of those who need a hand up, in every neighborhood of our city. Because we know that when they succeed, we all succeed. We succeed, too, when we take steps to ensure a healthy population. The way the District has embraced President Obama's health care law is a model for the nation. Today, more than 93 percent of District residents have insurance. Thanks to the President. And despite the fact that almost everybody has insurance, we're not as healthy as we should be. We succumb to heart disease, cancer [and] diabetes at rates higher than the national average. And I know we can do better. Preventative health should be a focus, too. So I'm dedicating funds for the Joyful markets — a partnership with nonprofits and schools that distributes free vegetables at pop-up markets in schools at the end of the month. And when a resident needs a hospital, one should be close to their community. And that's why I am committed to investing in the only east of the river hospital — to make sure we have a state-of-the-art, new hospital, east of the river. And that is what I'm looking forward to working with you to accomplish. We want residents to lead active lifestyles, and I am committed to investing more in the Metropolitan Branch Trail, and I'm looking at Leif as I say this. We're looking to invest in recreational facilities, and in open spaces, so that D.C. residents of all ages have opportunities to pursue a healthy lifestyle in ways that are convenient. To create opportunity requires us to make our streets safer. The safety and well-being of D.C. residents is my top priority, and FEMS, our fire and emergency medical service, is at the top of my list. Our fire and emergency services can do better. We are undertaking a top-to-bottom review of FEMS, and we've found more than we thought we'd find, quite frankly. We have many more calls coming in, many — too many — going unanswered. More than half of our ambulances were out of service, and equipment was rolled out without much training for our first responders. With the right leadership, we will change all of that. So, we did a nationwide search and found a professional, collaborative leader from the other Washington — in Seattle. He led a department with an international reputation for its fire-based EMS performance. And I am certain Chief Gregory Dean will work with our brave men and women who are our first responders to move the department forward in ways that will give you more confidence and comfort in your homes. Chief Cathy Lanier and her team at MPD are working hard to do that, too. In the early '90s, the number of homicides in the District regularly topped 400 a gangs and open- air drug markets seemed to consume entire neighborhoods, and the violence grew to epidemic was the era when the District was known as the 'murder capital' of the from 2008 to 2012, we reduced homicides by more than half — to a level the District had not seen in nearly 50 years. And for the past two years, the annual number has remained below 100, an almost unimaginable notion back in 1991. Since 2008, we have reduced overall violent crime, and that includes homicide, assault with dangerous weapons, sex assault and robbery, by more than 18 percent. And when comparing the most recent four years to the first four years of the '90s, we have had 1,446 fewer homicides. Now that's not just a number. That represents more than 1,400 lives saved and innumerable families and loved ones spared unnecessary tragedy and loss. But that's not enough. One homicide in this city is too many. This progress, however, did not occur overnight. It took many years and a concerted effort to implement an effective policing strategy for combating violent crime and rebuilding the relationship between the police and members of the community. Our progress on this front must continue, even in the face of a looming retirement bubble that will see us lose more officers each year than we can reasonably hire and train. We will increase the number of officers on the streets this year by making sure that more officers are retained and the maximum number of officers are out on the streets, not doing desk jobs. So last October, MPD launched a pilot program to test the use of body cameras. And today I'm here to say that the pilot is over and that we will expand the use of body cameras to all MPD patrol officers in the next 18 months. It's the right thing to do for our officers and our residents. Accountability is embedded and will be embedded in everything this administration does. Accountability is why we are relaunching CapSTAT, a data-driven government efficiency and, ultimately, service delivery tool. It's a model that we once employed to great success, and it's time get back to 'CapSTATting,' is what I like to say. We've already measured snow and trash removal efforts, and we know we need to make adjustments for next winter. That's true. Since becoming mayor, I still haven't found a way to make the snow not hit the ground, but after 24 deployments and 58,000 tons of salt spread all over the city, we have the front-line workers to thank for clearing the roads and hauling all of the waste in our alleys. And I want to thank our workers. So when it became apparent that the weather made us fall too far behind on collections, I called the leadership in management and labor into my office and charted a path forward. We declared an all hands on deck, and with the help of our front-line workers and a few private haulers, we hauled over 1,000 tons of trash in a matter of three days. My commitment for the next season is that we will find efficiencies and borrow a few best practices, and we will for sure communicate better with residents about what we, as a government, can and will do. Our Office of the Chief Technology Officer will launch another new initiative, Open DC — a web-based portal that will permit third-party developers access to government data. By doing so, we encourage not only transparency from our end, but also the development of innovative solutions to pressing District problems. So stay tuned for our first hackathon in May. We will celebrate innovation — not just the type that rewards you with love by swiping to the right or delivers a ride with a few taps. We will seek out innovation that makes life a little easier for a working mother trying to find social services or to use public transit. That's the same reason why we are building out an office dedicated to public and private partnerships that will lower the time and cost for procurements in the District of Columbia and give the District the expertise to work on complex projects so that public resources are used wisely. These programs represent a modern, results-oriented approach to good government. I'm convinced that by leveraging technology and business management strategies, we can improve service delivery and save money. We know that we can do more to advance positive outcomes to those that are economically disadvantaged, especially in our east of the river communities. Because when all wards succeed, we succeed. So before we close tonight, we must acknowledge the job of keeping our streets safe is a shared responsibility. When it comes to snow response, we gather 20 agencies on a call at all hours of the night to devise our plan of attack, communicate about how we will work together and decide whether schools and government can operate. For too long, when an act of violence occurs that we know could lead to further acts, we have looked solely to the brave men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department to end the cycle of violence. In my Administration, that approach will get a fresh start, and we call it the Community Stabilization Protocol. The Protocol harnesses the energy and bandwidth of over a dozen agencies, from our MOCRS — do you know our MOCRS? They're out in the communities every day — to the Department of Behavioral Health, to provide support to the families of victims, and sometimes of suspects, to engage the community in finding a solution. In the hours after an incident, a multiagency call is convened. Within 12 hours, a member of the Deputy City Administrator visits the family, and within 24 hours, a multiagency team will visit the family and neighbors. And when necessary, a community meeting is held within 48 hours. This approach is too new to hold up as a success, but we are pleased with its progress thus far. Families of those affected by violence have been open to assistance, communities have been engaged in the solution and law enforcement has been able to interrupt the cycle of violence. I cannot stand before you tonight and claim to have all of the answers to eradicate our toughest problems, like senseless violence. But I can commit to you, as a government and as a city, we will experiment with new approaches to face them head on. And we will always seek solutions that engage and empower our residents. Tonight, I have spoken about the work we've done already to fulfill promises made. And I've detailed how we will continue to create opportunity in the coming months. And I've spoken about how this administration strives every day to be responsive, inclusive and decisive. I've spoken about this government, and that it belongs to you, and about how we're opening its doors to allow you better access. I want to come back to a point that I started with. Given our presence here at the historic Lincoln Theatre, and on the 150th anniversary of his assassination, it struck me as appropriate to invite you to an event that we're all proud of and we should all support in celebrating Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia. And let me thank Council member Vincent Orange for his leadership, for his energy and for never letting us forget our history. Let me also offer you some words from the nation's 16th president. Abraham Lincoln said, 'The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do at all, or cannot do so well, for themselves.' You elected me to do what needs to be done to create opportunity for you and your family, to blaze a path to the middle class, to improve schools, make our streets safer and our population healthier. You know I cannot do it alone. We want your help, and we need your help. We want you to be engaged, we want you to make demands of us and we want you to hold us accountable. I began tonight by recalling some other promises I've made previously, and I'll end by making yet another one. Every day I wake up humbled and grateful that you have placed, in me, your trust. That you believe I'll wake up every day to do the best job I can for the residents of the District of Columbia. I promise to live up to your expectations, to make yours a government that is open, accessible, transparent and responsive to your needs. We pledge to make you proud. Because when we succeed together, we all succeed as a great city.
