73rd Primetime Emmy Awards Open With a Hip-Hop Tribute to TV
Haiti Residents Still Struggling in Aftermath of Deadly Earthquake
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Bakersfield
Volume 48 Number 3
Serving Kern County for Over 47 Years
Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California
Gov. Newsom Directs $138M to Local Fire Prevention Aldon Thomas Stiles California Black Media California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration, through the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (Cal Fire), has directed nearly $137 million in funding to local fire prevention. Newsom approved $123 million of that funding in April for the Fire Prevention Grant Program, while the additional $14.8 million is being repurposed from grants from Cal Fire’s budget last year. These funds have been allocated to 105 local fire prevention programs in communities across California. “California and the western U.S. are facing an unparalleled risk of catastrophic wildfire in this new climate reality. That’s why @CAL_FIRE is directing nearly $138 million in grants to protect and build resilience in local communities,” Newsom tweeted. Last year, Newsom cut roughly $150 million from Cal Fire’s budget. According to Cal Fire, California’s wildfire crisis has burned about 1,968,326 acres, damaged or destroyed 3,050 structures and caused one confirmed fatality. Newsom and others have claimed that climate change is contributing to the wildfires. “These grants will further our work to tackle California’s forest health and wildfire crisis, funding community-based projects that build resilience to protect lives and property,” Newsom said in a statement last week. Newsom also claimed that California is a leader on the national stage in the global fight against climate change. He made that statement last weekend when President Biden visited California to support him before the recall election Tuesday. “California is leading the nation with bold solutions to protect people and the environment, and the Biden-Harris Administration is proposing transformative investments to take on this existential crisis. With their dedicated partnership, we will continue to scale up our forest health and wildfire resilience efforts and ensure our communities recovering from wildfires have the support they need,” he said.
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The Phase 1/2/3 trial initially enrolled up to 4,500 children ages 6 months to 11 years of age in the United States, Finland, Poland, and Spain from more than 90 clinical trial sites.
to the FDA and other regulators with urgency.” The trial included 2,268 participants ages 5 to 11 and used a two-dose regimen of the vaccine administered 21 days apart. The trial used a 10-microgram dose – smaller than the
30-microgram dose that has been used for those 12 and older. The Phase 1/2/3 trial initially enrolled up to 4,500 children ages 6 months to 11 years of age in the United States, Finland, Poland, and Spain from more than 90 clinical trial sites. It was designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on a twodose schedule (approximately 21 days apart) in three age groups: ages 5 to 11 years; ages 2 to 5 years; and ages 6 months to 2 years. Based on the Phase 1 dose-escalation portion of the trial, children ages 5 to 11 years received two-dose schedule of 10 µg each while children under age 5 received a lower 3 µg dose for each injection in the Phase 2/3 study. The trial enrolled children with or without prior evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection “We are pleased to be able to submit data to regulatory authorities for this group of school-aged children before the start of the winter season,” said Dr. Ugur Sahin, CEO and co-founder of BioNTech. “The safety profile and immunogenicity data in children aged 5 to 11 years vaccinated at a lower dose are consistent with those we have observed with our vaccine in other older populations at a higher dose.”
NFL Star Partner on Digital Equity
Malcolm Mitchell, Super Bowl champion and Share the Magic Foundation founder, and Cox share vision to connect diverse, low-income, school-aged kids online.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Chris Rock Says He Has COVID-19, Urges Vaccination
NEW YORK (AP) – Chris Rock on Sunday said he has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and sent a message to anyone still on the fence: “Get vaccinated.” The 56-year-old comedian wrote on Twitter: “Hey guys I just found out I have COVID, trust me you don’t want this. Get vaccinated.” Rock has previously said he was vaccinated. Appearing on “The Tonight Show” in May, he called himself “Two-shots Rock” before clarifying that he received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. “You know, I skipped the line. I didn’t care. I used my celebrity, Jimmy,” he told host Jimmy Fallon. “I was like, ‘Step aside, Betty White. Step aside, old people. ... I did ‘Pootie Tang.’ Let me on the front of the line.’”
New Claims in NYC Restaurant Brawl Over Vaccine Proof
Pfizer Vaccine for Children 5 to 11 is Safe with Robust Antibody Response By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent A Phase 2/3 trial conducted by Pfizer and BioNTech revealed that the Covid-19 vaccine was safe and generated a “robust antibody response” in children ages 5 to 11. These are the first such results released for this age group for a US Covid-19 vaccine. Pfizer said it plans to submit to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization soon. The company said it hopes to have approval by the end of the calendar year. “Over the past nine months, hundreds of millions of people ages 12 and older from around the world have received our COVID-19 vaccine,” said Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer. “We are eager to extend the protection afforded by the vaccine to this younger population, subject to regulatory authorization, especially as we track the spread of the Delta variant and the substantial threat it poses to children,” Bourla continued. “Since July, pediatric cases of COVID-19 have risen by about 240 percent in the U.S. – underscoring the public health need for vaccination. These trial results provide a strong foundation for seeking authorization of our vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old, and we plan to submit them
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ATLANTA — Cox has announced a new collaboration to narrow the learning gap in diverse, low-income neighborhoods through its Connect2Compete program, which provides internet access to eligible K-12 students and families at low cost. Malcolm Mitchell, an author, Super Bowl-champion and founder of the Share the Magic Foundation, will partner with Cox to amplify the need for internet access among students, particularly in multicultural areas, as the critical foundation for education, training, and the jobs of tomorrow. Malcolm will help drive awareness and adoption of the Connect2Compete program among eligible customers, all while promoting a cause that carries immense personal meaning to the author and athlete himself, as he once worked off the field to achieve his literacy goals. “I grew up as a low-income student, so I understand the challenges that exist within the community. Initially, reading was a challenge for me. However, through perseverance, books became an avenue for expanding my curiosity, creativity and learning,” said Mitchell, a native of Valdosta, Georgia who was drafted to the New England Patriots after graduating from the University of Georgia in 2015. “For today’s kids, having an internet connection is vital. Connect2Compete offers an affordable option for families, and my hope is that more kids find joy and passion in reading and writing like I have through access to technology and tools that Cox provides.” As many activities have been shifted online, the virus has sparked debates about digital equity. The pressures of the pandemic and social injustice have laid bare the effects of the lack of internet access to kids in lower income families
which in turn can lock them out of the economic system. The “homework gap” is even more pronounced in minority children according to research. Communities across the country are facing challenges with remote learning, as many students lack internet access to complete school assignments and learn at their grade level with proficiency. “Malcolm’s focus on literacy and Cox’s focus on technology go hand-in-hand to ensure young students are positioned for achievement,” said Pat Esser, president and chief executive officer of Cox Communications. “We are proud to join forces with Malcolm Mitchell and the Share the Magic Foundation to ensure children have the opportunity to succeed in the classroom and in life.” According to a recent Pew Research Center study: • The “homework gap” – which refers to school-age children lacking the connectivity they need to complete schoolwork at home – is more pronounced for Black, Hispanic and lower-income households. • One-quarter of Black teens said they often or sometimes cannot do homework assignments due to lack of reliable access to a computer or internet connectivity, compared with 13% of White teens and 17% of Hispanic teens. • Hispanic teens were especially likely to say they do not have access to a home computer: 18% said this, compared with 9% of White teens and 11% of Black teens. The new partnership builds upon Cox Communications’ continued commitment to ensuring low-income, K-12 students are positioned for the future through technology. Cox also partners with the Boys & Girls Club of America, where the company has provided Continued on page A6
NEW YORK (AP) – New details have emerged about a brawl outside a popular New York City restaurant between several out-of-town visitors and an employee over the restaurant’s requirement that the guests show proof of vaccination. Attorneys for Carmine’s and for three women from Texas who are facing charges in connection with the melee last Thursday told the New York Times that the women had provided documentation of COVID-19 vaccinations but that the altercation escalated after two men who joined the party didn’t have proof. The restaurant hostess, who is white, seen being attacked in a video shot by an onlooker suggested the vaccination cards were fake, spoke condescendingly to the group, who are Black, and used a racial slur, an attorney for the women told the Times. The dispute was “mutual combat,’’ Justin Moore said. Carolyn Richmond, an attorney representing Carmine’s, denied the claim, writing in an email to The Times that “nothing about this incident suggests race was an issue.’’ Surveillance footage reviewed by The Times showed the three women being ushered inside the restaurant after showing documentation outside. It showed three men showing up several minutes later but only one showing a vaccination card. The fight broke out shortly after. According to police, the three women punched the hostess repeatedly and broke her necklace, leaving the 24-year-old bruised and scratched. She was taken to a hospital and later released. The women face charges of misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief and are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 5. New York City’s rule requiring proof of vaccination for indoor restaurant dining, gyms and entertainment venues has been in effect since Aug. 17 but only began being enforced in the past week. A Black Lives Matter activist told The Times a demonstration was planned outside the restaurant on Monday to protest the treatment of Black patrons.
CA Court Cites Racism Overturns Murder Rulings SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – A California appeals court on Friday overturned the convictions of three Black men over a double slaying, saying prosecutors dismissed a Black woman from the jury pool for racial reasons. The prosecutor in the Contra Costa County case inappropriately questioned the 25-year-old woman’s support of the Black Lives Matter movement and dismissed her for reasons that “were plainly tied to race,” said a unanimous ruling by a division of the First Appellate District of California that was reported by the Bay Area News Group. In addition, “there was evidence that the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office in general, and this prosecutor in particular, had in the past exercised peremptory challenges on the basis of race,’’ Presiding Justice Jim Humes wrote in the decision. The district attorney’s office said it was reviewing the opinion and intends to retry the three men “and ensure justice in this case.’’ The ruling overturns the 2016 convictions of Sheldon Silas, 33; Reginald Whitley, 40, and Lamar Michaels, 34. The three are serving life in prison without possibility of parole for the shooting deaths of Christopher Zinn, 24, and his girlfriend, Brieanna Dow, 21. Their bodies were found in unincorporated Antioch in 2012. Prosecutors said the killings were gang-related retaliation because Zinn was believed to have stolen guns from the group. The unanimous decision by Division One of the First Appellate District of California says that thenDeputy District Attorney Melissa Smith’s questioning of Potential Juror 275 – the woman is not named in court records – was “inappropriate.’’