C e l e b r a t i n g 2 8 Ye a r s o f Service in Inglewood, Airport area Communities
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EYE ON THE CITY
‘Inglewood’s LA Lounge Wows Vegas Again...’ See Page 6
April 28 - May 4, 2022 VOL. 37, No. 17
IUSD Justified in Closing Warren Lane
(Kenneth Miller/Photo) By Kenneth Miller, Publisher
The grass peeps through cracks on the asphalt of Warren Lane Elementary School built in 1947, formally known as Daniel Freeman, as a group of concerned parents and community members planned protest is gathering steam outside on a blistering April day. Inside the antiquated school staff
in the front office candidly answer questions that has been swirling since Inglewood Unified School District voted to close it on Jan. 24 via Zoom. Warren Lane is located in a middle class neighborhood which consist of modern homes outfitted with manicured grass lawns, occupied by aging homeowners. Except for the few whose children
PAFF Celebrates Earth Day with a Discussion on Fracking
On Friday, April 22nd, the Pan African Film & Arts Festival observed Earth Day with a discussion on the impacts of oil fracking on our public health led by moderator Josiah Edwards, Sunrise Movement Los Angeles and featuring panelist Damon Nagami, Senior Attorney and Director of NRDC’s Southern California Ecosystems Project, Veronica Flores, Chief Executive
are quickly approaching the age where they could enroll them in the kindergarten-6 Grade school. These are the proud but few parents who are exhausting their efforts to keep Warren Lane open. Those efforts have been rendered mute for four months now, but it has not prevented them from voicing their displeasure with the choice to shut it down. To them it doesn’t appear to matter that Warren Lane test scores rank in the bottom 50% of all schools in California according to a study conducted in 2018-19.
Officer at Community Health Councils, Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles County Supervisor 2nd District, David Haake, M.D., Chair of Clean Break Team, Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club, and Kaela Thomas from Black Women for Nurses at Centinela Hospital Medical Wellness. The discussion was sponsored Center plan to hold an informational by the Sierra Club and NRDC. picket at the Inglewood facility on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 claiming Photos by Donna Dymally. they are understaffed, overworked and
Located in the East region of IUSD, the school was priority No. 1 to be shuttered because of its shrining population, down to 143 students from its capacity of 540 at its peak. Since 2013 enrollment at all IUSD schools have been in steep decline from 12,119 to a projected 6,781 by the year 2024. So well before the COVID-19 pandemic the enrollment has been at crisis levels, so much so that keeping predominantly Black school open with Continued on page 8
struggling to provide adequate patient care. Nurses are seen here holding a similar protest in August 2021. (Photo courtesy of the California Nurses Association)
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April 28 - May 4, 2022
EYE ON THE CITY GEORGE DOTSON
ALEX PADILLA
JAMES BUTTS
ELOY MORALES
DIONNE FAULK
AROUND THE CITY
A Message from County Administrator Dr. Erika Torres
Erika F. Torres, Ed.D., MSW County Administrator
Dear Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD) Staff, Students, Families and Community: In our continued commitment to serving our community and providing current information, we have some important updates in this week’s message. $20,000 Dell Scholarship Recipient Our District is extremely excited to announce that Brianna Posada, Senior at Inglewood High School is the recipient of the Dell Scholarship Award. Brianna is a proud product of our IUSD schools, having attended Hudnall TK-6 and Centinela TK-8 Elementary, Crozier Middle School and
PRESIDENT/ EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Willie Brown PUBLISHER Kenneth Miller VICE PRESIDENT Gloria Kennedy PRODUCTION Kenneth Denson QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER Gloria Kennedy Inglewood Today Weekly is a legally adjudicated newspaper of public circ ulation, published weekly by Ads Up Advertising, Inc. News and press releases may be submitted for consideration by mail to 9111 La Cienega Boulevard, Suite 100, Inglewood, CA 90301 or by email to itnetworks@msn.com.
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is currently attending Inglewood High School. Brianna is a scholar student who is ranked number one in her class with a 4.48 GPA and will be attending UCLA in the fall. As a Dell Scholarship recipient, Brianna will receive $20,000 and a laptop. Congratulations, Brianna! Our District and community are extremely proud of you and your accomplishments. Youth Basketball Clinics Our IUSD Youth Basketball Clinics began this past weekend. All of our 6th - 8th grade students were invited to participate in a series of weekly basketball clinics. High School students volunteered their time as well, as part of their community service hours. The basketball clinics will teach and sharpen our students’ basketball fundamental skills and foundation, foster a strong sense of teamwork, pride, accountability and leadership. As a culminating event, on Saturday, May 14, 2022, our District will host our IUSD Youth Basketball Tournament. Denim Day Join us on April 27, 2022, by wearing jeans with a purpose, as we help to raise awareness about sexual violence. Denim Day stems from an Italian Supreme Court decision in 1988 which overturned a rape conviction because the teenage victim wore tight jeans. Wearing jeans became an international symbol of protest against inaccurate and destructive attitudes about sexual assault. Peace Over Violence, the organizer of Denim Day, supports survivors of sexual assault and promoting awareness about all forms of sexual violence. We encourage our staff and community to stand together and wear jeans with a purpose on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 to make a social and visible statement to protest against harassment, abuse, or any type of sexual violence. For additional resources, including intervention, prevention, education and ways to be involved, please click here. Open House We are thrilled to announce that our school sites will be hosting their annual Open House in the upcoming weeks. This week, Worthington TK-6 and Highland TK-6 Elementary hosted their Open House. It was a fun-filled evening as parents and family members visited their child’s classroom, engaged in rich conversations with staff and teachers, and their children shared the various projects and assignments they have been working on. If unsure when your child’s school Open House is, please reach out to your school site to confirm. LCAP Parent Survey The Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) is designed to leverage resources to meet goals to improve student achievement and experiences in our
District. Parent feedback is important to us in guiding our District’s decisionmaking to meet our student needs. Please complete the survey by Friday, April 29, 2022. To access the LCAP Parent Survey in English, click here, and to access in Spanish, click here. TK-8th Grade Summer School Student Interest Survey Summer is approaching and we have several exciting summer school programs planned for our TK-8th grade students. This year, our TK8th grade summer school program will take place at five locations and instruction will be theme based: La Tijera Academy of Excellence TK-8 School, Centinela TK-8 Elementary, Hudnall TK-6 Elementary, Worthington TK-6 Elementary, and Kelso TK-6 Elementary. We highly encourage our parents to fill out the survey with their child. Please click here to complete the survey by Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Spaces are limited. Universal Transitional Kindergarten (TK) With the passage of Assembly Bill 22, the TK age requirement will be expanded. As a result, more students will now be eligible to participate in TK beginning in the 2022-23 school year. The table below outlines the new age requirement by school year. To learn more about enrolling in our District’s Transitional Kindergarten program,
please visit our TK web pagehere. IUSD Facilities Improvements and Modernizations We are excited to provide an update regarding our ongoing marquee replacement projects across our schools. We look forward to provide continuous updates on our ongoing construction and facilities improvement projects at our campuses in future communications. IUSD Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Art Walk & Heritage Festival May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. In celebration and honoring the history of achievements and contributions of the AAPI community to American history, our District will be hosting an IUSD Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Art Walk & Heritage Festival on May 21, 2022 at Woodworth Monroe TK-8 Elementary School from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. We invite students to show off their creativity and submit pieces of artwork in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander heritage. All entries are due by April 25, 2022 to the IUSD Special Projects Department, located at the District Office in Bungalow B1. To learn more about the participation guidelines and the art walk, please clickhere.
FREE Document Shredding Event!!! When:
Saturday, May 21, 2022
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM* or until trucks reach capacity
Where:
On Grevillea Avenue off Manchester Blvd. (in front of Inglewood High School)
NO-CONTACT DRIVE THROUGH DROP OFF Shredding material must be placed in rear of vehicle for removal. Document shredding is limited to Inglewood residents only. ID is required!
No more than three (3) boxes or bags of shredding material per vehicle. This event is on a first-come-first-served basis *Event will conclude once all shredding trucks reach capacity. For more information, please contact the City of Inglewood Public Works Department at (310) 412-5333.
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April 28 - May 4, 2022
State Ed Chief Thurmond Is Piecing Together the Future of California’s Post-Pandemic Education
Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media
For Tony Thurmond, California’s African American State Superintendent of Public Instruction, American public education will never be the same after experiencing what it has over the last two years. “The pandemic really did put a spotlight on places where there were big holes and gaps and inequities,” Thurmond told California Black Media (CBM). “In a nation with the wealth we have, that there should be a digital divide, I think that’s just a big example of the kinds of inequities that have existed.” But Thurmond is hopeful. Working with lawmakers in both the California Senate and Assembly, he is sponsoring and supporting a range of focused legislation that, if approved, would increase access to education opportunities and improve learning for Black, Hispanic and other children who were most affected by the pandemic. Many of the children Thurmond’s programs target are underperforming on the state’s standardized tests. As a former Assemblymember representing the 15th District in Alameda County from 2014 to 2018, Thurmond is familiar with the sausage making that goes into creating policy. He is leveraging knowledge of that process, he says, to transform public education. He told CBM, “Our number one bill is Senate Bill (SB) 1229.” The bill authored by Sen. Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) offers incentives to recruit 10,000 professionals to help support the growing mental health needs of students. SB 1229 provides $25,000 grants to aspiring mental health clinicians who commit to serving a minimum of two years as a mental health professional either in a school
district or youth-serving community organization in high need areas. Approximately eight million Californians, most of them from communities of color, live in areas with a shortage of behavioral health professionals. “There’s no question that our students need all kinds of support for academic recovery, but our students and families need to really heal from the trauma that is this pandemic.” Thurmond said. “We’ve seen a spike in suicide for Black students; we’ve seen an increase in hospitalizations for young people.” Addressing childhood literacy and biliteracy, is another of Thurmond’s priorities. Last year, he announced his vision that by 2026 all California students will be literate by third grade. He pulled together a Statewide Literacy Task Force of experts and community partners to design a strategy for reaching that goal. Also, to support the initiative, Thurmond pledged to secure one million book donations for students in need and he exceeded his goal with more than five million free online books downloaded. Thurmond is sponsoring three bills focused on literacy expansion working with two legislators: Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda). The first is Senate Bill (SB) 952 (Limón), written to help existing schools convert to dual-language immersion programs. The second, Assembly Bill (AB) 2498 (Bonta), would expand Freedom School programs -- evidencebased Afrocentric literacy programs that have been shown to help students improve their reading by one to two grade levels in as little as six weeks. The third is AB 2465 (Bonta), which would expand literacy programs to fund home visits.
According to Limon, “Dual language schools have demonstrated cognitive, social, cultural, economic and educational benefits for students. They are effective in closing the achievement gap and test results show that most dual language schools outperform other demographically similar schools.” Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), who is a member of the Statewide Literacy Task Force, says, “AB 2465 was inspired by recommendations from the state superintendent’s Task Force to improve reading by third grade.” There are several other gamechanging education bills Thurmond is sponsoring. Among them are SB 830, which Sen. Anthony J. Portantino (D-Thousand Oaks) introduced. The legislation calls for funding schools based on school district enrollment instead of attendance. It would also finance efforts to address chronic absenteeism and truancy. Then there’s AB1614, legislation introduced by Assemblymembers Al Muratsuchi (D-Rolling Hills Estates) and Patrick O’Donnell (D-Long Beach), who serves as chair of the Assembly Education Committee. That bill would increase the school funding base to provide greater flexibility to all school districts throughout the state. According to Thurmond, “SB 830 gives districts predictability on how they receive funding and gives them important resources to address what has been one of our most perplexing challenges: dealing with chronic absenteeism in ways we have not yet seen before. It will put students and schools on a better path to further close opportunity and education gaps.” Thurmond has thrown his support behind AB 2806, legislation that would help reduce suspensions of preschool children. This bill was
introduced by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park). He is a sponsor of AB 2088 introduced by Assemblymember Jim Cooper (DElk Grove) that would provide paid internships to students within their Career Technical Education courses or pathways. Another bill Thurmond feels will help work through the challenges ahead is, AB 2794 that would fund the School De-escalation Specialist Pilot Program under the administration of the California Department of Education (CDE) to provide one-time grants to local educational agencies for the creation or expansion of non-police school safety programs. The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson). Thurmond notes there appears to be no opposition to any of the bills he is supporting. “I think the biggest challenge is that these bills have a cost, and they ask for money,” Thurmond told CBM. “I happen to think that while all of them are important if you invest in mental health, if you invest in programs like literacy, and dual language programs, these programs will have a high return of investment for California schools.” With the funds included by Gov. Gavin Newsom in the state budget and passed by the Legislature, Thurmond’s’ Department of Education is implementing a Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Planning & Implementation Grant program. The initiative will expand prekindergarten for every four-year-old. The budget is covering a program serving two meals free of charge (breakfast and lunch) during each school day to students in grades K–12. Also budgeted is $3 Billion to establish community schools across the state that offer additional services to students and families.
A²Mend Student Mentee Accepted At Harvard Morale and Support Provided by A²MEND’s College Mentoring Program Aided Temesghen Ghde in his Path from Community College to Harvard
IT News Wire
LOS ANGELES – A²MEND’s leadership congratulates one of their longtime student mentees, Temesghen “Temie” Ghde, for his acceptance to Harvard Kennedy School. Ghde will realize his dream of attending Harvard this fall as part of his post-graduate plans to earn joint degrees in law and public policy. Ghde’s successful educational path is a testament to the mission of A²MEND, which seeks to foster institutional change in California’s community college system by operating a mentoring program for African American male students. “We at A²MEND are tremendously proud of Temie’s acceptance at Harvard. His acceptance demonstrates to our students that nothing is impossible if you’re committed to
academic excellence and hard work,” said Dr. Amanuel Gebru, President of A²MEND. “Temie’s brilliance and tenacity to stay the course as a top performing undergraduate student has enabled him to fulfill his vision of attending Harvard in his quest to work in law and public policy.” Ghde first learned about A²MEND while attending a community college in Oakland, where a professor introduced him to the organization’s student mentoring program. He was drawn by the supportive resources and the confidence building methods of the organization. Throughout his undergraduate years, he was matched with Dr. Gebru as his A²MEND mentor, who remained steadfast in encouraging him to press forward with his ambitious educational plans.
“The morale boost that A²MEND provides to African American students is amazing,” said Ghde. “No matter how big or small, I appreciated their efforts to give financially through their scholarship contributions.” Ghde’s road to Harvard wasn’t an easy one. Raised in Eritrea, Africa, Ghde endured hardships early in his life. Following his graduation from high school, Ghde was unable to study his chosen field of law in college because his country’s educational system required him to major in engineering as a result of him testing well in physics and math on his matriculation exam. After studying civil engineering for three years and completing his national service, Ghde eventually moved to the U.S. in his resolve to leave Eritrea to follow his educational goals.
A year after his arrival in the U.S., Ghde enrolled in Laney College upon settling in Northern California. Determined to succeed against all odds as a new asylee in the U.S., he remained vigilant in his educational pursuits to study law and public policy. During his studies at Laney College, he served as President of the Laney Law Society. Soon after receiving his associate’s degree from Laney College, he attended UC Berkeley, where he graduated with a degree in political science, specializing in comparative politics. Envisioning to ultimately earn a law degree to one day serve the people of his home country, Ghde applied to Continued on page 7
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Area Communities S e r v i n g L a d e r a , H a w t h o r n e , W e s t c h e s t e r, L a w n d a l e , G a r d e n a , C a r s o n
Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center to Serve as a Drop-Off Location for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day IT News Wire
LOS ANGELES— Kaiser Permanente Southern California facilities, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, are encouraging community members to participate in “National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day” on Saturday, April 30, 2022, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center (6041 Cadillac Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90034) will serve as one of the drop-off locations. The public will have the opportunity to drive up to the 24-hour pharmacy turnaround at the medical center to drop off unwanted, unused, or expired medications. A pharmacist will be on hand to answer any questions about the medications. “We believe we all have an important role in ensuring medications are used as prescribed, and that unused medications do not fall into the wrong hands. For National Drug Take Back Day, we have partnered with the DEA to provide residents a convenient and anonymous way to dispose of their medications safely,” said Paige Lin, area pharmacy director, Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles.
Prescription drug take-back programs address vital public safety and public health issues. In April 2021, a total of 20 boxes weighing an estimated 210 pounds were collected at the Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles event alone. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), more people
started down the path of addiction through the misuse of opioid prescription drugs, and each year higher amounts of opioids are being turned in at the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events. People unable to participate on April 30 can properly dispose of medications at drug disposal kiosks in Kaiser Permanente facilities throughout Southern California. A listing of additional drop-off locations available for public use can be found on the Drug
Enforcement Administration website. About Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and notfor-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve approximately 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, go to about.kp.org.
Celebrating Earth Day, Calif. Leaders Focus on Water and Pollution Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media
Last week, people around the world celebrated Earth Week with commemorations and activities leading up to Earth Day, on Friday, April 22. Activists and advocates in California marked the annual event by highlighting the urgency of climate change and why, more than ever, communities of color need to be engaged and informed. “We’re already in a climate disaster,” said Simeon Gant, the African American Executive Director of Green Technical Education and Employment, an organization dedicated to getting young Black people more involved in environmental justice.” “We’ve got fire disasters every year, more than we’ve ever had,” said Gant. “People are dying, whole cities are being burned down in California and other places.” The state’s ongoing drought, now in its third year, is another major environmental concern. “Here in California, we are already seeing the effects of the climate crisis in
the form of drought, record heat waves, and wildfires that have devastated entire communities,” said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13). “As the United Nations and scientists around the world have made clear, we can still preserve a livable climate for future generations. But that window is closing fast,” Lee continued. “This year, we also must recognize that we are running out of time to save the planet for our children and grandchildren.” Gant agrees with Lee. “In the Central Valley, we’re having problems with water. Not just the fact that we’re in a drought but the little bit of water that even comes out of Central Valley is often contaminated,” Gant pointed out -- before he invoked Flint, Michigan and the water crisis that city experienced from 2014 to 2019. Gant says water contaminated by drilling for fossil fuels in California is preventable. On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced that the state will be contributing $22.5 million to mediating the effects of the drought.
“With the climate crisis threatening communities across the West, we must double down on our work to build water resilience in our communities for the long haul,” said Newsom. “All of us must do our part to tackle the intensifying drought conditions felt across the state. We’re investing critical resources to battle the drought’s impacts on our communities and ecosystems and finding innovative solutions to deal with these new realities.” At the national level, Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Advisor, told California Black Media that the Biden administration is committed to addressing issues of clean drinking water. “The bipartisan infrastructure law is going to be a way of investing in climate change and it’s also going to be a way of investing in the communities that have been left behind,” said McCarthy. “That means getting the lead out of the paint in homes, that means getting the lead out of our drinking water systems, that means investing in communities that don’t have safe portable drinking water.”
But water is not the only environmental issue facing Californians, says Gant. “In Los Angeles, they have oil pumps right in the hood,” Gant said. “It’s bad for the environment and bad for the air that we’re breathing.” There are 5,000 known, active oil or gas pumps in Los Angeles County. According to Gant, the oil industry’s impact on the environment is also being felt in the Bay Area. “In the Bay Area, in the Richmond area, where we have a whole community sitting next to an oil refinery that often has problems whether it’s catching fire or pollution and fumes that go from the oil refinery into the Richmond area,” said Gant. Gant also pointed to illegal dumping and freeways running through Black neighborhoods in California as causes for concern. According to McCarthy, the White House is committed to tackling environmental equity “to ensure that Continued on page 7
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Sports & Entertainment Tom Telesco Talks Draft Preparation, Chargers First-Round Pick
available. We certainly aren’t going to force anything. We have different plans in-house, different plans looking forward if it wasn’t from in-house. We’ll see how it plays out.” One of the biggest questions NFL scouts have when evaluating a player is, can the prospect’s skill set translate to the NFL? Telesco Collision All Star Games gave some insight into how he works with the Chargers coaches and scouts to prepare prospects for the next level. The 22nd annual Collision All Star “If you do see a player that Games featuring the top senior girls you feel like has all of the traits and boys from the CIF LA City Section you need to project at this level, versus the CIF Southern Section in a and you feel like he has the work basketball doubleheader will be held ethic, the mentality, that drive on Saturday April 30 at El Camino and desire to be great, then you College in Torrance beginning at 4pm. can work with that and you can Many of the top players in the region develop them,” Telesco said. “We have already been confirmed for the do have to be careful. We want event which will be held in El Camino to draft good college players, College new gymnasium. but those college players have The boys game will tip at 6pm. to project to pro players, and Tickets will be available at the door only sometimes there’s a difference for $12 for adults and $8 for children 12 there. That’s why we have and under. For more information email coaches that go out there and collisionallstars@gmail.com or go to work with these guys — put collisionallstars.com. together all of the traits, see if the work ethic is there, then you roll said. “Now, it’s just really thinking the dice and see if it works.” Making the first-round pick from SoFi through different scenarios. Yeah, I have a lot of things that go through my head Stadium While the excitement around the draft for the two weeks leading up to the has been building the last few weeks, the draft. Our scouts, our coaches, they do a Chargers scouts are nearing the end of great job with preparation. We’re really a 12-to-13-month process preparing for organized. It doesn’t mean that we’re the draft, according to Telesco. Now just going to get every pick right, but we’re days away from the Chargers being on really organized with the information. the clock, Telesco talked about what the days leading up to the draft are like. Continued on page 7 “Most of our work is done,” Telesco
April 30
By Cory Kennedy, Chargers.com
Telesco ‘feels good’ about pick 17 On April 25, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco spoke to members of the media about the Chargers’ mindset heading into the 2022 NFL Draft. As it stands, the Chargers hold the 17th overall pick on Thursday, with their second selection being 79th overall in the third round of the draft. Telesco talked about the possibility of trading picks, whether it be trading up or trading down. “We’re going into the draft with a first-round pick, and then a big gap until you get to the third [round]. I spend a lot of time going through scenarios and preparations, as far as what could happen, going up or down. Going up this year, without having a secondround pick, I don’t know if that’s really realistic. I don’t think we’ll have to, anyways.” Telesco, who said he “feels good” about being at pick 17, explained what factors he has to look at when it comes to trading back to get a second-round
pick. “A lot of it comes down to who is on the board at that point,” Telesco said. “How far back do you want to go, how many players do you have left at that spot? There are a lot of benefits of moving down; you can pick up an extra pick, you may pick up an upgrade at the pick. You have to kind of weigh that versus who is there, and kind of remind yourself that we are not infallible, as far as talent evaluators.” Evaluating athletes who ‘project to pro players’ NFL mock drafts have the Bolts picking a variety of positions with their first pick in the draft. One route the Chargers could go in the first round is drafting an offensive lineman. Telesco talked about where his mindset is at when it comes to selecting an offensive lineman in the first round and if he feels a need to add to the o-line in the draft. “We’ll just kind of see how it plays out,” Telesco said. “You never know how it’s going to go. A little bit like free agency, you can only bring in what’s going to be available — same thing with the draft, you can only draft what’s
Anything is possible for Super Bowl Champs By Stu Jackson, Rams.com
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Rams general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay held a video conference with local media Tuesday to preview the 2022 NFL Draft, discussing their approach with their first pick not until 104th overall in the third round, the value of late-round picks becoming key contributors, and more. Here are some of the top takeaways from that joint virtual conversation: Rams have “four to five positions” they’d like to pick from at No. 104... For obvious competitive reasons, Snead did not specify what they were. However, as part of his response when asked about evaluating drafting needs versus best player available, he said based on their process, they have “four
or five positions” they could draft from if they do that process right. “The goal and the vision is to engineer a process where you then go about setting the board and getting that right, and trying to eliminate some of the bias of knowing what your needs are, because what you probably don’t want to have happen is that the position of need, you all of a sudden have a lot more players at that position just because you need them,” Snead said. “And at that point, in this case, right, picking 104, we’ll probably have four to five positions that we’d like to pick from. And if we’ve done the correct work previously, then when we get to 104, we’ll be able to look up at the board, and hopefully at one of those four to five positions, there will be a favorite player of ours, and you
go from there.” ...But that doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility of trading back. McVay indicated that if it the circumstances allow for it, Los Angeles would be open to trading back from and acquiring more picks like it has done in previous drafts. “It’s really the players and identifying a handful of guys that you like, and if there’s still a handful of guys at a certain spot, or when you’re on the board, and you feel like you can move back and gain some more draft capital, and it allows you to be able to add kind of a two-for-one, if you will, or even more than that, that’s always something that I think Les has done a great job of, and I’ve really learned and seen it unfold
these last five years,” McVay said. The Rams currently have eight selections heading into the draft. Last year, they entered the draft with six picks and wound up making nine. Snead likes depth of this year’s draft class Asked if there any players who have “pool party” grades at pick 104 – referring to defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’ phrase coined for jumping into the pool at the draft house if the right player was selected – Snead said they’ve tried to have a “pool party pod” for each phase of the draft. “This is a relatively deep draft,” Snead said, adding that Morris’ ‘pool party’ phrase is “definitely still alive and well in the draft.”
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BUPPIE | BUSINESS
Inglewood’s LA Lounge Wows Vegas Again
TOP SHELF---From left, LA Lounge member Tony Wafford joins owners Larry Solomon, Aaron Moore and Bradly Rush at the Meet & Greet at the Sarah Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on April 21. (Kenneth Miller/Photo) By Kenneth Miller, Publisher
The LA Lounge located in Inglewood continued elevating its brand and reputation as one of the most prominent cigar clubs in America with their second consecutive bash in Las Vegas from April 21-24. With a membership base that exceeds 200 and outreach that reaches into the thousands, LA Lounge brought a sizable contingent to Las Vegas at the Sarah Hotel & Casino, the Flamingo Hotel & Casino and other properties that contributed to the post COVID resurgence in the Sin City. The Meet & Greet Affair at the Alexander Room at Sarah was overflow with people and bellows of smoke as newly minted general manager Tamika Ellis demonstrated her expansive event planning ability.
“We gave her the dream and she brought it to reality,” said owner Aaron Moore. Moore was also proud of the unity the club has established among the Black community. “When you go to a Mexican restaurant you expect that experience and here at LA Lounge people come here because they want a Black experience,” Moore added. Throughout the weekend in Vegas, LA Lounge either hosted their own events such as their pool party to which the weather was not kind as rain subsided to the winds and overcast but it did not prevent yet another successful gathering. Then there was the LA Lounge Linq Hotel & Casino. Or as partner Bradly Rush pointed collaboration effort with other cigar “This is our second year and it is out; “We started at the bottom and now establishments that led to highlighting growing by leaps and bounds,” boasted we’re here!” the White Party and Spring Fling at the Moore.
Blue Strips for a Cause By Michelle Lyons, IT Contrtibutor
Katherine Rodriguez just launched her highly anticipated clothing line Blue Strips Clothing Brand. She has been designing for two years and finally this summer her full collection drops. Rodriguez is also a Latin singer, she sings Reggaeton and recently performed at The Miracle in Inglewood with 11eleven network. Rodriguez has wanted to be a designer her entire life. She named her line Blue Strips after the 100 dollar bill. The first designs are all made with velour and ribbon. Velour fashion was made popular by JLO in the 90’s. Rodriguez is bringing back this fashion with a sexy twist. Her designs can be purchased on bluestripsla.com. Since, Rodriguez is a single mother of a son and a survivor of domestic violence a percentage of her proceeds for towards victims of Domestic
Violence. “I really want to help and uplift women who have been through the pain of being abused by a man. I went through it and I feel for everyone who endures that. So a percentage of all my proceeds go toward domestic violence survivors,” said Rodriguez. Rodriguez has already started to plan her next line, a denim velour line, which she anticipates dropping later this year right before the holidays.
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Page 7
April 28 - May 4, 2022
PUBLIC NOTICE
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2022075515 The Following Person Is Doing Business As: Scan Global Logistics; SGL Express Line 5422 W Rosecrans Ave., FL2; Hawthorne, CA 90250
Registered Owner(s): Horizon International Cargo, Inc., 5422 W Rosecrans Ave., FL2, Hawthorne, CA 90250 This business is conducted by a company. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on April 7, 2022 I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Horizon International Cargo, Inc., Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on April, 7, 2022 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 (b) of 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 the residence address of a 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.) Original April 14, 21, 28; May 5, 2022 IT0042230120020199
PUBLIC NOTICE
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2022057916 The Following Person Is Doing Business As: Jumi Aluko Consulting 12244 Burbank Boulevard, 308 Los Angeles, CA 91607 Registered Owner(s): Angeles, CA 91607
Dunnweddings, 12244 Burbank Blvd., Los
This business is conducted by a company. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on March 15, 2022 I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Dunnweddings, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on March 15, 2022 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 (b) of 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 the residence address of a 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.) Original April 14, 21, 28; May 5, 2022 IT00422301200201100
PUBLIC NOTICE
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2022070047 The Following Person Is Doing Business As: Sky Lighting Technology 25618 Bani Ave. Lomita, CA 90717
Registered Owner: Kevin Yang, 25 Pepper Tree Ln, Rolling Hills Estate, CA 90274 This business is conducted by a company. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on March 31, 2022 I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Kevin Yang, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on March 31, 2022 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 (b) of 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 the residence address of a 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.) Original April 7, 14, 21, 28, 2022 IT0042230120020197
PUBLIC NOTICE
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2022073621 The Following Person Is Doing Business As: Wise Choice Notary Solutions 4513 W 115th Street, #4 Hawthorne, CA 90250
Registered Owner: Burnita Smith, 4513 W 115th Street, #4, Hawthorne, CA 90250 This business is conducted by a company. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on April 6, 2022 I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Burnita Smith, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on April 6, 2022 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 (b) of 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 the residence address of a 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.) Original April 14, 21, 28; May 5, 2022 IT0042230120020198
Continued from page 4: Celebrating...
the communities left behind end up being the focus of investments moving forward.” McCarthy says equity is a part of President Biden’s “Justice40’’ initiative. The program commits 40% of the benefits from energy and climate investments to communities disproportionately affected by climate change. So far, McCarthy says, that effort has been worthwhile. “We have done everything we can, through guidance, through direction to states and local communities,” said McCarthy. However, Gant feels more needs to be done to ensure the investments being made impact the people they are intended to help. “They take that federal money, and they send it down to the local government and then they leave it up to local government to send it to the community-based organizations that are closer to the community,” said Gant. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t get from the local government to the communitybased organizations in an effective way.” But, according to McCarthy, that is not solely the responsibility of the executive branch of the US federal government. “We’re also going to not give up on calling on Congress because we need them to act,” said McCarthy. “We need American families, particularly those in our environmental justice communities, to once again know that the government is working for them.” As far as solutions go, Gant says education and awareness are central to environmental justice in Black communities. The governor’s office said that the state will be spending $8.25 million to increase water conservation outreach and education. Gant says weatherization of California homes in low-income communities would be beneficial, as well as investing in renewable energy and zero emission vehicles.
Continued from page 3: A²Mend...
leading universities to position him for that endeavor. With an impressive GPA along with his extracurricular accomplishments, including a congressional internship on Capitol Hill and a prestigious study abroad program at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, he applied to Harvard
as well as the University of Oxford. Less than three months later, he received the extraordinary news about his acceptance to Harvard. While Ghde’s sheer intellect and perseverance led him to Harvard, he is grateful to A²MEND for providing him with the mentorship and scholarship funding that helped support him throughout his undergraduate journey. The African American Male Education Network & Development (A²MEND) organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit led by African American male educators who utilize their scholarly and professional expertise to foster institutional change within California’s community college system to increase success of African American male students. Since establishing the organization in 2006, A²MEND has served as the premiere nonprofit solely focused on addressing the lack of educational success for African American male students in community colleges.
Continued from page 5: Tom Telesco...
That really kind of makes you sleep relatively well at night.” This year, the Chargers will be hosting a DraftFest party on Thursday with special guest Snoop Dogg at SoFi Stadium. Telesco, head coach Brandon Staley and the rest of the Chargers personnel will be making the first-round pick from the Chargers locker room. Telesco recalled drafting from his house for the 2020 draft and what the event means for him and Bolts fans. “If I can draft from my dining room table, I can draft from anywhere,” Telesco said. “The stadium, we have a huge locker room, plenty of space…It will be kind of fun. It’s like a field trip. You go down to the stadium, make our pick and come back home for it. It’s something different to do. The draft is fun. It’s supposed to be fun. I know it’s our job, but for the fans and everybody involved, it’s something fun to do. It will work just fine at SoFi [Stadium].”
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Page 8
April 28 - May 4, 2022
Continued from page 1: IUSD...
10 other elementary schools in the district was feasibly impossible. The district conducted an open and public School Closure/Consolidation Committee via Zoom on Jan. 24 with the input of parents, teachers and administrators that determined Warren Lane fate. However, the pleas to keep it open and not subsided, in fact it has intensified. Many point the finger of blame at Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) appointed Administrator Erika F. Torres alleging that she hastily decided to shut down the school.
They requested through this reporter that Torres hire an arbitrator to evaluate the Warren Lane closure and render an independent decision and also allege that the appointed County Administrator refuses to meet with the group. This in the face of publicly held meetings to which they were invited and attended Moreover, others at the rally said they attended to protest Warren Lane being sold to a developer that would transform the site into low income housing, something these home owners adamantly are against.
I received a call from someone accusing this publication of being sold out to Inglewood Unified School District for not publishing an opinionated article against the closing of Warren Lane. The author of that article is Joe Bowers, a reliable and valued education advocate whom I have great admiration for. However, in this instance, I wanted to carefully comb through what the hard evidence is and then pin a balanced response. As of this writing, there was not one single study that can be verified that
would justify Warren Lane remaining open on a site that appears to be deteriorating with a rapid decrease in enrollment. Modernization of the school would cost $9.8 M. Staffers at the school will likely be transferred to other schools in the district, while students will be reassigned to Woodworth-Monroe, Kelso or any school of their choice within the district. IUSD is not exclusive in facing the crisis of students residing in the city not attending neighboring schools. According an LA Times published article, LAUSD dropped by more than 27,000 students in the fall of 2021 f, an annual decline of close to 6%. So, for a school that has the fewest students of in within the district and poses a severe financial risk to a district that is on the rebound from the abyss, it is time to close the book on Warren Lane and embrace the options available to the parents and students. IUSD has endured the cost of losing students to transfer whose parents would rather send their child to school outside the district and that is their prerogative, but the consequences of losing students have forced the closure of Warren Lane and likely others in years to come. For the district in is incumbent upon them to improve test scores in study areas that parents view as problematic and fix it or they will continue losing students.