SEE PAGE 3 for push for body cameras for law enforcement
SEE PAGE 4 FOR noise-induced hearing loss challenge MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2014 - DECEMBER 7, 2014
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Upset Protestors Rally Against Ferguson Verdict, Block Freeways by jennifer schlueter
Mike Brown, who was killed by a Officer Darren Wilson in August
With great suspense spectators all over the nation awaited the verdict of the grand jury in Ferguson last Monday whether to arraign police officer Darren Wilson or not. When the man
who shot unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was not indicted, people everywhere went into the streets to show their disapproval of the jury’s decision. Whereas some protests in
Bar’s Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation and must be confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. Ms. Kruger is a member of the Washington, D.C. and Califor-
“Lights On” at the Boys & Girls Club
nia Bar Associations and is admitted to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court. “It is exciting to learn
On Thursday, October 23rd the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress celebrated Lights On Afterschool, a national event to celebrate the achievements of afterschool students. The event was created to draw attention to the need for more afterschool programs to further serve the millions of children nationwide who are unsupervised and at risk each weekday afternoon. The gathering was one of more than 8,000 of such events across the nation emphasizing the importance of keeping the lights on and the doors open for afterschool programs. Activities included fun outdoor games, a “lightbulb” coloring contest, and a special visit from Ann Nacino, Youth Services Specialist, Army Reserve Child, Youth & School Services. Ann taught members about life in the military by playing a special military bingo game for prizes. The evening concluded with an exciting Halloween-themed Literacy Night sponsored by the Cypress Council PTA. The event follows the release of new America After 3PM data showing a vast unmet demand for afterschool programs nationwide. In California, 25 percent of children participate in an afterschool program, yet 49% would be enrolled if a program were available. More work needs to be done to meet the great need for afterschool programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. “Lights On Afterschool celebrates the remarkable work being done by students who attend our afterschool programs,” stated Executive Director, Anne
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Ferguson escalated and shops were lit on fire, demonstrations in LA and its surrounding counties remained mostly peaceful; Please see page 2
Leondra Kruger Appointed By Gov. Brown to California Supreme Court Leondra R. Kruger has been selected by Governor Brown for a vacancy on the California Supreme Court. The Governor’s nomination will be submitted to the State
VOLUME 1, NO. 23
2 | DECEMBER 1, 2014 - DECEMBER 7, 2014
State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Supports Obama’s Immigration Reform Plan State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlak-
son today issued the following statement in favor of President
Leondra Kruger Appointed to California Supreme Court Continued from page 1
that Leondra Kruger has been nominated for the California Supreme Court. Raised and educated in the 41st Assembly District, her nomination is a reflection of her stellar academic background. Her academic and professional careers have exhibited a commitment to excellence,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena). Ms. Kruger was a resident of South Pasadena and graduated from Polytechnic School in Pasadena as a Presidential Scholar and a National Merit
Scholar. She earned her undergraduate degree at Harvard, and her law degree at Yale Law School. She interned with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles and clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. She has worked for the U.S. Department of Justice since 2013, and the Office of the Solicitor General prior to that. The last time an AfricanAmerican was appointed to the California Supreme Court was in 1996.
Leondra Kruger -Courtesy Photo
Barack Obama’s immigration reform plan: “I strongly support President Obama’s plan for immigration reform because it will strengthen families and communities throughout our state, protecting up to 1.1 million Californians against deportation for at least the next three years. This plan helps bring parents out of isolation, providing them with the enhanced security that allows them to participate more fully in the economy and in their communities, including in their children’s
schools. It helps free students of the fear that their families can be torn apart by deportation at any moment, enabling them to come to school better prepared to learn and succeed in the classroom, in college, and in their careers. Finally, the plan benefits all Californians. Improving the career and educational prospects for millions of hard-working immigrant families who want to succeed will help our economy grow and our state prosper.”
Ferguson Verdict Protests Continued from page 1
however, several freeways including the 5, 110 and 10 were blocked for hours. Sit-ins and rallies in Leimert Park, Beverly Hills, and other areas were reported, where people raised signs and their hands shouting “hands up, don’t shoot.” The Los Angeles Times quoted a statement of Los Angeles County Sheriff-elect Jim McDonnell, in which he urges angry protestors to “respect the outcome and processes of our legal system.” He adds: “The greatness of our nation comes from our ability to come together peacefully and lawfully, to speak up about what is on our minds, and to respect one another.” According to the LA Times, Darrin Johnson of Redlands signed the petition “We Call on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to file federal criminal civil rights charges against Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in the Slaying of Michael Brown” on Change.org. He told the paper: “I’m frustrated beyond belief. Signing this petition is at the moment the closest thing I have to taking action. I want to see people of color treated with the same dignity and humanity that whites are by those in power.” Since the killing of their
child, Michael Brown’s family have advocated body-worn cameras for officers, and started a campaign. In a statement, they wrote: “We need to work together to fix the system that allowed this to happen. Join with us in our campaign to ensure that every police officer working the streets in this country wears a body camera.” As for Orange County, only the Anaheim Police Department has implemented body-worn cameras since early September of this year. According to CBS, the “City Council […] voted unanimously in support of the $1.1 million investment, manning the department with 250 body cameras.” CBS quoted Anaheim resident Steven Sweetley who spoke at the city’s council meeting after they had made the announcement: “The city of 14,000 people in Missouri – Ferguson – they are already instituting cameras on police within one month if the slaying of Michael Brown. How many people have been slain in the city of Anaheim, and cameras are still not on cops?” The decision came too late for Genevieve Huizar, whose son was killed by police two years ago, which had caused unrests in Anaheim.
DECEMBER 1, 2014 - DECEMBER 7, 2014 | 3
hlr media EDITORIAL
Rep. Schiff Renews Push for Body Cameras for Law Enforcement
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On Tuesday Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), a former federal prosecutor who recently urged the Department of Justice to help fund local police departments’ purchase of small body-worn cameras in order to increase transparency, decrease tensions between police and community members, and create a record of events, released the following statement: "Last night, following the decision of a grand jury not to indict the policeman who shot and killed Michael Brown, several buildings were set ablaze and violence again plagued the streets of Ferguson. Brown's death and this new spate of violence has exposed anew the deep mistrust between many Americans, particularly those of color, and law enforcement. "I join the family of Michael Brown, the Attorney General, and the President in calling for an end to the violence, and for calm and restraint, both by protestors and police. As the President said late last night, we are a nation of laws and the grand jury's decision -- whether we agree with it or disagree -- was theirs to make. "We cannot undo the past -we cannot bring Michael back, but we can create a better future for our children and make our streets safer for citizens and police alike. That will not be an easy task, but a good start would be committing to further diversify our police forces so they are more representative of the communities they police, and equipping officers with body cameras -- cameras that may have put to rest the fevered speculation that has characterized this case, or better yet, avoided the deadly altercation altogether.” Schiff, along with other Members of Congress, recently sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Department of Justice to help fund local police departments’ purchase of small body-worn
cameras. From the letter: “Police departments around the country have begun adopting small body-worn cameras for police officers on patrol. These cameras provide a visual and audio record of interactions with the public, so that in the event of a confrontation or policeinvolved shooting, such as the one that occurred in Ferguson, there is an inalterable record of the events. There are also indications that the presence of body cameras has a civilizing effect on both police officers and the public, resulting in lower incidences of excessive force complaints and deescalat-
ing tense situations before they become violent. Perhaps most importantly, cameras can instill greater trust in police departments on the part of the public they are sworn to protect. In communities with frayed police-community relations, cameras demonstrate a commitment on the part of the local police department to transparency and accountability, while protecting officers from false or frivolous complaints. For all these reasons, the adoption of body cameras has been well received in the jurisdictions that have begun to use them, both by the public and the officers wearing the cameras.”
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Listen Carefully Contest Challenges Students to Create a PSA About Noise-Induced Hearing Loss To raise awareness about noise-induced hearing loss in teens, Listen Carefully, a Starkey Hearing Foundation program, launched a national video contest November 24 challenging middle school and high school students (ages 13-18) to create public service announcements (PSAs) about the importance of hearing protection. The winning student(s) and their school will win a private concert by Interscope recording artist Aloe Blacc in 2015. The “Listen Carefully Contest” was created in response to data showing that noise-induced hearing loss increased 30 percent in teens over the past decade. Today 1 in 6 American teens has permanent hearing loss due to high volume sounds. Listen Carefully is a domestic program of Starkey Hearing Foundation, an international nonprofit that gives the gift of hearing to people in need around the world. “From the studio to the stage, my hearing is a critical part of my art,” said Interscope recording artist Aloe Blacc. “I am so honored to join Listen Carefully to
help raise awareness about noiseinduced hearing loss and look forward to performing at the school of the video contest winner,” he continued. Football games, concerts, portable listening devices, lawn mowers and even hairdryers can damage kids’ hearing in as little as 10 seconds. “At the core of creating a revolution in hearing health is the conscientiousness that teenagers must develop regarding their own ears,” said Dr. Vanessa Rothholtz, a Board Certified Otolaryngologist in Los Angeles, California. “This begins with education and influences in their environment, such as the music industry, their parents and their friends. However, it is ultimately the young adult’s responsibility to actively participate in the protection of their hearing,” she added. “Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, but often preventable,” said Tani Austin, CoFounder of Starkey Hearing Foundation. “We hope this contest will help provide a creative way for students to learn and educate their peers about the long-term health
dangers associated with high-volume sounds.” The Listen Carefully contest is accepting 30-second video submissions between November 24 and December 31, 2014 from teens ages 13-18 who are enrolled an accredited U.S. middle school or high school. Video should be submitted to Listen Carefully’s official contest page (http://www. listencarefully.org/video-contest/ ). Qualifying entries will be made public for general voting from January 13-31, 2015. The top three finalists will be notified on February 1, 2015 and the grand prize winner will win a private concert from Aloe Blacc at his or her school. Second and third place winners will each receive a GoPro© camera and a trip to attend the concert with a parent or legal guardian. About Listen Carefully: Listen Carefully is Starkey Hearing Foundation’s domestic initiative to raise awareness about noise-induced hearing loss and help prevent a hearing loss epidemic. Today, 1 in 6 American teens has permanent hearing loss due to high-volume sounds. Football games, concerts,
music players, and hairdryers can damage kids’ hearing in a matter of seconds. Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, but preventable. For more information, visit Listen Carefully online at listencarefully. org, via Facebook at facebook. com/listencarefully, Twitter.com/ listencarefully, or Instagram.com/ listencarefully_org. Starkey Hearing Foundation uses hearing as a vehicle to reflect caring and change lives around the world. Disabling hearing loss affects more than 360 million people, including 32 million children, worldwide, yet many do not have access to the hearing devices that can help them. Starkey Hearing Foundation fits and gives more than 100,000 hearing aids annually, and as a member of President Clinton’s Global Initiative, it has pledged to fit one million hearing aids this decade. Last year alone they provided over 175,000 hearing aids for free to men, women and children in need. In addition to giving the gift of hearing through worldwide hearing missions, Starkey Hearing Foundation promotes hearing.
“Lights On” at the Boys & Girls Club Continued from page 1
Hertz. “It is a powerful reminder that afterschool programs keep children safe, inspire them to learn, and relieve working parents of worries about how their
children spend their afternoons. Too many kids are home alone in the afternoons or out on the streets where they are at-risk. We must work together to make
sure that, in the very near future, every child who needs an afterschool program has one.” This school year the Club is serving more children than it was this same time last year and transportation requests from schools have increased as well. Many Club members are unable to pay the already low fees to attend the Club. To ensure that no child is ever turned away for inability to pay, the Club applies for grants, requests donations from individuals and businesses, and hosts fundraising events. Without the Club, many children would be home alone after school. Instead, they are able to participate in activities that help them to succeed in school, adopt healthy lifestyles and demonstrate good character
and citizenship. “We are all very proud of our afterschool students,” said Site Director, Samantha Johnson. “We at the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress strongly believe that learning should not stop once school ends. Our goal is to further enrich and help our members succeed, as well as provide them with a wealth of different opportunities and experiences.” To find out more about the Club’s program or discuss how you can help, please contact Boys & Girls Club of Cypress at 714-527-2697 or visit www.boysandgirlsclubofcypress. com. Contributions are needed throughout the year and can be mailed to Boys & Girls Club of Cypress 10161 Moody Street, Cypress CA 90630.