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July 1-7 2021 VOL. 36, No. 26
Frank Williams set to lead Public Policy Charter School Unique South LA campus offers rare curriculum “The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” – Abraham Lincoln
By Kenneth Miller, Publisher
If you keep driving north on Western Ave. you can easily miss it. If you move to fast going south you can’t see it. To the left is the famous Jacks breakfast spot and right across the street is another popular eatery.
Perched high above the boutique Public Policy Charter School (PPCS) campus located at 1701 Browning Blvd. is an enormous billboard which reads ‘Now Enrolling Grades 5-8’, ‘Your Legacy Starts HERE’. I didn’t even notice the sign until it
have a high school diploma and 47% only have a school diploma. I am trying to send 1005 to college completion. That’s revolutionary, uncontroversial, and to so many unrealistic. But also possible,” stated Williams. was point out by its incoming Executive Williams is very familiar with charter Director, Frank Williams. schools and before our interview started “In a zip code, 90062, where there is a spurting out the facts. dearth of opportunity and many times an “Charter schools are about 20 years absence of hope, I am trying to change the trajectory of the prospects for the Continued on page 7 youth future. Here 40% of adults only
State Approves Fair Pay to Play Act 2.0 EXCLUSIVE: Bill Cosby Urges
Clears ways for student-athletes to cash in IT News Wire
SACRAMENTO –Senate Bill 26 sailed through another hurdle, winning unanimous approval in the California Assembly Higher Education Committee, in the race to undo college sports’ opportunistic structure of governance and grip on college student athletes. For too long now, the structure and system in college sports has denied student athletes fair compensation while exploiting their hard work and skills; that is coming to an end. “Touchdown! Another score for California student athletes! Thanks to a unanimous vote by the Assembly Higher Education Committee, SB 26 is on its way to ending the NCAA’s
decades-long exploitation of California student athletes by setting the date to implement the Fair Pay to Play Act to September 1,” said Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), joint author of the bill with Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena). “Most importantly, changing the effective date of the Act ends the exploitation of students faster. But it also helps with this year’s recruitment cycle and will put the upcoming fall class of student athletes on the same level playing field with states that have a July 1st NIL implementation date,” said Senator Bradford. Continued on page 8
Black Press to ‘Push Forward’
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s ruling to vacate Bill Cosby’s conviction is not only about vindication for the comedian. For Cosby, it is now about helping other Black men who were falsely accused. He told the Black Press in an exclusive telephone conversation just hours after his release from a prison outside of Philadelphia. “This is an opportunity that the Black Press, the writers, the men, and the women have now an opportunity with great intelligence, with great foresight, with great after sight, not just about Mr. Cosby, it is about what you saw, it
is about what you know, and you must tell it, and you must be believed, and you have to put it in a way a level of intelligence,” Cosby insisted. He said it’s important that the NAACP’s Crisis Magazine also reports the truth of his case because it could assist many falsely accused African Americans who don’t have the notoriety or the means to fight their cases. The National Newspaper Publishers Association closely monitored both of Cosby’s trials in Pennsylvania, and not surprisingly, the reporting done by the Black Press of America proved far different from mainstream media’s accounts. Continued on page 7
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July 1-7 2021
Cali-Born Steelers Rookie Joins Gov. Newsom’s Efforts Against Homelessness and Hunger
Bo Tefu | California Black Media
Rookie Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris, who was born in Martinez and attended high school in the East Bay town of Antioch, came home last week to join Gov. Newsom in Santa Clara as he announced his efforts to address the state’s ongoing homelessness crisis and a new COVID19-related rental relief program. Harris, who was picked in the first round of the NFL draft about a month ago, is using his celebrity and resources to support low-income families experiencing homelessness and hunger
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through his nonprofit Da’ Bigger Picture Foundation. At the press conference with the governor, Harris shared his personal experience with homelessness and how that has inspired him to help others in similar situations. “Me my family we were all once homeless, moving around the Bay Area,” said Harris at the press conference. “San Francisco, Richmond. I lived in Pinole, Sacramento.” “We were evicted numerous times and had to stay in homeless shelters, friends’ houses, cars. But as a family, we stuck together and made it through these tough times,” he said. “Now I’m in a position to help out people. But a problem with no answer is just a problem,” Harris said referring to the state’s homelessness crisis. Harris has dedicated personal time and resources to address poverty focused on education, homelessness,
and food insecurity. He has also collaborated with Oakland native and former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch to address similar issues through fundraising initiatives and events. The state created Project Homekey, a California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) grant program that funded programs and institutions in cities and counties to secure shelter for unhoused people. It was a state initiative created to expand the scope of its programmatic predecessor, Project Roomkey. That effort was a temporary housing program implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the state, it was created to comply with the state’s shelter-in-place orders, provide spaces for people affected by COVID to recover and to serve as a first stop on a pathway to more permanent housing.
Through Roomkey, hotels and motels in California offered shelter for homeless people who were exposed to COVID-19 to recover and properly quarantine in an effort to minimize the strain on the healthcare system. Although Homekey provides interim housing, the state has secured over 6,000 additional housing units and bills that project as a pathway to permanent housing for homeless people. Gov. Newsom said that the state acknowledges that homeless people are unable to live, “a good life in an unjust society.” “You can sit there and point fingers or abdicate responsibility, but we have agency, we can shape the future decisions,” he said. California Black Media’s coverage of COVID-19 is supported by the California Health Care Foundation.
Reflections on America’s Independence Observance By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint
Because of where America stands today on the ever present issue of race, the following reflections are offered from the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, signed July 4, 1776. First, the Preamble, which has much bearing on where we stand today as a nation: “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, they should declare the causes which impel them to separation...” The Republican Party and all its state affiliates seeking to abolish voting and civil rights, have provided living proof that the political “Bands” they are connected to do not include us, as people of color. The voter suppression laws, murder of Black people by law
enforcement and the biased prision sentences for the murder of Blacks such as that given to Derrick Chavin, are clear proof that there is no belief that “that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Before we get too excited about the cookouts and holiday celebrations with fireworks across this great land, let us reflect on some of the words of Frederick Douglass which appear elsewhere in this issue as his Fourth of July Speech of 1852 in Rochester, New York. Let’s look at Independence as being incomplete because of the disparity that Douglass found between Black and White. Today such disparities exist at every level, in spite of the efforts of so many whites who have joined with Blacks in the struggle. Douglass asked in his speech: “Are the great principles of political freedom and natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence extended
to us?” It would appear that in 160 years, many of his questions remain unanswered. The inequality of slavery still exists today in the minds and behavior of many Americans who cannot accept that America is a melting pot of all nations. ”Out of many, one”. That melting pot includes people of color. The key requirement is that we as people of color must never accept less than equality in all things. While we may not technically be slaves, as reminded by the recent declaration of Juneteenth as a federal holiday, many of us are still mental slaves to mediocrity and the acceptance of less than what we should have. If some of us remain slaves to inequality and injustice, then the following question Douglass raised is appropriate today: “What to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To Continued on page 6
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July 1-7 2021
EYE ON THE CITY GEORGE DOTSON
ALEX PADILLA
JAMES BUTTS
ELOY MORALES
RALPH FRANKLIN
AROUND THE CITY
City Council Weekly Meeting By Francis Taylor, Sr. Writer
The council members adopted a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Annual Budget to cover the expenditures for the Park Restroom Improvement Project Phase I at Rogers Park. The council approved an agreement with the City of Los Angeles for acceptance of Fiscal Year 2020 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant funds in the amount of $171,074. The council awarded and approved an agreement with All American Asphalt to provide construction services for new Centinela Avenue Medians & ADA Improvements and Traffic Signal Modifications from La Cienega Boulevard to La Brea Avenue and Street Improvements from La Cienega Boulevard to Florence Avenue Project,
Fiscal Year 2020-2021, per Bid No. CB21-05, with funds derived from various sources and awarded and approved an agreement with Baker Electric, Inc. to provide construction services for the Traffic Signal Safety Improvement Project: La Brea Avenue and Prairie Avenue, per Bid No. CB-21-09. Staff report recommending approval of Agreement No. 2 to Agreement No. 20-084 for an additional two (2) years (with the option to extend the agreement one (1) additional year) with Trifiletti Consulting, Inc. for Program Management Services for the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) Project. The council received a review of the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Financial Statements and Single Audit for the City of Inglewood and the City of Inglewood Housing Authority.
Updated technology in parking meters will make downtown Inglewood parking safer and more convenient
By Brea Mitchell, Staff Writer
The days of frantically rushing back to the parking lot from your favorite restaurant to feed the parking meter more quarters are now over for those who take advantage of the PayByPhone mobile app that the city of Inglewood has recently introduced to its parking meters. The PayByPhone app will give users the luxury of paying their parking meter from their own mobile device, making
it easier to keep track of time left on the meter– which will inevitably cut down on irksome parking tickets. The app will send an alert to the user’s phone when the parking meter time is low, giving them the option to add more time to the meter from the palm of their hand, without having to walk outside of the establishment. Also, with the circulation of U.S. coins having been disrupted during the pandemic, sometimes it is simply
a nuisance to find quarters to feed a parking meter. The app makes credit card payments easy by keeping the user’s payment information saved on file for future payments. Using a personal mobile device for meter payments also ensures a contactless payment. And as Los Angelenos are re-entering a sense of
normalcy when it comes to leisurely outings and restaurant visits, continuing to make sanitary decisions is critical. The PayByPhone app is completely free to download on your smart phone mobile device from the Apple App Store, or Google Play Store for Android users.
NNPA Re-Elects Executive Committee of Five Black Women Publishers By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) completed its historic virtual convention by unanimously re-electing its all-Black women executive board. Houston Forward Times Publisher Karen Carter Richards earned a second term as the national chair of the NNPA. Meanwhile, the executive team of Atlanta Voice Publisher Janis L. Ware (First Vice-Chair); County News Publisher Fran Farrer (Second Vice-Chair); New Journal & Guide Publisher Brenda Andrews (Treasurer); and Mississippi Link Publisher Jackie Hampton (Secretary) also won the election to second terms for their respective positions. “I am excited about the next two trust from the other publishers in the “We are doing some great things,” years, and to have the support and the organization and for the five of us to run Carter Richards exclaimed.
uncontested says a whole lot.” The executive team has worked diligently since its election victory in 2019, helping to catapult the Black Press of America to arguably two of the most successful years in the NNPA’s 81-year history. In addition to the executive team, NNPA publishers also elected two board members-at-large: James Washington, the publisher of The Dallas Weekly in Texas, and Walter White, the publisher of The Dayton Defender in Ohio. “This was a historic and transformative national election of NNPA executive officers,” stated NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.” “And at-large board members won by unanimous consent of the membership of the nation’s largest and oldest trade Continued on page 6
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July 1-7 2021
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
Claudine Cooper’s weekly, free fitness class is a community-favorite – but roadblocks have occurred
By Brea Mitchell, Staff Writer
Decades ago, a high-school-aged, grief-stricken Claudine Cooper began to implement physical exercise into her daily routine, and it was at the advice of a therapist. Cooper had just lost a family member to homicide, and healthy coping mechanisms are critical when it comes to managing mental health. To experience such trauma during the formative years of life, in many cases it’s the response that can determine a life trajectory. At first, Cooper was dismissive of her therapist’s advice on exercise. “I thought that was terrible advice,” she recalls. But eventually– in the most highschool-aged-kid fashion– after a period of trying things her own way, Cooper surrendered to the professional. “I wasn’t feeling any better, so I decided to try her advice,” she says. She started taking walks around her urban community of Minneapolis, Minnesota. And friends and family began to join her. Hearing this part seems fitting, because even as she is now an adult, it’s easy to notice her influence and effortless popularity. People seem to flock to Claudine Cooper– like a natural gravitation. The walks were indeed helping. And they not only helped her, but her loved ones who tagged along also noticed benefits in their own lives. As teenaged-Cooper dipped her toe into a more fitness-conscious lifestyle, she eventually decided to apply for a job at her local gym, and was soon hired as a front desk employee. As time went on, the front desk job blossomed into the inevitable, and nearly thirty years later, Claudine Cooper is a beloved fitness instructor in Inglewood. But how did this midwestern native end up in Inglewood? Pure fate, perhaps. At the age of 18, Cooper left Minneapolis on a whim, mainly because she hated the harsh winters. She made a few stops and took a few detours along the way, briefly
living in other cities and states before finally landing in Southern California at the age of 25. “I didn’t know anything about L.A. I met somebody who lived in Inglewood. They brought me to Inglewood and I was like ‘Boom. This is what I’m talking about. This is where it feels like home. Hard-working people– people who are just friendly and normal.’ I fell in love with this town.” Soon after setting the intention that she would lay her foundation in Inglewood; Cooper made a friend in a Mid-City hair salon who helped her find the perfect Inglewood duplex to rent. The City of Champions has been her home ever since. Twenty years later, that duplex is in her rearview. She now lives in a house near the new SoFi Stadium with her husband and children. But her love for the city remains the same. Time has come and gone, but her devotion to Inglewood holds strong. And her devotion to the people is just as evident. Five years ago, while Cooper was a fitness instructor at the 24 Hour Fitness on Slauson Avenue, she received a Facebook message from a client who was letting her know that she could no longer afford a gym membership. The client briefly mentioned her financial hardship, and that the only thing she was going to miss about her 24 Hour Fitness membership was Cooper’s classes. Cooper replied to the message, “I’ll start teaching a free workout outside. Just come.” From here, the free outdoor classes began. It started with a group of six, outside of The Forum once a week– Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. But that location quickly fell through. The Forum was undergoing renovations at the time, so the premises was closed for safety reasons, among other things. They were told to leave. It was then that the group decided to move their workout sessions
to Inglewood’s Darby Park. At Darby Park, the small group of six began to continuously grow. The word had spread and this free, communitybased, outdoor fitness class was now hardly a secret. Then comes the year of 2020. Gyms everywhere were going dark due to pandemic safety precautions. Nearly 80 people were now regularly showing up for the class at Darby Park on Saturday mornings. “I had no intention of the workout growing to this magnitude. That was not my plan. I was trying to service someone who didn’t have access to a gym membership,” says Cooper. For years now, the community has loved and looked forward to Saturday mornings with Claudine Cooper. But, in 2021, feathers have been ruffled– particularly those who live in the nearby homes close to Darby Park. The pure, well-intentioned, community service that Cooper has been providing to those who perhaps don’t have the luxury of paying hundreds of dollars every month for a personal trainer, has been facing some neighborhood complaints.
According to a small number of nearby residents, the music from the class is just too loud to bear, even if it’s just once a week on a Saturday morning. The City of Inglewood Code Enforcement told her that she could teach the workouts without music. But what’s an exercise class without music? She recalls what the city official said to her, “You just can’t do this. You’re really disturbing someone. Someone is very upset about this.” It’s hard to shake the feeling that these complaints are actually coming from one disgruntled resident who feels the need to forge a campaign against people at the park who are using the park exactly what it’s meant to be used for: activity. But Claudine Cooper is nowhere near discouraged. She recognizes the good she’s done, and the people she’s helped who show up to the park on those Saturday mornings. And she knows she’ll continue to help people, even if minor adjustments will need to be made. “We’re in a time now where the squeaky wheel is going to get the grease– the person who’s the loudest. The people Continued on page 6
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July 1-7 2021
Sports & Entertainment Inglewood native Jamal Hill to represent Team USA swimming in upcoming Tokyo Paralympics
By Brea Mitchell, Staff Writer
The 2021 Tokyo Paralympics are set for August 24 through September 5. The Inglewood community is in for a treat with the opportunity to follow Jamal Hill as he embarks on his Paralympics debut where he will compete in the 50-meter Freestyle, 100-meter Freestyle, and the 100-meter Backstroke. He is currently ranked number 1 in the nation in his classification (S10), and has consistently held his place in the top 10
in the world. The 26-year-old attended Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, followed by Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. At the age of 23, Hill learned of his condition, ‘Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease’, which is an inherited disorder that causes nerve damage and affects the muscles in his arms and legs. In 2018, he earned his spot on the U.S. Paralympics Swimming National
Team and has won seven national titles since. In 2019, Hill competed in the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru, and brought home three medals. During his off-time, when he’s not training as the world-class athlete that he is, Hill’s hobbies and interests include business building, marketing, branding, picnics, reading, listening to audio books, coaching, and surfing. Hill has a goal to teach one million
people how to swim, and a promising plan is in place for him to do exactly that. He is a co-founder of the ‘Swim Up Hill Foundation’, which is dedicated to improving drowning prevention tactics, water competency, and safety. When he’s home in Southern California, Jamal Hill trains at the Boys & Girls Club in Pasadena.
Summer of Soul (… Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) By Dwight Brown, NNPA News Wire Film Critic
It was a volatile time. Malcom and Martin had been assassinated in recent years. Civil uprisings and riots had just simmered down. The summer of ’69 was a chance for a much-needed cultural break and reawakening. That happened in Harlem’s Mt. Morris Park, when program director Tony Lawrence created the summer long Harlem Cultural Festival. Threehundred thousand music lovers attended. Few to no cops in sight. The Black Panthers provided security. It was a mellow celebration. The Tonight Show… musical director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has flicked the moth balls off the neverbefore-seen, decades-old footage of the festival. The 2-inch video tapes were shot by producer/director Hal Tulchin for an unreleased 1969 doc called Black Woodstock. The tapes had languished in a basement for 50 years and Tulchin signed the rights to the masters over to Questlove just before he died in 2017. The bandleader’s task of screening, editing and assembling clips couldn’t have been an easy task. His efforts were augmented by music supervisor Randall Poster, editor Joshua Pearson and director of photography Shawn Peters.
Among the many stellar performances: R&B artists (BB King, Little Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & The Pips); pop stars (The 5th Dimension); jazz greats (Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone); Latin legends (Mongo Santamaria) and gospel singers (The Staple Singers, The Edwin Hawkins Singers, Mahalia Jackson). Mayor John V. Lindsay makes a cameo and activists like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton share
their opinions on music and the state of Black life. Sharpton: “Gospel was more than religion. Gospel was the therapy for the stress and pressure of being Black in America.” The vintage performances are edited in with news footage and new interviews from fest musicians recollecting their performances and attendees recalling their experiences. Of particular interest is the interview with Marilyn McCoo
and Billy Davis Jr., who were determined to connect with a black audience who had been reluctant to embrace The Fifth Dimension, their pop group. Together, these interviewees’ perspectives add insight and footnotes to the social/political history surrounding these unforgettable outdoor concerts. Before there was Prince there was Sly. Before Yolanda Adams, Mahalia. Before Bad Bunny, Mongo Santamaria. We know this because Questlove and his rousing, thoughtful documentary links us back to the past with this precious and rare archive. There is something so spiritual, uplifting and motivating about watching 300,000 black folks, over the course of a summer, gathered around a stage to vibe and rejoice. You need to watch this doc in a theater or on the streaming service Hulu. Why? Because the revolution will not be televised! Visit NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk. com and BlackPressUSA.com.
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July 1-7 2021
BUPPIE | BUSINESS
A Message Sponsored by Los Angeles County
A DOCTOR’S NOTE ON VACCINES
Dr. Tasha Dixon, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health 1.What are the chances the vaccine has any long-term side effects on my health? There are no known long-term negative effects of the vaccine. After you receive your COVID-19 vaccine,
Continued from page 4: NNPA Re-Elects...
association of Black-owned newspapers and media companies.” “The Black Press of America continues to make progress under the outstanding leadership of NNPA Chair Karen Carter Richards and the Board of Directors. In 2021, Black Press Matters,” Dr. Chavis proclaimed. Despite the pandemic that forced many out of jobs and a topsy-turvy economy where government stimulus served to rescue most, advertising and other revenue skyrocketed for the Black Press. Much of the success is credited to a more united NNPA, a stated goal of the executive committee. “I’m looking forward to working with these ladies again,” Carter Richards explained. “All of us bring something different to the table. I highly respect the executive team, and I love the team because we get along great,” she continued.
you may feel some slight side effects, just like you would after the flu vaccine. Some of the most common side effects include arm soreness, a mild fever or a headache. But these symptoms will subside after 24 hours. If you do feel any of these side effects, there’s no need to worry. This is your body’s way of telling you it is building immunity and protecting you against COVID-19. In the end, the only lasting sideeffect is protection. The vaccine protects you from getting extremely sick, possibly needing hospitalization or worse. 2.How do I know if my vaccines will protect me from new variants that begin to circulate that may be more infections and dangerous? Scientists are working around the clock to test the COVID-19 vaccines against the new variants that may be Continued from page 4:Claudine Cooper’s...
“Most importantly, what I’m looking forward to is that my family has been a part of NNPA for almost 50 years, and I realize the power of the NNPA is its publishers. James Washington said, ‘when the publishers meet, magic happens.’ Well, get ready for the magic.” The chair added that the work of the NNPA’s main office in Washington, D.C., has proven invaluable. She credited Dr. Chavis, NNPA Executive Administrator Claudette Perry, and the morning live daily breaking news show, “Let It Be Known,” for much of the recent progress made by the NNPA. “The team and the NNPA staff have made a great impact. ‘Let It Be Known’ has made us so visible to the world, and because of that morning news show, many more people know about the NNPA. It has been a key for us, and the [main office] gets the credit for that.”
who are affected positively, they’re not sending letters to the city. The person who’s upset is the one sending letters every day,” says Cooper. Saturday, June 19 was the final Darby Park workout. Days before, Cooper announced via social media that city officials had ordered an end to the era, and that the last class would be that upcoming Saturday, June 19. But the city did eventually come around to a more compassionate approach for everybody involved. After the social media blast, Cooper received calls from city officials vowing to find a solution to the dilemma, assuring her that they would work to keep all parties happy– the people who are positively benefiting from Claudine Cooper’s services, and also the nearby residents. But for the time being, the class at the park did need to end, and other arrangements would be made. That following Saturday, the last
Frederick Douglass spoke. We should weigh against his words how far we have come. We should celebrate Juneteenth; the 13th,14th and 15th amendments; the Emancipation Proclamation, which had not been thought of when he wrote this speech; Civil rights, Voting Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity as well as an integrated armed forces. While we are remembering and celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court Decision of Brown
vs. Board of Education, let us remember that our schools are more segregated now than ever before. Yes, we can take some time out to celebrate that which we should have already enjoyed, as stated elsewhere here. What is the 4th of July? That which I must still fight for to make real in the lives of those who look like me.
Continued from page 4: Reflections on...
him your celebration is a sham, your shout of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy -- a thin veil to cover crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.” In conclusion: what should we do? We should review the America to whom
more infectious or dangerous. So far, all three of the vaccines have proven to be effective against the variants— keeping you and your loved ones safe and protected against the virus. 3.Will I need to get a booster shot and if so, how many months after I have been fully vaccinated? We don’t know yet if we’ll need booster shots or annual vaccines, but scientists are studying this now. What we do know is that whether it is a booster shot, an annual vaccine or just the initial vaccine, it is important that we all do our part to stop COVID-19 from taking over our lives, our jobs, and our communities. 4.What should parents know about the vaccines for those younger than 16 years of age? If we want to protect all of our loved ones from this deadly virus, we all need to be vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccines, like other vaccines your children get, are safe and effective and help us eradicate disease in our community. Remember that only the Pfizer vaccine is available for those who are 12-17 years old. Visit Vaccinatelacounty.com to make your vaccination appointment.
hurrah at Darby Park had a massive turnout. Over 100 people showed up for the class, showering Cooper with love, support and appreciation. Some even brought flowers and gifts. Chandra Smallwood is an Inglewood resident and long-time supporter of the Saturday class. “I started coming to this workout two years ago. It’s nice that she can bring everyone together. It caters to everyone, it’s great for the community, she’ll invite people that are walking, we’ll meet people. It’s been great to meet people in Inglewood here,” says Smallwood. Ericah Thomas and her 13-year-old son are also regular attendees. “It’s been amazing– the fact that it’s free, it’s in the community. My son is pre-diabetic, and I convinced him to come with me to this, and now he loves it. Without having this through the pandemic, who knows where we’d be. We appreciate her and love her so much,” says Thomas. Thankfully, the Saturday morning crew ended up never missing a beat. The city kept their word, and arrangements have been made for the class to resume outdoors on the grounds of SoFi Stadium, Saturdays at 10 a.m. The class lives on! And therefore, so does the positive impact that it’s brought to the community. On weekdays, Cooper teaches out of her exercise studio at ‘La Create Space’ in downtown Inglewood, and also at Equinox and The Bay Club.
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July 1-7 2021
Electronically FILED by Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles on 07/01/2020 04:15 PM Sherri R. Carter, Executive Officer/Clerk of Court, by C. Monroe,Deputy Clerk
20STCV24870
PUBLIC NOTICE
Continued from page 1: Bill Cosby...
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2021139689 The Following Person Is Doing Business As:
Activate Telehealth 578 Washington Blvd., Suite 396 Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
Registered Owner: MSJ Comprehensive Insurance Solutions, LLC, 578 Washington Blvd., Suite 396, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 This business is conducted by a company. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on June 22, 2021 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.) MSJ Comprehensive Insurance Solutions, Inc., Owner
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 July 1, 8, 15, 22, 2021 IT0042230120020163 Inglewood Today
Electronically Received 06/07/2021 08:43 AM
This statement was filed with the County Clerk on June 22, 2021
For instance, the Black Press regularly reported on the egregious behavior of trial court Judge Steven O’Neill, District Attorney Kevin Steele, and several lawyers who openly coached witnesses while they were giving testimony. The Black Press also reported that jurors in Cosby’s first trial initially voted to acquit the comedian but was ordered by Judge O’Neill to deliberate further. That first trial ended in a hung jury, despite Cosby’s team declining to put on a defense. Former prosecutor Bruce Castor exclusively told the Black Press that Cosby should never have been tried because of a deal he reached with the superstar a decade prior. Castor also called into question the credibility of Andrea Constand, the lone alleged victim in the case. “What is happening to Bill Cosby is a travesty, a miscarriage of justice,” Castor said. The state Supreme Court backed up Castor in overturning the conviction.
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“This ensures that California colleges will remain competitive with schools in 11 other states that followed our lead and granted NIL rights beginning this year,” said Senator Skinner. SB 206 (2019), The Fair Pay to Play Act, also authored by Senator Skinner and Senator Bradford, allows athletes to earn money using their name, image and likeness (NIL) without the compensation effecting their scholarship eligibility or ability to play sports. It also prohibits athletic associations, conferences, and others with authority over college sports including the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) from preventing students in using their NIL. Before the law, for a very long time, the stance from the NCAA was that student athletes should only be allowed to receive scholarships and stipends for living costs, and that they should not financially benefit from their talents or fame. SB 206 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September of 2019 on “Uninterrupted,” Lebron James’ HBO show. It was the first law of its kind in the country. In signing the bill, the Governor forecasted that the move would initiate a change in the college sports system and rebalance of the power between athletes and college institutions. “The Governor was right,” said Senator Bradford. “The landscape has changed. The avalanche is here. I am glad to have worked with Sen. Skinner to force college sports to be more just
to student athletes and to have SB 206 be the catalyst for the breakage in the ground and in the system.” Part of this groundbreaking is represented in yesterday’s National College Athletic Association’s (NCAA)’s newly release recommendations from the Division 1 Council to allow student athletes to earn money for autograph signings, personal appearances, endorsements, and social media platforms. This policy would only apply to universities in Division 1. The vote to approve or reject the recommendation by the 24-member board will take place tomorrow, before new NIL laws go into effect in 10 states. A vote to approve the recommendations is anticipated, and is seen as a temporary fix until more permanent rules are written or until Congress intervenes. The avalanche that Senator Bradford speaks of and that drives the NCAA recommendations is the rush of over 30 other states that initiated plans to introduced similar laws to SB 206, the 22 states that have enacted similar laws, and the 10 states that have them going into effect on July 1, 2021 (including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and Oregon). Arizona’s NIL law goes into effect July 23. In addition, last week, the Supreme Court ruled in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic Association v. Alston, that the NCAA does not have blanket authority to deny the rights of college athletes when it comes to just compensation,
and doing so would violate anti-trust laws. In October 2020, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, which includes 77,000 student athletes at mostly smaller schools, voted to let players earn money for public appearances and endorsements. Schools have already started to partner with companies to help athletes navigate the landscape of NIL. “College sport is a multibilliondollar industry with the president of the NCAA, commissioners, football coaches and some assistant coaches making millions of dollars each, and yet the student athletes – many of whom are people of color – are not compensated fairly whether with education benefits or from their ability to earn money from their hard work and talent,” said Senator Bradford. “Now is the time to free our college athletes from the bondage of the chattel system of college sports.” SB 26 further expands on SB 206 by adding athletic reputation as class a distinct element that is also protected and for which student athletes can obtain compensation without being punished. SB 26 also increases the reach and breadth of the law to include California Community Colleges as a higher education segment also covered by the Fair Pay to Play Act. This amendment came from the recommendation of a working group required in SB 206 to study the issue of NIL at the community college level.
“By publicly announcing that appellant William Cosby would not be charged with any crimes related to Andrea Constand — a decision apparently made, in part, to force Cosby to testify in Constand’s future anticipated civil suit — former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor intended to, and in fact did, force Cosby to give up his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination,” Justice Kevin Dougherty wrote. “Then, years later, Castor’s successor used the damaging evidence Cosby turned over in the civil case to convict him of the same criminal offenses he had previously been induced to believe were off the table. I am constrained to agree with the majority that due process does not permit the government to engage in this type of coercive bait-and-switch.” Justice David Wecht further broke down the reason for overturning Cosby’s conviction. “In 2005, Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor learned that Andrea Constand had reported that William Cosby had sexually assaulted her in 2004 at his Cheltenham residence. Along with his top deputy prosecutor and experienced detectives, District Attorney Castor thoroughly investigated Constand’s claim,” Justice Wecht wrote. “In evaluating the likelihood of a successful prosecution of Cosby, the district attorney foresaw difficulties with Constand’s credibility as a witness based, in part, upon her decision not to file a complaint promptly. D.A. Castor further determined that a prosecution would be frustrated because there was no corroborating forensic evidence and because testimony from other potential claimants against Cosby likely was inadmissible under governing laws of evidence.” The judge continued: “The collective weight of these considerations led D.A. Castor to conclude that, unless Cosby confessed, “there was insufficient credible and admissible evidence upon which any charge against Mr. Cosby related to the Constand incident could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.” NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., said the Black Press continues to cover the Cosby matter because of the tremendous interest of Black America to see justice done. “Today’s decision by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania emphasizes the importance of what the NNPA has been doing about the Cosby case,” Dr. Chavis exclaimed. “As I visited Cosby in prison in Pennsylvania, I witnessed firsthand the strength of his spirit and affirmation of his innocence. Yet, it took the great work of his lawyers and the growing sentiment in the court of public review that enabled the Supreme Court to make this historic decision.
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old and came into existence so that parents and children could choose where they go to school. When you went to school you went based on your area code, but this (charter schools) was supposed to provide choice,” Williams explained. “You can live in Texas and go to Public Policy Charter School, it has nothing to do with residency.” He went on to detail that charter
schools were designed to cater to the specific needs of children. Charter’s have to apply with local school district and in this instance Los Angeles Unified School District and must offer an element of education that district schools do not provide such as character education at TEACH. After spending time as a criminal defense lawyer, Williams cut his teeth at TEACH charter school where he invested years in children from a variety of post, which includes serving as Director of Community Relations & Special Projects. A native of New York, Williams moved to Los Angeles with his family when he was just four years old in 1971. “My mother had learned that community colleges in Los Angeles were going to be free and that encouraged her to make the move. It was about the future of education for her children,” he said. That cross country journey has paid off for Williams who attended San Diego State University and walked on the basketball team. He earned his degree in political science and later went to law school at Pepperdine. PPCS primary goal is to build citizens who participate in public policy. Williams has already developed partnerships with police agencies, fire agencies and all agencies that exist under local government. “I am having them come and mentor my students. I am looking for Black and Brown mentors, like firemen
July 1-7 2021 and policemen so that can say to the students I was you, grew up right around the corner. That’s what I’m trying to formalize with my contacts,” Williams told Inglewood Today. PPCS primary challenge is enrollment because of its proximity to a cluster of schools in the vicinity the pool for students is very small, but the opportunity is there to attract students from outside the community. The data of PPSC success is
documented with the top math scores from 2017-2019 and high achievement marks in other areas as well. In addition to being a tuition free school, they also provide free school uniforms and emphasize safety as the first priority of all students. Williams has a vast sports background, having learned to play basketball in the late Issy Washington’s Slam ‘N Jam youth league in Carson. He also starred at Carson High for Richard Mason and at San Diego State for the late and great David “Smokey” Gaines. All men who have mentor him to inspire hope in the next generation of young people. The Mission of PPCS is to provide learners with a safe, supportive, and dynamic learning environment that delivers a rigorous and engaging, college-preparatory. Through the study of public policy, our learners will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and fortitude to advocate for themselves and their community through leadership and action. PPCS alumni will earn college degrees in their chosen field of study, and advance to fulfilling careers where they promote economic development, social justice, and cross-border tolerance to impact public policy in a manner that benefits society. For enrollment information contact Frank Williams directly at cape4life@gmail. com (323) 205-7920 or https://www. ppcs.school