Tri County Sentry

The Tri County’s Only Multicultural Newspaper

Inside This Issue

Rebuilding the Gulf Coast, Preparing for the Next Harvey

TRI-COUNTY

 See page 6

Vol. XXV No. 46

September 15, 2017

Sutherland, Burnett, Roizman, Varda to get honorary Oscars

By SANDY COHEN AP Entertainment Writer

Actor Donald Sutherland, writer-director Charles Burnett, cinematographer Owen Roizman and Belgian director Agnes Varda are getting honorary Oscars this year.

The film academy said Wednesday that the four honorees will receive their Oscar statuettes at the ninth annual Governors Awards ceremony in November. ``I’m just so pleased with these four very different kinds of people, their different crafts and the different kinds of films that they make,’’ academy president John Bailey said in an interview. ``This shows the best of the whole notion of what the academy and Sutherland, Burnett, see page 9

Oral histories: New Orleans civil rights leaders, activists

By JANET McCONNAUGHEY Associated Press

A new oral history project is looking at the civil rights era in New Orleans, including boycotted shopping districts and a restaurant that provided a meeting place for black and white activists.

The Historic New Orleans Collection has begun interviewing leaders and activists who participated in the civil rights movement from 1950 through 1976, and will create a set of lesson plans using the oral histories it gathers.

The National Park Service provided $23,000 to gather 30 to 50 hours of oral histories about 11 locations, organizations and events including the  Oral histories, see page 5

Relatives of Undocumented Children Caught Up in ICE Dragnet In a shift from how it operated during the Obama administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is cracking down on relatives who let undocumented kids stay with them after entering the U.S.

By Hannah Dreier This summer, a Kansas City man named Edwin got a call from immigration officials. They had picked up his nephew at the southern border and wanted to release the teen into his care. So Edwin went online and bought a bed.

L

ATER that week, he was contacted again, this time by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detective who knocked at his door. The agent gave Edwin a letter saying he needed to come to headquarters for an interview about three federal crimes:  Relatives of, see page 9

What Does an Innocent Man Have to Do to Go Free?

Plead Guilty.

A case in Baltimore - in which two men were convicted of the same murder and cleared by DNA 20 years later - shows how far prosecutors will go to preserve a conviction.

By Megan Rose This story was co-published with The Atlantic.

On Oct. 15, 2008, James Owens shuffled, head high despite his shackles, into a Baltimore courtroom, eager for his new trial

to begin. Two decades into a life sentence, he would finally have his chance to prove what he’d been saying all along: The state had the wrong man.

Owens had been convicted of  What Does, see page 9

A Baltimore Police Department photo of James Owens from August 5, 1987, the day Owens, 22, was arrested for murder.

(Baltimore Police Department file, courtesy of Stephen Mercer)

James Owens, now 52, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 1988 for a murder he didn’t commit.

(Lexey Swall)

Service Provider Boots Hate Site Off the Internet

By Ken Schwencke In a surprise move, the web services company Cloudflare has ended its relationship with The Daily Stormer, taking the leading neo-Nazi site off the internet for the second time this week.

Cloudflare protects websites against common forms of attack, including denial of service,

which is known as DDOS. “I have effectively been banned by ICANN and the monopolistic anti-ddosing service Cloudflare,” wrote Andrew Anglin, who runs the site. ICANN is the acronym for Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, an international technical body that runs the Domain Name System, a critical piece of the

internet’s traffic flow that links domain names with server addresses.

“Cloudflare just folded on us. Into new territory,” wrote Andrew Auernheimer, the architect of the site. According to both Auernheimer and a former Cloudflare employee, The Daily Stormer relied on the company’s services to stay online.

Cloudflare’s decision to drop

the neo-Nazi site comes at a time when tech companies are under intense pressure to curtail white supremacist activity. ProPublica has previously written about the company’s willingness to provide services to the white supremacist site.

Anglin and Auernheimer’s comments were made on an  Service Provider, see page 4

Obama surprises students with visit to DC school

By JESSE J. HOLLAND Associated Press Former President Barack Obama shocked students at a Washington school Friday by popping in to give them encouragement at the beginning of the new year. ``I do believe that most of the problems we have are going to be solved by you,’’ Obama told a group of students from McKinley Technology High School, according to an Instagram video posted on his account after his unannounced visit.  Obama surprises, see page 9

White House says black colleges summit is on despite reports

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press A mid-September conference on historically black colleges and universities remains on track, the White House said Wednesday, despite reports that it has been postponed.

Omarosa Manigault Newman, an assistant to President Donald Trump and communications director for the White House Office of Public Liaison, said the summit has been moved to  White House, see page 9

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

7 Steps to Better Security Online

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

V

FAMILY FEATURES

irtually no one would park a car in a busy area, leave the keys in the ignition, roll the windows down and walk away. Yet many people who would take precautions to protect their vehicles leave access to their personal and financial information wide open. In this digital era, it pays to be just as diligent when it comes to virtual properties as it does physical ones.

These seven steps can help you create a more secure environment that protects you from online attacks.

Make your device a fortress. Whether you’re using a desktop, laptop or mobile device, taking proper precautions to safeguard the device itself is your first line of defense. Use reliable internet security software, apply firewalls, block pop-ups and prevent sites from logging your location. Make it a habit to log out of websites and regularly delete your history and cookies, especially if you’re using a public system or one that others access regularly.

Shop smart. Only make purchases from encrypted sites and limit purchases to a single credit card that you regularly monitor. It’s a good idea to make online purchases using a card with a clear policy about your liability in the event your card number does get stolen or you unknowingly purchase from a fraudulent seller and need to recoup your funds.

Be wary of strangers. Although social interaction with people you’ve never met is the norm via chat rooms and other internet-enabled sources, it’s still smart to treat those encounters with caution. Never divulge personally identifying information or financial details, and avoid opening emails or following text or message links from unknown senders.

Keep privacy in mind. Know that virtually anything you post online can become public at the hands of someone with ill intentions. This even applies to things you post that you intend only for friends and family to see, as one of them can easily copy and forward on your photos, words, etc. If you’d be worried about the general public seeing it, don’t post or share it.

Go ahead, be vain. Looking for yourself online isn’t really an ego move, it’s a smart one. Periodically searching your own name could reveal information in the public domain that you’d rather keep private or it could point to potential identify fraud.

Monitor your credit and accounts. Particularly if you have an active online life, whether for social, work or practical purposes like banking or shopping, pay close attention to your credit and bank accounts. Hackers find all sorts of ways to get to your identity, but regular monitoring can help you identify a problem before it spirals out of control.

Manage passwords responsibly. If you’re like most people, you probably use the same (or a variation of the same) password across numerous accounts.

It’s human; it’s easy to remember. However, once a thief or hacker figures out your log-in credentials, all of your personal information and finances are ripe for the taking. Avoid repeating passwords across multiple sites and change passwords often for better security.

For more tips to protect your family’s privacy and stay safe while online, visit eLivingToday.com.

4 Tips to Make Sense of Cyber Security

I

t’s no secret that kids have a sense of invincibility. While that trait can bring some endearing reminders of the innocence of childhood, it can also have some highly unfortunately consequences. In the context of cyber security, an action by an unknowing child can impact the entire family.

The majority of U.S. households are filled with devices that pose a potential threat to your personal security. In fact, according to the 2016 Global Consumer Security Survey

by Trend Micro, nearly half of households have two or more computers and nearly a third have three or more smartphones.

Despite the many benefits of a highly connected world, the potential for danger is strong. While there are plenty of parental controls and blocks available, they aren’t foolproof. Educating children about potential risks and how to avoid them with these tips from Trend Micro can go a long way toward protecting your family from potential cyber problems.

1. Understand what you’re saying yes to.

Be involved, knowledgeable and interested in the devices, apps and sites your children use for school and for fun. For sites they use for school, ask their teachers for more information. For apps they’re using at home, spend 15 minutes trying it yourself.

2. Use privacy settings and features. Make sure you understand what privacy protections your browser or devices offer for your family when your kids are accessing their favorite sites, apps and online services. Many browsers allow you to prevent sites from tracking what you do and where you go online, so spend some time looking at web browser settings to see what privacy options are available to you.

3. Use features and services available within an app or website. Also take a look at the privacy settings available in the specific apps, websites or games your family uses. Most will let you have a private

account, which means the whole world won’t be able to see what you post or who you’re connected to.

4. Remember that being online is a public life.

Nothing is truly private online. If you and your family keep this in mind, it can help you all think through what you are about to post, like and click on, as well as who you connect with online.

Explore more ideas to keep your kids and family safe online at internetsafety.trendmicro.com.

ID No. 1234567890 90 JOHN DOE M 05 20 1951

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

NEWS Service Provider Boots Hate Site Off the Internet continued from page 1

obscure social media service called Gab. The Daily Stormer’s Twitter accounts have been suspended.

ProPublica has reached out

to The Daily Stormer. We’ve also attempted to reach Cloudflare representatives using multiple email addresses and phone numbers. So far, we have

received no response.

Queries to Cloudflare’s domain system, which routes domain names like “dailystormer.com” to their

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locations on the web, returned a “REFUSED” response, which indicates the service no longer claims responsibility for the domain.

Cloudflare joins a long list of services from which the site has been banned. PayPal, GoDaddy, Google and Twitter have all previously suspended The Daily Stormer in one way or another.

Many did so after the site posted a story mocking the appearance of Heather Heyer, the young woman killed after a white supremacist in Charlottesville drove a car into a crowd of counter-protesters.

It is unusual for Cloudflare to ban a controversial customer.

In the past, the service has

defended providing services to websites that espouse racist ideologies.

“A website is speech. It is not a bomb,” Cloudflare’s CEO Matthew Prince wrote in a 2013 blog post defending his company’s stance. “There is no imminent danger it creates and no provider has an affirmative obligation to monitor and make determinations about the theoretically harmful nature of speech a site may contain.”

In an interview in May, Prince told ProPublica that his company wouldn’t bar customers without a court order, or unless they proved to be a technical threat.

“Whenever you have a

private organization which is making what are essentially law enforcement decisions, that is a risk to due process. And I think due process is important,” Prince said in the interview.

It is unclear why Cloudflare chose now to cut off service to the site. Stormfront, one of the oldest white supremacist sites, is still online and using Cloudflare services. The same is true for The Right Stuff, a newer site that hosts an anti-Semitic podcast.

The reaction from those on the far right was swift.

“This is…serious.

8/12 changed everything,” tweeted Pax Dickinson, a lead technical voice for the far right, referencing the Charlottesville rally.

Gratitude: The Wonder Drug for Depression

By Patricia Lynn Belkowitz

ACROSS 1. Coffee + chocolate 6. “____ the season ...”

9. ____ ex machina 13. Tim or Woody 14. Thou, today 15. *Fire or Fear or Mortis or Death 16. “_____ came the spider...”

17. Pimple fluid 18. Two under par 19. *X-Men’s mutant foe 21. *____ Quinn 23. Aladdin’s alias 24. Piglet sound 25. Irish folk dance 28. Sultanate on Arabian Peninsula 30. Farm tool 35. Fail to mention 37. Crumbs 39. Nary a soul 40. Curly-leafed cabbage 41. Betty Ford Center, e.g.

43. Pacific Islands’ ceremonial drink 44. Opposite of digest 46. “Que Sera ____” 47. Revered one 48. Team list 50. “Cliffs Notes,” e.g.

52. Phone card acronym 53. A grand theft 55. Charged particle 57. *Norman Osborn’s organization 60. *”Spider-Man” villainous doctor 64. Last European colony in China 65. Belonging to you and me 67. Tennis great Chris ____ 68. Like anchor aweigh 69. Springsteen’s “Born in the ____” 70. Join companies 71. *Deathstroke is an enemy of the “___ Titans” 72. ____ Aviv 73. Human necessity DOWN 1. Hat-tipper’s word 2. Paella pot 3. Heidi’s “Magic Wooden Shoe” 4. Temporary tattoo ink 5. Angel, in Rome 6. Editor’s oversight 7. Debtor’s letter

8. Uncooked seafood 9. Like Jekyll and Hyde’s personality 10. *Superman enemy, Morgan ____ 11. Like Andersen’s duckling 12. Perceive 15. “Game of Thrones” vest 20. Sea near Australia 22. It marches?

24. One always busy and moving 25. *”Batman” foe 26. Idealized image 27. Rupert ____ from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” 29. *Wonder Woman’s nemesis 31. *Thor’s brother 32. Dump truck quantities 33. End of a poem 34. Camelot to King Arthur 36. Reason to cram 38. Delhi dress 42. Early computer language 45. *What villains of the Suicide Squad did 49. “The Murders in the ___ Morgue” 51. Native American sacred objects 54. Rainbow swimmer 56. Fictitious prose 57. Love-____ relationship 58. 43,560 square feet 59. Street in Anytown, USA 60. Like word of mouth 61. Fils’ father 62. Strong desire 63. Flight segment 64. Yoga accessory 66. Wear and tear LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

The essence of all you appreciate is constantly flowing into your reality. As a creator, you create with your thoughts.

When you are thinking about what you like or enjoy, you are in the process of creating more of it. When you become more aware of the moments of your life, you engage your senses.

You are grateful in the now moment. You appreciate the good that is happening now or you recall the pleasant memory of the past. When you are in this state of awareness, your brain is producing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.

When you are feeling grateful, an area of your brain stem region produces dopamine, which increases your enjoyment of what you are experiencing. In addition, when you are feeling gratitude toward others, it increases activity in social dopamine circuits. You enjoy people more and social interactions are more fun. Another area of your brain, the anterior cingulate cortex is busy producing serotonin.

This neurotransmitter affects your mood; your appetite and digestion; your ability to sleep; your memory; and your sexual desire and function.

Serotonin inhibits impulses so you are better able to control your bad habits. When you are depressed, you lose control.

Anti-depressants such as Wellbutrin and Prozac boost the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin.

In his book, The Upward

Spiral, Dr. Alex Korb addresses the research which has found that gratitude is a powerful antidepressant. He acknowledges that scientists don’t fully understand depression, but they know it relates to neurotransmitters produced in the brain. Depression also relates to the prefrontal cortex, which is used for critical thinking and decision making.

In addition, the limbic system is involved. This system includes the emotional center of the brain, the amygdala; and the hippocampus, which plays a role in the formation of new memories. Depression affects brain functions which inhibit our ability to heal.

Korb explains how we keep ourselves in a downward spiral when we focus on negative thoughts. Anxiety about the future and worry about things

we don’t want reinforces the depressed brain. Remember, you must focus on the now moment, the only moment there is. Bad memories or selfcriticism about past behavior are in the past. Let go! You must focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want! Why spend your valuable thought energy on creating negative circumstances which create negative emotions?

Pay attention. Focus on gratitude for your physical body.

Acknowledge that it is constantly in your service, no matter how you treat it. Focus on gratitude for your loved ones and their presence in your life. Feel the love. Focus on gratitude for the experience of life. Appreciate your talents, skills and abilities.

Know that you have within you everything you need to create the life you want. You can choose to focus on gratitude and benefit from the positive effects in your brain and your physical body. You can choose the upward movement. You can rewire yourself so that it’s easier to feel the positive emotions which produce positive results.

Melody Beattie says, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Apparently, gratitude is a better anti-depressant than Prozac or Wellbutrin. And gratitude has no negative side effects!

SODOKU SOLUTION

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

NATION Oral histories: New Orleans civil continued from page 1

city’s first major civil rights campaign _ a boycott of whiteowned stores that sold to African-Americans but wouldn’t hire them as clerks or cashiers.

The slogan was ``Don’t shop where you can’t work,’’ said Eric Seiferth, assistant curator at the museum.

The boycott of shops on Dryades Street, then a major shopping district for black people, began shortly before Easter, a season when people bought new spring dress-up clothes. ``They had some success in getting merchants to hire African Americans above the menial level,’’ Seiferth said. ``That’s a big moment in the movement, too.’’

He said students who led the boycott created a New Orleans chapter of the Congress for Racial Equality later that year, and led years of sit-ins and years of picketing at stores on Canal Street _ two of the other focuses for oral histories.

In the 1980s, the once boycotted business section of Dryades Street was named for Oretha Castle Haley , who, as Southern University student Oretha Castle, was among the CORE chapter’s founding members and its first president.

She also was among four protesters arrested for a 1960 sitin at a Canal Street lunch counter, a case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a state ``criminal mischief ’’ law making it a crime to stay in a business after being told to leave was being used to violate the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.

The house where she and her sister, Doris Jean Castle, grew up will be another interview focus, Seiferth said. ``It was a center for a lot of the families active in the movement,’’ he said. ``People coming in from out-of-state would stay there and have something to eat. They housed freedom riders, also.’’

The girls’ mother, Virgie Castle, was a waitress at Dooky Chase restaurant, another project focus. At a time when he mayor and police publicized use of the criminal mischief law to break up sit-ins, and testified that they knew of no integrated eating place in New Orleans, Edgar ``Dooky’’ Chase Jr. and his wife, Leah Chase regularly served black and white civil rights workers as they met upstairs. Leah Chase still runs the restaurant.

The museum will make transcripts of each oral history, which will be available for reading and listening at its research center. A few also will be videotaped, and parts of those videotapes will be available on the museum’s website. ``The hope is not only will we be able to use it ... for future exhibitions or programs or educational materials or whatever, but the public will be able to come in and use the material for whatever they’re doing _ whether it be a documentary or undergraduate thesis or a high-school student trying to write a research paper,’’ Seiferth said.

Is Peace Escaping our World?

By Harry Alford It doesn’t seem believable but we may be on the verge of nuclear war. You look at all the continents on this earth and you will find unrest. There are many reasons causing this conflict and uneasiness.

Perhaps the main reason is the failure of the United Nations.

Before the UN there was the League of Nations which was formed after World War I for ending any future wars. It was impotent. Germany evolved into a racist war machine right in front of the League’s face.

Japan walked out on a formal hearing and prepared for international conquest. Those major transitions led us into World War II. The death toll was horrific. Many millions of soldiers were killed with many times that for civilians.

When World W ar II finally ended the United Nations was formed to provide peace to the world. Almost immediately violent conflict started popping up everywhere. The Korean War, Indo-China War, the Soviet Union land grab of various eastern European nations and other conflicts led the way for the making of an unpeaceful world. The Korean War ended in a stalemate. The Indo-China War turned into the Vietnam War which lasted over 20 years, 1955 – 1975 with North Vietnam (Communists) claiming the final victory.

The biggest opponent of peace today is Islamic Terrorism.

It was first thought this uprising would be targeted for the Middle East. But the religion Islam is practiced all over the world. This means that we can have an outbreak wherever or whenever a terrorist faction is formed. Let’s look at the religion of Islam. It’s premise is that there is “No God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet”.

Therefore, all other religions are falsehoods and shall not be tolerated. As Islam grew so did slavery, genocide, civil and regional wars. At the same time, so did Christianity but they both soon subsided after the great Crusades (starting with the Arab – Byzantine War in 634 AD to the Ottoman Wars ending in 1922).

Osama Bin Laden was one of the most successful leaders of Islamic Terrorism. He formed the group Al-Qaida which evolved mostly within the

nation of Afghanistan which was being controlled by the Taliban. The Taliban does not respect any borders. They are mainly found in Afghanistan but that does not preclude them from seasonal travel to Pakistan where they find safe harbor. It was not surprising that when Bin Laden met his demise it was well within the borders of Pakistan. Al-Qaida is still quite alive today with cells acting basically throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Like its terrorist rival, ISIS, it is a fluid operation which could have followers anywhere in the world. Al-Qaida and ISIS are the main war mongers throughout the world with sub-cells like Boko Haram and Al Shabab in Africa and others throughout the world such as Canada, Australia, Philippines, etc. They don’t seem to be going away.

No nation has ever dominated Afghanistan.

Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, the British Empire, Soviet Union etc. have failed throughout the ages. We may also add the United States to that list of would failed events in Afghanistan. Our conflict in Afghanistan is our longest war in history. When will it end? It is indeed depressing that with all the above happening at a growing rate, we still have new challenges.

North Korea, a nation that cannot feed all its own people, has become a nuclear power. How did they do this?

Certainly, with the help and encouragement of major rivals

such as Russia and China but also with that “silent” trouble maker – Pakistan. Pakistan has been all too willing to share its atomic technology with any nation who will pay them. It’s biggest customer right now is Iran but North Korea has always been a great “student” of its technology.

North Korea is moving at a rapid rate to become an owner of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States. They have a “nut case” as a dictator who is boasting of sending nukes to us on any given day. It seems that we will have no choice but to act with ferocity.

South Africa has the technology while Israel has had it for decades. It won’t be long before Iran with its belligerent government will have nukes ready to “shoot at will”. India is well equipped with nukes in consideration of its neighbor Pakistan. When you think of Islamic Terrorism India rarely crosses your mind. This nation has nearly a population of 1 billion people. 40% of that population is loyal to Islam.

Peace could fall apart at any time.

All the while, the United Nations is sitting around having emergency meetings that end in no recourse. I am frightened.

Aren’t you?

Mr. Alford is the Co-Founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®.

Website: www.nationalbcc.org Email: halford@nationalbcc.org

Your child’s dreams are like stars: If he chooses them as his guides, he can reach his destiny.

BORN TO BE GREAT By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school. Previously, courses teaching higher-order thinking skills like critical thinking and problem solving were reserved for the economically advantaged and “gifted and talented.”

The federal government has a responsibility to invest in the success of every student. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that acquisition of those higher-order thinking skills be the standard for every student but your involvement is needed to make those requirements realities.

To learn more about ESSA and how you can get involved, visit www.nnpa.org/essa.

Made possible by a grant from the

© 2017 National Newspaper Publishers Association. All rights reserved

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

OPED Schools Must Welcome Participation from All Parents

How Can Parents and the Community Get More Involved in ESSA?

By Aiyana Thomas (NNPA/ESSA Contributor) Increasing parental engagement in education has been an important task for education policy makers. While it is unfortunate that some parents do not wish to become more involved, and may not know why they should be, those who do wish to be more engaged can learn how to get more involved. Parental involvement creates positive, visible change, sets an example that influences others to participate, and nurtures student success.

Parental engagement is also a major component of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the new national education law.

Local education agencies and schools should make parents and community stakeholders aware of public school board meetings to foster community engagement.

Attending these meetings, allows community members to find out what their school district’s established goals are, how they intend to achieve those goals, the priorities of funding and budgeting plans, and what is included in the approved curriculum. These meetings also offer parents the opportunity to verbalize opinions, needs, questions, or concerns to the board and community.

School board meetings should be safe spaces for honest dialogue, where parents feel comfortable to address their concerns and actively participate in the decision making that affects their children.

Back-to-school nights are also a great tool that can be used to increase parental engagement with educators.

Schools can use back-to-school nights to communicate needs and ask parents for their assistance through volunteer opportunities that are cognizant of varying times of availability and skill set. As parents get more involved, they become more comfortable with the environment and are more likely to participate in future activities. This should be a goal for all schools.

Lastly, transparency is essential to building successful parent-teacher partnerships. Transparency is also an important aspect of ESSA. ESSA requires states and school districts to be more transparent, specifically with parents; mandating more detailed district report cards and a breakdown of data for all student groups. Parents should always know, if their student needs assistance or is excelling. Assigning homework that includes family input and inviting parents to view student presentations are other examples that may get parents engaged in their child’s education. More information, rather than less, is preferred when it comes to academic achievement.

Producing successful students requires patience, support and community partnership. Parental involvement is one of many things that help students overcome obstacles and it also gives students the extra push needed to be great. All parents are different, some are proactive; others need an invitation. It is the educators’ duty to invite them.

Aiyana Thomas is a 17-year-old Baltimore City College High School student. She is a public speaker, youth advocate, and blogger. She enjoys using her voice for positive change. One day, she would like to own a business that contributes to the change she hopes to see; a change that begins with the improvement of education and the development of her community.

PHOTO CAPTION: Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) says that a lack of education has been a key factor in Boko Haram’s ongoing ability to successfully recruit young men and boys. Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) (left) speaks during a candlelight vigil for the missing Chibok school girls in front of the State Department in Washington, D.C.

When You Educate a Girl, You Educate a Nation

By Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.)

As I write this, I am preparing to travel with my colleagues to Nigeria, where I will have the honor of meeting some of the Chibok girls who were released after two waves of negotiations between Boko Haram and Nigerian government officials. It is my fourth trip to Nigeria since April 14, 2014, when the terrorist group shocked the world by abducting nearly 300 schoolgirls from their dormitory rooms.

More than three years later, 113 of the original 276 Chibok girls are still being held captive.

M

ANY of the girls who escaped t h e i r kidnappers on that fateful night or have since been released have remarkably not allowed this hugely traumatic ordeal to diminish their determination to pursue an education. It is my mission to help ensure that they, and indeed every girl in Nigeria, have the opportunity to go as far as their desire to learn will take them.

Before Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn into office, the president-elect wrote in a New York Times op-ed about the urgent necessity to educate girls so that “they will grow

up to be empowered through learning to play their full part as citizens of Nigeria and pull themselves up and out of poverty.” He rightly surmised that the country owed at least that much to the Chibok schoolgirls, whose fate at that time was gravely uncertain.

I look forward to working with the nation’s activists and government leaders to examine ways to help Buhari keep that pledge.

There is an African proverb that says, “If we educate a boy, we educate one person. If we educate a girl, we educate a family—and a whole nation.”

Fifty percent of Nigeria’s population is female, so it

borders on the absurd to not push for them to receive the “best possible education” that Buhari promised in his opinion piece. They will in turn ensure that their children—boys and girls—are educated, which as the proverb suggests will greatly benefit both their families and ultimately the nation by equipping it with a workforce that is prepared to help undo the extensive damage that has occurred during Boko Haram’s reign of terror.

A lack of education has been a key factor in Boko Haram’s ongoing ability to successfully recruit young men and boys and continue to replenish losses incurred in battle with the Multinational Joint Task Force.

While the insurgents teach boys, that “Western education is sinful,” educated mothers are living examples of the critical role education plays in determining one’s future success. Those boys grow up viewing a world full of possibility and opportunities and are therefore extremely unlikely to see the appeal of becoming a terrorist.

Girls can change the world and there is no better

example of that than the young Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who was famously shot in the head at age 16 for daring to question the Taliban’s efforts to deny her right to an education. In addition to becoming the first recipient of her country’s peace prize, being named one of Time magazine’s most influential people, and receiving the United Nations Human Rights Award, she is the world’s youngest Nobel laureate.

Malala has earned global acclaim for championing education for girls around the world, including Nigeria, and after completing her studies at Oxford University will return to her native Pakistan to continue those efforts.

It is my hope that the Chibok girls, some of whom met with Malala this summer, will be inspired to follow her path, one on which tragedy is turned into triumph.

Frederica Wilson represents Florida’s 24th congressional district, including parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. You can follow Rep. Wilson on Twitter @RepWilson.

Rebuilding the Gulf Coast, Preparing for the Next Harvey

By Bill Fletcher, Jr. & Candice S. Cason It has been nothing short of horrifying to watch the pictures of Hurricane Harvey’s impact on Texas and Louisiana. We can only imagine what it has been like for those, who have been the direct victims of this storm.

There is much that can and needs to be said about Harvey and its aftermath. The first is, of course, that extreme weather will become an increasing pattern in our lives unless something drastic isn’t done quickly to address climate change.

The second point is that the natural disaster that has hit the Texas/Louisiana area is compounded by the politics and economics of the region.

Specifically, the toxic combination of neo-Confederate politics and ideology along with neo-liberal economics has resulted in a situation where “development at all costs” was the law of the land.

This meant that simple things like zoning ordinances were treated as hindrances to development. It also helps us to explain the complete

disdain that Texas Republicans have had towards the federal government, at least until they need government assistance.

There will be a fight over the reconstruction of Texas. There will be those who will argue that Texas should rebuild according to old standards or, worse, go into a deeper rabbit hole of fewer regulations and protections for the public, all in the supposed interest of economic gain. We believe that such a course will lead, at best, to the cleansing of the region of working class people and a set up for the next so-called natural disaster.

Texas needs a 2.0 strategy; a reset, for lack of a better term. This means addressing the immediate crisis, something that should be a “national” priority. There should be no embarrassment about the federal government playing the leading role. That is one of the central purposes of government.

Yet, more is needed. Any rebuilding plan needs to consider the existing environment and consider the possibility of future

Bill Fletcher says that any rebuilding plans in the Gulf Coast region needs to consider the existing environment and consider the possibility of future environmental disasters. environmental disasters. How can a metropolitan area constructed on the least permeable clay-based soil ignore the need for efficient rainwater removal systems?

How can multiple oil, gas and chemical plants be constructed with so few safeguards? How can so little consideration of public transportation systems be given

to the fourth largest city and metropolitan area in the U.S.? What does this mean for the population in the immediate area? What about the impact on the land? These are all questions that must be factored into the rebuilding of the eastern part of the state.

Texas is also suffering from tremendous wealth polarization.

The pictures that we are all seeing are mainly those of poor and other working people trying to recover what they can and reconstitute their lives. But this means that full recovery involves moving Texan working people away from instability and towards jobs with living wages.

Finally, there needs to be serious consideration of and attention to very basic infrastructure. How is it possible that the fourth largest city in the United States has such limited physical infrastructure? The answer lies, at least in large part, in thought processes that suggest that government and the public sector are the problem, i.e., that their existence and the safeguards they might establish could inhibit growth and wealth.

The results of such thinking seem to be draining into the Gulf of Mexico.

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a talk show host, writer and activist. Follow him on Twitter @BillFletcherJr, Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com. Candice Cason is a psychologist and specialist in substance abuse treatment.

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

OPED

Don’t Sanction Americans for Russia’s Misdeeds

By Margo Thorning President Trump just signed a Russian sanctions bill into law -- and in doing so, narrowly avoided an economic catastrophe. Thanks to modifications to the bill’s language by the House, Americans can rest easy knowing their economic future is protected.

A provision of the bill, passed by the Senate, would have undermined U.S. competitiveness, endangering millions of jobs throughout the country -- a consequence that Russia would no doubt have welcomed. Senate changes to what is known as “Directive 4” would have given a leg up to Russian oil and gas firms in their increasingly fierce competition with American companies.

Washington and President Trump are ensuring that any sanctions against Russia hit their intended target -and don’t backfire on American workers.

The provision in question would have expanded the current prohibition against American energy firms engaging in oil and gas projects on Russian soil. That rule, nominally observed by the European Union, has been on the books since 2014.

Under changes to Directive 4 in the Senate bill, U.S. companies would have been banned not just from drilling in Russia, but from participating in any energy venture that involves Russian firms -- no matter where that venture is located.

In the domain of deepwater drilling, companies from different countries -- including, in some cases, Russia -- routinely collaborate to develop a given oil or gas field. The proposed reform would have closed off an untold number of potential deepwater projects to American companies, while leaving Russian firms free to participate.

That’s not a sanction against Russia; it’s a sanction against the United States. And it would have put countless jobs at risk, both in the oil and gas industry and among the complex network of contractors, serviceproviders, and other businesses that work closely with energy firms.

All told, the oil and gas industry supports more than 9.8 million jobs nationwide. In Maryland alone, over 75,000 workers at more than 90 businesses across the state owe their employment in some way to the oil and gas sector. The same is true of over 141,000 Virginia workers.

The sector supports almost 2 percent of Maryland’s labor income, and 2.5 percent of Virginia’s.

Local state economies -- and not Russian oil and gas companies -- were the most likely to suffer if the proposed rule had taken effect.

As for Russia, the expansion of Directive 4 would have actually empowered that nation’s energy industry to decide where and when American companies could participate in international oil and gas projects. If the Russian energy sector wanted to lock America out of the global market entirely, it could have involved itself at least nominally in every major exploration project around the globe.

Congress has every right to impose economic sanctions to protect America’s geopolitical interests.

But any sanctions that expanded Directive 4 would have strengthened the Putin regime at the expense of American workers. By altering the bill and signing it into law, the House and President Trump secured a win for thousands of Americans.

Dr. Margo Thorning is the senior economic policy advisor of the American

My Sneeze Is No Gentle Breeze Dr. James L. Snyder

It has been days (or has it been years) since I have enjoyed a sneeze free day. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage told me it is simply that time of the year and I should learn to deal with it. “After all,” she opined, “you’re not going to die.”

T

HAT news was not quite e n c ou r ag i ng , because it was the hope of dying keeping me alive so far. If my brain was functioning anywhere halfdecent, (and I can’t remember a time it has) I probably could remember when I felt worse.

However, it does not matter how I have felt in the past it is how I’m feeling right now that really matters.

I have gone through a million boxes of tissues this past week.

I would not mind an occasional sneeze every now and then. For example I could live with a simple “aah-choo,” and be done with it. But, oh no, my nose has different ideas about the whole thing.

It is what I call the unholy Trinity. It goes something like this.

Aaaaah Choooooooooooo.

A a a a a a h Choooooooooooooo.

A a a a a a a a h Choooooooooooooooo.

Each sneeze tries to outdo the previous one. I can never sneeze one time, it always has to be in multiples of three.

Of course, sometimes my nose tries to outsmart me. For example, when a sneeze comes I gear up for three in a row.

Then my nose will sneeze two times and I am ready for the third one and it does not come.

It will do this several times in a row, then it will sneeze twice, there is a small pause, and I think it is over and the third thunders forth.

Notwithstanding, this has made certain inconveniences in the life I once enjoyed. For example, in the middle of the night when nature calls I try to be as careful in getting out of bed and going as I possibly can. I never open my eyes so as not to become fully awakened in the middle of the night.

Once awake I find it difficult to

go back to sleep.

Just the other night I was responding to nature’s call as I normally do and was just about ready to get back into bed when my nose realized what was happening and called forth three mighty sneezes.

Not only did it bring me to full awake status, but also the lady sleeping in my bed was aroused to full alertness, and yelled, “What happened?”

I live by one basic rule.

Never wake up grouchy.

I’ve learned one thing about what not to do when you have this condition. That is simply never brush your teeth during this condition. My mirror in my bathroom will be shiny bright and never have a cavity, guaranteed.

I have noticed when you are sick and people find out about it they feel obligated to share with you their medical expertise on the situation at hand.

One person said to me, “What you need is plenty of vitamin C. I recommend you drink as much orange juice as you possibly can. That’ll take

care of it for sure.”

I don’t know who is worse.

The one giving advice or the one taking it.

Being in such desperate straits, I decided to take the orange juice regimen. For one whole day, I drank as much OJ as I possibly could get down.

For a while, it seemed to work, but then the inevitable raised its ugly head. Everybody knows when you drink as much OJ as I have been drinking there comes the necessity to go to the bathroom.

I got to the bathroom, just in time, and in midstream, I had a ferocious attack of the sneezes. When the storm subsided, the bathroom looked like the aftermath of Hurricane Charley. I tried explaining this to my wife but she only crossed her arms, looked at me and raised her eyebrows in a way I knew she did not buy what I was saying.

While I was still in this sniffling-sneezy-stuffy condition, I ran into a friend of mine. It is hard to hide your condition when all you are doing is sneezing and sniffling.

He understood, of course, and then offered me his expert medical advice.

“I have found the perfect cure for your condition.”

You would think by this time I would have learned my lesson, but I was feeling so

down I was grasping at straws.

“When I get what you have I always take a laxative regimen.”

Had I been in my right mind and had my mind been clear I would have considered this as stupid advice. However, being in the condition I was in it somehow it sounded plausible.

“This laxative regimen,” he explained, “flushes all the poison contributing to your condition out of your system.”

Either, my friend had never tried the remedy himself or, he had forgot to warn me about a very serious side effect. One sneeze can trigger a flush.

Don’t ask me how I know.

In the midst of all of this nonsense, my bleary, teary eyes rested on an old familiar friend. It is found in Psalms 103:1 (KJV), “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

I discovered one good thing about sneezing in public.

People are always kind enough to say, “God bless you.”

Ah, it’s a wonderful world…

Aaaah Chooo!

“God bless you.”

Thank you.

Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 352-6874240 or e-mail jamessnyder2@ att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

OPED

The DACA debate is filled with landmines

By Printus LeBlanc

On Tuesday, September 6, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Trump Administration would be phasing out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The program allowed illegal immigrant “children” to stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation. The administration is ending the program because several states have threatened to sue the federal government over the constitutionality of the program.

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the autopsy and did everything the report said not to do and still tore down the Blue Wall to win the election the Republican establishment couldn’t even make a dent in.

Make no mistake about it, the amnesty debate is not about compassion.

The debate is not about families or the economy. If it was about families, why would the Obama administration institute a policy that encourages parents to hand their children over to human traffickers? Human traffickers are not known for their compassion. No, the debate was always about increasing the number of Democrat voters.

This was easily proven in the debate over the 2013 Gang of Eight Amnesty bill. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) attempted to introduce an amendment to the bill that would strip the citizenship language from the legislation. The illegal immigrants would still be granted legal status and allowed to work, but not citizenship, meaning they would not be able to vote.

This was a non-starter for the Democrats and the combined force of Republican leadership and Democrats stopped the amendment from moving forward.

President Trump must understand one thing. First, the President must remember the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), also known as the Simpson–Mazzoli Act. The act granted amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants with a path to citizenship.

The legislation was also supposed to secure the border and stem the further flow illegal immigration but failed in every regard. Sound familiar?

The swamp will try and sell the President on the same notion. Codify DACA into law now and the border

wall and security will come later. The President must not allow this. The 1986 amnesty doomed California to the semicommunist state it is now.

The goal of the opposition is to do the same thing to Texas, Arizona, and Florida that they did to California, therefore, putting the Republican Party in the permanent minority. There is no path to a majority in the House, Senate, or the winning the Presidency if that happens.

Just as a matter of survival of the twoparty system depends on there being no path to citizenship.

Because the President has some leverage in this situation, he should demand a few things first. All of these actions must happen prior to DACA being codified into law. Not only must the actions be passed by Congress, they must also be funded long term to ensure there is no bait and switch. Trump must ensure three things happen to ensure his base is happy: 1. President Trump should DEMAND the passage of Reforming American Immigration for Strong

Employment Act or the RAISE Act. 2. The border wall must be funded.

3.

If citizenship is to be granted, the illegal immigrant must leave the country and go back to their home country and start the process the legal way, if they meet the new standards under the RAISE Act. If the illegal immigrant does not wish to do that, they may obtain legal status, but there can be no path to citizenship.

Vice President for Policy at Americans for Limited Government Robert Romano stated, “The first and only matters Congress should be dealing with at this stage are the Cotton-Perdue legislation ending chain migration and re-introducing a skills-based legal immigration system, building and finishing the southern border wall, shutting down sanctuary cities and providing additional resources for immigration enforcement on the border and in workplaces. The question of what to do with the tens of millions already here illegally cannot be considered at all when there have been zero attempts by

CONGRESS: ACT ON CHIP In this dark day of discontent So many feel despair As poverty and dissidence Cause sadness everywhere.

On May 11, 1997 Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) began his remarks at a Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) conference with the lyrics above from “Freedom’s Light,” a song written by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), as the two together announced historic legislation that ultimately led to the creation of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) which has brought light, hope and health care to nearly 9 million low-income children in the form of affordable health insurance.

Thanks to their tireless bipartisan work over many months Senators Kennedy and Hatch got CHIP across the finish line and it was signed into law by President Clinton on August 5, 1997. I described it then and now as one of the biggest advances for children in decades. It was another historical moment when politics were divisive and broader efforts at health reform had failed – but members of Congress put children first and moved forward.

It was CHIP’s bipartisan beginning that set it on the path to success. For 20 years CHIP has been there, giving working families the security of knowing their children had access to high-quality, childappropriate health coverage they could afford. CHIP has helped reduce the number of uninsured

children by half, improved health outcomes and access to care for children, and helped reduce school absenteeism and improve children’s readiness to learn. Today CHIP is a lifeline for 8.9 million children living in families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to buy private coverage.

They are children like Brandon, a Houston six-year-old who needed CHIP to help cover his treatments for asthma and high blood pressure after his father lost his job; or the Philadelphia family who relied on CHIP for their three young children to see providers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania Health System and for routine needs like visits to a mobile dental van; and others whose stories we’ve shared over the years. Together CHIP and Medicaid form the foundation of our nation’s health care system for children.

Now 20 years after CHIP put an entire generation of children on the path to a healthy adulthood, we stand at another pivotal moment: unless Congress takes action, funding for this essential, popular, highly successful program will end after September 30, 2017. Without this funding, millions of children could lose health coverage or pay more for less comprehensive coverage, leaving these children significantly worse off than they

are today.

Senator Hatch is once again leading the bipartisan charge to extend CHIP funding this time partnering with Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).

They convened a Senate Finance Committee hearing on September 7th to discuss CHIP’s future and lay the groundwork for its urgent extension millions of children need. With CHIP funding possibly ending by the end of this month, states face critical decisions about the future of their programs.

If funding is not forthcoming quickly, states will have to take actions that will create chaos in program administration and confusion for families trying to access coverage for their

children, including establishing waiting lists and sending out disenrollment notices. Congress must act now to avoid harmful disruption to children’s health and well-being.

CDF hopes you will join us in urging Congress to assure

by September 30th a CHIP extension that: • Ensures continued funding and stability for at least the next five years. Any shorter term funding extension would not allow states to invest in improvements to child health or make responsible budgeting decisions. Advance planning is critical for all states, and especially for those operating under biennial budgets.

• Maintains current CHIP

Congress to provide adequate resources for immigration enforcement including the border wall. The first and only priority to fixing our broken system must be securing the border and ports of entry and putting America first and American workers first.”

Romano added, “There can be no path to citizenship for those who came here illegally and remain here. Any attempt in Congress to address this issue will most likely fail as has every other attempt at socalled comprehensive immigration reform.”

The President has leverage and he should use it — to get the RAISE Act passed and the border secured. The Democrats and a few Republicans are going to try and pass amnesty. The President has a stronger base than the Republicans on Capitol Hill and he should remind them of that. Trump should stay strong, call on his supporters to let Congress know what they should do, and get his agenda done.

Printus LeBlanc is a contributing editor at Americans for Limited Government.

“

A similar program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) was already ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge and upheld by the Supreme Court. Most legal experts believed it was a given that DACA would be ruled the same way because the judge that ruled on DAPA would be the judge to rule on DACA. It appears the Trump administration may have worked out a deal with the Attorneys General who were threatening to sue. Right after the announcement, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that it was dropping its lawsuit against DACA. However, the states could easily bring the suit anytime they feel like it and therefore bringing an abrupt end to the program.

Instead, President Donald Trump used political capital to stop the suits and give Congress a chance to address the issue. On Twitter he stated, “Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can’t, I will revisit this issue!” Doesn’t sound like the heartless monster the media is making him out to be, does it?

Of course, the President must be careful when negotiating with Congress over DACA. Many Republicans and all Democrats have been pushing amnesty for some time now. For some reason, establishment Republicans believe in the accuracy of the 2012 autopsy report on the embarrassing election loss. The report argues Republicans must grant amnesty to win over the Hispanic vote.

They believe the report, despite the fact that in 2016 President Trump spit on

policy to ensure coverage, eligibility levels and cost-sharing protections will be continued for the duration of the funding extension. With state budgets already finalized for the coming year, states and families are depending on stability in CHIP policy and funding. Maintaining CHIP’s enhanced matching rate and maintenance of effort requirements in current law will help states avoid significant disruption in children’s coverage.

• Relieves state agencies of the need for contingency planning. Congress cannot wait to extend CHIP. Many states are developing their future budgets, making commitments to children and families, and negotiating contracts with insurers right now. They need to know whether and what federal CHIP funding will remain or states will have to begin expensive and chaotic contingency planning that could lead to drastic program cuts through enrollment caps, reductions in eligibility and/or benefits, and/or cuts in provider payments.

• Is not coupled with any cuts, caps or other changes to Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Medicaid and CHIP work together and make up the foundation of health coverage for children in America. As Congressional leaders contemplate changes

to our health care system, they must not hold CHIP hostage by enacting structural changes or cuts to Medicaid or other legislative proposals harmful to children and low-income Americans.

Congress must not play politics with the health of so many millions of our children.

Amidst so much unrest and insecurity in our country and instability in our health care system facing an opioid crisis and the aftermath of damaging hurricanes afflicting countless children, Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle must step up together to ensure a healthy start for the 46 million children now helped by Medicaid and CHIP. Assuring children access to needed health coverage to survive and thrive is surely something we can agree on and get done now. Children should not be political footballs for any politician or political party.

Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children’s Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www. childrensdefense.org.

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

NEWS White House says black colleges continued from page 1

White House campus from a hotel in the Virginia suburbs of Washington.

The conference is planned for Sept. 17-19, with the bulk of the work scheduled for Sept. 18, she said.

Some organizations and lawmakers had called on the White House to scrap the conference after Trump blamed ``both sides’’ for violence between white supremacists and their opponents during clashes last month in Charlottesville, Virginia, where one woman was killed.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said late last month that conference registration was at capacity and the White House had no intention of canceling.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund cast doubt on the gathering when it released a statement last week saying it supported a decision by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to postpone the National HBCU Week Conference. Published reports described the conference as having been postponed.

DeVos’ statement mentioned modifying the conference, not postponing it.

Manigault Newman told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday that the conference has just been scaled back, not eliminated. She said the White House plans to announce an executive director for its initiative on black colleges on Sept. 18.

Trump signed an executive order in February that established a White House initiative to promote excellence and innovation at these schools, which were founded at a time when predominantly white institutions of higher learning would not allow blacks to enroll.

Trump’s directive moved the Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities from the Education Department to the White House. It directs the initiative to work with the private sector to strengthen the fiscal stability of HBCUs, make infrastructure improvements, provide job opportunities for students, collaborate with secondary schools to create a college pipeline and increase access and opportunity for federal grants and contracts.

It does not specify how much federal money the colleges should receive.

Black college presidents are seeking billions in federal funding for infrastructure, college readiness, financial aid and other priorities. Under President Barack Obama, historically black colleges and universities received $4 billion over seven years.

Sutherland, Burnett, Roizman, Varda continued from page 1

and the governors of the academy espouse to do, which is honor many different kinds of filmmakers.’’

The board of governors selected the honorees Tuesday night.

None has previously won an Oscar, Bailey said. ``One of the things that’s so wonderful about these (recipients) is they can come from anywhere inside the filmmaking community,’’ he said. ``These are our awards.

These are the people that we feel we want to single out.’’

Burnett is an independent filmmaker whose work has been celebrated for its portrayals of the African-American experience. He wrote, directed, produced, shot and edited his first film, ``Killer of Sheep,’’ in 1977.

Roizman has received five Academy Award nominations for his work on such films as ``The French Connection,’’ ``The Exorcist’’ and ``Network.’’ He also served as a governor of the academy’s cinematography branch from 2002 to 2011.

The 89-year-old Varda wrote and directed her first feature film in 1956 and released her latest film this year. ``She made the first truly French new wave film in 1955,’’ Bailey said. ``It’s only been in the last decade that really, internationally, people have understood what an important filmmaker she has been and continues to be.’’

Sutherland has appeared in more than 140 films, including ``Invasion of the Body Snatchers,’’ ``Ordinary People’’ and ``The Hunger Games’’ series.

Bailey was the cinematographer on ``Ordinary People,’’ which went on to win four Academy Awards, including best picture. He said he remembers being surprised Sutherland wasn’t nominated then. ``He’s a man who has an incredibly distinguished body of work of so many different kind of movies and different kinds of directors,’’ Bailey said, ``and incredibly he has never been nominated.’’

The private, untelevised Governors Awards gala is set for November 11 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom, just upstairs from the Dolby Theatre, where the 90th Academy Awards will be presented on March 4, 2018.

Obama surprises students with visit continued from page 1

In the video, a small group of students can be seen gasping in surprise as Obama walks into a room with a cheery ``How’s it going, everybody?’’

The former president has made few public appearances since leaving the White House in January.

Obama will be attending a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee on September 27, only the second time he’s publicly raised money for his party since leaving the White House. Obama attended a fundraiser hosted by former Attorney General Eric Holder for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee back in July.

District of Columbia Public Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson joined Obama at the school for a discussion with the students about their life goals, pursuing higher education and giving back to their communities.

Former first lady Michelle Obama, who was not with Obama during the Friday visit, made a point of visiting local schools as first lady and has continued since the Obamas moved into a Washington home.

McKinley Technology High School is the only Science, Technology, Engineering and Math application school in the District of Columbia public school system. It also participates in the district’s Empowering Males of Color Initiative, which was launched in 2015 in response to Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper program.

Relatives of Undocumented Children Caught Up in ICE Dragnet continued from page 1

conspiracy, visa fraud and human smuggling.

Across the country, people like Edwin who have taken in young undocumented relatives are being swept up in what ICE calls a crackdown on guardians who pay human smugglers.

More than 400 people were arrested over the course of two months this summer as part of the new approach. Others are still dodging ICE interviews, have agreed to go through deportation proceedings or have gone on the run. Some of those affected admit that they paid “coyotes” to reunite them with their young children. But many are collateral damage: People who just happened to be in the house when ICE showed up, or relatives who agreed to take in teens after they traveled to the U.S. on their own.

“The message is getting out: Don’t sponsor someone if you’re here illegally, or you’re going to get in trouble,” said Claude Arnold, a former ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agent who supports the new policy.

“The idea is to have a deterrent effect, so when a teenager says, ‘Uncle, I can pay my own way, but can I stay with you?’ the uncle is going to say, ‘No way.’”

Edwin, who asked that his last name be withheld because of possible pending criminal charges, has been living in the U.S. for more than 15 years and says he never paid anyone to help his nephew cross the border. He points out that he has done everything by the book since emigrating from El Salvador to Missouri in 2001.

He immediately got a job at a dry cleaning company and obtained Temporary Protected Status, which allows him to live

and work in the U.S. so long as he keeps a clean criminal record. He doesn’t follow the news and didn’t know he was risking deportation by agreeing to take in his nephew.

But he said it wouldn’t have mattered; he couldn’t have refused to welcome his sister’s son.

“My nephew is grown and he makes his own choices.

Everyone pays their own way.

But he’s my family and it’s my duty to take him in,” Edwin said.

Edwin’s nephew Wilbur lived in Kansas City with Temporary Protected Status himself as a child, but his parents decided to take him back to El Salvador when he was 6. He said he made up his mind to return to the U.S. after graduating high school this spring because he felt threatened by gangs. Wilbur took a bus across Guatemala, traveled through Mexico by pickup truck, then crossed into Texas in the back of a tractor trailer a month before his 18th birthday. He was picked up almost immediately by U.S. officials.

About 90 percent of minors detained at the southern border are eventually turned over to a family member. It’s a system intended to spare the state from having to take care of children, and allow young people to live in normal homes while their visa and asylum claims work through the courts.

Under President Barack Obama, ICE was instructed not to go after people who came forward to claim relatives, even if they were in the U.S. illegally. Guardians were told they had no reason to fear revealing themselves to authorities. Under President

Donald Trump, that policy has been reversed.

Trump administration officials say it’s less of a policy change than a commonsensical return to the enforcement of existing immigration laws.

In a February memo, thenHomeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly said that while all immigration laws should be enforced, it’s especially important to go after people “directly or indirectly” involved in smuggling, because the journey north can be so dangerous for children.

“Regardless of the desires for family reunification, or conditions in other countries, the smuggling or trafficking of alien children is intolerable,” he wrote.

Edwin said he felt bewildered when an immigration detective showed up at his door one morning in July, and was further confused by the letter instructing him to come to ICE headquarters the following week to talk about crimes related to smuggling.

Because Edwin has protected status, he was able to take the letter and go on with his day. For people in the country illegally, things have been playing out much differently.

A couple living in New Mexico fled the state after ICE agents turned up in August asking about a nephew they had recently taken in. They told their attorney that they hadn’t even known the high school junior was on his way up from Guatemala.

In Tennessee, two ICE agents came with pistols and flak jackets to arrest a mother who hid in her trailer home.

The mother said she had no idea her 16-year-old daughter was coming from Honduras.

The agents left once others in the trailer park started taking photos.

The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, which has a contract from the U.S. government to help place unaccompanied minors with relatives, has seen cases in recent months of cousins and half-siblings swept up in the crackdown. In June, three members of a single Missouri family that had been working with the agency were put in deportation proceedings after ICE came around asking about smuggling.

In all, more than 400 people were arrested between late June and late August as part of what ICE describes as an enforcement surge to bolster the strategy of going after guardians. The great majority of those 400 were charged with immigration violations, not smuggling-related crimes.

A group of Democratic members of Congress asked ICE in July for specifics about the change in approach, including the protocol for deciding which sponsors would be targeted, but have yet to receive any answers.

For now, Edwin is ignoring his summons. He said that when he failed to appear at ICE headquarters, an agent responded by going to the dry cleaner where he works to review his employment verification papers. He is hoping the agent loses interest, but no longer feels like he knows what to expect.

“I’ve been here more than a decade and I’ve never had a single problem with the authorities. Now, it’s like the government is changing everything around,” he said. “Now, everything is dangerous.”

What Does an Innocent Man Have to Do to Go Free? Plead Guilty. continued from page 1

murdering a 24-year-old college student, who was found raped and stabbed in her home.

Then he’d been shunted off to state prison until DNA testing — the scientific marvel that he’d watched for years free other men — finally caught up with his case in 2006. The semen that had been found inside the victim wasn’t his. A Maryland court tossed his conviction and granted Owens a rare do-over trial.

State prosecutors balked, insisting they still had enough evidence to keep Owens locked away and vowed to retry him.

But they had also offered him an unusual deal. He could guarantee his immediate release from prison with no retrial and no danger of a new conviction — if he’d agree to plead guilty.

The deal, known as an Alford plea, came with what seemed like an additional carrot: Despite pleading guilty, the Alford plea would allow Owens to say on the record that he was innocent.

The Alford plea was an enticing chance for Owens, by then 43, to move on as a free man. But he’d give up a chance at exoneration.

To the world, and legally, he’d still be a killer.

Owens refused the deal.

He told his lawyer he wanted to clear his name, and he was willing to take his chances in court and wait in prison however long it took for a new trial to begin. It was a startling choice for an incarcerated defendant — even those with persuasive stories of innocence typically don’t trust the system enough to roll the dice again with 12 jurors or an appellate court. Most defendants, lawyers say, instinctively and rationally, grab any deal they can to win their freedom back.

The decision cost Owens 16 more months behind bars.

Then, on that fall day in 2008, when the trial was set to begin, the prosecutor stood and, without a glance at Owens, told the judge, “The state declines to prosecute.”

In a legal gamble in which the prosecution typically holds the winning cards, Owens had called the state’s bluff. He walked out that day exonerated — and with the right to sue the state for the 21 years he spent wrongly imprisoned.

It seemed the ultimate victory in a city like Baltimore, with its deeply rooted and often justified mistrust of police and prosecutors. But Owens wasn’t the only man convicted of murdering that 24-yearold college student. Another white Baltimore man, James Thompson, had also been put away for life. Tests showed that his DNA didn’t match the semen either, but the state’s attorney’s office refused to drop the charges. Instead, as it had with Owens, it offered Thompson an Alford plea. Thompson grabbed the deal and walked out of prison a convicted murderer.

Ever since DNA ushered in a new era in criminal justice, even the toughest law-andorder advocates have come to acknowledge a hard truth: Sometimes innocent people are locked away for crimes they didn’t commit. Less widely understood is just how reluctant the system is to righting those wrongs.

Courts only assess guilt or innocence before a conviction.

After that, appellate courts focus solely on fairness. Did everyone follow the rules and live up to their duties? Getting a re-hearing of the facts is a monumental, often decades-long quest through a legal thicket. Most defendants never get to start the process, let alone win. Even newly discovered evidence is

not enough in many cases to prompt a review. And, for the tiny percentage of defendants who get one, the prosecutors still have the advantage: They have final discretion about whether to press charges and how severe they’ll be. Powerful influence over the pace of a case, the sentence and bail. And, compared with an incarcerated defendant, vast resources.

No one tracks how often the wrongly convicted are pressured to accept plea deals in lieu of exonerations. But in Baltimore City and County alone — two separate jurisdictions with their own state’s attorneys — ProPublica identified at least 10 cases in the last 19 years in which defendants with viable innocence claims ended up signing Alford pleas or time-served deals. In each case, exculpatory evidence was uncovered, persuasive enough to garner new trials, evidentiary hearings or writs of actual innocence. Prosecutors defend the original convictions, arguing, then and now, that the deals were made for valid reasons — such as the death of a key witness or a victim’s unwillingness to weather a retrial. The current state’s attorney in Baltimore County, Scott Schellenberger, said that “prosecutors take their oath to get it right very seriously” and wouldn’t stand in the way of exoneration if the facts called for it.

The menace of such deals, though, is clear: At worst, innocent people are stigmatized and unable to sue the state for false imprisonment, prosecutors keep unearned wins on their case records and those of the department, and no one reinvestigates the crime — the real suspect is never brought to justice.

The plea deals ProPublica examined in Baltimore City

involved two prior state’s attorneys. A spokeswoman for Marilyn Mosby, the current chief, didn’t respond to numerous requests for comment or for interviews with prosecutors in those cases.

The pleas in two of these Baltimore cases were later overturned after misconduct was uncovered in the original convictions, and the men won full exonerations. One, Walter Lomax, a black man convicted by an all-white jury shortly after the 1968 race riots in the city, served 38 years of a life sentence before taking a time-served deal in 2006. The state didn’t concede he was innocent until 2014.

Wrongful convictions are bad enough, Lomax said, but they’re even more “horrible when it becomes obvious the person is innocent and the state won’t at the very least acknowledge that.”

Some legal and cognitive science experts suggest that once detectives and prosecutors commit to a suspect and a theory of the crime, it changes how they evaluate evidence, and then the system itself exacerbates that focus at every step. Prosecutors are rewarded for proving and defending their theories, leaving little incentive to acknowledge weaknesses in cases, particularly in high-stakes crimes such as rape and murder.

This mind-set is bolstered by one of the great positives of the system, one which legal experts, even those dedicated to exposing wrongful convictions, acknowledge: Prosecutors generally get it right.

Psychologists have a myriad of terms for the powerful, largely subconscious biases at play, but most people would call the collective phenomenon “tunnel vision.”

Part II will continue next week.

10

TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

FOOD F

FAMILY FEATURES

arm-fresh is what many families desire. Straight from the farm to your table is one of the best ways you can ensure you’re delivering a nutritious and delicious meal for family or friends.

Wholesome meals can bring everyone together around the dinner table; even little ones can enjoy flaky, baked fish, a nutritious potato-based side dish and a trendy-twist on a farm-fresh beverage with these fun, flavorful recipes.

Find more farm-fresh recipes at Culinary.net.

DELIGHTFULLY BAKED FISH When it comes to baking fish, flaky and fresh can make for a great combination.

For a classic meal with a seasoned flare, try this delicious baked fish with lemon pepper seasoning and onions. Find more traditional, tasty recipes at USDA.gov.

Baked Fish

Recipe courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture Servings: 4 Nonstick cooking spray 1 pound fish fillets (whitefish, trout or tilapia) 1 onion, sliced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning (optional) Heat oven to 350 F. Place 12-inch piece of foil on counter.

Coat foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Place fillets in middle of foil. If fillets have skin, place skin-side down.

Spread sliced onions, salt, pepper and oil on top of fillets. Add lemon pepper seasoning, if desired. Fold foil over fish.

Place foil pouch on baking sheet and place in oven. Bake fish 15-20 minutes until fish reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 F on a food thermometer and is flaky when tested with fork.

Divide into four portions and serve.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

A SENSATIONALLY SIMPLE SIDE DISH

When you’re looking for a delicious and nutritious side dish to complement any meal, look no further than this Fingerling Potato Salad. Made with nutrient-rich Wisconsin Potatoes and topped with a lemon dressing, this simple potato side packs plenty of flavor.

Find more potato recipes at eatwisconsinpotatoes.com.

Fingerling Potato Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Servings: 6 1 1/2 pounds mixed Wisconsin fingerling potatoes 2 large lemons, divided 2 cups water 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds 3/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

pepper, to taste 4 green onions, thinly sliced 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill salt, to taste 2 cups baby arugula In large pot of boiling, salted water, cook potatoes until just tender when pierced with fork, about 15 minutes.

Drain and cool slightly.

Slice one lemon into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. In small saucepan, combine sliced lemon, water and kosher salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lemon slices are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain lemons then coarsely chop.

Cut remaining lemon in half and squeeze out 2 tablespoons juice. In small bowl, mix chopped lemons, lemon juice, white balsamic vinegar and oil. Coarsely crush cumin and coriander seeds using mortar and pestle. Mix seeds into lemon dressing.

Season, to taste, with pepper.

Cut lukewarm potatoes in half lengthwise. Place in large, shallow bowl. Mix in green onions and dill.

Pour lemon dressing over and toss to coat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add arugula and toss gently. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.

FROM FARM TO GLASS

Farm-Fresh Festivities

Themed parties can be challenging, especially when you want everything to be perfect for your guests. Make your party simple and festive with these tips for planning your own farm-to-table gathering.

Mason jars A farm-to-table classic, mason jars can be used for drinks or even to fill with flowers to make a beautiful, seasonal centerpiece for the table. Mason jars are clean, cute and easy to wash when the gathering is over.

Rustic vibe Adding some rustic decor can help spruce up your table or serve as an accessory for your farm-to-table dinner party.

Also consider adding a bit of fall-flare with decorations such as pumpkins, squash and brightly colored leaves.

Seasonal fare It’s easy to get inspired with the variety of things you can find at your local farmers market. Ingredients like onions can be used in this Baked Fish recipe while a batch of locally sourced potatoes is the perfect foundation for a Fingerling Potato Salad.

Many may be surprised to learn that milk is one of the original farm-totable foods, typically arriving on grocery shelves in just two days (or 48 hours) from many familyowned and operated dairy farms.

For a trendy twist on the farm-fresh beverage kids already love, try this DIY flavored milk recipe as a tasty start to the morning. To learn about milk’s journey from farm to glass, visit MilkLife.com.

Chocolate Banana Milk

Servings: 1 8 ounces fat free milk 1/2 large banana 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder Place 8 ounces milk, large banana and unsweetened cocoa powder in a blender and blend until just smooth. Enjoy!

Nutritional information per serving: 140 calories; 0 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 9 g protein; 29 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 105 mg sodium; 306 mg calcium (30% of daily value).

11

TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

LEGAL SchId:68328 AdId:22760 CustId:376 --------------------------------------------NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF KATHY A. KING Case No. 56-2017-00500889-PRPWOXN To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of KATHY A. KING. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by ERIC KING in the Superior Court of California, County of VENTURA. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that ERIC KING be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

A HEARING on the petition will be held on October 5, 2017 at 9:00 AM in Dept. No. J6 located at 4353 East Vineyard Ave., Oxnard, CA 93036.

IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing.

Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.

Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Leonard E. Aron, Esq. SBN 65072 LAW OFFICE OF LEONARD E. ARON 58 N. ASH STREET VENTURA, CA 93001-2902 SchId:68343 AdId:22765 CustId:689 --------------------------------------------APN: 077-0-082-380 TS No: CA07000349-17-1 TO No: 8701903 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE (The above statement is made pursuant to CA Civil Code Section 2923.3(d)(1).

The Summary will be provided to Trustor(s) and/or vested owner(s) only, pursuant to CA Civil Code Section 2923.3(d)(2).)

YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED July 28, 2015. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On October 24, 2017 at 11:00 AM, at the main entrance to the Government Center Hall of Justice, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA 93001, MTC Financial Inc. dba Trustee Corps, as the duly Appointed Trustee, under and pursuant to the power of sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust recorded on August 4, 2015 as Instrument No. 2015080400117861-0 1/15, of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Ventura County, California, executed by LEONARD C. KING, AN UNMARRIED MAN, as Trustor(s), in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS INC. as nominee for REVERSE MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, INC. as Beneficiary, WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER, in lawful money of the United States, all payable at the time of sale, that certain property situated in said County, California describing the land therein as: AS MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN SAID DEED OF TRUST The property heretofore described is being sold “as is”. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 133 S DUNNING STREET, VENTURA, CA 93003 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be made without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the Note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, with interest thereon, as provided in said Note(s), advances if any, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, estimated fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed

of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligations secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of this Notice of Trustee’s Sale is estimated to be $280,280.27 (Estimated).

However, prepayment premiums, accrued interest and advances will increase this figure prior to sale.

Beneficiary’s bid at said sale may include all or part of said amount. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept a cashier’s check drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the California Financial Code and authorized to do business in California, or other such funds as may be acceptable to the Trustee.

In the event tender other than cash is accepted, the Trustee may withhold the issuance of the Trustee’s Deed Upon Sale until funds become available to the payee or endorsee as a matter of right. The property offered for sale excludes all funds held on account by the property receiver, if applicable. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. Notice to Potential Bidders If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a Trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a Trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien.

If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same Lender may hold more than one mortgage or Deed of Trust on the property. Notice to Property Owner The sale date shown on this Notice of Sale may be postponed one or more times by the Mortgagee, Beneficiary, Trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about Trustee Sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call In Source Logic at 702-6597766 for information regarding the Trustee’s Sale or visit the Internet Web site address listed below for information regarding the sale of this property, using the file number assigned to this case, CA07000349-17-1. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale.

Date: September 7, 2017 MTC Financial Inc. dba Trustee Corps TS No. CA07000349-17-1 17100 Gillette Ave Irvine, CA 92614 Phone: 949-252-8300 TDD: 866660-4288 Stephanie Hoy, Authorized Signatory SALE INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED ON LINE AT www.insourcelogic.com FOR AUTOMATED SALES INFORMATION PLEASE CALL: In Source Logic AT 702-659-7766 Trustee Corps may be acting as a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained may be used for that purpose.ISL Number 34107, Pub Dates: 09/15/2017, 09/22/2017, 09/29/2017, TRICOUNTY SENTRY SchId:68359 AdId:22771 CustId:669 --------------------------------------------T.S. No. 044366-CA APN: 579-0-030-785 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 10/2/2014. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER On 10/5/2017 at 9:00 AM, CLEAR RECON CORP., as duly appointed trustee under and pursuant to Deed

of Trust recorded 10/9/2014, as Instrument No. 2014100900127357-0, of Official Records in the office of the County Recorder of Ventura County, State of CALIFORNIA executed by: JEAN SYROTUCK WHITTLE, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK DRAWN ON A STATE OR NATIONAL BANK, A CHECK DRAWN

BY A STATE OR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, OR A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, SAVINGS ASSOCIATION, OR SAVINGS BANK SPECIFIED IN SECTION 5102 OF THE FINANCIAL CODE AND AUTHORIZED TO DO BUSINESS IN THIS STATE: Auction.com Room, Four Points

by Sheraton Ventura Harbor Resort, 1050 Schooner Drive, Ventura, CA 93001 all right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State described as: MORE FULLY DESCRIBED ON SAID DEED OF TRUST The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 528 STONEY PEAK COURT SIMI VALLEY, CA 93065 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be held, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, condition, or encumbrances, including fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust, to pay the remaining principal sums of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is: $392,745.19 If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. The beneficiary under said Deed of Trust heretofore executed and delivered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The undersigned caused said Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself.

Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property.

You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (800) 2802832 or visit this Internet Web site WWW.AUCTION.COM, using the file number assigned to this case 044366-CA. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. FOR SALES INFORMATION: (800) 280-2832 CLEAR RECON CORP. 4375 Jutland Drive San Diego, California 92117 SchId:68363 AdId:22772 CustId:670 --------------------------------------------APN: 077-0-082-380 No: CA07000349-17-1 No: 8701903 NOTICE

TS TO OF

TRUSTEE’S SALE (The above statement is made pursuant to CA Civil Code Section 2923.3(d)(1).

The Summary will be provided to Trustor(s) and/or vested owner(s) only, pursuant to CA Civil Code Section 2923.3(d)(2).)

YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED July 28, 2015. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On October 24, 2017 at 11:00 AM, at the main entrance to the Government Center Hall of Justice, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA 93001, MTC Financial Inc. dba Trustee Corps, as the duly Appointed Trustee, under and pursuant to the power of sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust recorded on August 4, 2015 as Instrument No. 20150804-001178610 1/15, of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Ventura County, California, executed by LEONARD C. KING, AN UNMARRIED MAN, as Trustor(s), in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS INC. as nominee for REVERSE MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, INC. as Beneficiary, WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER, in lawful money of the United States, all payable at the time of sale, that certain property situated in said County, California describing the land therein as: AS MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN SAID DEED OF TRUST The property heretofore described is being sold “as is”. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 133 S DUNNING STREET, VENTURA, CA 93003 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be made without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the Note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, with interest thereon, as provided in said Note(s), advances if any, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, estimated fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligations secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of this Notice of Trustee’s Sale is estimated to be $280,280.27 (Estimated).

However, prepayment premiums, accrued interest and advances will increase this figure prior to sale.

Beneficiary’s bid at said sale may include all or part of said amount. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept a cashier’s check drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the California Financial Code and authorized to do business in California, or other such funds as may be acceptable to the Trustee.

In the event tender other than cash is accepted, the Trustee may withhold the issuance of the Trustee’s Deed Upon Sale until funds become available to the payee or endorsee as a matter of right. The property offered for sale excludes all funds held on account by the property receiver, if applicable. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. Notice to Potential Bidders If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a Trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a Trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien.

If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same Lender may hold more than one mortgage or Deed of Trust on the property. Notice to Property Owner The sale date shown on this Notice of Sale may be postponed one or more times

by the Mortgagee, Beneficiary, Trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about Trustee Sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call In Source Logic at 702-6597766 for information regarding the Trustee’s Sale or visit the Internet Web site address listed below for information regarding the sale of this property, using the file number assigned to this case, CA07000349-17-1. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale.

Date: September 7, 2017 MTC Financial Inc. dba Trustee Corps TS No. CA0700034917-1 17100 Gillette Ave Irvine, CA 92614 Phone: 949-2528300 TDD: 866-660-4288 Stephanie Hoy, Authorized Signatory SALE INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED ON LINE AT www.insourcelogic.com FOR AUTOMATED SALES INFORMATION PLEASE CALL: In Source Logic AT 702-659-7766 Trustee Corps may be acting as a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained may be used for that purpose.ISL Number 34107, Pub Dates: 09/15/2017, 09/22/2017, 09/29/2017, TRICOUNTY SENTRY SchId:68372 AdId:22776 CustId:669 --------------------------------------------T.S. No. 057045-CA APN: 104-0-220-055 N O T I C E OF TRUSTEE’S SALE IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 12/23/2004. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER On 10/11/2017 at 11:00 AM, CLEAR RECON CORP., as duly appointed trustee under and pursuant to Deed of Trust recorded 2/1/2005, as Instrument No. 20050201-0025201, of Official Records in the office of the County Recorder of Ventura County, State of CALIFORNIA executed by: ENRIQUE M. SALAZAR AND ALICIA SALAZAR, WHO ARE MARRIED TO EACH OTHER WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK DRAWN ON A STATE OR NATIONAL BANK, A CHECK DRAWN

BY A STATE OR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, OR A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, SAVINGS ASSOCIATION, OR SAVINGS BANK SPECIFIED IN SECTION 5102 OF THE FINANCIAL CODE AND AUTHORIZED TO DO BUSINESS IN THIS STATE: AT THE MAIN FRONT ENTRANCE TO THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER HALL OF JUSTICE LOCATED AT 800 S. VICTORIA AVE., VENTURA, CA 93003 all right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State described as: MORE FULLY DESCRIBED ON SAID DEED OF TRUST The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 317 13TH ST S SANTA PAULA, CA 93060 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be held, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, condition, or encumbrances, including fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust, to pay the remaining principal sums of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust.

The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is: $116,039.19 If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. The beneficiary under said Deed of Trust heretofore executed and delivered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The undersigned caused said Notice of Default and

Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself.

Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property.

You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (844) 4777869 or visit this Internet Web site WWW.STOXPOSTING.COM, using the file number assigned to this case 057045-CA. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. FOR SALES INFORMATION: (844) 477-7869 CLEAR RECON CORP. 4375 Jutland Drive San Diego, California 92117 SchId:68378 AdId:22778 CustId:670 --------------------------------------------NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JAY A. SKIDMORE Case No. 56-2017-00500671-PRPWOXN To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Jay A. Skidmore.

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Paul M. Candelaria in the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Paul M. Candelaria be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held on October 5, 2017 at 9:00 AM in Dept. J6 located at 4353 East Vineyard Ave., Oxnard, CA 93036.

IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.

Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Byron J. Wedemyer, Esq. SBN 44682 110 South A Street, Ste. A Oxnard, CA 93030 (805) 486-8331 SchId:68412 AdId:22787 CustId:692 --------------------------------------------File No.: 20170905-10017601-0 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS: 1.) VXS TRANSPOR TATION 28 Holt Street Ventura, CA 93001 VENTURA COUNTY Full Name of Registrant Victor Cibrian 28 Holt Street Ventura, CA 93001; Sylvia Cibrian, 28 Holt Street Ventura, CA 93001.

This Business is conducted by: an Individual.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares information as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) /S/Victor Cibrian NOTICE - In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in residence address or registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State, or Common Law (see section 14411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions Code).

THIS STATEMENT WAS FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OF VENTURA ON 08/02/2017.

MARK A. LUNN By: Deputy County Clerk SchId:68408 AdId:22788 CustId:517 --------------------------------------------File No.: 20170911-10017898-0 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS: 1.) STEPHEN H. JOHNSON COMPANY 3321 Big Cloud Circle, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 VENTURA COUNTY Full Name of Registrant Stephen H. Johnson, 3321 Big Cloud Circle, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360.

This Business is conducted by: an Individual.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on August 18, 1999.

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares information as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) /S/Stephen H. Johnson NOTICE - In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in residence address or registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State, or Common Law (see section 14411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions Code).

THIS STATEMENT WAS FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OF VENTURA ON 08/02/2017.

MARK A. LUNN By: Deputy County Clerk SchId:68415 AdId:22789 CustId:693

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