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By Charlene Crowell health and economic consequences, many need an Governors of the Federal Reserve Consumer Fi-rm oanother round of L er ag al Californiah. ealth facility in Pen1982, Coopvirus’s d n re u o in n e h r a av er w w sw v eaponsnancial f the progre esti- Bureau e hig(CFPB), hose escaped fr orn support thre h expectaFederal supportInnsylvania bimmediate the Orange Beach Police Offi ia. te e NNPA Newswire Contributor relief and ongoing help and to cope Protection Deposit w st at er im ta o e m o ck u ss er n se iv ti er y, s d o e s wh“Those efore the ns. Union Ad- on the politi Joshua Rsurance D in the uring ‘normal’ “DNANational o wereneeds movpandemic,” uld hav someone’s p County Register h cer Thomas For the foreseeable future, will be indefi- with Jenkins. his murdlife yen saidCorporation ing to conoted White.areHonly testing Credit cal Left gued th e been H so(FDIC), er tr he sa e itially th shthe et when th lvand e later teministration ouldComptroller e thethe atglobal ial, proas w is C p o nitely suspended due to the pandemic known the set to grow in the weeks and months ahead.”

(NCUA), Office of im F an o R eb. 19.Health-A-Thon F p st ic m y se u e cat dartein er en ifi . ed rt cu ed k h iately take WHAT: FREE Virtual Ryen, their illed husban case and fi tors succWhat er that they (OCC) Chian–g came complicabetween d in fr an es coronavirus. can really make a difference life’s sucof the Currency on March 26 in a statesa sf n p 1 ti d n al 0 la u id n am -y an ll ly ce g y d ea d M th ed Diana R ensure just WHEN: uring the ca to reSaturday, arr-old daugh wife Dcess e also cGu18, neighemployment prosewhat thatbanks, - the April 9:30 am – 2 pm ont ire 2020 bor Christo layoffs o cu u sa D g o ti y ic b N Record-breaking in the month and failure is not just what leaders do but ment that encouraged savings and loans, and credit p an s o m el te e er A n w o r p d s’ is h n ev Je ca ai P claims, a w en he got o ging to her gn. “Not o (PT) served,” animal was ssic eggy idence can me forward pher Hugh but testinsmall an 11didn’t om-“responsible ut to ch formerThe nly is it pro helptolaconsumbigger than with bunions of March resulted in the Department of Labor reporting when they chance. legisto offer loans” inal es. Poli afoandthey -year-do g in thdollar . Shhad w enforcem boyrecent loody cl AYouTube e interest oldwas nimal CoLive frie tuthe is v aathowww. en rn ca undlative n d o ed se WHERE: ZOOM, (register th use cat. ec w w en th in the package E h that 10.4 million consumers lost their jobs and filedcefor silent on rates, as well as forgiveers and small businesses during the pandemic. o n o d t g e u v tr estroyed it. solve crimes was a violen ld come at en though evidence ov bloodied o to l o an ffi ce an t crim- to is unemployment compensation. As medical experts con- ness of federal student loans, credit reports er or to bans theboregulators, “responsible ld, he is trea Newsomsmall-dollar the policeAccording to e state. , trauma. imal hospital, wherrse rushed the ble ’s decisionno costAmplify.Love) Africannegative dinmeeting but th Amer it was diagn ” in the Coth sue that Cal g carefullcustomers’ tinue to track the virus, the New York Times reported at on private evictions for late rental payments. loans, can play role in icans, Hisp ey anisimportant y operthecase on a poten iforncash-flow DU.S. r. Krist anics anthan ia voters acimbalances, watch As number of COVID cases and death ose least 214,461 known infections and at least 4,800 related As the cost of living has risen faster and higher needs because of temporary i K ti d othercredit in al ra ly g u sh . se ro p H e , o ss a e ex m la v th is ri in p et ec zi e o k er n p ri ts ee inaria oliticalcontinue ties liexpenses, ping hisduring deaths. most consumer incomes for more than a decade, the likeli- unexpected is th clearly that Afrie 11-pshowing v- Contiornuincome disruptions n, tells th spectrumtoar grise, bthe ound (5-k focus operikdata into the w ed on precoveries.” n fairnescan e are ac Beyond these statistics, untold numbers of additional hood of a savings account large enough to cover household ods of economic stress or disaster ilogra disproportionately affected.

The reail m) ca d age A2 s anAmericans af te d r M it ju cG regainracism, ice th school and retail closures, and an expanding army of peo- expenses for a month or more is slim to none.

Without any specifics defining “reasonable small dolsons are st multi-factorial anduirinclude, e visitedstructural s strengtht. to at th if e h b e ple working from home have also been directly affected by The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), lar loans”, the regulators’ statement could be an induceo se b es ca multi-generational households,it ag public service t on Fri ain he’facing ll isassueasthma, the virus. the agency tasked with protecting consumers from unscru- ment to join triple-digit lenders’ financial exploitation. jobs, and chronic preexisting diseases, such a ticket fodray. ja Consumers both young and old have passed as the vi- pulous lenders has been conspicuously subdued. Instead For Black America and other communities of color, high blood pressure, smoking/vaping, and diabetes. rus continues to spread across the country. Its viral wrath predatory short-term loans of $500 or less began decades The Black community has been inundated with has spawned hot spots from the Pacific Northwest’s Seattle, ago when payday and car-title storefronts took prominent bad news about the pandemic, now it’s time to take a to the Gulf Coast’s New Orleans, the Midwest’s Detroit residence in our neighborhoods across the country. Loans communal moment to catch our breath. Catching Our and the nation’s largest urban metropolis, New York City. that were marketed as quick fixes for millions of consumers Breath Health-a-Thon is an online virtual event hosted Zeroing in on the economic impacts of the crisis, morphed into long-term financial nightmares that deepby the AATCLC, AMPLIFY! and The URSA Institute, people everywhere are struggling with competing needs in ened debt with every renewal. In many cases, the interest a conglomeration of health empowerment and advocacy their lives. When living costs exceed available financial repaid on these loans was often double or triple the amount organizations working towards better health in the globsources, tough times lead to tough decisions about how to of principal borrowed. al African Diaspora. Catching Our Breath will provide feed families, keep a home to live in, ways to keep utilities A coalition of civil and consumer rights organizations support, direction, guidance, and unity to Black people working and a myriad of other day-to-day needs. released a joint statement warning of the possible spike in as they navigate these challenging times.

Despite a $2 trillion federal rescue enacted with bihigh-cost lending by the nation’s depository institutions – The event will take place on Saturday April 18th, partisan support, checks of $1,200 promised to taxpayers, banks, credit unions and savings and loans. along with an additional $500 per child will arrive too late “This is the worst possible time for banks to make 2020 from 9:30 am to 2 pm (virtual doors open at 9:00 for first of the month April payments for bills like mortpredatory payday loans,” said Americans for Financial Ream with a musical interlude) California time!. It will be gages and rental payments. Many leaders also warn that form Education Fund, the Center for Responsible Lendbroadcast via zoom to virtual attendees in all 50 states. despite its size or range of areas addressed, the legislation ing, Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, The goal of the event is to provide people the Black was not enough.

NAACP, National Consumer Law Center. community with a day of family friendly, intergeneraIn a March 27 House floor statement, Congresswom“Around the time of the last recession, a handful of tional entertainment and information while encouragan Maxine Waters, Chairwoman of the House Financial (Courtesy Photo) banks issued ‘deposit advances’ that put borrowers in an ing them to be healthy and educating them about the Services Committee warned colleagues that their job was average of 19 loans a year at over 200% annual interest,” particular risk COVID-19 poses to Black people. not yet complete. continued the leaders. “These bank payday loans disproRegistration Link: At www.Amplify.Love or https:// “[I] must make clear that the legislation is far from of forceful and timely agency alerts via multi-media com- portionately harmed the financially vulnerable and badly bit.ly/3c7V1Xx comprehensive, and that there are issues it leaves unad- munications warning consumers about opportunistic scam damaged banks’ reputations. Since 2013 when regulatory dressed and areas where it falls short…The American peo- artists, CFPB has offered a modest tip sheet on how con- guidance warned against this form of credit, banks have ple need help now and this bill represents a down payment sumers – not government – can protect themselves. For- mostly stayed away. We trust that they will continue to do on that relief,” said Waters. tunately, as the viral saga unfolds, some news outlets are so as they do not want to repeat mistakes of the past.”

A similar reaction came from AARP chief executive Jo reporting on the potential harms of consumers turning to Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center Ann Jenkins. payday and car-title loans. for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at charlene.

“Older Americans face the one-two punch of coronaA joint response by five federal regulars - Board of crowell@responsiblelending.org.

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Black Businesses Matter, But Will They Get Fair Share Of COVID-19 Aid Money?

By Barrington M. Salmon, Contributing Writer, The Final Call President Donald Trump and Congressional leaders announced the $2 trillion economic stimulus package—the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to great fanfare, touting the deliverables of different aspects of the provisions and their belief in its ability to slow the economic tsunami exacerbated by the novel coronavirus pandemic. One of the major selling points is a $1,200 one-time payment to adults.

The pandemic has cut a wide and deadly swathe through communities across the country, overwhelmed the medical infrastructures of places like New York City, Detroit and New Orleans, and brought much of America’s economic activity to a standstill. At press time the grisly tally in the U.S. stood at 356,942 confirmed cases and more than 10,524 deaths. New York is still the epicenter with more than 122,031 confirmed cases and almost 4,159 deaths.

In a desperate effort to blunt the spread of Covid-19, state governors have ordered as many as 230 million people to stay home, which has brought commerce to a virtual standstill. Along with the sudden and brutal decline of the much vaunted, record-setting stock market, the economy began a freefall dragging with it jobs, businesses—large and small—and the destinies and fortunes of tens of millions of American workers.

Compared to other small business owners, African Americans have generally had to face more daunting challenges such as smaller cash reserves to draw from, difficulty in securing bank loans and other financing and being sole proprietors or “mom and pop” establishments that are ineligible for most small business loans.

Businesses, big and small, have been savaged, with the hardest hit sectors being the travel and hospitality industries and the retail sector.

Financial planner and wealth manager Ivory J. Johnson acknowledged that Covid-19 has shaken up U.S. businesses and hit Black customers hard.

“It’s having a tremendous effect,” he said. “Cash flow just stops. Ten percent retail, 10 percent of restaurants, 20 percent of the population just stopped. This is the end of the business cycle, we’re at peak employment where wages

Assault Charge for Man Accused of Coughing on Clerk

DEBARY, Fla. (AP) – A Florida man was charged with aggravated assault after allegedly coughing on a cashier and claiming that social distancing precautions for the coronavirus pandemic are “getting out of hand,” according to a police report.

Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Christopher Canfora, 49, of DeBary, on Tuesday.

The cashier at Harbor Freight Tools in Orange City told investigators that Canfora approached her at the cash register and criticized the store’s social distancing measures, which include floor tape marking where customers should stay six feet (two meters) apart.

The employee said Canfora intentionally coughed on her and her register, saying he does the same thing when he sees people wearing masks, and would go later go to a grocery store to cough there.

Canfora told deputies that he works in emergency medical services, though the arrest report didn’t say where. He also denied coughing on anyone and said he does not have any symptoms related to the virus. He said he didn’t expect anyone to understand his sense of humor.

Jail records didn’t list an attorney for him.

Kanye West’s Art from High School Worth Thousands

Compared to other small business owners, African Americans have generally had to face more daunting challenges such as smaller cash reserves to draw from, difficulty in securing bank loans and other financing and being sole proprietors or “mom and pop” establishments that are ineligible for most small business loans. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

go up, corporate money gets squeezed and they fire Bob,” he explained.

“People didn’t have time to pivot. For Black business, access to capital may not be there and Black customers are going to be hit very hard. It’s going to be a challenge for all

businesses. You have to figure what you need to do now.”

He characterized the relief package as, “keep the light on money,” likened the U.S. economy to a Ponzi scheme with the U.S. government printing money “out of thin air,” Continued on page A2

Stimulus Checks Begin to Arrive, What Should You Expect?

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Payments from the $2.3 trillion federal coronavirus stimulus package have begun hitting individual bank accounts.

In a memo, IRS Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the first round of payments were sent on Thursday, April 9, and should arrive in bank accounts beginning no later than Tuesday, April 14.

Most Americans are eligible for and will receive stimulus payments, except for those who owe back child support payments.

Single-filers who make less than $75,000 will receive $1,200, while married couples making less than $150,000 are scheduled to get $2,400. An additional $500 payment will be provided to households for each child under 17.

The IRS will base the payments on the adjusted gross income of taxpayers’ 2019 return. If a 2019 return hasn’t been filed (the deadline has been extended for two months), the IRS will use information from the 2018

BoOur bcat Reco “Catching ve A f t e r Being Hi Breath” Police Car Black Folks Thriving in the Age of COVID-19

return. If the return doesn’t contain direct deposit information, or if the IRS doesn’t have returns from 2018 or 2019, a paper check will be issued later.

Electronic payments also will go out to those receiving Social Security and disability, even if recipients don’t typically file a tax return.

For those who haven’t provided the IRS with bank account information, paper checks are expected to begin reaching households in May, but, in some cases, recipients won’t receive payment until September.

“If we have your bank information, you’ll get it within two weeks,” Mnuchin said. “Social Security, you’ll get it very quickly after that. If we don’t have your information, you’ll have a simple web portal, we’ll upload it.

If we don’t have that, we’ll send you checks in the mail.”

Treasury officials said they expect 50 million to 70 million Americans to have received directly deposited payments by April 15, which is one day later than what the IRS said it expects the deposits to become available.

The IRS does plan to set up a portal on its website where filers can enter direct deposit information if the

agency doesn’t already have those details. Those who have provided bank information on their 2018 or 2019 returns don’t have to do anything unless their information has changed.

As for paper checks, the Washington Post reported that the IRS plan would distribute those to the lowest-income Americans first, prioritizing payments for individual taxpayers with incomes of $10,000 or less on April 24.

Checks for earners of $20,000 or less would be in the mail May 1, followed by those with incomes of $30,000 on May 8, $40,000 on May 15, and continuing in income increments of $10,000 each week, according to the plan. The IRS plans to issue about 5 million checks each week.

Stimulus checks would be issued on Sept. 4 to joint taxpayers earning $198,000, the maximum allowed under the stimulus. All others would be sent on Sept. 11, in most cases, because the IRS did not have prior tax information for them, and they need to apply for the checks.

CHICAGO (AP) – Drawings by Kanye West from when the rapper was a high school student in Chicago are now worth thousands of dollars, according to an appraiser.

Art specialist Laura Woolley evaluated five portraits and landscapes by West and determined that the collection could sell at an auction for up to $23,000, the Chicago Tribune reported. It was featured on an episode of the PBS series “Antiques Roadshow.”

“I think these pieces demonstrate an extraordinary facility as an artist, and I selected this grouping because it shows the different mediums he was working in,’’ Woolley said before highlighting details of the individual pieces, which include works in graphite and scratchboard.

One of West’s cousins received the artwork after his mother, Donda West, died in 2007. West, now 42, graduated from Chicago’s Polaris High School in 1995 and studied art at the American Academy of Art and Chicago State University.

Rhonda Levy, who was one of his high school art teachers, said West’s two largest works featured on the show were class assignments. She described West as a talented and supremely confident student.

“It’s just so weird having little Kanye as a freshman, and then here he is now one of the most famous people on Earth,’’ Levy said.

A2

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday, April 16, 2020

World & Nation

Black Businesses Matter, News Observer Los Angeles

But Will They Get Fair Share Of COVID-19 Aid Money? and said now that corporations—who are carrying between $4 trillion and $10 trillion worth of debt—face an economic reckoning, the realization is dawning that the way they’ve been doing business is untenable.

“They are now seeing that this isn’t sustainable,” said Mr. Johnson, who for the past two decades has helped families and small businesses create and protect wealth, and who has guided them to see the benefits of developing a financial game-plan. “Nobody ever shoots Santa. People don’t care and weren’t complaining when they were making money.”

Mr. Johnson said the Covid-19 pandemic merely accelerated what has been happening to the economy, just at a slower rate.

“Here’s the reality: what happened is that they are creating money out of thin air, buying assets, feeding the Ponzi scheme,” he said. “They were rigging earnings, strip-mining stocks and buying back stocks, while the Federal Reserve pushed down interest rates and have been buying bonds and assets.”

Mr. Johnson, who founded Delancey Wealth Management. LLC in 2012, said 35 percent of small businesses couldn’t sustain a three-month shutdown, while 70 percent wouldn’t survive past six months.

He said the country is staring at the abyss. The unemployment rate during the Great Depression was 25 percent and financial experts are predicting that unemployment figures could reach that figure before all this is done. In late March and early April, about 10 million Americans filed for unemployment. The next jobs figures are expected to be considerably higher.

Veteran labor organizer Bill Fletcher, Jr. said there are a couple of layers to consider when contemplating the effect coronavirus will have on African Americans.

“One is the question of the impact of the crisis on Black America and Black businesses. One of the things that we’re going to have to deal with in this country, irrespective of race, is going to be trauma,” he said. “I think that it will have a particular type of impact on Black America—looking at illnesses and a further elimination of wealth, along the lines of 2008 crash,” added Mr. Fletcher.

“African Americans never really recovered from the housing crash and economic meltdown and that reality is going to be a very important factor for Black people, especially since the U.S. may be going into some form of depression,” said Mr. Fletcher, former president of TransAfrica Forum and a senior scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies. “I saw a report last week that shows the Washington metropolitan area could lose 35 percent of small businesses. Add a layer of race onto that—lower savings rates and profit margins and most small biz not able to sustain themselves for three months and the problem becomes clear.”

What comes out of this crisis will be equivalent to the aftermath of a war, he said.

“It’s not like coming out of a recession with the infrastructure intact. Even if the number of people who die isn’t as high, we’re looking at high levels of devastation economically,” Mr. Fletcher explained.

Marc Morial is one of a number of critics who don’t believe the package goes far enough and said he and others in the Civil Rights and business communities will have to push just as hard as they have to ensure that more is done for African American businesses. He said he doesn’t have to look too far to see the impact of the pandemic on small Black businesses owners in New York, where he lives.

“My barber is closed down. That’s where three people work. It’s their livelihood,” he said soberly. “Every barber

shop, every hair salon has been closed down.”

Mr. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, said he, other Civil Rights organizations and their allies fought fiercely to ensure that Congress wouldn’t pass a bill that completely ignored African American businesses at perhaps their time of greatest need.

“The $2.2 trillion recovery relief plan is a down payment,” Mr. Morial told The Final Call. “In the best case scenario, it will offer two months relief for small business owners and four months relief for unemployed worker.

There is a need for them to go back. We fought hard in discussions, along with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), to ensure, for example that lending platforms would be open to non-profits, sole proprietors and mom and pop stores.”

“The language is broad and inclusive, and the execution may take a while. We have to lean in on this opportunity hard. African American business owners shouldn’t sit around and wonder if they should apply. Apply! We have to put pressure on the process for it to serve us.”

Mr. Morial said, “There will definitely be a need for more money and we’re working with Rep. Karen Bass to see what the next package will look like.” President Trump signed the bill March 27.

Ron Busby, President and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC), played a similar role as Mr. Morial pressing lawmakers to include provisions favorable to African American businesses.

“I want readers to understand that in the 700-plus page bill, nowhere was the word, ‘Black,’” said Mr. Busby, who serves on the Pfizer Small Business Council, National Newspapers Publishers Association Foundation Board of Directors, and White House African American Leadership Council. “It is a race-neutral bill, has nothing to do with Black people. The U.S. Chamber advocated to keep it race neutral to ensure that the bill would get support. Congress felt it would be easier to get passed that way.”

Mr. Busby said while $2 trillion seems like a great deal of money, $349 million will go towards the Small Business Administration’s Payment Protection Program (PPP).

“That also seems like a great deal of money but it’s not enough funding,” he said. “It will be very difficult for Black and small businesses. We fought for small, Black-owned businesses, fought for a couple of things—to ensure that businesses wouldn’t be cancelled because of supply chain issues and problems with developing products and widgets because of the epidemic. We also fought to get a ‘front-pay’ program where businesses would get paid in the next 15 days.”

“The federal government is notorious for slow payments of 60, 90, 120 days— and most Black-owned businesses are more interested in and dependent on cash-flow.

They (negotiators) pulled it out at the last minute but they said they will continue to pay businesses through the disruption.”

Mr. Busby and other observers say most Black businesses have small payrolls and use what is called 1099 workers and contract employees, but if business owners apply for the PPP, it will pay 100 percent of their payroll for the next three months. Some aspects of the plan are still vague, saying he’s not sure how the wording will be received at banks, he added.

Ohio Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and Rep. Dwight Evans of Pennsylvania told The Final Call that the good news is that small businesses including those who work as 1099 employees, beauty and nail salons, painters and others who are self-employed will have an opportunity to participate.

“April is when they can first apply,” she said. “The

good news is that dollars are available. It’s first come, first serve. It was important for us to make sure that individuals who work as contractors weren’t left out. We can’t make a commitment that everyone will get in but people should prepare their packages, go to the Treasury website and download the application package.”

Rep. Beatty, who is vice chairman of the Small Business Committee and serves on the Committee on Financial Services and the Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions subcommittee among others, said she has worked very closely with Chairman Nadya Velasquez and other committee members.

“CBC members have stepped up. We’re teaming up and working together but there are a lot of devils in the details, especially those not in the traditional SBA,” said Rep. Beatty, who has served in Congress since 2013.

She said she and some of her colleagues met with Civil Rights leaders and will continue to do so as all of them try to stay ahead of this crisis. Congressman Evans said providing economic distress loans, the PPP and $10 million for minority development agencies is very important and underscores the importance of small businesses.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and it’s very important in terms of what these programs will mean,” he said. “We will probably need more money and jobs as ways to build wealth. Closing the income and wage gap and stabilizing and building Black businesses is a priority for Rep. Karen Bass.”

Rep. Beatty agreed with Mr. Morial and Mr. Busby that there’s much more that needs to be done to make sure that African Americans have a safety net during these calamitous times.

“The old adage is that when America gets a cold, African Americans get pneumonia,” she said. “What’s happening with coronavirus has exposed so many disparities.

Disparities are being shown by the media. In Detroit, for example, 14 percent of the population is African American but 40 percent of those dying are African American. The increasing numbers of people who are incarcerated, homeless. We need to look at the total picture of disparities.”

Zeville Preston, a member of New York City’s Black Business Empowerment Committee (BBE) was scathing in her criticism of the relief package.

“This bill is D.O.A. (dead on arrival). We need something of value. Black blood and bodies built this country and as usual, once again, we find ourselves at the back of the line,” she said. “We’re 22 percent of New York City’s population but we are less than two percent of business and get less than two percent of the contracts, numbers which have declined over a five-year period. Black businesses dying on the vine and the governor cares not at all.”

“This is to put CBC on notice. They want people to think they did something, and they did nothing.”

A March 20, 2020 letter sent to the CBC points to 94 proposals to help African Americans that the body sent to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with only three speaking directly to Black people and only money allocated to Historically Black Universities and Minority Serving Institutions has a dollar amount attached to it: $450 billion. In their letter, the BBE expresses frustration and dismay: “The CBC’s 94 initiatives totaling $459 million basically leaves the Black business community with nothing, especially in New York state where all other ethnic groups and White-women’s participation far exceeds Black participation,” it states.

“BBE is most disappointed that the CBC saw fit to argue the case for minorities, women and small businesses while neglecting to propose funding specifically for Black businesses. Harlem’s BBE finds this unacceptable!”

Adjudicated a Newspaper of General Circulation on July 2, 1991, Los Angeles Superior Court Decree, Case No. BS007262, Government Code 6023.

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4th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90066 Mailing Address: 309 Phone (661) 324-9466 FAX (661) 324-9472 General Info: observernews@gmail.com Advertising: observeradvertising@gmail.com Online: www.ognsc.com Ms. Preston said BBE is reaching out across American cities to see if business owners and others in the Black community are having the same issues.

“We’re figuring strategically to speak in one voice,” she said.

14 of 17 COVID-19 Deaths in St. Louis Are African American BNC’s Kelly Wright Set to Air Exclusive Sobering Facts

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent When National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. appeared on the Kelly Wright Show two weeks ago, Chavis told Wright that the novel coronavirus would hit African Americans the hardest.

“Tragically, the warnings have all proven to be true,” Wright stated today.

“The public health data reveals that COVID-19 is

having a devastating impact on African Americans in Chicago, Milwaukee, New Orleans, and other major cities.”

But nowhere else has the African American community felt the wrath of the coronavirus like St. Louis, where nearly every person that has died from the virus is Black.

The first non-African American to die was a Latino woman in her 50s. She died on Friday, April 10.

A white male in his 90s also died on Friday, April 10.

But, in a city where just 24 percent of the population is Black, a whopping 55 percent of the confirmed cases are

Comcast Launches Xfinity Education Destination for K-12 Comcast has made nearly 2,000 hours of programming and thousands of free titles available to Xfinity video customers to give children and their parents quick and easy access to educational programming by grade level, as part of the company’s comprehensive response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The collection is a joint effort with “Common Sense Media,” the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families whose trusted age-based ratings and reviews are integrated into Xfinity on Demand.

“Xfinity is making thousands of hours of educational programming and resources available to our customers through Xfinity on Demand as we know how challenging it is for families right now who are suddenly homeschooling young children — many with both parents working, as well,” said Rebecca Heap, Comcast senior vice president of video and entertainment. “The programming selected in partnership with Common Sense Media is available in one comprehensive destination organized by grade level to make it as easy as possible for parents to find what is most relevant to their family.”

Xfinity customers with X1 or Flex can say “Education” or, if their voice search language is set to Spanish, “Educación,” into the Xfinity Voice Remote to access content available to them by grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 and also for all ages currently including:

• Free programs from subscription video on demand services (SVODS) Bluprint, CuriosityStream, The Great Courses Signature Collection, Grokker Yoga Fitness, History Vault, Kids Room and The Reading Corner.

• Additional free adult continuing education programming from these SVODS focused on the “Mind,” “Body,” and “Soul” spanning biographies; podcasts on a range of topics including technology and business; yoga; dance; food and cooking; fitness; wellness; ballets and operas; and gardening.

• Educational series from networks and streaming services including Animal Planet, History, Nick Jr., PBS Kids, Smithsonian Channel and more.

• Spanish language programming available from networks including CBeebies, Discovery Familia and Kids Central.

• Firsthand interviews and historical narratives from Voices of the Civil Rights Movement, Comcast’s signature commemorative programming initiative honoring the impact and legacy of the movement.

Comcast has also enlisted the guidance of Natascha Crandall, a psychologist and educator, to program the content across English Language Arts, math, science, and social studies based on grade-appropriate guidelines aligned with the current U.S. school curriculum.

African American.

White account for 68.2 percent of St. Louis’ population, and 36.6 percent of coronavirus cases.

Meanwhile, the death toll continues to mount in the Black community.

In a major and exclusive interview scheduled to air on Monday, April 13, Wright will discuss the grim breaking news with St. Louis Urban League President Michael McMillan.

In a transcript of the interview obtained by NNPA Newswire, McMillan revealed the devastating facts.

“In St. Louis, if you look at the number of zip codes that have the highest number of cases, they are in the African American community. So, this disease is impacting us and even in a more significant way,” McMillan tells Wright during the riveting discussion.

He stated that some of the Urban League’s partners and top African American commanders in the history of the Police Department have died.

“Pastors we work with who is on the front lines in terms of mediating the disputes between gang members to keep them from killing each other have died. And the first person to die in the region was a health care worker, an African American nurse,” McMillan says.

The devastating losses suffered within St. Louis’ African American community are compounded by the well-documented health disparities that already exist for many Black Americans nationwide, according to the Urban League.

Public Health data in virtually every major urban area has documented the overwhelming cases of Blacks experiencing diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and more chronic illness that weaken their immune systems.

All of which make them susceptible and vulnerable to the Coronavirus, McMillan noted.

Beyond the health problems of the community, McMillan also acknowledged the economic and employment issues that plague the community.

“So, as you look at this devastation, the other thing, of course, is that so many African Americans have jobs that they cannot work from home at,” he told Wright.

“So, since we have positions that put us on the front lines so often, they are not executive positions that one can do from home. So, individuals are really out there and risking their lives in order to take care of themselves and

their families are even more at risk, which contributes to an increase in numbers of African Americans here in St. Louis and across the country.”

When asked what the Urban League is doing to mitigate the risk amid the virus already making a full assault on the African American community, McMillan responded: “When you look at the unemployment numbers, unfortunately, African American men ages 18-24 have been the highest percentage in general before the crisis. Now that 16 million-plus people have filed for unemployment in the past three weeks, our community has been devastated by that, so we have seen a huge need in terms of basic necessities for individuals just to survive. Food, housing, utility assistance, toiletries, diapers, formulas, things that people need to make it every single day.”

He adds: “Then there’s the fear of infecting themselves and their families by being out for those that do still have jobs and do have to go and take care of other people. So, we’ve been able to provide over 2,500 sets of food, and we’ve been giving away these large distributions now.”

The Urban League also just completed its second food and supplies distribution for those living in urban areas.

The League served more 1,500 residents and has helped more than 1,000 receive food and other necessities like hand sanitizers.

“We’re trying to do it on a multi-faceted level. Obviously, we are doing it while focusing on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines about the distancing, wearing the gloves and the masks when we’re out there,” McMillan stated.

He says the Urban League chapter in St. Louis is the largest in the United States. “The Urban League was created to serve African Americans and those that are in need in major urban areas across this country,” McMillan told Wright.

“We must provide resources for those that need it most. The need is overwhelming. When you look at this tragedy and all the illnesses it has created, it has been devastating. And it’s going to be that way for some time. But by coming together as Americans and showing the best side of ourselves. I believe we will be able to help provide all of the hope and opportunity to get through this together.”

The collection is a joint effort with “Common Sense Media,” the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families whose trusted age-based ratings and reviews are integrated into Xfinity on Demand.

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER 20SMCP00137 Superior Court of the State of California, for the county of Los Angeles, 1725 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401 Branch: West District PETITION OF: JANICE RODGERS (ON BEHALF OF MINOR) FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: JANICE RODGERS for a decree changing names as follows: Present name BRYSUN PHILIPPE SABINUS Filed a petition with this court Proposed name BRYSUN PHILIPPE ROYAL THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: May 29, 2020 Time: 8:30 a.m.

Dept: K Room: A-203 The address of the court is: Same as noted above.

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER Date: March 13, 2020 Lawrence Cho JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT JACOB BRADLEY DEPUTY Janice Rodgers 4911 Indian Wood Rd #512 Culver City, Ca. 90230 Phone: (424) 537-1490 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER 20SMCP00138 Superior Court of the State of California, for the county of Los Angeles, 1725 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401 Branch: West District PETITION OF: PHILIPPE LORIGUERE SABINUS FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: PHILIPPE LORIGUERE SABINUS for a decree changing names as follows: Present name PHILIPPE LORIGUERE SABINUS Filed a petition with this court Proposed name ICON KAZ ROYAL THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: May 29, 2020 Time: 8:30 a.m.

Dept: K Room: A-203 The address of the court is: Same as noted above.

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER Date: March 13, 2020 Lawrence Cho JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT JACOB BRADLEY DEPUTY Philippe Loriguere Sabinus 4911 Indian Wood Rd #512 Culver City, Ca. 90230 Phone: (424) 316-7483 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30, 2020

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER A3

Features

PBS Reporter Questions Surgeon General’s “Big Mama” Remark Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media “Don’t wash your dirty laundry in the street,” goes the centuries-old African-American adage. The saying is a warning to Black people: Don’t get into spats with other Black people about racial differences while “in mixed company.” That’s code for White people.

But at a White House Coronavirus Task Force press conference last week things got a little heated. An exchange between a Black Journalist and the country’s first African-American Surgeon General went there — touching on African-American culture and racial stereotypes in a very public way. Big Mama may not have approved.

At the briefing held to update Americans about the global Coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams, who is African American, probably didn’t think he would set off a controversy when he said people of color should avoid drugs, tobacco and alcohol as a safety precaution against the coronavirus.

“We need you to do this, if not for yourself, then do it for your Abuela. Do it for your Grandaddy. Do it for your Big Mama. Do it for your Pop Pop,” said America’s top doctor, who is tasked with advancing the health of Americans, to journalists gathered at the White House.

Moments later, Yamiche Léone Alcindor, a Black White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour, fired a pointed question at Adams. She asked him if his comment was an attack on African Americans.

“There are some people online who are already offended by that language and the idea that behaviors may be leading to these high death rates,” Alcindor told Adams.

Adams apologized, but he said that he used language he uses around his family.

But Alcindor continued pressing Adams, “Could you, I guess, have a response to those who might be offended by the language you used?”

“Some will find this language offensive after Adams stressed that behavior was not the issue for why more black [people] are dying,” Alcindor tweeted from the press conference.

“We need targeted outreach to the African-American community,” Adams responded to Alcindor. “I used the language that I used in my family. I have a Puerto Rican brother-in-law. I call my grandaddy, ‘granddaddy.’ I have relatives who call their grandparents Big Mama. So that was not to be offensive.”

Adams is the 20th U.S. Surgeon General. He oversees 6,500 uniformed officers who serve almost 800 locations

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams. (Courtesy Photo)

around the globe charged with promoting, protecting, and advancing the health and safety of the United States.

Adams, 45, received his bachelor’s degree in both biochemistry and psychology from the University of Maryland, master of public health degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and a medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine.

Adams grew up on a farm in Maryland, the Baltimore Sun reported in 2017. He assumed the office of Surgeon

General of the United States on Sept. 5, 2017.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the leading experts on infectious diseases and a member of the task force, defended Adams’ remarks.

“I know Jerome personally,” Fauci said. “I can testify that he made no — not a hint of being offensive at all with that comment.”

Molly C. Lawson Centinela Hospital Medical Center The uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 virus is real and apparent to us all. This pandemic has created an unprecedented time within our communities and in our healthcare system. It has led to extreme but critical measures, such as social distancing and the Safer-AtHome Order, in the hopes of keeping as many people safe and healthy as possible. In fact, Los Angeles County just extended the Safer at Home Order until at least May 15.

At this time, when home isolation is often encouraged, we want to remind you this is not the same as medical isolation. If you or a loved one is having symptoms that could possibly be an indicator of a medical emergency, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, and weakness, visit your nearest Emergency Department. Please remember that your Emergency Departments are prepared and available to evaluate patients safely 24/7. Lately, we have begun to see patients that have waited too long to come to the Emergency Department for their life-threatening conditions due to an understandable fear of being exposed

to COVID-19 or the coronavirus. We would like to stress to you that prolonged medical isolation for concerning symptoms may have detrimental effects on your health and we encourage you to seek immediate medical care in these situations.

If you are having mild respiratory symptoms or flu-like illness, it is best to stay home and manage your symptoms in consultation with your primary care provider.

This helps protect you, your family, and the patients in the Emergency Department. However, should these symptoms worsen, or you have an injury, our Emergency Department is here for you.

COVID-19 testing is available through the Centinela Hospital Emergency Department and other areas within LA County -- https://covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/.

Common symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest, lack of smell, and lack of taste.

During this really trying time, your health is the most important thing to us. Stay safe and healthy.

Community Health Bulletin

LAPD officers now wearing mask talk with a citizen. (Photo: Earl Heath)

LA City Fire and LAPD Deal with COVID -19

By Earl Heath Contributing Writer Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore has his officers wearing protective masks or other face coverings as an added safety measure amid the coronavirus outbreak. The move came as the number of police officers confirmed with coronavirus was rising to 55 (at press time).The good news is that 15 have fully recovered and have returned to work.

“You may see your local LAPD officers wearing either surgical masks or non-medical face coverings while in public. This is for our safety, and for your safety. Coupled with safe social distancing, we will continue to protect and serve through this crisis,” Moore said on Twitter.

The L. A. Fire Dept. has confirmed that 17 have tested positive for the virus. Eight have since returned to work.

This according to Emergency Operations Center’s Jessica Kellogg.

Two Riverside County sheriff’s deputies have died recently due to complications from the coronavirus. Law enforcement is being hit hard by the

outbreak. The department tweeted that Deputy Terrell Young was it’s first member to succumb to the virus. A day later Deputy David Werksman, a 22-year veteran of the department succumbed to the respiratory illness.

Law enforcement personnel are among more than 200 people who have died of the coronavirus in California. A Santa Rosa police detective died recently.

Since the outbreak began, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has sent 209 employees home to quarantine because of exposure to the virus.

The LAPD continues to test more of its 13,000 employees. The department is now taking the temperatures of officers as they arrive for their shifts.

Department roll calls are now conducted with officers spaced to ensure social distancing. Those with even slight signs of illness have been ordered to stay home.

Work spaces are frequently sanitized, and officers are equipped with N95 masks, gloves, and goggles if needed.

This is what we all should practice at home.

David Cox selling goods for Wynn Nails Spa. (Photo: Earl Heath)

Wynn Nail Spa Stepping Up

By Earl Heath Contributing Writer During any other “normal” time people would be flocking to the Wynn Nail Spa located at 1509 N. Vine St. for some pampering and relaxing. It is one of the premiere destinations for Spa treatment in the Greater Los Angeles area. One could get nails, a pedicure, or a manicure. A person could capture the sunshine with a hot towel wrap and a hot lotion massage.

However, with the heavy outbreak of COVID-19 only essential business’s such as grocery stores, convenient stores, gas stations, and laundry facilities to name a few are allowed to stay open. While in full operation Wynn Nail Spa would send technicians to offices, hotel suites, studios, and movie sets for treatments and make-up.

Under guidelines set by Gov. Gavin Newsom salon technicians are not allowed to work. They aren’t tabbed as non-essential, so it’s closed it’s doors and had to send all it’s employees home.

After being closed for a few days some clients called the Spa and asked to buy some mask. “We had a so many request I felt we could help out but I had to be sure,” said Spa Manager Wing Yu. “We couldn’t just sell things, so I contacted some people.”

After contacting The Los Angeles County Health Department he received permission to sell several necessities like mask that were in demand.

It turns out Wynn Spa had several items that are needed such as hand sanitizer, bleach, alcohol, Clorox wipes, hand soap, and mouthwash. There is a table set up at the front door so there is no actual entry into the salon itself. People

point out what they want and it’s given to them. Prices are very reasonable. Someone can buy a personal size 40 pack of wipes or even a gallon of 70 percent alcohol.

Nearby Wallgreens and Rite Aid got blitzed so hard the shelves were emptied of many items. Wynn is a business that “stepped up” in a this recent crisis. They even have toilet paper.

“I just came to pick up these few items,” said Cheri Levine clutching a mask and wipes she just purchased.

Levine lives right across the street, she is one of several tenants who come on foot. They all respect the 6 foot social distancing space forming a line up the sidewalk on Vine.

“Depending on the day we get from fifty to more than two hundred people stop by,” said David Cox, a Wynn employee. Some buy a little some buy a lot of things.”

According to Dr. Barbara Ferrer Los Angeles County Director of Public Health Wynn Nails is a big help to L.A. County and its citizens. “I think it’s ok to buy mask from the outside,” said Ferrer at a recent briefing. “As long as they’re not N95. Those should be given to medical professionals who are desperate need them if it helps with safety and prevention. Some non traditional outlets can help immensely.”

We do know how long we will be in this situation but Dr. Ferrer made a statement a few days ago. “I want to note that we are extending health officer orders which require a fair amount of distancing and keep closures of nonessentials businesses, not because what everyone has been doing isn’t working. It’s because it is working. We know it is effective. But we still have a ways to go.”

A4

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER

Entertainment

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Mrs. America ERA Miniseries Gives Women of Color their Due

By LYNN ELBER AP Television Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) – “Mrs. America,” which dramatizes the Equal Rights Amendment fight that pitted a surprising and determined opponent against a deep bench of supporters, is a marvel in many ways.

The impressive cast includes Cate Blanchett and Margo Martindale. The miniseries was created by a woman, Dahvi Waller, and largely written and directed by women.

It drills down on how the constitutional amendment was blocked while deftly painting both the broader and finer points of America circa 1970, when a wife, as a jaw-dropping moment illustrates, needed her husband to co-sign for credit.

One more achievement: While the story is driven by Blanchett's conservative powerhouse Phyllis Schlafly, attention is paid to the women of color who fought for civil rights and to make “second-wave” feminism of the 1960s and '70s - successor to the suffrage movement - address the obstacles they alone faced.

Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne) and Betty Friedan (Tracey Ullman) are among the movement's white luminaries featured in “Mrs. America,” but alongside them are African Americans including trailblazing politician Shirley Chisholm and firebrand activist and attorney Florynce “Flo” Kennedy, who are played, respectively, by Uzo Aduba and Niecy Nash.

While Chisholm is best known, “there are many Shirleys of the world we have never heard of,” Aduba said.

“That's why it's so exciting to see a project like this, telling not only Shirley's story but quite a few of these women that, I would argue, the population at large doesn't know their names.”

Chisholm was the first African American congresswoman, the first major-party black candidate to seek the presidency and the first female Democrat to run. She's heard loud and clear in episode three, which is anchored

in the 1972 Democratic convention and the machinations that pit Chisholm against what should be her sisters-inarms.

In a revealing scene, Chisholm is pressured to end her bid in favor of eventual Democratic nominee Sen. George McGovern, with New York Rep. Bella Abzug (Martindale) chastising her for failing to get a campaign green light from the power brokers.

Aduba, a two-time Emmy winner for “Orange Is the New Black,” quotes Chisholm's succinct reply: “I didn't get anywhere in this life waiting on someone's permission.”

The first three episodes of the miniseries debut Wednesday on FX on Hulu, the streaming platform's hub offering FX series and exclusive releases such as “Mrs. America.” The remaining six episodes will be out weekly through May 27, with an ensemble cast that includes Sarah Paulson, Elizabeth Banks, John Slattery, James Marsden and Jeanne Tripplehorn.

Nash (“When They See Us,” “Claws”) calls it a blessing to play an “unsung hero.”

Kennedy was “absolutely amazing. And that mouth, man!” said Nash, who watched footage of her in action and used it to shape her performance. “On set, I was like, 'Listen, do you want me to say these words, or do you want me to talk how this woman really spoke? Because she didn't have a filter.”

A wealth of books by Schlafly, Steinem and others was part of the material that helped “craft this highly researched and very clear-eyed view of this time period,” executive producer Stacey Sher said during a Q&A with reporters.

Making the series inclusive, both on screen and off, was never in doubt, said writer-creator Waller (“Mad Men,” “Desperate Housewives”), also an executive producer.

“It was always obvious to me that you can't tell the story of second-wave feminism without telling the story of intersectional feminism, so it was obvious that I would This image released by FX shows Uzo Aduba as Shirinclude women of color leaders in the story,” Waller said. ley Chisholm in a scene from the miniseries “Mrs. America,” an FX original series premiering April 15 on Hulu.

“The question for me was how to do that when your way into the series is Phyllis Schlafly?”

Schlafly was a defense hawk and a onetime Republican congressional candidate who is introduced in the series as intent on derailing a U.S.-Soviet nuclear arms pact. Then the proposed ERA, approved by Congress with bipartisan support and nearing the required number of state ratifications, caught Schlafly's eye. She argued it would subvert, not secure, women's rights and, if both sexes could be drafted, put national security at risk.

Schlafly proved an astute grassroots organizer and champion for her cause even, as the series depicts, she faced slights by men who underestimated her.

She debated only white opponents, Waller said, so her political arc didn't intersect with that of Chisholm or the other women of color depicted in the series, including young political leader Audrey Rowe Colom (Melissa Joyner) and activist and poet Margaret Sloan-Hunter (Bria Henderson).

With Chisholm, the way in was to tell “the story of Phyllis' world and the story of Shirley's world” and depict their thematic intersection “of women, race and power,” Waller said.

Episode two, titled “Gloria,” is about Steinem but also focuses on Sloan (as she was then known), who was a lesbian, and the pivotal 1977 National Women's Conference held in Houston, Texas. The meeting became a flash point for the “tension between whether to include (issues of ) race and also gay rights in the women's movement,” Waller said.

While she would like to have made more episodes about other leaders of color, she hopes viewers are inspired to further explore their lives and achievements.

That goes for Hollywood, too.

“Mrs. America” did its best to honor overlooked women but is “by no means comprehensive,” she said. “There could be a whole series just on Flo Kennedy, and I hope there are many biopics of Shirley Chisholm.”

Coronavirus Ravages Storied New Orleans Mardi Gras Group

By REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) – On Fat Tuesday, 51-year-old Cornell Charles was taking part in a storied New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition central to the city's African American community - driving a car in the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club's parade.

A month later his wife of three decades was watching him take his last breath, a victim of the coronavirus epidemic raging through the city.

“I talked to him. I told him how much I was going to miss him,” said his wife, Nicole, describing those last minutes on March 24. “He literally took his last breath in front of my face and that was it.”

In a city ravaged by the coronavirus outbreak, members of the Zulu krewe, one of the groups that sponsor Mardi Gras parades and balls, have paid a heavy price. Four of the fraternal organization's members have died from coronavirus-related complications, said Zulu President Elroy A. James. Two others have also died since the pandemic began, though it's not known if their deaths were caused by the virus, he said.

An additional 20 have tested positive. Some are self-quarantining at home, some were hospitalized and released, while others are still hospitalized, James said.

James spends his days on the phone, texting with and calling board members and officers of the roughly 800-member Zulu organization.

“Members are calling every day checking on each other: `How's this member doing? How's this family member doing?”` he said.

It's also taken a financial toll. Many Zulu members work in the hospitality sector and are out of work, James said, a widespread problem in a city with an economy closely tied to the restaurants, bars and nightclubs now largely shuttered due to the statewide stay-at-home order.

“Zulu is really a microcosm of the city of New Orleans,” said state Sen. Troy Carter, a longtime Zulu member.

“We're made up of every social and economic background that you can imagine. Our members come from all different walks of life.”

The predominantly African American club is in some ways a reflection of how the disease has affected the black community in Louisiana. More than 70 percent of the state's coronavirus patients who have died are black, according to state data released this week.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild symptoms like fever and a cough that resolve in two to three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, more severe symptoms can occur, including pneumonia, that can lead to death.

For over a century Zulu members have paraded for Mardi Gras in their distinctive grass skirts and black face inspired by a 1909 vaudeville skit, according to a history compiled for the group's 100-year anniversary in 2009. It was not just a Mardi Gras parade group but one of the benevolent societies that played an important role in African American history by providing life insurance or funeral costs to its dues-paying members.

Over the decades Zulu Mardi Gras parades have featured ever-larger floats, with costumed float riders tossing out beads and trinkets, including the group's hand-decorated coconuts, among the event's most-coveted throws.

The most famous man to reign as Zulu king was Louis Armstrong in 1949. Members are also elected to be one of the group's coveted characters, such as Mr. Big Stuff or The Big Shot.

“Nobody has more fun than Zulu,” said Mardi Gras historian, Arthur Hardy. But, he emphasized, there's a lot more to the group than the parade. Zulu is known for it's philanthropic works all year round, including the Junior Zulu program that reaches out to disadvantaged children and an annual Christmas bike giveaway.

That spirit of service is what drew Charles, said his wife, Nicole.

“The brotherhood, what they have given to the community. He loved that. My husband loved parades, so that was definitely an attraction, but he liked what he saw outside of the fun part of it,” she said.

Charles started work every day by 3 a.m. as a courier delivering medication to hospitals and medical facilities.

But his real passion, his wife said, was coaching young people. The football, baseball and basketball practices and games kept “Dickey” as he was often called, busy, but the father of two daughters always made time for family, his wife said.

She has been amazed at the outpouring of support from people telling her how much her husband meant to them. His likely would have been a big funeral with one of the jazz parades often seen in New Orleans funerals, but social distancing guidelines meant only a handful of people

could be there.

Nicole hopes the coronavirus risk will have receded

by June 23 _ his birthday _ so that family and friends can come together for the memorial service he deserves.

Lost opportunities to come together one last time to honor members is being felt keenly. Carter, the state senator, said a Zulu member's service in normal times might include a performance by the organization's gospel choir, a proclamation read by the group's president and a musical procession that begins on a somber note and ends with a

“full fledged energetic celebration of life.”

“I'm not sure if anyone else in the world does it the way New Orleans does,” he said.

The organization plans a large memorial service in the safer future, complete with a “grand second-line,” said James, the group's president, referring to a parade during which onlookers fall in behind the band and mourners, forming a “second line.”

The group has weathered hard times before. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, at least 10 members died, many members' homes were flooded and the group's headquarters on Broad Street was swamped with water. But come Mardi Gras 2006 they paraded, believing it was an important part of the city's rebuilding.

James said he's confident that Zulu will play a role in the city's post-coronavirus resurgence.

“We also need to show the world that the city of New Orleans will return after this pandemic,” he said.

In this undated photo provided by the family of Cornell Charles, in New Orleans, from left to right are Cornell Charles, his wife Nicole Charles, his daughter Bethany Charles, and his brother Jeffrey Charles. In a city ravaged by the coronavirus outbreak, Zulu and its members have paid a heavy price. Multiple members have tested positive and several of the group's members have died from coronavirus-related complications, including Cornell Charles. Nicole Charles said her husband was a longtime coach with kids and was drawn to Zulu's philanthropic mission. (Family of Cornell Charles via AP)

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Sports

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER A5

The Sacramento Kings announces their “In This Together” campaign to aid this COVID19 Pandemic. (Courtesy Photo)

The Sacramento Kings Partner with The Divac Foundation to Provide Global COVID-19 Aid

By Cameron Buford whatsgoodinsports.com As our country deals with these unprecedented times, of quarantining and being sequestered in our homes for safety and health concerns surrounding this COVID19 pandemic, many players and teams around the National Basketball League are paring up and doing what they can to assist and support the local communities that have been supporting them for years. This article will feature the efforts of the Sacramento Kings brass and their players.

Earlier this month, the players on the Sacramento Kings lead by Richaun Holmes, also including Harrison Barnes, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and De’Aaron Fox have teamed up to support many local restaurants to donate more than 1,000 meals to families and children in need due to the COVID-19 health crisis inflicting Sacramento community in recent weeks. This video highlights the generosity of these men and further explains their desire to support their communities in these uncertain times for the fans and their families.

This team has a unique bond that unites them. As the GM and a few of its players made the journey from their native land to build a life in this country while playing the game they love. In a total team effort, Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic and forward Nemanja Bjelica partnered with General Manager Vlade Divac’s foundation, the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, to provide muchneeded ventilators, medical-grade masks including supplies to support hospitals and medical facilities which are providing critical care and trauma services for COVIDexposed and the potentially high-risk patients in their native Serbia.

“I am inspired by all those across the NBA and around the world who have given back to individuals hardest hit by this crisis, which is why it was important to me to support the people back home by providing these supplies to help save lives,” Bogdanovic passionately stated. He continued on to say “I want to thank the brave medical professionals who are working hard every day to treat everyone affected by the coronavirus. I know that soon we will get through this difficult time together.”

“I am proud to donate these important resources to assist the heroic frontline workers who are battling COVID-19 and support patients in need of these lifesaving supplies back home,” said Bjelica proudly remarked.

He continued on to say “During this time, health and

safety is the top priority and we are honored to lend a helping hand.”

The Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation which was established in 2007 and builds on over thirty years of humanitarian work. In addition to its aim of helping refugees and internally displaced persons, the Foundation has long focused on supporting the citizens of Serbia during emergency situations like the current COVID-19 health crisis.

Divac followed up by saying “The horrific impact of this global pandemic is devastating and our hearts are with every person touched by this crisis.” He further explained his actions by saying “Through our foundation, we work to help provide resources to improve the quality of life and create a better future for the most vulnerable. Ana and I are humbled by this opportunity to join my fellow Kings in sending ventilators, masks, and supplies to assist the heroes and patients back home as we face this battle together.”

These generous acts of kindness or “Kings-ness” are examples of their newly launched initiative by the Kings organization “In This Together.” Where the Sacramento Kings, Stockton Kings, Kings Guard Gaming and Golden 1 Center have joined forces to educate, entertain are committed to supporting their communities, here and abroad, as the world faces the coronavirus pandemic. These efforts are further detailed in their heartfelt initiative which closely aligns itself with the NBA’s league-wide campaign which focuses on aiding the global NBA community during these unprecedented times.

American author, spiritual leader, politician, and activist Marianne Williamson summarized these actions best when she says “Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.” These actions are the exact gracious acts we like to highlight and promote via www. whatsgoodinsports.com.

Kindly share your thoughts and any other contributions from members of the sports community, that we may have overlooked by reaching out to me on Twitter @whatsgoodnsport or forward any links to info@ whatsgoodinsports.com. Additionally, 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. As always, Thank You for making our voice, your choice!

Rachael and Sheryl Robinson Celebrated Jackie Robinson Day in 2019 at Dodger Stadium. (Photo: Earl Heath)

Jackie Robinson Day 2020

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer It will be the first time since 2004, Jackie Robinson Day will occur in Major League Baseball without every player wearing Number 42 due to COVID-19. Jackie Robinson Day is the anniversary in which the Hall of Famer broke the league’s color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

“All Jackie Robinson Day activities will be virtual in nature, centering on social media and online platforms to underscore the importance of staying safe and healthy at home,” MLB released in a statement recently. “Designed to

if the plan is agreed upon, all personnel involved must remain in the same location until the end of the regular season and quite possibly the playoffs and World Series even if the team they’re associated with doesn’t qualify for postseason play. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

Players Scoff at Major League Baseball’s Plans to Return to Action

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Major League Baseball is batting around plans to start its 2020 season next month despite the struggle by health officials to blunt the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The ambitious plan, which reportedly may have the support of the player’s union but hasn’t been finalized, would call for all 30 teams playing in an empty stadium in Arizona.

Players, coaches, team doctors, umpires, and some necessary officials would be quarantined in hotels and would likely travel to the stadium in a manner that would maintain social distancing guidelines.

Teams would go from hotels to buses to stadiums while undergoing regular testing in an attempt to prevent the disease from spreading, under the plan.

If someone does test positive for the coronavirus, it’s believed the individual would remain quarantined in a hotel room and looked after by a team doctor.

The plan reportedly could include using an electronic device to call balls and strikes and, at least for the 2020 season, eliminate the home plate umpire.

Major League Baseball would benefit from being the first sport to return to play since the pandemic swarmed the globe and claimed tens of thousands of lives. The league would also reap substantial dollars from network coverage and local television revenue. However, some teams’ TV deals are far more lucrative than others and, therefore, could be problematic when discussing revenue sharing.

Besides receiving regular game checks, a benefit for the player’s union is that teams would likely be allowed to carry at least five extra players above the new 26-man limit, allowing for as many as 150 minor leaguers to accrue valuable major league service time.

However, if the plan is agreed upon, all personnel involved must remain in the same location until the end of the regular season and quite possibly the playoffs and World Series even if the team they’re associated with doesn’t qualify for postseason play.

That provision is what troubles some big leaguers.

“People forget that we’re actually human beings,” Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman told the Associated Press.

“I have my third child due in June. If this ‘bubble’ in Arizona was going to happen starting in May, you’re trying to tell me I’m not going to be able to be with my wife and see my kid until October?

“I’m going to go four or five months without seeing my kid when it’s born? I can tell you right now that’s not going to happen. Not many people have to go through that, nor should they.”

“I definitely think this is just a first idea that’s being thrown around,” Diamondbacks catcher Stephen Vogt told USA Today.

“Obviously, I’m not a fan of the idea of being away from my family for four months. If anything, what I took away from this initial proposal is that it shows MLB’s dedication to just, hey, we’re trying to do whatever we can to get the longest season possible for the fans, the players, and everyone who works in the industry of baseball.”

Zack Wheeler, who signed a five-year, $120 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies earlier this year, is also opposed to being away from his family.

Wheeler and his wife, Dominique, are expected to welcome their first child in July.

“I couldn’t even imagine missing the birth and just not being around and going, ‘Hey, I’ll see you in December’ or whenever it is,” Wheeler told The Athletic. “That’s not going to work.

engage and educate fans about Robinson’s enduring legacy, efforts will incorporate MLB partners, MLB Clubs, Major League players, and youth baseball & softball players.”

MLB will still acknowledge the day by airing videos on MLB.com.

The Jackie Robinson Foundation’s will offer educational programming for K-12 students. Among the features being unveiled: video vignettes of the Robinson family and baseball players like CC Sabathia and Harold Reynolds reading excerpts of “Jackie Robinson: American Hero.” This can be found at JRLegacy.org.

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Local

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday, April 16, 2020