Los Angeles News Observer 4.1.21 4C

Eddie Murphy Inducted into NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame

“The Complex Story of Erik Kramer”

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News Observer Los Angeles

Volume 36 Number 20

Serving Los Angeles County for Over 36 Years

Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California

71% Black Kids Live in Poverty

Part One of an ongoing series on this impactful and informative report

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent The child population in America is the most diverse in history, but children remain the poorest age group in the country with youth of color suffering the highest poverty rates.

“While we reported on the 73 million children in the U.S. in 2019, which is 22 percent of the nation’s population, we also note that 2020 was the first year in American history that a majority of children are projected to be children of color,” said the Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, the president and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund.

Dr. Wilson’s remarks come as the Marian Wright Edelman founded nonprofit released “The State of America’s Children 2021.”

The comprehensive report is eye-opening.

It highlights how children remain the poorest age group in America, with children of color and young children suffering the highest poverty rates. For instance, of the more than 10.5 million poverty-stricken children in America in 2019, approximately 71 percent were those of color.

The stunning expos revealed that income and wealth Dr. Wilson did note that the Children’s Defense Fund is pleased about President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which, among other things, makes it easier for parents to keep their jobs and provides a lifeline for disadvantaged children. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

Continued on page A2

Gender Pay Gap Costs $78 Billion For Black Moms, an Even More Disturbing Picture

Bo Tefu California Black Media Business and Labor leaders are joining hands with women working in male-dominated industries in California, stepping up their participation in the fight for gender in the state.

They say the time is now to advocate for equal pay for women.

According to the National Partnership for Women and Families (NPWF), women across the state who work full-time lose more than $78 billion annually as a result of the wage gap, compared to the national average of $956 billion.

The report also showed that the wage gap is larger for mothers with children under the age of 18. An overwhelming 79 % of Black mothers raising minors are bread-winners majority of whom have incomes below the national poverty level.

Senator Holly J. Mitchell who also serves as the commissioner for California’s commission on women and girls, is working with several state and business leaders to catalyze equal pay and navigate the COVID-19 pandemic for Black women in California.

“Women of color, and Black women in particular, cannot afford for the wage gap to remain so devastatingly large. Its elimination must be a priority,” said Sen. Mitchell.

National data also revealed that early in the pandemic, unemployment for Black and Latino women was three times higher than that of their white male counterparts.

Marking “Equal Pay Day” on March 24, business leaders from eight companies, including tech giants Twitter and Adobe, signed the Equal Pay Pledge to promote equity for women in California’s labor force. Other major companies in California that signed the pledge for equal pay include health care provider Blue Shield of California, biotech company Genentech, and energy company Edison International.

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Mother of Black Student Says Teacher Made Racist Rant

PALMDALE, Calif. (AP) – The mother of a Black 12-year-old boy is seeking damages against a Southern California school district after her son’s teacher went on a half-hour tirade laced with racism and profanity.

Katura Stokes filed a damage claim – typically a precursor to a lawsuit – on Thursday on behalf of her son against the Palmdale School District over comments made by a science instructor after a Zoom session with her son in January, the Orange County Register reported.

The sixth-grader attends Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Magnet Academy in Palmdale, an Antelope Valley city northeast of Los Angeles.

The student body is about 13% African-American.

In her complaint, Stokes said her son had struggled to complete class assignments using the district’s online platform for distance learning, instituted because classrooms have been closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the complaint, science teacher Kimberly Newman, Stokes and her son had a Zoom session on Jan. 20 to work out problems in using the platform and the teacher finally said the boy was caught up with his assignments.

But then the teacher, apparently unaware that she hadn’t exited the session, went on a rant _ recorded by Stokes – lasting more than 30 minutes in which she apparently is heard complaining to her husband.

“She’s answered her phone for the first time the entire year,” the teacher says of Stokes, according to the video obtained by the Register.

“I mean these parents, that’s what kind of piece of s(asterisk)(asterisk)t they are,” Newman says, and adds: “Black. He’s Black. They’re a Black family.”

“Your son has learned to lie to everybody and make excuses ... to be a child,” the video continues. “Since you’ve taught him to make excuses that nothing is his fault. This is what Black people do.”

Newman was placed on administrative leave and resigned within days after the Zoom meeting. She declined to comment when reached by phone Thursday, the Register said.

The video “clearly shows that unequal educational experiences for minority students exist,” said Neil Gehlawat, an attorney representing Stokes. “Ms. Stokes reached out for help _ and, in return, she discovered that her son was being treated unfairly because of the color of his skin.”

French Bulldog Puppy Found Safe after LA Robbery at Gunpoint Diversity and inclusion executives from different companies announced their collaboration with the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls (CCSWG) and the California Partners Project, a nonprofit that supports equal pay for women statewide.

Alisha Wilkins, chair of the CCSWG, said her

organization is partnering with the California Labor Commissioner’s Office to launch a workers rights training program that provides tools and resources for self-advocacy in the workplace.

“Women in our state faced a significant wage gap, Continued on page A2

The Virus, Vaccines and New Variants:

Weighing the Threat of a Mutant COVID Strain Manny Otiko California Black Media Health care specialists, including several medical doctors, are keeping their eyes on coronavirus variants that some fear could lead to new strains of COVID-19 that could possibly undermine global efforts to vaccinate people and stem the global crisis.

According to the Centers of Disease Control, the B117 variant (first detected in the UK), the most threatening because of its prevalence, is the cause of 20 % of new infections in the United states – and 30 % of new infections in Florida.

Dr. Nirav Shah, Senior Scholar at Stanford University’s School of Medicine and chief medical officer of Sharecare, a health data services firm, says there are currently four different variants of COVID-19. He said the virus is adapting because “of evolution and natural selection.”

“The more virus particles there are, the more chances that a single virus particle may be a little different than the rest of them,” said Shah. “One or more virus particles is all you need to have a slight change. Maybe these spike protein changes – just a little – and it can attach to cells better than all the other particles.”

Shah said the virus is adapting as it encounters new hosts. But scientists are in a race to get everyone inoculated before the level of the disease in a community gets too high.

The B117 strain, he says, is 50 more % infectious than the original strain of the coronavirus and it could lead to up to a 60 % to 70 % higher rate of deaths, according to a paper published in the journal Nature.

Shah said some of the COVID-19 virus variants could reinfect people who have contracted the disease before.

Free!

(Shannon Stapleton/Getty Images)

The good news, he says, is that the B117 is susceptible to existing vaccine therapies, although other variants like 1351 (first detected in South Africa) and P1 (first detected

in Brazil), could reduce the effectiveness of the COVID shots in patients.

Continued on page A2

LOS ANGELES (AP) – A French bulldog puppy stolen at gunpoint last week in Los Angeles was found safe and returned to its owners, authorities said.

Police said they are looking for two male suspects in the latest in a string of dog thefts in the Los Angeles area.

The 5-month-old puppy, named Seven, was found late Friday, days after his family offered $12,000 for his safe return.

The dog was nabbed outside a Target store in North Hollywood on March 20. The men followed the dog’s owner from the store and into the parking lot where one of the men pulled out a gun. The suspects ran away with the puppy.

Last month, two men shot Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, and stole two of the singer’s three French bulldogs.

Fischer, who was shot in the chest, survived. The dogs were later turned into police but no arrests were made.

In another case involving the popular breed, two people were arrested earlier this month in connection with the theft of a French bulldog in Redondo Beach, the Los Angeles Times reported.

And last week, police sought the public’s help in finding a dog stolen from a residence in downtown Los Angeles.

2 Police Officers Hurt in California Crash with DUI Suspect RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) – Two Southern California police officers were injured when a driver suspected of being high on drugs intentionally crashed head-on into their patrol vehicle after colliding with multiple cars in a McDonald’s drive-thru lane, authorities said.

The officers were treated for unspecified injuries and released from a hospital following the collision March 24 in Riverside, the Press-Enterprise reported Saturday.

After hitting cars at the fast food restaurant, the woman drove south on Van Buren Boulevard, as the officers were driving north.

“The female driver intentionally crossed over into the officers’ lanes of traffic and drove straight at them. They were unable to avoid the suspect car and she collided head-on with their patrol vehicle, disabling both. The officers were able to take the female suspect driver into custody,” Riverside police said on Facebook.

The driver, identified only as a 36-year-old Riverside resident, could face charges including assault and DUI, police said.

Following her arrest, the suspect was taken to a hospital, where she was “belligerent and combative” and assaulted an officer, according to police.

No one in the other vehicles that the woman’s car hit were hurt.

World & Nation

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LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Probe Into Prison Deaths Ends Up Uncovering $8 Billion in Untracked State Money Aldon Thomas Stiles California Black Media What started out as an investigation into inmate deaths in some of California’s county jails led to an audit that uncovered severe overcrowding, a lack of mental health resources and $8 billion in State funds for which three county Sherriff offices cannot properly account.

“What’s happening right now in these counties is not only unjust, but a disservice to our communities,” said Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles).

“It’s more than just about housing people. The sheriff’s departments have a duty to provide care and to rehabilitate those individuals who walk through their doors. That simply is not happening, while billions of dollars are being left on the table,” she said.

In an attempt to curtail California’s prison overcrowding problem, in 2011 the state Supreme Court ordered a sweeping reduction of the prison population.

This led to the California Public Safety Realignment Initiative signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown. The program planned and arranged the transfer of thousands of incarcerated people from state prisons to county jails.

It also provided billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to the counties across the state to house and provide services to the inmates. The law also set up the Community Corrections Partnerships (CCPs) in each county to oversee and manage the state funds.

Then, last March, following a spike in inmate deaths, Kamlager requested an audit of county jail systems focused on Alamada, Fresno and Los Angeles counties.

About a year later, last week, California State Auditor Elaine M. Howle released the findings of her investigation.

In a letter to the Legislature, Howle shared her findings. She wrote, “our assessment focused on public safety realignment, and we determined that these three counties and the Corrections Board have not done enough to mitigate the effects of realignment or effectively overseen related spending and services.”

Howle told lawmakers, since 2011, Alameda, Fresno and Los Angeles counties all have run overcrowded prisons, violating the state’s jail capacity rules.

“The counties’ jails often lack adequate outdoor and educational facilities to provide certain vocational and rehabilitative programs for inmates who serve terms longer than three years,” she wrote.

Howle also told the legislators Alameda and Fresno

counties did not provide adequate information about inmates’ health to the jail staff.

Responding to the audit, Fresno County corrections board executive director Kathleen Howard said the state audit “makes little sense.”

“There is, however, a fundamental disconnect between the overall position of the State Auditor on the structure of 2011 Public Safety Realignment funding and the role of the CCPs in handling these funds and the consistent interpretation given the statutory and constitutional framework by the BSCC and all the counties in California over the past 10 years,” Howard wrote.

Los Angeles and Alameda counties have also responded to the auditor’s report with their own explanations, clarifications and recommendations. Since then, the Auditor’s office has said it stands by its report and followed up with a point-by-point reply to each county.

In California, African Americans account for about 6 % of the state’s population but make up a disproportionate 28.3 % of incarcerated people. In contrast, Whites make up about 36 % of the state’s population but 21 % of prisoners.

Concerns of prison overcrowding in California came to a head when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to greatly reduce California’s prison population with the assertion that the massive number of inmates hindered the state’s ability to provide proper physical and mental health services, therefore violating their Eighth Amendment rights to freedom from cruel and unusual punishment.

However, this newly released report, focused on Almeda, Fresno and Los Angeles County jails, suggests that “Realignment” actually contributed to the overcrowding issue and the lack of oversight at the county level, and has negatively impacted the well-being of the inmates the initiative was designed to help.

Kamlager says that the lack of planning involved with the initiative coupled with the lack of transparency over the last decade are contributing factors to the auditors’ conclusions.

“These findings show a clear need for a major increase in oversight and transparency in this process to ensure public safety,” Kamlager said. “They also show that the Board of State and Community Corrections is not up to the task of overseeing this process, or a similar program of this magnitude and weight.”

Kamlager continued by suggesting that this audit, shocking as it may be, could be a step in the right direction.

“While dismayed by the delay and appalled by the

findings, I hope the audit will give the boards of supervisors for these counties the tools they need to exact real change.

Advocates have been fighting for this information for a while,” Kamlager said.

Advocates like Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB), a grassroots organization intent on improving state policy on a number of hot button issues agrees.

“We incarcerate too many people for too long, already.

Tax dollars that were used a generation ago to pay for schools and public housing have been diverted to pay for

more law enforcement and incarceration,” CURB said in a statement.

CURB’s concerns are shared by Vonya Quarles, an attorney and co-founder and executive director of of Starting Over Inc., a Corona-based organization that focuses on protecting the rights of the currently and formerly incarcerated.

“We don’t have a justice system, we have an injustice system,” Quarles said, calling out California’s prison system. “We have an addiction to cheap labor, an addiction to slavery.”

everyone had enough to eat.

Black and Hispanic children were twice as likely to live in food-insecure households as White children.

The report further found that America’s schools have continued to slip backwards into patterns of deep racial and socioeconomic segregation, perpetuating achievement gaps.

For instance, during the 2017-2018 public school year, 19 percent of Black, 21 percent of Hispanic, and more than 26 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native school students did not graduate on time compared with only 11 percent of White students.

More than 77 percent of Hispanic and more than 79 percent of Black fourth and eighth grade public school students were not proficient in reading or math in 2019, compared with less than 60 percent of White students.

“We find that in the course of the last year, we’ve come to the point where our conversations about child well-being and our dialogue and reckoning around racial justice has really met a point of intersection, and so we must consider child well-being in every conversation about racial justice and quite frankly you can only sustainably speak of racial justice if we’re talking about the state of our children,” Dr. Wilson observed.

Some more of the startling statistics found in the report include: • A White public school student is suspended every six seconds, while students of color and

non-White students are suspended every two seconds.

• Conditions leading to a person dropping out of high school occur with white students every 19 seconds, while it occurs every nine seconds for non-White and students of color.

• A White child is arrested every 1 minute and 12 seconds, while students of color and non-whites are arrested every 45 seconds.

• A White student in public school is corporally punished every two minutes, while students of color and non-Whites face such action every 49 seconds.

Dr. Wilson asserted that federal spending “reflects the nation’s skewed priorities.”

In the report, he notes that children are not receiving the investment they need to thrive, and despite making up such a large portion of the population, less than 7.5 percent of federal spending went towards children in fiscal year 2020.

Despite Congress raising statutory caps on discretionary spending in fiscal years 2018 to 2020, children did not receive their fair share of those increases and children’s share of total federal spending has continued to decline.

“Children continue to be the poorest segment of the population,” Dr. Wilson demanded. “We are headed into a dark place as it relates to poverty and inequity on the American landscape because our children become the canary in the coal mine.”

Dr. Wilson did note that the Children’s Defense Fund is pleased about President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which, among other things, makes it easier for parents to keep their jobs and provides a lifeline for disadvantaged children.

The $1.9 trillion plan not only contained $1,400 checks for individuals, it includes monthly allowances and other elements to help reduce child poverty.

The President’s plan expands home visitation programs that help at-risk parents from pregnancy through early childhood and is presents universal access to top-notch pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds.

“The American Rescue Plan carried significant and powerful anti-poverty messages that will have remarkable benefits on the lives of children in America over the course of the next two years,” Dr. Wilson declared.

“The Children’s Defense Fund was quick to applaud the efforts of the President. We have worked with partners, including leading a child poverty coalition, to advance the ideas of that investment,” he continued.

“Most notably, the expansion of the child tax credit which has the impact of reducing poverty, lifting more than 50 percent of African American children out of poverty, 61 percent of Indigenous children, 45 percent of Hispanic children. It’s not only good policy, but it’s specifically good policy for Black and Brown children.”

(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

71 Percent Black Children Live in Poverty Continued from page A1

inequality are growing and harming children in lowincome, Black and Brown families.

While the share of all wealth held by the top one percent of Americans grew from 30 percent to 37 percent, the share held by the bottom 90 percent fell from 33 percent to 23 percent between 1989 and 2019.

Today, a member of the top 10 percent of income earners makes about 39 times as much as the average earner in the bottom 90 percent.

The median family income of White households with children ($95,700) was more than double that of Black ($43,900), and Hispanic households with children ($52,300).

Further, the report noted that the lack of affordable housing and federal rental assistance leaves millions of children homeless or at risk of homelessness.

More than 1.5 million children enrolled in public schools experienced homelessness during the 2017-2018 school year, and 74 percent of unhoused students during the 2017-2018 school year were living temporarily with family or friends.

Millions of children live in food-insecure households, lacking reliable access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food, and more than 1 in 7 children – 10.7 million – were food insecure, meaning they lived in households where not

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For Black Moms, an Even More Disturbing Picture

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and lack of economic security was particularly acute for women of color, making it even more difficult to weather the current crisis,” said Wilkins.

State officials and leaders of the women’s commission proposed an annual gender pay analysis that reviews promotion processes, anti-discrimination initiatives, as well as best practices in an effort to ensure equity for all workers.

Since 2019, the state has bolstered plans to, “champion real change for the women of our state as we rebuild, reframe, and reimagine what life can look like for the women of California going forward,” said Wilkins.

Dalana Brand, a diversity and inclusion executive at Twitter, tweeted that the social media giant is committed to closing the gender pay gap by being transparent about workers’ pay.

“We believe that pay equity is critical to building diverse and inclusive workplaces, and a better, more equitable world,” said Brand. “Signing on to this pledge is an extension of our commitment to pay equity across the

board at Twitter.”

Data from the CCSWG indicates that women earn 88 cents on the dollar compared to men, despite California’s progressive laws on equal pay. Labor force demographics also reveal that Black women in California earn 62 cents on the dollar as compared to 90 cents for Asian women, 55 cents for Latina women, and 50 cents for Indigenous women.

Katie Juran, the senior director of diversity and inclusion at Adobe, said signing the pledge reinforced Adobe’s commitment to pay parity.

“We believe everyone deserves respect and equal treatment and one of the most important ways to demonstrate that is by ensuring we pay our employees fairly, regardless of gender,” said Juran.

According to the NPWF, the wage gap is fueled by gender disparities rather than career choices. The report states that the wage gap persists regardless of one’s industry, occupation, or level of education. From jobs involving manual labor to corporate professions, women are paid lower salaries across the board. The report also states that discrimination and biases in the workplace are major

contributors to the wage gap.

Along with gender disparities in the labor force, the COVID-19 pandemic imposed additional stressors for working women who also have to strike a work-life balance.

Brand said, “women across industries, including the tech world, continue to experience vast gaps in pay – a reality worsened by the coronavirus pandemic.”

Wilkins added, “the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic may have triggered significant new economic instability, but many women in California were already struggling to pay the bills prior to this crisis.”

California’s First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also continues to spearhead gender equity initiatives to help counter the financial setbacks women experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As the pandemic threatens to undo nearly three decades of progress for women, now is the perfect time for companies to support women workers and build equity in the workplace,” said Newsom.

“All women have a right to be valued, seen as equals, and paid equally,” she said.

The Virus, Vaccines and New Variants Continued from page A1

Fortunately, to date, scientists studying COVID-19 have not identified any variants that have been designated “Variants of High Consequence.” Those in that category “cause more disease and more hospitalizations, and they have been shown to defeat medical countermeasures, like vaccines, anti-viral drugs and mono-clonal antibodies,” says Shah.

Shah was speaking at recent news briefing on COVID-19 Virus variants organized by Ethnic Media Services. Other panelists on the Zoom teleconference were: Dr. Daniel Turner Lloveras, a member of the Latino Coalition Against COVID-19; Dr. Dali Fan, a UC Davis Health Science clinical professor and Dr. Kim Rhoads, an African American physician and Associate Professor, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, at UC San Francisco’s School of Medicine.

Although the average citizen may be surprised at how COVID-19 is changing, Fan, said the virus’ adaption and mutation are much like other diseases.

He also presented some statistics from the Center for Disease Control about the coronavirus vaccines and their development. He said the vaccines were tested before they were released to the public.

“All three vaccines are very effective against symptomatic COVID-19,” said Fan. He said there are differences in the content of the vaccines and how they are stored. Fan said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires one dose, is easier to transport and is perfect for pop-up clinics and rural areas.

“It may be a better option for people who want to get fully vaccinated quickly,” he said.

Turner-Lloveras said that one of the issues overlooked during the coronavirus pandemic is the impact of the digital divide. Black and Latino communities often lag in vaccination rates because they don’t have access to highspeed Internet to discover information and arrange for their vaccination appointments.

“Internet access is a civil rights issue, at this stage,” said Turner-Lloveras. “All of the resources that are provided to people are online.”

He also said more than 20 million seniors don’t have broadband access. “This is a group that needs to be vaccinated, but they don’t have access to the Internet,” he said.

He’s trying to solve this problem with a group called the Digital Companeros, who meet with senior citizens and help them walk through online registration and information. The organization also has a WhatsApp group to target people who access the Internet through their cell phones.

According to Rhoads, some of these reports about Black hesitancy and under-vaccination may not be accurate. She talked about her experiences serving a predominantly African American population in San Francisco through Umoja Health, a coalition of community health organizations that joined their efforts to increase COVID-19 awareness, testing and vaccinations in Black communities in the Bay Area.

The organization held a mass testing event in the

Sunnydale and Bayview Hunters Point neighborhoods in San Francisco where they screened about 400 people, taking a community-based approach she calls “service in the name of public health.” No one came back positive for the coronavirus at a time when there was a 2 % positivity rate in all of San Francisco. She said the people, who were tested by community members, were also eager to get the vaccines. However, she attributes their willingness and openness with their confidence in Umoja Health.

“The community developed rapid trust in us. I was very surprised by this and they called out to us when one community member tested positive,” she said. “We saw neighbors going to door to door, knocking telling people to come out and get tested.

“What we recognized from that mass-testing site was that it was not going to work for the African American community,” said Rhoads. “But something more intimate would.”

Rhoads said when African Americans know and trust the health care workers, there is more participation.

Because of the organizations successful testing effort, Alameda County has now entrusted it to provide vaccines in Oakland and areas across Alameda County with African American populations.

“It is based on a pop-up model. We mobilize with local folks who go door-to-door, hand-to-hand, face-toface, peer-to-peer, asking questions about COVID. As we moved into the vaccination phase, the Alameda Public Health Department recognized that as a major asset. They knew we could reach people, they couldn’t.”

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Entertainment

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER A3

‘Twenty Pearls’ AKA Documentary Shows the Vision and Impact of Black College Women Executive Producer and Alpha Kappa Alpha member Kimberly Esmond Adams believes anytime is the right time to tell this type of American story. “This story talks about the role that a group of college women, who were still finding their way in the world, yet were intelligent enough to understand that the world was bigger than them and they could do something concrete to make it better for everyone.”

Twenty Pearls endeavors to add the voices of Black women game changers to the national narrative, that are often suppressed.

Eddie Murphy Inducted into NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) – Eddie Murphy was inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame at the organization's show that highlighted works by entertainers and athletes of color.

After Murphy accepted his induction award Saturday night, the actor-comedian said he was “very moved” by the honor. He was presented the award by his longtime friend and “Coming 2 America” co-star Arsenio Hall.

“I've been making movies for 40 years now ... 40 years. This is the perfect thing to commemorate that and be brought into the hall of fame,” he said.”Thank you very much. I'm very moved.”

Murphy went on to send a message to Hall about his famous red leather suit from his 1983 stand-up special “Delirious.”

“My red suit was not that tight Arsenio,” Murphy said. “I get a lot of cracks about that red suit. When I was rocking that red suit, that (expletive) was fly.”

The hall of fame induction is bestowed on an individual who is viewed as a pioneer in their respective field and whose influence shaped the “profession for generations to come.”

Previous inductees include Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, Spike Lee, Ray Charles and Sidney Poitier. The most recent honorees to be inducted were Cheryl Boone Isaacs and Paris Barclay in 2014.

Murphy began his career as a stand-up comic while as a teenager and eventually joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live.” He starred in the box office hit “48 Hours” and made his mark in a slew of films such as “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Coming to America,” “The Nutty Professor,” “Dr. Dolittle” and “Dolemite Is My Name.” His latest film “Coming 2 America” was released on Amazon this month.

The awards ceremony virtually aired live on BET. It was also simulcast on CBS, MTV, VH1, MTV2, BET HER and LOGO. “Black-ish” star and comedian Anthony Anderson hosted the show for the eighth consecutive year.

The late Chadwick Boseman won best actor in a motion picture for his role in “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.”

The actor, who also starred in the blockbuster Marvel film “Black Panther,” died at 43 last year after he privately battled colon cancer.

“As always, he would give all honor and glory to the most high God,” said the teary-eyed Simone Ledward Boseman, the actor's wife, who accepted the award on his behalf. “He would thank his mom and dad. And he would give honor to his ancestors as we now honor him. Thank you NAACP for always giving him his flowers. He was an uncommon artist and an even more uncommon person.”

Boseman spoke about how common Black people have been diagnosed with or died from colon cancer. She urged Black people over the age of 45 to get screened.

“Don't put it off any longer,” she said. “Please, get

screened. This disease is beatable if you catch it in its early stages. So you don't have anytime to waste, even if you don't have any family history. If you think nothing is wrong, and younger than 45, please be proactive about your health. Know the signs. Know your body. Listen to your body.”

LeBron James received the President's Award for his public service achievements. He thanked the NAACP for recognizing his efforts beyond the basketball court.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar was recognized for his efforts through his LeBron James Family Foundation and his I PROMISE School, a co-curricular educational initiative. Last year, he launched More Than a Vote _ a coalition of Black athletes and artists _ that is dedicated to educating and protecting Black voters.

James ventured into the entertainment realm with The SpringHill Company, which unites three companies he co-founded with Maverick Carter including athlete empowerment brand UNINTERRUPTED, film and television production company SpringHill Entertainment and The Robot Company, the brand and culture consultancy.

“This award is so much more than myself,” James said.

“I'm here receiving it, but this dives into everything that I'm a part of.”

DJ D-Nice took home entertainer of the year in a competitive category against big names such as Regina King, Tyler Perry, Viola Davis and Trevor Noah.

During the pandemic's early stage, D-Nice created a virtual remedy for anyone dealing with the lockdown blues. He hosted Homeschool at Club Quarantine on his Instagram Live, where he spun popular tunes on the turntables at his home. An array of celebrities tuned in: Rihanna, Oprah Winfrey and Mark Zuckerberg popped in for a listen.

“It's been an honor to provide entertainment and inspiration during one of the darkest times we've experienced,” D-Nice said.

Michelle Obama presented Stacey Abrams with the first Social Justice Impact award. Abrams was honored for being a political force and her voting rights work that helped turn Georgia into a swing state.

Abrams paid homage to her parents for her upbringing.

“They taught me and my five siblings that having nothing was not an excuse for doing nothing,” she said.

“Instead, they showed us by word and deed to use our faith as a shield to protect the defenseless, to use our voices to call out injustices, and to use our education and our time to solve the problems that others turn away from.”

Viola Davis took home best actress for her film and television roles in “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” and “How to Get Away with Murder.”

Jazmine Sullivan gave the awards show's first performance with “Pick Up Your Feelings.” Maxwell later performed “Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder).”

By Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D. NNPA Newswire Culture and Entertainment Editor Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® is the nation’s first sorority for Black college women. Founded on the campus of Howard University in 1908, nine visionary women created a sisterhood committed to serving the African American community and elevating issues impacting women and girls. Forty-five years following emancipation and in the face of great racial and gender discrimination, these young women decided to become the change they wanted to see, creating an influential sisterhood and legacy that is culturally relevant today.

Critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker Deborah Riley Draper brings the complex story of the nation’s first Black Greek Letter sorority to the forefront in the documentary, Twenty Pearls: The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc®. Twenty Pearls premieres Friday, March 26 at 8 p.m. EST on Xfinity Comcast’s Black Experience on Xfinity, becoming the first original film for the media company’s Black content hub. The Black Experience is led

by Keesha Boyd, executive director for multicultural video and entertainment at Comcast NBCUniversal.

Produced by Coffee Bluff Pictures, Deborah Riley Draper’s production company, Twenty Pearls takes viewers on a journey into the lives of Black women creating change at a critical moment in American history. Draper, an award-winning documentarian who is also a member of the sorority, takes pleasure in being able to tell this universal story about the women who founded an organization that is still making change today.

“The reach of Alpha Kappa Alpha into American society is at every level,” says the NAACP Image Award nominee. “When you get a mammogram, get a scholarship to further your education, attend an HBCU among many other good things, the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha have had something to do with it,” says Draper, who pledged the sorority as an undergraduate at Florida State University.

Draper considers it a privilege to make this documentary.

“It’s an honor to elevate the stories of Black women who have influenced American society using the tools I know and love.”

While Twenty Pearls is clearly a passion project for Riley, it is also in line with the type of historical work the storyteller creates as a celebrated documentarian.

In 2016, Variety Magazine named Draper to its “2016 Top 10 Documakers to Watch“ list. Draper’s 2016 documentary, Olympic Pride, American Prejudice, which tells the untold story of 18 African Americans who defied Hitler and Jim Crow in 1936, was a 2017 nominee for the NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Documentary Film and qualified for the 2017 Academy Awards.

Draper’s debut documentary film Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution is the first intimate look at the infamous Palace of Versailles fashion show fundraiser, which catapulted the American ready-to-wear to global prominence. In the film, Draper centers the narrative on African American models like Pat Cleveland, Norma Jean Darden, Alva Chinn and Charlene Dash, who made fashion history while changing the industry simultaneously.

Draper’s work goes beyond documentaries, with advertising campaigns for Lamborghini, Coca-Cola Classic, FedEx and Adidas. She has earned two regional Emmys, a Gold Effie award and several American Advertising Awards and is currently in pre-production on a number of fictional films.

With all of the projects Riley could have done, particularly following the critical success of Olympic Pride, American Prejudice and Versailles ’73, the documentarian decided to tell the story of nine Black women at an HBCU whose vision helped uplift the Black community and make the world better for women and girls in the process.

“I chose to tell this story because it is an important story about this country,” says Draper. “In this documentary, we see the evidence of the 113 years of the impact of AKA in all aspects of American life and that is a story that needs to be told.”

The timing is right as America is in the midst of a contemporary civil rights movement that saw the rise of the nation’s first Black and South Asian woman to the Vice-Presidency, Kamala Harris, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. who pledged as an undergraduate at Howard University.

Executive Producer and Alpha Kappa Alpha member Kimberly Esmond Adams believes anytime is the right time to tell this type of American story. “This story talks about the role that a group of college women, who were still finding their way in the world, yet were intelligent enough to understand that the world was bigger than them

and they could do something concrete to make it better for everyone.” “In many ways, the story is universal because any number of groups can relate to that challenge,” adds Adams. “This film teaches you about American history, the significance of the entire Divine Nine [historically Black fraternities and sororities] and HBCUs, the importance of community, the oneness of purpose and how you can leverage these connections to make life better for everyone.”

Narrated by Tony award-winning actress and Alpha Kappa Alpha member Phylicia Rashad, Twenty Pearls tells the story of this trailblazing organization founded to serve and uplift the African American community through narration, interviews and archival assets. The first-featurelength documentary on an African American sorority, shows viewers the impact of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® on the Harlem Renaissance, World War II, NASA, Civil Rights, Women’s Rights and HBCU endowments.

Interviews include Alpha Kappa Alpha International President and CEO Dr. Glenda Glover, Vice President Kamala Harris, Miss Universe Ireland 2019 Fionnghuala O’Reilly, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Fierst and many more.

The coming together of the film was “fortuitous,” says Adams, who pledged as an undergraduate at Howard University. She remembers having a conversation with Dr. Glenda Glover, the national president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® and current president of Tennessee State University, an HBCU in Nashville, about wanting to make a film that memorialized the importance of the sorority and HBCUs. “Thankfully we have a president who is a visionary and planted the seed for this project to tell our story and the story of HBCUs,” says Adams.

Shortly thereafter, Adams was invited to attend a short film screening at BronzeLens film festival in Atlanta and was so moved by the film, she talked with the director afterwards.

The director was Deborah Riley Draper. The rest you can say is history. “This film started with a seed planted by Dr. Glover. To see something go from an idea and crystallize into a film that is going to be distributed on every platform in the country is amazing. We made a movie,” chuckles Adams.

Twenty Pearls tells the universal and historic stories that surround the founding of the sorority and also the intimate stories of some of its members. Dr. DeRetta Rhodes, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, who is featured in the documentary, was excited to be included in the film because of the importance the sorority holds in her life and the community, says the HBCU alum. “I am a legacy member. I watched my mother pledge grad chapter when I was 15 and I knew I wanted that shared experience with her,” says the EVP/Chief Human Resources Officer for the Atlanta Braves Organization. “When you think about the impact our sorority has had in this country with various civil rights and social justice movements, the fact that many dynamic Black women are a part of that legacy of service is also powerful,” adds Rhodes.

Twenty Pearls endeavors to add the voices of Black women game changers to the national narrative, that are often suppressed. “In this film, we see the evidence of the 113 years of AKA in all aspects of our American society,” adds Draper. “In many of our classrooms, we are required to learn a version of American history that is presented to us. We are now well aware there are other parts of our history that have been omitted, minimized and in some cases completely eliminated from the narrative which does not serve us well,” says Adams.

“Until we learn to embrace the contributions that all of us have brought to this nation, we’ll never realize the fullness of who we can be as a country.”

Twenty Pearls premieres Friday, March 26, 2021, at 8:00 PM (EST) on Comcast Xfinity Black Experience and Comcast Xfinity platforms, xfinity.com, XfinityFlex internet and Xfinity Mobile. The premiere will be followed by a virtual conversation with the cast and crew. The documentary will be available nationwide On Demand, starting March 30 on all other cable systems. Check your local cable guide for channel information.

To learn more about “Twenty Pearls,” visit www. aka1908.com.

This article was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire.

Dr. Burton is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® and appears in the documentary “Twenty Pearls: The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® Follow Nsenga on Twitter @Ntellectual or @ TheBurtonWire.

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ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER 21SMCP00065 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES SANTA MONICA COURTHOUSE 1725 Main Street Santa Monica, Ca. 90401 PETITION OF: JOSHUA D. CASTANEDA TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: JOSHUA D. CASTANEDA for a decree changing names as follows: Present name JOSHUA DENNIS CASTANEDA Filed a petition with this court Proposed name JOSHUA MINATO LUCATERO 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

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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 of general circulation, printed in this county LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER Date: February 22, 2021 Joshua D. Castaneda 5854 Ernest Ave Los Angeles, Ca. 90034 (310) 367-7495 In Pro Per LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Mar 11, 18, 25, Apr 1, 2021

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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.

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Local

Covid Has Changed Our Movement As Revealed by Your Cellphone

By Phillip Reese California Health Line For all of our grousing about covid fatigue, a few novel trends are clear one year into the pandemic.

In the early weeks of 2021, Californians are staying home way more than we did in our pre-pandemic life. Even so, we’re heading out to shop, dine and work far more now than in March 2020, when state officials issued the first sweeping stay-at-home order, or the dark period that followed the winter holidays, when we hunkered down as covid-19 caseloads exploded.

And to the extent we are venturing out, we are using cars rather than resuming pre-covid commute patterns on buses and trains, a trend with troubling implications for transit services and the environment should it become long-standing.

The findings come from a Google compilation of vast troves of cellphone location tracking data, part of an ongoing effort the tech giant says it initiated to help leaders around the globe gauge the impact of covid-related closures and travel restrictions. The mobility logs, drawn from phones with location trackers enabled, show patterns of trip frequency — broken out at country, state and regional levels — in daily snapshots from early 2020 through early March 2021. The baseline for comparison in terms of trip frequency is the first five weeks of 2020, before California and the U.S. initiated broad covid-related restrictions.

Google groups its trip frequency data into categories based on the nature of the destination: for example, grocery and pharmacy; retail and restaurants; and work-related. In California, the fever lines for those categories in many ways trace the state’s yo-yoing response to covid’s spread, a series of shutdowns and reopenings that have grown more targeted and less restrictive as the pandemic has worn on.

On March 19, 2020, after declaring covid an emergency, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state’s first hard shutdown

order, telling Californians to stay home except for essential needs and shuttering wide swaths of the service and retail sectors. The tracking data indicates residents took the order to heart: After an initial surge in trips to groceries and pharmacies in the days before the order took effect — presumably as people stocked up on provisions — outings plummeted across the board. By early April, trips to stores and restaurants, as well as work, had fallen more than 50% below the baseline. Grocery and pharmacy outings were off by more than 20%.

The mobility trend lines rebounded in May, when the state moved — some say too quickly — toward reopening the economy. By July, retail and restaurant outings had resurged to 27% below the pre-covid baseline; grocery outings were just 4% below baseline.

With small ebbs and flows, these activity levels continued through summer and fall, before dipping sharply but briefly in late December through early February as covid flourished, hospitals reeled and the state paid the price for a recklessly social holiday season. As of early March, travel for retail and restaurants was back to 26% below the baseline, while grocery and pharmacy trips were 11% below.

Work-related travel showed the most sustained disruption, at 33% below the baseline.

While this prolonged stasis has been trying, staying home has saved lives, said Serina Chang, a graduate student in computer science at Stanford University who co-authored a paper in the journal Nature on mobility and covid spread. The research team created a model that looked at 10 U.S. metropolitan areas, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, and simulated a scenario in which residents didn’t cut travel in March and April.

“We saw sometimes 10 times the number of actual infections,” she said. “And that’s just by the beginning of May.” Chang’s research also found that trips to tight, crowded spaces

Role Reversal:

where people stay a long time cause more disease transmission than quick trips to large, nearly empty places. California leaders incorporated that thinking into new guidelines released in December and January that let more businesses stay open than in the March 2020 shutdown, but with limits on capacity.

As Californians get out of the house more, auto use is rebounding. In April 2020, California gasoline sales were down nearly 45% compared with April 2019, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. By November, gasoline sales were down just 16% compared with 2019, indicating residents were once again liberally filling up.

But, for now, the nature of that car travel has shifted. A couple of years ago, traffic peaked during the morning and evening commutes. Lately, car travel is distributed more evenly through the day, said Giovanni Circella, a researcher at the University of California-Davis Institute of Transportation Studies.

At the same time, daily visits to California transit stations were down an average of 51% in the first five weeks of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020. Mass transit systems in the U.S. rely heavily on fares to generate revenue. The decline in use is fueling worries that ridership won’t recover fast enough to stave off deep service cuts.

Chang and Circella said there is strong evidence that Californians with low incomes continue to face more challenges in cutting down on trips outside the home. The pandemic has underscored the array of white-collar jobs that can be done readily from home with the aid of the internet. By contrast, many lowerpaid service sector jobs must be carried out in person, requiring a commute.

“Lower-income neighborhoods always ended up with a higher level of infection, and so did less white neighborhoods,” said Chang, describing findings modeled in her study. “That tells you that mobility is encoding these disparities in some way.”

All those trends play out in high relief in the California region that has seen the biggest sustained decline in travel: the San Francisco Bay Area. The tracking data shows visits to stores and restaurants were down 62% in San Francisco during the first five weeks of 2021 compared with the baseline. Visits to workplaces were down 57%.

The Bay Area Council Economic Institute recently released a study showing that up to 45% of jobs in the region are eligible for remote work, a higher proportion than in other parts of the state. Staying in place can mean fewer infections. As of early March, San Francisco had the lowest covid infection rate among California counties with more than 500,000 residents, followed

by Alameda, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Santa Clara, all in the Bay Area.

In the Bay Area, as elsewhere, car traffic is starting to pick up — but not transit ridership. Jeff Bellisario, executive director of the institute, estimated that ridership on Bay Area Rapid Transit trains was down about 85% in mid-February compared with prepandemic levels. In contrast, he pointed to data showing vehicle crossings on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge down by just 13% on a Wednesday in mid-February.

Researchers like Circella and Bellisario are turning their attention to what comes next, when fears of covid infection fade. Will commuters get used to driving and take fewer transit trips? Will Californians who can work remotely leave high-priced urban areas, transferring traffic headaches to less developed communities? The answers aren’t clear.

“The longer the disruption is [and] the bigger the magnitude of the disruption, the higher the likelihood is that we might have bigger longer-term impacts,” Circella said.

Covid Increases Ranks of Child Caregivers

Rocio watches over Rhianna to make sure she takes the correct steps to change her father’s trach tube, which must be done once a month. “I’ve been slowly teaching her for the past year,” Rocio said.(Heidi de Marco / California Healthline)

By Heidi de Marco California Health Line LONG BEACH — On a recent Thursday afternoon, Rhianna Alvarado struggled to don her protective gloves, which were too big for her petite hands.

With her mom coaching her every move, she edged close to her father and gently removed the plastic tube from his throat that allows him to breathe. She then cautiously inserted a new one.

“What’s next?” asked her mom, Rocio Alvarado, 43.

“I know, I know,” replied Rhianna, her eyes constantly searching for her mom’s approval.

Rhianna is only 13. When she finished the delicate task of changing her father’s tracheostomy tube, usually performed only by adults, she went back into her room to doodle on her sketch pad and play with her cat.

Rhianna’s father, Brian Alvarado, is an Iraq War veteran and neck and throat cancer survivor.

Like most kids, Rhianna has been stuck at home during the covid-19 pandemic and attends school online. But unlike most other eighth graders, Rhianna is a caregiver, tending to her dad between her virtual classes.

Rhianna is among more than 3 million children and teens who help an ill or disabled family member, according to Caregiving in the U.S. 2020, a national survey published by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. The survey also found that Hispanic and African American children are twice as likely to be youth caregivers as non-Hispanic white children.

Carol Levine, a senior fellow at the United Hospital Fund, a nonprofit that focuses on improving health care in New York, said the covid pandemic, combined with the worsening opioid epidemic, has increased the number of youth caregivers because more children are homebound and must care for ill or addicted parents.

The pandemic has also made caregiving harder for them, since many can no longer escape to school during the day.

“In school they have their peers, they have activities,” Levine said. “Because of the contagion, they aren’t allowed to do the things they might normally do, so of course there is additional stress.”

Levine was an author of a national survey in 2005 that found there were about 400,000 youth caregivers between ages 8 and 11. The survey has not been updated, she said, but that number has likely grown.

Kaylin Jean-Louis was 10 when she started doing little things to care for her grandmother and great-grandmother, who have Alzheimer’s disease and live with Kaylin and her mother in Tallahassee, Florida.

Now 15, Kaylin has assumed a larger caregiving role.

Every afternoon after her online classes end, the high school sophomore gives the women their medicine, and helps them use the bathroom, dress and take showers.

“Sometimes they can act out and it can be challenging,” she said. The hardest thing, she said, is that her grandmother can no longer remember Kaylin’s name.

Covid has added another level of stress to an already complex situation, Kaylin said, because she can’t decompress outside the house.

“Being around them so much, there has been a little tension,” Kaylin acknowledged. She uses art to cope. “I like to paint,” she said. “I find it very relaxing and calming.”

Kaylin’s mother, Priscilla Jean-Louis, got covid last month and had to rely on Kaylin to care for the elder women while she recovered.

“She isn’t forced to do it, but she helps me a great deal,” Priscilla said. “If there are moments when I’m a little frustrated, she may pick up on it and be like ‘Mommy, let me handle this.’”

Rhianna’s dad, Brian, 40, never smoked and was healthy before joining the Marine Corps. He believes he got sick from inhaling smoke from burn pits during the Iraq War. He was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the neck and throat in 2007. He also has PTSD, an inflammatory disease that causes muscle weakness and a rash, and hyperthyroidism from chemotherapy and radiation.

Rhianna’s mom is Brian’s primary caregiver, but Rhianna helps her change her dad’s trach tube and feed him through a feeding tube in his abdomen.

“I’m still learning how to do it,” Rhianna said. “I get nervous, though.”

The two look after him on and off all day. “Our care for him doesn’t end,” Rocio said.

Rhianna is quiet and reserved. She has autism, struggles with communication and has trouble sleeping. She has been talking to a therapist once a week.

The trach has had the biggest impact on Rhianna, because Brian doesn’t join them for meals anymore. “I feel sad that he can’t eat anything,” she said.

Despite the growing number of youth caregivers, they have little support.

“If you look at all state and national caregiving programs and respite funding, they all begin at the age of 18,” said Melinda Kavanaugh, an associate professor of social work at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Kavanaugh is researching Alzheimer’s and caregiving in Latino and African American communities in Milwaukee.

“We had a number of kids who were much more stressed out because they had no outlet,” she said. “Now they’re suddenly 24/7 care and there was absolutely no break.”

Rhianna is a budding artist who loves animals. She spends time designing animations on her laptop and caring for her cat, Heathcliff, two dogs and a hamster.(Heidi de Marco / California Healthline)

Adult and youth caregivers often suffer from anxiety, depression and isolation, but there is little data on how caregiving affects young people over the long term, Kavanaugh said.

Connie Siskowski, founder of the American Association of Caregiving Youth, helped care for her grandfather as a child. “I was not prepared,” she said. “It was traumatic.”

Her Florida-based group connects young caregivers and their families with health care, education and community resources.

The goal is to identify problems such as stress or isolation among the children, and address them so they won’t harm them as adults, Siskowski said.

But long-term care experts said caregiving can also enrich a young person’s life.

“It can help kids develop a sense of responsibility, empathy and confidence,” Levine said. “The problem comes when their schoolwork, their friendships, their lives as a child are so affected by caregiving that they can’t develop in those other important ways.”

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Features

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER A5

Pamela Smith Named First Black Woman Chief of U.S. Park Police

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Pamela A. Smith, a 23-year veteran of the United States Park Police, will lead the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency.

Chief Smith, who becomes the first African American woman to lead the 230-year-old agency, immediately remarked that she would establish a body-worn camera program for USPP within 90 days.

The program will initially begin in San Francisco and be implemented across the country by the end of the year, Chief Smith stated.

“Body-worn cameras are good for the public and good for our officers, which is why I am prioritizing implementing a body-worn camera program within my first 90 days,” Chief Smith offered in a statement.

“This is one of the many steps we must take to continue to build trust and credibility with the public we have been entrusted to serve.”

Chief Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, graduated from the FBI National Academy. She is a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the International Association of Chiefs of

Police.

During her law enforcement career, the proud Zeta Phi Beta Sorority sister has served as a patrol officer, field training officer, canine handler, and academy instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

According to a news release, Chief Smith also served as executive lieutenant to the chief of police, assistant commander of the San Francisco Field Office, commander of the New York Field Office, acting deputy chief of the Homeland Security Division, and deputy chief for the Field Operations Division.

Chief Smith was the first woman to lead the New York Field Office as its Major.

At the United States Park Police, she will lead a 560-member workforce that protects the public, parks, and the nation’s most iconic landmarks in Washington, D.C., New York City, and San Francisco metropolitan areas.

“Chief Smith’s commitment to policing as public service and her willingness to listen and collaborate make her the right person to lead the U.S. Park Police at this pivotal moment in our country,” Shawn Benge, deputy director exercising the delegated authority of the NPS director, noted in a statement.

“Over the coming months, leadership of the National Park Service will explore opportunities with Chief Smith

designed to strengthen our organization’s commitment to transparency. Her personal and professional experience make her acutely aware of and ready to meet the challenges and responsibilities that face U.S. Park Police and law enforcement agencies across the nation.”

Jennifer Flynn, the National Park Service Associate Director for Visitor Resource Protection, added that she’s looking forward to Chief Smith’s leadership.

“Chief Smith’s experience serving in leadership roles in every U.S. Park Police field office has provided her with an unmatched foundation to lead the diverse agency,” said Flynn, who oversees the Park Service’s law enforcement programs.

“As federal law enforcement officers, the U.S. Park Police officers have a new opportunity each day to give their best to the American people. Chief Smith exemplifies that approach as a colleague and mentor, and she will be instrumental in refining and shaping the future of the organization,” Flynn concluded.

Chief Smith declared that she would lead by example and expects all officers to display integrity.

“I have dedicated my career to the professionalism of law enforcement, and it is my highest honor and privilege to serve as Chief of Police,” Chief Smith declared.

“Today’s officers face many challenges, and I firmly believe

challenges present opportunities. I look forward to leading this exemplary team as we carry out our mission with honesty and integrity.”

Chief Pamela A. Smith is a 23-year veteran of the United States Park Police. (Courtesy Photo)

A Timeline of California’s Efforts to Equalize Access to the Internet Quinci LeGardye California Black Media A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, California legislators are making strides toward addressing and alleviating systemic inequalities brought to light during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To that end, several bills have been introduced in the state Legislature regarding the digital divide that persists in disadvantaged communities, fueled by a lower rate of internet access.

When important parts of life for most Americans moved online during the state’s stay-at-home orders in Spring 2020, including remote work, telehealth and online school, the existence of a racial digital divide became apparent. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, 81 % of African American households and 79 % of Latino households had broadband internet subscriptions, compared to the statewide average of 84 %. The report also found that 26 % of K-12 students and nearly 40 % of low-income students did not have reliable internet access in Fall 2020.

In Dec. 2007, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) authorized the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF), which financially supports infrastructure projects, to provide broadband services to areas without access and build facilities in underserved areas.

CASF has been funded through multiple legislative bills since CPUC adopted timelines, application requirements and criteria for broadband funding in June 2008.

AB 1665, which was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in Oct. 2017, modified the CASF goal and extended its end date. The modified goal is to provide funding for broadband infrastructure projects that would provide broadband access to no less than 98 % of California households by no later than the end of 2022.

The law also requires the CPUC to report a final financial and performance audit of the CASF by April 2021.

In Aug. 2020, after the switch to online learning

brought the digital divide to the forefront, Gov. Newsom signed an executive order directing state agencies to accelerate their efforts to provide high-speed internet. His goal: service with a 100 Mbps download speed. This level of internet speed would allow households to have two or three people streaming video at the same time.

In Dec. 2020, AB 14, also known as the Internet for All Act of 2021, was introduced by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) in partnership with Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). If passed, the bill would require the CPUC to prioritize approving CASF infrastructure projects in areas with either no internet or levels too slow to support video downloads or streaming. It would also make the CASF program promote telehealth and virtual learning, in addition to its initial goals for economic growth and job creation. In the same week, Gonzalez introduced the legislation through SB 4, the Broadband for All Act. “The heartbreaking reality is that 1 in 8 California homes still do not have internet access and communities of color face even higher numbers of students and families who remain disconnected. Only miles from our State Capitol, there are areas of our state where Californians have no access to broadband connectivity. In partnership with Gonzalez and nearly two dozen of our Legislative colleagues, we have the momentum to get this effort across the finish line early next year,” said Aguiar-Curry.

“No student should be worried about having to visit a neighbor’s house, fast-food restaurant, park or a WIFI bus to access the internet to do their homework or having to take turns with their siblings to access WIFI because the connection is too slow. Medically fragile patients from low-income communities shouldn’t have to worry about visiting their doctor during a pandemic because they do not have internet at home for a telemedicine appointment.

We need to take action now to bridge the digital divide and bring an end to the inequity that our communities most in need have long suffered,” said Gonzalez.

Please wear a mask and socially distance youself.

Do your part to end COVID-19

A6

Sports

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Lakers Begin With a New ‘Drumbeat’

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer The best good news the Lakers have had in weeks is the signing of Andre Drummond. Earlier this week his signing was made official by the team. The team has several players miss games due to a variety of injuries and COVID protocols.

“Andre Drummond gives us a powerful anchor, points, skills on both ends of the court,” general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement. “We feel extremely fortunate to add a player of his caliber and magnitude to add to our core group at this stage of our journey to defend the NBA title.”

The acquisition come at the right time as the team has lost four of its last six games and appeared to be in a free fall.

The team has won two straight at the day of the signing wit win over Cleveland and Orlando at Staple Center. But there are

major challenges ahead facing Milwaukee at home then having a brutal road trip taking on the Clippers the Heat, Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks in the next ten days.

Having Drummond on the roster will be a tremendous asset. He comes averaging 17.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and nearly 3 assists a game. LeBron James and Anthony Davis played a role in recruiting the 6-10 Center has been sidelined by Cleveland since February. His contract was bought out by the Cavs allowing the 27year-old to become a free-agent. It’s a good fix for this season as the Lakers are literally hurting in the worst way.

He’s athletic, mobile and averaged 28 minutes a game before being forced to sit by management.

He can bring back a stronger presence in the middle that’s been missing since the departure of Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee and the injury to Davis. Marc Gasol has had the poorest

offensive season of his career averaging 5.3 ppg and just under 3 rebounds a game.

Despite the loosing 4 of 6 game the defense is still is the highest rated in the league. This is where Drummond could help.

He’a true rim protect that has a way of making people change their shot.His offensive output is a plus along with his ability to run the floor.

At Staples Center vs. Orlando: This week the Lakers defeated Orlando 96-93. Led by Dennis Schroder 24 points and team high six assists. It helped the team win back-to-back games. Montrezl Harrell had 18 points while he, Kyle Kuzma and Markieff Morris all collected 11 rebounds each. As a team they tallied 52 rebounds as they ran their record to 9-2 when they surpass 50 rebounds.

Kuzma added 21 points and four steals in 39 minutes giving him his 12th double-double of the season. Morris had 12 points to get his first double-double of the season.

At Staples Center vs. Cleveland: Montrezel Harrell ha 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lakers to a 100-86 win over the CAVS. He also had a season high seven rebounds. Schroder had 17 points and seven assists in 32 minutes while Alex Caruso had five points and a season high four steals to lead the Lakers snapping a four game losing streak.

Before the deal was done with Drummond Head Coach Frank Vogal spoke with Gasol and Harrell on the possibility of signing the veteran. “We always make sure we overdo our communications and be respectful to our players so they know where were coming from in every thing we do,” said Vogel on a video conference call. That is the case in this situation and we will keep the conversation private. We are making sure we are over communicating.”

ADD LAKERS: Andre Drummond spoke with Sportsnet and was asked what is it like to be joining LeBron James as a teammate? “Coming into the league at 18 years old and playing against LeBron was an experience,” said Drummond. “ It’s great to be his teammate after all the things he has done for the NBA. Asked if he’s ready to play. “I’m in the best shape, when time comes to play I am ready to go.”

Los Angeles Lakers newest accusation Andre Drummond working out at the Lakers facility.

(Photo Credit: @lakers instagram)

Dodgers Try for Run at History this Season Los Angeles Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scores an uncontested layup in Sunday’s victory over the Orlando Magic at Staples Center. (Photo Credit: @clutchclipshoop)

Mike Woodson Takes IU Job “I’ve never coached in college, but I like to think I’ve coached at the highest level and I’ve coached some of the greatest that ever graced the basketball court,”

By Earl Health Contributing Sports Writer Former LA Clipper assistant Coach Mike Woodson has taken the job at Indiana University. Woodson had spent his entire career in the NBA. “I’ve never coached in college, but I like to think I’ve coached at the highest level and I’ve coached some of the greatest that ever graced the basketball court,” Woodson said Monday during a video call. “Yes, there are going to be some challenges for me.

But at the end of the day, coaching is coaching and I’ve got to get players, recruit quality student-athletes and get players who can come in here and help this program move in the right direction.

Woodson, 63, is an Indianapolis native who played for the Hoosiers and coach Bob Knight from 1976 to 1980. Woodson has spent his entire coaching career in the NBA, with 25 years of experience as an assistant and a head coach. He was the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks for six seasons and the Knicks for three.

“I have spoken with numerous individuals at the college and NBA levels, and they were unanimous in their support of and respect for Mike,” Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson said Sunday. “From his ability in terms of X’s and O’s to his skill at building relationships and developing players, his reputation is outstanding. As a coach, he’s succeeded at the highest levels of the NBA, and he’s mentored some of the game’s all-time great players.”

Woodson becomes the first Indiana alum hired as head coach since Lou Watson replaced Branch McCracken in 1965.

Dan Dakich, who also played for Knight and is now a radio personality and color commentator on ESPN, was interim head coach at Indiana for seven games in 2008 after Kelvin Sampson New Indiana University Mike Woodson (Photo: was fired.

Associated Press)

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer When a team wins a World Series before the Champagne corks are popped one of the first questions asked is, “Can you win it again next year?” History shows that it’s against the odds.

The last National League team to repeat as World Series Champion was the Cincinnati Reds in 1975-76. The 19992000 New York Yankees were the last American League team to repeat as Champions and that was the tail end of a three-peat.

The odds are long but if there’s a team that’s stacked to do it this year’s edition of the Dodgers are ripe for it.

“We have a chance to do something special and win a championship,” said Skipper Dave Roberts. “That’s part of the fun you don’t play the game on paper, we have to play 162 games this year and see where we end up. But if you look at the talent potentially we could be as good as any team the Dodgers ever fielded.”

Mookie Betts is the spark of the offense he will bat lead-off, followed by World Series MVP Cory Seager, Justin Turner bats third, Max Muncy, Will Smith, Cody Bellinger, AJ Pollack, and Chris Taylor.

Betts a five time a five-time Golden Glove winner and was name American League Wilson Defensive Player of the year three times while with the RED SOX will help sure up the defense.

This week the team opens up on the road against the Rockies at Coors Field. Roberts has Clayton Kershaw as the opening day starter.

It will be Kershaw’s record ninth opening day start. He previously started 8 straight from 2011-2018. In 2019 it was shoulder soreness that put a hold on things. During last year’s COVID shortened year he was having back problems in spring training.

Kershaw just turned 33 and loves being in Los Angeles.

He will be followed by newcomer Trevor Beauer, the Cy Young winner Walker Buehler, Julio Urias and Dustin “Hippie” May naps the fifth spot in the rotation. The 23year-old had a 2.63 era and struck out 13 in Cactus League outings.

The Bullpen will feature David Price who will see his first real game action season. 2012 AL Cy Young winner will come start the season in the bullpen for the first time in his career. He will be joined by Tony Gonsolin as long to mid relief duties.

“I’m open to anything,” said Gonsolin. “I just want to get on the mound and pitch.”

It will be the first time Fans will see the World Champions at home.

“I don’t know what it looks like,” said Kershaw, the threetime Cy Young Award winner. “But I love being here, I love the Dodgers. I love everything about this organization and I just feel really fortunate that I have gotten as many opportunities as I have

Mookie Betts after his sixth-inning home run in Game 1 on Tuesday. (Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/ Getty Images)

had to win a World Series and now that we have finally won you just don’t take that for granted.

I really have enjoyed my time here and will continue to do so.”

ADD DOGERS: The Dodgers home opener is Friday April 9 at the Stadium. Approximately 10,000 fans will be allowed to attend.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (Patrick Semansky/Associated Press)

Sports

Thursday, April 1, 2021

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER A7

“The Complex Story of Erik Kramer”

By Cameron Buford Whatsgoodinsports.com Do you know the true story of former National Football League quarterback Erik Kramer? The Southern California kid who lived out most football players’ dreams, the father of two boys who had his life shattered multiple times in multiple fashions. The man attempted suicide only to survive a selfinflicted gunshot to the head. Well, this article will summarize my recent sit down with Erik, as we discussed his journey through life, what he’s learned and the message he has for anyone dealing with the pressures and uncertainty life has to offer.

As a graduate of John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California. Erik attended Los Angeles’ Pierce Junior College and played quarterback, before transferring to North Carolina State University. Though he wasn’t drafted in the NFL team, when the NFL players went on strike in 1987, Erik joined the Atlanta Falcons as a replacement player during the NFL player’s strike.

He was the last active “Scabs” (the NFL replacement players were referred to as scabs) to actively play after the NFL player’s strike.

Resiliency was a word they consistently came up with during my two and half hours with Erick. After he was cut in 1988, then after he spent half of the season in the CFL (Canadian Football League), it was Kramer’s resiliency that allowed him to continue his career in the NFL. After suffering a knee injury in practice, he learned that he needed to force his way in the door if he hoped to continue to play the game he loved.

In Erik’s return to the NFL in 1991, he replaced an injured Rodney Peete as the starter for the Detroit Lions. Kramer played in 13 games, led the Lions to a franchise-best record of 12–4, their first playoff victory since 1962, and a trip to the NFC Championship Game which is also been the last time the Lions have won a playoff game.

Kramer wasted no time answering the question when asked who the best player he played with was, “That’s a short list I would say, Barry Sanders! Because literally, we only had two running plays, draw to the right and draw to the left, and a slant off-tackle one way or the other. We didn’t have a tight end, so it was four Wide Receivers and Barry Sanders.” As Kramer remembers, “the Best thing you could do was hand the ball off to Barry, not block anyone and let him go one on eleven.”

Life, off the field for Erik wasn’t as picturesque as some might have imagined. One of the most challenging incidents came as he watched his son Griffen battle with drug addiction.

Having had his in sophomore year in High School interrupted by having to attend drug rehab. Griffen transitioned from inpatient care to outpatient care in early 2011.

He went from voluntarily sharing his thoughts during these outpatient group therapy sessions. To not sharing at all and becoming more recluse. He commented to Erik saying, ‘I just want to be able to do what normal high school kids do.’

Internally, Erik asks himself what part of his life had been normal.

Though Griffen was struggling with drug addiction, he simultaneously managed to shift from being the bully, older brother, to a caring brother that took his younger brother Dillion under his wing sort of speak. When asked, Erik said he did get the impression that Griffin suffered some pressures of living up to the expectations of having a successful NFL Quarterback as a father.

Griffen passed away from a drug overdose on October 30th, 2011. From being shot up with Heroin, in his toes, by a so-called friend and fellow addict. Griffen experienced an immediate response to this dose which included unconsciousness and

(Courtesy Photo)

foaming at the mouth. Unfortunately, Griffen was then left to die alone at the “friend’s” house who wasn’t equipped to properly respond to the traumatic overdose Griffen was experiencing. This was only the beginning of an ominous series of events that Erik would experience in the months and years to follow.

Only months after his eldest son died from and drug overdose, Erik finds out that his mother unsuspectingly had stage four uterine cancer. Though she survived the initial surgery, she would sadly succumb to this deadly disease in less than a year.

Shortly thereafter, he became aware that his father was dealing with untreated acid reflux which had quickly morphed into esophageal cancer that he would battle with for multiple years.

Erik admitted that there weren’t many, or any, “moments of joy in his life at this time.” He also acknowledged that after dealing with his son’s struggles with drugs which cost him his life, his mother’s losing bout with cancer, and his father’s slow deterioration from esophageal cancer sent Erik into a dark depression mentally which led to his attempt to take his own life.

Not being a gun enthusiast, he drove to a gun shop in Simi Valley acting as if he wanted to learn more about guns and he bought a Sig Sauer 9mm gun. Because he didn’t want his youngest son to find his dead body, He coordinated his suicide outside his home. Erik rented a hotel room in the Valley and unknowingly communicated his intentions with a friend, who happened to be

a police officer. This would eventually be his saving grace.

Erik, clearly not as good a shot as he was a quarterback, was able to answer the phone once when the police officer called him to check on his well-being. At the same time, other officers were outside his hotel room door ready to assist him. Erik was then rushed to the hospital.

As if Erik Kramer’s story wasn’t tragic enough, this is where his life would take another inauspicious turn. During his rehabilitation process, he was rendered mentally inept and unable to care for and make decisions for himself. Longtime High School friend Anna Dergan was a pivotal role in Erik receiving the proper care needed to bring him back to living a decent life for himself.

As people came out to support Erik during his rehabilitation process. Through Anna’s assistance, Erik would go to Las Vegas to continue Brain Treatment Rehabilitation. It was then that former on and off girlfriend Courtney Baird would reestablish communication with Erik, “It was over those phone calls that Courtney had assessed me, and knew mentally I was off.” Erik continued when you mentioned Courtney, “she would’ve figured very quickly the state of mind that he was in.”

Courtney, to rebuild their relationship, would travel to Las Vegas to spend time with Erik. Together they would drive back to Southern California. A short while thereafter Courtney would move, her and her daughter, into Erik’s home. While at Erik’s

home, Courtney began taking advantage of Erik’s inability to make complex cognitive decisions.

Without drawing any red flags, Courtney was able to make multiple unauthorized charges to Erik’s bank accounts. Regular withdrawals of $300- $500 helped drain the funds in Erik’s bank account, which had over $14,000 before his suicide attempt. At one point this account would get overdrawn by $6,000. The funds from a memorial fund were set up after Griffen’s passing, which reached over $9,800, mysteriously began to be transferred in Kramer’s checking account giving access to anyone with Erik’s debit card.

Erik was known to live modestly, so the multiple packages that began to show up at his home drew a red flag. According to Anna, Amazon packages and purchases were not consistent with who Erik is and she began to identify the sources of the spending already understanding Erik’s spending habits.

By the time Dergan completed her investigations, she was able to show detectives that there had been over $46,000 of unauthorized spending of Erik’s bank account. When approached by detectives, Kramer was not able to understand or explain the severity or reasoning of the spending.

In an attempt to avoid prosecution Courtney Baird continued the manipulation of Kramer and proposed a sham marriage. Marrying a defenseless Kramer would seemingly protect her from further criminal investigation. Dergan still refused to relent, “I hate to see people get taken advantage of!”

A couple of years had passed, as Kramer had regained some of his cognitive thinking. He then wanted to buy a house, near his current home. He was subsequently denied to do so because he was ruled unable to make such financial decisions. Due to being conserved by the courts, because of Courtney’s fraudulent activities and the legalities of the investigations.

He then went to work with his attorneys to have the marriage annulled. Months later the sham marriage was nullified and this cost Kramer roughly $125,000 in legal fees. Including the conservatorship system and misappropriation of funds after his attempted suicide cost him roughly $600,000.

Erik Kramer is now a fully functioning adult, with a much better outlook on life. He a High School Football Coach for Chaminade College Prep, West Hills, CA. He is now lucid enough to proudly state that he wants his story to serve as a warning for all former NFL players and the NFLPA that players with diminished mental capacity and large bank accounts are easy targets.

When asked, Erik’s lasting message to those contemplating suicide is, “Don’t! There’s a lot of people that you might not see, that would be devastated if you are successful doing what you’re contemplating doing.” He went on to say, “there’s more help out there than you know.”

Lastly, Eric mentioned, “Find ways to pursue, whatever it is in life that you’re passionate about, and then never give up! Never give up on pursuing, because it’s that pursuit, that’s what life is.”

I am eager to hear your thoughts and feelings on Erik Kramer’s story, kindly share your thoughts on what’s stood out to you by reaching out to me on Twitter @whatsgoodnsport or forward any suggestions on what additional topics or angles you’d like to see discussed to info@whatsgoodinsports.com.

Please also be sure to subscribe to our weekly “Voice of the Fans Podcast.” Which is available for you on most podcasting platforms; Apple and Google Podcasts including Spotify, TuneIn, and, iHeart Radio to name a few. On our Podcast, we have passionate banter about various NFL storylines, while addressing the multitude of NBA topics.

Courtside with Clippers – Week 13

By Cameron Buford Whatsgoodinsports.com 3/24/21 (28-16) Los Angeles Clippers vs (22-18) San Antonio Spurs Coming off their first pair of back to back wins in over a month, the Clippers travel to San Antonio exact some revenge for their loss to the Spurs earlier this season. A win versus the Spurs would give the Clippers their third three game win streak since mid-February, during what some would call the dog days of the season.

In Kawhi Leonard’s third return to place he began his NBA career, the San Antonio fans in attendance were still anxious to let him know how they feel about him spurning the Spurs a few seasons ago. Although Kawhi was booed during pregame introductions and each time he touched the ball early… it wasn’t long before he silenced the fans. The stoic Leonard stepped into the passing lane and picked off and picked off a Dejounte Murray pass and converted a contested layup over two Spurs defenders.

In one of his more efficient games of the season Kawhi finished with a game high 25 points, nine rebounds, five steals and three assists in less than three quarters. This was also Kawhi Leonard’s 55th-straight game with at least 15 points, which is the third-longest such streak in franchise history and the longest since World B. Free (64 games, 11/2/78 - 4/1/79).

Marcus Morris Sr. chipped in 20 points on 5-7 shooting from behind the arc and Tree time Sixth Man of the year award winner Lou Williams, came off the bench to 16 points in this game to reach 15,000 points for his career. In his post-game zoomer Williams said this about his accomplishment, “Great milestone; “Especially someone who has come off the bench for most of his career.” Williams becomes the only player to reach this scoring total with less than 400 starts. Although Kawhi modestly said after the game “We’re not there yet,” the Clippers scored 41 points in the first quarter, which happens to be the most points scored they’ve in a first quarter this season. Additionally, this is the Clippers ninth game this season that they have shot at least 50% from beyond the arc which leads the NBA this season.

3/25/21 (29-16) Los Angeles Clippers vs (22-19) San Antonio Spurs With the trade deadline coming up quickly it will be interesting to see what additions, if any they make to this roster.

I’ve been a firm believer they need a pass first point guard to aid Kawhi and Paul George easier buckets late in games. Kindly share your thoughts on what moves they should make and let me know what you think their ceiling is if they choose not to make any roster changes.

Well, what do you know, the Clippers heard my pleas to add a point guard and sent perennial Sixth man of the year Award winner Lou Williams to the Atlanta Hawks for seldom used veteran point guard Rajon Rondo. I wasn’t expecting the Lou Williams scoring prowess off the bench to be the coast for Rondo, though I believe that he will have a bigger impact on the playoff. When asked about what a true point guard would bring Ty Lue told us, “It’s like having a quarterback, he’s the leader of the team, gets guys easy shots. I think he’ll make it a lot easier on PG and Kawhi, getting those guys in position as well but just understanding the game. Understanding who needs a shot, when they haven’t had a touch in a while, where guys spots are on the floor.”

Post-game after their win over the Spurs, Paul George shared his thought on the Lou Williams for Rajon Rondo trade, “Bittersweet, sad day for the Clipper family. Lou’s someone that’s been so big for the Clipper in Clippers history.” In terms of brining in Rajon Rondo, Paul said, “Another reliable. A [proven player, a champion… his experience playing on championship caliber teams can bring a lot to this team.”

The Clippers would dominate the boards in this game by grabbing a season-high 57 rebounds, compared to the Spurs 39 rebounds, while Paul George pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds. The Clippers also improved to 29-4 on the season when building a lead of 10 points or more. Also, Reggie Jackson has a season-high 28 points. Ivica Zubac continued his impressive play by tying his career-high with five blocked shots and recorded his longest streak of sixth-straight game with at least 10 points.

While Terance Mann said he was is sad to lose Williams because, “Lou was my vet, he taught me how to be a pro.” But also, said he is excited to play alongside Rondo. Mann revealed that he carries Rondo’s rookie card in his wallet. Mann said “he was given the card and he kept getting better and better, in about the eight grade” and still keeps the card in his to this day and considers it a good-luck charm.

3/27/21 (32-13) Philadelphia 76ers vs (30-16) Los Angeles Clippers

In their first time facing their Head Coach from previous seasons, the Clippers would welcome Doc Rivers and the Philadelphia 76ers into Staples Center for a Saturday night match-up. The 76ers came into this game leading the eastern conference with a 32-13 record, while the Clippers came into this matchup riding a 4-game winning streak to get to 30-16, which earned them third place in the West ranking.

Although the 76ers would be without their MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who will miss his eighth consecutive game. The Clippers would also be missing a couple of their key contributors in Patrick Beverley and Serge Ibaka who have missed sevengames and six straight games. Not to mention the newly acquired point guard Rajon Rondo, who would be in street clothes on the Clippers bench.

When asked pregame about the keys to defending the 76ers and Ben Simmons, Clippers Head Coach Ty Lue said to me, “they needed to get back in transition, he’s a one-man fast break.” The 76ers came into this game leading the eastern conference with a 32-13 record, while the Clippers came into this matchup riding a 4-game winning streak to get to 30-16, which earned them third place in the West ranking.

As the game tipped offed the 76ers jumped on the Clippers quickly and built as much as a 10-point lead. Though the Clippers were able to climb back in the game and narrow the lead at the end of the half to a 1-point game 30-29. After taking the lead in the second quarter, the Clipper would not trail again in this ball game.

Kawhi Leonard would extend his streak of scoring 20 points or more, as he scored a team 28 points and also chipped in 4 rebounds and assists in addition to 3 steals. His second steal of the game was the 1,000th steal of his career. Leonard now becomes one of 21 active players with at least 1,000 career steals.

The Clippers would get assistance from multiple players tonight as they had 5 players in double digits, with 3 of those guys over 20 points. Leonard and George scored 28 and 24 points respectively while Terance Mann joined them by scoring 23 points against the 76ers. This was Mann’s third time in the past five games which he has eclipsed his season-high in points.

While the Clippers have improved to 17-1 when scoring at least 120 points.

this season. The lack of healthy bodies and fatigue may have set in on the Clippers. Outside Ivica Zubac recording his career-high 10th double-double and Nicolas Batum tying a season-high with 10 rebounds, there was not a lot to write home about in this game.

Paul George missed his second straight game because of right foot soreness. Marcus Morris Sr. (right calf contusion) did not play after scoring 25 points in Serge Ibaka (Back Spasms), Patrick Beverley Knee Soreness) and Rajon Rondo (right adductor soreness) has yet to play since being acquired from Atlanta last week. So the Clippers in their fifth game in seven nights against all but 1 playoffs team, seeming had a letdown. When asked about what he took away from the game Head Coach Ty Lue said, “I have to look at… in the first half I thought we should’ve been up by about 25 or 26 made some turnovers, and took some stupid shots…” Kawhi Leonard was much celebratory of the Magic, “The Magic played a great game they fought, they fought all night, got to give them credit!”

Next up is the much improved Denver Nuggets with whom they are fighting playoff seeding. The Clipper are currently one

game up in the winner’s column so this game on Thursday is critical for the seeding! Hopefully, they will have their full complement players available sooner than later.

It’s been a fun week overall covering the team this week, they went 4-1, while missing some key players and seeing one of the team’s favorite players being traded. They got that point that belief will help them in crunch time and once the playoffs begin, I am eager to see how things play out the rest of the way. Kindly share your thoughts on their recent trade and let us know if you think this improves the team’s ceiling. You can reach out to me on Twitter @whatsgoodnsport or forward any suggestions on what additional topics or angles you’d like to see discussed to info@whatsgoodinsports.com.

Lastly, be sure to subscribe to our weekly “Voice of the Fans Podcast” which is available for you on most podcasting platforms; Apple and Google Podcasts including Spotify, TuneIn, and, iHeart Radio to name a few. On our Podcast, we have passionate banter about various NFL storylines, while addressing the multitude of NBA topics.

3/29/21 (29-16) Milwaukee Bucks vs (31-16) Los Angeles Clippers Clippers are on a 5-game win streak against all playoff teams while the Bucks are trying to avoid a 3-game losing streak after winning 8 straight games. This is the second game of the season between these teams, as the Bucks squeaked out a win in Milwaukee. Keep in mind the Clippers are 16-6 in home games.

The Clippers would get a heroic effort from Ivica Zubac in his guarding of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Though Giannis finished with 32 points he shot under 50% from the floor on shots they welcomed from him. … They welcomed his shooting from the outside so they could control the paint and secondchance points, they dominated that category 25 by 6 in the game.

Without Patrick Beverley, Serge Ibaka, Paul George, and the newly signed Rajon Rondo this was a tremendous team victory.

Zubac played tough contested defense on Giannis and the other stay locked on defense, and the Clippers had four players score at least 20 points tonight. Last March was the last time the Clippers had four players with at least 20 points was.

Kawhi Leonard scored his customary 24, only 2 points of his average while pulling down 9 rebounds and dishing out 8 assists.

Marcus Morris scored a team-high 25 points paired with Reggie Jackson game who gave the Bucks 15 points in the 3rd quarter and finished with 20 points. Luke Kennard scored 11 of his season-high 21 points in the fourth quarter as the team seemingly turned to him to close the game out, when asked about that Luke said, “it definitely feels great! Just the confidence that everybody has in me and each other. It’s another part of something we’ve built; just getting comfortable and believing in other.”

Though the Bucks jumped out to a 38 to 26 lead after the first quarter, the Clippers went on the outscore the Bucks 103 to 67 throughout the remainder of the game. This is the Clippers’ 11th game this season winning by at least 20 points which leads the NBA. Additionally, the Clippers held the Bucks below the recent to game average of 120.4 points, 50.3 rebounds, 25.7 assists, eight steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field rebounds and assists and shooting percentage. As they held them to 105 points, 32 rebounds, 28 assists whole only allowing them to shoot 46.9% from the field.

3/27/21 (15-31) Orlando Magic vs (32-16) Los Angeles Clippers Though the Clippers held the Magic to 37 points in the first half which is the fewest number of points allowed in the first half

Los Angeles Clippers guard Luke Kennard shooting a jumpsuit Monday vs The Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center. Kennard finished with a season high 21 points. (Photo: Los Angeles Clippers)

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Thursday, April 1, 2021