Issuu

January 31, 2019

VOL. 34, No. 05

Local and National in Brief

Pacific Gas & Electric Corp., filed for bankruptcy (BK) protection, facing $30 billion in damages from California wildfires. The BK could potentially leave thousands of wildfire victims without compensation. LAPD’s Metro Division makes most of its vehicle stops in South Los Angeles, which is almost one-third African American. From 2016 to 2018, the share of black drivers they stopped in South L.A. was double that of their share of the population. When Trump’s State of the Union address eventually happens, Democrat leadership has selected Stacey Abrams to offer the rebuttal, giving the near-winner of the gubernatorial race in Georgia, the national stage. Building plans for the Hawthorne Plaza mall envision a mega mixed-use development with more than 1 million square feet of commercial space with a movie theater, gym, restaurants, bowling alley and other entertainment options among large and small retailers as well as offices and 600 housing units, calling for new construction to begin there early next year. About 250 million people, or 77% 5

Inglewood, California, the future home of the Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment Complex, and the new home of the Los Angeles Rams, is rooting for the Rams to defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl this Sunday. World famous Randy’s Donuts, one of the city’s most popular landmarks, has received a Los Angeles Rams makeover to display the city’s support.

HOST SUPER BOWL SEND OFF:

LOS ANGELES STADIUM AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT Francis Taylor, Asst. Editor

On Sunday, January 27, 2019, the Los Angeles Rams hosted a Super Bowl send off party for tens of thousands of local fans at the site of the Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park, or LASED (short for Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District]). It will be an open-air ETFE-roof-covered stadium and entertainment complex district that is under construction on Prairie Avenue. Planned to open in 2020, the stadium will serve as the home to the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). It is also scheduled to host Super Bowl LVI in February 2022 and the College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2023. During the 2028 Summer Olympics, the stadium is expected

to host the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as soccer. Archery will be held on the grounds outside the stadium.

On January 5, 2015, Stockbridge Capital, the owners of the Hol-

lywood Park Land Company, announced that it had partnered with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment to add the northern 60-acre parcel to the rest of the development project and build a multi-purpose 70,240seat stadium designed for the NFL. The project will include the stadium of up to 100,240 seats (including standing room-only seats) and a performance entertainment venue of up to 6,000 seats while reconfiguring the previously approved Hollywood Park plan for up to 900,000 square feet of retail, 800,000 square feet of office space, 2,500 new residential and condo units, a 300-room luxury hotel and 25 acres of public parks, playgrounds, open space, a lake and pedestrian, 5 bicycle and massJOIN US ON

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WILLIE BROWN DATED KAMALA HARRIS

January 31, 2019

USA TODAY

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown addressed his past relationship with Sen. Kamala Harris in a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle on Saturday and acknowledged giving her appointments that furthered her career. “Yes, we dated. It was more than 20 years ago,” wrote Brown, who said he had “been peppered with calls from the national media about my ‘relationship’ with Kamala Harris, particularly since it became obvious that she was going to run for president.” Harris’ office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment on Brown’s letter to the Chronicle. Brown was married at the time he and Harris dated, but – because he had been “estranged from his wife” Blanche Brown since 1981, according to People magazine –the relationship was not kept secret. A Sacramento Bee reporter told People that Brown “had a succession of girlfriends” and would “go to a party with his wife on one arm and his girlfriend on the other.” 2020: Harris announces presidential bid on ‘Good Morning America’

A 1994 Los Angeles Times report about then-California Assembly Speaker Brown’s “rush to hand out patronage jobs” described Harris as Brown’s “frequent companion” and said several people referred to her as Brown’s girlfriend. That report also cited a column from the Chronicle’s Herb Caen that called Harris “the Speaker’s new steady.” When they met, she was 29 and Brown was 60. According to Caen, the couple split up in 1995, which “flabbergasted” those “who found Kamala the perfect antidote to whatever playboy tendencies still reside in the mayorelect’s jaunty persona.”

Although Brown supported Harris in her successful 2003 run for San Francisco district attorney, she tried to distance herself from him in that race, telling SF Weekly that Brown – whose career was dogged by corruption allegations – was an “albatross hanging around my neck.” “His career is over; I will be alive and kicking for the next 40 years. I do not owe him a thing,” she told SF Weekly, vowing, “If there is corruption, it will be prosecuted.” Among the issues that followed Harris from her time with Brown was the allegation of cronyism in his appointment of her to two well-pay-

ing posts. “Yes, I may have influenced her career by appointing her to two state commissions when I was Assembly speaker,” Brown wrote Saturday. Brown was the speaker from 1980 to 1995, prior to his stint as San Francisco mayor. Brown appointed Harris to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and then to the Medical Assistance Commission– positions that paid her more than $400,000 over five years, according to SF Weekly. Brown also gave Harris a BMW. “And I certainly helped with her first race for district attorney in San Francisco,” he said in his Chronicle letter Saturday.. “I have also helped the careers of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and a host of other politicians,” he added. “The difference is that Harris is the only one who, after I helped her, sent word that I would be indicted if I ‘so much as jaywalked’ while she was D.A.,” Brown wrote. “That’s politics for ya.”

JOE BIDEN: WHITE AMERICA ‘HAS TO ADMIT

THERE’S STILL A SYSTEMIC RACISM’ Francis Taylor, Asst. Editor

Former Vice President Joe Biden, speaking at a breakfast recently in Washington honoring Martin Luther King Jr., said that white Americans need to acknowledge and admit the fact that systemic racism still exists and must be rooted out. “The bottom line is we have a lot to root out, but most of all the systematic racism that most of us whites don’t like to acknowledge even exists,” Biden said at an event hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network. “We don’t even consciously acknowledge it. But it’s been built into every aspect of our system.” He continued, “Because when your schools are substandard, when your houses are undervalued, when your car insurance costs more for no apparent reason, when poverty rates for black Americans is still twice that of white Americans, ... there’s something we have to admit. Not you -- we -- White America has to

admit there’s a still a systematic racism. And it goes almost unnoticed by so many of us.” Biden also expressed optimism that positive change is on its way; referencing the historic nature of the presidential inauguration he attended 10 years ago this weekend, when Barack Obama became the nation’s first African-American president. “There I was; it just hit me, standing, waiting for a black man to come 28 miles from Philadelphia to pick me up and take me on a 128-mile ride to be sworn in as president and vice president United States. Don’t tell me; don’t tell me things can’t change!” Biden said to applause. The former vice president is the subject of intense speculation over whether or not he will mount a presidential campaign in 2020 to try to unseat President Donald Trump. While he did not move closer to announcing a presidential bid Monday, another presidential contender,

former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, stoked further speculation about both his and Biden’s presidential plans during comments at the same Washington event. “Whatever the next year brings for Joe and me and I know we’ll both keep our eyes on the real prize and

that is electing a Democrat to the White House in 2020, and getting our country back on track,” Bloomberg said. “I haven’t had a chance yet to talk to the Vice President at length today but I did want to get some pointers from him on how it’s like to live in Washington, D.C.”

January 31, 2019

Small business, big impact.

U.S. Bank supports the small businesses and business development programs that build and sustain our community. We value the role small businesses play in providing jobs, contributing to local charities, and shaping the identity of our community. Local businesses are proof that with vision and determination, we can create our own possibilities. usbank.com/communitypossible U.S. Bank is proud to support the City of Inglewood. Inglewood Branch 336 W. Century Blvd. Inglewood, CA 90303-1305 310.695.4300

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Page 4

WONDER WHY

ROGER STONE ASKED TRUMP TO

PARDON MARCUS GARVEY

Francis Taylor, Asst. Editor

There have been no reports of Trump addressing the case of Marcus Garvey, who was indicted for mail fraud by the Department of Justice and was imprisoned for two years, then deported to Jamaica, despite a written appeal from his recently arrested and longtime friend Roger Stone.. Garvey was born in Jamaica in 1887 and arrived in New York in 1916. He wanted to unite blacks across the globe, but he had the biggest footprint in the U.S., according to History.com. He founded the Negro World newspaper, a worldwide shipping company and the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), which during the 1920s and World War I became the biggest black secular group in history, possibly reaching one million members. Among Garvey’s goals were to bring an end to imperialist rule and modernize African societies. In 1920, he oversaw the UNIA’s first international convention, aimed at uniting black militant efforts to overcome class divisions. “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots,” Garvey famously said. Garvey’s organization provided a haven to some blacks, but ultimately failed to unite them. As Garvey’s movement was weakening, the Justice Department indicted him for mail fraud, and he was convicted in 1923. He was put in prison two years later, and deported to his homeland in 1927. Garvey failed to bring the

UNIA back to life, and he relocated to London, where he died. A “Justice4Garvey” campaign was launched by Garvey’s son Julius Garvey during former President Barack Obama’s tenure, but it was largely abandoned after Trump took office.

“We have not pursued it with the current president or the Department of Justice,” Julius Garvey told The Daily Beast. “I’m not sure of the direction [Trump] is going in with his pardons. It seems he is responding more to celebrities more than out of a reason of social justice. So I don’t know if my father fits in that context.” The White House did not respond to a request for comment from The Daily Beast or Newsweek on Friday.

January 31, 2019

TRUMP’S $1.5 TRILLION

TAX CUT: NO ‘TRICKLE DOWN!’

News Service

The Trump administration’s $1.5 trillion tax cut package appeared to have no major impact on businesses’ capital investment or hiring plans, despite predictions that the massive fiscal stimulus package would boost investment and job growth, according to a survey released a year after the biggest overhaul of the tax code in more than 30 years.

The National Association of Business Economics’ quarterly business conditions poll, published on Monday, found that while some companies reported accelerating investments because of lower corporate taxes, 84 percent of respondents said they had not changed plans. That compares to 81 percent in the previous survey published in October. The White House had predicted that the massive fiscal stimulus package, marked by the reduction in the corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent, would boost business spending and job growth. The tax cuts came into effect in January 2018. “A large majority of respondents,

84 percent, indicate that one year after its passage, the corporate tax reform has not caused their firms to change hiring or investment plans,” said NABE President Kevin Swift. The lower tax rates, however, had an impact in the goods producing sector, with 50 percent of respondents from that sector reporting increased investments at their companies, and 20 percent saying they redirected hiring and investments to the United States from abroad. The NABE survey also suggested a further slowdown in business spending after moderating sharply in the third quarter of 2018. The survey’s measure of capital spending fell in January to its lowest level since July 2017. Expectations for capital spending for the next three months also weakened. “Fewer firms increased capital spending compared to the October survey responses, but the cutback appeared to be concentrated more in structures than in information and communication technology investments,” said Swift, who is also chief economist at the American Chemistry Council. According to the survey, employment growth improved modestly in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the third quarter. Just over onethird of respondents reported rising employment at their firms over the past three months, up from 31 percent in the October survey. The survey’s forward-looking measure of employment slipped to 25 in January from 29 in October.

serious complications, like pneumonia. Nancy Messionnier, director, CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases said. “There’s incorrect information about the safety of the MMR vaccine, and its association with autism, which is 100% false. ... This is one of

the most highly contagious diseases out there, but it’s balanced against one of the most effective vaccines out there, [which is] 97% effective.” — Anthony Fauci, director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Between the lines: 8 Some of the main fac-

EXPERTS SOUND ALARM

ON MEASLES

Francis Taylor, Asst. Editor

A growing anti-vaccination movement against measles has led to a resurgence of cases, currently focused in the Pacific Northwest and New York and unless doctors and the public step up to counteract the vocal opposition to vaccines with evidence-based facts, there is a serious concern that infectious diseases like measles could return full-force. Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency Jan. 25 after multi-county cases caused a “public disaster.” There were 36 cases reported on Monday. The nearby city of Portland in Oregon is also concerned, as there have been dozens of possible exposure locations, ranging from a Portland Trail Blazers game to a children’s

museum. In 2018, there were 349 cases reported in 26 states and D.C., including outbreaks in New York and New Jersey where many were unvaccinated people in Orthodox Jewish communities. Several of these outbreaks (defined as 3 or more cases) are continuing into 2019, including in NYC and Rockland County, N.Y. Public health officials are concerned the pro-vaccination message isn’t getting through and as they see outbreaks of measles like this one, it’s a reminder to parents that many diseases rarely seen in the United States can affect their unvaccinated children. In some cases, children with measles may go on to develop

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January 31, 2019 Continued from page 1: Local and National News in Brief

PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

DO YOU PREFER PRINT OR DIGITAL NEWS? Every day brings more cuts in the print journalism industry. Newspapers around the world have been dying in slow motion for two decades now. In the U.S., weekday print circulation has shrunk from a high of nearly 60 million in 1994 to 35 million for combined print and digital circulation today — 24 years of decline. Advertising revenue has cratered, falling from $65 billion in 2000 to less than $19 billion in 2016. Newsroom employment fell nearly 40 percent between 1994 and 2014. But print journalism plays a far more vital role in local communities than many realize. Newspapers are reliable sources for updates on local jobs, crime, housing, government activities, taxes, school and zoning information, community events, and much more. Many have forgotten about the importance of newspapers, but I hope you value the importance of INGLEWOOD TODAY in the community. We are committed to covering not only significant local news but also a

glimpse of the national and sometimes international news that we believe may have an impact on Inglewood residents. We have launched an internet platform for those who prefer to get their news on their cell phone or laptop. We believe there will also be an ongoing desire for some to get news and information from printed media. We would like to hear from you. Let me know if you still read the newspaper regularly or if you prefer to get your news elsewhere. Without newspapers, local scandals and crimes would not be reported. Without newspapers, local business would struggle due to lack of publicity. Without newspapers, local health dangers would not be identified in a timely manner. Newspapers are critically important and are a key source for local and regional news. That’s why I need to know your response. Do you still read the newspaper? Thank you for letting us know.

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of the continental US population, will face temperatures below freezing this week. Of those, 90 million will endure temperatures below zero and a staggering 25 million Americans could see temperatures fall to 20 degrees below zero. For the second straight year, the Treasury Department will have to borrow $1 trillion to pay for the government’s growing budget deficit, a consequence of juiced government spending and smaller revenues as a result of the late 2017 tax cuts. 56% of Americans say they definitely wouldn’t vote to re-elect Trump, double the number who say they’d definitely vote for him. James Ingram, the Ohio-born R&B singer whose soulful baritone voice dominated the charts throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, has died at the age of 66….. Ernie Banks, known worldwide as Mr. Cub and one of baseball’s most ebullient and optimistic ambassadors, died Friday. Rep. Karen Bass Elected To Chair House Subcommittee On Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

PLACE YOUR DBAS, PROBATES, TRUSTEE NOTICES, LEGAL NOTICES, SUMMONS AND MORE IN

INGLEWOOD TODAY PRINT & ONLINE CALL: 310.670.9600

Continued from page 1: Los Angeles Rams Host Super Bowl Send Off: Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District

transit access for future services. The stadium would be ready by 2019. On February 24, 2015, the Inglewood City Council approved the stadium plan and the initiative with construction on the stadium planned to begin in December 2015. The NFL approved the Inglewood proposal and the Rams’ relocation back to Los Angeles, 30–2, on January 12, 2016. On July 14, 2016, it was announced that Turner Construction and AECOM would oversee construction of the stadium. The NFL announced that NFL Media will add 200,000 square feet of space to the LA Stadium campus and move from its current facility in Culver City around 2021. In addition to office and studio space, the new facility also will feature NFL Media’s first outdoor studio and studio space to host live audiences. The stadium is being built privately, but the developer is seeking significant tax breaks from Inglewood. The cost of the stadium project was originally estimated to be approximately $2.66 billion upon the commencement of construction. However, internal league documents produced by the NFL in March 2018 indicated a need to raise the debt ceiling for the facility to a total of $4.963 billion, making it one of the most expensive venues ever built.

WATCH THE CITY OF INGLEWOOD 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW VIDEO AT: www.inglewoodtoday.com

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER/ EDITOR Willie Brown VICE PRESIDENT Gloria Kennedy ASSISTANT EDITOR Francis Taylor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Francis Taylor Anne Cheek La Rose 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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Page 6

By Steve Finley

January 31, 2019

Photos by: Jordan Kelly

It takes the right combination of players, coaches and front office administrators to make it to the championship game in any sport and at almost every level. When you start playing sports as a kid all the way through the professional ranks it takes a near perfect storm to reach the championship game. The winning puzzle piece for the Rams came when they signed their head coach Sean McVay two years ago. They already had a good owner in Stan Kroenke who was ready to sign players that the coaches felt would help them reach the next level. McVay was given the green light to bring in players he felt would help his team win now. Now his team is in the biggest game in America, the Super Bowl. They will play the New England Patriots Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on Channel 2 in Atlanta. Only thing better than this is to come away with a victory against probably the best

player in NFL history, New England quarterback Tom Brady. “We have done a lot this year,” said Rams offensive left tackle, Andrew Whitworth as he stood in their locker room last Saturday in Thousand Oaks. “We have been together all season now we have an opportunity to try and win a Super Bowl together.” To win the game the Rams will need to pressure Brady and probably sack him at least three or four times. This will be Brady’s ninth Super Bowl and his offensive line protects him like a mother bear protects her cubs. The Ram’s defense will have to play their best game of the season if they expect to beat the Patriots. Defensive coach Wade Phillips will have to show Brady something that he has not seen before and that’s going to be hard because the 41 year old Brady has seen a lot of defenses. Ram’s defensive linemen

Rams quarterback Jared Goff will lead his offense against Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Here he gets ready to throw a pass.

Michael Brockers, Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald will need to put pressure on Brady and their defensive backs, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, John Johnson and Lamarcus Joyner will need to stop the Patriots short passing game. The Rams had a dynamic offense all season behind the play of quarterback Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley, receivers Brandon Cooks and Robert Woods and a strong offensive line but the players everyone forgets to talk about is kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Johnny Hekker. Zuerlein kicked the winning field goal against the Saints on January 20, in overtime to help the Rams reach the Super Bowl and Hekker has been one of the best punters in the NFL last few years. McVay had this to say about Zuerlein at the Rams Training

Rams wide receiver Brandon Cooks makes a over-the-shoulder catch against the Saints two weeks ago in New Orleans.

Facility in Thousand Oaks last Saturday. “As soon as you come across the 50 yard line you feel like you can come away with points. His resolve and his mental toughness are great. He is a really productive player and he has been outstanding. We would not be here without him.” McVay knows the magnitude of this game and all of the activities leading up to the game but he wants his players to remember to stay focused. “We want to have great focus and great concentration. Enjoy the opportunity, be smart, but let us not forget we are here to try to win a football game.”

The Lakers hope to have LeBron James,center, back in the lineup when they travel to the bay area to face the Warriors on Saturday.

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January 31, 2019

EYE ON THE CITY

AROUND THE CITY GEORGE DOTSON

ALEX PADILLA

JAMES BUTTS

ELOY MORALES

RALPH FRANKLIN

GOLDEN STATE WATER

COMPANY COMMENDATION

GO RAMS! Mayor Butts opened the weekly council meeting be reading a certificate of commendation council members prepared for Golden State Water Company for their partnership with the city and the extraordinary support they have provided for Council District 4 and the City of Inglewood. From the thousands of turkeys they have provided to Inglewood families to the toys they donated to Inglewood elementary students, they have consistently demonstrated their support for the citizens of Inglewood. Council adopted a resolution ratifying appointments to the South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBWIB) and approved a Waiver and General Release for retired Police Service Canine, Mack. Council approved Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. 18-129 with Enterprise Security, Inc., to enhance security by installing additional access card readers at various locations used by Police Personnel, and upgrade other areas within the existing

access control system. (General and Public Safety Grant Funds) Council awarded a contract and approved an agreement with JCI Jones Chemical, Inc., for the supply and delivery of liquid chlorine to the City of Inglewood, Sanford T. Anderson Water Treatment Plant. (Water Fund) Council rejected all bids received for the Emergency Water Systems Repairs and Services Project, per Bid No. CB-18-26 and approved a First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Agreement with Machineous LLC increasing the contract by an additional $85,000 (total contract amount of $938,600) to complete additional landscaping work not previously contemplated in the Second Amended and Restated Agreement. (Bond Funds) Council approved the Purchase and Sale Agreement between the City of Inglewood and La Brea and Century Plaza, a Limited Partnership, to secure 159 square feet of right of way from the larger parcel located at 10001 Hawthorne Boulevard, need-

LEGAL NOTICES Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019023687 The following Person is doing business as:

FLASHSTARPHOTOBOOTH 1876 W. 94TH PLACE LOS ANGELES, CA 90047 Registered Owner(s): Hugo Franco, 1876 W. 94th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90047 This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on January 28, 2019. 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.) Hugo Franco, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk on January 28, 2019. 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 January 31; February 7, 14,21, 2019 IT004223012002046 Inglewood Today

ed to implement the Century Boulevard Mobility Improvement Project, subarea 3 and the Purchase and Sale Agreement between the City of Inglewood and Centinglewood, LLC, to secure 1,380 square feet of right of way from the larger parcel located at 4801 Century Boulevard, needed to implement the Century Boulevard Mobility Improvement Project, subarea 3. During the public comments Inglewood Police Department community service officer Cinder-Eller, presented the results of the recently conducted Inglewood Homeless count, reporting that last year, 187 homeless persons were counted and 73 living in their vehicle while the 2019 numbers dipped dramatically to 94 homeless and 31 living in vehicles. She presented the 2018 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count that indicated overall homelessness rose by one percent, including a six percent rise in vehicular homelessness; the South Bay’s unsheltered population is 56% larger than Skid Row’s; and, the number of chronic homelessness persons decreased by 31 percent. Councilmember Dotson invited residents to participate in the Feb-

ruary 9th document shredding event and reported on the enormously successful Los Angeles Rams send off event that was conducted Sunday morning before the team travelled to Atlanta to prepare for the Super Bowl. Go Rams! Councilmember Padilla thanked the staff and volunteers who participated in the Inglewood Homeless Count and commended CinderEller for her work in executing an effective count. Go Rams! Councilmember Franklin also commended Cinder-Eller and announced that the Children’s Dental Center, located at 300 E. Buckthorn, will conduct a free dental clinic on February 2nd, where they will perform a broad range of dental services. Go Rams! Councilmember Morales added his commendation to the Homeless Count team and announced he missed the Rams send-off because he was in his father’s hometown in Mexico where he was being honored for the work he has done for his community…like father, like son! Go Rams! Mayor Butts, in his inimitable style, expressed his pride in what the City of Inglewood has accomplished and the elevated stature the city has realized as a result of its transformation. Go Rams!

Maxine Waters

Rep. Commends

the

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, entered the following statement into the Congressional Record: “On Sunday, January 20, the Los Angeles Rams — who play at the Los Angeles Coliseum and will soon be housed in my Congressional District in the City of Inglewood — defeated the New Orleans Saints in the 2019 NFC Championship Game. The Rams won the opportunity to face off with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII on February 3 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Football is an all-American sport and is the most popular sport in America. As such, the Rams players are congratulated by all of their hometown fans and admirers across the country for their spectacular victory in becoming NFC Champions. I commend these players as well as the players and staff of all NFL teams for their tremendous talent and for exercising their first amendment rights in support of criminal justice reform.”

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January 31, 2019

FUTURE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT STAKE: HOUSE DEMOCRATS BRINGING SCRUTINY TO BETSY DEVOS AP

Wielding control of the House and a new set of investigative powers, Democrats are preparing to bring Education Secretary Betsy DeVos under the sharpest scrutiny she has seen since taking office. DeVos has emerged as a common target for Democrats as they take charge of the House and its committees, which carry the authority to issue subpoenas and call hearings. At least four panels are expected to challenge DeVos on her most polarizing policies, among them her overhaul of campus sexual assault rules and her rollback of for-profit college regulations. “We are going to hold Secretary DeVos accountable for, in so many ways, failing to uphold federal protections for our students,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat leading an appropriations subcommittee that oversees the education budget. “It has to do with hurting student borrowers, protecting predatory for-profit schools and, above all, moving toward privatizing public education.” DeVos is likely to see pushback from panels that oversee education, veterans’ affairs and government oversight. Without control of the Senate, Democrats will have a tough time forcing DeVos’ hand through legislation, but they can press her through subpoenas, hearings and the budgeting process. In contrast, DeVos was called before the House’s education committee just once over the last two years of Republican control. Much of the new scrutiny will come from Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, the top Democrat on the education com-

mittee, who said he will call DeVos to testify “as often as necessary.” “We have not been getting answers to most of our questions,” Scott said in an interview, recalling when Democrats were in a minority. “It’s kind of hard to do oversight when they’re not answering our questions.” Scott is particularly interested in exploring whether the Education Department is allowing states to skirt federal rules requiring them to address achievement gaps between students of different races. President Donald Trump has dismissed Democrats’ scrutiny of his administration as nothing more than “harassment.” But Scott said he plans to work with Republicans on his own initiatives, including a push for federal money to update the nation’s aging school buildings. “The majority has certain powers, but hopefully we would have an ongoing dialogue,” Scott said. “Some of the hearings become spectacles that really don’t add to solving problems.” Part of the problem for Democrats will be picking their battles. They have opposed DeVos on nearly all of her major initiatives, including her proposed rules on the handling of campus sexual assaults, her support for arming school staff members and her revocation of federal guidance on school discipline. But DeVos’ greatest opposition could stem from her rollback of rules targeting for-profit colleges. As Trump pursues a broader effort to scale back regulation, she has sought to undo policies that the previous administration crafted to rein in for-profit colleges ac-

Continued from page 4: Experts Sound Alarm on Measles

tors behind the anti-vaxxer movement are disbelief that measles is such a bad disease, anti-government sentiment, a misguided sense that the vaccine can be harmful, and lack of accessibility. Pre-vaccine, measles was the cause of deafness, encephalitis or death for some children. People have forgotten how they “were clamoring” for a vaccine. Anti-vaccinism often goes hand in hand with suspicion of experts, government and Big Pharma and with conspiracy theories and scepticism about science generally. Part of this is due to fear the vaccine causes autism, which spiked when a small 1998 study linked the measles vaccine and autism (a study later found fraudulent and retracted). For instance, Ukraine’s current large outbreak (already 8,500 in 2019) is mainly due to unsubstantiated fears over safety, Bedford says. Those against vaccines voice is loud and they have powerful influ-

encers such as celebrities who attract media coverage. Messages can also spread in seconds around the world via social media. Overall, it is factors such as difficulties accessing services that play an important role in under-immunization, as a result of large families, poverty, [and] social disadvantage. Evidence-based science must be consistently promoted by clinicians and public health officials because science has demonstrated repeatedly that vaccines are highly effective and very safe. Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the measles virus. Symptoms usually develop 10–12 days after exposure to an infected person and last 7–10 days. Initial symptoms typically include fever, often greater than 40 °C (104.0 °F), cough, runny nose, and inflamed eyes. That message encouraging vaccination needs to be broadcast loudly and frequently!

cused of deceiving students. Among them are the now-defunct Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute chains. A federal judge blocked DeVos from scrapping a policy that makes it easier for defrauded students to get loans erased. But her department has not enforced a separate rule meant to weed out shoddy for-profit colleges. Most recently, DeVos drew criticism in November when she reinstated an industry accrediting group that federal officials shut down in 2016 over lax oversight. Scott has already vowed to dig into DeVos’ decision on the accreditor, and he’s joined by several other lawmakers concerned about for-profit college regulation. Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat chairing the veterans’ affairs committee, plans to hold hearings on the impact of DeVos’ policies on military veterans. Takano said looser oversight has allowed predatory schools to recruit veterans and collect their GI Bill funding while ultimately leaving them with poor job prospects. He also aims to investigate how for-profit colleges recruit on military

bases. “Where Secretary DeVos has been insidiously effective is in undermining rules and undermining protections for students,” he said. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, said he, too, will conduct rigorous oversight of the Education Department and for-profit colleges, and explore whether DeVos “exposed student borrowers to predatory practices and jeopardized their educational goals.” Beyond oversight, some House Democrats are optimistic they can reach a deal on the Higher Education Act, a sweeping federal law that governs student financial aid and could be revised to address topics like campus sexual assault and student debt forgiveness. “Ninety percent of our students are in public schools, and they need more resources to succeed,” said Rep. DeLauro, the Connecticut Democrat on the appropriations committee. “We should not be siphoning off taxpayer dollars, which are in demand, to pay for vouchers.”

Nonprofit Provides Flag

Football for

Inglewood

Yo uth By Hunter Lee

With the Forum in the background, kids from Kelso and Oak Street Elementary play flag football during the Up2Us Sports program for youth at Darby Park on Saturday, December 22, 2018 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham Up2Us Sports — a non-profit organization working to engage, train, and support today’s youth — brought its NFL Player Care Foundation (PCF) Pilot Program to Los Angeles with the inaugural Up2Us Sports & NFL Inglewood Bowl..