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
City of Champions Your Community Connection Since 1994
EYE ON THE CITY Rams
Chargers
February 10-16, 2022 VOL. 37, No. 06
Clippers
Forum
& Lakers ‘The Bold and Black History of the Super Bowl’... See Page 5
JOIN US ON
Page 2
February 10-16, 2022
EYE ON THE CITY
AROUND THE CITY
A Message from County Administrator Dr. Erika Torres GEORGE DOTSON
Dear Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD) Students, Staff, and Families, In our continued commitment to serving our community and providing current information, we have some important updates in this week’s message. IUSD Stellar Student Spotlight By Maygan Orr Brandon Guardado is an honor roll ace! This 6th grader at Highland TK-6 school has received 2 student of the month awards this school year, as well as the principal’s honor roll award. Not only is he a stellar scholar, but he is also a stellar citizen. Brandon is the 6th grade “ambassador” at Highland, which means he was selected by his principal to take on responsibilities such as passing out notices to teachers, helping students when they are hurt or get bullied, and also assists the principal and teachers with other tasks as well. Aside from being a leader amongst his peers, Brandon also has a heart for his community. He regularly donates food, clothing, and blankets to the homeless at the local Salvation Army with his mom. He wants to become a firefighter when he grows up because he says he wants to save people, and their homes, in the Inglewood community. Brandon’s hobbies include playing his cello, playing basketball, watching anime, and playing video games.
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.
You can reach us at 310-670-9600 or by fax 310-338-9130 www.inglewoodtoday.com The artistic contents of Inglewood Today Weekly are copyrighted by Ads Up Advertising, Inc. and permission to reprint any article herein must be obtained in writing from the Publisher.
DISPLAY ADVERTISING 310-670-9600 X107 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 310-670-9600 X104 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Subscriptions are available by mail for $100.00 per year. Home Delivery may not be available in all areas, or gated communities.
ALEX PADILLA
JAMES BUTTS
Excellence is not foreign to Brandon. According to his teachers and principal, Highland students and staff all regard Brandon as a caring, respectful, and dedicated student. Brandon shares that his greatest inspiration is his older brother who is a junior with a 4.1 GPA at Inglewood High School. Brandon’s mother is extremely proud of her sons, and shares that they will be first generation high school graduates in their family. Brandon has this advice to share with her fellow IUSD students: “Anything is possible when you believe in yourself!” To nominate a stellar IUSD student to be spotlighted email maygan.orr@ inglewoodusd.com. IUSD Human Trafficking Awareness Week In our effort to prioritize the safety of all students and raise awareness regarding Human Trafficking prior to Super Bowl LVI, our District will host Human Trafficking Awareness Week beginning February 7, 2022 - February 11, 2022. To kick off awareness week, our District is hosting a Human Trafficking Town Hall on Monday, February 7, 2022 at 5:00 p.m., where participants will have an opportunity to hear from human trafficking experts in preparation for an influx of visitors within the City of Inglewood. Please click here to join. Throughout the week we will share critical information with students, parents and the community on ways we can all work collaboratively to protect our students and provide informative prevention resources that help identify the signs. Some of the resources may include: Parent Quick Guide What is Human Trafficking Be Safe Student Slip We understand the topic of human trafficking is extremely delicate and although we will do our best to share information that is age appropriate for grade levels 5th-12th, some of the details may be alarming to students. If you would not like your child to participate in these conversations involving human trafficking and safety, please contact your child’s school counselor. National School Counseling Week In honor of National School Counseling Week February 7 - February 11, 2022, our District would like to recognize our school counselors, who work tirelessly by helping our students examine their talents, strengths, abilities and interests. School counselors offer unique support as they are the individuals who work in professional partnerships with teachers, support personnel to provide an educational system where students can realize their true potential and focus their efforts on improving academic achievement for all students. The work of our school counselors is an integral part of carrying out our District mission and we are extremely grateful
ELOY MORALES
DIONNE FAULK
for the significant impact they make in the lives of our students every day. Black History Month Our District is proud to join the nation in celebrating National Black History Month. A month dedicated to honoring and celebrating the valuable contributions that African Americans have made in our country and our communities. In an effort to recognize these contributions we would like to introduce a series to highlight African American musicians, historically African American colleges and universities, share information regarding mental health and recognize African American owned businesses within the City of Inglewood. We are kicking off this series by introducing the origin of jazz music and musicians. Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Louis Jordan are just a few notable jazz musicians who worked to mainstream the art of jazz music across the nation. The expansion of jazz music stemmed from New Orleans, following the aftermath of slavery. It encompassed elements of African rhythmic and percussive styles with European forms of harmony that focused on freedom of expression. According toNationalhumanitiescenter.org, jazz was the popular form of dance music in the twentieth century. At the height of its impact, jazz was a cultural movement, influencing fashion, language, and attitude. It was the prototype for rock and roll and hip hop, and it continues to be a vibrant art form that influences music today! To learn more about the origin of jazz music, please clickhere. IUSD Black History Art Walk As a way to celebrate the start of Black History Month (BHM), our District is inviting you to our Black History Art Walk Festival on Saturday, February 5, 2022 at Frank D. Parent School from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Students in grade levels K-12 were invited to create pictures, posters, sculptures or paintings, celebrating BHM, that will be displayed during the art walk festival. To access the event flyer, please click here. School Closure/Consolidation Committee Meeting On Tuesday, February 2, our School Closure/Consolidation Committee, invited parents, students, staff and community members to share feedback during the Community Input Listening Session. Committee members were able
to provide an update on specific recommendations, school and facility data, demographics and more! Participants had the opportunity to ask questions related to the process and share recommendations of their own. If you were unable to attend the listening session, please clickhereto view the recording. For additional information about our School Closure/ Consolidation Committee, please click here. IUSD Parent Self Care Workshops 2022 In collaboration with Teacherskeepers, an organization that assists career professionals with creating self-care plans that reduce stress and emotional dissatisfaction, will host virtual parent self-care workshops in collaboration with our IUSD Parent Center. These workshops will focus on establishing a guide to real self-care for parents, and introduce ways that parents can best support their children academically and their social emotional well-being. The workshops begin at 6:00 p.m. and the dates and modules are as follows: Thursday, February 24, 2022: Scented Candles or Real Self Care Thursday, March 24, 2022: A Circle of Self Care Thursday, April 28, 2022: Coming Home to S.E.L.F. Thursday May 26, 2022: Self Care Unscripted For additional information, please email monica.hernandez@ inglewoodusd.com, To register for the parent self-care workshop, please click here. Updated COVID-19 Protocols As we continue to work with IUSD staff to address any and all concerns that arise as a result of this pandemic, we want to share the updated Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) guidelines effective January 19th. LACDPH is best positioned to set guidance and protocols for school safety based on their knowledge, expertise and experience. Our district will continue to work with LACDPH, in addition to collaborating with our staff and the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). Their feedback is imperative as it helps drive our COVID-19 response and ensures that we are providing a safe environment for our students, staff and community. We will continue to provide updates regarding COVID-19 guidelines. Thank you staff, parents, students, and community members for your ongoing support and commitment to the success of our district. #WeAreInglewoodUnified Sincerely, Erika F. Torres, Ed.D., MSW County Administrator
Page 3
February 10-16, 2022
Clippers Intuit Dome Out of Super Bowl Shadow that will call the Intuit Dome their new home. “This (arena) definingly creates our own identity, but also people will flock here to see this building but for them to come out we will have to have a very competitive product and this will be the best building in the league. Anything that (owner) Steve (Balmer) does he wants to have the best and his vision to do this with enormous cooperation from the City of Inglewood and I’m just thrilled the mayor and his office was able to accomplish this building. It will be more fun as we go along that’s for sure,” West said. Having grown up watching West with the Lakers, I could not help but notice the 82-year old competitive juices flow as he took the tour at the site. He knows the most import thing for the team to win. “That’s the most important thing. This building will give the Clippers their own identity, but more importantly it will give them a level playing field in terms of scheduling. We have an awful schedule, but at the end of the day you have to win games and have to win big games. The Clippers have had a lot of good teams here in the last few years and we’ve got two premier players who are not playing so that helps a lot and we are hopeful they will come back,” West concluded.
By Kenneth Miller, Publisher
The Rams and SoFi Stadium is all the rave this week as the Super Bowl comes to Inglewood on Feb. 13, but it was the Clippers Intuit Dome just adjacent to the $5 billion saucer that attracted most of the attention when opening up the gates to share a progress upgrade to the next big arena project in the city. NBA legend Jerry West was joined by Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Jr. for an exclusive first look at the construction of their new home located at 3900 W Century Boulevard at Prairie Avenue. After breaking ground in in September 2021, the Intuit Dome is scheduled to open in fall 2024 as the most raucous, rollicking arena in the NBA. “I think they had this press conference because they reached a milestone in their excavation in how far they’ve come here on the eve of the Super Bowl and I think it was a great idea for them to do this,” Mayor Butts explained to Inglewood Today. Now that Inglewood has SoFi Stadium and soon the Intuit Dome, Mayor Butts will now focus on the Inglewood Transit Connector that will connect the Crenshaw Line to the sports entertainment core of the city. West, who for many years starred for the Lakers before evolving into the preeminent executives in the NBA, is now in a leading role for the Clippers
How to Watch and Listen Super Bowl LVI: Rams vs. Bengals Inglewood Today News
Here’s how you can watch, listen to and live stream Super Bowl LVI between Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, February 13, 2022. MATCHUP The Rams are home for the Super Bowl, taking on the Bengals in the first-ever postseason meeting between the two teams. Kickoff from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. on Sunday is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. pacific time on NBC. Sunday’s game will mark the 14th all-time meeting between the two teams, with the Bengals leading the series 8-6. The Rams won the last meeting 24-10 at Wembley Stadium in London on October 27, 2019. PREDICT THE ACTION WITH RAMS PICK’EM PRESENTED BY PECHANGA RESORT CASINO Predict the action during Super Bowl LVI to win prizes at www.therams. com/pickem! For all rounds of the playoffs the Rams compete in, a top prize of $250,000 will be awarded to anyone who correctly predicts all questions. For the Super Bowl, the Top 10
scorers can win: Two tickets to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona Single-game suit for a 2022 Rams game (2nd place) Pair of Rams season tickets for the 2022 season (3rd place) Two Single Game Club Tickets for a 2022 Rams game (4th place) Private Tour of SoFi Stadium for four people (5th place) Exclusive discount to the Rams Fan Shop (6th-10th place) Fans will also get to compete
against Rams Broadcaster J.B. Long every week as a part of our new “Beat the Expert” Competition. For more information on how to play Rams Pick’em, click here. RAMS DIGITAL LOTERIA PRESENTED BY TOYOTA Loteria is a traditional Mexican card game similar to Bingo, except the game is played with a deck of cards featuring cultural iconography instead of numbered balls. This season, the Rams are bringing their own branded Loteria to gameday! Digital Loteria
will be played during all Rams home games – go to www.ramsloteria.com on your phone or tablet, pick a playing card, tune in to the Rams game, and mark each action card once it happens during the game for the chance to win great prizes such as autographed items and Rams gear. Each game will begin at kickoff, but you can register to play at any time here. WATCH ON TV Play-by-Play: Al Michaels Color Analyst: Cris Collinsworth Sideline reporters: Michele Tafoya and Kathryn Tappen Play-by-Play: Kevin Burkhardt Color Analyst: Charles Davis LISTEN ON RADIO Local Radio coverage: ESPN LA 710 AM and 93.1 JACK FM Play-by-Play: J.B. Long Color Analyst: Maurice Jones-Drew Sideline: D’Marco Farr National Radio: Westwood One Play-by-Play: Kevin Harlan Color Analyst: Kurt Warner Sideline: Laura Okmin and Mike Golic
Page 4
February 10-16, 2022
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
SoCal Black Leaders Hype Up Rams Super Bowl with Hometown Love Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
Black political leaders from Southern California are sounding off as a week of celebratory activities and high anticipation begins. It is the lead-up to the National Football League’s (NFL) Super Bowl LVI game between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals. The NFL’s premier sporting event will be played in front of an estimated 70,000-plus spectators on Sunday, Feb. 13 at SoFi Stadium, the state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex in Inglewood, which opened two years ago. U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) was among the first hometown lawmakers to celebrate this year’s Super Bowl game featuring the hometown Rams being held in her city. “We don’t want to brag but we’re the baddest! The @RamsNFL are going to be the #SuperBowl (champs) and the game will be happening in my district, the 43rd District! The world will be watching and we will be winning,” Waters tweeted on Jan. 30. The Rams moved from Los Angeles to St. Louis in 1994. In 2000 they won Super Bowl XXXIV played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The team
returned from the Midwest back to the City of Angels in 2016 after a $790 million settlement was paid to the city of St. Louis. Members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) from the South end of the state also jumped in on the excitement, sharing their thoughts about the game and hyping up their hometown team that could bring a Super Bowl championship to Los Angeles. “As Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, it is my
pleasure to wish the Los Angeles Rams a successful Super Bowl,” said Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles). “It is no easy feat to represent the greatest area in the nation, but there’s no better team I can think of to do it. Rams house!” Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) of the 41st Assembly District, which covers areas on the eastern end of Los Angeles County applauded the team’s grit that he says took them to the big game. “Congratulations to the Los Angeles
Rams for making it to the Super Bowl! You all earned the right to be there, make us proud,” he said The excitement of the sporting event is reverberating across the state, but millions of eyes around the world will be on the city of Inglewood. Inglewood is located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and is17 miles from downtown Los Angeles. According to the 2020 United States Census, it has a population of 107,762. About 40.9 % of its residents are African American. James T. Butts, Jr., who is African American, has been Inglewood’s mayor for the last 11 years. Butts, 68, a former law enforcement officer, has turned the South Bay town into a local economic powerhouse. Butts helped negotiate the return of the Rams from St. Louis to the L.A. region. He also facilitated the relocation of the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to Inglewood. The Clippers, currently housed in Continued on page 8
Calif. Black Women Leaders Talk Politics Charlene Muhammad | California Black Media
Hundreds of African American women, professionals from dif-ferent backgrounds and all corners of the Golden State, came to-gether Jan. 31 to discuss a range of issues important to Black women in California. California Black Woman’s Collective, California Black Media and Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) or-ganized the event to held to release and discuss the findings of a report titled the State of Black Women in California 2022 and Beyond: Essays from Black Women Thought Leaders. “Our speakers are subject matter experts on the issues that are important to Black Women and the Black community,” Kellie Todd Griffin, convener of the California Black Women’s Collec-tive told the virtual audience. More than 700 people registered for the event. There are nearly 1.1 million Black
women in California. How-ever, according to the report, more than 75% of Black house-holds in the state are headed by single Black mothers and 80% of Black households have Black
Women breadwinners. community. The goal of the State of The report’s authors say the data in Black Women in California report is their study is significant for shining a to focus in strategic and collabo-rative light on the needs of Black women, which is critical to uplifting the Black Continued on page 7
Page 5
February 10-16, 2022
Sports & Entertainment The Bold and Black History of the Super Bowl
By Kenneth Miller, Publisher
During 55 years the Super Bowl has undoubtedly produced some of the greatest moments in the history of professional sports, befitting of a sports league that is hands down the most popular in America. On Feb. 13 when the NFL brings its worldly circus to the new saucer aptly named SoFi Stadium for Super Bowl LV featuring the underdog darling Cincinnati Bengals and the home town Los Angeles Rams it will be on the backdrop of the rather appalling number of Black head coaches and the lily white representation throughout the entire league all the way down the individual’s distributing credentials of which there is nary a Black in the bunch.
Email me if you are a Black community newspaper that will be allowed to sit in the press box on the big day, instead of being relegated to some over sized tent somewhere afar in the parking lot of SoFi. Most fans who look like me and live like me will be somewhere in front of a big screen as equally obsessed with what will be transpiring as those in 30 band VIP Club seats at the 50 yard line. Perhaps my peeps had the patience to endure the gridlock and get highjacked by the downtown parking fees ranging from $40 to $50 when on most days they’d be lucky to get $10 or $20 to see the NFL Experience exhibit at the LA Convention Center. This is the action that most cities mortgage their future for, but here in Inglewood it is just the beginning of a revolution that will revitalize the city for ever. I know I took a long route to get to reflecting and honoring those players, coaches and entertainers who were the first Blacks, but the backdrop is necessary in that we may never live to
see those moments again. There will not be any Black head coaches in the Super Bowl this time when the Rams Sean McVay tries to out fox Zac Taylor of the Bengals, but it took until 2007 before
a Black was the first and only winning coach of the Big Game. Tony Dungy is neither a coon or hero as the first Black coach to win a Super Bowl. He led the Indianapolis Colts to victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super bowl XLI, 29 to 17. Inspired by Joe Louis and baseball legend Jackie Robinson, Dungy was considered to have the perfect temperament as he broke the color barrier but his victory has done nothing to inspire the league to look for more Black head coaches, in fact quite the contrary. Years before Dungy, another Pittsburgh Steeler, running back Franco Harris was named the first Black MVP of the Super Bowl. Harris carried the Steelers 16-6 to victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX, Jan. 12, 1975, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Running back is a position where Blacks have been prominent in the NFL going back to the days of Jim Brown, but unless Joe Mixon of the Bengals
Culturally, Williams represented everything we could dream of. He played for the great legendary Eddie Robinson at HBCU Grambling, also earned the Super Bowl MVP honors by connecting on 18/29 passes for 340 yards, four touchdowns, with one interception. Ironically, Williams was a prototype pocket passer, the style reserved for whites. Today if you are a Black quarterback you better be able to throw farther, run faster and make as few mistakes as possible to excel. This year rappers Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar goes off on the Rams defense this year will join R&B singer Mary J. Blige Super Bowl will not be memorable for during the 2022 halftime show. The five running backs. performers have a total of 43 Grammys Who doesn’t remember one of the and 21 Billboard No. 1 albums. greatest performances in Super Bowl history on Jan. 31,
1988, in San Diego, when Doug Williams led the former Washington Redskins— now known as the Washington Commanders—to become first Black quarterback to play in a Super Bowl, scoring four of Washington’s five touchdowns in an upset blowout 4210 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII.
However, they all pale in comparison to when the late great Michael Jackson became the first Black entertainment at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show on Jan. 31, 1993, at the Rose Bowl. The halftime show broadcast on NBC remains one of the most watched events in American television history with 133.4 million viewers. Let’s see LV top that!
Page 6
February 10-16, 2022
BUPPIE | BUSINESS
NFL Leadership Issues All To Prevalent To Black Men And Women In The Corporate World encounter as we try to force this country to live up to its promise. Being the face of a team, franchise, or company is no different than leading a family, fraternity, or lodge in my opinion. Black folks have never been a people that would not or could not lead, excel, or achieve and that line of thinking has always been flawed. Blacks comprise the majority of players in the league, and it is safe to say that they can develop talent from top to bottom in the sport. You should not have to be a “unicorn” to get a By John W. Coleman, Jr. MA MBA, Special to head coaching job when Inglewood Today the league is powered by Black men. Black leaders are extremely intelligent Last week’s revelations by former and capable. In my twenty-six years NFL coach Brian Flores are just another in the private sector, I have observed reminder of the limits that Black people Black leaders as those who are highly
competent and display superior “soft” skills as compared to others from a management perspective. My opinion of the NFL coaching search is the same as corporate America. Owners, Team Presidents, and General Managers are afraid to share their wealth with Black people. Ascending to senior level positions in an environment like the NFL leads to generational wealth that would in turn create a large, ongoing, and consistent group of Blacks in the 1% in this country and that matters. Expanding the number of Black people that have means, access and power is important. Add a sense of social consciousness to that and we have the start of something special. A man can dream, right? I use my own experience as the foundation for this opinion. While not comparing my role(s) or compensation to that of a NFL Head Coach, I have had multiple roles in leadership and senior leadership in the corporate world that has shaped my opinion. I knew that I was qualified and ready for
all the roles that I obtained, but I never felt fully supported or welcomed into the “club.” I sensed a discomfort and fear from my colleagues as I worked in leadership roles in the pharmaceutical and health insurance space. I know that the lack of inclusion and collegiality was not due to my education or employment background as I attend the institutions and worked for companies that the majority admired. So, my only assessment was that it was due to my entering into a world that not many Black people enter within these organizations. The takeaway for me is that we must continue to fight for these opportunities for qualified men and women. And we need to set our sights on new engagements and that we can pioneer and build into multi-billion-dollar organizations where we don’t have a fair chance to enter the higher ranks of the institution based on productivity and accomplishment.
Your 2021 Taxes: 7 Things the IRS Wants You to Know Manny Otiko | California Black Media
As the 2022 tax season kicks off, the IRS is reaching out to the public, encouraging people to file their taxes online and early. This was the main takeaway from a recent news briefing featuring IRS officers that Ethnic Media Services organized. During the virtual meeting, IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig and Ken Corbin, Wage and Investment Division Commissioner and Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer at the IRS, stressed the importance of filing via the internet and making sure all information submitted is accurate. That way, they said, taxpayers can avoid delays and seamlessly receive their returns into their bank accounts by direct deposit. “It is our intent that filing is as smooth and easy as possible. We want to make certain that consumers are getting all the credits and refunds they are eligible to receive,” said Rettig. “Paper returns have an inherent delay in processing,” Rettig emphasized. During the presentation, Rettig and Corbin shared several updates and pointers they said everyone filing taxes this year should know. Here are seven important ones: The Tax Deadline Filing Deadline This Year Is April 18 Unlike the last two years of the pandemic when the IRS moved the tax filing deadline to July (2020) and May (2021), this year’s deadline to file your taxes is April 18. That is much closer to the April 15 date we all know and have
become accustomed to over the years. You Can File Your Taxes Online for Free The IRS is providing the option for you to file your taxes online at no coast via the IRS Free File Program. The IRS also provides a service to taxpayers called Volunteer Income Tax Assistant Program (VITA). The program allows taxpayers to get in-person tax filing assistance from certified tax professionals in their community for free. This year, due to the pandemic, some of the VITA professionals are offering virtual tax preparation sessions. For customer support, Rettig is also discouraging taxpayers from contacting the agency via telephone. He said they should use the website instead. The IRS gets about 1 million calls a day and it only employs about 15,000 people to service the phone lines. The service is mainly for people who don’t have access to broadband or the internet, the Commissioner said. Mistakes Could Delay Your Return Corbin said it is important for people to be accurate when filing their taxes. Inaccurate filings mean the IRS has to schedule an employee to contact the filer, which will cause a delay. “We urge taxpayers to take care, particularly for those who received a third economic impact payment or an Advanced Child Tax Credits in 2021,” he said. “Taxpayers should ensure the amounts they receive are entered correctly on the tax return.” “This slows down the return process,”
Rettig added, explaining that the automated system pushes filings with incorrect figures. “Last year we had 10 million returns that didn’t match.” To get ahead of the problem this year, the IRS issued letters to taxpayers indicating the total amount received in 2021 by filers that were eligible for Advanced Child Tax Credits. Taxpayers can also create an account at IRS.Gov to verify the amount they received. Rettig said the IRS still owes people who received the Advanced Child Tax Credits between July and December 2021, but they have to make sure all the information they include in their tax returns is correct. “Know that was only half, of the advance tax credit they should receive,” he said. “To receive the other half, they must file a tax return with us.” More Married Couples and Singles Qualify for Earn Income Credit This year, Corbin says more families qualify for Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), which is federal tax relief for filers with low to moderate annual incomes. “Workers with qualifying dependents may be eligible for EITC if their earned income was less than $57,414,” he said. “The maximum EITC for those with no dependents is $1,502. That’s up from over $500 in 2020.” The annual income requirement to qualify for EITC for taxpayers without dependents is $21,430 for single filers, and $27,380 for those filing joint returns. “In the past, EITC for those with no
dependents was only available to people ages 25 to 64,” he added. You also don’t need to be under the age of 65 any longer to qualify for EITC without a qualifying dependent, and individuals and families who received investment income up to $10,000 may also qualify. Homeless and Former Foster Youth Qualify for EITC Homeless and former foster youth who are at least 18 years old also quality for EITC this year. The minimum age is 19 for most taxpayers and 18 for former foster youth and youth experiencing homelessness. Beware of Scams Corbin says tax filers should beware of scams. “The IRS will not call you by phone without a notice in advance. Don’t accept a text, a call, especially if they ask for bank info or to pay with a gift card. That is a scam,” he said. “Those are the things we are seeing this season.” The IRS Is Hiring Rettig said the IRS, which is still processing a backlog of about 6 million tax returns from the last two years, is currently hiring. “We want to be reflective of the people we proudly serve,” the Commissioner said, touting the agency’s commitment to diversity. He said the IRS wants to employ people, including those who speak more than one language, who are able to communicate with taxpayers from all backgrounds. For more information, visit USAJobs.Gov.
Page 7
February 10-16, 2022 Continued from page 4: Calif. Black...
ways on the needs and concerns of Black Women and Girls in California, they explain. The forum had four panel discussions, each one centered on the major themes of the report, which were: Political Participation; Work and Family; Health and Wellness; Employment and Earn-ing; Poverty and Opportunity; Organizational Spotlight; Educa-tion; Violence and Safety; and Black Women and Aging. Au-thors who contributed to the study each spent time diving into the details of their essays. The discussion was co moderated by Regina Wilson, executive director of CBM. Kristin McGuire, Executive Director of the Young Invincible wrote The Power of Next. Her essay highlighted the need to fo-cus on young women leaders. “To move forward we must be intentional about developing the power of the next generation. There are several ways to unleash the promise of the next generation of Black leaders. It can be policy-focused as well as interpersonal in nature,” she wrote. Ms. McGuire told the audience during the forum that her essay was motivated by the need to look at who was best qualified to lead. “Who better to lead than people directly impacted,” she said. “Black women are disproportionately impacted.” Shakari Byerly, of Evitarus was the other co-moderator. She questioned, “Why is work and family along with employment and earnings important issues for Black women?” Jonie Ricks-Oddie, Director of the UCI Center for Statistical Consulting,
PUBLIC NOTICE
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case # 21TRCP00455 ALL INTERESTED PERSONS Petitioner: Tianique A. James, has filed a petition with the Superior Court Of California, County Of Los Angeles, 825 Maple Ave., Torrance, CA 90503, to change his name. FROM: Tianique A. James – TO: Ayanna James Kimani
Tianique
THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing on, March 11, 2022, 8:30 AM, Dept. M, to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name change described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Publication Dates: Feb 10,17, 24; Mar 3, 2022
PUBLIC NOTICE
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2022021808 The following Person is doing business as:
First Response Healthcare, First Response Health Care, 1st Response Healthcare, 1st Response Health Care 11035 S. Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90303 Registered Owner(s): First Response Healthcare, Inc. Doctor Of Nursing Practice, 11035 S. Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90303 This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on January 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.) First Response Healthcare, Inc., Doctor Of Nursing Practice, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk on January 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 February 10, 17, 24; March 3, 2022 IT0042230120020186 Inglewood Today
answers that in her essay titled, The Balancing Act and the Support Needed. She writes about the near circus act Black women perform on a regular basis maintaining their fami-lies and careers. Can Black women have it all? “For Black women, this balancing act has gone way past the breaking point. With nearly 80% of Black mothers with children under six participating in the workforce, the highest workforce participation of any racial/ethnic group, the challenges facing their ability to remain in the workforce remain,” she wrote. Ricks-Oddie’s answer to the problem entails “addressing the complexities of working families, particularly working Back families with female headed households. It is going to require both legislative and non-legislative solutions.” She told the audience, “There are a lot of things employers can do to improve our quality of life (allow telecommuting and hy-brid work options). Some of that can be creating cultural aware-ness of the needs of families. Dispelling the stigma associated with asking for a flexible schedule and alternative arrangements to handle the responsibilities of caregiving.” Ricks-Oddie reflected on her experiences during the COVID pandemic. Her husband is an essential health care provider. They have two children. The responsibility for childcare was hers. She explained that if she had a regular 9-to-5 job she would not have been able to stay home with her children. She recommends the following, “Employers can build work-place policies, benefits and programs that provide coaching, wellness, and support services to support caregiver well-being. Additionally, employers can review their current leave policies to ensure that they are meeting the current and future needs of their staff.” Dr. Colette Harris Mathews, Founder/ Principal DEIB Consultant at Harris Mathews Consulting wrote about the challenges Black women face becoming the most educated group in America. Her essay is entitled, Education’s Part in the Disruption of Suc-cess for Black Women.
JOIN OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
FOR INSTANT NEWS
SIGN UP AT WWW.INGLEWOODTODAY.COM
OR SCAN THIS CODE
“The journey to college is mythical for most Black girls in Cali-fornia. Our Nation has a long history of racial trauma and dis-criminatory behavior toward Black students). The urgency of closing the pay and wealth gap makes Black girls’ path to col-lege particularly alarming due to the role Black women often play in being the primary breadwinner in Black households,” she wrote. Black girls are further challenged with disproportionate punish-ments while in school. “For Black girls, the highest suspension disparity was also in early childhood education where they are 3.56 times more likely to be suspended than the statewide average for this age demographic. Based on 2018-2019 data, there were nine Sacramento County Unified School District schools that suspended 15% or more of their Black female students,” she explained. Carlene Davis spoke about the needs of aging Black women. Her essay written with Kiara Pruitt is titled, Enhancing the Ex-perience of Growing Older for Black Women in the Golden State. They brought their lived experiences to the creation of Sistahs Aging with Grace & Elegance (SageSistahs). It was cre-ated to provide Black women with knowledge, strategies, tools, resources, and sister support to live fully empowered lives as older and aging women. “From a health perspective, in addition to the myriad of ways in which COVID-19 has and continues to ravage
the Black com-munity, it is important to note that Black women are also dispro-portionately impacted by the intersectional issues of Alz-heimer’s/ other dementias and family caregiving,” they wrote. In California, according to the report, the population aged 60 years and over is growing at three times the rate of the popula-tion overall and, by 2026, the number of Californians over the age of 65 is expected to increase by 2.1 million (as compared to an increase of approximately 500,000 for those 25-64 years old). “We may find ourselves not only having to make room in our hearts but also in our empty spare rooms for our sister friends in crisis,” she told the audience. “We must plan and prepare for full lives that can turn frail at a moment’s notice.” The issues forum was created to improve “the lives of Black Women and Girls throughout California and to ensure we don’t get left out of the conversation,” explained Griffin. “So often we are behind the scenes doing the work to help all communities thrive but there is still a need to focus on our spe-cific issues to ensure there is intentionality to making sure change happens for us and our communities. That is why it was imperative to have this report center around the intersection of gender, race and location,” Griffin added. The report can be found at www. cablackwomenscollective.com.
Page 8 Continued from page 4: SoCal Black...
Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) will start playing in the $1.2 billion Intuit Dome being built in Inglewood in 2024. Next to SoFi Stadium, NFL Media moved its office from Culver City into a 2000,000-square-foot facility for its NFL Network, NFL.com, NFL app, NFL Game Pass, and NFL Redzone brands. “This moment, this moment in time is the ultimate of my career,” Butts said during the Inglewood City Council meeting on Feb. 2. “I walk in the morning, in the last two days people will stop, roll down their windows and talk about how proud they are to live in Inglewood.” The Inglewood sports and entertainment complex is on the former grounds of the Hollywood Park racetrack. Under Butts Inglewood is experiencing a business and cultural renaissance. In October, the L.A. Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Program (YOLA) relocated to Inglewood in the 25,000-square-foot Judith and Thomas L Beckmen Center. The Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles have also moved from Marina del Rey to Inglewood. In addition, Inglewood will host the 2023 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship College Football Bowl game and present the opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics World Games in 2028. The city of Inglewood announced that masks will be required at the Super Bowl game and spectators must show proof they’ve been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19 upon entry into SoFi Stadium. For more Super Bowl 56 and traffic impact information, text ‘INGSB to 888-777 or visit www.cityofinglewood. org.
February 10-16, 2022
Note to Pres. Biden: Build Local Media Back With Real Dollars, Not Tax Credits
Dr. John Warren | Special to California Black Media Partners
When the Build Back Better Act passed the House of Representatives last year, there was some excitement about a provision in it authorizing a payroll tax credit for local news organizations. If the bill had not died in the U.S Senate last month, it would have provided tax savings for local media outlets amounting to nearly $1.7 billion over 10 years. Supporters of the bill in the U.S Congress have vowed to bring it up again this year with the hope of funding a range of social, economic, education health and national security priorities. Researchers at the University of North Carolina Hussman School of Media and Journalism found that there
are at least 200 counties in the U.S. lacking a local newspaper and the Pew Research Center reported a decline from 71,000 journalism positions in 2008 to 31,000 in 2020, a 57 % drop. The dismantling of local news reporting has diminished its role in providing important public oversight that holds our government accountable; promotes fairness, honesty, equity and justice; and preserves the integrity of our democracy. So, the decline in local papers is real and disturbing. But those pushing a payroll tax credit for media outlets as the answer to the problem are way off the mark. The legislation and the discussion around it miss a very important point concerning small community newspapers, in general, and Black newspapers in particular, which have now been in existence for195 years. Many of our small local newspaper businesses operate at a loss. We do not need a tax credit. We have a hard time making payroll. As a result, most small newspapers hire journalists as independent contractors because they can’t afford payroll taxes and benefits. So, how would a payroll tax credit benefit us? The solution for helping cashstrapped media outlets, and, by extension, solving the crisis facing local media businesses across the country, requires generating sufficient revenues that would allow us to hire journalists and other staff either on payroll or as independent contractors. If the President and the Congress
really want to help small newspapers, which have declined from 5,000 community newspapers a few decades ago to less than 2,000 today, there is fix that can be a win-win for all those concerned. The President should issue an executive order requiring all bids for government contracts under the Build Back Better Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) to adhere to Title V of the U.S. Code’s Administrative Procedures Act, which requires the publication of “Notice” under due process. Those notices must also be inclusively published in local newspapers as a mandate so that small businesses and independent contractors are aware when government contracts are announced, allowing them to compete in the procurement process. The publication of such notices in local newspapers would bring both awareness and dollars to the communities of Main Street. Those dollars would help local newspapers hire journalists in a way far more meaningful than tax credits to people who already can’t afford payrolls. The President could make such an executive order so inclusive that the benefit would be far reaching and felt immediately. Perhaps Vice President Kamala Harris, who is from California and familiar with the Black Press, and Mr. Cedric Richmond, Domestic Policy Advisor to the President from New Orleans, might be helpful in making the case for such an executive order. About the Author Dr. John E. Warren is the Publisher of The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint newspaper.