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News Observer Bakersfield
Volume 47 Number 11
Serving Kern County for Over 47 Years
Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California
Black Leaders List 3 Reasons Governor Newsom Needs to
Replace Harris with a Black Woman
Tanu Henry California Black Media Black leaders across California are pointing to three “obvious” reasons they say it’s wise for Gov. Newsom to pick either Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37) or Rep. Barbara Lee (DCA-13) to replace Sen. Kamala Harris when she vacates her seat and is inaugurated vice president of the United States in January. “We are adamant that the replacement of Senator Harris’s seat must be an African American,” said Assemblymember Shirly N. Weber (D- San Diego), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC). Weber was speaking during a virtual press conference the CLBC held Nov. 13 with other Black caucus members, elected officials from around the state and other Black leaders to register their support for Bass and Lee. “The African American community has proven itself in this election – and in past elections -- to be the strongest force in the Democratic Party,” Weber continued. “We solidly vote Democrat and support the principles of the Democratic Party. No other group can make that claim in California or in any state. Weber stressed that African Americans can no longer carry the burden of Democratic Party and continue to be overlooked for appointments. On the conference call, the leaders went on to list the other reasons they think the choice is clear. Second, with more than 50 years of congressional experience between them at the state and local levels, the two women are the most qualified, their supporters say. “These are two public servants who have a history of being inclusive. Their politics don’t represent a narrow view of democracy, but an expansive view,” said Mark Ridley-Thomas, who serves on the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors. A former California State Senator and Assemblymember, on Nov. 3, he was elected to serve on the Los Angeles City Council. “They have located themselves, in any number of instances, in solidarity with the Latin-x community, the Native American community, API community, and more. This is why we assert that they are worthy of being U.S. senators,” Ridley-Thomas continued. Ridley-Thomas also added that Lee and Harris have the requisite foreign policy knowledge, experience and exposure that is required of United States senators. Finally, the advocates say, the governor needs to appoint a Black woman to replace Harris because after she vacates her seat, there will be no other Black women in the U.S. Senate. “It’s not an option anymore. We will no longer be ignored, pushed to the side, or let games be played behind our backs,” said Taisha Brown, chair of the California Democratic Party African American Caucus (CDPAAC). “We are asking Gavin Newsom, our governor, to either appoint Karen Bass or Barbara Lee. “We might have secured the first Black woman into the vice presidency, but that success has left a well in the United States, where there is no longer a Black woman. Not one.” Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Los Angeles) said while America should celebrate the Biden-Harris win, the country should not sit on its laurels and underestimate the sacrifice it took to get the Democratic Party candidates to the highest offices in the land. “We will not allow the hard work of the African American community in electing the Biden-Harris team to result in the loss of a senate seat here in California and, more importantly, for Black Women,” Bradford said.
(Left) VIce President Elect Kamala Harris and Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland (Right). (Courtesy Photo)
Rep. Karen Bass. (Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images)
New Study COVID Patients More Susceptible to Mental Illness By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Medical and scientific experts have sounded the alarm, wanting people to understand that COVID is not the flu
Twenty-four percent of Black adults lived in households that were behind on rent payments. And approximately one-third of African Americans shared a home with someone expected to lose employment income this month. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)
or a common cold, and recovery may not be permanent. According to a new study, 20 percent of recovering coronavirus patients develop some form of mental illness within 90 days. Researchers at Oxford University in Great Britain noted that first-time diagnosis of anxiety, depression, and insomnia increased two-fold in patients after they’ve recovered from COVID. Further, they discovered that COVID survivors also found significantly higher risks of dementia. “People have been worried that COVID-19 survivors will be at greater risk of mental health problems, and our findings ... show this to be likely,” Paul Harrison, a professor of psychiatry at Oxford, told Reuters. “(Health) services need to be ready to provide care, especially since our results are likely to be underestimates (of the number of psychiatric patients),” he added. The study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal, analyzed electronic health records of 69 million people in the United States, including more than 62,000 cases of COVID-19. The findings are likely to be the same for those afflicted by COVID-19 worldwide, the Oxford researchers noted, according to Reuters. In the three months following testing positive for COVID, 1 in 5 survivors were recorded as having a firsttime diagnosis of anxiety, depression, or insomnia -- about
twice as likely as for other groups of patients in the same period, the researchers said. The study further revealed that people with a preexisting mental illness were 65 percent more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19 than those without. More than 10 million Americans have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and over 238,000 have died. African Americans comprise more than 20 percent of the total deaths in the United States. Blacks and other communities of color continue to suffer disproportionately from the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Urban Institute. Over one-quarter of adults in Black households surveyed between August 19-31 used savings or sold assets to meet economic needs on the previous week. Twenty-four percent of Black adults lived in households that were behind on rent payments. And approximately one-third of African Americans shared a home with someone expected to lose employment income this month. “COVID-19 affects the central nervous system, and so might directly increase subsequent disorders,” Simon Wessely, regius professor at King’s College London, told Reuters. “But this research confirms that is not the whole story, and that this risk is increased by previous ill health.”
Free!
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
1 Killed, 1 Wounded in Kern County Sheriff Shootings
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) – A man armed with a knife was killed and an armed home intruder was wounded in law enforcement shootings in Kern County, authorities said. The fatal shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Oildale area north of Bakersfield when a sheriff’s deputy responded to a call about a suspicious person and encountered a man armed with a large kitchen knife, the Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. “During the interaction between the deputy and the subject, an officer involved shooting occurred. Medical aid was rendered however the subject succumbed to his injuries,’’ the statement said. The identity of the man was not immediately released. The deputy was placed on routine administrative leave pending the investigation. About an hour earlier, Bakersfield officers responded to a report of an intruder armed with a firearm in a residence, the Police Department said in a statement. “Responding officers located an adult male suspect fleeing from the residence,’’ it said. “Officers pursued the suspect on foot and an officer involved shooting occurred. The suspect was transported to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. A firearm was recovered from the suspect.’’ Three officers fired their guns and none were injured, the department said, noting that all were equipped with body cameras.
Civil Rights Leader Rogers Johnson Dies at 62 STRATHAM, N.H. (AP) – Rogers Johnson, a former New Hampshire lawmaker and longtime civil rights leader, has died. Johnson, who served as president of the Seacoast NAACP and was chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion, died Thursday at age 62. Johnson also served as a member of statewide commissions related to police accountability and equity in the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. A Republican who represented Stratham as a state representative from 2001 to 2006, he was the was the first Black lawmaker to serve as House Majority whip. In a statement Friday, Gov. Chris Sununu praised Johnson for his tireless leadership and advocacy in making New Hampshire a more diverse and equitable state. “We will carry on this work in his legacy and honor, and all of New Hampshire mourns his passing,’’ Sununu said. Johnson, who was born in New York, was an insurance salesman and executive who also served as the director of intergovernmental affairs for the U.S. Department of Education during the Bush administration. In addition to leading the Seacoast NAACP chapter, he was treasurer of the organization’s New England regional conference. Johnson is survived by his wife and two sons. Visitation is set for Wednesday followed by a private funeral.
Ex-football Players Sue Iowa, Alleging Racial Discrimination IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A lawyer for 13 Black former Iowa football players announced Thursday that he has filed a lawsuit alleging his clients suffered racial discrimination under longtime coach Kirk Ferentz. They allege they were demeaned with racial slurs, forced to abandon Black hairstyles, fashion and culture to fit the “Iowa Way’’ promoted by Ferentz, and retaliated against for speaking out, the press release said. Iowa agreed to pay Doyle $1.1 million in a resignation agreement in June, after scores of former players said on social media that he had bullied and discriminated against them. Doyle has denied the allegations. An investigation by an outside law firm later found that the program’s rules “perpetuated racial and culture biases and diminished the value of cultural diversity’’ and allowed coaches to demean players without consequence. The school has already rejected the former players’ demand for the firings of Barta and both Ferentzes and a $20 million payout for damages. On Thursday, Iowa said the stories shared by former athletes has “resulted in a strong commitment to improve” and noted that those who left without a degree are eligible for financial assistance if they return to graduate. “To that end, the University of Iowa continues to work hard to become a more inclusive campus for all students,’’ its statement said. “We appreciate the athletes using their voices and we are on a positive path forward with our team.’’ In addition to the lawsuit, Solomon-Simmons said he was filing civil rights complaints with federal and state government agencies, saying the players were “denied the benefits of a quality education and opportunities to excel.’’