Category Archives: Relationships

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California Pastor Allegedly Hired Hitman to Kill Daughter’s Boyfriend…

Hello World,

The devil must have taken over Samuel Pasillas.  The 47-year-old pastor for a Spanish-speaking church in the city of Victorville, California is being accused hiring a hitman to kill his daughter’s boyfriend, according to the Riverside Police Department. The attempted murder took place last October.

On Saturday evening, October 21, 2023, Riverside Police Officers responded to a local hospital regarding a person who just arrived suffering from gunshot wounds from a shooting that occurred around 7:00 p.m. in the Orangecrest neighborhood of Riverside.  The male adult victim said he was driving on Grove Community Drive approaching Plainview Street when another vehicle pulled up alongside him.  Gunfire came from this other vehicle and he was hit several times.  The victim drove himself to the hospital and was treated for his injuries, and officers located evidence of a shooting on Grove Community Drive and Plainview Street.

The Riverside Police Department conducted a investigation and subsequently learned this was a murder-for-hire shooting.  The victim had been dating the daughter of Pastor Pasillas. During their investigation, detectives uncovered evidence the father met with the men he hired and provided them information about the victim, including his location the evening of the shooting.  Detectives also determined these men were paid almost $40,000 by the father and had conducted surveillance on the victim in the weeks leading up to when they shot him.

Earlier this month, detectives served search warrants at homes in Victorville, Long Beach, and Lynwood.  Pastor Pasillas was arrested and later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for solicitation for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon.  He is currently being held on $1 million bond. Juan Manuel Cebreros, a 55 years old from Long Beach, was arrested and later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon.  He is also being held on a $1 million bond.

This investigation is still ongoing and there are no other details to release at this time.  Anyone with additional information should contact Detective Nic Cantino at (951) 353-7104 or NCantino@RiversideCA.gov.  Those wishing to remain anonymous can email RPDTips@RiversideCA.gov, or download and use the Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app by utilizing the “Send a Message” feature.  The department’s app can be downloaded here at APPLE or ANDROID.

Isn’t that wild? I wonder why Pastor Pasillas didn’t approve of the man his daughter was dating? I wonder about the ages of the daughter and the man she was dating. I wonder what his daughter thinks and if she is still dating the man. Is Pastor Pasillas married? I wonder what the congregation thinks! So many questions need to be answered, but most of all, thank God the man did not die from his injuries…I imagine that this story will soon be featured 20/20, Dateline or a similar show…

Any thoughts?

 

 

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‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Star Angela Bassett Admits She Was ‘Gobsmacked’ After Losing Oscar Last Year Ahead of 2024 Oscars TONIGHT!

Hello World,

As a Christian, we are promised that all things (good and bad) work out for our good in the end, but I’m still salty that actress extraordinaire Angela Bassett didn’t win the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award last year for her role as the queen in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”  However, I do feel somewhat pacified that the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences opted to give an Honorary Academy Award to Angela in January. She’s more than worthy as Angela’s career has established her as one of the most esteemed actors of our time.  Her breakthrough role as Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do with It” earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.  Her film credits include “Boyz N the Hood,” “Malcolm X,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” “Music of the Heart,” “Sunshine State,” “Black Panther,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Soul” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” in which her supporting performance earned her a second Oscar nomination.  Her television credits include “The Jacksons: An American Dream,” “The Rosa Parks Story,” “American Horror Story” and “9-1-1.” The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network recently premiered an all-new OWN Spotlight one-hour special featuring Oprah Winfrey in conversation with 2024 Honorary Academy Award Recipient, Angela Bassett, for a retrospective look at her incomparable career spanning four decades. In this OWN Spotlight, Oprah met with the legendary actress at The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to discuss her recent, well-deserved honorary Academy Award  and how losing the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award last year felt as well.

On how she felt in the moment: It was, of course, a supreme disappointment. A supreme disappointment is human. So I thought, yes, I was disappointed. And I was. And I handled it like a human being.

On her viral facial face expression: I know a pastor who says technology’s different, people are the same.

On being gracious in the midst of a visible loss: For myself and for my children who were there with me.

Below is the entire clip in which Angela recounts what it was like last year when her name wasn’t announced as the winner…

Oprah and Angela also looked back on her illustrious career, from how she knew acting was her destiny to her blockbuster roles in both TV and film. Oprah reflected on the many highlights from her viral, uplifting acceptance speech and the impact of her legacy on future generations. They discussed the iconic women she’s portrayed through the years and what those characters have given to her. A devoted mother and wife, Angela shared moments from her journey of parenting with her husband, actor Courtney B. Vance and the dreams she has for her children.

Below is a clip of the full episode…

In looking for the good in this situation, what Oprah said to Angela following Angela revealing how she felt in the moment of “supreme disappointment” is something good… “And you know what’s interesting, that actually teaches your children more than anything you can ever say about what you’re supposed to do is how you behaved in that moment.” As Angela’s twins Bronwyn and Slater are headed to college next fall (I remember when it was announced that they were born), they will experience moments of triumph and disappointment, and it’s important to know how to respond to both.

Additionally, Angela and her family were recently featured on the cover of PEOPLE magazine in the article “How I Fought For My Dreams” and that feature may have not happened had it not been for her Oscar loss the year prior. We journalists live by the mantra “if it bleeds, it leads” so there’s that…

It was also a full circle moment as Angela, her husband Courtney Vance and their newborn twins were featured in the magazine back in 2006.

As a twin mom just two years into the journey, this full-circle moment gives me all of the feels…

I hope to be able to watch the Oscars later today (with toddlers,  TV time is not always guaranteed), but the top winner already took home the trophy in more ways than one…

Any thoughts?

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Lifetime’s Original Movie ‘Single Black Female 2: Simone’s Revenge’ Premieres This Saturday, March 2!

Hello World,

Before I get into today’s blog post, I did want to note that as promised I did watch Where is Wendy Williams?,  the Lifetime two-part documentary last weekend as I said in my blog post earlier in the month. However, I couldn’t finish it because knowing what I’ve come to know about Wendy in the several years that I watched The Wendy Williams Show, I don’t think she would want to be seen in that state no matter what has been said. What I noted at the end of my blog post is still how I feel:

 I don’t know where Wendy is, and truthfully, none of us need to know. Wherever she is, God knows and can always get to her. My prayer for her is that she will allow Him to heal her in every way that she needs to be healed…

Speaking of Lifetime, while this is not a Christian offering as far as I know, since I started this blog as a single black female, I will always have a special place in my heart for single black females…

Lifetime is airing the highly anticipated sequel to Single Black Female, which garnered over 8.0 million total viewers across linear and on digital platforms and was the #1 original non-holiday movie of 2022! My husband and I watched it, and he actually enjoyed the movie although he is not a Lifetime fan. Amber Riley, Raven Goodwin and K. Michelle reprise their roles for Single Black Female 2: Simone’s Revenge, premiering this Saturday, March 2 at 8p/7c set three years after the crazy events from the first film.

Three years after narrowly escaping the murderous clutches of her half-sister Simone (Amber Riley), Monica (Raven Goodwin) is ready for a fresh start in Seattle as the host of the city’s #1 primetime investigative television program. With her best friend Bebe (K. Michelle) by her side and a new love interest, things are looking up for Monica. Secretly nursed back to health and suffering from amnesia, Simone is building a new life when she comes across Monica on TV and her memories come rushing back, leading to a fateful reunion between the sisters. Can the two put the past behind them? Or will Simone’s need to get revenge win the day?

The film also stars Morgan Alexandria (Line Sisters), Christine Horn (Snowfall) and Kendrick Cross (Ambitions).

Below is the trailer:

Single Black Female 2: Simone’s Revenge, #SingleBlackFemale2,  is produced by Swirl Films for Lifetime. Gold Morgan, Ron Robinson, Abbey Sibucao and Eric Tomosunas serve as executive producers. Shari Carpenter directs from a script written by Sa’Rah Jones and Tessa Scott.

Any thoughts?