Bakersfield News Observer 5.3.23

One!Take News Observer

Reparations Task Force to Recommend “Genealogy Branch” to Prove Eligibility

Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

The California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans is recommending that the State Legislature fund a governmental department dedicated to assisting reparations applicants prove their ancestry to enslaved people in the United States.

The task force’s proposal to establish a “genealogy branch” within the proposed California American Freedmen Affairs Agency (CAFAA) will be included in the task force’s final report, which is scheduled to be submitted to the Legislature by the end of June 2023. The branch would provide access to expert genealogical research to confirm reparations eligibility for an estimated 2.5 million Black Americans in California who are likely to seek restitution.

“The legislation that created the California Reparations Task Force requires the body to recommend reparations proposals that provide special consideration for descendants of slaves,” task force chairperson Kamilah V. Moore told California Black Media on April 10. “Thus, eligibility for Californians should they qualify for reparations through the proposed California American Freedmen Affairs Agency is of utmost importance. The agency will be positioned to provide perpetual special consideration to this unique and special group, through direct reparatory justice services and oversight of existing agencies.”

The task force will recommend that the CAFAA be headquartered in Sacramento and have satellite offices all around the state. California is in line to become the first state in the United States to provide Black Americans reparations, or restitution for slavery and other statesanctioned discrimination or exclusion.

As the determining factor for compensation, the task force narrowly decided in March 2022 that lineage, not race, will determine who will be eligible for reparations to align with Proposition 209, state law prohibiting the consideration of race in public policy decisions or determinations.

During that March 2022 meeting, the task force listened to the perspectives of 11 genealogy experts who offered insights on qualification for reparations before voting 5-4 in favor of eligibility.

One of the experts, Dr. Evelyn McDowell, an Associate Professor and Accounting Department Chair at Rider University in New Jersey, is a member and president

of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage (SDUSMP), a society that works to preserve the memory and history of slavery.

The 10-year-old organization, McDowell said, has successfully helped its members trace their lineage through

Biden Commutes Sentences of 31 Convicted of Drug Crimes

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 31 people convicted of nonviolent drug crimes who were serving time in home confinement, the White House announced Friday.

Many would have gotten a lower sentence if they were charged today with the same offense because of changes in the laws. A commuted sentence means they’ll spend less time in home confinement.

The commutations came as the White House announced a set of policy actions across 20 different agencies meant to improve the criminal justice system, which disproportionately affects Black and other nonwhite communities. The president announced his reelection campaign this week, and must keep Black voters in his coalition if he wants to win in 2024.

The plan is an effort to expand health care access, affordable housing and education, and make it easier for those who have been mixed up in the system to get jobs, higher education and vote. The effort includes a plan to make more grants available for people who need funding for education, and small business loans.

Roughly 600,000 U.S. residents leave prison each year, and another 9 million cycle in and out of jail. As many as one in three Americans has a criminal record. That stigma can make it hard to get a job, go back to school or start a business.

“Far too many of them face steep barriers to getting a job or a home, obtaining health care, or finding the capital to start a business,’’ said outgoing domestic policy adviser Susan Rice, the first person to hold both national security and domestic policy adviser positions in the White House. She is leaving her post after two years and her last day is May 26.

a mix of research and analysis of the U.S Census, birth and death certificates, and state laws that tracked the enslaved.

“My purpose here is to tell the (task force) that it is absolutely possible to trace one’s lineage to individuals who were enslaved in the United States,” McDowell said. “For the vast majority of African Americans, it is relatively easy.”

Dr. Hollis Gentry, a genealogy specialist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture Library, shared personal experiences of tracing her ancestry to slavery. She used the Freedmen’s Bureau Records, national archives, and records from Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

Gentry suggested that an agency should be established to manage the eligibility process. It should be connected to state archives and offices of vital records to facilitate access to records that would assist reparations applicants.

Other genealogists who testified pointed to the lack of access to historical records and the difficulties created when enslaved families were separated after members were sold, traded, and auctioned.

Kellie Farrish, a genealogist with over 15 years of experience in Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis and lineage tracing using DNA, provided instructions for how one might want to do genealogy research to locate “enslaved ancestors using the completely free Familysearch. com website.”

Farrish, the lead genealogist for the non-profit Reparation Generation, noted three criteria for determining potential reparations applicants’ lineage: ancestors born in

Continued on page A2

(Evelyn Moore, Geneaologist)

Your Taxes Raised $83.1 Billion for the State Last Fiscal Year Schools Received $44.6 Billion

McKenzie Jackson California Black Media

Schools across the Golden State received a windfall of $44.6 billion in local property tax revenue, according to the 2021-22 California Board of Equalization’s (BOE) Annual Report released late last month.

The funds collected from property owners for the 2021-22 fiscal year, which ended at last June, was an increase of 3.8% from the previous fiscal year. Overall, local property tax revenues increased 4% or $3.2 billion to $83.1 billion total. In addition to schools, the funds were funneled to the coffers of local governments throughout California.

BOE Chairman Antonio Vazquez said in an April 18 statement that property taxes are a steady and reliable revenue stream for government services and schools that Californians depend on daily.

“The BOE’s critical role protects these dollars through its oversight of property tax assessments and that they are done fairly, uniformly, and consistently,” he said.

The board released a 26-page report weeks after California Democratic lawmakers proposed Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 11 to abolish the board and reassign its duties to other state tax agencies effective Jan. 1, 2026.

The is responsible for overseeing property tax collection in all 58 California’s counties. It also makes more than 13 million tax assessments every year.

The report, released yearly to provide information on revenue collected by the five-member tax body and detail its accomplishments, made no mention of the amendment.

In addition to Vazquez, who represents the BOE’s Third District, other members are: State Controller Malia M. Cohen; Ted Gaines (First District); Sally J. Lieber (Second District); and Mike Schaefer, Vice Chair (Fourth District). Yvette M. Stowers, who was appointed by the Board, serves as Executive Director.

Cohen, the first African American woman to chair the

BOE, was voted State Controller last November. She took office in January this year.

This year’s report found that the total net statewide county-assessed property value increased by 7% to $7.6 trillion in fiscal year 2021-22, up $500 billion from the previous year.

The assessed property value has increased annually for the past 10 years from $4.6 trillion in 2013. For example, it was $5.8 trillion in 2017, $6.9 trillion in 2020, and $7.2 trillion in 2021.

Schools receive a lion’s share of property tax revenues.

The 2020-21 fiscal year, $38.5 billion went to counties ($11.7 billion), cities ($10.4 billion), and special districts ($16.3 billion).

Local governments also received $2.2 billion from state-assessed property tax revenues. Last May, the board set the values of 339 state-assessed properties — mainly public utilities and railroads — at $133.9 billion, an increase of $10.8 billion from the previous year. This property tax revenue together with the county-assessed property tax monies will give local municipalities $85.3 billion in property tax funds.

The report also informs Californians of the Taxpayers Rights Advocate (TRA) Office, which is independent of the BOE. The TRA Office receives contacts from taxpayers and others who are either seeking assistance with a problem or a disagreement they have in the assessment and collection of property taxes or a concern with a program administered by our agency,” the report reads. “Generally, the TRA Office assists taxpayers who have been unable to resolve a matter through normal channels and seek confirmation that they were treated fairly under the law.”

The BOE report found that the state government will receive $3.3 billion in revenue from the Alcoholic Beverage Tax Program, Tax on Insurers Program and Private Railroad Car Tax. The Alcoholic Beverage Tax Program garnered $429

million. The program is a per-gallon excise tax collected on the sale, distribution, or importation of alcoholic beverages to the state. The monies from this tax are placed into the Alcohol Beverage Control Fund and are withdrawn to be used by the state’s general funds or to pay refunds under the program.

The Tax on Insurers Program, administered by the board, State Controller’s Office, and California Department of Insurance, generated $2.9 billion for the state. Insurance companies conducting business in California are subject to as many as three taxes — a tax on gross premiums, a retaliatory tax, and the ocean marine tax.

The Private Railroad Car Tax, an in-lieu property tax on railroad cars owned by non-railroad companies and operated upon California railroads, generated $9.8 million in funds.

The report also revealed that bills that became effective in the last two years impacted programs run by the Board of Equalization. Assembly Bill 137, for example, extended the assessment appeals decision deadline for qualified applications whose two-year deadline was between March 4, 2020, and March 31, 2021 to December 31, 2021. One bill, AB 1203, expanded the type of work experience an individual must have to be eligible to serve on an assessment appeals board in Los Angeles County to include professional experience in fields such as real estate. Senate Bill (SB) 825 extended the welfare exemption from property tax for land conservancies and trusts from lien date 2022 to lien date 2027. The legislation also extended the sunset gate for intercounty pipeline right-ofway assessments from 2020-21 to 2025-26.

In a letter at the beginning of the budget report, Board of Equalization Executive Director Yvette Stowers said the board is focused on its mission of tax administration to support California governments.

“We are proud to serve this great State of California and will continue to do our part to provide essential revenues for the state and local governments,” Stowers wrote.

“By investing in crime prevention and a fairer criminal justice system, we can tackle the root causes of crime, improve individual and community outcomes, and ease the burden on police,” she said.

The Democratic president has commuted the sentences of 75 other people so far. He also pardoned thousands who were convicted of “simple possession’’ of marijuana under federal law, and others who have long since served out their sentences.

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Black-owned Hotel Was Safe Haven During Segregation

MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP) – A Mississippi hotel that gave Black travelers safe lodging during segregation and once welcomed such notables as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has been torn down after falling into disrepair after years of sitting vacant.

The E.F. Young Jr. Hotel was opened in 1946 in Meridian by E.F. Young Jr., a Black entrepreneur and manufacturer of hair care products. It remained open as a hotel until 1978, before being converted to office space and later going vacant.

A small crowd watched Monday as a crew demolished the building, the Meridian Star reported. The owners said in local news reports that the building had deteriorated and was too costly to rehabilitate.

Over the years, the hotel hosted a number of notable people including the civil rights leader King, singer Ella Fitzgerald, the Harlem Globetrotters and others.

After the building deteriorated while sitting vacant, the city deemed it a safety hazard in September 2021. The Young family continued to own the hotel and decided to demolish it after seeing high estimates for restoration and repair, the newspaper reported.

Democratic state Rep. Charles Young Jr. of Meridian, a grandson of E.F. Young, told Jackson’s WLBT-TV in February that the hotel was one of the few places in the Deep South state for Black travelers to stay during segregation.

“The only way that people could communicate was by word-of-mouth limited telephone, and they had what is called a Green Book,” Young said, adding the hotel was listed there as ‘’one of the premier places to stay in the South.”

The Green Book was published starting in the mid1930s and listed hotels, gas stations, restaurants and other businesses across the U.S. that accommodated Black motorists during segregation.

The 30-room Young Hotel had barber and beauty shops on the first floor and hotel rooms on the second. “It had bridal suites. It had enclosed and private bathrooms. It was a very nice and modern facility,” Young said of the hotel’s heyday.

The hotel thrived for decades, but circumstances changed. Young told WLBT-TV that during the 1970s, his grandmother, Velma Beal Young, chose to convert the building into a marketing and sales offices for the hair care manufacturing company. The company later moved its offices to a different site in Meridian.

(Kellie Farrish, Geneaologist)

Rev. Tony Pierce CEO of Oakland’s Black Wall Street Project, addresses the California Reparations Task Force in Sacramento, Calif., on March 29, 2023. The task force will ask lawmakers to institute a geneology branch to certify individuals’ ancestral claims for reparations. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Carolyn Bryant Donham, Emmett Till’s False Accuser, Dies at 88

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The white woman who testified that a Black teenager named Emmett Till had made inappropriate approaches toward her, which led to his lynching and murder in Mississippi in 1955, has died.

According to a coroner’s report, Carolyn Bryant Donham, 88, died while receiving hospice care in Louisiana.

A death record issued on Thursday, April 27, in the Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office noted that Donham died in Westlake, Louisiana, two nights earlier.

Donham’s false claims against Emmett Till set off a chain of events that sparked the modern civil rights movement. After the teen’s mother insisted his casket remain open during the funeral and photos of Till’s battered and mutilated body appeared in Jet Magazine, the world received a birds-eye view of the brutality of America’s rampant racism.

In August 1955, Till traveled from Chicago to Mississippi to spend time with relatives.

Donham, then 21 years old and going by the name Carolyn Bryant, accused Till of making inappropriate approaches toward her while she worked at a grocery shop in the small town of Money.

According to the Reverend Wheeler Parker, a cousin of Till who was present at the time, the 14-year-old Till whistled at the woman, which was an act that violated the racist social standards that were prevalent in Mississippi.

Evidence suggested a lady identified Emmett Till to Donham’s then-husband Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W. Milam, who were responsible for Till’s murder.

An all-white jury acquitted the two white suspects, but the men later confessed their guilt in an interview with Look magazine.

In 2022, the Associated Press secured a copy of Donham’s unpublished memoir, in which she claimed that she had no idea what would become of Till.

The outlet noted that the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting was the first organization to reveal the contents of the 99-page book titled “I am More Than A Wolf Whistle.”

Author and historian Timothy Tyson of Durham, North Carolina, gave reporters a copy of the book.

Tyson claimed he received a copy from Donham in 2008 while interviewing her, the Associated Press reported.

Though Tyson claimed to have provided the FBI with

the text, the agency ended its lengthy investigation into Donham in 2021.

The book was deposited in an archive at the University of North Carolina with the promise that it would only be made public for a while.

Tyson stated that he decided to make it public after individuals performing research at the Leflore County courthouse in Mississippi in June 2022 discovered an arrest warrant on abduction charges that were issued for “Mrs. Roy Bryant” in 1955 but were never served or executed.

Leflore County Circuit Clerk Elmus Stockstill told The Associated Press that the documents were kept inside boxes marked by decade. Still, this was the first time anyone else could indicate where the warrant, dated August 29, 1955, might have been.

“They narrowed it down between the ’50s and ’60s and got lucky,” said Stockstill, who certified the warrant as genuine.

In March 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act of 2022, making lynching a federal hate crime.

Earlier, the bipartisan measure passed both chambers of Congress.

The legislation received pushback from three Republicans – Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Chip Roy of Texas.

Each was the lone vote against the bill.

“I could not have been prouder to stand behind President Biden as he signed the Emmett Till AntiLynching Act into law,” National Urban League President Marc Morial stated.

“The act of lynching is a weapon of racial terror that has been used for decades, and our communities are still impacted by these hate crimes to this day,” Morial continued.

“This bill is long overdue, and I applaud President Biden and Members of Congress for their leadership in honoring Emmett Till and other lynching victims by passing this significant piece of legislation.” According to the bill’s text, “Whoever conspires to commit any offense… shall (A) if death results from the offense, be imprisoned for any term of years or for life.”

“(B) In any other case, be subjected to the same penalties as the penalties prescribed for the offense of the commission of which was the object of the conspiracy.”

Specifically, the legislation makes lynching a federal hate crime, punishable by up to life in prison.

The measure had faced defeat for over 100 years, with lawmakers attempting to pass the legislation more than 200 times.

The House finally passed the bill on a 422-3 vote.

It passed unanimously in the Senate.

The Mississippi search group included Emmett Till Legacy Foundation members and two Till relatives: cousin Deborah Watts, head of the foundation, and her daughter, Teri Watts, the Associated Press reported.

Keith Beauchamp, whose documentary film “The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till” preceded a renewed Justice Department probe that ended without charges in 2007, was also part of the search.

He said there was enough new evidence to prosecute Donham.significant piece of legislation.” According to the bill’s text, “Whoever conspires to commit any offense… shall (A) if death results from the offense, be imprisoned

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By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Teenager Dennis Barnes has shattered multi-milliondollar records and gaining interest from colleges and universities everywhere.

Barnes, who goes by his middle name Maliq, is a senior at International High School in New Orleans and has earned more than $9 million in scholarship money during the college application process.

In shattering the previous record of $8.7 million, Barnes received 170 acceptances from 200 applications.

Barnes told the New Orleans NBC News station, “I started to apply to schools, and as I’ve gone through the process, the numbers just started increasing.”

Barnes and school counselor Denise James worked to shatter the $8.7 million record after Barnes realized he was close.

The record is further impressive because there are no third-party scholarships.

Instead, all his offers came directly from the schools.

Barnes first spent many hours applying to schools around the country, he told NBC News.

However, as a teenager, school, and extracurriculars took precedence over his pursuit.

“I was still doing other things,” Barnes said. “I did incorporate it into my schedule one way or another, but I just did it whenever I had time.”

Barnes’ participation in track and basketball and serving as the National Honors Society executive president made him a well-rounded applicant.

He has a 4.98 GPA and speaks Spanish through an immersion school.

That primary school foundation was imperative in his decision to attend International High School.

“That school was very important for me and my journey,” he told the network.

“They set a strong foundation for me going into high school, and I think that’s a big reason I could say I am where I am today.”

International High School opened in 2009, when Barnes graduated from middle school.

He attended Riverdale, a public high school outside the city, while many of his classmates attended International.

The school’s strong language department, which provides French, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin, was a big

“(B) In any other case, be subjected to the same penalties as the penalties prescribed for the offense of the commission of which was the object of the conspiracy.” Specifically, the legislation makes lynching a federal hate crime, punishable by up to life in prison. The measure had faced defeat for over 100 years, with lawmakers attempting to pass the legislation more than 200 times. The House finally passed the bill on a 422-3 vote. It passed unanimously in the Senate. The Mississippi search group included Emmett Till Legacy Foundation members and two Till relatives: cousin Deborah Watts, head of the foundation, and her daughter, Teri Watts, the Associated Press reported. Keith Beauchamp, whose documentary film “The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till” preceded a renewed Justice Department probe that ended without charges in 2007, was also part of the search. He said there was enough new evidence to prosecute Donham.

for any term of years or for life.”

In shattering the previous record of $8.7 million, Barnes received 170 acceptances from 200 applications.

lure for him, as he wanted to practice his Spanish.

“There are plenty of options at the school that I could have chosen from to continue with my languages, be able to strengthen them, and continue to learn,” Barnes said.

Barnes immediately impacted the charter school despite combining his sophomore and junior years into one with a dual enrollment at Southern University in New Orleans.

He also noted International High School’s academic reputation.

“They are known for putting out million-dollar scholars, so whenever the idea was presented to me by my counselor, I hopped on board,” he said.

Barnes advised prospective college students to value education, especially African American students.

“There’s always something in the news for athletics. And I think there’s a stigma put on African Americans — probably others, too,” he said about academic success.

“I think that doing well in school and understanding

the importance of education is something that could break that stigma.”

Barnes credits his parents and James for his success.

James helped him apply to institutions, prepare for college, and dual enrollment.

“She has guided me and instructed me in my best interest; that will move me forward,” he stated. “James has helped me get where I am.”

Barnes said he’s grateful and excited about all scholarships and acceptances.

Still, he insists that he’s incredibly proud of those from well-known institutions like Xavier and LSU and other schools that traditionally don’t provide many scholarships.

Barnes now aims to exceed $10 million in scholarships and acceptances in the coming days.

With 170 acceptances, he said he’s being more selective and won’t hedge on which school he’ll choose.

Barnes plans to decide by May 2.

New Orleans Teen Shatters Record with $10M in Scholarship Offers Reparations Task Force to Recommend “Genealogy Branch” to Prove Eligibility

the Deep South states prior to 1865, ancestors living in the U.S. prior to the 1900s, and ancestors living in the Deep South states prior to the Great Migration of the 1940s.

“First, we must define what it means to be African American. For the sake of this discussion, African Americans are those involuntarily brough to the United States for the purpose of being enslaved,” Farrish told the task force.

“Using genealogy to prove descendancy from this group would involve tracing one’s lineage back to either a person enslaved in this system or a time when there was little to no presence of

Donham’s false claims against Emmett Till set off a chain of events that sparked the modern civil rights movement.

Jazz Fest - ‘One of the Gems’Cranks Up in New Orleans

By CHEVEL JOHNSON RODRIGUE Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – This year's New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival began its two-weekend run on Friday, filling the air with the sounds of R&B, rock 'n roll, Zydeco, pop, blues, country, rap, gospel - and of course jazz.

Music fans poured into the Fair Grounds Race Course when gates opened at 11 a.m. They wandered among 14 stages or tents, many spreading blankets or tarps and setting up folding chairs, laying claim to spots where their favorite artists were to perform.

And some were dancing, particularly in front of the festival's Fais Do-Do Stage, where Zydeco rang out, played by Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie.

Retiree Joe Hulsey of Seattle said he and his wife have spent the last four months in New Orleans. A music festival veteran, Hulsey said Jazz Fest is his favorite.

"There's just no comparison," he said. "It's just one of the gems about New Orleans that I love. It's a whole vibe.

"You can't beat the music, the food, the music," he said, smiling.

Food was available from dozens of booths staffed by Louisiana restaurants. There were a variety of takes on traditional Louisiana fare - numerous seafood dishes or po'boy sandwiches featuring crawfish, sausage, pork or alligator. And there were other cuisines, like pan fried noodles from the Ajun Cajun.

Friday's music lineup included scheduled performances by Lizzo; Robert Plant & Alison Krauss; Big Freedia; Tank and The Bangas; Wu-Tang Clan + The Soul Rebels; Nicholas Payton; Mavis Staples; Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers; Charlie Musselwhite; and Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience.

It was Lizzo that drew Kalindi Cordero, of Dallas, and her best friend, Lana Zring, of Atlanta, to the festival.

"This city is just so special and when I heard Lizzo was going to be here, I started tracking the lineup and tickets and hotels and everything," Cordero said. ''It's the city's diversity and representation that shines through with this festival."

Lizzo did not disappoint fans as she roared through a host of her hits including "About Damn Time'' and "Grrls."

"I've been on tour but it ain't nothing like being at Jazz Fest," she told the crowd, which stretched from the front of the stage to the back of the track.

Jennifer Seagle, of New Orleans, said she is a huge fan of the singer who advocates for empowerment, self-love and body positivity.

"I absolutely love her," Seagle said. "I love her energy. I love her attitude. You can't hear her music and not feel good about yourself."

Big Freedia's bounce/rap show was set for the festival's main stage, before Lizzo and Tank and The Bangas. "I love that I get the opportunity to showcase my artistry before a bigger audience and there's a lot more room to do my thing. We're here to entertain and we're gonna bust it open,'' she said.

Freedia, known for collaborations with Drake on "Nice for What" and Beyoncé on "Break My Soul," said there were no plans to join Lizzo's closing performance even though the two paired up for Freedia's 2018 hit ''Karaoke.''

"I support her either way," she said.

Freedia dropped new music Friday - "$100 Bill" - a collaboration with R&B singer and songwriter Ciara.

This year's festival is also casting a spotlight on Puerto Rico with appearances Friday by two artists from the U.S.

territory: Tambuye and Grammy-nominated Latin dance band Plena Libre.

"There's a whole vibe out there and people should come out and feel it. I'm thrilled with what's about to happen,'' festival producer Quint Davis said.

"We've got a lot of people coming in," he said. "Lizzo, a phenomenal talent on Friday, and Ed Sheeran and Jazmine Sullivan on Saturday and Jill Scott on Sunday. And that's just the first weekend. We've also got H.E.R. coming next week along with Dead & Company, Kane Brown and Jon Batiste. Everybody wants to play the festival and everything just fell together to allow that to happen."

Crowds were helped by sunshine, temperatures around 80 degrees (26 C) and cooling breezes. Davis said a good opening day forecast helped ticket sales. Spotty showers, however, may dampen Saturday and Sunday shows.

Kelly Schulz, a spokeswoman for New Orleans and

Company, said hotel occupancy for the city's downtown corridor was above the 2022 Jazz Fest numbers - the first year after COVID-19-related cancellations in 2020 and 2021 - but not quite as good as those for 2019.

"We're at 83% occupancy for Saturday. In 2022, that was 78% and in 2019, pre- COVID, it was 92%," she said.

Schulz said this was just a snapshot of how well the city's tourism industry is rebounding after COVID-19 forced a shutdown: "The numbers we're seeing for Jazz Fest is just another example of people ready to travel again and experience face- to-face connections again."

This year's festival is also going cashless for the first time in its 52-year run. The festival will offer booths exchanging cash for prepaid cards. All major credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards as well as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay were being accepted for tickets, food, merchandise and more.

Shock Television Talk Show Host Jerry Springer Dies at 79

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Jerry Springer, who already had a controversial political career when he later took the reins of a genre-changing talk show, has died. Springer’s death was confirmed by Jene Galvin, a longtime friend who served as executive producer of the outlandish talk show host’s podcast. He was 79. As the New York Times noted, by the mid-1990s, “The Jerry Springer Show” set new standards for tawdriness on American television. The confrontational and fight-baiting program turned the talk-show format into an “arena for shocking confessions, adultery-fueled screaming matches and not infrequent fistfights.” Many now recognize the show as the beginning of the reality television boom that has made people like the Kardashian family rich and famous. Springer earned a law degree from Northwestern University in 1968.

He won election to the Cincinnati City Council in 1971, where scandal struck. He resigned in 1974 after writing a check to a Kentucky massage parlor for prostitution services. Voters brought Springer back a year later, and in 1977, he won the Cincinnati mayor’s race. His unsuccessful run for governor in 1982 also didn’t lack the degradation that would highlight his 1990s talk show. Springer boasted of his prostitution arrest during the campaign. “The next governor is going to have to take some heavy risks and face some hard truths,” he said. “I’m prepared to do that. This commercial should be proof.

I’m not afraid, even of the truth, and even if it hurts.” “He finished third in the Democratic primary and made a career change, joining WLWT-TV first as a news commentator and then an anchor, and later as managing editor, winning or sharing multiple Emmy Awards for local coverage over the next decade,” the

New York Times reported. “The Jerry Springer Show,” a daytime talk show syndicated by Multimedia Entertainment, which owned WLWT, began in 1991. Originally it was an issue-oriented program; The Los Angeles Times called it “an oppressively self-important talk hour starring a Cincinnati news anchorman and former mayor.” The Times pointed out that, by 1993, lead-ins like “Worshiping the Lord with snakes — next, Jerry Springer!” were turning up, and the shock value just kept going up. A 1995 episode featured a young man named Raymond whom Mr. Springer was helping to lose his virginity, offering him five young women, hidden by a screen, to choose from. Raymond’s friend Woody accompanied him. “Woody doesn’t know it — his 18-yearold virgin sister is one of the contestants!” a scroll told viewers.

(Photo: ITV/Shutterstock)

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How One Patient’s Textured Hair Nearly Kept Her From a Needed EEG

By Tarena Lofton California Healthline

Sadé Lewis of Queens, New York, has suffered migraines since she was a kid, and as she started college, they got worse. A recent change in her insurance left the 27-year-old looking for a new neurologist. That’s when she found West 14 Street MedicalArts in New York.

MedicalArts recommended that she get an electroencephalogram (EEG) and an MRI to make sure her brain was functioning properly.

An EEG is a test to measure the electrical activity of the brain. It can find changes in brain activity that can help in diagnosing conditions including epilepsy, sleep disorders, and brain tumors. During the procedure, electrodes consisting of small metal discs with attached wires are pasted onto the scalp using adhesive, or attached to an electrode cap that you wear on your head.

A little over a week before her EEG, Lewis was given instructions that she didn’t remember getting before a previous EEG appointment.

To Lewis’ surprise, patients were told to remove all hair extensions, braids, cornrows, wigs, etc. Also, she was to wash her hair with a mild shampoo the night before the appointment and not use any conditioners, hair creams, sprays, oils, or styling gels.

“The first thing I literally did was text it to my best friend, and I was, like, this is kind of anti-Black,” Lewis said. “I just feel like it creates a bunch of confusion, and it alienates patients who obviously need these procedures done.”

The restrictions could discourage people with thick, curly, and textured hair from going forward with their care. People with more permanent styles like locs — a hairstyle in which hair strands are coiled, braided, twisted, or palmrolled to create a rope-like appearance — might be barred from getting the test done.

Kinky or curly hair textures are typically more delicate and susceptible to damage. As a result, people with curlier hair textures often wear protective hairstyles, such as weaves, braids, and twists, which help maintain hair length and health by keeping the ends of the hair tucked away and minimizing manipulation.

After receiving the instructions, Lewis scoured the internet and social media channels to see if she could find more information on best practices. But she noticed that for people with thick and textured hair, there were few tips on best hairstyles for an EEG.

Lewis has thick, curly hair and believed that explicitly following the instructions on the preparation worksheet would make it harder, not easier, for the technician to reach her scalp. Lewis decided that her mini-twists — a protective style in which the hair is parted into small sections and twisted — would be the best way for her to show up to the appointment with clean and product-free hair that still allowed for easy access to her scalp.

Lewis felt comfortable with her plan and did not think about it again until she received a reminder email the day before her EEG and MRI appointment that restated the restrictive instructions and added a warning: Failure to comply would result in the appointment being rescheduled and a $50 same-day cancellation fee.

To avoid the penalty, Lewis emailed the facility with her concerns and attached photos.

“I got kind of worried, and I sent them pictures of my hair thinking that it would go well, and they would be, like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s fine. We see what you see,’” said Lewis.

Soon after, she received a call from the facility and was told she would not be able to get the procedure done with her hair in the twists. After the call, Lewis posted a TikTok video detailing the conversation. She expressed her frustration and felt that the person on the phone was

“close-minded.”

“As a Black woman, that is so exclusionary for coarse and thick hair. To literally have no product in your hair and show up with it loose, you’re not even reaching my scalp with that,” Lewis said in her video.

The comments section on Lewis’ TikTok video is full of people sharing in her frustration and confusion or recounting similar experiences with EEG scheduling.

West 14 Street MedicalArts declined to comment for this article.

The New York medical center is not the only facility with similar EEG prep instructions. The Neurology Center, which has several locations in the Washington, D.C., area, provides EEG pretest instructions for patients reading, “Please remove any hair extensions or additions. Do not use hair treatment products such as hair spray, conditioners, or hair dressing, nor should you fix your hair in tight braids or corn rows.”

Marc Hanna, the neurophysiology supervisor at the center’s White Oak location in Silver Spring, Maryland, has more than 30 years of experience performing EEGs. He oversees 10-12 EEG technicians at the facility.

Hanna said the hair rules are meant to help a technician get an accurate reading from the test. “The electrodes need to sit flat on the scalp, and they need to be in precise spots on the scalp that are equally apart from each other,” Hanna said.

For people with thick and curly hair, this can be a challenge.

A 2020 article from Science News detailed a study that measured how much coarse, curly hair could interfere with measuring brain signals. A good EEG signal is considered to have less than 50 kilo-Ohms of impedance, but the researchers found unbraided, curly hair with standard

electrodes yielded 615 kilo-Ohms.

Researchers are working to better capture brain waves of people with naturally thick and curly hair. Joy Jackson, a biomedical engineering major at the University of Miami, developed a clip-like device that can help electrodes better adhere to the scalp.

Experimentation with different braiding patterns and flexible electrode clips shaped like dragonfly wings, designed to push under the braids, has had promising results. A study, published by bioRxiv, found this method resulted in a reading well within the range for a reliable EEG measurement.

But more research has to be done before products like these are widely used by medical facilities.

Hanna said the facility where he works does not automatically ask patients to remove their protective styles because sometimes the technician can complete the test without them doing so.

“Each one of those cases are an individual case,” Hanna said. “So, at our facility, we don’t ask the patient to take all their braids out. We just ask them to come in. Sometimes, if one of the technicians are available when the patient is scheduling, they’ll just look at the hair and say, ‘OK, we can do it’ or ‘We don’t think we can do it.’ And we even might say, ‘We don’t think we can do it but come in and we’ll try.’”

In practice, Hanna said, it’s not common for hair to be an issue. But for patients whose hairstyle might make the test inaccurate, he said, it becomes a conversation between the doctor and the patient.

When Lewis arrived the following day for her MRI and EEG appointment, she was told her EEG had been canceled.

“It was just kind of baffling a little bit because, literally,

as soon as I walk in, I saw about four different Black women who all had either twists, locs, braids, or something,” she said. “And on the call, the woman was saying if you come in and my hair is not loose, we’re going to charge you. And she did recommend to cancel my appointment. But I never approved that.”

After Lewis explained what happened during the phone call, she said, the receptionist was very apologetic and said the information Lewis was given was not true. Lewis said she spoke with one of the EEG technicians at the facility to confirm that her mini-twists would work for the test — and felt a sigh of relief when she saw the technician was also a Black woman.

“The technician, I think overall, they just made me feel safe,” Lewis said. “Because I felt like they could identify with me just from a cultural standpoint, a racial standpoint. So, it did make me feel a little bit more valid in my feelings.”

Lewis later returned to the facility to get the procedure done while still wearing mini-twists. This time, the process was seamless.

Her advice for other patients? “When you feel something, definitely speak out, ask questions.”

This article was produced by KFF Health News, formerly known as Kaiser Health News (KHN), a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

The Lookout: Six Bills Call for More Responsible Policing, Safer Streets

California Black Media

Watching your tax dollars, elected officials and legislation that affects you.

The California Legislature is currently considering several bills related to gun safety, criminal justice, and police accountability.

Several of these bills have already been approved by the Assembly Safety Committee and are now under review by other legislative committees. If passed, they could affect policing in your community, juvenile arrests and rights, tickets for traffic violations, and state policy around gun ownership.

Public Safety Committee Chair Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) authored Assembly Bill (AB) 574. Under the proposed bill, gun owners would need to confirm possession of all their registered weapons when purchasing a new gun.

Jones-Sawyer maintains “many firearms are not reported missing or stolen until they have been used in a crime.”

Daniel Reid, western regional director of the National Rifle Association (NRA), has voiced his organization’s opposition to AB 574.

“We feel like the bill lacks clarity,” said Reid. “If the firearm can’t go without a ‘yes’ answer you have a Fifth Amendment issue. It violates your right against selfincrimination. People can’t be compelled to incriminate themselves if they are in violation of this law.”

The Assembly Appropriations Committee is currently reviewing AB 574. A hearing date has not yet been set.

Jones-Sawyer has also introduced AB 1090. It would allow a board of supervisors to remove an elected sheriff with a four-fifths vote.

The bill states that sheriffs facing removal would be notified of the reason t and would have an opportunity to defend themselves.

Cory Salzillo, Legislative Director of the California State Sheriff’s Association, opposes AB 1090, claiming it undermines the electoral process.

“This is not good government,” said Salzillo. “This is disenfranchising voters.” Explaining why the bill is needed, Jones-Sawyer said, “the bill provides counties with a meaningful tool to remove a sheriff for serious violations of the public trust.”

AB 1090 is currently under consideration in the Assembly Local Government Committee.

Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) authored AB 1643. This bill would prohibit minors -- ages 12 to 17 years old -- from participating in a program of supervision unless the minor has committed an offense in which the restitution owed exceeds $5,000.”

Proponents of AB 1643 clarified that this bill would allow minors to be eligible for diversion programs, and judges and probation departments will still have discretion.

This bill is part of California’s broader effort to reform its criminal justice system by prioritizing rehabilitation over punishment.

Supporters of this bill say one of its goals is to avoid the trauma and stigma associated with youth who go through the criminal justice system.

Last week, the Assembly Appropriations Committee postponed a hearing on the bill.

AB 642, introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), would limit the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by law enforcement in felony arrests and prevent individuals from being stopped based on FRT information. The bill would also require law enforcement agencies to have written FRT policies and maintain records of its use, which would be reported to the California State Auditor.

AB 642 is not Ting’s first attempt to restrict FRT. The lawmaker’s AB 1215 in 2019 temporarily banned the use of FRT in body cameras for three years.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) expressed their opposition to AB 642 because the civil rights advocacy organization believes it does not go far enough.

“If it is intended to stop the civil rights disaster that is admittedly face recognition surveillance, it unfortunately backfires,” said ACLU California Action Director of

Government Affairs Carmen-Nicole Cox. “The recently authored amendments do not adequately protect against freedom from unreasonable government surveillance, wrongful seizure, or dissuade its misuse.”

Another bill Ting introduced, AB 645, authorizes a five-year pilot program that would temporarily legalize speed enforcement cameras in six California cities: Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach and San Francisco.

“My city of San Francisco is committed to reducing traffic fatalities to zero,” Ting said in a press release.  “More than 70% of our city’s fatalities occur on just 12% of our streets.”

The pedestrian advocacy group Walk San Francisco has been a vocal supporter of AB 645 while other organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union have strongly opposed it, citing its encroachment on privacy rights.

The Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection voted to approve AB 645 and has referred it to the Appropriations Committee for consideration.

The Assembly Public Safety Committee voted to place AB 1260, authored by Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin), “on call.” The “on call” designation means that the legislation is subject to change, but it has not been rejected.

AB 1260 would require parole departments to determine an inmate’s minimum eligible parole date based on their sentence and any credits earned or expected to be earned during incarceration. Credits refer to points awarded for good conduct or behavior. The bill would also require parole departments to notify the district attorney when an inmate is being released based on credits earned or revoked and the county to which the inmate is returning.

Patterson stated his bill would provide more standardization and oversight for sentence lengths based on the credit system.

“How can we be sure that an inmate is serving the proper length of time – and this includes possibly serving too much time – without any third-party verification whatsoever?” questioned Patterson.

A representative of the advocacy group Initiate Justice says that AB 1260 is “not necessary,” because there already exists an online victim notification system.

But proponents of the bill argue that the current system places the burden on relatives and next of kin to keep checking online to see if the release date has changed.

(Oona Tempest / KFF Health News Illustration)

Aldon Thomas Stiles

California Black Media Political Playback: News You Might Have Missed

Tanu Henry and Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

Your roundup of news stories you might have missed last week.

Assemblymember Mike Gipson Demands Sac County Remove Foster Children From Former Jail

Last week, Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) demanded Sacramento County officials stop housing foster children in a former juvenile correction center.

The lawmaker, who authored Assembly Bill (AB) 175 that expanded and clarified the Foster Youth Bill of Rights, says what Sacramento County is doing is “unacceptable” and is in violation of state law.

“This is heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking,” said Gipson, who explained that sex traffickers have access to the facility.

“We can find shelters for dogs, and people take those animals and roll out the red carpet,” Gipson told KCRA TV in Sacramento. “Are you telling me we can’t find placement for children in this county?”

Sacramento County officials say the decision to place 15 “high needs” foster children aged 13 to 17 years old at the Warren E. Thornton Juvenile facility is a temporary measure while the county seeks a legal and permanent solution.

Gipson Also Pushes Two Tax Bills

Last week, at a rally at the State Capitol, Gipson also discussed AB 1498, legislation he authored that would establish an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) minimum of $300. According to the California Budget and Policy Center, 78% of people who qualify for EITC are people of color.   Gipson also expressed his support for another EITCrelated legislation, AB 1128, at the rally. AB 1128 would

“remove the requirement that a qualifying child has to be younger than 6 years of age as of the last day of the taxable year.”

California Elected Officials Among Black Leaders Mourning Harry Belafonte Black actors, musicians, businesspeople, politicians and more wrote heartfelt tributes and messages of condolences last week after news broke that Harry Belafonte had passed.

Belafonte, singer, actor, activist, philanthropist, civil rights leader and first Black person to win an Emmy Award, died of congestive heart failure April 25 at his home in New York City.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) paid tribute to her friend on Twitter.

“Another superstar has just passed. My dear friend, Harry Belafonte, was an extraordinarily talented singer and performer,” she tweeted. “More than that, he was a civil rights activist who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and worked with President Nelson Mandela to end Apartheid in South Africa. We will all miss his wisdom, his advice, and his huge giving spirit.”

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) also honored Belafonte’s life and work in a tweet.

“Sad to hear of the passing of my friend Harry Belafonte,” Lee wrote. “The world has lost not only a great musician and actor, but a civil rights activist and warrior for justice whose voice helped change America for the better. Thank you for your work, your courage, and your service.”

Democrats Shoot Down GOP-Backed Fentanyl Bills

Democrats on the Assembly Public Safety Committee last week voted down several bills aimed at addressing California’s Fentanyl crisis.

The measures would have strengthened penalties for Fentanyl dealers who possess large quantities of the drug

-- or kill or injure people they sell the drug to.

“Californians will continue to die, victims of drug dealers profiting off poisoning our communities,” Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher said in a statement. “These bills were not criminalizing addiction, returning to the ‘war on drugs,’ or any other lie told by the pro-fentanyl lobbyists. They were reasonable, bipartisan proposals to save lives.”

Assemblymembers Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), who chairs the Public Safety Committee and Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) pointed to “harm reduction programs,” which experts say are more effective tools to fight the Fentanyl crisis than the punitive measures being proposed by lawmakers. Jones-Sawyer says more arrests do not solve the problem in the long-term.

“As soon as you arrest somebody, unfortunately they may get replaced by somebody else and then there is even more drugs on the street,” he said. “Unfortunately, it’s a lucrative business. We’ve got to get to what the Governor is doing, for example, getting to the supply side. Which is stopping the drugs from getting across the border.”

Bonta pointed to the major criminal justice reform efforts the state is undertaking, as well a $61 billion investment in harm reduction programs, including distribution of test trips and drug overdose medication.

Biden Highlights Importance of the Black Press at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

At the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, President Joe Biden spoke about the importance of the Black press and the tragic death of Emmett Till, an event that helped galvanize the civil rights movement in the 1950s.  Biden told the roomful of journalists that during Black History Month this year he hosted the screening of the film “Till.”

On Aug. 28, 1955, while visiting family in Money, Mississippi, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American teen from Chicago, was lynched for allegedly flirting with a White woman a few days earlier.

The story of Till and his mother Mamie Till-Mobly is a “story of a family’s promise and loss” and the country’s “reckoning with hate, violence, and the abuse of power,” Biden said.

“It’s a story that was seared into our memory and our conscience — the nation’s conscience — when Mrs. Till insisted that an open casket for her murdered and maimed 14-year-old son be the means by which he was transported,” Biden said.  “She said, ‘Let the people see what I’ve seen.’”

Biden also commended Black publications for their reporting on the lynching and its aftermath, Till’s funeral, and the ensuing trial that freed the perpetrators.

“The reason the world saw what she saw was because of another hero in this story: the Black press,” Biden said “That’s a fact.  JET Magazine, the Chicago Defender, and other Black radio and newspapers were unflinching and brave in making sure America saw what she saw. “And I mean it.”

Two Black Women Among New Appointees to Emerge California Board

Two Black women are among four new appointees to the board of Emerge California, an Oakland-based body that describes itself as “the state’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office.” Brittni Chicuata and Alana D. Matthews are the two new Black women members of the 9-member board. The organization had a 70%-win rate out of the 125 candidates it supported in last November’s general election.

“I’m excited to welcome these powerful and accomplished women leaders to the Board of Directors to help lead Emerge California forward and build on our success in 2023 and beyond,” said Board Chair Rhodesia Ransom. “Since our founding more than twenty years ago, Emerge California has trained over 850 Democratic women to run for office, and we’re just getting started. These four women have valuable expertise and skills that will help us grow our movement to even greater heights.”

The other two new board members are Stacey Owens and Marina A. Torres.

Chicuata is Director of Economic Rights at the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.

Matthews, an Emerge alumna, is an Assistant District Attorney and Policy Director for the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office. She is also an Adjunct Professor at McGeorge School of Law where she founded the Racial Equity and Justice Summer Practicum program.

(Alana Mathews)

Assemblymember Mike Gipson ( D- Gardena)  (CSPAN screenshot)

Cinco de Mayo - A Celebration of Latinx Revindication in the U.S.

Anna Lee Mraz Special to California Black Media Partners

The fifth of May, Cinco de Mayo, is a holiday that celebrates the Battle of Puebla, which took place in 1862 near the Mexican city of Puebla. On this day, the Mexican army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, defeated the French in their attempt to take over the country.

While this date is not widely celebrated in Mexico, except for perhaps in Puebla itself, it has become a popular holiday in the United States.

It’s a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s independence. In fact, Mexico’s Independence Day is celebrated on September 16th.

In 1867, five years after the Mexican army’s victory over the French forces at Puebla, the triumph was first celebrated in the United States, in Texas where General Zaragoza was born. Later in 1930, the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles held an official celebration that helped establish the identity of the Mexican and Latin American community in the United States.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the celebration of Cinco de Mayo gained popularity in the United States due to the efforts of the Chicano movement. This movement fought for the civil and human rights of Mexican Americans and played an important role in structuring the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo became a way for the Mexican American community to assert their identity and say “We, Mexicans, are here. This is us. We speak Spanish and this is how we celebrate.”

In 1980, as the Chicano movement was gaining momentum, U.S. beer companies began to market Cinco de Mayo through advertising campaigns that encouraged the community to celebrate their identity by consuming their products.

Subsequently, other companies followed suit giving a twist to the meaning of the celebration and redefining it as a celebration of Mexican culture in the United States. As a result, while Cinco de Mayo is now widely celebrated, many people who participate in the festivities are unaware of its origins.

Cinco de Mayo has evolved to become not only a celebration of Mexican culture but also a symbol of the struggle and unity of all oppressed migrant and Latino communities.

This date is typically celebrated with large festivities that feature Mexican music, traditions, art, food, and beverages.Rubén Ábrica, mayor of East Palo Alto, pointed out in an interview with Peninsula 360 Press that during the celebrations of Cinco de Mayo “people of Mexican descent celebrate their contributions to the American society and join Latino communities affirming their culture, history, and aspirations for justice and equity for the Latinx community and for the people of the United States and around the world.”

Ábrica acknowledged that the celebration of Cinco de Mayo in East Palo Alto retains its historical significance by

Band plays during the celebration of 5 de Mayo organized by the Comité Latino of East Palo Alto.

inspiring the community to stand up for their rights and fight “against racist oppression and inequality. These issues have caused suffering for many people, particularly those who are people of color and other vulnerable groups.

The Cinco de Mayo holiday provides an opportunity to explore themes of freedom, culture, and identity. By challenging stereotypes and rejecting one-dimensional representations of Mexican culture: tropes like Sombreros,

Burros, and Huaraches.

Undoubtedly, the celebration of Cinco de Mayo has deeper roots than being a celebration where Mexican music is played, it must be more than an excuse to drink Tequila or Mezcal (but who needs one, right?), or a marketing strategy for beer companies, and where typical food is consumed.

There is more than one good reason to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year. Acknowledging the value and

importance of Mexican Heritage and learning about the rich history of Mexican people in the United States is a worthy endeavor.

Karina Alvarado from Peninsula 360 Press provided information for this article.

This California Black Media report was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

ACC Offers Programs To Help Residents Afford Electric Vehicles

By Victoria Rodgers

South Kern Sol

A multitude of Access Clean California (ACC) programs are now taking applications to help residents, including those in Kern County, receive grants or rebates for purchasing or leasing electric vehicles.

Access Clean California is a statewide project that connects residents who are income-qualified with clean energy and transportation benefits; it’s part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that invests in communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment.

According to the Access Clean California website, “People who live in the most polluted parts of California often have the least access to clean energy resources like electric vehicles and solar power that can help clean up the air and reduce their energy costs. Access Clean California helps residents with low and moderate incomes get money and other benefits to help them make the switch.”

More than 90 percent of Californians breathe unhealthy air caused by many factors, including pollution from cars’ exhaust pipes and the burning of natural gas in buildings and homes. Air pollution contributes to asthma, lung and heart disease, and many other health problems, as well as climate change.

“People of color are more likely to live in heavily polluted areas, have worse health outcomes on average than white people, and often have fewer resources to adapt to weather extremes and other climate change impacts,” the Acces Clean California website states. “Both clean transportation and home electrification help reduce pollution and makes the air cleaner.”

To reach its clean air and clean energy goals, California is urging all residents to switch to cleaner fuels. Electric cars

and solar panels can be costly upfront so the state created different programs to help residents afford them.  By using the Access Clean California Benefit’s Finder, Kern County residents can find out which programs they qualify for to reduce or even eliminate up-front costs to purchase or lease a new or used electric, plug-in hybrid, or hybrid vehicle.

As of right now, the programs that are available to Kern County residents are:

San Joaquin Valley Air District – Rebate San Joaquin Valley residents get up to $3,000 back when they buy or lease a new all-electric or plug-in hybrid car or all-electric motorcycle.

Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) Get up to $4,500 cash back after buying or leasing a new all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle. They must apply within three months of purchase.

Empower EV PG&E electric customers can get a no-cost home charger and up to $2,000 for electric panel upgrades. Energy for All Program

Homeowners can get a no-cost solar electric system to power their homes and electric vehicle.

Infusing more electric vehicles into Kern County provides more than just individual benefits, though, as it provides the United States with a greater diversity of fueltype options. Not only can EVs reduce the emissions that contribute to climate change, but they can also dampen the reliance on petroleum, which makes communities vulnerable to price spikes and supply disruptions.

Access Clean California has partnered with many state and regional clean transportation and energy programs to make sure residents get all the benefits they qualify for. These programs are supported by California state funds to reduce air pollution.

(Photo by Manuel Ortiz. Peninsula 360 Press)