BAKE 6.3.20 4C

e

Cooper. can-Americ in han d an death roquadruple The allegeddcuffs and ha New w inmate incident wa Cooper’s 1som’s decision could F lori making ouda Today reports t Hills famil 985 conviction in lead to the overtu t.

Enough Of Authorities say t has the y and their 11-y the killing of a ru rning of Your Love” Californiapnotential, some polieatir-old house guest. ral Chino and a s.

The case cal watcher s Both the C sa y, to divide aliforn and more an a dozenia and United States past appeath lo su w p er re ls. courts have m rejected Ceocourts “I take no p oper’s osition regar nocence at about the h this time,” Newsodming Mr. Cooper’s g uilt igh-profile said in his terest. New casefor executive oor in2. When you see a photo or ad with the Observer 1. Get the app free by downloading that Y h o as rk d rder ra T Sen. Kamal imes’ colum wn internat Interactive logo scan over the whole photo with your it from Google Play or The Apple App a io n is H n al t ar Nic in ri have all ca lled for res -tand reality TV starholas Kristof, U.S.tablet or smartphone.

Store forensic te es K ting using im SUL chnology. current, m Kardashian The ACLU gorilla suitPHUR, La. (AP) – P o re se n si an ti v groups hav d other hu e mattress befbroke into a Louisiaol man rights e also urged o n a deeper in an C d alifornia st News ouretl officers arrested h ves gation ate officialsos cial justice Serving Kern County ets quote into Cooper Gov. Newtiso sp o k es to m launch ’s con m’s Mel Est in Sulphu tion issu for Over 46 Years officers saan Thursday by formerorder Friday expandviction. w Jeremie es test four ed s G p co o Moran wal re v. st v ume. They ious direcrry Brown lowed analpyieces of crime scenJe h ad in so re D ember n looking in ceived callksin to an orange sts to perform DNe evidence. Brownec a to h omes.

Estes says prosecutorstowel; and the hanA re-testing on a t’sanorder al- bo M o p ra ro n ac ra h d dies in the n into a say Cooper ed but was le and shea T-shirt; Ry In th new u th charges incl discovered investigatseiod in the murders. of a hatchet Joshua Ryen, theen’s home with a total u d of hair frois in in g re tr si y, victims’ 8-y sting an hoid wound on meth posses of 143 stab ffic button Com the victims’ hannd, analysts will look ea h w si is in ro o g u o n th ld n in an ro d s. so ta at th d In at o s, ck . n w e p s , H b L ea .

S er tr ds su lo d sample an e was the o ’s atto ey ring a uisiana, a p tigators pla in publicoca nly survivffoered a slash the allegations Bernardino County s and a gan Norman oH nted at thrn After Coop reen n be senteerson convicte Cooper’s at r of the at- D.A.’s Angeles C ar il e e e m n sc o m ai t er en n o su s’ ta st e le s n rp o ce. Man . Ex torneys are ced to thre rised about vestigationounty Superior Couof the crime. A reins inves- al gally stayed in a h jail break, investig racial biaffi making ab holidays licekptions are allowed fo . at so y they tire o rt judge wil ses and disy of them frequen out their e H al found eviduse next door to thoers found, he il- complaints tl lo l oversee thd Los familsa cr Cooper, 61 y w een and M r relig It’s unclear ence in the y’s station w are handledimination in the w complain about e invictims. Th , has main years. His la if g an M m R g ay . oran has a ardi G ag en y ta ey Ju p en o th ro t. in st n ’s w ei se ed last month that tied C home and in r cases or cutor Mich For some, G lawy

by Gov. N yers hope the resu his innocence u n , o d a o ae er o p th S v. l er an in p e S N ressure for ew m, wh elyem, who gObserver over the Bernardino Wednesday, June 3, 2020 in the case Group ew s of the re-t the murderCalifornia som’s order oftoSouthern help39 Volume 46 Number Newspapers m o ich couldltta n prove thso ak is is s. so es in W b

to ti ci ei g cr ng ord ed of the murd hite, al m ng met it b aden D eir client’s him. h dismay. ro A test- chelle Obamedia. His insults taurgde and racist and co resigned innocenceke several months, er porters of ers Joshua Ryenwan The lone N mments et a, w ed an U il l ,S d th fo su B . d e rm fi R la In 1 rvivor nally exon ep ck shooting er erate they are disappoRinyens and Hughesfaalmily, friends and su victim. . Maxine Waters andFirst Lady Mion four co9u85, a San Diego Co Th l p te ac d o an mas ross the stat with e go unnamed “Unfortunat 26 and an nts of murder. At unty jury convicte vernor’s dec e say Los Angeles oR. Parker, a former ely, over tith the time of d Cooper for justice in is ffi d m io ep ce cord - incluescaped prison inm n e , u . it b ty h th el is se is h ie em ar ead of the This guy is ves case matters rest, he was no Distric s the victi FBI’s in Pennsylv ding several burglaate. His lengthy cr innocent,” Cooper. s’ desire “The eviden iminal re- “Prior DNtAAttorney Jason Anless and less,” San m ries and the ania – did h e ce to ld w as B th d er o n te er e p n ot help his n Cooper, form rape of a m st la so N ar th in n ew n d te e g icl sa d st th ai Y , id an ork at r. Coo med ould he was fram d.” case. inor erly named in 1958 p sought,in a statement. exonerate M ed, the copTimes.

What has k per’s guilw him have er agreed to an s lied t.” months onldear Pittsburgh, PenRichard Goodman, ep t a th fe al e d eral appella l confirmed case going d nsylvania. was born Yet persuas During his , he was adopted an te M an W ec co r. d u h u C ive argumen tion and re en he was C rt ooLAKE FOR six monies and iew the ca’ssedecision in 2004 toooper alive - is and he spenchildhood, his par d renamed Kevin ts ased on Gov. Newvso EST ents physica is recoverin w stay his exCooper. reasonable qualeslegations of evidenbce t a good p co it h n fl m ic juvenile det o ti m re n D ’s g sc g after bei,nCalif. (AP) – Offic ar

N ll d te ti ie t ta y ec A o n st o m n ab ti is if g te s p fi io at ad u ab st er c en y se n o o in o ev in o rs d ti n le u to g g id o g struck by u t sc h ro , n se co th en im k al en ad centers. In a mental d to ail Co ee e ethods low anotherBAKERSFIELD, m ce. ce living in South Calif. in (AP) – erIn and storiesp raising California Governoes early in the term oper. Threm n CBakersfield, several attack, and in nsw round of L alifornia. a polic ag Californiah. ealth facility in Pen1982, Cooper esca u n e h in r a av w w o v B police arrested a man they said drove recklessly ea f the progre estie high expec hose suppo orn testimo pons were u ped from three attacker nsylvania b the Orange each Police Othrough rt ta ss er n se iv ti ffi r Thom y, s d o e o s ef ns. have led to the n th Josh Duri Couanty15-year-old in the wh ore moving a e crowd “DN politicalofLefprotesters, the demonstrations someonstriking A testing sh Register hecegirl as said hine California, to could have been Hoiswere White. He lautea Ryen Here gued that nCg his murder trial, e’ s so p t et lv in and causing minor injuries.

Officers monitoring the o e sa w u itially th ld th w h en p r tedeath e Ryen Black law enforcement professional, mass looting, imm anic.

Further com stifiedofthaat . 19. Tran, 31,thpassed e cat dby ediately takprotest noticed thatFeb Ryen, their ooper killed husbanprosecutors succes ca se ar C h te an ia Michael the th d p d n ey li in g saidofdudollars e place to finally enloss. cati g the p front vandalism and billions property named Dia Mappeared ring thin cGuire sato neighbor C 10-year-old daugh d and wife Doug ansfully ar- ban sure justcrowd ro cutions’arson, na Roper n at DNA severalre-timesthand behen talking to the e ca ys w ice is se elonging to te ssica an The protests got sobthviolent and destructive inmLos hristopher paigAngeles d Peggy ev came forwse e cl an id ai n rv en h im . m e ed “N s, ce al g ,” o a h o Hughes. rPJe ca d w u t w er t t tedeclared out to asthem, omantagonizing help law enin all onprotesters, biggerpolice sting in athstate Newsom has ofnemergency it provpossibly olice foundan 11-year-old inal. She turned former boyfriend ard with bthat than asaid. loodGov. Ainto nimaljail is case forcemently is He y cloth houseofcat.chec Cofor who wasof wasen booked would emergency the evidence ing County Eafter the bloodie ntrolinvestigation ven the so Los Angeles city requested to lv co o th an e a ffi m cr o v ce u an io e im d destroyed it. g rs at le imal hospit es, tr over to the aid forntthe no co to th Newsothe ld, he isand hdeploy - istoboactivate m’s dCalifornia al, where itrushed the ble police, butcrimstate African Am e statmurder. ma. ision in thstattempted e.said ” a au was daiagno they issue that Califtreading carefully ec ericans, His Police number of protesters blocked e C National Guard. o o p o se Dr. K er cathrew n a potenti roadway, ornia voters panics and se sh watchSydney risti rocks bottles and at officers K ing. HeKamlager al ra other minoAssemblymember ly ac u (D-Los Angeles), se ro p e expects th , a veterinar and olarizing ss the politi is keeping ri ti es e ia vandalized a memorial dedicated to fallen officers. ca li 1 v n l 1 h , sp -p is te C b who attended a march tweeted, “There ectrum are ound (5-kil ll ack into th ontiin focus are nuthe on no ed oL.A., fair s an eresisting ogram) castth nmedia wild afteand page A amount of hashtags or social posts dpeople r it reobstructing 2 to remember nesTen McGfor to justicewere arrested g u ai ir n e s st officers. v isited the rength. that if he se the effects of the internalized trauma from experiencing b o b es ca t n Friday it again, he’ repeated police brutality in America. I stand firm in the . ll issue a tiock et for j fight to decriminalize Blackness.”

In Oakland on Saturday, a gunman opened fire in front of the Ronald V. Dellums Federal building, killing a 53-year-old African American Federal Protective Services Officer who lived in Pinole on the north East Bay. Another officer, who is currently hospitalized, was also shot.

“We are further saddened and outraged by this callous act of gun violence. This crime is under investigation,”

By DEE-ANN DURBIN wrote U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA-13). “But AP Business Writer we should never conflate the actions of murderers with the Target is temporarily closing 105 stores in 10 states motives of protestors demanding justice.” after several were broken into during protests over the On Thursday, Gov. Newsom said he understood the Around 300 people gathered on Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield Friday night. The crowd even managed to raw emotion that sparked the protests. death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week. block some of the street in front of the Police Department. One attendee, Ana Cornejo said the smoke rising The company is closing 46 stores in California “Over the last few days, we have seen millions of over the crowd is from cars making doughnuts. (Photo Credit Courtesy of Ana Cornejo) and 33 in Minnesota, where the company is based and people lift their voices in anger, rightfully outraged at where the protests over Floyd’s death began. Target is how systemic racism is allowed to persist,” Newsom said. also closing some stores in Colorado, Pennsylvania, “Every single day, people of color are disadvantaged and Tanu Henry Illinois, New York, Georgia, Oregon, Michigan and discriminated against. Black and Latino men in particular California Black Media Texas. face mortal danger all across this country simply because of Protestors and pastors across California as well as their race. Every person who has raised their voice should Floyd, who was black and handcuffed, died while angered citizens and politicians — including Gov. Gavin be heard.” being arrested by Minneapolis police for suspicion of Newsom — have all responded to the violent death of an passing a counterfeit bill on May 25. Cellphone video The governor also condemned the violence that has unarmed Black man in Minnesota. showed that a white officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed sidelined the protests.

George Floyd, 46, died in police custody after a White his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes while “In California and across the country, there are officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for nearly eight indications that violent actors may be attempting to use Floyd pleaded for air and eventually stopped moving. minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25. The these protests for their own agendas,” the governor said.

Chauvin now faces murder and manslaughter charges. cellphone video of the brutal killing has been shared tens “We are closely monitoring organizing by violent extremist The other three officers who took part in the arrest were of millions of times around the world. In it, Floyd can be organizations. To those who seek to exploit Californians’ fired, but they haven’t been charged. heard pleading for help and letting the officers know that pain to sow chaos and destruction, you are not welcome.”

Minneapolis-based Target didn’t say how it chose he was suffocating. which stores to shutter or how long they will remain Last week, the Rev. Shane Harris, President of the “I can’t breathe,” Floyd cries out to the cops. He also People’s Alliance of Justice, attended a rally supporting closed. called out for his mama.

“We are heartbroken by the death of George Floyd’s family in Minneapolis. Harris, who is an activist The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) based in San Diego, joined the Rev. Al Sharpton and other Floyd and the pain it is causing communities across the issued a statement after Floyd’s death. country,’’ Target said in a statement. “Our focus will activists and faith leaders from across the country.

“There were other officers who could have helped him remain on our team members’ safety and helping our “A Black man went to death row before he could ever but did not,” read the CLBC statement. “They instead get to court over an alleged nonviolent offense,” Harris said. community heal.’’ preferred to stand by and watch as their colleague killed “The County DA’s response to whether he’s filing charges Target said employees at stores that are closed will an unarmed man. There were bystanders who wanted to shows us he must have selective justice in his mind.” be paid for up to 14 days, including premiums they are help him but could not because of the uniforms, guns and earning due to the coronavirus pandemic. They will also Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), Minority badges that stood in the way” be able to work at Target locations that remain open.

Leader in the California Senate, says she empathizes with Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), the the outrage but called the riots “unacceptable”. chair of the CLBC, also took to Twitter to express her grief, “Today our state and country woke up with a mixture horror and support for the victim’s family. of emotions,” said Grove. “We feel sadness and grief for “George Floyd should be alive today,” Weber tweeted. George Floyd’s family, and we feel anger and frustration The members of CLBC, she told her followers, “stand with with those who would use a tragic event to vandalize, loot, his family, the people of Minneapolis, and those speaking and destroy communities.” out in the name of justice.”

In a solemn ceremony on Sunday afternoon, San Floyd was killed almost a year to the date that the Francisco Mayor London Breed took a knee with local California state Assembly passed AB 392 in May 2019. The leaders in the Mission district in the city. She called for bill Weber introduced and championed raised the bar for justice and asked the protest organizers to remain true to police officers to justify using lethal force in California. It the spirit of non-violence that underpins their activism.

Attendees to a Bakersfield protest Friday night took effect on Jan 1 this year.

“Your words mean nothing if your actions are OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – A federal law Across the country, days of fiery protest escalated into something else,” Breed advised. “Stop turning Black Lives held signs and chanted outside of the city’s police enforcement officer who was shot and killed while department. (Photo Credit Courtesy of Ana Corne- violent rioting in every major American city and in some Matter into a joke, because it’s not. It’s born out of pain, it’s providing security at the U.S. courthouse in Oakland smaller towns, too. jo) born out of disrespect and racism.” during a protest has been identified.

Dave Patrick Underwood, 53, died from gunshot wounds sustained after someone fired shots from an unidentified vehicle Friday night, the FBI said Sunday.

Another officer was critically injured in the drive-by shooting outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building.

An update on the officer’s condition

By Stacy M. Brown has not been released.

NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent No one has been From the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul arrested and a motive to the Streets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, for the shooting Chicago, Louisville, Atlanta, Washington, DC, and New has not been York City, and the bright lights of the Big Apple, African determined.

The Americans are expressing outrage over the police killing of FBI, Oakland police George Floyd, the latest in a country-mile long list of Black and the Bureau of Dave Patrick Underwood men and women murdered under the color of law.

Alcohol, Tobacco City officials in Minneapolis and St. Paul called on and Firearms were investigating the shooting. the National Guard, and state police lined the streets there The contract security officers worked for the in riot gear.

Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective An 8PM curfew was ordered, and an African American Service and were monitoring a nearby protest over the CNN reporter was arrested while giving a live report from police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, according a hotspot of protests. to DHS officials.

In California, demonstrators closed the 101 freeway Underwood was the brother of Angela Underwood in San Jose as marchers took to the streets in San Francisco Jacobs, recently a Republican candidate to fill a vacant and Oakland.

U.S. district north of Los Angeles.

In New York, where the novel coronavirus hit America “My brother, Dave Patrick Underwood, a federal the hardest and where residents had remained reluctant to officer, was murdered 5/29/20 in Oakland California, gather outdoors, protestors jammed city streets. while on duty during the riots,’’ she posted on Facebook New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo joined an extensive Saturday. “This Violence Must Stop.’’ list of politicians condemning the action of former Underwood graduated from high school in Pinole, Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, 44, who, along a working-class suburb north of Oakland. Friends told with three other officers, were videotaped using excessive the Richmond Standard that he participated in Soulful force on Floyd.

Softball Sunday, a community group centered on National Newspaper Publishers Association Chair softball games and charity.

Karen Carter Richards and NNPA President and CEO Dr. “He was a good man, everybody in the community Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., and numerous other Black Press of On Friday, May 29, former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, 44, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. loved him,” his friend Antwon Cloird said.

America newspaper publishers have expressed outrage over The protest in downtown Oakland began peacefully Floyd’s murder and concern about the rampant killings Governor Cuomo stated. “This is just another chapter in station — including the majority of men and women in Friday but sank into chaos late into the night. City of African Americans at the hands of police and white the book called: Injustice and inequality in America.” law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job officials said at least 70 businesses were damaged or supremacist vigilantes acting under color of law.

Earlier, former President Barack Obama released the right way, every day — to work together to create a destroyed. Police said 13 officers were injured.

Chauvin inexplicably pressed his knee against a a statement weighing in on the injustice regularly ‘new normal’ in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal It wasn’t immediately known if the killing was handcuffed Floyd’s neck while the young Black man lay experienced by African Americans. treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts.” related to the protest. on the ground.

“This shouldn’t be ‘normal’ in 2020 America. It can’t Margaret Huang, president, and chief executive The federal building’s glass doors were smashed and The assault went on for nine minutes, with Floyd be ‘normal,’” Obama stated. “If we want our children to officer of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), said the front entrance was sprayed with anti-police graffiti. pleading that he couldn’t breathe. grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we the organization joins with its allies in condemning the Federal officials said they’re seeing more threats and Floyd died a short time later at a local hospital. can and must be better. recent police killings of Floyd, Tony McDade, Sean Reed, assaults against law enforcement officers at protests and On Friday, May 29, Chauvin was arrested and charged “It will fall mainly on the officials of Minnesota to and Breonna Taylor. warned that an attack against officers or police stations with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Later that ensure that the circumstances surrounding George Floyd’s “Following the tragic killing of Ahmaud Arbery by a is considered an act of domestic terrorism. day, bail was set at $500,000. death are investigated thoroughly and that justice is former police officer, the impact of these murders reaches He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. ultimately done.”

“This is not a new story, this is a continuing narrative,” “But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or Continued on page A2

Welcome to Observer Interactive

Deeper Content. Pictures Move. Ads Talk. Live Shopping.

Man in Go Breaks in r Hides UndH e

News Observer Bakersfield

Mourning and Mayhem:

California Reacts to the Brutal Killing of George Floyd

Free!

BobMan cat Recov Bakersfield Afor fter Being e Arrested Hi olicinto Driving P Car e Car Protesters

Target Temporarily Closing Stores Due to Protest Dangers

Federal Officer Shot and Killed Near Oakland Protest

Police Murder of George Floyd Sparks Uprisings Across America

A2

BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER

World & Nation

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Black COVID-19 Patients in California Hospitalized 2.7 More Times Than Whites

Dr. Stephen Lockhart, the African American chief medical officer at Sutter Health, a non-profit healthcare network. (Courtesy Photo)

Tanu Henry California Black Media The cost of unequal healthcare is measured in human life, says Dr. Stephen Lockhart, the African American chief medical officer at Sutter Health, a non-profit healthcare network with 24 hospitals located across Northern California.

Lockhart made this chilling observation while talking about the growing body of evidence that is confirming that more minorities and disadvantaged people are getting infected, being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19 than White, middle class and wealthier Americans.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has ripped a Band-Aid off of the structural inequities that exist within our society.

We must address these disparities right away,” Lockhart explains, adding “We have a moral obligation to do so.”

Last month, Sutter Health’s Advancing Equity Team released a report in the journal Health Affairs, a publication that focuses on health policy. The study found that Black COVID-19 patients in California are 2.7 times more likely to be hospitalized than their Non-Hispanic, White counterparts. It also reported that they “tend to arrive at Sutter healthcare facilities sicker and with more severe symptoms.”

Based in Sacramento, Sutter Health serves more than 3 million people across 22 California counties.

Even when Blacks in California have health insurance, the study revealed that African Americans may not seek testing and care until their illnesses become emergencies — when the likelihood of dying is highest. The report focused its research on areas in Northern California — including neighborhoods with historical African American enclaves like Hunters Point Bay View in San Francisco and East

Oakland in Alameda County.

Lockhart and the researchers at Sutter say the study points to how socioeconomic variables can factor into the high rates of African American infection, hospitalizations and death. For example, African Americans tend to go farther away to seek care hospital through emergency rooms than to visit health care centers located closer to their homes. And because a large number of Blacks work in “essential” jobs, they may not be able to get excused from work to get testing when they first start to experience COVID-19 symptoms.

For the study, Sutter collected data from patients ages 18 or older who had visited or been treated at Sutter Health facilities. Then, using its electronic health record (EHR) system, Sutter scientists broke the study’s subjects into two groups – suspected cases and confirmed cases.

The researchers also applied the data to its Health Equity Index, a metric Sutter Health has used in a similar study on Asthma, to come up with the findings of the COVID-19 report. The asthma study, much like this one, crystallizes the stubborn racial health gap that persists in California and around the country.

Across the United States, there have been a total of 1.7 confirmed million COVID-19 cases and over 100,000 deaths.

Black Americans represent nearly 13% of the total population. Yet, African Americans living in counties across the United States where the Black population ranges between 13% and 85%, account for more than half of all COVID-19 infections, and they make up almost 60% of deaths. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, the University of Mississippi, and Emory University released those numbers earlier this

month.

So far, in California, there have been 110,583 confirmed cases and 4,213 deaths as of May 31. Blacks make up about 6 percent of the state population but account for more than 10 percent of all deaths. The majority of the deaths have been in Los Angeles County, where there have been 53,627 cases and 2,338 deaths. The Black death rate in Los Angeles county hovers around 12 percent.

“The real value of the study lies not in the disparities it reveals but in its utility to inform our work to develop solutions that will address the equity gaps we are seeing with programs such as community outreach and engagement in at-risk neighborhoods,” said Kristen M.J. Azar, a registered nurse, public health professional, lead author of the study and a research scientist at the Sutter Health Center for Health Systems Research.

According to Sutter, expanding health care coverage alone is not enough to close the health gaps in California between Blacks and Whites and between the people at the bottom and at the top of our economic spectrum.

Health care institutions, the organization’s leadership believes, would have to rely on “community-based outreach and access to culturally competent care within the African American community” to arrest the problem.

“Additional research is needed to understand where healthcare disparities exist, what drives them, and what targeted interventions work best to address them. Sutter remains committed to continued advancement and leadership in this field,” the organization said in a statement.

“This pandemic underscores the need to develop innovative solutions that are specifically tailored to address the unmet needs of those at highest risk,” Azar concluded.

Gov. Newsom Extends Statewide Freeze on Evictions California Black Media Staff On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order halting evictions for renters across California until July 28.

The order, according to the governor’s office, authorizes local governments in California to extend moratoriums on evictions to protect their residents who can’t afford to pay rents because of the coronavirus crisis.

The initial order Newsom issued in March a couple of weeks after declaring a State of Emergency in California early March, was scheduled to expire on May 31.

“People shouldn’t lose or be forced out of their home because of the spread of COVID-19,” said Gov. Newsom on March 16 when he first issued the order. “Over the next few weeks, everyone will have to make sacrifices – but a place to live shouldn’t be one of them. I strongly encourage cities and counties take up this authority to protect Californians.”

Then on March 16, the governor strengthened the order by issued a ban on enforcement of eviction orders by local authorities or courts for renters affected by the global

pandemic.

Once the moratorium is lifted, though, tenants could still be liable to pay back rent to their landlords.

On May 27, the Senate Housing Committee voted yes on SB 1410, a bill, introduced by Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). If passed and signed into law, SB 1410 would provide temporary financial assistance to California renters. The state would make direct payments to landlords for as much as 80% of unpaid rent for tenants across the state, Tenants would only qualify if their nonpayment due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Gov. Newsom’s executive order Friday included other provisions, too. Among them were a directive to the Deparment of Motor Vehicles to extend mail-in renewals for driver’s licenses and identification cards. It also lifted restrictions that prevented after-school and childcare programs from serving children of essential workers, and dropped the requirement to take an assessment test for Californians enrolled in the teacher preparation program during the 2019-20 school year.

On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order halting evictions for renters across California until July 28.

Oprah Donates $12M for COVID-19 Relief

News Observer Bakersfield

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent During a recent virtual address to the class of 2020 college graduates, Oprah Winfrey spoke of the need to provide for those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“What this pandemic has done is made me think about giving differently. How I give and who’s on the receiving end of that, and how do you do that in such a way that sustains people? I’ve ultimately always believed that you teach people to fish. But sometimes people just

Adjudicated a Newspaper of General Circulation August 11, 1980, Kern County Superior Court Decree, Case No. 16964, Government Code 6023.

Bulk Mailing Permit 724 Bakersfield, CA 93385

Published By Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California, Inc. Corporate Office 1219 20th St. Bakersfield, CA 93301 (661) 324-9466.

Member of The National Newspapers Publishers Association, Associated Press, and The Better Business Bureau

President: Ellen Coley Operations Manager: Jon Coley Editor: James Luckey

Credo-The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accounts to every person, regardless of race, color, or creed full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as any one is held back.

The Observer Group Newspapers reserves the right to publish views an opinions that may not necessarily reflect those of the staff and management and are solely the product of the responsible individuals who submit commentaries published in these newspapers. Letters, articles and comments appearing in the Observer Newspapers reflect the opinions of the contributor and do not constitute the opinion or endorsement by The Observer Newspapers or its staff. The Observer Group Newspapers assumes no responsibility for photographs, articles, letters, press releases and unsolicited materials. Decisions as to the editing and publishing of materials are at the discretion of the Publisher and Editors. All rights are reserved on materials accepted for publication unless otherwise specified.

Los Angeles News Observer Bakersfield News Observer Valley s News Observer 1219 20th St. Bakersfield, Ca 93301 Mailing Address P.O. Box 2341 Bakersfield, CA 93303 Phone (661) 324-9466 FAX. (661) 324-9472 Emails and general info: observernews@gmail.com, Advertising: observeradvertising@gmail.com Available online: www.ognsc.com

need fish and a piece of bread,” the media mogul stated.

“Sometimes you need some fish, OK? Sometimes you don’t have time to learn to fish. I just need some fish today!”

Winfrey made sure that there was plenty of “fish” in the places she’s called home. Through the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, the OWN Network boss announced she was donating $12 million to organizations dedicated to helping underserved communities in Chicago, Baltimore, Nashville, Milwaukee and Kosciusko, Mississippi.

Born in Kosciusko, Winfrey has lived in each of the cities where she’s donating money.

“This thing is not going away. Even when the virus is gone, the devastation left by people not being able to work for months who were holding on paycheck to paycheck, who have used up their savings — people are going to be in need,” Winfrey told the Associated Press.

“So, my thing is, look in your own neighborhood, in your own backyard to see how you can serve and where your service is most essential. That is the real essential work, I think, for people of means.”

Of the $12 million donations, Winfrey gave $5 million to Live Healthy Chicago, which provides immediate support to seniors and high-risk residents affected by the coronavirus.

She gave $2 million to Nashville Nurtures, a collaboration with Mount Zion Baptist Church and Tennessee State University (TSU). Winfrey graduated from TSU and began her career in Nashville. She later lived in Milwaukee, where she announced a $100,000 gift to SaintA and the Nia Imani Family, Inc., which assists those in need of housing and mental health care.

In Baltimore, where she once worked, Winfrey is donating money to Living Classrooms Foundation and Center for Urban Families. Winfrey also said she’s giving $115,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi.

“I want to be able to reach people who have been incarcerated and are coming out of prison,” Winfrey noted.

“I want to reach mothers of domestic violence. I want to reach people. I want to feed people. I want to help people get access to testing.

Born in Kosciusko, Oprah has lived in each of the cities where she’s donating money.

Police Murder of George Floyd Sparks Uprisings Across America

Continued from page A1

across the country, and there must be accountability. It is absolutely imperative that local police departments and district attorneys investigate, arrest, and prosecute officers and all who violate the rights of the people who live in the communities they are charged to serve,” Huang stated.

“Equally important, law enforcement must stop responding to peaceful protest of police killings with more violence. Police are obligated to protect those in the community, and punishing peaceful protest is a gross abuse of human rights,” she stated. We stand with millions of people across the country who are rightfully

outraged by the killing of unarmed Black people, the lack of responsiveness, the lack of action and President Trump calling for violence against those demanding justice for Mr. Floyd’s death.”

Florida Rep. Val Demings, who is Black and a former Orlando police chief, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post Friday, noting that, “as a former woman in blue, let me begin with my brothers and sisters in blue: What in the hell are you doing?”

“As law enforcement officers, we took an oath to protect and serve. And those who forgot — or who

never understood that oath in the first place — must go.

That includes those who would stand by as they witness misconduct by a fellow officer,” she wrote.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. concluded, “The NNPA, the voice of Black America, calls for an independent investigation into the police murder of George Floyd. We do not trust the perpetrators to investigate themselves.

Black America’s cup has run over with grief, anger and rage as a result of these continuing racially motivated murders.

If there is no justice, there will be no peace.”

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER A3

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2020-B2245 Doing business as: CICI & ME TREASURES at 5601 Coffee Rd Unit 714, Bakersfield, Ca. 93308 Mailing Address: Same County: Kern Full name of registrant: MELISSA GONZALEZ, 5601 Coffee Rd Unit 714, Bakersfield, Ca. 93308 The business is conducted by: Individual SIGNED: MELISSA GONZALEZ The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 04/02/2020 This statement filed with the County Clerk of Kern County on: May 5, 2020 MARY B BEDARD County Clerk By: M HERNANDEZ, Deputy This fictitious Business Name Statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the County Clerk’s Office. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. 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 to a trademark or trade name under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 ET SEQ., business and professions code).

I 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 This statement expires on May 5, 2025 BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: May 13, 20, 27, June 3, 2020

requests that GABRIEL WANKAR and FRANCA NIAMEH be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate.

The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval.

Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: June 25, 2020 Time: 10:30 a.m. Dept: P Room: P located at 1215 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, Ca. 93301 IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the deceased, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within four months from the date of first issuance of letters as provided on Probate Code section 9100.

The time for filing claims will not expire before four months from the hearing date noticed above.

YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. IF you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (for DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate code section 1250. A request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner: John A. Mangini South San Francisco, Ca. 94080 WESTMINSTER, CA. 92683 Telephone: (650) 876-0188 Email: john@manginilaw.com Attorney For: Gabriel Wankar and Franca Niameh, Executors

of general circulation, printed in this county BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER Date: April 30, 2020 Linda S Etienne COURT COMMISSIONER Yesenia Sanchez DEPUTY JESSE ROBERT GAUNA PO Box 5104 Delano, Ca. 93216 Phone: (661) 721-6300 IN PRO PER BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: May 27, June 3, 10, 17, 2020

an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association.

NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www. sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia.

Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro.

Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar

las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil.

Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF KERN 1415 Truxtun, Bakersfield, CA 93301 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): THE DUNNING LAW FIRM APC Donald T. Dunning (144665) James MacLeod (249145) 4545 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 200 San Diego, Ca. 92123 Telephone: (858) 974-7600 Fax: DATE (Fecha): October 28, 2019 TAMARAH HARBER-PICKENS, Clerk (Secretario), by Layton Johnson, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served.

BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER (DLF) PUB: June 3, 10, 17, 24, 2020

Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form.

If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements.

You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association.

NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www. sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por

incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia.

Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro.

Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil.

Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF KERN 1415 Truxtun, Bakersfield, CA 93301 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): THE DUNNING LAW FIRM APC Donald T. Dunning (144665) James MacLeod (249145) 4545 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 200 San Diego, Ca. 92123 Telephone: (858) 974-7600 Fax: DATE (Fecha): December 3, 2019 TAMARAH HARBER-PICKENS, Clerk (Secretario), by Gina Sala, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served.

BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER (DLF) PUB: June 3, 10, 17, 24, 2020

�������������������������������

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF ANGELA EGBIKUADJE aka ANGELA ARHONA EGBIKUADJE aka ANGELA A. EGBIKUADJE CASE NUMBER: BPB-20-002318 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of ANGELA EGBIKUADJE aka ANGELA ARHONA EGBIKUADJE aka ANGELA A. EGBIKUADJE A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by GABRIEL WANKAR and FRANCA NIAMEH in the Superior Court of California, County of KERN 1215 Truxtun Ave Bakersfield, Ca. 93301 Branch Name: THE PETITION FOR PROBATE

BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: May 27, June 3, 10, 2020

������������������������������� ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER BCV-20-100942 Superior Court of the State of California, for the county of Kern, 1415 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301 PETITION OF: JESSE ROBERT GAUNA FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: JESSE ROBERT GAUNA for a decree changing names as follows: Present name JESSE ROBERT GAUNA Filed a petition with this court Proposed name JESSE ROBERT VALENZUELA THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: Aug 10, 2020 Time: 8:30 a.m.

Dept: 12 The address of the court is: Same as noted above.

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper

������������������������������� SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): BCL-19-018175 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): ROBERTO GIL MENDEZ, an individual; and DOES 1 to 5, inclusive YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): SUNSTREET ENERGY GROUP, LLC, a limited liability company NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you.

Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form.

If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements.

You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford

������������������������������� SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): BCL-19-019162 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): MARY PETTIS, an individual; and DOES 1 to 5, inclusive YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): LENDMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC, a limited liability company NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you.

Local

California Schools Chief Calls for New Plan on Racism SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – California’s education chief Tony Thurmond announced plans Monday to lead a new effort focusing on racism in state schools during emotional remarks on George Floyd, whose killing he said has left him struggling to answer his own children who asked, “Why did this happen?’’

Thurmond is the only elected government official in

California who is African American.

“Now is the time to address racism and implicit bias in education,’’ Thurmond said, blinking back tears during a livestream Monday. “We must not let this moment go unnoticed.’’

Thurmond said that he has already reached out to state superintendents around the country and will be initiating

conversations with California school superintendents, educational leaders, parents and students but also go beyond the educational sphere and work with elected officials, police chiefs and government agencies.

The conversations will focus on how schools can provide more training for staff and students on implicit bias, building empathy and tolerance. They will also also

examine legislation and inequalities in California schools, where black and brown students are more likely to be suspended, pushed out of school and into the criminal justice system, he said.

Thurmond said he appreciated protesters raising their voices but urged them to demonstrate peacefully.

Legal Notices

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

A4 BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER

Kids Count In The 2020 Census

By Matt Munoz South Kern Sol During the 2010 census, an estimated 1 million children under the age of 5 went uncounted. In 2020, kids are again at risk of being overlooked, especially those in living situations with large extended families or multiple families under one roof, says Kevin Bartl, spokesperson for First 5 Kern, an organization that provides funds to programs that help children age 0 to 5. “Young children – defined as children under age five – have been undercounted for decades, disadvantaging their families, communities, and neighborhoods. In the 2010 Census, the net undercount rate for young children was 4.6 percent, and more than 2.2 million in this age group were not included in the census results. This is a higher net undercount rate than for any other age group. Even among other children, those under five years old are more likely to be missing from census data.” – censuscounts.gov “A lot of people don’t realize that the census isn’t really a family by family count, it’s a household by household count,” said Bartl. “So, even if you have two different families living in the same household, you have you count all of those people who are in the household not just the people in your family.” Shared child custody, among other factors are also of concern, adds Bartl. “‘I thought you were going to count them?,’ or ‘They live with me some of the time,’ and that type of thinking which extends to those kids who live with other family members. They think, well that’s not my child, so I shouldn’t have to report them. That is not true. You need to count them.” The general rule for children in the census is: Count children in the home where they usually live and sleep most of the time, even if their parents do not live there. If you’ve just had a baby, and your baby was still in the hospital on April 1st, 2020, you should count your baby at the home where he or she will live and sleep most of the time. “Some estimates have also put a number of the children who are not counted live in households that actually do participate in the census, which is very strange.

In some case it comes down to that people just don’t realize you’re supposed to count your kids,” said Bartl. Why is counting children so important to the census? Let’s start with federally funded programs in education, health, and wellness that depend on an accurate count to serve their community. “There are programs geared towards helping children and families whose funding is almost solely based on your census numbers,” said Bartl. These programs include Head Start, school lunches, WIC, food stamps,

and special education programs to name a few, all of which First 5 advocates for even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep Bartl and his staff safely distanced from the public they serve. “Talk about great plans that have not been able to be implemented, we have all kinds of boxes of kids collateral that arrived at our office the day before everybody went into quarantine that we haven’t even been able to get out. Census bookmarks, coloring books, activity worksheets, and we even have these really cool We Count census books for kids that talk about the importance of the

census. It’s all geared towards children.”

BY THE NUMBERS 10 of the largest federally funded child-serving programs in 2015: -Medicaid: $60.9 billion -Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP): $29.2 billion -Title I grants to LEAs (local education agencies): $13.9 billion -National School Lunch Program: $11.6 billion -Special Education Grants: $11.2 billion -State Children’s Health Insurance Program: $11.1 billion -Head Start: $8.3 billion -Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,

Infants and Children: $6.3 billion -Foster Care: $4.6 billion -Child Care: $2.9 billion **Courtesy of the Annie E. Casey Foundation “These programs need to be supported, and if the programs aren’t being supported by the federal dollars, then our community has to find a way to come up with it,” said Bartl. “If those special education dollars don’t come into the school system, well then guess who has to figure it out? The school system does with our local dollars, so it’s super important to be counted.” first5kern.org

SOCIAL DISTANCING? Get The Bakersfield News Observer Online at www.

OGNSC.COM Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER A5

Local

Elijah Buyard received Scholastic Achievement Award (goes to the male student with the highest GPA) 4.418.

41st African American Graduate Awards Program Held on Virtual Platform

By Autumn Nichols Contributing Writer While social distancing guidelines are still in place to diminish the spread of the Coronavirus, graduation celebrations are not cancelled! Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Kappa Omega Omega Chapter and the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, Inc. chose an online forum to host its 41st African American Graduate Scholarship Awards.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Omega Omega Chapter and the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, Inc. celebrated the Class of 2020 with the African American Graduation Awards Program virtual presentation on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 3PM. The program was live on the foundations webpage (www.gradaward.org) with this year’s theme serving as “Stepping into Greatness-Academic Excellence.”

During this presentation High School Seniors were acknowledged and received book scholarships donated by the foundation as well as from community members totaling over $400,000. In addition, over 250 Eighth Grade honor roll students were also acknowledged for their achievements at their respective middle schools.

Since 1979, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Kappa Omega Omega Chapter has hosted an annual Graduation Awards Program to reach out to Kern County African American students preparing to further their education. In 2014, AKA began a partnership with the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, Inc. Their program description states that it offers Community Donors who wish to give scholarships to High School graduates a taxdeductible way to contribute. For Junior High and Middle Schools, principals and counselors submit the names of African American honor roll students for recognition.

Over 100 years ago Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc set out to dedicate their life to service. Their purpose, just like many other African American Greek organizations, as well as community contributors, include: cultivating and encouraging high scholastic and ethical standards, maintaining a progressive interest in college life, and to be of ‘Service to All Mankind’. They are staying true to their mission and once again did not disappoint by recognizing and rewarding many students with aid for their college education during an unprecedented time.

Linda McKnight, President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Omega Omega Chapter welcomed graduates, families, and friends by stating, “Yes it is in virtual format due to covid-19 but regardless of the format, our honored graduates’ accomplishments deserve due recognition.”

She makes mention that these necessary precautions were to ensure safety.

McKnight goes on to give an uplifting statement to convey this year’s theme.

“In spite of what’s happening around us, we press on! We encourage you to keep stepping into greatness.”

Diane McClanahan, the Scholarship Committee chair greeted students with this bold statement: “Because the world stage brought about a pause to what we’ve known as normal, you’ve had to readapt with the challenge of opening and operating in an outside-of-the-box academic experience. Your hard work and success while managing your personal and life experiences as well as navigating the unusual issues facing our world makes it even more important to acknowledge your resilience and most honored and outstanding accomplishments.”

Demonstrating core values, Harriet Edwards, Chaplin of Alpha Kappa Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Kappa Omega Omega Chapter, gave a special word of prayer. Additional speakers included Raquell Jones, president of Ivy Legacy Foundation Inc. and Scholarship Committee sorority members Shirley Gordon and Ashley Davis The Class of 2020 may not be in an auditorium or large stadium amongst mass numbers of people but virtually, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Omega Omega Chapter and the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, Inc. provided the perfect avenue to present academic scholarships. Not only were deserving African American students recognized for their accomplishments, but they were rewarded for their adaptability and dedication in keeping up with their academics on a global platform.

AKA BILF Scholarship Awards Norma Boyd Memorial Award, Scholastic Achievement Award, Dr. Caren Floyd Memorial Scholarship, Rochelle Butler Memorial Award, Velaska Hunt Carter Memorial Award, Susianna Anderson Book Scholarship, Alpha kappa Alpha Book Scholarship, Soror’s Child Scholarship, A.S.C.E.N.D. Scholarship, Miss Fashionetta Participant Scholarship, Miss Fashionetta Scholarship.

AKA Community Donor Awards Pam Baugher Award, Gwendolyn Johnson Award, Dr. Will G. Kelley Award, Brent & Diane McClanahan Scholarship Award, McKnight Family Award, Lueether Ward Community Service Award, Arthur Ward Ethics Achievement Award. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Award, Dr. Joseph Anderson Memorial Scholarship, Lt. Paul Bradford Memorial Scholarship, Irma Carson Scholarship, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Award, Ruben & Vera Ford Memorial Scholarship, Shirley Gordon Scholarship, Harlem and Beyond Scholarship, CB Hodge Memorial Scholarship, Ruby Kelley Scholarship, Ronnie and Holly Mitchell Scholarship, Robert & Ruscel Reader Scholarship.

Taliya Mosley pictured being awarded $4,543 for her participation in Miss Fashinetta 2020 1 of 3 her scholarships awarded.

Toni McCarthy received Norma Boyd Memorial Award (goes to the female student with the highest GPA) 4.44 pictured with 1 of her 5 scholarships awarded.

Paradiz Gurule picking up her award from Walter Stiern Middle School. (Courtesy Photo)

Dalaynee Daniels picking up her award from Chipman Jr. High. (Courtesy Photo)

Jasmine Gore poses after she receives her diploma and Alpha Kappa Alpha award during the drive-through graduation.

A6

BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER

Local

Wednesday, June 3, 2020