News Observer Los Angeles
Volume 35 Number 37
Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California
Thousands of Californians Face Homelessness as
Eviction Freeze Set to End Quinci LeGardye California Black Media With the federal COVID-19 rent protections provided in the CARES Act about to expire, any plan to assist tenants who have fallen behind on their payments due the COVID-19 pandemic, would have to be drawn up by state or local governments. In California, Chief Justice Tani CantilSakauye, chair of the Judicial Council, said, during a public meeting June 24, that the council would “very soon resume voting to terminate the temporary orders having to do with unlawful detainer Chief Justice Tani Can- evictions and foreclosures.” The Judicial Council, til-Sakauye, chair of the Judicial Council. (Courte- which regulates the state’s court system, placed a sy Photo) temporary emergency rule on April 6, which stops judges from processing evictions for non-payment of rent during the COVID-19 state of emergency. If the court votes to terminate the rule, it would be rescinded effective Aug. 14. Nisha Vyas, Senior Attorney at the Western Center on Law and Poverty, spoke at a press conference held by Ethnic Media Services. In her presentation she detailed some mechanics of the Judicial Council’s rules, and she explained how its rescission would hurt California renters. “We’re extremely concerned about this, as the Legislature and Governor have not yet acted to put something in place that will prevent the massive wave of evictions that will begin when this rule is lifted,” Vyas told California Black Media over email. “When the rule is withdrawn and the moratorium lapses, we expect this massive eviction crisis, and if we allow the evictions to simply start again without any longterm assistance, it’s going to have a devastating impact on renters, and in particular communities of color.” Lifting the statewide eviction moratorium would disproportionately affect Black Californians. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Housing Survey, 64.4% of African Americans in California are tenants. Also, 57% of Black renters have lost income since mid-March this year, according to the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. According to another U.S. Census Bureau Housing Pulse Survey conducted in June, only about 46 % of Black renters in California were confident that they could pay July’s rent. The other 54% – which accounts for hundreds of thousands of African American households – have no to moderate confidence that they will be able to keep a roof over their heads. During the public meeting, Chief Justice Cantil-
Part One of a Four
NNPA Exclusive Feature News Series NNPA Newswire Service and BlackPressUSA.com Washington, DC. — This past Fourth of July, the motorsports world was exploding with action in Austria with Formula One, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway made history by hosting INDYCAR and NASCAR, on the same race weekend. In the wake of George Floyd’s death, and the civil unrest that ensued, each racing series has been in the news with regards to their interest to support the abolishment of racial injustices, racism and police brutality by having their respective sport create diversity and inclusion initiatives to welcome a new generation of fans, industry professionals and sponsors. But the key question remains unanswered. In the growing economic gains and spheres of public influence of the Motorsports Industry in America, do Black Lives Matter? The NNPA is the global media partner for the African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN), an advocacy and marketing partner of the United Nations, and we had an opportunity to interview an African American leader in motorsports, Chris Miles, Global Motorsport Marketing Advisor and Diversity & Inclusion Strategist for ARDN, as well as principal owner of Starting Grid, Inc., to get his opinion on the diversity initiatives happening now in the world of motorsports. NNPA: Chris we are pleased to have the opportunity to speak with you and learn more about what is going on in the world of motorsports with regards to diversity and inclusion, but before we do, please tell us about Starting Grid, Inc.? Chris Milies: Thank you, the pleasure is mine. Per your question, I founded Starting Grid in May of 1994, due to the difficulty I was having securing sponsorship when I was actively participating in motorsports as a race car driver. I became very frustrated and disappointed with the lack of interest corporate America displayed in sponsoring a Black driver, so I set out on a mission to change that narrative. Needless to say, for the past 26 years, Starting Grid, Inc. has been singularly focused on pioneering diversity motorsport initiatives for minorities to have an equal opportunity to participate within the many facets of the motorsports industry through the Millennium Motorsports Initiative, in an effort to “change the face of motorsports in the 21st century.” ESPN MMI Interview - https://youtu.be/d3Mo84cIsP0 NNPA: So, you originally pursued motorsports as a drive Chris Miles: I did. My aspirations as a kid, growing up in New Albany, Indiana, was to become the 1st Black driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. I had to adjust those aspirations when Willy T. Ribbs became the first African American to break the color barrier in 1991. I was totally good with it though,
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Free Meals to Be Provided
Free meals for children ages 18 and younger, will be provided from July 13 to August 14, by the FNCF Community Development Corporation. The meals will be served weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., at First New Christian Fellowship Baptist Church (FNCFBC), 1555 West 108th Street, Los Angeles (across the street from Washington Preparatory High School). The meals are a component of the Summer Food Service Program, sponsored by the California Department of Education’s Nutrition Services Division. “We understand the value of good nutrition and the role it plays in the development of children,” said Dr. Norman S. Johnson, Sr., Pastor, FNCFBC. “We are pleased to be one of the sites selected to provide food to community residents through this program.” In accordance with Federal Law and Agricultural Department Policy, FNCF Community Development Corporation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. FNCF Community Development Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Provider. For further information, please call (323) 7562541.
8 CA Counties are Latest Coronavirus Hotspots
By David Odisho: SAN FRANCISCO, CA / U.S. - MAY 1, 2020: Activists congregated outside of San Francisco’s City Hall on May Day rallying for the #CancelRent movement amid a crippled economy that has displaced many.
Sakauye also said that the Aug. 14 deadline would give the state legislature the chance to pass legislation regarding tenant protections. AB 1436, authored by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) protects tenants from eviction due to non-payment of rent during the COVID-19 pandemic; allows landlords and tenants to work out payment arrangements for no more than the amount the renter owes; shields the tenant from negative credit reporting and protects his or her ability to rent in the future; and places the eviction process under the authority of civil courts; among other provisions. It also gives a 15-month grace period for unpaid rent after the COVID-19 state of emergency ends. The bill passed the Assembly unanimously in May 2019 and is currently under review in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is sponsored by multiple housing justice organizations, including the Western Center, PolicyLink and Housing NOW California. According to Vyas, solving past due rent disputes in civil court rather than through the evictions process
would be better for renters. Eviction proceedings are typically fast-tracked, with nearly 75% of eviction cases resolved within 45 days of filing, and many low-income tenants cannot afford an attorney. “The advantage is that tenants would be able to remain in their homes. They could handle the rent payment dispute with the landlord in a proceeding that doesn’t put them at risk of homelessness. It would also prevent unnecessary and harmful interactions with law enforcement, since lockouts are performed by sheriffs,” said Vyas. Over email, Vyas also pointed out that Californians would need assistance on the federal level as well, preferably through monetary rental assistance. But on the state level, Vyas said, AB 1436 is a necessary step. “AB 1436 is a chance for communities and individuals to tell their state legislators here in California to stop the new wave of evictions to keep us all safe and housed. It is, I want to stress, the first step of many that we need to take to bring more equity into housing in California. But this is a great way for people to become engaged.”
Do Black Lives Matter?
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Motorsports in America: because Willy was a racing hero of mine — and I am fortunate to say, he has been a personal friend for over 25 years. In fact, in 2011, Willy and I created Willy T. Ribbs Racing to celebrate his 20th anniversary of breaking the color barrier at Indy by bringing along the first African American driver, to compete in INDYCAR’s Indy Lights championship, Chase Austin. NNPA: Well how and when did you become the Global Motorsport Marketing Advisor and Diversity & Inclusion Strategist for ARDN, and what are you responsible for? Chris Miles: I became connected with ARDN through my business partner, famed Hollywood actor Richard Gant, who serves as ARDN’s Art, Sport and Culture Chair. We are tasked with amplifying the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the United Nations General Assembly’s International Decade For People of African Descent through various activations utilizing art, sport and culture. Richard and I first met back in 1998 at the California Speedway in Fontana, California when I was hosting the racing magazine show Inside CART on FOX Sports. Incidentally, as the host of Inside CART, I became the first African American in the history of motorsports and television to host a nationally televised racing magazine show, which also aired on ESPN in 2000. Inside CART - https://youtu.be/KJdowMZgAfQ?t=23 Over the years, Richard and I stayed in constant contact with one another in hopes of working together.
In 2004, an opportunity presented itself for me to produce 10 Black History Month vignettes, where Richard provided the voice over narration, for the now defunct SPEED Channel. BHM vignette - https://youtu.be/tr8YIeoTWZ In 2013, we piloted a STEM education/motorsport science initiative with the 2011 Indy 500 winning team Bryan Herta Autosport and the Gary Community School Corporation. FOX Sports feature - https://youtu.be/KCev28Ku2oE In 2014, through a partnership with FIFA, we collaborated on the UNAIDS “Protect the Goal” HIV/AIDS global campaign for the World Cup in Brazil. We introduced the ZERO car, which signified Zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination and Zero AIDS-related deaths, driven by Chase Austin, in the Freedom 100 during the Indianapolis 500 race weekend, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. UNAIDS “Protect The Goal” promo - https://youtu.be/ n8sm1EWksLU We will continue this news feature next week with part two. The NNPA’s Stacy Brown and Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. will continue the NNPA special interview with Chris Miles. Chris Miles: Yes, it is! And that is what further frustrates me with this announcement, because I know of drivers all over the globe where if proper funding were in place Starting Grid can have several drivers of African descent competing in INDYCAR’s racing ladder system and other disciplines of motorsports as well.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ As coronavirus cases spike in California’s vast Central Valley, the state will send strike teams and tens of millions of dollars to eight counties to speed up testing, help infected people quarantine and assist overwhelmed health care workers, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday. The state is aiming for every infected person to transmit the virus to fewer than one other person, but in several Central Valley counties the spread is happening more often, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, head of the California Health and Human Services Agency. “We have a great deal of work to do to get transmission rates down here in the Central Valley,” Ghaly said. Ghaly and the governor spoke at an almond company in Stockton, a city that’s driving the increase in cases in San Joaquin County. The eight counties targeted by state officials are Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Tulare and Stanislaus counties. All have test positivity rates between roughly 11% and 18%, which is above the state’s goal of 8%. In Kern County, cases increased by more than 161% over a two-week period, the highest of any of the eight counties, according to state data. The focus on the Central Valley comes after months of attention largely on Los Angeles, home to a quarter of the state’s population and a coronavirus hot spot, and the San Francisco Bay Area, which implemented some of the nation’s strictest shut down measures. In the early weeks of the pandemic, rural California wasn’t hit as hard as more urban areas. The Monday announcement came days after Newsom pledged to do more to help California’s Latinos, who are the majority of workers in many essential jobs in the heavily agricultural Central Valley. Newsom said the state will send three regional “strike teams” into the Central Valley, modeled after an approach to rising infections in Imperial County earlier this year. The teams of state workers will assist local public health, community and medical organizations to improve testing, contact tracing, public education and hospital surge planning. Specifically, the teams will assess outbreaks in factories, nursing homes, high-density housing and agricultural settings. The $52 million is part of a half-billion dollar federal investment to help the state tackle the virus. A total of about $286 million will go to local governments.
Paintings by Zoo Animals Offered in Online FundRaiser
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – A closed zoo in New Mexico is trying to raise money by selling paintings – by the zoo’s animals. KOB-TV in Albuquerque, New Mexico, reports the New Mexico BioPark Society is offering artwork by the zoo’s elephants holding paint brushes in their trunks, snow leopards using their paws and other animals to buy zookeeper equipment. Art collectors can check out the paintings at the Art Gone Wild online gallery. The prices range from $25 to nearly $600. New Mexico BioPark Society development director Allyson Zahm says money raised from the art will be used to buy the zookeepers the things needed for animal enrichment. Zahm says buyers can also pick a color and have Alice, the elephant, paint it for them. She says the zoo will even capture the painting on video. The goal for this month was $3,000. The society reached the goal and hope to continue raising more. The ABQ BioPark Zoo has been closed for weeks because of COVID-19.
Dog Lost on SC Hwy Found in FL
MIAMI (AP) – A pet dog that jumped out of a car window on a South Carolina highway has been found two weeks later, nearly 600 miles (966 kilometers) away in Miami, according to a relative of the owner. The dog named Belle escaped from the moving car near Charleston on July 15, according to Tim Whitfield, whose 90-year-old mother owns Belle. Whitfield put out a call for help on Facebook at the time and said that he bought the puppy for his mother after her dog of 16 years recently died. She was “heartbroken” after hearing the dog was lost, Whitfield added. After nearly two weeks of searching, Whitfield learned over the weekend that a car of Florida residents grabbed Belle out of traffic after spotting the animal while traveling through Charleston to Miami, WCIVTV reported Sunday. The rescuers said they saved Belle because they were afraid she was going to be hit by oncoming cars, the station reported. They then tracked down Whitfield through social media posts. Whitfield thanked all the people who helped share Belle’s story in a message posted to Facebook on Sunday. “A great reminder that when all seems lost, hope must be the constant thought,’’ he said.