Los Angeles News Observer 5.11.23

Justice Thomas Received More Inappropriate and Unreported Gifts from GOP Megadonor

News Observer

One!Take Answers Sought After 9-Year-Old Boy Handcuffed at School

WALPOLE, Mass. (AP) – A Massachusetts school didn’t follow its own guidance when a 9-year-old specialneeds student who is Black was handcuffed by police at school and then taken to a hospital where he was held in an adult unit until he was released to his mother, a civil rights group says.

The group Lawyers for Civil Rights sent a letter to the Walpole public schools and police department asking for an apology for the family and proof of restraint training for school resource officers when dealing with special-needs students. The family is also exploring “all legal options” to hold the school and police accountable.

The boy was having a mental health crisis on Jan. 12, 2023 when, instead of following a prescribed treatment system, staff called the school resource officer who called for police backup, the group said.

In a description of the event posted by Lawyers for Civil Rights, Erika Richmond, an attorney with the group, said in a Wednesday news release that the incident exemplifies the “adultification” of Black children, a form of discrimination where Black children are perceived and treated as older than they are. The boy in this case was described as “big for his age” and “stronger than he looks.”

‘’Because of this bias, a situation that could easily have been de-escalated instead led to a young Black boy being handcuffed and held in adult custody,” Richmond said. Richmond said the student, who has attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other needs, also has a history of being afraid of police. So when the police began to surround him, he tried to leave the classroom, which was when he was placed in handcuffs.

The child was taken to an adult psychiatric ward for an evaluation and was released to his mother after it was determined he was not a danger to himself or others.

Reparations Task Force Concludes 15th Meeting

Antonio Ray Harvey CaliforniaBlack Media

On May 6th, the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans held its 15th meeting and voted on its final report. The report must be submitted to the California legislature by the end of June.

During the meeting held at Mills College of Northeastern University in Oakland, the nine-member task force finalized its recommendations for compensating Black Californians for state laws, policies and practices that disproportionately and negatively affected African Americans. The final report which will be available to the public is expected to be about 1,000 pages long.

Task force chair and Los Angeles attorney Kamilah Moore closed out the one-day meeting by thanking “the community of eligibility for attending” the meeting and reflecting on the activities that occurred for nearly two years since the group first convened.

“I know it might have been tough in some spots but I just want to say: stay encouraged. History is repeating itself,” Moore said. “When we think about what Callie House and Isaiah Dickerson went through, it was actually federal agencies U.S. Postal Office and U.S. DOJ (Department of Justice), the US Pension Office that worked to hinder the free people movement for pensions. So, just stay encouraged and know that justice will prevail at the end of the day.”

House and Dickerson were leaders in the National ExSlave Mutual Relief, Bounty and Pension Association, the first organization to push for reparations for slavery. Among the recommendations made by the task force is for the state of California to issue a formal apology from the state of California. The implied admission of guilt should mitigate the harm historically inflicted on the Black community, task force members say.

The report will contain “a non-exhaustive list” that includes “barbarities carried out on behalf of the State by its representative officers, governing bodies, and the people.”

“The Legislature must apologize on behalf of the State of California and the People of California for the perpetration of gross human rights violations and genocide of Africans who were enslaved and their descendants through public apology, requests for forgiveness, censure of state perpetrators, and tributes to victims,” the report states. “But the Task Force does not recommend the Legislature issue an apology without taking other required steps recommended by the Task Force to conform to the international standards for satisfaction; such an apology would be hollow and ineffective.”

The draft states that the apology would address the “atrocities committed by California state actors who promoted, facilitated, enforced, and permitted” under the institution of chattel slavery.” The final draft includes evidence provided by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) of African Americans denied their fundamental liberties and humanity throughout the state’s history, from before the Civil War to the present.

“To be effective, a considerable number of survivors and their relatives must participate in the development of the apology. As occurred with the apology to California tribal communities, the Legislature should establish a

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Judge Finds Officer Guilty of Aiding the Murder of George Floyd

By Stacy M. Brown

Tou Thao, a former police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was found guilty of aiding and abetting the second-degree manslaughter of George Floyd in May 2020, according to court documents.

Judge Peter Cahill’s 177-page ruling states that Thao ignored his orders and encouraged his colleagues to use the dangerous, prone restraint on Floyd.

“Like the bystanders, Thao could see Floyd’s life slowly ebbing away as the restraint continued,” Cahill wrote in the verdict.

“Yet Thao consciously decided to participate in Floyd’s death actively: he held back the concerned bystanders and even prevented an off-duty Minneapolis firefighter from rendering the medical aid Floyd so desperately needed.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who led the prosecution of Floyd’s murder, said, “The conviction of Tou Thao is historic and the right outcome.”

“It brings one measure of accountability in the tragic death of George Floyd. Accountability is not justice, but it is a step on the road to justice,” Ellison declared.

Thao witnessed the incident and yelled at onlookers to keep their distance from the police, prosecutors said.

He blocked the crowd from aiding Floyd, who was pleading for air, and his mother.

Thao also mocked Floyd, falsely assuming that he was on drugs.

During his federal trial in 2022, Thao claimed his job was to manage the crowd and traffic after the other officers handled Floyd.

In response to questions from the prosecution, Thao insisted that he trusted Derek Chauvin, a 19-year veteran, to handle the situation rather than ordering him to take his knee out of Floyd’s neck.

Chauvin, Thao, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng were all fired and eventually prosecuted for Floyd’s murder.

The courts found each guilty of various offenses.

In state court, a jury found Chauvin guilty of secondand third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He received a 22.5-year prison sentence.

Additionally, he received a 21-year sentence in federal prison after pleading guilty to Floyd’s civil rights violations and another civil rights violation.

Both of his sentences are running simultaneously.

In federal court, Lane, Kueng, and Thao were found guilty of violating Floyd’s civil rights by failing to act when Chauvin restrained him.

Thao was found guilty on federal charges in February 2022 and has been in prison since then, serving a 3.5-year term. Kueng and Lane were handed three and a half and

In a statement distributed to media organizations, Walpole Police Chief Richard M. Kelleher confirmed that his department respond to an elementary school in January “to assist staff with a student,” but he declined to say more.

Walpole school Superintendent Bridget Gough did not address the issue directly, but said, “Walpole Schools are committed to the safety and education of all of our students, regardless of race or other protected characteristics.”

Oprah Tells Class of 2023 to Follow ‘Still, Small Voice’

By TRAVIS LOLLER Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Oprah Winfrey delighted graduates at her alma mater Tennessee State University on Saturday, telling the story of how she fell one credit short of graduating as she launched the media career that would make her a household name. Giving the commencement address at the historically Black university, Winfrey recalled that she was living with her father in East Nashville while attending college, helping out in his store, and presenting the weekend news at a Black radio station. That’s where the lead anchor of the local CBS television affiliate heard her voice. He called her at school to ask if she wanted a job.

“I said, ‘No sir. TV? Not really, sir, because my father says I have to finish school, and school is just too important,’” Winfrey recalled. She then went back to class and related the conversation to her scene design professor who “looked at me as if I didn’t have the brains that God gave lettuce, “ Winfrey said.

He spoke to her father, and Winfrey took the job. Beginning the second semester of her sophomore year, Winfrey arranged to finish her classes by 2:00 p.m. so she could work at the television station from 2:30 to 10:30 and be home by her father’s 11:00 p.m. curfew. By the end of her senior year in 1975, Winfrey’s career was in full swing. So she wasn’t terribly distressed to learn that she was one credit short and would not be able to graduate. But her father would not let go of the topic, asking her for years, “’When you going to get that degree?’” she said.

Finally in 1988, she was allowed to write a paper and submit some of her shows for the final credit.

“So I got my degree from Tennessee State, right around the time I got my third Emmy,” Winfrey said. Her success in life has come from God’s grace and from listening to what she called the “still, small voice’’ inside while filtering out the noise of the world. That way “you begin to know your own heart and figure out what matters most,” Winfrey said. “Every right move I’ve made has come from listening deeply and following that still, small voice.’’

Winfrey told the class of 2023 they are living in a difficult time in many ways.

“Unfortunately, you are going to encounter people who insist that it’s not actually possible to make any difference,” she said. But she held up the examples of Tennessee state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson who are “using their lives to prove the cynics wrong.”

The Republican majority expelled the two young Black Democratic lawmakers last month after they breached decorum by protesting for stricter gun laws from the House floor. They were reinstated on a interim basis by their local city councils within days and now face a special election to regain their seats.

The United States is “not a finished product,” she said. “Anything is possible. The wheels are still in spin. Saints walk among us. And as Nelson Mandela so brilliantly demonstrated, it’s better to be hopeful than fearful, if for no other reason than that hope brings us one step closer to joy.”

U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.-13), an alumnus of Mills College, spoke before the nine-member panel. The 15th meeting was held at her alma mater. She is a resident in the Oakland area. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

State Assemblyman and task force member Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) and San Diego City Councilwoman Monica Montgomery Steppe take notes during the 15th meeting on May 6, 2023. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

During the state case, Thao chose a stipulated evidence trial in October 2022. He opted not to have a jury decide his fate but rather to allow Judge Cahill to decide in light of the arguments made by both sides.

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

World & Nation

Biden Administration Rolls Out New Requirements for Airlines

Refunds for Delayed & Cancelled Passengers

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The Biden administration is developing rules requiring airlines to compensate customers and provide meals and hotel accommodations if they strand passengers due to airline-related issues.

The White House said President Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg would announce the regulation process Monday.

The regulation vow comes weeks before the high summer travel season and continues the Democratic administration’s push to enhance airline customer service.

The new rules will require airlines to provide compensation and cover additional expenses, such as rebooking, if they cancel or delay a flight.

“When an airline causes a flight cancellation or delay, passengers should not foot the bill,” Buttigieg added.

If an airline cancels a trip, the carrier must refund passengers for the unused portion of their ticket and any airline fees, such as those for checking a bag or asking for a seat assignment.

Airlines frequently offer travel vouchers instead of refunds.

After significant flight cancellations last summer, the Transportation Department launched an online dashboard to urge airlines to improve customer service.

On the dashboard, passengers can check cancellations and refund policies.

Each of the 10 top U.S. airlines promptly committed to pay cash or vouchers for meals when a cancellation requires passengers to wait at least three hours for another trip.

All but Frontier Airlines pledged to pay for overnight lodgings for stranded travelers.

After Southwest Airlines canceled roughly 17,000 flights in December, questions about reimbursement surfaced again.

Southwest’s overbooking remains under investigation by the Transportation and Justice departments.

The Transportation Department is working with carriers to avoid cancellations and delays this summer when air traffic could break pre-coronavirus pandemic records.

Last month, an audit by the Government Accountability Office found that airlines were responsible for numerous flight cancellations.

However, the Federal Aviation Administration’s technology outages and staff shortages have also contributed to flight disruptions.

The FAA told airlines to reduce flights at major New York airports this summer due to a lack of air traffic controllers.

Justice Thomas Received More Inappropriate and Unreported Gifts from GOP Megadonor

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

At last month’s White House Correspondents Association Dinner, The Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr. delivered a hilarious takedown of a U.S. Supreme Court justice. Perhaps Woods’ monologue came a bit too soon after new disclosures have revealed more hidden gifts provided to Justice Clarence Thomas from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow.

Pro Publica reported that Crow paid a $6,000 a month tuition bill for Thomas’ grandnephew Mark Martin to attend the private boarding school, Hidden Lake Academy, in northern Georgia in 2008.

Thomas recently revealed that he’d been raising Martin “as a son” while the justice and his wife, Ginny, lived in the District of Columbia.

“Harlan picked up the tab,” Christopher Grimwood, a former administrator at the school, told the outlet.

He said Crow paid Martin’s tuition the entire time he was a student there, which was about a year.

Grimwood said he got to know Crow and Thomas and his wife and had access to school financial information

through his work as an administrator.

Before and after his time at Hidden Lake, Martin attended a second boarding school, Randolph-Macon Academy in Virginia, as Pro Publica further discovered.

“Harlan said he was paying for the tuition at Randolph-Macon Academy as well,” Grimwood said, recalling a conversation he had with Crow during a visit to the billionaire’s Adirondacks estate.

The amount Crow paid for Martin’s education over the years remains unclear. According to public records of tuition rates, if he had paid for all four years at the two schools, the price tag could have exceeded $150,000.

According to the report, Thomas should have reported the tuition payments from Crow in his annual financial disclosures.

Several years earlier, Thomas disclosed a gift of $5,000 for Martin’s education from another friend. It is not clear why he reported that payment but not Crow’s.

Pro Publica concluded that the tuition payments added to the picture of how Crow has helped fund the lives of Thomas and his family.

“You can’t be having secret financial arrangements,” said Mark W. Bennett, a retired federal judge appointed by President Bill Clinton.

Bennett said he was friendly with Thomas and declined to comment on the specifics of Thomas’ actions for the record.

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But he said that he wouldn’t let his lawyer friends buy him lunch when he was on the bench.

While the approximately 3,000 people in attendance at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner and countless others watching on C-SPAN enjoyed Wood’s humorous but valid – bit, many have realized that when it comes to Justice Clarence Thomas, the jokes on the American people.

In the brutally funny monologue, Wood roasted Thomas for taking trips around the world “like an Instagram model” on Crow’s dime.

Pro Publica reported that Crow paid a $6,000 a month tuition bill for Thomas’ grandnephew Mark Martin to attend the private boarding school, Hidden Lake Academy, in northern Georgia in 2008.

“Billionaires always come up with something new to buy,” Woods quipped. “[Crow] bought a Supreme Court justice. Do you

understand how rich you have to be to buy a Supreme Court Justice? A Black one on top of that. There’s only two in stock and Harlan Crow owns half the inventory.”

Reparations Task Force

Continued from page A1

program or government body, such as the California American Freedman Affairs Agency, to facilitate listening sessions that allow victims and their relatives to narrate personal experiences and recount specific injustices caused by the state of California,” the task force recommends.

It took eight hours for the task force members to approve numerous recommendations addressing issues such as over policing and mass incarceration in Black communities, health and environmental inequities and discrimination in education, housing, voting, housing, and business opportunities, and others. The report also addresses the inability to create wealth due to inequity and lack of quality jobs.

During the task force’s14th meeting held in Sacramento in March, economists advising the task force presented economic formulas estimating that the reparations owed to Black Californians who are descendants of people enslaved in the United States is likely to total more than $800 billion.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland-12) addressed the panel during the public comments section of the meeting. She is co-sponsoring the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) bill in Congress.

The first-ever congressional commission examines the effects of slaves, institutional racism, and discrimination against people of color and how history impacts laws and policies today.

“Reparations are not a luxury for our people but a human right long overdue for millions of Americans,” Lee said. “A promise of 40 acres and a mule made to formerly enslaved people over 150 years ago has yet to be fulfilled and it’s critical that the promise that was made to our ancestors is kept. We must repair this damage.” Oakland City Council member Treva Ried (District 7) and Kevin Jenkins (District 6) were present at the meeting which was attended by more. 150 people at Mills College where the Black Panther Party for Self Defense (BPP) was born in 1966.

Elaine Brown, a former Black Panther Party leader and Minister of Information, was also in attendance. Last year, she broke ground on an $80 million an affordable housing project in West Oakland. The housing project is an $80 million project that includes 79 units and aims to house formerly incarcerated people, homeless people and unemployed individuals.

to advocate

for the

“I’m glad to see all these Black people together. I want to see us all get into the streets because you know that you cannot legislate freedom…you are going to have to fight for it,” Brown said to the panel and audience. “You want these people to hear you…you’re going to have to get into the streets (to advocate for reparations).” The final

Elaine Brown, the first Black woman to lead the Black Panther Party in the 1970s, attended the event

housing

formerly incarcerated, unemployed, and homeless people in Oakland.  (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

meeting for the Task Force will be held June

29 in Sacramento. Remarks by task force Members, a Presentation of the Report, closing comments by legislators and other dignitaries will end the two-year charge for the first-of-its-kind reparations commission. For any questions about the Task Force meeting, contact DOJ at ReparationsTaskforce@doj.ca.govor call (213) 519-0504.

Snoop Dogg Joins Bid to Buy NHL Hockey Team

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Snoop Dogg, the hip-hop legend and business mogul, has joined entrepreneur Neko Sparks in a bid to buy the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators.

In an Instagram post, Snoop announced his involvement.

Snoop wrote to his 80 million fans, “It’s crazy what Neko Sparks is trying to do in Ottawa.” “I’m excited about being a part of that business team. “I WANT TO BRING HOCKEY BACK TO OUR AREA.”

According to The Athletic, the legend counts among more than a dozen investors — including numerous persons of color — in Sparks’ consortium, which is making a significant push at owning the Senators.

The final price for the Ottawa club could be more than $1 billion, making it the most expensive sale in NHL history. If their bid is successful, the idea of Snoop being an

NHL owner could be appealing.

Unquestionably one of the most popular entertainers today, Snoop’s presence could lead to unprecedented interest from African Americans, who have mostly shied away from hockey.

Sports analysts believe that if the Senators construct a new arena, Snoop could increase fans and media coverage. Such a move would lead to massive revenue generation for the team.

The Senators play in a rink far beyond the city’s borders. Moving the team downtown is essential for the team’s future owner.

ESPN said Sparks does have competition.

The investment of star Ryan Reynolds in The Remington Group, which is also interested, makes it a front-runner that isn’t scared off by Ottawa’s possible $1 billion offer.

There has yet to be an official date for when the sale of

the Senators will finish, as the process of talking with and vetting the most qualified buyers is still going on.

“I’ve been watching hockey for about 25 years now. I’ll watch it more and more when kids that look like me play the game. But I’m not seeing it being offered to the kids over here in America. I know how big it is in Canada,” Snoop told ESPN.

“I’ve been down with the NHL for a long time. Going to games, announcing games, and being a part of the society.

“This opportunity came for me to be a part of the ownership of the Ottawa Senators, so I jumped on it. The plan that we have is to also go and build a Snoop Youth Hockey League outside of Canada, so kids in urban communities can learn about hockey, play the sport, and find ways to get into this great thing that’s called hockey.

“Right now the NBA and the NHL is having some great playoff games and the kids need to know that there is an option to play hockey if you look like me.”

Snoop also explained how his Snoop Youth Football League has helped inner-city kids and families live better lives.

He said that C.J. Stroud, who was just picked second in the NFL Draft for 2023, got his start in his football league. He hopes to do the same thing for the Black community through hockey.

“I’m saying if we were to bring another sport, such as hockey—which is on TV, and they could see it—now these kids can learn how to play the sport, they can understand that this is another way out,” he said.

“You don’t have to play football, basketball, and baseball. Here’s another option. And at the same time, we will grow the sport, and it will grow as a Black owner being part of a big organization with majority ownership. Never done before, so it can be the first.”

Lionel Richie Sings for Royal Coronation Concert

By BRIAN MELLEY and SYLVIA HUI

Associated Press

LONDON (AP) – A day after a gilded coronation ceremony watched by millions, King Charles III and Queen Camilla let others take the center stage Sunday as they took in a star-studded concert featuring Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and others at Windsor Castle.

The newly crowned monarch and his wife appeared to enjoy the show as Richie performed “All Night Long,” at one point getting up on their feet and swaying to the music. Other members of the royal family, including 8-year-old Princess Charlotte and Prince George, 9, waved Union flags along with a crowd of some 20, 000 gathered on the castle’s east terrace.

Charlotte and her mother, Kate, the Princess of Wales, sang along as Perry, dressed in a gold foil ball gown, performed her pop hit “Roar.”

“Top Gun” star Tom Cruise appeared in a recorded video message, saying: “Pilot to pilot. Your Majesty, you can be my wingman any time.’’ The mixed program also saw performances by the Royal Ballet, Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls, opera singer Andrea Bocelli and British band Take That.

Even Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog made an appearance, joking with host Hugh Bonneville.

The entertainment was interspersed with more serious moments. A message from Charles on the importance of environmental conservation was played, and the show was accompanied by a light and drone display with a nature theme.

Prince William, heir to the throne, took to the stage to pay tribute to his father’s dedication to service. “Pa, we are all so proud of you,’’ he said.

Concert goers sang “God Save the King” as landmarks around the U.K. were lit up in colorful lights.

Earlier Sunday, thousands of picnics and street parties were held across the U.K. in Charles’ honor. The community get-togethers, part of a British tradition known as the Big Lunch, provided a down-to-earth counterpart to

the gilded spectacle of the king’s crowning Saturday.

The events were intended to bring neighbors together to celebrate the crowning even as support for the monarchy wanes. Critics complained about the coronation’s cost at a time of exorbitant living expenses amid double-digit inflation.

But plenty others took the opportunity to enjoy a party with friends and family. In Regent’s Park in London, Valent Cheung and his girlfriend showed up to cheer the new king with the neighbors who embraced them when they moved from Hong Kong. They dolled up their loyal and “royal” fluffy white dog, Tino, with a tiny purple crown for the occasion.

“This is a new era for U.K,” Cheung said. “We didn’t have these things in Hong Kong. Now, we are embracing the culture. We want to enjoy it, we want to celebrate it.”

Charles and Camilla didn’t drop in on any of the picnics, leaving that duty to other members of the royal family.

William and his wife, Kate, surprised people picnicking outside the castle before the concert. Dressed far more casually than the day before, they shook hands and Kate embraced a crying girl in a hug.

The king’s siblings, Prince Edward and Princess Anne and their spouses took on lunch duty for the royal family at events across England. The king’s nieces, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, the daughters of Prince Andrew, joined a lunch in Windsor.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosted U.S. first lady Jill Biden and her granddaughter Finnegan Biden at the Big Lunch party held in front of his office. Other guests included Ukrainian refugees and community activists.

Like the picnic in the park, Downing Street and Sunak’s spread - even his teapot - were festooned in the nation’s colors of blue, white and red.

Sausage rolls and salmon were served along with coronation chicken - a dish cooked up for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation 70 years ago - and coronation quiche, which was picked to suit Charles’ taste and has been the buzz of

social media, often for the wrong reasons.

The lower-key events followed regalia-laden pageantry that saw the king and queen crowned together in Westminster Abbey. They were presented with centuriesold swords, scepters and a jewel-encrusted golden orb symbolizing the monarch’s power in a medieval tradition celebrated with liturgy, song and hearty cheers of “God save the king.”

The couple then paraded through the streets in a gilded horse-drawn carriage led by the largest ceremonial military procession since the coronation of Charles’ mother. Some 4,000 troops marched in formation through the streets, their scarlet sleeves and white gloves swinging in unison to the sound of drums and bugles from marching bands, including one group of musicians on horseback.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the route in the rain to see it in person. Nearly 19 million more watched on television in the U.K., according to ratings released by Barb, a research organization. That’s about 40% fewer viewers than had watched the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September.

Charles and Camilla said Sunday in a statement that they were “deeply touched” by the celebration and ‘’profoundly grateful both to all those who helped to make it such a glorious occasion - and to the very many who turned out to show their support.”

Not everyone was there to celebrate, though, and criticism continued Sunday over arrests of more than 50 protesters, including members of a republican group shouting “Not my king’’ and environmentalists aiming to end the use of fossil fuels.

The Metropolitan Police said officers detained 64 people Saturday, with four suspects charged with offenses including a religiously aggravated public order offense and drug possession.

Graham Smith, leader of Republic, a group advocating for abolishing the monarchy, said he was arrested as he planned a peaceful protest and spent 16 hours in police custody.

“These arrests are a direct attack on our democracy and the fundamental rights of every person in the country,’’ Smith said. “Each and every police officer involved on the ground should hang their heads in shame.’’

The Metropolitan Police acknowledged concerns over the arrests, but defended the force’s actions.

“The coronation is a once-in-a-generation event and that is a key consideration in our assessment,” Commander Karen Findlay said.

At Regent’s Park, celebrants talked about the novelty of what they had witnessed. But the coronation was nothing new for Rosemary McIntosh, 95, just a lot more vivid than the one she saw televised while living in Zimbabwe in 1953.

“We didn’t have TV all day and it was black and white, so it wasn’t as wonderful as has been this one,’’ she said. ___

The final price for the Ottawa club could be more than $1 billion, making it the most expensive sale in NHL history.

Lionel Richie and partner Lisa Parigi during a garden party at Buckingham Palace, London, in celebration of the coronation on May 6 (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)

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Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso. The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): Jay W. Smith, Esq., Sbn 150113 and Nancy A. Young, Esq., Sbn 18332 6644 Valjean Ave #200, Van Nuys, CA 91406 Telephone: (818) 709-2556 Fax: (818) 709-2513 Date (Fecha): March 1, 2022 Sherri R. Carter, Executive Officer / Clerk of Court (Secretario), by G. Villareal, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served. LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER PUB: May 11, 18, 25, Jun 1, 2023 STATEMENT OF DAMAGES (Personal Injury or Wrongful Death) CASE NUMBER: 22STLC01353 To: LAURINE MYERS aka LAURINE ANN MYERS; Plaintiff: NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA, a Wisconsin corporation Seeks damages in the above-entitled action, as follows: 2. Special damages e. Property damage $5,052.01 Date: May 5, 2022 Attorney: Jay W. Smith, Esq. 6644 Valjean Ave #200, Van Nuys, CA 91406 LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER PUB: May 11, 18, 25, Jun 1, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE

California Says New Cigarettes Appear to Violate State’s Flavored Tobacco Ban

By Don Thompson California Healthline

California’s attorney general is warning two tobacco companies that their new cigarettes appear to violate a state ban on most flavored tobacco products that was upheld by voters last year.

Attorney General Rob Bonta sent letters to R.J. Reynolds and ITG Brands LLC, dated April 25, warning that the packaging and promotional materials for nine reformulated versions of Camel, Newport, and Kool cigarettes were likely against the law.

California’s ban includes menthol-flavored cigarettes, and the state said it determined after a review that the products are “presumptively flavored under the California flavor ban law.” It gave the companies until June 23 to respond.

The federal government last year announced plans to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, and tobacco companies’ response to the California law has been seen as a preview of how they would handle a national ban. Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts also ban flavored tobacco, which a 2021 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found was favored by young smokers. The mint flavor in menthol cigarettes has a cooling effect that can blunt harsh cigarette smoke, making it easier to start smoking.

R.J. Reynolds, which produces the seven Camel and Newport varieties challenged by the state, said Thursday that its cigarettes comply with the law and that it will work with the attorney general’s office to make sure they can still be sold in California.

The cigarettes “do not impart a distinguishable taste or aroma other than tobacco,” the company said. “We market these products to clearly indicate that they are nonmenthol.”

R.J. Reynolds said California’s review of its cigarettes was based on packaging and marketing materials, not the cigarettes themselves. ITG Brands did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

A sign advertises Newport cigarettes, which are menthol-flavored, along with other cigarettes outside a smoke shop on April 28, 2022, in Los Angeles. California Attorney General Rob Bonta sent letters to R.J. Reynolds and ITG Brands LLC, dated April 25, warning that the packaging and promotional materials for nine reformulated versions of Camel, Newport, and Kool cigarettes were likely against the law. (Mario Tama / Getty Images)

The attorney general’s letters include examples of marketing materials and a side-by-side comparison of

the similar-looking menthol and non-menthol cigarette packaging, and assert that the companies promote the new varieties “as substitutes or replacements” for mentholflavored cigarettes.

Camel promises “smooth tobacco flavor and a crisp smoking experience,” while Kool’s marketing says it is “still bold” and “still smooth.”

“Never compromise, California,” urges the Newport brand. “Introducing what’s next in fresh. The non-menthol for menthol smokers.”

California’s ban was approved by state lawmakers in 2020, but it was delayed when tobacco companies gathered enough signatures to put the issue before voters. After it was upheld by nearly two-thirds of voters last November, it took effect on Dec. 21.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids called the attorney general’s letters “a significant step forward” that “is sending a clear message that California is serious about enforcing the law and will not tolerate the tobacco industry’s efforts to evade it.” It said the new cigarettes “have a cooling flavor similar to menthol.”

The attorney general’s office cited a portion of the law that creates “a rebuttable presumption that a tobacco product is flavored” if the manufacturer markets it as being flavored. That includes using labeling or packaging “to explicitly or implicitly communicate that the tobacco product has a characterizing flavor.”

The specific products being challenged are Kool NonMenthol, Kool Blue Non-Menthol, Camel Crisp, Camel Crush Oasis Silver, Camel Crush Oasis Blue, Camel Crush Oasis Green, Newport Non-Menthol Green, Newport EXP Non-Menthol Mix, and Newport EXP Non-Menthol Max. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

Writers Want Higher Wages, Job Security, Residual Pay and More

Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media

Rae Benjamin, a Los Angeles resident and writer for the Netflix series “The Witcher,” is among more than 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) participating in a strike that has disrupted film and television production. For almost a week now, writers have been picketing major studios in Los Angeles and New York City, after failing to reach a new contract agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

The writers’ contracts expired on May 1 and negotiations with the Film and Motion Picture Association (FMPA) have not resulted in an agreement.

“For me, streaming residuals are really important,” stated Benjamin, one of the few Black writers in the union.

“Whenever they re-air an episode television writers would get a check based upon that,” she explained. “When network shows were the only options, content was constantly re-aired, and it really rewarded people who worked on a popular show. You could be making money from that show, years and years later, because it’s in syndication.”

Benjamin says the compensation structure is different for streaming companies like Netflix.

“They refuse to release data on how many people actually watch your shows, even though it’s easy to do. Because they’re refusing to do that we could not get accurately paid for our work. We can’t get paid the residuals and streaming that we’re owed,” she said.

In the past decade, streaming platforms, particularly Netflix, have disrupted the traditional cable television model by producing new shows with shorter seasons in an effort to attract new subscribers.

Last week, the AMPTP offered annual salary increases for writers and made other concessions, but the WGA has yet to respond to the proposal.

“When you see what was put on the table, and then you see that the producers negated most things, even proposals such as making sure that we’ll have jobs and not robots take our jobs, and there’s no proposal for that No. counter for that,” said Benjamin.

“It’s a little scary to think that, hey, there’s an AI that might be able to write your entire show, and no one seems to be fretted about that at all.”

In a statement, AMPTP acknowledged that the emergence of Artificial Intelligence technology “requires a lot more discussion.”

“AI raises hard, important creative and legal questions for everyone. For example, writers want to be able to use this technology as part of their creative process, without changing how credits are determined, which is complicated given AI material can’t be copyrighted, the statement reads.

WGA’s proposal stipulated, “AI can’t write or rewrite literary material, can’t be used as source material; and MBA (Minimum Basic Agreement) covered material can’t be used to train AI.” AMPTP rejected the offer and countered with an offer of “annual meetings to discuss advancements in technology.”

AMPTP did not make a counteroffer regarding proposals about duration of employment, which the writers say is too short and akin to freelance work.

“On network shows we would typically be employed for a long time, because there were more episodes. It would be 20 to 30 episodes of the show, which means you were employed 40 to 45 weeks out of the year,” said Benjamin. “We would just take a break in between seasons and come back. So being a writer was a very stable career. Now, because of extremely short orders of streaming shows, it’s become more unstable. Worse than that, these companies don’t want to hire people for a reasonable amount of time to complete a show.”

Benjamin says showrunners and show creators cut corners by hiring writers for a short time then build on their work with rewrites and edits.

“The actual writers get a job for two weeks, which is very

little pay,” she said. “I think it also disproportionately affects Black creatives, because a lot of times they’ll hire us to do the cheapest amount of labor.”

West Hills-based writer Sid Quashie told the Los Angeles times he made $250,000 for a script he sold to Walt Disney Studios in 2003. Sixteen years later in 2019, when he sold a script to Netflix, he made under $100,000.

In 2007, the WGA went on a 100-day strike that cost the city of Los Angeles an estimated $2.1 billion and countless jobs as all corners of the industry and others adjacent to it were impacted. Only one week into the 2023 strike, there are already casualties.  Late night shows were canceled abruptly. Daily shows stopped. Productions for all shows are tenuous, with many on pause.Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, who have received support from both sides of the dispute, have expressed their concerns and are advocating for a resolution.

Newsom said Tuesday at the Milken Institute Global Conference that the work stoppage “has profound consequences direct and indirect. Every single one of us will be impacted by this, and we’re very concerned about what is going on because both sides are dug in. The stakes are high.”

“Los Angeles relies on a strong entertainment industry that is the envy of the world while putting Angelenos to work in good middle class jobs. I encourage all sides to come together around an agreement that protects our signature industry and the families it supports,” Mayor Bass said.

In the short term, streaming platforms with more scripts banked may have an advantage, as they can continue their productions. Daily and weekly cable shows are at the greatest risk. During the last writer strikes, the producers turned to unscripted content, leading the creation of the reality show Cops and even The Celebrity Apprentice. The Directors Guild and Screen Actors Guild are also in negotiations, with contracts set to expire at the end of June.

Writers Guild of America pickets outside or Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California on May 2, 2023. The writers are in a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers after their contract expired on May 1. (Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media)

“California Vs. Hate” Launches at Capitol

Edward Henderson

California Black Media

On May 4, 2023, a press conference was held to launch California vs Hate, a new website and telephone hotline created to address the sharp rise in hate crimes and hate incidents occurring in the state. The event was attended by the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), Gov. Gavin Newsom, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, state legislators, advocates and people affected by hate crimes.

California vs Hate is a tool state residents can use to report crimes motivated by racial, ethnic or other identity biases. It is part of a broader $110 million investment in anti-hate initiatives.

Lorreen Pryor, President of the Black Youth Leadership Project (BYLP), spoke at the event.

“Anti-Black or African American-biased events rose from 456 in 2020 to 513 in 2021, an increase of 12.5%, continuing the trend of Black Californians being identified as the most targeted ethnic group,” Pryor stated.

According to Pryor, “BYLP is committed to working with the civil rights department, local and state officials, and community leaders to address longstanding anti-Black racism and the subsequent lack of response from law enforcement. We will continue to uplift Black youth, families and community members as we navigate through daily acts of Black bias, discrimination and harassment.” The Governor’s office stated that California vs Hate was established as a response to requests from state and local community and government leaders for resources to address the recent surge in reported hate crimes, which have reached their highest level since 2001. Between 2020 and 2021, hate crimes increased almost 33% statewide.

In California, any individual who has experienced or witnessed an act of hate can anonymously report it by phone or online, irrespective of their immigration status. Everyone is eligible for free care coordination and referrals to resources, including mental health care.

According to California law, a hate crime is a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of one or more of

the following actual or perceived characteristics of the victim: disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation; or because of the person’s association with a person or group with one or more of those actual or perceived characteristics.

“Here in California, we are sending an unequivocal message that hate will not be tolerated,” said Gov. Newsom. “We stand firm for a California for All and it is important that we hold perpetrators accountable for their actions and provide resources for those individuals victimized by hate crimes.”

In 2021, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) proposed establishing a state hotline to report hate crimes. He said the program would assist individuals and communities who are targets of hate including Asian Americans, Latinos, Black Americans, LGBTQ+ individuals, religious minorities, and other diverse communities in California.

“We all saw how incidents of hate targeting Asian Americans escalated during the pandemic across the country. As we worked to fight back, we quickly saw this pandemic of hat was not only targeting Asians, but so many different communities in California,” said Muratsuchi.

Reports can be made online in15 languages at any time at cavshate.org, or by calling (833) 866-4283 or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday to Friday from 9a.m. to 6 p.m. PT, and talking to trained staff in over 200 languages.

Trained care coordinators will provide support following a report, identify options for next steps after a hate incident or hate crime, and connect callers with culturally competent resources. It should be noted that this is not an emergency response hotline and callers are advised to call 911 if they are in immediate danger or witness someone else in distress.

“California is strong because of our diversity but hate-fueled violence remains a persistent and growing threat,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “With the launch of CA vs Hate, we’re taking action to help put a stop to hate and to provide support for victims, survivors, and their families. In the face of hate across the nation, we stand united in declaring: California is for everyone.”

This California Black Media report was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

California Black Media Political Playback: News You Might Have Missed

Tanu Henry and Edward Henderson

California Black Media

Your roundup of stories you might have missed last week.

State Resolution Establishes Black Health Advocacy

Week in California

Last week was Black Health Advocacy Week and Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber delivered the keynote speech at the California Black Health Network’s (CBHN) 40th anniversary celebration in Sacramento.

“When you talk about health issues and the challenge of health, we are a large portion of that issue. So, it becomes important that we raise our voice and don’t just be quiet when these things happen because they have impact on the future,” said Weber at the event.

CBHN is an organization that is dedicated to “advancing health equity for Black and Brown communities” in California.

Last month, Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (DLa Mesa) introduced Assembly Resolution (ACR) 53 to establish last week as Black Health Advocacy week.

“This measure would recognize May 1, 2023, to May 5, 2023, inclusive, and every first week of May thereafter, as Black Health Equity Advocacy Week, and commend the California Black Health Network and other organizations throughout the state for their efforts to improve the health, well-being, and life expectancy of Black Californians,” the resolution language reads.

NAACP Announces Plan to Storm Capitol

The California Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP announced last week that plans to storm the State Capitol to speak to lawmakers about policies that are priorities for the organization.

The organization will hold its “Annual Day at the Capitol on Monday, May 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cal Chamber at 1230 J Street in Sacramento.

NAACP members from around the state can apply here to attend.

High School Seniors and College Freshmen: The Deadline to Apply for Black Caucus Scholarships Is May 15 California college freshmen and high school seniors have less than a week to apply for the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) scholarship. The deadline is May 15 at midnight.

According to the CLBC, the scholarship, named after Frederick Roberts – California’s first Black lawmaker -- was “established to assist deserving students by offering financial assistance to help meet educational expenses.”

Get more details and apply here

Gov. Newsom Lauds California’s Transition to Clean Fuels

On May 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom toured World Energy, a renewable fuel facility in Paramount, a city in Los Angeles County. During the event, he praised California’s progress in transitioning to clean fuels.

“You are addressing the impacts that fossil fuels have

had on low-income communities,” said Newsom. That impact is real, and that impact is raw for people living in those communities.

Newsom said he is proud of the progress California is making in its effort to fully transition to electric vehicles by 2035.

“California’s clean energy future is here, and there’s no better example of that than this petroleum refinery turned renewable fuels hub. The fuels of the future are clean, and California is leading the way with billions of dollars to supercharge this transition while creating thousands more good green jobs and growing our economic might,” he added.

With New Tax Credit, Legislative Black Caucus Wants Black Workers in Entertainment Industry to Get Their Piece of the Pie

On April 27, the Senate Budget Subcommittee #4 held a hearing on the California Film Tax Credit, a $330 million dollar program launched in 2020 to bolster the film industry in the state.

The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) want Black workers in the entertainment industry to benefit from the tax break.

CLBC chair Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) and the caucus’ vice chair State Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Inglewood) in a letter to the committee said, “We write to request that the Senate Budget Subcommittee #4 have a robust discussion regarding the diversity requirements for California Film Tax Credit that includes key stakeholders,” CLBC Members wrote in a letter. “(We) are interested in highlighting the lived experiences of Black workers in the entertainment industry and survey the economic impact the new measure will have on Black and Brown entertainment workers.”

Republican Lawmakers Push Constitutional Amendment to Kill the “Death Tax”

On Tuesday last week, State Sen. Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) held a press conference on SCA 4, a constitutional amendment that would restore taxpayers’ property rights. This would allow Californians to keep their family business and childhood homes after their parents or grandparents pass away.

“This legislation has one purpose, to restore protections for taxpayers and to keep the intrusive reach of the government away from their family inheritance,” said Seyarto. “I urge everyone to join with us, contact your representatives and tell them to vote yes on SCA 4 so we can bring this measure back to the people and restore taxpayer protections.”

In 2020, Proposition 19 capped the value of family homes that could be inherited with their Prop 13 tax base to $1 million. It also added a requirement that parents must live in the home for the remainder of their life to transfer the property to their children.

Prior to Prop 19’s passage, both parents and grandparents were able to pass their homes and businesses to their children and grandchildren without additional requirements.

“Prop 19 changed the way intergenerational transfers of property were handled, all to the detriment of Californians who had worked so hard for many years to solidify a future for themselves and their families,” said Seyarto. “Simply put, Prop 19 resurrected the death tax.”

California To Provide $150 Million to Hospitals in Distress

Last week, California lawmakers passed Senate Bill (SB) 122 a bill that will provide $150 million in interestfree loans to financially struggling hospitals, mostly primarily in rural areas.

The money will be a one-time emergency allocation and will come from the state general fund if the legislation if the legislation is signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

In a hearing last Thursday, State Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) says the funding is just the “beginning.”

It’s antiseptic ointment on the cut. We haven’t even started with the Band-Aid,” she added.

The loans will be administered by the California Department of Health Care Access and information and the California Health Facilities Finance Authority in State Treasurer’s Office.

House Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn Endorses Rep. Barbara Lee

House Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (DSC-6) last week announced that he is throwing his support behind Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) in her race to replace U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein who is not seeking re-elections. “She stands by what she believes in, and she doesn’t back down. In the House, she is an extremely accomplished legislator with a record of delivering historical achievement to end poverty, eradicate HIV and AIDS, and work for global peace and security,” said Clyburn.

Lee is running against Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA-47) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-30).

Contra Costa County District Attorney Dianne Becton and San Francisco Mayor London Breed also recently held Bay Area rallies pledging their support. One of the rallies was held at the African American Art & Culture Complex in San Francisco’s Fillmore district.

Rhonda Smith is talking to and thanking supporters at the 40th-year CBHN anniversary held in Sacramento on May 4. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Rhonda Smith, CBHN executive director, standing with the Secretary of State Shirley Weber and participants of the CBHN network. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Lady Toros Win First Ever CCAA Title

By Earl Heath

Contributing Sports Writer   Nayah Pola blasted a three-run, walk-off home run in the 10  inning leading Cal State Dominguez Hills to the program’s first CCAA Softball Tournament Championship with a 4-1 win over Chico State.

Pitching help came from Toros teammate Alyssa Olague  earned Tournament MVP honors. The La Habra native gave up 12 hits and one walk but was able to pitch out of every tough situation. She struck out four and improved to 16-7 on the season.  The Lady Toros (35-17) earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA West Regional after capturing the 2023 CCAA Tournament Championship. The Toros will travel to Rohnert Park, where Sonoma State (35-13) will be the No. 3 seed and the regional host. They will be joined by Cal State San Marcos (2719), which earned the No. 6 seed. Azusa Pacific (32-24) is the No. 7 seed and the fourth team at the regional site.  Cal State San Bernardino (31-20) is the lone CCAA representative at the other regional site, hosted by the No. 1 seed Concordia (45-10) from the PacWest. The Yotes are the No. 5 seed, and they will be joined by No. 8 seed Biola (28-22), and No. 4 seed, Northwest Nazarene (36-15, GNAC Champion).

Former MLB Star Vida Blue Passes

By Earl Heath

Contributing Sports Writer

Legendary in his own way former Major leaguer Vida Blue recently died on Northern California.

Vida passed away in Tracy, Calif in San Francisco’s East Bay area. His health had been declining just before his death, as at the A’s 50th-anniversary celebration for their 1973 World Series win on April 16, Blue was using a walking stick for assistance. He reportedly passed away due to complications with cancer, although the stage and type of cancer has yet to be revealed.

In a statement released by the Oakland Athletics; “There are few players with a more decorated career than Vida Blue,” it said. “He was a three-time champion, an MVP, a six-time All-Star, a Cy Young Award winner, and an Oakland A’s Hall of Famer. Vida will always be a franchise legend and a friend. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this arduous time.”

In his senior year at Desoto high in Louisiana he threw for 3,400 yards and completed 35 touchdown passes while rushing for 1,600 yards. In his senior year of baseball, Blue threw a nohitter with 21strikouts  in just seven innings pitched.

Blue in the second round of the 1967 MLB draft even though he was recruited to play college football for the University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, and the University of Houston, Blue chose to sign with the Athletics for $12,500 per year to help support his family after his father’s death.[10]

Newcomer Arnold Earns Award

Blue would energize an entire Major League stadium while running to and from the mound between innings. It was something pitchers didn’t do at that time. He had a high leg kick that could freeze a batter.

He was a switch hitter at the plate and so athletic he was called on to pinch run at times.

In 1971 the hard throwing lefty had a 24–8 record and led the  AL with a 1.82 ERA and eight shutouts, striking  out 301 batters. He won  both the Cy Young Award and American League Most Valuable Player Award. He also led the He led the American League with 24 complete games and 8 shutouts.

He got off to a awesome start, going 10–1 when he linked up with Boston’s Sonny Siebert who was 8–0, in a heavily anticipated May matchup in Boston. The game was won by Siebert and the Red Sox 4–3 and remains what is considered one of the most dramatic games in Fenway Park history. Rumor has it Blue threw so hard some claimed to hear a few of his fastballs hitting the catcher’s mitt while outside the famed ballpark.

He along with Reggie Jackson helped lead the team to world series wins in 1972,1973 and 1974.

In his 16-year career he pitcher for the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals. He finished his career with 209 wins and 2,175 strikeouts with an era of 3.21.

He became a baseball analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area, the TV home of the San Francisco Giants.

Lakers Get big Edge Over Warriors

By Earl Heath

Contributing Sports Writer

After opening the series with a big win in San Francisco the Los Angeles Laker took control of the Western conference semifinals with a 104-101 win at Crypto.com Arena Monday night. The win puts the Lakers up 3-1 in the western conference semifinals.  LeBron James led the way for the Lakers with 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but it was an unlikely hero in Lonnie Walker IV who scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to help complete a late comeback, leaving LA one win away from the Western Conference Finals.

“It’s because of Lonnie Walker that we won this game,” said James. “He’s a true professional. I told him to stay with it because we will need you one day and he was ready when his time came.”

Walker, who had become a bit-part player over the second half of the season and barely played in the first round of the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies, has been thrust back into the rotation against the Warriors to great effect.

The 24-year-old added: “I’m a scorer mentality first. I’ve got

a lot of confidence in myself. I know what I’m capable of, and after a lot of sacrifice and a lot of time in the gym, the fruition finally came today.”

A sparkling display from Warriors star Steph Curry –who finished with a triple-double of 31 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds – had Golden State in a good position to level the series, but a costly turnover from the two-time NBA MVP as the team searched for a game-tying shot in the final seconds left the reigning champions one loss from elimination.

Through a combination of their customary quick passing and a change to the starting line-up – Gary Payton II was thrust into the starting five and scored a season-high 15 points – the Warriors had built up a 12-point lead late in the third quarter.

But Golden State struggled for offense in the final period scoring just 17 points, with Curry accounting for 10 of those as the Lakers roared back behind Walker’s late scoring as his 15 nearly equaled all of the Warriors for the frame.

Anthony Davis finished with 23 points and 15 boards.

The series returns to the Bay Area for Game 5 this week. (At Press Time)

In 1971 Vida Blue had a 24-8 record, with a 1.82 ERA, 0.952 WHIP and 301 strikeouts in 312 innings. (Photo: NBC Sports)

Nyah Pola Celebrates after hitting walk-off homer for CSUDH to win (Courtesy Photo)

LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 8: Lonnie Walker IV #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a three point basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors during Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semi Finals on May 8, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

By Earl Heath

Contributing Sports Writer  Colby Arnold was named to the all-Rookie team in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). The freshman pitcher had seven appearances going 4-0 with a era of 4.2 in helping lead the Elm College Blazers to a 24-15 (13-6 conf.) record. Arnold is

a sports management major with a minor in coaching.  The 6-foot 185 pounder is a graduate of Waterford high in Connecticut. Waterford has one of the most storied baseball programs in New England having 10 state titles and were once led by former USA Today National Coach of the Year Jerry Rousseau.

STD Rates In Kern County: A Q&A With Patrick Salazar From Kern Public Health Department

By Janell Gore South Kern Sol

With Sexually Transmitted Diseases and infections on the rise in Kern County, Kern Sol News spoke to Patrick Salazar, the program manager with the Kern County Public Health Department. The data mentioned in the story comes from 2021 due to the department not having 2022 or 2023 data available yet.

The Kern County Public Health Department website shows that compared to 20 years ago Kern  County is 114% higher for HIV/AIDS, Gonorrhea is 167% higher, Syphilis is 30 times higher and, Congenital Syphilis is 34 times higher. Can you share specific rates for these sexually transmitted diseases in Kern County?

Some preliminary data that we have for 2021 because our data is always behind. Some preliminary data that we have shows that for Clahmidya cases we had about 5,973 cases. For Gonorrhea we had fewer cases but there were 2,239 cases. In regards to Syphilis, we have about 1,293 cases. Then HIV we had 189 new cases back in 2021 which has been the highest new case rate that we’ve ever had in Kern County even since the earlier epidemic. We do account for population growth as part of that but it’s still too high… basically, this equates to an STI occurring about once every hour.

Along with population what factors do you think are contributing to this increase in cases? For example, do you think the pandemic had anything to do with the increase in cases?

What we saw was that cases decreased in 2020 and then they shot right back up in 2021. So the reason for that being is that the state issued the stay-at-home order so people were not accessing healthcare like they normally would’ve. So, there weren’t a lot of people out there really testing for STIs. Once the pandemic kept moving along and I think in 2021 people were kind of getting out but we saw people accessing health care again. So, we always give

the data for 2020 with a caveat in that there was a stay-athome order.

What advice would you give for staying safe regarding STDs and STIs?

Just kind of taking control of your own health and seeking out testing as part of your normal healthcare. For anybody that’s sexually active, it’s just taking that role of seeking out testing whether that be annually or whatever the time interval is just to have that as part of your normal healthcare…  As you’re probably aware some STIs don’t show any symptoms and so someone may not know they have anything.

What advice do you have for people to maintain good sexual health after contracting an incurable STD such as

HIV/AIDs or Herpes?

It’s just really finding the recourses. You know obviously, the public health department is a resource and just trying to be more educated. I think what the pandemic did, it moved a lot of recourses and things online and so there’s so much information out there on the web. So, it’s just really looking for the information that you know is going to be accurate. Visiting websites such as the CDC and even the state website, even our website, just make sure you have accurate information. There’s a lot of misinformation out there. Then it’s just really knowing what are the treatment options… Getting informed about the treatment options that are there and knowing that someone with HIV can live a normal healthy life. It’s just

another chronic disease like diabetes or cholesterol where you have to take medications.

What demographics according to the data have the highest rates?

We have been seeing more cases that involve homelessness, even cases where there’s substance use involved, and even people who have behavioral health issues. We’ve been seeing a number of cases that have factors like that involved. We’ve also been seeing an increase in the number of women that are contracting things such as HIV. Those are obviously concerning to us and we want to try to do more messaging to get that information out in the community so that people can be aware of it.

Is there any specific age group you are seeing with higher rates?

We are seeing more young people that are more affected for example, by HIV. Maybe within the last five years not including 2023 or 2022 we’ve been seeing an increase in the number of young people contracting HIV which is concerning. We also see things like syphilis where people are diagnosed with syphilis and HIV at the same time. We’re seeing it more in young people, I’d say probably up to the age of 19 or 20 kind of in that range.

What is a myth about STDs you would like to debunk?

One of the most common ones that I hear is ‘Something like that would never happen to me because I always protect myself and so it’s not something I need to worry about’. That might not be accurate because someone could be protecting themselves from syphilis but there are different ways of contracting syphilis. So, if someone is engaging in oral sex it can be passed on that way. You don’t have to just have intercourse in order to pass on STIs.  Salazar again encouraged people to get tested as a part of their normal health routines. For those that would feel more comfortable at home, he stated that there are more home testing kits for people to test themselves and then send the specimen to a lab for results.

Black Jobless Rate Hits Lowest in U.S. History

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

According to the freshly published jobs report for April, the jobless rate for African Americans in the United States maintained its steady slide to new historic levels, just one month after hitting a record low for the previous lowest level ever recorded. On Friday morning, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the unemployment rate for African Americans dropped below 5% for the first time in US history.

This is new ground for the labor force in the country.

The employment report for April showed that the unemployment rate for Black people in the United States declined by three-tenths of a percentage point, a drop that cannot be considered negligible.

The employment report for April showed that the unemployment rate for Black people in the United States

decreased by three-tenths of a percentage point, which is not an insignificant drop. That represents a 4.7% decrease overall.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for Black men, in particular, and for Black youths, fell.

After Black women reached a historic low in joblessness in March, their unemployment rate slightly increased, according to a jobs report.

Overall, the rate of joblessness in the United States has fallen to its lowest point in half a century, at 3.4%.

The rate includes white workers, and their rate fell one-tenth of a percentage point, reaching 3.1%.

Bharat Ramamurti, the deputy director of the White House National Economic Council, referred to it as “an incredible milestone.”

House National Economic Council, referred to it as “an incredible milestone.”

The employment report for April showed that the unemployment rate for Black people in the United States decreased by three-tenths of a percentage point, which is not an insignificant drop.

Medi-Cal Enrollees: Here’s How to Verify Your Eligibility

By Bernard J. Wolfson California Healthline

If you are enrolled in Medi-Cal, as more than one-third of Californians are, make sure your county knows how to reach you, or you could lose your health coverage unnecessarily.

You will likely hear and see public messages over the coming weeks urging you to update your contact information. Heed them.

Then, sometime between now and next spring, you’ll probably receive mail from the agency that administers Medi-Cal in your county telling you if you are still eligible for the safetynet health insurance program or asking for more information about your employment status, income, and household size. An information request would likely come in a bright-yellow envelope containing a roughly 20-page form about six weeks before the start of your renewal month.

Be on the alert: Medi-Cal is warning about scammers who have been contacting enrollees and requesting a fee to help people renew coverage. Don’t fall for it. No payment is required to renew your coverage.

But be sure to open your mail and respond to any official request for personal information. And be aware that updating your information could push you off Medi-Cal if your income has risen or if you have access to other insurance.

If you need help with any of this, especially that daunting renewal form, keep reading.

Medi-Cal, the state’s version of the Medicaid health insurance program for low-income residents, has embarked on a 14-month effort to reexamine the eligibility of its nearly 15.8 million members. It is part of the massive “unwinding” being undertaken by all state Medicaid programs after three pandemic years during which their rolls swelled. States had agreed, in exchange for extra funding from the feds, not to boot anyone except in cases such as fraud, death, or a move out of state.

On April 1, Medicaid restarted the annual eligibility checks that had been the norm before the pandemic. It will be the biggest shake-up in U.S. health coverage since the Affordable Care Act, though it cuts the opposite way: Between 8 million and 24 million people will likely be bounced from Medicaid nationally, including an estimated 2 million to 3 million in California.

To minimize the number of enrollees dropped unnecessarily, California’s Department of Health Care Services, which runs Medi-Cal, has launched a $25 million advertising and outreach campaign that will send messages in 19 languages. The department is enlisting the assistance of nearly everyone who has contact with Medi-Cal enrollees: county offices, health plans, medical providers, advocacy groups, and volunteers. And it got $146 million in supplemental funding to help counties cope with the unprecedented number of renewal decisions. But some patient advocates, health plan executives, and community clinic administrators worry it will not be enough to help all enrollees who could lose coverage if they can’t be reached or don’t respond — especially transient and homeless people and those with language or cultural barriers.

Less than two months before the start of the unwinding, multiple counties, including Fresno and Sacramento, reported staffing shortages and the need to train eligibility workers.

Laura

Sheckler, deputy director of policy at the California

Primary Care Association, which represents about 1,300 community clinics statewide, says the nearly $60 million in state funds earmarked for “navigators” to assist Medi-Cal enrollees is not enough for her group’s members to provide all the help that will be needed. The association has asked lawmakers for another $60 million.

Some Medi-Cal members already know where they stand.

Anthony Kelley, a 53-year-old single dad, is one of them. Kelley, who lives with his 14-year-old son, Nicholas, in Pacifica, California, temporarily lost his job as a driver for a concrete company in the early days of the pandemic and signed up for Medi-Cal. He got his job back about a month later, along with access to employer-sponsored health coverage, but he has stayed on Medi-Cal for the past three years. His son has been on MediCal since he was born.

When San Mateo County sent Kelley a renewal form, he called and was told his $58,000 annual income likely meant he and his son would lose Medi-Cal coverage. Now, he’s waiting for that to happen.

“It sucks for my son,” Kelley says, adding that he fears Nicholas could lose his doctors. “But we’ll deal with it.”

If you are anxious or uncertain about what you need to do, don’t fret. Help is available.

You can call or visit your local Medi-Cal office to update your personal information or ask for assistance. The Department of Health Care Services (www.dhcs.ca.gov) lists on its website all county Medi-Cal agencies, with addresses, phone numbers, and links. You can also call Medi-Cal’s help line (800-541-5555).

If you want to avoid potentially long lines or telephone hold times, consider signing up for an account at www.benefitscal.com or www.mybenefitscalwin.org. Doing so will allow you to update your personal and financial information online and find your renewal date.

Another great resource is the Health Consumer Alliance (888-804-3536 or www.healthconsumer.org), which can help you navigate the complexities of renewal, or contest a termination decision you think is unwarranted. Community clinics, which provide care for nearly one-third of Medi-Cal enrollees, often have navigators on-site who can help fill out forms and answer questions. L.A. Care, the largest Medi-Cal health plan, has 11 centers across Los Angeles County that will offer help to anyone who needs it, not just its members. Fresno County has 14 such centers. Check with your health plan for similar resources. Under a state law, SB 260, if you are bumped off MediCal but still have income low enough to qualify for an insurance subsidy through Covered California, the state’s insurance marketplace, you will be auto-enrolled in a plan the exchange deems to be the best value at the lowest cost. Once notified of the plan selection, you will have 30 days to accept it, choose another plan, or decline coverage altogether.

“This doesn’t need to be all doom and gloom for people who have Medi-Cal,” says David Kane, a senior attorney at the Western Center on Law & Poverty. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.