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VOL. 34, No. 47

Snoop Dogg teams with city for free Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway

KABC.com

“Happy Thanksgiving everybody from the city of Inglewood,” Inglewood Mayor James Butts said. “Eat up!,” Snoop Dogg said. Every year around this time, the city of Inglewood and Snoop Dogg team up to do a free turkey giveaway. “I’m thankful to be able to have a relationship with the mayor and be able

to come out here and do great things in the community and to put my impact on people that really need me,” Snoop said. This massive turkey giveaway brought out long lines of people. “This is my second year coming with my kids,” Inglewood resident Martha Silva said. “It’s an awesome thing that they started implementing and we’re very grateful.”

They’re not only giving out turkeys here. People waiting in line could get corn dogs, veggies, cake, mac n’ cheese, essentially a whole Thanksgiving dinner. “We want people to live their lives, happy here in the city of Inglewood,” Butts said. “And we’re so glad to have people like Snoop Dogg give his time, give his money so that people have a great Thanksgiving.”

“The importance of this is that you’ve got the city of Inglewood, you’ve got the mayor, the people, the officials giving back to the city,” Snoop said. “Making sure everybody has a nice Thanksgiving and to really be a part of lives and to give some inspiration and to be able to come out here and inspire people to give him something to be smiling about for Thanksgiving.”

Rep. Maxine Waters weighs in on new voting system By Kenneth Miller, Publisher

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-43), considered as one of the most powerful women in American politics, ushered California’s new voting system at the Crenshaw Christian Center on Saturday Nov. 23. “There’s nothing more important than voting. There is nothing more important to a democracy than getting people involved in voting. This is how you ensure that your government is doing what it’s supposed to do,” Rep. Waters told the individuals gathered. Rep. Waters was joined by the Los Angeles County Register Recorder County Clerk Dean Logan to introduce the new voter system that will be implemented in 2020.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters

“So, here we are in the state of California where some of the jurisdictions, not all of them have decided that they are going to be involved in a new voting system,” she added. Rep. Waters challenged the clerk to make sure that the voting system that will impact the region’s 5.5 million voters and that it is up to speed so that everyone is included and that voter suppression does take place like it has been documented in southern states. She also urged Logan to make sure that the process is accessible. “You can’t have a new voting system and not everybody knows what it is. Can you imagine folks my age who all of a sudden don’t have the same voting place they have been Continued on page 2 JOIN US ON

Page 2

November 28 - December 4, 2019

COMING TO INGLEWOOD

IT News Wire

The Los Angeles Philharmonic is bringing the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles to Inglewood. “I think something like YOLA is something that has not existed in Inglewood yet,” Dalanie Harris, YOLA alum said. YOLA serves over 1,200 young musicians across Los Angeles. The new Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center at Inglewood will be the first permanent, purpose-built facility for YOLA. “We also really work with the young people and with the schools,” YOLA’s vice president of learning Elsje Kibler-Vermaas said, “And through YOLA we feel we can really contribute that way by providing free and really intensive music instruction.” YOLA alum Liliana Morales said Inglewood is a community YOLA is reaching out to and she’s excited to see the program expand its reach. “We’re able to have a greater impact on LA as a whole because we’re making sure that all the communities

are being represented,” Morales said. Slated to open fall of 2020, the 25,000 square foot center will feature a stage and auditorium able to seat up you speak, they listen to 250 people. The hall will be able to separate into two rehearsal spaces in order to accommodate YOLA needs. Frank Gehry, the architect who de- By Harmony Wortham signed the Walt Disney Concert Hall, developed the design for this new center that will operate as a hub for YOLA. “For YOLA to have a space that’s designed by such a world-renowned architect and to have all the acoustics be perfect for making music is really inspiring to the community,” Morales said. “Because it shows that there’s a lot of dedication and effort being put into this project.” Inglewood native and YOLA alum Dalanie Harris thinks this is a great opportunity to inspire new artists Travis Singletary Clister Wortham through classical music. “I think it’s a really exciting place Since it’s the week of ThanksgivI am thankful for a lot of things that has a lot of people who would be but above everything, I’m thankful ing, I’ll say I’m thankful to be able to interested in this opportunity and also for my freedom. I will never take it spend time with family and both of a lot of talent that has been untapped,” for granted. my living parents. Everyone doesn’t Harris said. have that privilege of being able to do

What are you thankful for?

that.

Continued from page 1: California Black Media Briefs: Gov. Newsom Nominates...

PRESIDENT/ EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Willie Brown PUBLISHER Kenneth Miller VICE PRESIDENT Gloria Kennedy SENIOR WRITER Francis Taylor PRODUCTION Kenneth Denson QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER Gloria Kennedy Inglewood Today Weekly is a legally adjudicated newspaper of public circ ulation, published weekly by Ads Up Advertising, Inc. News and press releases may be submitted for consideration by mail to 9111 La Cienega Boulevard, Suite 100, Inglewood, CA 90301 or by email to itnetworks@msn.com.

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going to for 25-30 years? They will wake up and they will say, what happened to my polling place if they don’t have the information about the new system,” The Congresswoman stated. Rep. Waters said not having a polling place is one thing that scares her, but she believes there are lot of possibilities with this voting system if we get the word out, as the event last week was planned to achieve. She has charged Logan and his office to educate and provide transportation to learn about the new electronic voting system. Logan and his office has scheduled some 300 hearings throughout the region, but Rep. Waters argued she would like to see more and that cost can not be an option on a matter so significant. The new system will not replace paper voting, but will offer same day voting, increase the number of days to11 instead of the usual one day, and voting by mail will be accessible with over 150 drop-offs available throughout Los Angeles County. There will also be instances where mobile polling stations will be brought into some communities and the ballot will be available in 13 different languages. Logan is hailing the new system as a new voting experience with a computer tablet in the voting booth, but as Rep. Waters indicated the difficult part is informing and enlighten the community as to what this new system is. “We will have an opportunity for

Laylah Akbar

Jamar Glenn

I am thankful for a roof over my I am thankful that I have a job to head, and for the food in my fridge. go to every day. Hasn’t always been Also for having the abilty to be able the case for me, so I’m always thankto volunteer to feed the homeless this ful for that! holiday season.

same day registration. I can’t tell you how exciting that is. Often times when we are trying to encourage people to vote, they will say I’m sorry I’m not registered to vote, there is not going to be any excuse now, “ Rep. Waters continued. Many in the audience, included community based organizations, Democratic clubs, the NAACP, Los Angeles Urban League, Inglewood City Clerk Yvonne Horton, former Congresswoman Diane Watson, former Assemblyman Mike Davis, Los Angeles Unified School Board advisor to Dr. George J. McKenna III, Carolyn Fowler and many others.

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November 28 - December 4, 2019

EYE ON THE CITY GEORGE DOTSON

ALEX PADILLA

JAMES BUTTS

ELOY MORALES

RALPH FRANKLIN

AROUND THE CITY

BRAVO’S CHAR BURGER ‘LIFE SAVING’ MEXICAN AMERICAN RESTAURANT By Francis Taylor, Senior Writer

There are probably few restaurants in America that can boast of being a life saver but there is one in Inglewood, California that has saved at least two lives that I know of. The first life Bravo’s has saved is my own. Living in close proximity to the Mexican American restaurant, at the corner of Manchester and Cedar, just a few blocks east of Randy’s Donuts, I have been eating breakfast and dinner, several times a week at Bravo’s, for the last 20 years. As one who does not cook, for me Bravo’s has been a life saver. The second life Bravo’s is credited with saving is an individual who threatened to jump onto the 405 Freeway, onto oncoming traffic during rush hour from the over pass on Manchester Boulevard. After Inglewood police officers negotiated with the suicidal man for hours, he asked for a cheeseburger from Bravo’s Char Burger. The police officers responded and upon delivery, were able to rescue the man from danger and save his life. Alberto Bravo opened Bravo’s Char Burger restaurant 21 years ago

and his formula for success has solidified a steady flow of breakfast, lunch and dinner patrons, from the very beginning, He offered a full breakfast menu with daily specials, a complete selection of Mexican delicacies and American Sandwiches for lunch and complete Mexican and American entrees for dinner. With hours of operation from 5:30 am to 10:30 pm one is able to pull up to their ample parking area and enjoy nearly all of the Mexican and Ameri-

can Favorites. My personal dinner favorites are a toss-up between the Acapulco Chicken Dinner, which is a quarter baked chicken served with beans, rice and a fresh salad or the Shrimp Fajitas that features jumbo shrimp, grilled to perfection with green peppers and onions, beans, rice and a fresh salad. I have also tried many of the other food offerings over the years including the restaurant fan’s favorites which are the Chicken Salad, Chili-

Cheese Fries or the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. The breakfast choices are also broad and offer whatever you like most to get your day started. Whatever you choose, especially for lunch or dinner, you are sure to get sizable food portions and often enough to save for a little snack later. I often see City of Inglewood employees, in their work uniforms, picking up their take out and have observed the city’s bicycle police force with their bikes stacked up outside as they enjoyed their mealtime break. On one occasion I even observed Mayor Butts dining alone at Bravo’s. It is said that the best compliment a restaurant can receive is the hearty endorsement and recommendation from their patrons. I recommend Bravo’s without hesitation and urge you and your family to dine in, at least once, and enjoy the delicious food and friendly staff at Bravo’s Char Burger Restaurant. You will not be disappointed and I am sure you will go back for seconds……!

Page 4

November 28 - December 4, 2019

News

Winner of “America’s Funniest People,” comedian Darryl Littleton tours nation

To promote first COMEDY ENCYCLOPEDIA of Black and ethnic humor IT News Wire

This Day in Comedy: The Ethnic Encyclopedia of Laughter celebrated with national tour Stand-up comedian Darryl Littleton and Humor Publisher Frank Holder couldn’t take it anymore: Where was a comprehensive review of African American contributions to the world of comedy? Finding none, they decided to write their own and hence This Day in Comedy: The Ethnic Encyclopedia of Laughter is now the first ever encyclopedia of diversity in the craft of comedy Mr. Littleton, a veteran of HBO’s Def Comedy Jam and Grand Prize Winner of ABC-TV’s “America’s Funniest People”, will headline a national tour to promote the book and promises, “Once you hear the review, you’ll never think about comedy the same again,” said Mr. Littleton. Comedy, which Mr. Littleton considers the hardest of all the arts, has long been considered frivolous and devoid of serious craft. This definitive collection of landmark events, facts, figures, bios,

photos, quotes and milestones in American ethnic comedy will change all that. Not only is it a detailed source guide to African-American, Latin, Asian, NativeAmerican and Middle Eastern comedy, but innovative in its presentation. Instead of This Day in Comedy being

a stodgy collection of humorous information, it’s an exhilarating journey using 21stCentury sensibilities. This book incorporates video links to bring the experience of the entertainers, films, TV shows and rare concert footage to life for the reader; lending a greater appreciation to

the subject matter and allowing the text to truly come alive. The legends of the genre are given their proper place in history with insightful biographies and then afforded the space to display the talent readers only imagined. “This Day in Comedy is a celebration of comedy, and we intend to remind audiences of that,” said Mr. Littleon. “Every day of the year something happened in the world of comedy and we can highlight those!” In humorous prose the book takes the reader through the often-neglected subcultures of comedy in America, acknowledging the inclusiveness of the performers, shows and films that made this art form so vital to America through detailed chronicling and preservation. “This encyclopedia offers rare, and in some cases, never-before-seen photos and obscure textual facts making it an indispensable comedy essential,” said Mr. Littleon. “We all grew up on some form of comedy no matter what generation you’re from and each of these pages will restore fond memories or invigorate new ones.”

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November 28 - December 4, 2019

Sports & Entertainment INGLEWOOD NATIVES POOKEY WIGINGTON AND REGGIE HOWARD RETURNS RIBET ACADEMY TO BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GLORY

By Kenneth Miller, Publisher

It takes a lot to build a championship basketball program, and for the private school Ribet Academy it all starts at the top with the two owners of the school Ferah and Ron Dauzat. “I along with head coach Reggie Howard wants to personally thank

Ferah and Ron Dauzat for all they do for the Team Dream Academy and the school, their unyielding commitment and dedication has been amazing,” said Wigington. Ribet, a tiny private school in Los Angeles was founded in 1982 by the late Jacques Ribet who died a decade

Carved up Rams look more like soup than super

IS HE DONE? The questions will persist until Todd Gurley proves different. Is the once most dominant NFL running back done?

after it opened as a result of respiratory failure in 1992 at just 38 years of age. By then Ribet had established itself at a fledging basketball power, winning the CIF-SS VA championship in 1991 and again in ’92. The Fighting Frogs didn’t win another CIF title until 2010 under Will Middlebrooks and since then Ribet had been less than an after thought in the annals of the champions in prep basketball. That was the case until last season

Gooding is main ingredient for Esperanza

Sentinels stunned in division semifinals

WEIGHT OF HISTORY: Inglewood football team runs onto the field for their semifinal match against Esperanza at Yorba Linda High School on Nov. 22. The Sentinels lost a heart breaker 42-41 to finish at 12-1.

precursor Lamar Jackson and the Ra- By Kenneth Miller, Publisher vens may have already disclosed their future. The next five games will determine It came down to the final seconds On a brisk Monday in Los Angeif the Rams are good enough to defend and a two-point conversion as the No. les, the Baltitheir NFC crown, but if hindsight is a 2 seed Inglewood Sentinels tasted deContinued on page 8 more Ravens

By Kenneth Miller, Publisher

when the owners agreed to allow for Inglewood native Pookey Wigington to join forces with his childhood friend Reggie Howard. Wiggington, a graduate of Morningside and Howard, a graduate of St. Bernard after starting out at Morningside are responsible for one of the more remarkable transformations in Southern California high school basketball. “Coach Reggie and I have a 30year relationship and we both thought about it and felt Continued on page 7

feat for the first time this season in the Division 13 semifinals against Esperanza at Yorba Linda High School on Nov. 22. The Aztecs Continued on page 7

Page 6

November 28 - December 4, 2019

Don’t Let Your Thanksgiving Go Up in Smoke IT News Wire

Unattended cooking, turkey fryers and overloaded outlets are among the hazards on the worst day of the year for cooking fires. Unattended cooking, turkey fryers and overloaded outlets are among the hazards on the worst day of the year for cooking fires. Be it the turkey, side dishes or pies, there’s a prized recipe for just about everything at Thanksgiving. But, a recipe for disaster? Unfortunately, there’s one for that too, no thanks to the nearly fourfold increase in home cooking fires on Thanksgiving that make it easily the leading day for such blazes. Jake Heflin, a nearly 20-year veteran of the Long Beach Fire Department, knows firsthand the main ingredient for the staggering spike from the daily average of 470 cooking fires to 1,600 on Thanksgiving Day in 2017, according to the National Fire Protection Association. “Unattended cooking, by far, is the leading contributing factor to these cooking fires and fire deaths,” said Heflin, a firefighter, paramedic, public information officer and CERT program manager for his department. “There is no question that you should make sure you stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on a stovetop. If you leave for even a short period of time, turn off the stovetop. Obviously, you should also stay in the home when you’re cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.” Thanksgiving Day cooking fires are nearly four times more likely than on the average day, and cooking fires on the day before Thanksgiving are nearly twice the daily average. Thanksgiving Day cooking fires are nearly four times more likely than on the average day, and cooking fires on

the day before Thanksgiving are nearly twice the daily average. Unattended cooking — especially frying — is the reason for 31% of the fires, which abound on the day before Thanksgiving as well, according to the fire association. Abandoned or discarded materials follow at 10% and heat sources being too close to combustibles make up 9%. The safety hazards don’t end there, however, on a day when an estimated 46 million turkeys will be eaten and home fires lead to an average of five fatalities, 25 injuries and $19 million in property damage. Damaged appliances and extension cords in addition to the overuse of those cords is a concern too. “Appliances or anything with damaged cords should never be used and should be immediately replaced,” said Andrew Martinez, vice president of Safety, Security and Business Resiliency at Southern California Edison. “They are a safety risk because they no longer protect against shock or serious injury and could even spark a fire.” And turkey fryers? The fire association still discourages their use and

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) still refuses to certify them. In often-cluttered kitchens while preparing for Thanksgiving, always make sure that combustibles like potholders, wrappers or dish cloths are not too close to hot cooking equipment. In often-cluttered kitchens while preparing for Thanksgiving, always make sure that combustibles like potholders, wrappers or dish cloths are not too close to hot cooking equipment. Meanwhile, Heflin offers additional warnings and safety precautions: Q. Why should a timer be used when cooking? Heflin: We get a lot of calls for food on the stove, they just forgot they were cooking, or somebody fell asleep and didn’t realize they left the stove on. We see a lot of what we call food-on-thestove fires where they ran an errand or watched TV for a little bit. Q. What about putting out a stovetop or oven fire? Heflin: You can often smother the flames by sliding the lid over the pan and turning off the burner. For an oven fire, we talk about turning off the oven

and keeping the door closed. We also recommend using a multipurpose, dry chemical fire extinguisher, but make sure you do not put water on those fires. Baking soda also can smother a fire. Q. How crucial are smoke detectors? Heflin: Make sure your smoke alarms are working and test them by pushing the test button to make sure they are fully functional. Smoke detectors save lives, there’s no question about it. They allow you the critical time necessary to escape your home. You should also have a conversation with your family to establish a home fire escape plan. And practicing that plan, not just having a discussion at the table. Q. What about children and cooking for Thanksgiving? Heflin: Keep children away from the stove. Kids should be kept a minimum of 3 feet away. Make sure kids stay away from hot foods and liquids, they can cause serious burns. And keep knives out of the reach of children and make sure they are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.

Judge rules against lawsuit opposing proposed arena for Clippers IT News Wire

The $1-billion arena the Clippers want to build in Inglewood overcame another obstacle Wednesday when a judge ruled it did not violate the state’s Surplus Land Act. Uplift Inglewood, a community group that advocates for affordable housing, alleged in a lawsuit filed last year that the exclusive negotiating agreement between Inglewood and a Clippers-controlled company breached the act requiring public agencies to give first preference to using extra land for housing, recreation and schools. The project’s footprint includes 22 acres of long-vacant land owned by the city near the intersection of West Century Boulevard and South Prairie Avenue. “Even if the ENA leads to an offer from Murphy’s Bowl to acquire the Property, Petitioner cites no evidence or contractual terms that would prevent City from complying with the [Act] prior to entering a final sale

agreement with Murphy’s Bowl,” Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy wrote in a 31-page opinion. “While Petitioner argues that [Act] negotiations by City at that point would not be in good faith, the court is not persuaded that the evidence supports that conclusion.” Murphy, who heard the parties argue the case Tuesday, denied three of Uplift Inglewood’s claims and dismissed the two others. Uplift Inglewood’s attorneys said

in a statement they were “extremely disappointed and perplexed” by the ruling and pledged the group “will continue to consider all of its options to hold [Inglewood] accountable to state affordable housing laws.” Attorneys for Inglewood argued the land couldn’t be used for housing because of its proximity to Los Angeles International Airport flight paths and opposition from the Federal Aviation Administration because of aircraft noise.

Murphy wrote there is “compelling evidence” that Inglewood acquired the property to “address negative impacts of aircraft noise from LAX” and convert the parcels to uses that are “noise-compatible” and “revenuegenerating.” The project still faces two lawsuits from the Madison Square Garden Co., which owns the nearby Forum and has been the most vocal critic of allowing a competing arena in Inglewood, in addition to a lawsuit by Inglewood Residents Against Taking and Evictions. The group, known by the acronym IRATE, last year lost a second case opposing the project. It is appealing. MSG acknowledged in a court filing it is paying IRATE’s legal fees. The arena complex, which would include Clippers offices, a practice facility, sports medicine clinic and hotel, is undergoing environmental review. Developers hope to start construction by mid-2021 and open the facility in time for the NBA 2024-25 season.

Page 7

November 28 - December 4, 2019

LEGAL NOTICES

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019285595

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019282405

YBI Realty; YBI Consulting 4712 Admiralty Way, #1006 Marina Del Rey, CA 90292-6905

B Smilin’ 543 St. John Pl. Inglewood, CA 90301

Registered Owner(s): Fred Workman Smith II, 4712 Admiralty Way, #1006, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292-6905

Registered Owner(s): Baylie Jordan Walls, 543 St. John Pl., Inglewood, CA 90301

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on October 29, 2019.

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on October 24, 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.) Fred Workman Smith II, Owner

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.) Baylie Jordan Walls, Owner

This statement was filed with the County Clerk on October 29, 2019.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk on October 24, 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 November 7, 14, 21, 28, 2019 IT0042230120020100 Inglewood Today

Original November 7, 14, 21, 28, 2019 IT004223012002099 Inglewood Today

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019300858 The following Person is doing business as:

Annual Credit Solutions 905 South Orchard Drive Inglewood, CA 90301 Registered Owner(s): Jonathan Cotledge, 905 South Orchard Drive, Inglewood, CA 90301 This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on November 15, 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.) Jonathan Cotledge, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk on November 15, 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 November 28; December 5, 12, 19, 2019 IT0042230120020101 Inglewood Today

Continued from page 5: Inglewood natives as conductor of the Fighting Frogs Pookey Wigington and Reggie... high powered offense during the most

there was no better coach in the country suited to providing these student athletes with the tools they will need to be successful in the classroom and on the basketball court,” said Wigington. Wigington made his comments on opening night of the 2019-’20 season on Nov. 21 at Ribet when the team was presented with their CIF-SS and State championships rings in the school gymnasium. Howard is a former Division 1 assistant coach at Cal State San Bernardino and coached the Barstow College and earned his bachelor’s degree at UC Riverside in 1991 and later his master’s degree at Cal Baptist in 2008. Before Wigington and Howard arrived, the school endured five consecutive losing seasons, but last season went 27-3 and finished ranked No. 24 in the State of California. Their recipe for success is just 23 miles away from the location of the school, where Wiggington develops and trains aspiring basketball players through his Team Dream Academy at Rogers Park in Inglewood. Established in 2012, Team Dream Academy is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing youth [boys & girls], grades 2 through 8, a high level, well-rounded academic & athletic experience. Team Dream Academy is the foundational centerpiece for the thriving Ribet basketball program, furnishing the school with their next wave of upper level talent. “I wanted for the kids from Team Dream Academy to have to opportunity to receive a well rounded private school education and I believe that Ribet Academy has provided them with that,” Wigington explained. It also doesn’t hurt that one of Wiggington four basketball-playing sons, Snookey Wigington transferred to Ribet. “I didn’t feel that he was getting the proper development and respect where he was and so when he came in here after sitting out a year because of injury he has proved what he can do,” added Wigington. All Snooky did was capture CIF Division 4 Player of the Year and serve

successful season in the history of the school. Another of the prize Team Dream Academy transfers is Tyler Powell, from St. Bernard of Playa del Rey, who has emerged into one of the top recruits in the nation and is only a sophomore. Ribet is a school that has also attracted students from around the world including such far and away places as China, Russia, El Salvador and Jamaica who are attracted to its academic curriculum. “We decided that we were going to do everything first class and the school wanted to do everything the right way and now we are looking to be one of the best programs in the country and to give our kids an opportunity to earn a scholarship at the highest level,” Wigington elaborated. Howard is a further testament to the highest level Wigington alluded to. “We (Pookey and I) hung out that summer (2018) and I was in transition at the time, we were watching his son play. I was presented with a scenario where I could become the athletic director and I had just obtained my master degree and it was a great opportunity,” said Howard. Howard credits Pookey, who while serving as the assistant coach of the team is also an astute businessman who is responsible for much of the success of superstar comedian Kevin Hart, with teaching him business and increasing his knowledge to learn. “Even at 50, it not to late to learn,” he added with a laugh. He says that he talks to Wigington some 10 times a day, which for those to aspire to meet the indefatigable mogul would be awe inspiring if they could reach him that many times in a calendar year. Ribet Academy is fortunate to have the responsible leadership at the top of their school that welcomed and supported the contributions of two Inglewood homeboys who have committed their time and resources to making Ribet Academy greater than every before.

“ Good people are rich in many ways but those who are evil get nothing but trouble.”

Continued from page 5: Gooding is main ingredient for Esperanza...

had already knocked off the No. 3 seed Fillmore the week before, but had not put up the offensive numbers that would give any indication that could keep up with the high scoring Sentinels. They did more than just keep up, they led for most of the first half, 7-0, 13-7 and 20-7. Inglewood fans were nervous and there was good reason. No one this season had managed to contain the slick, swift footed running back Walter Gooding who blitz the Sentinels for 261 yards on 36 carries and four touchdowns. Inglewood actually clang to a 4135 lead with just about two minutes remaining in regulation, and that’s when the Aztecs pulled out every trick in the book, melting the clock and benefited by three critical Inglewood penalties. With seconds remaining on the clock, the Aztecs converted a 4th down and goal play by using the quarterback as a decoy and directed snapped it to the running back for the score that put them down by one. Then as most in the stadium anticipated, instead of settling for a tie and potential overtime, went for two with Gooding barely lunging for the pylon and the eventual winning score, 42-41. The Sentinels were heart broken, but if this 12-1 campaign told us anything it is that Inglewood football is back for as long as Mil’Von James is the head coach.

Page 8

November 28 - December 4, 2019

Ridley-Thomas Urges Bioscience Industry to hire diverse workforce: New Medical technology will also benefit health of minority communities Inglewood Today News

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas told 250 medical and hi-tech innovators that their industry – now yearly generating $42.5 billion in economic activity in LA alone – must have a workforce that is as diversified as Los Angeles itself. “That is your challenge, our challenge,” Ridley-Thomas told the standing-room-only audience attending the 2nd annual Bioscience Forum at Google’s Spruce Goose campus in Playa Vista. “As your businesses grow and prosper in Los Angeles, all communities – all communities – must participate in your success.” His remarks drew applause from the audience of scientists, doctors, hi-tech engineers and business investors and executives attending the forum. In 2018, LA-based bioscience companies employed 91,000 persons; another 100,000 were indirectly employed by the industry. Ridley-Thomas also emphasized that the Board of Supervisors, under his leadership, is doing its part to diversify the county’s bioscience workforce with pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs that prepare young people of color from disadvantaged communities for jobs in bioscience. This new program, called Bio-Flex, has already begun to send its graduates, to work at entry-level bioscience jobs. Bio-Flex is coordinated by the South Bay Workforce Investment Board.

On Oct. 29, the Board honored the first class of 39 graduates from the BioFlex pre-apprenticeship program. Thursday’s forum, cosponsored by Ridley-Thomas and Google, showcased a half-dozen bioscience companies developing cutting-edge medical technology that, with the help of artificial intelligence, will save lives, improve healthcare and generate excellent jobs. Google, for example, has developed a system to easily screen millions of Americans for a condition, called retinopathy, that causes blindness among persons with diabetes. The challenge in preventing diabetic blindness is early diagnosis and treatment. Currently, it requires a highlytrained eye-doctor to identify retinopathy. Nor is a diagnosis easy – even among highly trained eye-doctors there are differing diagnoses. Google, however, has developed a system that is extremely accurate in identifying retinop-

athy and can be operated by a medical technician. The Google system, once fully operational in the U.S., will enable widespread screening of the 30.3 million U.S. residents with diabetes. This system, Ridley-Thomas pointed out, would be extremely beneficial to people of color. For example, 4.9 million African-American adults, or a whopping 18.7 percent of all AfricanAmericans older than 20, have diabetes. The risk of diabetes for African-Americans is 77 percent higher than it is for non-Hispanic whites. Another bioscience company showcased at the forum, Neural Analytics, has developed a light-weight, robotoperated ultrasound machine. Leo Petrossian, the CEO of Neural Analytics, predicts one day all ambulances will be equipped with his device so first responders can identify within seconds if a patient they are assisting has had a stroke. Stroke victims lose almost two

California Black Briefs: What to do if you’re slapped with a rent increase By California Black Media Staff

Landlords Are Hiking Rents Before Rent Control Law Takes Effect Before a new rent control law Gov. Newsom signed in October goes into effect in January, some landlords around the state are trying trying to get ahead of the restrictions they see coming by slapping tenants now with double-digit rent increases and no-violation evictions. AB 1482, the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, will the amount landlords can hike rents within one year to 5 percent, plus local inflation. It will also protect tenants who have rented a place for more than one year from no-violation evictions. The law only exempts rented single family homes and condos that are not owned by corporations. There are reports from all around the state about the sudden new rent increases and rise in evictions. According to a renter advocacy group “Tenants Together” about 36 cities – including Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pasadena and Stockton - have responded by passing local ordinances to prevent evictions or place temporary moratoriums on rent increases. The good news is that once the law goes into effect next year, any rents raised since March 2019, the month the bill was referred to the Legislature, will

drop back to what they were at the time. But evictions that happened in that same period will not be reversed. “Tenants Together” says there are legal resources and vital information available to help Californians affected by rent hikes. Communities can also pressure their local governments to pass urgent ordinances against the practices. Some landlords are pushing back, saying that this period before the signed bill becomes law allows them an 11thhour chance to bring the rent on their properties up to market prices and get rid of bad tenants. Gov. Newsom Wants to Close One State Prison Gov. Gavin Newsom said earlier this month that he wants to close at least one state prison in California - where there is a disproportionate number of African Americans serving sentences in the state penitentiary system the Department of Correction and rehabilitation mostly runs and costs taxpayers more than $15 billion a year. Although African Americans only make up about 5.6 percent of California’s population, Black prisoners account for more than 28 percent of all inmates in state prison. The governor has neither decided which prison he wants to close nor spelled out how he would go about doing it – taking into account jobs, other local concerns, sentence reductions,

etc., - but he says the issue is “personal” to him. “I would like to see, in my lifetime and hopefully my tenure, that we shut down a state prison,” he said. “But you can’t do that flippantly. And you can’t do that without the support of the unions, support of these communities, the staff, and that requires an alternative that can meet everyone’s needs and desires.” Moving California away from overfocusing on punishment to strengthening prevention programs, as well as providing rehabilitation and reintegration assistance for formerly incarcerated people, is his priority, said Newsom. The state is investing $20 million in the 2019-20 budget to help formerly incarcerated people successfully reintegrate into their communities through the California Community Reinvestment Grant program.

million brain cells every minute they go untreated with anti-blood clotting drugs. Ridley-Thomas observed that Neural Analytics’ device would have a disproportionately positive affect on the health of communities of color. African-American men are twice as likely to have a stroke and 60 percent more likely to die from a stroke than their white adult counterparts. In addition, Hispanics have some of the highest rates of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, all of which are leading risk factors for stroke. For example, average age of an Hispanic stroke victim in the U.S. is 67; the average age among non-Hispanic whites is 80. “The amazing innovations in bioscience we heard about today are relevant to the lives of all Americans but particularly so to African Americans and Latinos who are at greater risk of having strokes and being blinded by diabetic conditions,” Ridley-Thomas said. “These scientists, engineers, inventors and entrepreneurs in bioscience will be – and are – a godsend to the health of our communities.”

Continued from page 5: Carved up Rams look more like soup than super

certified their credentials as real Super Bowl contenders by demolishing the Rams 45-6 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Jackson lit the Rams defense up like a Christmas tree, chunking five touchdowns in a game for all of the national television to see. For the Rams faithful they had seen enough midway through the third quarter and meekly began their congested journey home. With five games remaining in the regular season starting on Sunday Dec. 1 at Arizona, then Seattle, at San Francisco, at Dallas and the finale at the Coliseum against the Cardinals, the Rams will need them all. However, what does it matter at this point because teams have figured out how to solve the Rams once dominant defense by double teaming Larry Donald, the offense is a mere shadow of its former self with Jared Goff wobbling down the stretch, and running back Todd Gurley II may not get a chance to run on the new turf at SoFi Stadium next season. It’s all bad. Last year, Los Angeles had two teams in the NFL playoffs in both the Chargers and Rams, the region was on an all time high. This year there might not be any and the mood going into their new shinny home next season might been dim.