Los Angeles News Observer 5.6.21 4C

The National Ban on Menthol Cigarettes Has Political Roots in California

Renee Montgomery Makes History in Purchasing WNBA’s Atlanta Dream

News Observer Page A2

Page A5

Los Angeles

Volume 36 Number 25

Serving Los Angeles County for Over 36 Years

Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California

California Restaurants, Bars Can Apply for Aid From $28.6 Billion Relief Fund Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is currently accepting applications to provide emergency assistance to restaurants and bars.

U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) was an original co-sponsor of the proposal to create the lifeline for restaurants and she advocated for its inclusion in the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

“Black and minority-owned restaurants and businesses, as well as women and veteran-owned restaurants and businesses, have been hit hardest by this pandemic,” Lee said in a written statement. “I’m pleased that the SBA will prioritize applications for restaurants in economically or socially disadvantaged communities in the first three weeks of the grant program.”

The $28.6 billion restaurant relief legislation was signed into law as part of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion ARP. Just 7% of U.S. businesses before the coronavirus pandemic were Black-owned, according to data from

compiled by the University of California Santa Cruz study last year. In contrast, about 13% of the United States population is Black, and about 13% of restaurant employees are Black, according to federal data.

The SBA relief fund portal began accepting applications on Friday, April 30 at 6:00 a.m., Pacific Standard Time.

In preparation for the grant program’s opening, the SBA released detailed guidance for those seeking relief money through the restaurant revitalization fund.

The SBA has tapped Lendistry, a Southern Californiabased lending firm, to help administer the restaurant relief funds. The Black-led and operated firm is the largest minority-led firm that has been disbursing both federal and state COVID relief money in California.

The program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss -- up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as the funds are used for eligible purposes no later than March 11, 2023.

SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman stated

that the visionary leadership of congressional Democrats “laid the groundwork” for the SBA to deliver targeted relief swiftly and efficiently to the millions of small business owners and workers in restaurants.

“We’ve designed the Restaurant Revitalization Fund program to ensure this relief is delivered with a focus on equity. America’s small businesses are the engine of our economy,” Guzman said. “If we’re going to build back better, we must ensure all of our nation’s entrepreneurs have the tools they need to bring businesses back, create jobs and grow our economy.”

Lee encouraged restaurant owners across California to submit applications.

“I encourage all business owners that need funding to cover food costs, payroll, or any other business expenses to apply for this grant,” Lee stated. “My office is here to help you through this process.”

For information about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, detailed guidance, and how to apply, visit https:// www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-reliefoptions/restaurant-revitalization-fund

Darryl Strawberry Tells Black Press How Everyone Can Make a Turnaround in Life “My life was fractured,” Strawberry revealed in an interview with the National Newspaper Publishers Association and the Black Press of America’s live morning news program, “Let It Be Known.“ “Like many who come from the inner-city who didn’t have a male figure in their life – I didn’t have a father – my pain led me to my greatness, but my greatness would eventually lead me to destructive behavior,” the candid former slugger revealed.

“I’m glad for my walk, my road,” Strawberry declared.

“People say. ‘you could have been in the Hall of Fame,’ but look at me now. I am an evangelist, and I’m encouraging people about life. It all works out as long as we don’t quit.” (Photo: Darryl Strawberry poses with fan, August 2016, NYC / Wikimedia Commons)

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Just as it did when he first arrived in the major leagues 38 years ago, Darryl Strawberry’s name evokes awe.

His picture-perfect left-handed swing that launched 335 home runs and drove 1,000 RBIs, remains one of baseball’s alltime pleasing memories.

But even at the height of his superstardom, the South Central, Los Angeles-born athlete suffered.

“My life was fractured,” Strawberry revealed in an interview with the National Newspaper Publishers Association and the Black Press of America’s live morning news program, “Let It Be Known.”

“Like many who come from the inner-city who didn’t have a male figure in their life – I didn’t have a father – my pain led me to my greatness, but my greatness would eventually lead me to destructive behavior,” the candid former slugger revealed.

Strawberry opens up even more in his new book, “Turn Your Season Around: How God Transforms Your Life.”

In the book that he writes with author Lee Weeks, Strawberry, now an evangelist, explains how individuals heading in the wrong direction can move positively.

He is candid in writing about tragedy, personal failure, and transforming injustice.

Despite winning four world championships with the New York Mets and New York Yankees, Strawberry fell victim to drug addiction, spent time in prison, and battled cancer.

His co-author noted that “Strawberry’s life story is proof that you can overcome life’s adversities one decision, one step at a time. It’s time to turn your season around.”

There were “lots of expectations about me when I first came up to the big leagues in 1983,” Strawberry recalled. “I always tell young people that expectations are not who you are.

The only expectations you should have are for yourself and not what others put on you.”

With the sweetest of swings and five-tool talent, Strawberry faced the pressure of mounting expectations even as a teen. “I was the Black Ted Williams, the next Willie McCovey,” he told the Black Press during his 25-minute interview.

“It got to a place where I had to have confidence in myself and just be myself,” Strawberry continued. “You can’t be anyone else. God has made each of us unique.”

Because of his off-the-field challenges, Strawberry didn’t make the Hall of Fame. Now, as focused and determined to help others as he’s ever been, Strawberry shrugs off those who remind him of what he could have accomplished.

“I’m glad for my walk, my road,” Strawberry declared.

“People say. ‘you could have been in the Hall of Fame,’ but look at me now. I am an evangelist, and I’m encouraging people about life. It all works out as long as we don’t quit.”

Strawberry’s new book, Turn Your Season Around, is available at most book-sellers, including amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Black Renters Hit Worse by COVID, Remain in Dark About Relief Funds Aldon Thomas Stiles California Black Media California is in the process of rolling out a massive billion-dollar rental relief program. It is designed to help people who fell behind on their rent due the global coronavirus pandemic recover.

But many renters, including Black Californians who lease residential property, may not know about the state’s new CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program or they may not have details on how to apply for the available assistance.

Other advocates say some renters could simply be confused because there are multiple rental relief programs at the county or city level to help renters.

One of the many factors that may complicate the confusion and low awareness in communities about the state’s rental relief program is the fact that the state is under-investing in the public awareness campaign, say some critics who have been following the state’s rollout of rental assistance. Typically, they say, state-run awareness campaigns are executed by public relations and advertising agencies. They then create and deploy campaigns to let state residents know about taxpayer-funded, governmentadministered programs created to benefit the target audience.

A number of people watching the state process that awarded Prosio Communications, a Roseville firm, the $3.2 million contract to get the word out to Californians

about rental relief, say the winning firm slashed its media budget by more than half to submit the lowest bid to win the contract.

A total of eight companies applied that is scheduled to begin in June and end in December. All of them proposed budgets of about $4 million, unlike the wining contractor.

“The bidding process was troubling on several fronts, but here are some examples,” said one source who spoke to California Black Media but asked to remain anonymous.

“First, the company that won the bid did not cut their own fees. Instead, they slashed the money that the federal government provided – that’s taxpayer money -- to inform people of this critical help.”

The source said even though the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) allotted $6 million for public awareness, Prosio’s budget for outreach to Californians has been dwindled down to a mere $2 million.

“There is no way on earth, $2 million could successfully inform Californians about this program. There’s just no way in a state of 40 million residents,” the source said.

The federal government has so far authorized $25 Billion to support rental assistance programs in states across the country. Of that money, California is expected to receive $2.6 billion.

A total of $1.5 billion will go directly to the state and another $1.1 billion will be allocated to counties and cities

with populations of 200,000 people or more.

Black renters accounted for the highest number of Californians -- about 23 %, of Golden State residents last July -- who could not pay their rent on time, according to a UCLA report.

Black renters also had the highest rates (29%) of being behind on housing payments in general due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among homeowners with a mortgage, Black households also had the highest rates of missed or partial payments at 22 %, according to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS).

“An estimated 1.5 million California families, frontline workers and low-wage earners are behind on their rent due to the economic fallout of this pandemic,” said California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramirez.

“They have accumulated significant debt and their landlords are struggling to meet their financial obligations,” Ramirez continued. “The CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program will be a lifeline to renters and landlords. It clears accumulated rental debt, keeps families hardest hit housed and will lead to a more equitable economic recovery.”

California has the highest number of people in the country who are housing insecure. According to Tenants Together, a renter advocacy organization, more than 22 Continued on page A2

Free!

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Caitlyn Jenner Says Transgender Girls in Women’s Sports is ‘Unfair’

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Caitlyn Jenner, the former Olympic champion and reality TV personality now running for California governor, said she opposes transgender girls competing in girls’ sports at school.

Jenner, a 1976 decathlon Olympic gold medalist who came out as a transgender woman in 2015, told a TMZ reporter on Saturday that it’s “a question of fairness.”

“That’s why I oppose biological boys who are trans competing in girls’ sports in school. It just isn’t fair. And we have to protect girls’ sports in our schools,” Jenner said Saturday during a brief interview in a Malibu parking lot.

It was Jenner’s first comment on the controversial issue since announcing her candidacy to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom in a recall election. Five states have passed laws or implemented executive orders this year limiting the ability of transgender youths to play sports or receive certain medical treatment. There’s been a vehement outcry from supporters of transgender rights.

Jenner, a Republican, supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election but later criticized his administration for some discriminatory actions against transgender people.

Many transgender-rights advocates have criticized Jenner, saying she has failed to convince them that she is a major asset to their cause.

Spiritual Leader’s Mummified Remains Found in Colorado Home DENVER (AP) – Authorities have arrested several people after the mummified body of the leader of the spiritual group “Love Has Won’’ was found wrapped in a sleeping bag and decorated with Christmas lights in a southern Colorado home.

Amy Carlson, 45, who was known as “Mother God’’ by her followers, was found dead in a home in the tiny, rural town of Moffat on Wednesday, April 28, according to arrest affidavits for seven people, who are each charged with abuse of a corpse.

A follower told investigators he knew the woman as Lia Carlson, and a Saguache County sheriff’s corporal wrote in the affidavits that Carlson is believed to be the leader of the group. It’s unclear why the follower provided the name Lia. The follower, who has not been charged, told investigators he had taken in a group of people who needed a place to stay, and he found the body in a back bedroom when he returned home Wednesday following a trip to Denver. He reported the discovery to police and said he believed the group had transported Carlson’s body to his home from California.

“The mummified remains appeared to be set up in some type of shrine” and “have what appears to be glitter type makeup on around the eyes,’’ according to the affidavits. Investigators searched an SUV on the property and said the back seat was laid down in a position “consistent with someone transporting the mummified remains.’’

The Saguache County coroner’s office has not said when Carlson died and has not released the cause or manner of death.

Two children – a 13-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy – were in the home at the time, and the seven people who were arrested are also facing child abuse charges.

According to the affidavits, the sheriff’s office has received “many complaints’’ from families across the country saying “Love Has Won” is brainwashing people and stealing their money.

Carlson’s followers believe she communicated with angels and that she was leading them to a great awakening, The Denver Post reported Monday. The group, which established itself in southern Colorado in 2018, offers “spiritual intuitive ascension sessions’’ and sells spiritual healing products online.

Traveling Owl: Man Drives Hours with Bird in Truck’s Grill.

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) – A man moving from Alabama to southwest Florida traveled hundreds of miles with an owl stuck in his truck’s grill. The owl survived.

Torie Gray said he saw a vehicle ahead of him swerve on Interstate 75 to avoid the great horned owl.

But somehow he hit it and it became lodged in the truck.

Gray said he wasn’t aware of the situation until he got to Naples, where he plans to live. Gray says he saw the damage to his vehicle and the owl inside, but he wasn’t sure it was still alive.

Gray called the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, which sent a volunteer to help dislodge the bird.

Eventually they did, and both men marveled that the owl was in good shape. Gray said the bird did more damage to the truck than to itself.

“Nobody knows how it is alive. He had lost a few feathers, but he was pretty alert,’’ said Tim Thompson, volunteer at the conservancy. “Every single person was shocked. They can’t believe it. I think it is just an amazing story.’’

World & Nation

A2

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Ban on Menthol Has Political Roots in CA Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media Anti-tobacco advocates celebrated news last week that the Biden administration is making swift moves toward the complete elimination of flavored menthol cigarettes in the United States. On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced new rules intended to ban mentholated tobacco products like Kool, Newport, Salem and other cigarette brands in a few years.

But just five years ago, some supporters of the FDA’s decision say, any ban on menthol cigarettes seemed like an impossible feat -- even at the municipal level.

In 2016, Malia Cohen, currently the only African American member of the California Board of Equalization, was then serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

At the time, Cohen, inspired and informed by local anti-tobacco movement leaders like Carol McGruder, introduced legislation to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products in the city.

McGruder is the co-founder and co-chair of the San Francisco-based African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC).

“I am ecstatic, relieved and happy knowing that there is still a lot of work ahead, but our federal government is going to defend the health of our community,” McGruder told California Black Media (CBM). “It should have been done a long time ago but we’re happy that they are finally making the right decision.”

By then, McGruder had been working for years to spread the word that tobacco products are partly responsible for killing 40,000-plus Black people each year in the United States.

In June 2017, Cohen’s colleagues voted unanimously to approve her bill. She made the case to them that companies disproportionately marketed flavored tobacco products and menthol vapes to Black men, women and children, and other people of color.

“I knew if we had a victory, it could start something

big. But I did not know just how far it would go,” Cohen told CBM. “After our ordinance passed in San Francisco, 75 other cities in California passed similar bans.”

Cohen said she felt humbled hearing news of the FDA announcement, adding that she introduced the initiative to honor the memory of her grandmother who started smoking cigarettes at about 14 years old and eventually died of emphysema.

“I am incredibly pleased. I am incredibly proud.

Today’s announcement is personal and very exciting. It’s very profound,” she said.

Created to inform the direction of tobacco control policy, practices, and priorities, McGruder says she and the AATCLC work at the intersection of public health policy and social injustice.

Over the years, AATCLC has been in the trenches assisting various municipalities across the country in passing legislation to remove the deadly products out of Black communities.

At one time in her life, McGruder says she thought it was wonderful to see companies like Kool and Newport support events like jazz festivals that featured artists such as Marvin Gaye at the Oakland Coliseum.

That was until she learned that Big Tobacco’s sponsorships, giveaways and financial support were part of a “master plan,” she said, to keep Black people hooked on their products.

Today McGruder and others in the tobacco-control movement have been putting pressure on the FDA to take extreme actions to reduce tobacco addiction and curb deaths.

“We know that when the industry sells a product that kills your customers you constantly recruit new ones,” McGruder said. “We don’t want another generation of our Black children to be addicted to mentholated products.”

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Menthol is a substance naturally found in mint plants, such as peppermint and spearmint. It gives a cooling sensation but is highly addictive in nicotine. Seven out of 10 African American youth between ages 12 and 17 who smoke use menthol cigarettes, according to the CDC. The action by the FDA, the agency stated, will reduce youth initiation, increase the chances of smoking cessation among current smokers, and address health disparities experienced by communities of color, low-income populations, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

“Banning menthol – the last allowable flavor -- in cigarettes, and banning all flavors in cigars, will help save lives, particularly among those disproportionately affected by these deadly products,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock.

A higher percentage of Black adults who smoke began using menthol cigarettes (93%) — that’s more than two times higher than the number of White adults who did the same (44%), according to the CDC. The two topselling mentholated cigarette brands in the United States are Newport and Kool.

AATCLC, Action on Smoking and Health, the American Medical Association, and the National Medical Association, which represents Black physicians sued the FDA last year for its failure to enact public health policy that protects the health and welfare of African Americans.

In August 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 793, making the legislation one of the country’s strongest restrictions on flavored tobacco.

SB 793 bans the sale of a flavored tobacco product or a tobacco product flavor enhancer in California.

“Big Tobacco has targeted and profited from Black communities with marketing for minty menthol cigarettes and as a result, smoking-related illnesses are the number one cause of death among Black Americans,” Newsom said in a written statement regarding the FDA’s actions.

After the FDA’s announcement to propose product

Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media California State Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), admits that he will meet challenges along the way as he fights for police reform in California.

Last week, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing he defended a bill he introduced in the Legislature that, if passed, would decertify cops for inappropriate behavior.

During that appearance, Bradford made a persuasive case for police reform that was at times forceful and thoughtful, bringing a cool head but passionate voice to a topic that has created a bitter divide in the California electorate, pitting advocates of police reform violently against people who support law enforcement.

“This is a tough issue but it’s a righteous issue,” Braford told his colleagues.

“And we want to be intentional about what we are doing here in California when it comes to police reform,” he continued during his passionate closing argument for police reform on April 27. “That’s what this bill does. It’s intentional in what we are trying to achieve. This is a fair measure and far better than any that exist today.”

Co-authored by Senate President pro Tem Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), Senate Bill (SB) 2 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 7-2 vote that same day.

Also known as the Kenneth Ross Jr. Police Decertification Act of 2021, the legislation aims to increase accountability for law enforcement officers that commit serious

misconduct and illegally violate a person’s civil rights.

SB 2 will create a statewide process to revoke the certification of a peace officer following the conviction of serious crimes or termination from employment due to misconduct.

Bradford praised the judiciary committee’s majority vote, describing it as progress that would put California on the “right side of history.”

Atkins agrees.

“The passage of SB 2 yesterday is another step toward the goal of achieving much-needed accountability in policing, and I thank Senator Bradford for his steadfast commitment to achieve critical and necessary reforms,” said Atkins. “As with anything this big, there is a lot of work ahead, and I remain committed to working with my colleagues to get this bill in the position to cross the finish line.”

The California Peace Officer Association (CPOA) believes that Bradford’s bill would turn the California Committee on Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) into an investigative agency. A sticking point for the group is that the people who would be given the authority to probe police misconduct would primarily be non-peace officers.

“We of course know that not all reform is good reform, and CPOA among others is open to ‘reimagining public safety’ in California,” Shaun Rundle, CPOA’s deputy director said in a written statement about several police reform and public safety bills scheduled for hearings.

“What we didn’t imagine, however, was the continued attacks against a noble profession who have proven to improve and drive down crime in this state year after year.”

With the passage of SB 2 out of committee, the legislation will move on to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration. If it advances out of that committee, SB2 could head to a Senate floor vote.

During the Judiciary Committee hearing, which lasted for nearly three hours, a few senators expressed their support, but asked Bradford to modify language pertaining to the Bane Act. SB 2 would strengthen the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act. Enacted in 1987, that legislation prevents law enforcement abuses and other civil rights violations.

Authored by California State Assemblymember Tom Bane, the legislation was created to allow victims to seek compensatory and punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and civil penalties.

Supporters of police reform in California say the Bane Act has been undercut by bad court decisions over the years. Thy argue that it was once an effective law intended to protect the civil rights of people in the state but has since been weakened as an effective check against police excessive use of force.

The California State Sheriffs’ Association views SB2 as problematic, too, in terms of hiring, recruiting, and maintaining employees.

“We are concerned that the language removing employee immunity from state civil liability will result in

Supervisor Malia Cohen, Carol McGruder and Dr. Valerie Yerger of AATCLC at a City Hall News Conference Announcing Restriction of the Sale of Menthol and Tobacco Flavored Tobacco Products in San Francisco (4/18/17). (Photo courtesy of Malaika Kamdon of “People’s Eye” Photography)

standards within the next year to ban menthol as a “characterizing flavor” in cigarettes, Cohen said she understands that the Tobacco industry will keep fighting.

In San Francisco, R.J. Reynolds spent nearly $12 million to overturn the city’s anti-flavored tobacco law.

“We know that the industry will try to meddle, undo and interfere. It’s not over,” Cohen said. “But it is a big giant step forward to save the lives of African Americans who die from tobacco-related disease.”

Senator Steven Bradford Brings Strength and Reason to the Police Reform Fight individual peace officers hesitating or failing to act out of fear that actions they believe to be lawful may result in litigation and damages. In so doing, SB 2 will very likely jeopardize public safety and diminish our ability to recruit, hire, and retain qualified individuals,” the California State Sheriffs’ Association said in a written statement.

But Bradford’s says his bill essentially addresses rogue policing and hinders the ability of fired officers to find employment at other agencies even when they have a record of misconduct that got them terminated.

Among states that do not have a process to decertify cops for criminal behavior are Hawaii, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and California.

“We lead in technology, we lead in environment, we lead in all those things that are important except for criminal justice reform,” Bradford said, referring to California’s reputation as a political trailblazer on several fronts.

People of color live in the communities where the majority of police misconduct incidents take place, Bradford said, adding that SB 2 will save Black and Brown lives.

“How many more people, regardless of color need to lose their lives because of the callous acts of law enforcement?” Bradford asked his colleagues. “There are two systems of justice in this country. But you’ll never know, and really understand. Its far different than anything any of you guys have encountered or will encounter.”

News Observer Relief Funds for Black Renters Los Angeles

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

Bulk Mailing Permit 724 Bakersfield, CA 93385

Published every Thursday by The Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California, Inc. Member: National Newspaper Publishers Assc.

Associated Press, Better Business Bureau, GLAAACC President: Ellen Coley Operations Manager: Jon Coley Editor: James Luckey

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

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

The Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California, Inc.: Los Angeles News Observer, Bakersfield News Observer, The Valley’s News Observer Los Angeles News Observer 6060 Center Drive Floor 10, Los Angeles, CA 90045 Mailing Address: PO Box 2341, Bakersfield, Ca. 93303 Phone (661) 324-9466 FAX (661) 324-9472 General Info: observernews@gmail.com Advertising: observeradvertising@gmail.com Online: www.ognsc.com

Continued from page A1

million people are renters, about 55% of the population, in a state where about half of its residents live at or near the poverty line.

Among Black Californians, 3 in 5 Black people live in renter households, according to the California Budget and Policy Center. Of that number, about 6 in 10 Black individuals are classified as “housing cost-burdened” – that is households that spend 30 % or more of their income on a rent or mortgage.

According to Ramirez, since the state launched the rental assistance programs, there has been an underrepresentation of minority applicants.

Adding to the state’s housing woes, is the unavailability of affordable homes and an enduring homelessness crisis, the worst in the nation.

The average price of a home in California is more than seven times higher than the average income.

In the midst of a global pandemic, the homeless population in Los Angeles -- where the twin crises of homelessness and housing affordability are worst in the state -- has gone up 13% over the course of a year. Reports indicate that there have been about 41,000 homeless

people in Los Angeles.

State housing officials say the rental program is designed to provide California residents in select cities with income-based financial relief by paying landlords the money owed.

“The CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program will reimburse landlords up to 80 % of an eligible renter’s unpaid rent accrued between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, if they agree to forgive the remaining 20 %,” said Kimberly Brown, a spokesperson for HCD. “Eligible renters whose landlords choose not to participate in the program may apply on their own and receive 25% of unpaid rent between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. Paying this 25% by June 30, 2021 can help keep you in your home under the extended eviction protections in SB 91.”

During a recent HCD webinar, speakers came together to discuss various plans and proposals in the Legislature aimed at solving California’s housing crisis.

Gustavo Velasquez, director of the HCD, believes it is the duty of the California Legislature to set the standard for housing issues. However, according to Velasquez, local

partners are the greatest weapon in the state’s war on homelessness.

“As elected leaders, local agency staff and local government officials, you are really the most important partners in California in addressing this unsustainable housing crisis,” Velasquez said in the webinar. “The state can set the standards but success or failure ultimately rests on the local level in communities that are struggling today to meet the housing demands of so many.”

Brown detailed some of the qualifications for rental relief through the program.

“For all applications received, the state will first review and commit funds to applicants who are eligible and meet the priority requirement having income at or below 50% of Area Median Income (AMI) to ensure those most in need receive assistance,” Brown stated.

Brown told California Black Media how many applicants have applied for the program.

“So far, there have been 48,175 applications submitted,” Brown said. Another 96,000 applications are in progress, according to the BSCH.

Family of Black Man Awarded $2M in Police Death ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Police in Anaheim, California used excessive force that contributed to the death of an unarmed homeless man during a violent struggle, a jury decided Thursday, according to a newspaper report.

Jurors in the civil trial awarded $2.27 million to the parents of Christopher Eisinger, a 35-year-old Black man who died in 2018 after being pinned to the ground by officers investigating reports of someone stealing from cars, the Orange County Register reported.

“There is no reason Chris Eisinger had to die,” said Eric Dubin, an attorney who represented Eisinger’s mother.

He called the jury award “justice for Chris.”

Mike Lyster, a spokesman for Anaheim, said in a statement that the city “respectfully disagree(s) with the outcome” of the trial.

“At all times, our officers acted responsibly in their duty to uphold public safety” and did not use excessive force, Lyster said.

The jurors did not find that officers were negligent

in providing medical aid to Eisinger following the violent struggle, and determined that Eisinger was also negligent, though not as much as police.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office previously cleared the officers of any criminal wrongdoing.

The newspaper said jurors were tasked with deciding whether Eisinger was fighting to breathe during his struggle with police, as his family claimed, or whether he was physically resisting arrest, as the city countered.

Officers responding to reports of someone trying to break into cars encountered Eisinger, who had a history of drug use and mental illness. Eisinger ran, and officers chased him before catching up and pinning him down.

During the trial, Dubin told jurors that an officer placed a knee on Eisinger’s sternum while he was on his back. Officers then flipped Eisinger over, Dubin said, and an officer placed his knees on Eisinger’s lower back and neck.

Dubin told jurors that Eisinger’s last words were “I can’t breathe.” The struggle was captured on the officers’

body-worn cameras and the remarks made by Eisinger were difficult to hear clearly on the recordings, the Register said.

Attorneys representing the city defended the officers’ actions, telling jurors that police followed training calling for them to use the least amount of force possible to capture a suspect rather than “combating” them. They noted that Eisinger had methamphetamine in his system, and said ignored officers commands to stop resisting.

The verdict came the week after a criminal conviction against Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who killed George Floyd, drew national attention.

Bystander video of Floyd’s death caught him gasping and saying “I can’t breathe” as Chauvin pressed a knee to his neck for more than nine minutes. The death sparked demonstrations across the country and led many cities and states to revisit police policies and use of force.

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Entertainment

Los Angeles News Observer A3

Muted Mardi Gras: Closed Bars, Barricaded Bourbon Street

By KEVIN McGILL Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Music blared from the courtyard of a French Quarter restaurant on Mardi Gras morning but nobody was there to hear it until Tom Gibson and Sheila Wheeler of Philadelphia walked out of their hotel's nearly empty lobby.

“We were expecting a little bit lower key than the normal Mardi Gras,” Wheeler said. But empty Bourbon Street was a shock.

Coronavirus-related restrictions in New Orleans included canceled parades, closed bars and a near shutdown of rowdy Bourbon Street. That, and unusually frigid weather, prevented what New Orleans usually craves at the end of Mardi Gras season: streets and businesses jampacked with revelers.

To be sure, some hardy lovers of the season braved the cold. Knots of people, some in costume and some carrying cups of hot coffee (sales of alcohol to go were prohibited) wandered the French Quarter.

On St. Charles Avenue, houses decked out as stationary “house floats” with giant mythical figures, circus animals or dinosaurs, drew handfuls of people snapping photographs.

WDSU-TV captured a group of Mardi Gras Indians _ African American organizations that for generations marched in brilliantly hued hand-beaded and feathered costumes _ on a brief march through one neighborhood.

And satire survived. A group of masked revelers in one neighborhood, poking fun at the tight restrictions, pulled around a giant voodoo doll with Mayor LaToya Cantrell's face and dubbed her “Queen Destroya,” in images captured

by The Times-Picayune'The New Orleans Advocate.

But, by any measure, it was a vastly diminished Mardi Gras.

Bourbon Street was eerily quiet in contrast to past years. Police barricades sat at the end of each block and officers were told to only allow access for residents, people who work in local businesses or hotel guests. The St. Charles Avenue median, usually swarming with parade lovers, was empty but for the occasional jogger or streetcar.

A group founded by the late jazz clarinet player Pete

Fountain, the Half Fast Walking Club, gathered outside Commander's Palace restaurant as usual, but they did not march. Souvenir shops in the French Quarter were largely empty and staffers at some restaurants eagerly motioned for passersby to come in.

Gibson had been to Mardi Gras before, and remembered what it was like. “This whole street _ you'd hardly be able to move,” he said.

To the east, Mobile, Alabama, which boasts the nation's oldest Mardi Gras celebrations, had also canceled parades. The city was not locked down as tightly as New Orleans. Bars were allowed to open. But some downtown streets were shut down to allow for additional outdoor seating and more space for social distancing. Frigid temperatures that brought morning snow flurries helped keep down large crowds through early afternoon.

There was no snow in New Orleans but at 10 a.m., the temperature was 27 degrees Fahrenheit (-3 Celsius), with the wind chill making it feel like 19 (-7.2), National Weather Service lead meteorologist Phil Grigsby said.

Dave Lanser, trying to get into the spirit of the season, donned a luminescent green cape and a black mask with a sharp curved beak nose before heading to the quarter with a few friends.

“I'm going for the `plague doctor' look,” he said.

“It's hard to wrap my head around it,” the New Orleans lawyer said as he looked up and down a nearly empty Bourbon Street.

He lamented the effect the virus restrictions were having on businesses and workers. But he said restrictions were necessary.

“I don't think there's a way to safely do it this year,” he said. “So, I support canceling the parades, closing the bars, all that kind of stuff. It's just kind of the reality of it.”

Earlier, Michael Bill was getting a fast-food breakfast from a takeout window just off Canal Street at the edge of the French Quarter. He surveyed the empty street.

“The cold doesn't bother anyone. It's the COVID,” Bill said. He said he has been a ghost tour guide for 10 years but was furloughed because of business slowed by the coronavirus pandemic.

He didn't blame Cantrell.

“The mayor's doing the best she can,” Bill said.

Cantrell recently ordered bars closed. Even bars that had been allowed to operate as restaurants with “conditional” food permits were shuttered for five days that began Friday.

Various estimates showed hotels were likely to be far below the 90%-plus occupancy of most years. And city and state officials all but warned tourists away.

“If people think they're going to come to Louisiana, anywhere, or New Orleans and engage in the kind of activities they would have pre-pandemic then they are mistaken and quite frankly they are not welcome here to do that,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a recent news conference.

Mardi Gras crowds last year that were later blamed for an early Louisiana outbreak of COVID-19.

Invalidations of Meghan’s Claims of Racism Hurt Black Women

By CHRISTINE FERNANDO Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) – As Prince Harry and Meghan's TV interview reverberates internationally, it's left the more than 50 million viewers grappling with the couple's claims of racism and lack of support that Meghan says drove her to thoughts of suicide.

But for many Black women worldwide, the headlines and social media discussions were painfully familiar. With social media conversations questioning whether racism affected Meghan's treatment by the British press and royal family, many Black women say it is yet another example of a Black woman's experiences with racism being disregarded and denied.

“White supremacy seeks to isolate you, make you feel like no one is listening and no one is supporting you. It uses that as a tool to keep in power,” said Gaye Theresa Johnson, associate professor in the Department of African American Studies at UCLA. “And so when you aren't validated in your feelings or feel supported, that does real harm.”

Meghan, the daughter of a white father and a Black mother, said that when she was pregnant with her son Archie, a member of the royal family expressed “concerns ... about how dark his skin might be.” The former television star also said she sought mental health help through the palace's human resources department but was told there was nothing it could do.

Almost as soon as the interview with Oprah Winfrey aired, many were quick to deny Meghan's allegations of racism. The New York Post published a column titled, “Meghan Markle's interview was full of bull.” British

television host Piers Morgan quit his job on “Good Morning Britain” after facing backlash for saying on air that Meghan lied about suffering suicidal thoughts in what he called a “two-hour trash-a-thon of our royal family.”

On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying the “whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan” but that “some recollections may vary.”

Johnson said the doubts and questioning cast against Meghan's claims were emotionally wrenching for many Black women, who may relate to the trauma of having their personal experiences with racism invalidated by others.

“It's an insult when people are incredulous about the racism people like Meghan Markle experienced because that incredulity speaks volumes about what people refuse to see, what is right in front of their eyes all the time and that some people have to navigate daily,” she said.

“That takes a toll on a person and their mental health.”

Dr. Anita Thomas, executive vice president and provost at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, said watching Meghan's interview with Winfrey was emotional.

“It speaks to the burden that many African American women face,” she said. “For Black women, it was upsetting to see that, even when she had the courage to speak out about her experiences with racism, that she didn't get the support that she needed and, in many ways, her experiences were invalidated.”

Thomas said enduring such treatment requires “psychological and emotional energy” to navigate. “As a psychologist, I hope people talk about this effect of racism and sexism on psychological functioning,” she said.

Sinai Fleary, founder of the UK-based Reggae and Rasta lifestyle publication Jus' Jah Magazine, said while she initially saw an outpouring of support for Meghan, she quickly saw that change on social media.

“They will dismiss, gaslight and ignore what we have been saying, and what Meghan and Harry have been saying,” Fleary, who lives in London, wrote on Twitter.

“This is how the media and certain parts of the public work. Same formula, every single time.”

Fleary told The Associated Press that Meghan's interview brought back her own memories of being racially profiled in shops and seeing white women clutch their bags on public transit when they saw her.

“If racism as blatant as what Meghan spoke about is immediately denied, will people believe me when I tell them about these less overt, daily examples of racism I face every day?” she asked.

Fleary said the UK has a long history of dismissing Black women in conversations about racism. “They're never believed,” she said. “It's always deny and dismiss. It can be so blatant and people will still say they don't see it.”

Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pointed to the racist attitudes of the British media as a reason for stepping away from royal duties and moving to North America last year, something Harry reiterated in the interview with Winfrey.

As Meghan and Harry began dating, many pointed to the relationship as evidence of Britain entering a “postracial” era, but the racism Meghan faced from the British media told another story.

When the news first broke of their relationship,

publications were quick to refer to Meghan in racist terms, with one tabloid columnist referring to her “exotic” DNA. A Mail Online headline stated Meghan was “(almost) straight outta Compton,” and a Daily Star headline asked whether Harry would “marry into gangster royalty.”

Then, when Meghan and Harry announced they would step away from official royal duties last year, people quickly began to question that racism was what drove Meghan away.

Heather McGhee, author of the book “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together,” said the immediate rush by some to deny Meghan's allegations were upsetting.

And that denial is something Black women face every day, she said.

“Very often, Black women in conference rooms and offices experience discrimination and have no recourse, in the same way that one of the more powerful Black women in the world had no recourse except to give it all up,” McGhee said of Meghan.

“I hope we realize there's a much less powerful version of Meghan likely at your office or school who is being discriminated (against) and doesn't have champions. I hope this encourages more people to stand up for their Black co-workers, neighbors and friends.” ___ Fernando is a member of The Associated Press' Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at https:// twitter.com/christinetfern.

EBONY 75th Anniversary Book Chronicles Black American Excellence and History “Growing up in the Midwest, Ebony was considered on par with the nation’s most prestigious magazines of the era, Time and Life magazines, and rightfully so,” said Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio). “This book, ‘Ebony: Covering Black America,’ brings back so many memories of how we as a people relied upon Ebony to share both our strivings, setbacks, and undying determination to keep moving forward,” Congresswoman Beatty added.

“This book gets people talking both about the past and about the connections between the past and our present moments as a people.”

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Since 1945, Ebony has chronicled Black life and the multitude of contributions of generations of African American icons, trailblazers, changemakers, and the unsung.

As the pandemic continues and keeps some essential milestones off the front pages, Ebony quietly changed ownership while finally receiving overdue recognition for more than 75 years of Black excellence.

“As a child, I can remember vividly the stack of Ebony magazines that adorned our family’s coffee table,” recalled Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas).

“My parents, I believe, strategically placed those magazines there so that anyone who entered that space would be exposed to the powerful messages of Black excellence displayed so wonderfully both on Ebony’s breathtaking covers and within the content of its articles,” the Congresswoman declared.

Jackson Lee’s remarks came during the celebration of

the book “Ebony: Covering Black America,” by Lavaille Lavette, the best-selling author and president and publisher of One Street Books and Ebony Magazine’s imprint Ebony Publishing.

Former NBA Star Junior Bridgeman recently purchased Ebony and Ebony.com, a member of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the largest contingent of Black owned newspapers and media companies in America.

“Ebony kind of stood for Black excellence, showing people doing positive things that could benefit everyone,” said Bridgeman, who starred with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers.

“It just made you feel good.”

Lavette’s expansive book counts as a national treasure, which the publisher said marks not only history but also makes history.

“Growing up in the Midwest, Ebony was considered on par with the nation’s most prestigious magazines of the era, Time and Life magazines, and rightfully so,” said Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio).

“This book, ‘Ebony: Covering Black America,’ brings back so many memories of how we as a people relied upon Ebony to share both our strivings, setbacks, and undying determination to keep moving forward,” Congresswoman Beatty added. “This book gets people talking both about the past and about the connections between the past and our present moments as a people.”

The CBC and others joined with Lavette on Capitol Hill in April to celebrate the book and the history of Ebony.

Tennis superstar Venus Williams, entertainer Common, Kimora Lee Simmons, and retired NBA champion Dwyane Wade and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union count among the contributors to the book. Sean “Diddy” Combs also contributed to the work that features photos of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Diana Ross, Sidney Poitier, President Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, and many others.

Lavette said she and her staff expect to peruse the market of – particularly African American – authors this summer with an eye toward a banner year of publishing in 2022. “We are standing on the shoulders of giants that set

the standard high, and so I want to be sure that we keep and always are trying to improve and make it even better,” Lavette remarked. “We’re not trying to compromise an author’s experience or the type of product that we put out.

It’s going to stand toe-to-toe and above what’s out there.”

Lavette continued: “I am a story hunter. The people I work with are story hunters, and there are several books we can probably announce and put out. But I want to take our time and prepare for next year so that in that process that we are going through, we’re staying steady to the vision and staying true to some of the traditional things Ebony has been known to publish like the Lerone Bennett books that speak to our culture.”

Lavette, who holds a master’s in Education, has worked as a school teacher and administrator. She also served as a special advisor to former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Rod Paige.

During the recent Capitol Hill visit, which also included NNPA President Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., Lavette presented a limited commemorative edition of the book to congressional leaders. Each expressed their delight.

“Growing up in rural Sumter, South Carolina, I cherished as a teenager, devouring the pages of Ebony magazine,” House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-South Carolina) declared. “I recall memories of sitting in the local barbershop awaiting my turn in the chair. While waiting, my eye was always attracted to those compelling Ebony covers.”

Congressman Clyburn continued: “But more than that, Ebony opened up an entire world of possibilities to my young mind by sharing stories about our people making wonderful social contributions all over the country and the world via an unmatched work-ethic whether in sports, entertainment, or politics. And that’s exactly what ‘Ebony: Covering Black America’ does today.”

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., President and CEO of the NNPA, affirmed, “We are so proud that EBONY Magazine and Ebony Publishing are members of the NNPA and we are encourage by the outstanding leadership of Junior Bridgeman and Lavaille Lavette who are taking Ebony and Ebony.com to the next level of the highest personification of what Black Excellence exhibits and engages in America

Lavaille Lavette’s expansive book counts as a national treasure, which the publisher said marks not only history but also makes history. (Photo: Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association.

and throughout the world. The next 75 years will be the greatest for sure.”

A4

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Features Oakland Program Distributes $500 to Families of Color The assistance, which targets low-income families of color in the 426,000-population city, will last 18 months. Mayor Schaaf detailed that the money comes with “no-strings attached,” and recipients can use it as they please. “We have designed this demonstration project to add to the body of evidence and to begin this relentless campaign to adopt a guaranteed income federally,” Mayor Schaaf told the local ABC News station.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent In the middle of a worldwide awakening to the centuriesold racism and oppression suffered by Black people, some African Americans finally see tangible assistance – even if the help isn’t characterized as reparations.

Oakland, Calif., Mayor Libby Schaaf announced that the city would begin a guaranteed income project that would provide $500 per month to Black and Indigenous families.

The assistance, which targets low-income families of color in the 426,000-population city, will last 18 months.

Mayor Schaaf detailed that the money comes with “nostrings attached,” and recipients can use it as they please.

“We have designed this demonstration project to add to the body of evidence and to begin this relentless campaign to adopt a guaranteed income federally,” Mayor Schaaf told the local ABC News station.

The station reported that, for the project, the Oakland Resilient Families program has so far raised $6.75 million from private donors, including Blue Meridian Partners, a national philanthropy group.

The programs require residents have at least one child under 18 and income at or below 50 percent of the area median income – about $59,000 per year for a family of three.

Half the spots are reserved for people who earn below 138 percent of the federal poverty level or about $30,000 per year for a family of three, ABC reported. Participants are randomly selected from a pool of applicants who meet the eligibility requirements.

The report noted that Oakland’s project is significant because it is one of the most outstanding efforts in the U.S. so far, targeting up to 600 families. And it is the first program to limit participation strictly to Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities.

Oakland, where 24 percent of the residents are Black, is among a growing list of municipalities providing financial payments to people of color – or reparations.

Evanston, Illinois, a city where 18 percent of its more than 74,500 residents are Black, approved the Local Reparations Restorative Housing Program, which provides up to $25,000 for housing down payments or home repairs to African Americans.

In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into

law historic legislation that paves the way for African Americans and descendants of slaves in the Golden State to receive reparations for slavery.

The bill, authored by California Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, establishes a nine-person task force that will study the impact of the slave trade on Black people.

It does not commit to any specific payment, but the task force will make recommendations to legislators about what kind of compensation should be provided, who should receive it, and what form it would take.

“After watching [the presidential] debate, this signing can’t come too soon,” Newsome declared during a videoconference with lawmakers and other stakeholders, including the rapper Ice Cube, who championed the bill.

“As a nation, we can only truly thrive when every one of us has the opportunity to thrive. Our painful history of slavery has evolved into structural racism and bias built into and permeating throughout our democratic and economic institutions,” the governor stated.

Last summer, Asheville, a North Carolina city where Black people make up just 11 percent of the more than 92,000 residents, formally apologized for its role in slavery. The City Council voted unanimously to provide reparations to African American residents and their descendants.

“Hundreds of years of Black blood spilled that fills the cup we drink from today,” said Councilman Keith Young, one of two African American members of the City Council that voted 7-0 in favor of reparations.

“It is simply not enough to remove statutes. Black people in this country are dealing with systemic issues,” Young declared.

Asheville’s resolution doesn’t include monetary payments to African Americans but promises investments in areas where Black people face disparities.

Earlier this year, Congress debated H.R. 40, a bill that doesn’t place a specific monetary value on reparations but focuses on investigating and presenting the facts and truth about the unprecedented centuries of brutal enslavement of African people, racial healing, and transformation.

The bill would fund a commission to study and develop proposals for providing reparations to African Americans.

The commission’s mission includes identifying the role of

Oakland, Calif., Mayor Libby Schaaf announced that the city would begin a guaranteed income project that would provide $500 per month to Black and Indigenous families. Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery, forms of discrimination in public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants, and lingering adverse effects of slavery on living African Americans and society.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee, who sits on numerous House committees, including the Judiciary, Budget, and Homeland Security, has made the reparations legislation her top priority during the 117th Congress.

“I think if people begin to associate this legislation with what happened to the descendants of enslaved Africans as a human rights violation, the sordid past that violated the human rights of all of us who are descendants of enslaved Africans, I think that we can find common ground to pass this legislation,” Congresswoman Jackson Lee pronounced.

“Can anyone imagine that we’ve never gotten a simple, effective, deeply-embedded, and well-respected apology?”

The project in Oakland targets groups with the city’s most significant wealth disparities.

According to CNN and per the Oakland Equality Index, the median income for White households in Oakland to be nearly three times that of Black homes.

“The poverty we all witness today is not a personal failure. It is a systems failure,” Schaaf remarked. “Guaranteed income is one of the most promising tools for systems change, racial equity, and economic mobility we’ve seen in decades.”

Two years ago, 100 residents in Stockton, California, began receiving unconditional $500 payments, CNN reported. Other initiatives in Newark, New Jersey, and Atlanta, Georgia, were launched as recently as 2020.

Former Stockton Mayor, Michael Tubbs, is the founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a network of advocating mayors founded in 2020.

Oakland Mayor Schaaf is also a founding member of the network.

“One of my hopes in testing out a guaranteed income is that other cities would follow suit, and I’m thrilled that Oakland is among the first,” Tubbs told CNN. “By focusing on BIPOC residents, the Oakland Resilient Families program will provide critical financial support to those hardest hit by systemic inequities, including the pandemic’s disproportionate toll on communities of color.”

$6.2 Billion Cal Fund Will Shield Small Businesses

from COVID-Related Taxes

LEGAL NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2021 085818 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: STRIPPEDOWN MUSIC GROUP / STRIPPEDOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING / STRIPPEDOWN MUSIC RECORDS at 9440 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 600, Beverly Hills, Ca. 90210 Mailing Address: Same County: LA REGISTERED OWNERS(S): HAOFEITZU LLC, CA, 9440 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 600, Beverly Hills, Ca. 90210 The business is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company SIGNED: ANTHONY CEAZAN, Member The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 01/2021 This statement filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on: Apr 12, 2021 DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk By: (NO NAME), Deputy NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES ST THE END IOF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY FORM. This statement expires on Apr 12, 2026 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Apr 22, 29, May 6, 13, 2021 ������������������������������� FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2021 072989

PUBLIC NOTICE The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: SPECIALTY DIAGNOSTICS, INC / CLINICAL GENETICS CENTER at 14241 Imperial Hwy, Suite F, La Mirada, Ca. 906381950 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1477, La Mirada, Ca. 90637 County: LA REGISTERED OWNERS(S): MEDICAL GENETICS DIAGNOSTIC CENTER LLC, CA, 14241 Imperial Hwy, Suite F, La Mirada, Ca. 90638-1950 The business is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company SIGNED: MOHAMMED REZAUR RAHMAN, Ph.D, Manager The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: N/A This statement filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on: Mar 25, 2021 DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk By: (NO NAME), Deputy NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES ST THE END IOF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY FORM. This statement expires on Mar 25, 2026 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Apr 22, 29, May 6, 13, 2021 ������������������������������� SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW) CITACION (DERECHO FAMILIAR)

PUBLIC NOTICE CASE NUMBER: 19STFL03191

NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: AVISO AL DEMANDADO (Nombre): ROSA MARIA RUIZ MARTINEZ You have been sued. Read the information below and on the next page. Lo han demandado. Lea la informacion a continuacion y en la pagina siguiente.

PETITIONER’S NAME IS: NOMBRE DEL DEMANDANTE: MARIO MARTINEZ BAUTISTA You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter or phone call will not protect you.

If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs.

For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www. lawhelpca.org), or by contacting your local county bar association.

Tiene 30 dias de calendario despues de haber recibido la entrega legal de esta Citacion y Peticion para presentar una Respuesta (formulario FL-120) ante la corte y efectuar laentrega legal de na copia al demandante. Una carta o llamada telefonica o una audiencia de la corte no basta para protegerio.

Si no presenta su Respuesta a tiempo, la corte puede dar ordenes que afecten su martrimonio o pareja de hecho, sus bienes y la custodia de sus hijos. La corte tambien le puede ordenar que pague manutencion, y honorarios y costos legales.

Para asesoramiento legal, pongase en contacto de inmediato con un abogado. Puede obtener informacion para encontraer un abogado en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www. sucorte.ca.gov), en el sitio web de los Servicios Legales de California (www. lawhelpca.org) o poniendose en contacto con el colegio de abogados de su condado.

NOTICE-RESTRAINING ORDERS ARE ON PAGE 2: The restraining orders are effective against both spouses

PUBLIC NOTICE or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders. These orders are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who had received or seen a copy of them.

AVISO-LAS ORDENES DE RESTRICCION SE ENCUENTRAN EN LA PAGINA 2: Las ordenes de restriccion estan en vigencia en cuanto a ambos conyuges o miembros de la pareja de hecho hasta que se despida la peticion, se emita un fallo a la corte de otras ordenes. Cualquier agencia del orden publico que haya recibido o visto una copia de estas ordenes puede hacerlas acatar en cualquier lugar de California FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party.

EXENCION DE CUOTAS: Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentacion, pida al secretario un formulario de exencion de cuotas. La corte puede ordenar que usted pague, ya sea en parte o por completo, las cuotas y costos de la corte previamente exentos a peticion de usted o de la otra parte.

The name and address of the Court is: (El nombre y direccion de la corte son) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES Central District 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 The name, address, and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or petitioner without an attorney, is (El nombre, direccion y numero de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante si no tiene abogado, son): MArio Martinez Bautista, PO Box 263, Malibu, Ca. 90265 Telephone: (213) 9266-3947 Date (Fecha): Mar 19, 2019 (SEAL) SHERRI R. CARTER Clerk, By: (Secretario, por), CHRISTOPHER HERRERA, Deputy (Asistente)

Bo Tefu California Black Media California lawmakers have approved Assembly Bill (AB) 80 legislation spearheaded by Assemblymember Autumn Burke (D-Inglewood). The legislation will give a $6.2 billion tax cut to small businesses across the state that received loans under the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

California lawmakers approved the bill, they say, to safeguard the financial future of small businesses as a supplement to the American Families Plan proposed by President Joe Biden in March this year. AB 80, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom protects small businesses that received PPP loans from the federal government by ensuring that the loans will not count as taxable income. Expenses covered by the federal funds are also tax deductible under this legislation.

State legislators passed a unanimous vote on the tax, “marking it as one of largest tax cuts in state history,” Burke said on Facebook.

“My bill will provide assistance to businesses who were financially harmed during the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing them to deduct all expenses paid for using forgiven PPP loans,” she said.

Small businesses play a key role in the economic recovery of the state especially since the state plans to reopen on June 15 this year.

“California’s small businesses have been hampered and hammered by this pandemic, and we are using every tool at our disposal to help them stay afloat,” Gov. Newsom said.

Also, “This small business tax relief is exactly what is needed to keep businesses open so they can continue paying their employees,” he said.

Maria Salinas, the president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, supported the state’s efforts to allow major tax cuts for small businesses that employ people from Black and Brown communities.

“We know that small businesses are what fuels the economy not only in Los Angeles but across the state of California and across this country,” said Salinas.

Despite small businesses receiving PPP loans to soften the financial blow of the pandemic, the tax bill also aims to remedy, “the tax burden that we saw in the differences between the federal and the state,” said Salinas.

According to state officials, in addition to the tax bill, California also legislated $2.5 billion in relief funds to support small businesses across the state earlier this year.

Eligible businesses can receive grants up to $25,000 to make up for financial loss incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tax relief bill comes at a critical moment in Gov.

LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Apr 22, 29, May 6, 13, 2021

�������������������������������

(Shutterstock Photo)

Newsom’s time in office as state officials prepare for recall efforts his Republican opponents initiated.

But the Governor remained optimistic.

“We’re going to defeat the recall,” he said.

Despite the optimism, the state has validated over 1.6 million signatures exceeding the number of signatures required for California to move forward with a re-election.

“We’re going to focus on getting people back to work,” said Gov. Newsom.

According to the California Association of Clerks and Elections Officials, a bipartisan government agency, a reelection could cost the state $400 million based on previous election data and the current economic factors.

“We’re going to get this economy moving again and more important than anything else, we’re going to get vaccines in people’s arms so we can do all of that faster,” said Gov. Newsom.

Dr. Shirley Weber, the California Secretary of State, is leading efforts to prevent the projected fiscal setback expected to be triggered by the prospective re-election.

According to the Secretary of State’s office, there is an allocated time period for people to withdraw their signatures from recall petitions in their respective counties.

State economic strategy for American Families Plan State officials are combining federal and state initiatives to boost efforts to reopen by mid-June this year.

The state is initiating programs to provide relief funds for individuals – some of them grants -- for small businesses and organizations, including $600 stimulus checks for Californians who have low incomes.

“Right here in California, our stimulus programs have provided tax relief for small businesses and money in pockets for struggling families, and we’ve expanded childcare and made community college free,” said Gov. Newsom.

According to state officials, relief programs have helped more than 40,000 small businesses and nonprofits across California so far.

“These strategic investments, which are complemented

by President Biden’s American Families Plan, will bolster California’s equitable economic recovery and bring us roaring back,” he said.

State officials are set on achieving their goal to reopen and to restore job losses for small businesses and academic setbacks for schools across California.

California Black Media’s coverage of COVID-19 is supported by the California Health Care Foundation.

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Los Angeles News Observer A5

Features

Renee Montgomery Makes History in Purchasing WNBA’s Atlanta Dream “I am also thrilled that former WNBA star Renee Montgomery will be joining the ownership group as an investor and executive for the team. Renee is a trailblazer who has made a major impact both in the game and beyond,” Commissioner Cathy Engelbert added.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Renee Montgomery, a two-time WNBA champion and vice president of the Atlanta Dream, has purchased a stake in the franchise and is now co-owner.

Montgomery is the first retired player to own and serve as an executive of a WNBA team.

The superstar and her two partners, Larry Gottesdiener and Suzanne Abair of Northland Investment Corp. take over the team that was once co-owned by former U.S. Sen. Kelley Loeffler (D-Ga.).

“With the unanimous WNBA and NBA [board] votes, marks a new beginning for the Atlanta Dream organization, and we are very pleased to welcome Larry Gottesdiener and Suzanne Abair to the WNBA,” Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.

“I am also thrilled that former WNBA star Renee Montgomery will be joining the ownership group as an investor and executive for the team. Renee is a trailblazer who has made a major impact both in the game and beyond,” Englebert added.

Selected fourth overall in the 2009 WNBA draft, Montgomery appeared in 364 games. She played in 37 playoff games and twice won the WNBA title as a Minnesota Lynx member.

She matched the WNBA regular-season record with eight made three-pointers in 2018 and notched her 500th career trey in 2019 – making her just the 13th player in

league history to accomplish that feat.

Last November, Montgomery proved a champion in another venue: political activism. She joined Stacey Abrams and other women of color to push voter participation and inclusion, ultimately helping President Joe Biden win Georgia and the White House.

Those efforts also led to Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff winning the Senate and grabbing the majority in the upper chamber.

“My dream has come true,” Montgomery declared.

“Breaking barriers for minorities and women by being the first former WNBA player to have both an ownership stake and a leadership role with the team is an opportunity that I take very seriously.”

Van Brooks, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit SAFE Alternative Foundation for Education, also praised Montgomery.

“Back in March, at the beginning of the pandemic, we reached out to Renee Montgomery to join our Together, We Can virtual program as a host,” Brooks wrote in an email. (You can watch her class here.)

“She was ecstatic to help because the Virtual Program was created to help people. It provided people of all ages with a fun and educational, social outlet to combat the isolation brought on by nationwide quarantine,” Brooks continued.

“Renee Montgomery’s amazing work ethic, WNBA accomplishments, and passion for helping people have positively impacted the lives of many. “From a star player on the team to co-owner, she is a woman making history that serves as an inspiration for many, and that includes our students.

“Many of our students love sports and have an aspiration to become professional sports players. Renee Montgomery’s path has started a conversation around other career options associated with their favorite sport by focusing on their academics.

“Thank you, Renee Montgomery, for serving as an amazing role model for our students and many more.”

“My dream has come true,” Montgomery declared. “Breaking barriers for minorities and women by being the first former WNBA player to have both an ownership stake and a leadership role with the team is an opportunity that I take very seriously.”

Dems in Sacramento Make Voting Easier The Lookout:

Aldon Thomas Stiles California Black Media Watching your tax dollars, elected officials and legislation that affects you The electoral process is foundational to the durability of America’s democratic structure.

And as the battle for fairer voting laws rages on, politicians and activists on the political Right claim they are responding to allegations of widespread voter and election fraud. Those on the Left say they are rallying to fight a coordinated political offensive to restrict access to

the polls and increasing reports of voter suppression.

Recently, in some states, most notoriously Georgia and Florida, lawmakers have taken steps to restrict voting access and rights for many Americans.

But in California, policymakers and legislators are doing the opposite, making proposals to simplify the voting process and expand access to the polls.

Invoking the violent history of voter suppression in the South that her parents endured, which sometimes involved murders -- California Secretary of State Shirley Weber says

it is a priority of hers to “ensure the right to vote.”

“I tell people all the time that no number is good unless it’s 100% in terms of voter participation,” Weber told the Public Policy Institute of California. “Why didn’t 5 million go to the polls? We need to figure out where they are and what stopped them from going.”

In the California Legislature, an amendment to Senate Bill (SB) 29, which passed earlier this year, was one bill in a broader legislative effort to secure the right to vote in vulnerable communities.

Before that amendment passed, California law dictated that a ballot would be mailed to all eligible voters for the Nov. 3 statewide general election in 2020 as well as use a Secretary of State vote-by-mail tracking system to ensure votes are counted.

SB 29, which the governor signed into law in February, extended those requirements to any election “proclaimed or conducted” prior to Jan. 1, 2022.

2020 saw a record number of voter participation in California. Some political observers attribute that spike to the vote-by-mail system instituted last year.

“To maintain a healthy democracy in California, it is important to encourage eligible voters to vote and to ensure that residents of the state have the tools needed to participate in every election,” the bill reads.

Senate Bill (SB) 583, introduced by California State Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) would require the Secretary of State to register or preregister eligible citizens to vote upon retrieving the necessary paperwork from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Citizens who do not wish to be registered can opt-out of the process altogether.

Newman stressed the importance of access and simplifying the voter registration process.

“In our state there are an estimated 4.6 million U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote who have not yet registered,” Newman said. “Our obligation as the people’s elected representatives is to make the process simpler and more accessible for them.”

On April 27, the Senate Transportation Committee passed SB 583 with a 13 to 3 vote. The Appropriations Committee has set a hearing for May 10.

Senate Bill (SB) 503, introduced by Sen. Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), proposes that if a signature shares enough characteristics with a previous signature from the same voter, then it would be recognized as official on voting paperwork.

Current law dictates that a signature has to match exactly for it to be considered valid.

Disability Rights California (DRC), a non-profit

(Shutterstock Photo)

advocacy organization that advances and protects the rights of Californians living with disabilities, has come out in support of SB 503.

“Studies have shown that signature matches disproportionately impact voters with disabilities,” Eric Harris, director of public policy for the DRC wrote in a letter.

“Voters with disabilities, including seniors, are more likely to vote by mail and would have to sign their name on their ballots,” Harris argued. “A voter’s signature changes over time and for people with disabilities, a signature can change nearly every other time one is written. Some people with disabilities might have conditions that make it difficult to sign your name the same way multiple times.”

For now, the Senate Appropriations Committee has tabled SB 503, placing the bill in what the Legislature calls a “suspense file,” where it awaits further action by lawmakers.

At the federal level, lawmakers have introduced two bills in the U.S. Congress to expand voting rights, the For The People Act of 2021 and the John L. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The For The People Act, or H.R.1, proposes a three pronged approach to expanding election access: Voting, campaign finance, and ethics.

Hilary Shelton, Director to the NAACP’s Washington Bureau and Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy, compared the current voting rights battle to that of the Civil Rights Movement in a press conference about H.R.1 and the John L. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. “If you look at some of those 1960s shots of the C.T. Vivians of the world, of the Joe Lowerys and so many others that helped lead Americans to those registration sites, you’ll see them actually literally being beaten to the ground,” Shelton said, referring to well-known Civil Rights Movement activists.

The John L. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021, or S.4263, would amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to restore the powers it lost after the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling in Shelby v. Holder. In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that laws requiring states and local communities to first clear any changes to voting their local laws with the feds, was unlawful.

“Well, we’ve become more sophisticated in our disenfranchisement,” Shelton continued. “We want to make sure that we stop that disenfranchisement all along the way and that’s why we’re convinced that a bill named for John Lewis and a bill that speaks for the people are bills that need to pass.”

A6

Sports

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Dodgers Lose May During Tough Skid

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer The Dodgers have been struggling the past couple of weeks at home and on the road. They also have had a series of injuries, but none bigger than Dustin “Hippe” May. During the second inning against the Brewers after throwing a 94-mph fastball May grimaced then called for Dodger skipper Dave Robert’s and trainer Yosuke Nakajimi. The 23-year-old was removed from the game right then. He had only thrown 27 pitches.

The following day in Chicago the MRI revealed May would have to have season ending Tommy John Surgery. The steady May had 5 starts this season throwing 23 and 1/3 inning with 35 strikeouts and a 2.74 era. He had a 1-1 record.

The surgery will take place in Los Angeles on May 11. It will be done by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

“You never want to lose a player for the season especially a player like Dustin who is taking the ball every fifth day and logging valuable innings,” said Roberts. “I feel for him most important but for our club it’s a big blow. We have a lot of talented players and we want to find a way to fill this void.”

In most cases teams take more time to make this type of decision. With the choice being made so quickly it must be a

major-type tear.

“Obviously he’s a big part of our rotation and he was getting better everyday he took the mound,” said teammate Justin Turner.

“That’s a significant loss for us.”

May joins the list of Dodger pitchers that are on the injured list including Tony Gonsolin, David Price (hamstring), and Brustar Grateral (forearm).

The Dodgers recently ended a three-game losing streak with a series finale 16-4 pounding of the Brewers.

Matt Beaty and AJ Pollack each hit grand slams in the in the first two innings. Pollack added three-run homer and had eight RBI’s on the day. Beaty finished the day with seven RBI’s. They became the first two Dodger teammates to have seven RBI’s in the same game.

Chris Taylor had three hits and a walk and became the first Dodger to score five runs in a game since Shawn green had six in Milwaukee in 2005.

Julio Urias had a showing going seven innings striking out 10. It was his second double-digit K game in the last three starts, while giving up only one run throwing 90 pitches.

Having played 11 games in 11 days it was a rough patch that had the team lose 8 of 10 game including three in a row.

Let’s hope that big outburst turns things around.

By Cameron Buford whatsgoodinsports.com

rubber match between these 2 teams. Without their floor general Jamal Murray, who went down with a knee injury earlier this month, Nikola Jokic has only increased his play, carrying the Nuggets to a record of 42-21 this season.

In the past ten games leading into this game, the Clippers are allowing their opponents to average 45.7% and score 109.8 points. During their 7-3 record they also are shooting 47.8% from the field, while averaging 112.7 points, 44.9 rebounds, 25.4 assists, and 6.2 steals per game.

Those Nuggets have allowed opponents to shot 47.9% from the floor and score 111.6 points per game. League MVP candid Nikola Jokic has led this team to an 8-2 record over the past ten games. During this time, they’ve shot 48.8% from the field while averaging 118.4 points, 44.7 rebounds, 26.6 assists, and 8.5 steals per game.

The Clippers started strong, by making their first seven shots from the field to take an 18-7 lead. However, the Clippers hot shooting didn’t continue as it went 10 of 36 the remainder of the first half. They would not rebound from that 19 points in the second quarter as the Nuggets would not be score under 25 per quarter in this game.

Nikola scored 18 points in the third quarter, helping them win the quarter 31-26. For the 13th game this season, he finished with 30 points and 10 plus rebounds. On the season Jokic is among the Top 5 league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists no one else can say this.

This would be Kawhi Leonard’s 65th-straight game with at least 15 points, this is the second-longest such streak in franchise history and the longest since Bob McAdoo (224 games, 3/20/73 - 3/12/76). Rajon Rondo had a season-high 16 points tonight and DeMarcus Cousins would appear in his 600th career game.

Though the Clippers would be without a completely healthy roster, this would be the Clippers’ second consecutive loss to a team competing with them for playoff positioning. But Kawhi would speak post-game about how he felt on his first game back, “It was better tonight. I got to play in the fourth quarter the other night as a blowout of the lead, but I’m feeling good. We took partner steps to get me right, to make sure nothing is significantly wrong with me. Like I said, I feel good. I’m back playing. So hopefully, I just keep moving up from here.”

(Photo by Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Courtside with Clippers – Week 18 4/28/21 (43-20) Los Angeles Clippers vs Phoenix Suns (43-18) Coming into this matchup the Los Angeles Clippers and their 43-20 record were in third place in the Western Conference, in second place was the Phoenix Suns, and their 43-18 record in the Western Conference. These teams would be meeting for their rubber match after splitting their previous two matches.

In the last 10 games, the Suns have a 7-3 record.

During this time they allowed their opponents to shoot 48.7% and average 111.4 points per game. All the while they’ve been shooting 48.0% from the field and grabbing 41.8 rebounds, handing out 26.7 assists, and taking the ball away 8.3 times per game.

In their past 10 games, the Clippers have allowed opponents to shoot 45.6% and average 109.8 points per game. While they are shooting 48.2% from the field and averaging 115.2 points per game. All the while pulling down 45.1 rebounds per game, dishing out 26.1 assists, and getting 6.4 takeaways per game.

The Suns would jump out to a 39-31 lead after the first quarter, by dropping in 7 of 9 shots from 3-point range. Frank Kaminsky, of all players, led the Suns with 13 points before the break while Booker managed only 12.

The Phoenix bench outscored Clippers reserves 28-8 in the first half to extend their lead to nearly 15 points midway through the second before taking a 10 point lead into the locker In this game, Paul George appeared 700th career game Paul George while Marcus Morris Sr. would score his 8,000 career points and assisted in narrowing the lead to 86-80 to start the fourth quarter. However, the Phoenix Suns were not in any ceremonial mood as they welcomed the undermanned Clippers into the Talking Stick Resort Arena in front of roughly 5,000 fans.

Veteran point guard Paul would score 28 points in this game and young Devine Booker chipped in 21 points as the Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-101 to secure a postseason position for the first time since 2010. Suns Head Coach Monty Williams would say post-game “We are not satisfied, we’re not settling; we feel like we’re just scratching the surface.”

5/1/21 (42-21) Denver Nuggets vs (43-21) Los Angeles Clippers In another battle for Western Conference playoff seeding, the Nuggets come to town to win the all-important

5/4/21 (27-38) Toronto Raptors vs (43-22) Los Angeles Clippers The Raptors came into this game after ending their three-game losing streak, which brought their record to 6-4 in the past ten games. In those games, they have allowed their opponent to average 46.3% shooting and 109.6 points per game. All the while shooting 45.3% from

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard before their game Saturday night against the Denver Nuggets.

(Photo Credit: Los Angeles Clippers/NBA E)

the field and scoring 110.8 points per game while pulling down 43.5 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 8.1 steals, and 5.2 blocks per game.

Over this same time frame, the Clippers have lost 3 consecutive games for only the second time this season.

Over the past ten games, the Clippers have a similar 6-4 record, allowing their shoot 45.2% and average 108.4 points per game. They have been shooting 45.9% from the field while averaging 110 points per game. They also are pulling down 45.1 rebounds, 24 assists, 6.6 steals, and 3.2 blocks per game.

Since the Clippers would have Patrick Beverley available for this game, they would need to once again reacclimate him on the team with their new additions such as Rajon Rondo and Demarcus Cousins. Over the past 10 games, Rondo has led the Clippers with 5.3 assists per game and despite dealing with a toe injury Paul George has averaged 21.6 points per game.

In recent weeks, Pascal Siakam has averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists for the Raptors. While Khem Birch has averaged eight rebounds and 11.2 points per game over the last 10 games for Toronto. Against the Clippers Siakam poured in 24 points and 7 rebounds, Khem put 13 points and 8 rebounds, but Fred VanVleet was their high scorer with 27 points and leading assist man by dishing out 13 assists.

While Clippers HC Ty Lue was tinkering with the lineup throughout the game, the Raptors maintained a modest lead throughout the game, their biggest lead was 7 points. Once he went back to the lineup of Reggie Jackson, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris Sr., Ivica Zubac which has developed the most continuity

this season, they were able to close out the Raptors by winning the 4th quarter 23-18.

In his post-game media availability Head Coach, Ty Lue would speak about his reasoning for reverting to the lineup he used most this season. “Like I said, just getting that continuity back, understanding the plays we’re trying to run. I thought we needed to get those guys back on the floor early. It kind of hurt us when PG [Paul George] got his second foul in the first quarter, we had to play with a unit that we hadn’t been playing with before and they were just trying to figure it out with Kawhi [Leonard] being the leader. Third-quarter and the start of the fourth, I didn’t want to go back to that lineup, so I brought Kawhi back to start the fourth, playing for three minutes, and then brought PG back just so he could kind of just keep some continuity back onto the floor” Kindly share your thoughts on the Clippers production this play down the stretch of this regular season. Where do you expect them to finish in the Western Conference? I look forward to hearing from you and feel free to 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.

If you haven’t done so, 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 NBA storylines, while addressing the multitude of NFL topics.

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Los Angeles News Observer A7

Sports

Los Angeles Chargers 2021 Draft Recap

By Cameron Buford whatsgoodinsports.com As the NFL has morphed into a 3-day extravaganza, which showcases these college players as they move into the next phase of their career. The NFL Draft has their first round of the Draft, in prime time, on Thursday evening. The second and third rounds would be held on Friday evening, with the remainder of the rounds being held on Saturday.

This would be Los Angeles Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco’s ninth draft with the team. Not only would this be the most picks in Telesco’s tenure, but it would also be the most selections the team has made since 2004. After speaking with Telesco last week, he made it clear that in this 2021 NFL Draft they “We’re drafting players, not positions. That’s it. Players, not positions.”

Understanding the need for confidentiality in their draft preparation, I didn’t expect the Chargers brass to identify the players or positions they would be targeting in the draft during the media availability sessions leading up to the draft. However looking at their roster, it wasn’t hard to identify some of the glaring needs the team had.

Coming into this draft I felt the Chargers needed an Offensive Tackle to block for their prize Rookie of the Year Quarterback. A young cornerback to infuse some youth into their secondary, along with an additional Inside Linebacker to improve their tackling in the middle of the defense. Lastly, I felt they could use another EDGE rusher to bolster that defense and get pressure on the opponents’ quarterback.

In the first round with the number #13th pick in the draft, the Chargers selected the 6’4” 305-pound Offensive Tackle, Rashawn Slater, out of Northwestern. Although this Sugar Land, Texas native opted out of his senior season, Slater was named to the 2020 Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten as well as the 2020 Preseason All-America team. He also started 37 of the 38 games he played in, while at Northwestern.

It was interesting to hear how the Chargers got past the issues of Slater opting out of his fourth season at Northwestern.

When asked about this GM Tom Telesco said, “Obviously, he didn’t have any game film from this year but he had three years of game film at Northwestern. He was a three-year starter there… the culture they created there, the players that come from there are football smart, they’re tough… to see a player like Rashawn come out of there, you know he’s coming from a good place. We did a lot of work on him throughout the whole process and he’s a perfect fit for us.”

Head Coach Brandon said about Slater’s flexibility, “We certainly see him a tackle that’s why we drafted him- to play outside. We feel like he’s a natural out there. We feel like he has rare athleticism to kick to these wide rushers.”

When asked what separates him from the other Offensive Tackles in the draft Rashawn Slater says, “I’m a technician, I’m consistent. I feel like the best thing that you can be, as an offensive lineman, is consistent, and I’m the most consistent offensive lineman in this draft. I owe that to my technique, my understanding of the game, and just my work ethic.”

With their second-round and 47th overall pick, the Chargers selected 5”10”, 180 pound Florida State Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. Samuels Jr. is a native of Sunrise Florida and is the son of a two-time Super Bowl Champion. The young Samuels was Third-Team All-ACC as a sophomore in 2019 and First-Team All-ACC as a junior in 2020 He also started in 23 of the 32 games he played in as a Florida State Seminole.

Although I understand Samuel Jr. is a second-generation cornerback and comes with all the tricks of the trade, at 5’10” 180 pounds, I wanted to know why they think he’ll be able to compete with taller receivers in this league. GM Tom Telesco responded by saying, “Good question. Sometimes we throw around that a player, ‘plays bigger than his size.’ We heard that a lot from our scouts… he has all of the traits and attributes that you need to have at that position if you’re going to be a little bit size deficient.

What I mentioned before about incredible instincts, his ability to key in on and diagnose routs and the football… He’s built well.

He’s strong, durable. His athletic traits, as far as his quickness and his feet- his short burst explosion- it’s all there.”

In their first of their two picks in the third round, the Chargers surprised people by using the 77th overall pick to draft Josh Palmer, the 6’1” 210-pound receiver out of Tennessee. This was a surprising pick because they seeming had good production out of their wide receiving group last season. Nonetheless, Palmer will be a big target with good hands for Herbert to throw too.

In 4 seasons with the Volunteers, Palmer played 47 games while catching a total of 99 passes for an average of 15.3 yards in his

time there.

Head Coach Brandon Staley was excited to get Palmer on his team as he stated when asked how he fits in, “He’s a guy that can play outside, he can play ‘X’ or ‘Z’ for us. Truly he can be an outside receiver and he has a really good body, really strong, physical, can run the route tree out there and get separation against press. Can you beat press? It kind of starts there. Can you beat press coverage? And then can you separate, level two? And then what’s your ball judge like, level three? He kind of clicked all three of those boxes for us. We feel like he can go inside to the slot and run that tree as well. It gives us a bigger-bodied guy that can match up against smaller nickel-type people or a linebacker to be able to get that separation. Feel like he’s a complete player and we’re excited about him. He showed up a lot in the evaluation process.”

When asked if he had a message for Chargers fans Palmer did not hesitate to say, “I’m coming to work. Man, you’re going to get everything out of me. I won’t care what role I have; I’m going to learn. You’re going to get everything from me. We’re going to win some games and we’re going to win some championships, for real.”

The Chargers used the 97th overall pick, which was their second pick in the third round, to select Tre’ McKitty, the 6’4” 246 pound Tight End out of Georgia. McKitty, a Wesley Chapel, Florida native, played in 42 games as a Bulldog and caught 56 passes for an average of 11.2 yards per catch during his 4 years in college. Coming into the draft this was certainly a position of need for them after losing a Tight End in Free Agency.

GM Tom Telesco shared with us his pleasure with McKitty’s ability and willingness to block when he responded to my question, “One of the best things that he does is block at the line of scrimmage. Very good size, strength, and power. Good feet to stay on blocks. He likes to do it, and you can tell. He comes from more of a pro-style offense at Georgie, so he has had to do it. That position is very hard to find in college nowadays; the guys that do it and do it well. A big part of our offense moving forward here is having a tight end that can get on the line of scrimmage and block. It’s a huge part of the run game to do that.” He went on to say, “At that position, it’s hard, coming out of college, to find players that do that. A lot of tight ends are out in the slot, and they’re excellent receivers, but we do need somebody to kind of handle that role at the line of scrimmage. I hate to say it, but someone to do some of that dirty work. That’s going to be some of his jobs. Hopefully, we’ll get him some balls, too.”

McKitty said when asked what Chargers fans could expect

from him, “A hard-worker. A guy that’s going to get it done on all three downs. I feel like I’m an all-around tight end. I’m more than willing to come in and learn and then do whatever I can to help the team win.” He also said about blocking, “First thing, 80 percent of blocking is the want to. I think I have that dog in me who wants to go and put somebody on their back. It also comes down to technique. I have to continue to grow in that. I think it’s there and that I can improve in that, as well.”

With their fourth-round pick and the 118th overall pick, the Chargers selected 6’2” 244-pound EDGE rusher Chris Rumph II out of Duke. The Gainsville, Florida native grew each season of his career at Duke, from 2018 Freshman All-America (USA Today), 2019 Third-Team All-ACC, 2019 First-Team All-America (PFF), and 2020 Second-Team All-ACC. Rumph II started 12 games of the 36 games he played at Duke while recording 125 total tackles and 17.5 sacks.

Head Coach was asked about what he likes about Rumph II and he shares with us, “his versatility to play on the edge and play a variety of techniques. Then, certainly, helping in the kicking game. In a system like ours, you’re hoping that a backup edge player can play in the kicking game. We feel like he can and that he’s athletic enough to be one of those big-skill bodies.”

With their fourth-round pick and the Chargers selected 6’5” 298 pound Nebraska lineman Brenden Jaimes with the 159th overall pick in round five. Jaimes, an Austin, Texas native, was well decorated during his career as a cornhusker, by being named 2017 Big Ten Network Honorable Mention All-Freshman Team, 2018 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media), 2019 Academic All-Big Ten, 2019 Team Offensive MVP, 2019 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media), 2020 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media), 2020 Academic All-Big Ten. Brenden also started in all 40 of the game he played in, while at Nebraska.

Head Coach Brandon Staley would say when about where Jaimes would play Guard or Tackle, “We think a little bit of both.

He’s done both. I really like his body of work. Set a career record at Nebraska for most games started by an offensive lineman. [Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach] Frank Smith and [Assistant Offensive Line Coach] Shaun Sarrett both had really good grades on this guy. This is a guy that had a lot of inside-out flex. Felt like he would contribute to the depth of our group. He’s a guy that’s been a productive player in a really good conference.”

They added the linebacker I thought needed when they drafted Iowa’s 6’3” 234 pound Nick Niemann in round 6 with the 185th overall pick. The Sycamore, Illinois native was named Academic All-Big Ten (2020, 2019, 2018, 2017) along with being named 2020 Third-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), 2020 ThirdTeam All-Big Ten (Phil Steele), and 2020 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Media) while at Iowa. Neimann started 20 of the 45

games he played in while recording 157 tackles 2 sacks, a fumble recovery, and an interception as a Hawkeye.

GM Tom Telesco says he’s hopeful that Nick will be a contributor on their team in the future, “Nick brings… very smart, tough, has good size, athletic, very productive in the Big Ten. He has a chance to earn the role, he’ll have the opportunity here to come in and compete for playing time. Hopefully, everything works out; he plays against his brother at some point (who plays in Kansas City), twice a year.”

When asked how he could impact the Chargers team Niemann was quick to say, “I just know that I’m going to be a team guy. I’ll find a role, whether that’s on defense or special teams. I’m just going to do what’s asked of me, show up, try to make plays, and help the team win.”

The Chargers added some depth at the running back position when they drafted Missouri running back 5’10” 211 pound Larry Rountree III with the 198th pick in round 6 of their draft. The Raleigh, North Carolina native was named as the 2017 All-SEC Freshman Team All-Purpose/Return Spec. (Coaches), 2018 SEC Academic Honor Roll and to the 2020 Second-Team All-SEC. Rountree III played in 48 games at Missouri and averaged 5.0 yards per carry, 6.1 yards per catch, and scored a total of 40 touchdowns in his four seasons as a Tiger.

When asked about what Rountree III brings to the table Telesco responded by saying, “he played very well in the senior bowl, but a lot of production in Missouri. Built well, strong, really thick body type, very good pass protector, catches the ball in the backfield, and ran for a lot of yards at Missouri. He has really good game speed, we saw that at the Senior Bowl. We think he can come in and compete for a job in the backfield and compete on special teams too. As I said, most of these guys are going to have to find a way through special teams first. We think he can come in and compete for a job and we’ll see how far he can take it.”

With the 241st overall pick in round 7, the Chargers drafted Mark Webb, a 6’1” 207-pound Defensive Back out of Georgia.

The Philadelphia, PA native, will add more depth to their secondary, started in 13 of 49 games as a Bulldog. In his 4 years in Athens, Webb recorded 82 total tackles, 2 fumble recovery, and 1 interception.

When asked how he saw Webb fitting into the secondary Head Coach Brandon Staley shared with us, “He fits the style of DB that we’re looking for. He’s a guy that can play anywhere in the secondary but played in a lot of different spots for them in a pro-style defense. You guys all know that they had like five DBs drafted today. Just have a lot of respect for the way that they play.

I just feel like he can add to our group with the versatility that we like to play with, but also be a really big factor on special teams in the kicking game. He has a pro body; long arms, strong, fast. We feel like he can be a really strong contributor in that phase, too.”

By many accounts, they have done one of the better jobs of drafting quality players in this year’s draft as compared to many other teams in the league. They drafted a couple of play and play guys in Slater and Samuels and solidified the depth of their offensive line and linebackers. The next evaluation period for these guys will be in OTA’s (Organized Team Activities).

I also asked Coach Staley about how’s the culture development process going, “Yeah, we’re going to have to get to work on that right away. Hopefully, because we’re at the beginning, that we don’t skip any steps with them. We have a little bit of a head start with the veteran group, the guys coming back, but it’s really important with us that we don’t skip any steps with the rookies. That they go through that same onboarding process that we’ve had with the team that’s already here in place. We have to make sure that we go back and do that and then hopefully because we’re off to a start with the older guys – some of these guys who have played a lot of football – hopefully they can help us accelerate that process. Hopefully, they can be that mouthpiece for us where, hey, your players turn into your coaches. You know you have a good thing if your players turn into your coaches and hopefully, they start sounding like we do and that’s why I love our team so far because I know that that’s exactly what is going to happen.”

Whether you’re a Chargers fan or not, you would have to be pleased with the way they drafted this past weekend? Let us know how you think they did, 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 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.

Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis last Friday night vs the Sacramento Kings.

(Photo Credit: Adam Pantozzi/Kevork Djansezian/NBA E/Getty Images)

LeBron Returns to Team, Then Sits

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer It was a good sight to see number 23 of the Lakers return to action. LeBron had been out some 41 days and during that span he missed 21 games due to an ankle injury. That was the longest absence of his career.

His return to Staples Center against Sacramento energized the team and the whole city. There were good signs like him driving to the hoop and dishing off to new Laker Andre Drummond but the Lakers fell to the Kings 110-106.

He was pushing the ball on fast breaks, spinning and passing to teammates. James went 6 of 12 shooting, only one of eight from the arc and scored 16 points and seven assists in a modest 32 minutes. He did manage to extend his NBA double digit scoring streak to 1,037 games.

Before his departure on March 19 the team posted a 28-13 record. Since then until his return it was 8-13.

It was the first time in a long time he played Anthony Davis who was injured before James and missed 26 games. Davis finished the night with 22 points and 11 rebounds. He also had a season high 5 blocks including four in the second quarter. That was his ninth double-double of the season.

After a loss to Toronto on Sunday they hosted Denver Monday night. It was a different story with the team clamping down as LeBron sat out due to soreness in that ankle. He was joined by Dennis Schroder who will be out due to COVID

protocols. Pre-game Frank Vogel stated: “Our team is a little shook right now.” This is mostly in part due to the absence of the pair.

The Lakers still managed to defeat the Denver 93-89. Davis stepped up big time with a team leading 25 points. He added seven boards and three blocks.

That help charge the Lakers on the defensive side holding the high-flying Nuggets to 89 points. It marked the 19th time this season they held their opponent under 100, they are 17-2 when doing so.

Marc Gasol had 10 points and seven rebounds while Alex Caruso chipped in 11 points, 5 boards , and 3 assists in 28 minutes.

(As of press time) LeBron appears to be day to day with the soreness. The team definitely want it healed by playoff time.

As the city and state of California get vaccinated, many in the NBA are following suit. Many of the teams players around the league have had access to the vaccine since April 16.

“We’ve pointed out to the whole team the benefits of everyone being vaccinated,” said Vogel. “There’s just for the lack of a better word lifestyles advantages of doing it. We can do more team orientated stuff if we reach 85 percent (vaccination rate). All those types of things including less testing.”

It is hopeful that the league and the rest of us can accomplish this.

Local

A8

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, May 6, 2021

State of California Partners with Visual Artist in Dynamic “Masking Series” Wimbley’s original artwork highlights importance of wearing a mask to stop the spread of COVID-19, while honoring African tradition of Masquerade

By Chet P. Hewitt, President and CEO The Center at Sierra Health Foundation African American visual artist Jessica Wimbley, 41, always knew she was destined to be an artist. Growing up, her parents owned an advertising agency and conversations in her household about visual literacy and critical analysis naturally played a part in her life.

Recently, those conversations came full circle, with Wimbley creating video and still photography works called the Masking Series to support the State of California’s COVID-19 public awareness campaign. She enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to apply her gift of artistic storytelling to move her community to action to stop the spread of the deadly virus.

The Masking Series comes on the heels of the April 15 eligibility date when all California residents aged 16 and over became eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Getting vaccinated, wearing a mask when appropriate, and watching our distance are critical to stopping the spread of COVID-19.

Wimbley’s background is evident in her artistry, which is multi-layered. It tells the story and celebrates the resilience, strength and endurance of community through what she describes as biomythography—or biography, history and mythology.

This method, a term coined by writer and artist Audre Lorde, is the basis of Wimbley’s work. By employing painting, drawing, photography, collage, and other mediums, she is able to draw on her personal experiences and combine them with history and a sense of mythology as a means to show a more nuanced and intersectional subjectivity.

The goal of the Masking Series, created in partnership with the State of California and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, is to speak directly to Californians who have been hardest hit by COVID-19, including the African American community, through images reflected in Wimbley’s artwork.

In each piece, everyday masks take on a green screen effect, featuring video and still photography projected onto masks worn by people representing California’s diverse communities.

The Masking Series includes Wimbley putting on and wearing a mask that depicts video and collaged images of Californians taking action, such as wearing masks and getting vaccinated, to protect one another during the pandemic.

The overlay of images on the masks reference the rich African tradition of Masquerade—performances of masked characters that provide an overview of what has occurred culturally over the last year, teaching lessons and giving advice.

The African style of Masquerade is an outdoor event featuring a performance by masked characters. The characters provide entertainment, define social roles, and communicate religious meaning. The masks take on many forms, with many engraved with designs that tell multi-generational stories using

important symbols representing ancestors, spirits or royalty. For example, within Yoruba Gelede Masquerade, which originated in Benin and Nigeria, masks, costumes, music, song and dance are used to evoke and comment upon social and spiritual matters, helping to shape society and those within it in constructive ways.

For Wimbley, this sacred tradition created a real-life parallel when thinking about the meaning and importance of wearing a mask during the pandemic.

She said the tradition evoked her to ask, “What does it mean as a society when we put on masks? What type of transformation are we going through? What are we experiencing culturally? How does the mask reflect and become representative of these shifts that we are experiencing as a society?”

Wimbley’s ability to capture the events and elements from local and national COVID-19 experiences within the mask itself,

while seamlessly weaving the answers to these critical questions into the campaign artwork, is emotive and engaging.

The Masking Series is featured on LED and mobile billboards, and in print and television ads in English and Spanish in 11 California markets through mid-May. The Sacramento artist’s work is also featured on outdoor signage and indoor digital displays at Sacramento’s Arden Fair Mall. An eye-catching image of a masked Wimbley is featured on a billboard overlooking Sacramento’s Oak Park, an historically Black neighborhood.

“Masks have such a pivotal role in cultural and social expression in many African societies, and it’s been an incredible journey to bring that tradition to help combat COVID-19 in California, my home state,” explains Wimbley.

The Sacramento-based artist’s multi-disciplinary work has been displayed in galleries across the nation, including

the Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art, California State University at Long Beach and Ripon College.

To find out more information on COVID-19 vaccines and to make an appointment to be vaccinated, Californians can visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255. To see Jessica’s Masking Series, visit toolkit.covid19.ca.gov. You can learn more about Jessica Wimbley and her work by visiting www.jessicawimbley. com.

The Masking Series can be seen in 11 markets across the state through mid-May, including: Los Angeles, Riverside/San Bernardino, Fresno, Monterey/Salinas, Sacramento, Fresno/ Visalia, Bakersfield, Palm Springs, San Francisco/Oakland/ San Jose, Santa Barbara/Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo, and San Diego. The campaign is presented in partnership by The Center at Sierra Health Foundation and the State of California.

State Officials, Business Leaders and Community Advocates Offer Opportunity to Engage with Media on Covid-19 Update

New Guidelines Aims to provide truthful and trustworthy information to Black and African American communities Sacramento, Calif. – California Black Media, in partnership with the State of California and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, hosted a third news briefing today to provide critical information on the latest COVID-19 public health guidelines, vaccine safety and efficacy, and vaccine access for Black Californians.

The “Get Smart on COVID-19” series is designed to equip Black journalists with the information they need to write authoritatively about COVID-19 vaccinations and harm reduction measures – topics about which there is significant misinformation, widespread mistrust and limited public understanding.

“Californians have come together over the last several months to help save lives by getting vaccinated, wearing masks and washing our hands,” said David Tucker, representative from the California Department of Public Health. “More than 30 million doses of the safe and highly effective COVID-19 vaccine - including Johnson & Johnson - have now been administered across the state, with nearly 6 million going to those in our hardest hit communities, improving the health of all Californians.”

While progress is being made across the state to defeat COVID-19, Californians should continue to help protect our communities even as restrictions loosen by wearing masks when appropriate, washing our hands, watching our distance, and getting vaccinated. Those who have yet to get vaccinated should wear a well-fitting mask with multiple cloth layers whenever outside their homes. Once fully vaccinated, Californians may participate in outdoor activities, like exercising and dining outside, without masks.

“By getting vaccinated and encouraging others to get vaccinated, we are protecting ourselves, our loved ones and everyone around us,” said Pastor K.W. Tulloss from the Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. “Almost 40 percent of California’s Black community has been either fully or partially vaccinated, and while we’ve made tremendous progress helping to educate people about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, we must do more because this pandemic won’t fully end until all Californians are vaccinated.”

“As our state’s economy plans to re-open on June 15, we want people to understand that we cannot let our guard down

and each of us must do our part to follow safety guidelines, get vaccinated and continue wearing masks when appropriate, so we can end this pandemic sooner,” said Tara Lynn Gray, Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate.

“COVID-19 has been a tremendous disruptor to our daily lives and has taken its toll on our collective health—both physical and mental—especially those in the African American and Black communities,” added Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California Surgeon General. “This month especially—which is Mental Health Awareness month—I urge all Californians to find some comfort in knowing that we are getting to the end of this pandemic together.”

To help Californians stay safe, the California Department of Public Health recently updated the following guidance on gatherings and events: • Private events, meetings, receptions or conferences, and indoor live events and performances will be allowed depending on tier level with modifications and masking requirements.

• Other indoor gatherings will begin to return with modifications and some proof of vaccination may be required.

• Schools and higher education institutions should offer full-time, in-person instruction.

• More information on these updates can be found at Covid19.ca.gov.

To find out how to get vaccinated, visit MyTurn.ca.gov, the state’s “front door” to getting vaccinated where Californians can learn when they are eligible, sign up for notifications and schedule an appointment. Those without access to the internet can call the COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-422-4255 (833-4CA-4ALL), which includes a language support center to assist with MyTurn. ca.gov sign up. All personal information is confidential and protected.

Information on the state’s equitable phased distribution process can be found at www.covid.ca.gov.