Ognsc ve 10 26 17

Dave Roberts keeps Dodgers pointed toward World Series Glory

Emmy-Award Winning Benson Star Robert Guillaume Dies at 89

News Observer The Valley’s

Volume 32 Number 50

Serving the Antelope and San Fernando Valleys

Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California

“Taste of Soul“-ful

By Ricky Richardson Contributing Writer Los Angeles-A crowd estimated at around 300,000 assembled up and down Crenshaw Blvd. (The Shaw), for the 12th Annual Taste of Soul Family Music Family, Saturday, October 21, 2017. With respect to the Doobie Brothers, “Taking it to the Streets,” Taste of Soul took place on Crenshaw Blvd. Between Stocker Blvd on the South and Rodeo Road to the North, in Los Angeles.

The weather Gods looked down favorably upon this magnificent cultural celebration of all things soulful. It was warm, with a slight breeze, unlike the heatwave experienced the next several days heading into the busy work week. The Taste of Soul is a great place for families, food, fun and fellowship with ones fellow men and women. The big draw is the food. The best of the best of Southern food was on display, smorgasbord style up and down “The Shaw.” The Taste of Soul featured an abundance of top-notch entertainment on four different stages. This years theme as “Salute to the Legacy of Motown.”

As luck would have it, I found a cool spot near the 94.7 The Wave Music Stage presented by Budweiser. 94.7 The Wave returned once again to team up with Taste of Soul for an incredible afternoon of note-worthy musical line-up. 94.7 The Wave is Southern California’s source for smooth jazz, and soulful sounds of R&B. 94.7 The Wave Music Stage presented by Budweiser was part of four musical powerhouse stages that enhanced the 12th Annual Taste of Soul experience.

Greg Mack, Radio Personality, 94.7 The Wave, served as Master of Ceremony. DJ Shell got the proverbial pilot light lit as he laid down some old school and new school tracks for early arrivals to the festival. Things started to heat up musically very early with the smooth, soulful sounds of the Connect Band. They crowd got to groove with these talented young musicians as they kicked off the live entertainment on the 94.7 The Wave Music Stage presented by Budweiser.

Chosen Gospel Recovery returned again to lift up the name of the Lord, during this early Saturday morning Tent Revival. Their foot stomping, hand clapping set featured the tunes “I Got to Keep Praising Your Name,” “He Loves Me,” and “I’m Living a Blessed Life” with an intro to a few bars of “ F u n k i n’ for Jamaica.” I’m sure that you will agree with me that it’s alright to give God the Glory on this Glorious Day and every day for that matter.

Greg Mack invited several celebrities onstage to say hello and to speak about the Urban Movie Channel.

The celebrities in attendance were Caryn Ward Ross (The Game, No Regrets), Brian J. White (Ray Donovan, No Regrets, Scandal, Chicago Fire, Stomp the Yard), and Brooklyn White, actress, comedian (Flex and Shanice). Ms. Jones thrilled the crowd with a hilarious impromptu stand up routine.

The 94.7 The Wave Music Stage presented by Budweiser was crackalackin and burning on all four cylinders. On Tour got the party started as we went on a musical journey with a variety of tunes

Singer/Songwriter Kenny Lattimore made a surprise guest appearance to the stage

from back in the day. They opened their set with a relevant and timely tune “Lovely Day.” The tour continued with “Free,” “Joy and Pain,” a Prince Medley, followed by “Brickhouse,” “Fire,” “Before I Let You Go,” “I Just Like Having Fun,” “Living the Single Life.” They slowed the tempo down on the tunes “The Best You Ever Had,” and “My Girl” with a dose of “Just My Imagination.” They finished their crowd pleasing set with two rousing numbers “This is How We Do It,” and “Doing the Butt,” with a lot of crowd participation.

Singer/Songwriter Kenny Lattimore made a surprise guest appearance to the stage to wow the crowd with “Loving You” and to promote is latest CD “Vulnerable.”

The StarQuest Soundstage sponsored by Hyundai was the launch pad for future musical stars to take flight. The 6th annual singing competition featured local talent from StarQuest finalist 4 Kids and StarQuest for Adults. The competition was held from 10-2:00PM, in front of industry executives, talent scouts, family members and thousands of festival goers. StarQuest judges for the adult stage hosted by Karla Gordon Bristol consisted of Cee Barrett-Associate director, BMI; Malcolm David Kelly-actor (Detroit); DomiNque Perry-actress (Insecure); Cornelius Grant-former Motown Executive; Brenda Holloway-legendary singer; Jane English-singer, Loose Ends and Kenny Lattimore-singer/song-

Sounds

writer. The winning adult was given the opportunity to perform a Motown tribute song on the 94.7 The Wave Stage presented by Budweiser. The 2017 adult StarQuest winner was Ryan Wirtz, who dazzled the crowd with his version of “Let’s Get it On.” This was a tremendous birthday gift for this talented young man to perform in front of thousands of festival attendees.

Pat Prescott, 94.7 The Wave, and Pat Harvey, CBS2, announced the appearance of the next band. All Aboard! The Gap Band Experience (Gap X Band), gave the crowd and I an unforgettable experience with their high-octane set, funk infused soulful sounds from their catalog of hits. There was no sitting as they performed “Humpin,’ “Gap Nation Under a Groove,” “Yearning for Your Love,” “Outstanding,” “Party Train,” and “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” to name a few.

The Ohio Players opened their set with “Roller Coaster.”

They took the crowd on a fun-filled musical ride during their time in the spotlight to close the 12th Annual Taste of Soul on the 94.7 The Wave Music Stage presented by Budweiser.

I’m sure that music was rockin’ on the 102.3 KJLH Radio Free/Buffalo Wild Wings Stage, the McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour on the Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel Stage and StarQuest Soundstage sponsored by Hyundai.

The Ohio Players opened their set with “Roller Coaster.”

It’s Enrollment Time at Covered California

Southern California Black media outlets and Black insurance agents at Covered California media roundtable briefing.

By Charlene Muhammad California Black Media LOS ANGELES - Enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) opens November 1, and Covered California, the state’s hub for affordable plans, launched its outreach to Black communities with a “Coffee & Conversation Media Roundtable” at the California Endowment on October 19.

The event was hosted by Dr. Robert Ross, president, and CEO of the California Endowment, which makes grants to organizations and institutions that directly benefit the health and well-being of Californians.

Open enrollment ends on January 31, however, outside of that time, consumers may enroll in a plan if they experience a life event that qualifies them for a special-enrollment period.

Ross, Dr. Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, and a host of speakers discussed the future of health insurance and health care for Blacks in the state, particularly in a time of federal uncertainty and potential reforms to the national health care law.

In August, the Trump Administration announced it would allocate $10 million for advertising and other outreach for enrollment under the Affordable Care Act Department this year, versus $100 million last year.

To maintain, Covered California has to add a surcharge averaging 12.4 percent to the Silver-tier plan next year. But don’t worry, it says because the plans will level out, with nearly four out of five consumers seeing their premiums stay the same or

decrease, since the amount of financial help they receive will also rise.

Financial help means that in 2018, nearly 60 percent of subsidy-eligible enrollees will have access to Silver coverage for less than $100 per month — the same as it was in 2017 — and 74 percent can purchase Bronze coverage for less than $10 per month, explains Covered California.

It is vital that Black communities stay informed about the state health exchange and its efforts to enroll communities of color, and members of the Black press are key players in that goal, say the health care advocates.

Statewide, Covered California has reduced the eligible uninsured rate to a little over three percent, meaning it’s reaching universal coverage, according to Lee. That benefits all communities and to a very powerful degree, Black communities, he said.

Blacks make up approximately five percent of subsidy-eligible enrollments, and they make up eight percent of the new Medical enrollments, he said.

“We’re doing this in very odd and uncertain, turbulent times,” said Lee. In many ways, this fifth open enrollment period is the second most important one Covered California has ever had, he said.

California’s decrease of 3.2 million people is the biggest decrease in the raw number of people uninsured nationwide, representing more than three states combined, cited Covered

California from a U.S. Census report.

In the beginning, the network stumbled a little bit, but proved to the country it could endure, has done pretty well, and is a model for the U.S., Lee stated. He also said frankly that Covered California and the Affordable Care Act are under attack.

Both have weathered the storm and been very effective in continuing to deliver, Lee said, as he thanked the Black media as part of the reason they’ve been successful in California.

Covered California’s marketing campaign aims to help motivate, inform, and assist people with enrollment. “We’re at a time where telling our story has to happen on the ground,” Lee said.

While the average Californian, last open enrollment, saw, heard, read about Covered California 90 times, name recognition is not enough, Lee stated.

A survey of uninsured, eligible consumers showed 25 percent know it and 75 percent do not, according to Lee. That is why the health insurance marketplace plans to spend $111 million - mostly on paid advertising - to make Blacks aware of benefits through Covered California, such as free preventive care services, lower cost, and quality choices from brand name companies.

The bottom line is quality health care is within reach, emphasized Ross, Lee, and other roundtable speakers, including physicians from Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital, and Covered California insurance agents.

“California has been a model for the successful implementation of Obamacare,” said Ross. “That partnership with the California Black Media and others, we think, is at least, at least, partly responsible for seeing the level of success we have in getting coverage improvements in the African American community,” he stated.

Regina Wilson, California Black Media director, questioned, what, specifically, are the health insurance plans themselves doing in terms of outreach to Blacks who are eligible, but not enrolling.

“One of the things we hear when we’re out there is people are confused about what’s happening,” Wilson informed.

“Covered California, you guys have stepped to the plate.

The Endowment always steps to the plate, but I see an absence when it comes to those individual plans marketing in those areas,” commended Wilson.

FREE!

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Senate Hires Outside Firm to Probe Harassment

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ The California Senate is hiring two outside firms to investigate allegations of sexual harassment and assault and to review its policies for addressing such incidents.

Senate leader Kevin de Leon’s Monday announcement comes after nearly 150 women released an open letter calling out “pervasive’’ harassment in one of the nation’s most powerful legislatures.

The Law Offices of Amy Oppenheimer which specializes in investigating workplace harassment and discrimination will interview current and former Senate staff dating back five years. The chamber is also bringing on Sacramento-based CPS HR Consulting to review its harassment policies.

The Senate and Assembly have “zero-tolerance’’ harassment policies but women say they are inadequate.

An Assembly subcommittee will review the lower chamber’s policies when it next meets in January.

De Leon is currently running for U.S. Senate.

September Unemployment Rate was 5.1%

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ California’s unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in September, unchanged from the previous month and down from a year earlier.

The state Employment Development Department said Friday that employers added 52,200 nonfarm payroll jobs during the month.

In September 2016, California’sunemployment rate was 5.3 percent.

The national unemployment rate was 4.2 percent last month, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point.

Hot Temps will Bring Fire and Health Alerts LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Triple-digit temperatures are forecast for parts of Southern California at the start of the week and the risk of fire is extreme.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Sunday that red flag warnings were in effect from Santa Barbara to San Diego as high winds and low humidity are forecast.

Cal Fire says extra firefighters are on duty with Santa Ana winds expected to gust to 55 mph.

The National Weather Service says temperatures in excess of 100 degrees forecast Monday and Tuesday could break records for late October in some cities.

The weather service has issued an excessive heat warning and says people should limit strenuous outdoor activity.

Temps aren’t supposed to cool significantly until Thursday.

Body Discovered in Cave is thought to be Homeless Person

CRESTLINE, Calif. (AP) _ Authorities have discovered a body in a cave in the Southern California mountains after a woman reported seeing a hand sticking out of the ground.

KABC-TV reports that the woman spotted the hand Thursday night near an old glass bottle dump in Crestline, a community in the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles.

San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies were called and found a small cave dug into a hillside. The hand was inside the cave.

Investigators believe a man was buried there when the cave collapsed. A special team will remove the body so it can be identified.

Authorities say homeless people have been known to frequent the area.

Salvation Army Receives Remains

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (AP) _ A Salvation Army thrift store in New Hampshire has received an urn apparently filled with cremated remains.

The Portsmouth Herald reports the urn was donated last week. It’s bronze in color and is engraved “Richard L. Pettengill 1929-1981.’’

The store is holding onto the urn in an effort to return it to the deceased’s relatives.

Portsmouth police Lt. Michael Maloney told the newspaper it’s not a crime to donate an urn with ashes but called it “odd.’’

Police said the urn and ashes are considered private property, and whoever owned them could do with them what they wish.

An obituary ran in the pages of the Herald’s sister paper for a Richard L. Pettengill who died in 1981. He was described as a brick mason who served in the Army.

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The Valley’s News Observer

World & Nation

Thursday October 26, 2017

California Won’t Make Bar Exam Any Easier

By SUDHIN THANAWALA Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Becoming a lawyer in California isn't going to get easier after the state Supreme Court decided not to lower the minimum passing score on one of nation's toughest licensing exams for attorneys.

The justices on Wednesday acknowledged a drop in the percentage of people passing the test but said further study was needed to determine what might be behind the trend.

“Examination of these matters could shed light on whether potential improvements in law school admission, education and graduation standards and in State Bar testing for licensure ... could raise bar exam pass rates,” the justices said.

For James Dunworth, 52, the decision means a little less room for error on the bar exam he took in July _ his third attempt to pass the test. If the court had chosen to lower the passing score, it could have applied to his exam.

“I wanted a little breathing room,” Dunworth said.

The Supreme Court in February ordered the State Bar to review whether the passing score was appropriate for evaluating the minimum competence of prospective attorneys. The move came after law school deans said in a letter to the court that California's high score unfairly penalizes students who would have become lawyers in other states.

California's minimum score of 144 is the second highest in the country. Most states have a minimum passing score of 135 or lower, according to state bar staff.

The passage rate on the July test fell from nearly 62 percent

Out of the Shadows:

in 2008 to 43 percent in 2016, mirroring a national trend that has alarmed law school administrators and officials responsible for licensing attorneys.

Oregon and Nevada lowered their passing scores this year amid a similar decline.

In California, the proposal to lower the minimum score ignited a broader debate about racial diversity among attorneys, the quality of law schools and their students, and the skills lawyers need most.

“The declining passing rate has become a proxy for so many issues in the legal field,” said Derek Muller, a professor at Pepperdine University School of Law in Los Angeles who has studied legal education and standards.

Law school deans in the state say California's higher minimum score is unjustified, does not produce better lawyers and disproportionately keeps African-American and Hispanic applicants from becoming attorneys.

Opponents of immediately lowering the score say law schools need to take a closer look at the caliber of their students and how well they are preparing them. The State Bar plans to study those issues.

Some experts say a dip in law school applications has forced institutions to accept applicants who have not done as well academically, and that might explain the drop in bar exam passing rates.

The State Bar of California last month gave the Supreme Court three options for the passing score.

One recommendation called for reducing the minimum score on an interim basis to a little over 141. A second called for a lower passing score of 139. The third option was to leave the score as is.

Modeling forecasts suggested the 141 score would have boosted the July 2016 pass rate by 8 percent, state bar officials said.

Desi Kalcheva, 26, who took the exam for the first time in July, said lowering the score made sense because law schools only give a brief introduction to many of the subjects on the exam, so students have a huge “knowledge gap” as they prepare for the test She said a lower passing score would have allowed every test taker to sleep “a little easier.”

“But I guess we don't have the luxury,” she said. Her results come out in November.

Law school deans in the state say California’s higher minimum score is unjustified, does not produce better lawyers and disproportionately keeps African-American and Hispanic applicants from becoming attorneys.

Overt Racism Flourishes in the American South

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Contributor Race relations in the United States, especially in the South, are plagued by troubling examples of the challenges that face the nation, as Americans work toward achieving the dream that Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of, more than 50 years ago.

Forty-two percent of Americans said that they personally worry a “great deal” about race relations in the United States, up seven percentage points from 2016 and a record high in the Gallup’s 17-year trend, according to Gallup News.

The Gallup poll marked the third straight year that worries about race relations have increased by a significant margin, a surge that experts have said likely stems from the racial tensions and public discourse sparked by high-profile incidents of police shooting unarmed, Black men.

These high-profile incidents, often sensationalized by mainstream media, overshadow the more pervasive forms of racism that exist in local politics, businesses and schools.

A longtime prominent Florence, S.C. school board member abruptly resigned when it was made public that he sent an email in which he described Black members as “darkies.”

In part of the missive, Glenn Odom noted that he “didn’t want the Darkies” to know about the information—a reference to the African-American board members.

He has now apologized.

“I guess, I’m the head ‘darkie,’” school board member Alexis Pipkins, Sr., told the NNPA Newswire. “I didn’t find out about [the email] until September and there was a board meeting on September 14 and they didn’t notify us.” = Pipkins continued: “So, if any of them say they’re shaken up by this, they weren’t shaken up enough to inform all of the board members. If this isn’t racism, my question would be, ‘then, what is?’”

Board Superintendent Barry Townsend struggled with explaining Odom’s actions.

“I thought the biggest issues we’d have to deal with on the school board is education and taxes,” Townsend said.

Florence City Manager Drew Griffin said he learned about Odom’s email just hours before he was contacted for comment.

“Certainly, the contents and language contained within the email are inconsistent with my personal beliefs as well as the mission and core value statements adopted by the city,” Griffin said.

Surprisingly, the local NAACP President Madie Robinson said the issue is strictly a school board matter and she declined further comment.

Odom, a school board member Florence (District 1) for 25 years and whose term wasn’t set to end until 2020, was among those who fought against a U.S. Justice Department order earlier this year to make sure its schools are more racially balanced.

In Conway, S.C., the FBI arrested a White restaurant manager for enslaving and torturing a Black worker for five years, calling him the “n-word” and paying him less than $3,000 a year while working him daily with very few, if any, days off, according to the local FOX-affiliated.

Restaurant owner Bobby Paul Edwards has been indicted on a felony that carries up to 20 years in prison for enslaving a Black employee. Christopher Smith had worked for 23 years at Edwards’ J&J Cafeteria as a buffet cook. Prosecutors said Edwards “used force, threats of force, physical restraint and coercion” to compel Smith to work.

Smith, who reportedly has a mental disability, would work 18-hour shifts six days a week, sometimes without breaks, his attorneys said.

Smith was hit with a frying pan, burned with grease-covered tongs and beaten with butcher knives, belt buckles and fists “while being called the n-word repeatedly,” the lawyers alleged, according to The Post and Courier.

In Hope Mills N.C., a massive Ku Klux Klan recruitment effort found its way into a high school, demanding that Whites

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UNITETHERIGHTRALLY Alt-right members preparing to enter Emancipation Park holding Nazi, Confederate, and Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flags in Charlottesville, Va. (Anthony Crider/Wikimedia Commons)

join to “take back the country.”

The Loyal White Knights of the KKK left flyers on the windshields of cars parked outside of Gray’s Creek High School.

The flyer urged participation by Whites and railed against the removal of Confederate statues from public spaces; the group called the removal of the statues an attack on “White History, the White Race and America itself.”

In Louisiana, Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator vehemently objected to the planned release of Black state prisoners, who he said could continue to work on washing cars for the warden and other officials.

“In addition to the bad ones—and I call these bad—in addition to them, they’re releasing some good ones that we use every day to wash cars, to change oil in our cars, to cook in the kitchen, to do all that, where we save money,” Prator protested at a news

conference. “Well, they’re going to let them out.”

And, then there was the exchange between a Black female student at Woodlands High School in The Woodlands, Texas, and a White student, according to a local ABC-affiliate.

“U liberals dumb as hell,” the boy posted on Snapchat, according to the Houston Chronicle.

“Not as dumb as you racist,” the girl responded.

“I’m standing up for my country,” the boy said on Snapchat.

“We should have hung all u [n-words] while we had the chance and trust me, it would make the world better.”

Myrlie Evers, a civil rights activist and the widow of Medgar Evers, who was murdered by a White supremacist in 1963, said that she was in a state of despair, hurt and anger, according to the Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss.

“I’m 84 years of age, and I’m thankful for my life,” she told

THE OBSERVER GROUP NEWSPAPERS • Los Angeles News Observer • Bakersfield News Observer • San Fernando/Antelope Valleys News Observer 1219 20th St. Bakersfield, Ca 93301 Mailing Address P.O. Box 2341 Bakersfield, CA 93303 Phone (661) 324-9466 FAX. (661) 324-9472 email general info: observernews@gmail.com advertising: observeradvertising@gmail.com www.ognsc.com the Clarion-Ledger. “In my prayers, I ask, ‘God, is it ever over?

Must we continue to go through this horrible nightmare of prejudice, racism and hatred all over again?’ “ Evers continued: “If we don’t step forward,” she said, “we have no one to blame but ourselves for what the end may be.”

Lower-Income Kids Spend More Time Watching TV and Digital Media

Myrlie Evers, a civil rights activist and the widow of Medgar Evers, said that she was in a state of despair, hurt and anger following the tragedy in Charlottesville, Va. In this photo Myrlie Evers, speaks during the special tribute to the life and legacy of Dick Gregory in Landover, Md. (Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA)

By LYNN ELBER AP Television Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Children in lower-income families spend more time watching TV and using electronic devices than kids in more affluent homes, according to a survey released Thursday.

The report by the nonprofit group Common Sense Media on the viewing habits of more than 1,400 children nationwide age 8 and under found that less-affluent youngsters spend nearly three-and-a-half hours daily watching TV and using varied devices including smartphones, tablets, laptops and video game players.

By comparison, kids in higher-income homes spend just under two hours on such activities. The offspring of better-educated parents also spend less time with media (1 hour, 37 minutes) compared with children of those with less education (2 hours, 50 minutes).

“Before we can begin to understand the impact of media and technology on kids and families, we have to better understand their attitudes and behaviors,” James P. Steyer, the nonprofit group's CEO and founder, and Reveta Franklin Bowers, chair of its board, said in a preface to the report.

The survey found that Latino parents expressed the most concern about what their children are exposed to in media, including sex, violence and racial and gender stereotypes. African-American parents voiced somewhat less concern, with white parents expressing the least worry among ethnic groups.

But a majority of parents overall said their children's use of digital media helps boost learning and creativity.

The time youngsters spend reading or being read to has remained steady at 30 minutes daily, compared with previous studies in 2011 and 2013. But fewer than half (43 percent) of children under 2 are read to each day, counter to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that reading to kids should begin at infancy to help develop language and literacy skills.

Nearly half (49 percent) of children are watching TV or using electronic media shortly before bedtime, contrary to the academy's recommendation of an hour gap between such activities and sleep.

According to its conclusion, the survey “should not be read

as a judgment on the quality of children's time with media; rather, it is a snapshot of how media and technology are infused into daily life. Additional experimental and qualitative work is essential to better understanding the full implications of children's media use.”

Other key findings: • Children 8 and younger spend an average of 2 hours, 19 minutes daily with screen media, about the same as in prior study years. TV gets the lion's share, 58 minutes, but mobile has risen rapidly from 5 minutes daily in 2011 to 48 minutes in 2017.

• The “digital divide” is narrower but still exists between more and less affluent families. Home computers and internet access were found in 72 percent and 74 percent, respectively, of low-income homes, compared with 97 percent and 96 percent for higher-income families.

• In a surprising twist, children pick “old-fashioned” paper books over digital reading. Only three of the 29 minutes that kids spend reading each day are on electronic devices.

News Emmy Award-Winning Benson Star Thursday October 26, 2017

The Valley’s News Observer

Page A3

Robert Guillaume Dies at 89 NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Guillaume, who rose from squalid beginnings in St. Louis slums to become a star in stage musicals and win Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the sharptongued butler in the TV sitcoms “Soap” and “Benson,” has died at age 89.

Guillaume died at home Tuesday in Los Angeles, according to his widow, Donna Brown Guillaume. He had been battling prostate cancer, she told The Associated Press.

Among Guillaume’s achievements was playing Nathan Detroit in the first all-black version of “Guys and Dolls,” earning him a Tony nomination in 1977. He became the first African-American to sing the title role of “Phantom of the Opera,” in a Los Angeles-based production, and was the voice of the shaman-slash-mandrill Rafiki in the film version of “The Lion King.”

“Robert was a lovely man who we brought in for one interpretation of Rafiki and who then completely reinvented it working in the studio. His passion and dedication and willingness to keep working created an indelible Disney character for the ages,” Thomas Schumacher, president and producer of Disney Theatrical Productions, said in a statement.

Guillaume won a Grammy in 1995 when a read-aloud version of “The Lion King,” which he narrated, was cited for best spoken word album for children. He also served as narrator for the animated HBO series “Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child,” which aired form 1995-2000.

“Giant of stage + screen,” tweeted filmmaker Ava DuVernay.

“Also let’s remember that Robert Guillaume was among the first celebs to appear at AIDS fundraisers. Thank you, sir.” Actor Josh Charles tweeted “Robert Guillaume radiated such warmth, light, dignity, and above all, class. That smile and laugh touched us all.”

While playing in “Guys and Dolls,” Guillaume was asked to test for the role of an acerbic butler of a governor’s mansion in “Soap,” a prime-time TV sitcom that satirized soap operas.

“The minute I saw the script, I knew I had a live one,” he recalled in 2001. “Every role was written against type, especially Benson, who wasn’t subservient to anyone. To me, Benson was the revenge for all those stereotyped guys who looked like Benson in the ’40s and ’50s (movies) and had to keep their mouths shut.”

The character became so popular that ABC was persuaded to launch a spinoff, simply called “Benson,” which lasted from 1979 to 1986. In the series, the main character went from running the kitchen for a governor to becoming a political aide to eventually becoming lieutenant governor. “Benson” made Guillaume wealthy and famous, but he regretted that his character’s wit had to be toned down to make him more appealing as the lead star.

The career of Robert Guillaume (pronounced with a hard “g”: gee-yome) almost ended in January 1999 at Walt Disney Studio. He was appearing in Aaron Sorkin’s TV series “Sports Night” as Isaac Jaffe, executive producer of a sports highlight show. Returning to his dressing room after a meal away from the studio, he suddenly collapsed.

“I fell on the floor, and I couldn’t get up,” he told an interviewer in 2001. “I kept floundering about on the floor and I didn’t know why I couldn’t do it. I didn’t know it was it was caused by my left side being weaker than the other.”

Fortunately, St. Joseph Hospital was directly across from the studio. The 71-year-old actor was taken there and treated for a stroke— the result of a blood clot that blocked circulation of blood to the brain. They are fatal in 15 percent of the cases.

Guillaume’s stroke was minor, causing relatively slight damage and little effect on his speech. After six weeks in the hospital, he underwent a therapy of walks and sessions in the gym. He returned to the second season of “Sports Night,” and it was written into the script that Isaac Jaffee was recovering from a stroke.

Because of slim ratings, the second season proved to be the last for the much-praised show.

Guillaume resumed his career and traveled as a new spokesman for the American Stroke Association. He also made appearance for the American Heart Association.

“I’m a bastard, a Catholic, the son of a prostitute, and a product of the poorest slums of St. Louis.”

This was the opening of “Guillaume: A Life,” his 2002 autobiography in which he laid bare his troubled life. He was born fatherless on Nov. 30, 1927, in St. Louis, one of four children.

His mother named him Robert Peter Williams; when he became a performer he adopted Guillaume, a French version of William, believing the change would give him distinction.

His early years were spent in a back-alley apartment without plumbing or electricity; an outhouse was shared with two dozen people. His alcoholic mother hated him because of his dark skin, and his grandmother rescued him, taught him to read and enrolled him in a Catholic school.

Seeking but denied his mother’s love and scorned by nuns and students because of his dark skin, the boy became a rebel, and that carried into his adult life. He was expelled from school and then the Army, though he was granted an honorable discharge.

He fathered a daughter and abandoned the child and her mother.

He did the same to his first wife and two sons and to another woman and a daughter.

He worked in a department store, the post office and as St. Louis’s first black streetcar motorman. Seeking something better, he enrolled at St. Louis University, excelling in philosophy and Shakespeare, and then at Washington University (St. Louis) where a music professor trained the young man’s superb tenor singing voice.

After serving as an apprentice at theaters in Aspen, Colorado, and Cleveland, the newly named Guillaume toured with Broadway shows “Finian’s Rainbow,” “Golden Boy,” “Porgy and Bess” and “Purlie,” and began appearing on sitcoms such as “The Jeffersons” and “Sanford and Son.” Then came “Soap” and “Benson.” His period of greatest success was marred by tragedy when his 33-year-old son Jacques died of complications from AIDS in 1990.

Guillaume’s first stable relationship came when he married TV producer Donna Brown in the mid-1980s and had a daughter, Rachel. At last he was able to shrug off the bitterness he had felt throughout his life.

“To assuage bitterness requires more than human effort,” he wrote at the end of his autobiography. “Relief comes from a source we cannot see but can only feel. I am content to call that source love.”

25% Off Publishing Your DBA With this coupon receive 25% Off publishing of your Fititious Business Name Statement in the Los Angeles News Obserever. Coupon Expires 12-31-17 FILE - In this Sept. 4, 1991 file photo, actor Robert Guillaume poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. Guillaume, who won Emmy Awards for his roles on “Soap” and “Benson,” died Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017 in Los Angeles at age 89. Guillaume’s widow Donna Brown Guillaume says he had been battling prostate cancer. (AP Photo/Chris Martinez, File)

Best Month of the Year?

By Cam Buford whatsgoodinsports.com October is undoubtedly one of the months of the year for enthusiastic sports fans. It is when which each of the major four

sports collide and compete for the attention of sports fans across America. Evidence of this was never more apparent than last week when sports fan experienced the National Basketball Association tip off their 2017-2018 season. With the NFL in midseason and

highlighting a longtime division rivalry, Major League Baseball season is winding down towards an exciting World Series, and the National Hockey League dropped the puck on the season over a month ago. Multiple TV’s playing, Picture in Picture ready, or

The Los Angeles Dodgers players celebrate after Game 5 of baseball’s National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday Oct. 19th in Chicago. The Dodgers won 11-1 to win the series and advance to the World Series.

quick and nimble fingers on the remote were mandatory to be able to enjoy the many of the options that were available to us ardent sports fans.

Michael Crabtree catches game winning TD Many NFL fans have been critical of the Thursday Night Football in recent years. Highlighting divisional rivalries have increased the competition and intrigue of these Thursday Night Football games. Last week brought us the Oakland Raiders vs.

Kansas City Chiefs. This game turned out to be a nail biter and ultimately came down to the final plays of the game. By finishing with two untimed downs, there’s no doubt this game held the attention of every fan who tuned in to watch.

Carmelo Anthony and Kristof Porzingis compete for a loose ball As the NBA tipped off their season on Tuesday, October 17th, one of the highlights was the return of Kyrie Irving to his former team the Cleveland Cavaliers. On Thursday night, October 19th, the NBA debuted the newly assembled OKC Thunder hosting the New York Knicks. The Thunder played former Knicks superstar, Carmelo Anthony in his first game as a Thunder along with his new teammates, Paul George and Russell Westbrook.

Additionally, NBA fans were clamoring to see the Los Angeles Lakers rookie, Lonzo Ball compete in his first NBA game. Both of these games were must-see games for many NBA fans across the country.

Simultaneously as the marquee NBS games were playing, the MLB is winding down their playoffs series with the Los Angeles Dodgers competing against the defending champions Chicago Cubs. The Dodgers and the Cubs were competing for their right to represent the National League in this years’ World Series. Having not been in the World Series for the past 29 years, Dodger fans were beyond excited to see their team in a position to punch their ticket for the upcoming baseball championship series.

NY Islanders Defense-man defending a goal Finally, the NHL had a full slate of games, as they were over a month into their season as of October 19 when all these games were in action. Alone this could have been considered a great night of hockey as 3 of their 9 games that evening went into overtime. The New York Islanders and Rangers, weren’t to be outdone for attention as they finished with a 4-3 shootout.

Just as the fall leaves are changing colors, and falling, to the ground across most of the country, your competitive fire can be stoked during the month of October. The MLB has championship ball being played on the field, the NFL and NHL are in mid-season form, while an exciting NBA season is just getting underway. If your city is anything like mine, the local sports bar will be buzzing and the owners will be pleased to provide the plethora of sports options for sports fans- their customers- to enjoy at their establishments. Because if you are a big sports fan like myself, this is without question is the best month of the year!

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Features

The Valley’s News Observer

Thursday October 26, 2017

New NAACP President Vows to Work Closely With NNPA

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Contributor The future of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is inextricably linked to the future of African Americans and its incumbent upon the nation’s oldest civil rights organization to work with the Black Press to get that message out, said new NAACP President Derrick Johnson.

On October 21, the executive committee of the NAACP National Board of Directors announced that the Detroit-born Johnson would lead the organization as the president and CEO. Johnson formerly served as vice chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors and the state president for the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP. Board members said Johnson was selected to guide the organization through a period of reinvigoration and realignment with the current challenges of today’s civil rights movement.

To accomplish that mission, Johnson said the NAACP will lean heavily on the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the trade association that represents more than 200 African American-owned newspapers and media companies across the country.

“We must be successful to ensure that democracy works for all and that individuals of African descent are treated with dignity and afforded equal protections under the law,” Johnson told the NNPA Newswire. “We’ve met with [new NNPA Chairman] Dorothy Leavell and [NNPA President and CEO] Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., and we see a bright future and we are mutually tied to the same reality, because the NNPA is critical, as the delivery source of information for our community.”

The fact that the NAACP chose Johnson to lead the organization was music to Leavell’s ears.

“I believe he is the right leader for the NAACP at this most important time in our history,” she said. “The NNPA looks for-

Derrick Johnson, the new president and CEO of the NAACP, said that the NNPA is critical, as the delivery source of information for the Black community.

(NAACP)

ward to working with him and the NAACP.” Chavis, a former executive director of the NAACP, said he’s known Johnson for a long time and he’s confident that Johnson’s leadership expertise and experience will take the NAACP to greater heights in terms of membership and civil rights activism.

“If there was ever a person alive that personifies the living spirit of Medgar Evers, it is Derrick Johnson. Thus, the NAACP will grow and expand under the leadership of Derrick Johnson,” Chavis said. “Johnson personifies the courage and genius of a freedom fighter, who will now lead the NAACP forward with fearless boldness.”

For his part, Johnson, who received a juris doctorate from the South Texas College of Law, called the Black Press an under appreciated institution.

“It’s incumbent upon the NAACP to work directly with the NNPA to make sure that, as we get control of our narrative, we’re utilizing our most important tool, which is the Black Press,” Johnson said.

A veteran activist, Johnson, 49, said it’s also important that the NAACP engage and support young people.

“We urge the young ones to keep studying and continue advocating to make sure their voices are not suffocated, because of a lack of knowledge,” Johnson said. “I’m encouraged by the number of young people who have taken to the streets with the tools at their disposal to become more active. If they find that the NAACP is a tool they’d like to use, then it is incumbent upon the NAACP to support their ability to do that, because the young activists of today will be our leaders of tomorrow.”

A regular guest lecturer at Harvard Law School and an adjunct professor at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Miss., Johnson previously furthered his training through fellowships with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

As president of the NAACP Mississippi State Conference,

he led critical campaigns for voting rights and equitable education, NAACP officials said in a news release.

Johnson also successfully managed two bond referendum campaigns in Jackson, which brought $150 million in school building improvements and $65 million toward the construction of a new convention center.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Johnson founded One Voice, Inc., to improve the quality of life for African Americans through civic engagement, training and initiatives, according to Johnson’s bio on the NAACP’s website. One Voice has spawned an annual Black Leadership Summit and the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute, a nine-month training program for community leaders.

“I really appreciate the support of the chair of the Board of Directors, who invested confidence in me to do this job,” Johnson said. “I think we have to control our narrative and tell our story, because we have units across the country that have been extremely effective in their work, but we haven’t been able to control the narrative.”

Johnson called controlling that narrative both a challenge and an opportunity.

He said the NAACP is working diligently toward the 2018 midterm elections and making sure to tackle voter registration and issues that have worked to deny African Americans the right to cast a ballot.

“We have to figure out how to maximize the engagement of folks in our community to exercise their right to vote,” Johnson said. “We have a fertile and vibrant pipeline for young people to have a stronger voice in what’s taking place and, at the same time, we can support young people already out there advocating with the understanding that social justice is not a competition, but an opportunity for many individuals to add their voice for progressive change.”

Unforgiving Wildfires Affect Vineyard Workers and Owners

A wildfire burns behind a winery, Oct. 14, 2017, in Santa Rosa, Calif.

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ Associated Press SONOMA, Calif. (AP) _ When the wildfires ignited, vineyard workers stopped picking grapes and fled for their lives. Some vineyard owners decided to stay and fight back, spending days digging firebreaks and sleeping among their vines for safety.

As the danger drew closer, grape pickers spread word of the threat and helped neighbors pack their homes. The owner of an elite golf resort abandoned his home to try to save his golf course.

The deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California history imperiled both the low-wage workers who harvest the nation’s most valuable wine grapes and the wealthy entrepreneurs who employ them. Vintners were suddenly plunged into the same desperate struggle as their laborers, with everyone fighting to preserve the things most precious to them _ families, belongings and businesses.

On the public beach campgrounds where hundreds of evacuees escaped the flames, the affluent slept alongside migrant workers and combed through donated supplies.

“We had people in Mercedes and Lexuses showing up’’ with soot on their faces after losing everything, said Patty Ginochio, a volunteer who helped feed, house and clothe evacuees. Even some of the well-off “had nothing but the clothes on their back.

It’s humbling.’’

If anything, the fires seemed to target the affluent, blackening leafy suburban developments and hilltop estates more than the flatlands where many farm workers and middle-class families live.

Winery owners with multiple houses will take vastly differ-

ent roads to recovery than the grape pickers who lost the only rental home they could hope to afford. But for a short time, fire was the great leveler in a region where the wealthiest 1 percent of people makes 20 times more than the rest.

Everybody thinks the winery owners are “rich guys and rich families, and they’re above everything,’’ said Adam Mariani, a fourth-generation farmer whose family runs the Scribe Winery in Sonoma. “But the truth is people are completely bootstrapping here’’ and worried about the effect of the fires on their livelihood.

The harvest was winding down on Oct. 8 as Gonzalo Jauregui worked an overnight grape-picking shift intended to protect workers and the fruit from the heat of the day. Around 10 p.m., a gale blew into the vineyard outside of Sonoma with a strength that the 45-year-old had never seen before.

“We saw the power lines bouncing against each other and trees losing their branches and sparks flying,’’ Jauregui recalled.

The grape harvesters ran to their cars.

Dozens of other blazes were erupting at the same time across wine country, and Jauregui “could see the fire coming down the mountain.’’

At the Scribe Winery, the winds disrupted a dinner among the vines, upending table settings. Diners who had hoped to linger over their meals were driven inside. Kelly Mariani, one of the family members there, recalled the ominous rattle of rattlesnakes in dry grass as the wind rose.

By midnight, flames had burned a neighbor’s home and were creeping down an oak ridge toward the winery buildings and family homes.

“There were hurricane winds. The house was rattling. The dog was barking,’’ said Adam Mariani, whose family has worked

for a decade to rebuild the winery, which was eradicated during Prohibition and turned into a turkey farm.

As fires came over ridge after ridge above the wine valleys, Manuel Contreras lingered for days at a Sonoma apartment complex housing mostly migrant workers like him. He helped neighbors pack belongings and find transportation and shelters.

“I want to be the last person out,’’ he said.

While he spoke, firefighters and sheriff’s deputies went house to house and business to business to warn people that the flames were expected to arrive within hours. But, Contreras said, authorities never came to tell the Spanish-speaking workers.

“We were waiting for them to come to tell us’’ it was finally time to go, he said. The grape workers finally joined the evacuation when they saw streams of cars racing out of town.

At Napa’s championship Silverado golf resort, former PGA master Johnny Miller climbed to the roof of the white-pillared country club with a garden hose to save the clubhouse himself.

He taped other hoses to the rails of balconies to spray water down on embers.

In one of the mansions near the course was Tim Wall, whose businesses include Rug Doctor carpet-cleaning and the golf resort. He made sure his family and animals were safe and left his home to its fate. Then he fought to save the golf course.

“I hadn’t thought of it that way,’’ Wall said of his decision to choose the course over his home. “If the house burned down, it wouldn’t be near the impact, economically or otherwise, to myself or other people.’’ The home survived.

In Sonoma County, Jauregui and his co-workers and neighbors sped home through smoke. They woke their families, then pounded on doors of their apartment building to wake others.

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Adam Mariani, with help from a changing cast of relatives, friends, neighbors and passing crews of firefighters, used shovels and tractors to gouge firebreaks in the dirt.

Mariana and his brother figured their homes were lost, but they fought to save the winery’s restored hacienda, a landmark from the days of California’s first wine makers in the 1850s.

When Adam needed to rest, he drove his car to the middle of the vineyards, where the live rows would resist fire.

The firebreaks, along with helicopter water drops from a reservoir maintained by the Gundlach-Bundschu winery and the vineyards themselves, helped crews finally turn the corner on the wildfires a week after the blazes began. In all, more than 100,000 acres burned in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties, and more than 100,000 people evacuated.

Even as the flames eased, winery employees and owners alike faced economic fears. Many had gone more than a week without work, and months of rebuilding lay ahead. Shelters, soup kitchens and donation centers opened. Near Jauregui’s home, 2,500 returned evacuees lined up last Wednesday for free lunches.

That day, he knocked on the doors of a bakery and other businesses to ask for work.

Scribe employees returned Wednesday, many for the first time. The green and gold landscape was etched with dark char lines. Blackened trees surrounded the winery on three sides. But the old hacienda, the homes and the winery buildings still stood.

Winery workers came back with red eyes. Adam Mariani enfolded them in his arms.

“It’s all here,’’ he said.

ognsc.com

Entertainment

Thursday, October 26, 2017

The Valley’s News Observer

Page A5

USC has Tough Loss At Notre Dame

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports writer The USC Trojans had a few close games this season including an overtime win against Texas and a one point win against tough Utah team at the Coliseum.

A good trip to South Bend could have made things great on the USC season, but it was meant to be as the Irish beat up on USC 49-14 in front of 77,622 at Notre Dame Stadium.

USC got off the plane turning the ball over as it had three turnovers in the first half. Sam Darnold fumbled on the first play from scrimmage and later threw an interception. He finished the day completing 20 of 28 passes for 229 and two touchdowns.

Deontay Burnett had seven catches for 113 yards and a score.

The defense gave up 497 yards of offense including 191 rushing by Irish running back Josh Adams.

Southern California quarterback Sam Darnold throws during the half of an NCAA college football game against Notre Dame, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Bruins Look Good in Win Over Oregon

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer The UCLA football team ran its record to 4-3 (2-2 Pac 12) by rolling over the Oregon Ducks 31-14. QB Josh Rosen completed 21 of 36 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns to lead the offense that complied 408 total offensive yards.

Bolu Olorunfumi led the Bruins in rushing running for 76 yards on 13 carries and a score. Christian Pablico had 5 catches for 99 yards including a 49 yarder.

On the defensive side Kenny Young had 12 tackles, 5 solo.

Jaleel Wadood had 10 and Adrius Pickett had 9 to lead the Bruins defense that gave up 320 yards to the Ducks The Ducks Royce freeman ran for 160 yards making him the all-time career rushing leader 5,103 yards in school history-Passing LaMichael James. The Ducks fell to (4-4 (1-4 Pac-12). They have lost three straight since losing starting QB Justin Herbert.

Next week the Bruins will travel to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies.

UCLA wide receiver Christian Pabico, left, runs in for a touchdown as Oregon cornerback Thomas Graham watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Oct. 21, 2017, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

“We were not ready to play,“ said Chris Hawkins.

Notre Dame QB Brandon Wimbush went 9 of 19 for two touchdowns. He also ran for two more

scores to lead the Irish (6-1).

“I thought Notre Dame was really prepared “ said USC head Coach Clay Helton. “We helped them

with our mistakes.”

The Trojans fell to 6-2 and will have a tough road ahead having to face Arizona State Team and a revitalized Arizona team in the next two weeks.

Madea Halloween’ Sequel No. 1 Geostorm Flops

By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Tyler Perry's “Boo 2! A Madea Halloween'' has scared up a healthy audience in its first weekend in theaters. Studio estimates on

Sunday say the comedy sequel earned $21.7 million from 2,388 theaters to easily take first place.

In second place is the long-delayed disaster epic “Geostorm,'' which opened to a dismal $13.3 million against a reported $120 million production budget.

Gerard Butler stars in the film from first-time director Dean Devlin, who produced “Independence Day.'' Holdovers took third and fourth places, with “Happy Death Day'' bringing in $9.4 million and “Blade Runner 2049'' adding $7.2 million.

The fact-based firefighter drama “Only the Brave'' opened in fifth place with $6 million from 2,577 screens, while the poorly reviewed adaptation of “The Snowman'' tanked in eighth with $3.4 million.

NFL Commissioner & Players Unite

By Cam Buford whatsgoodinsports.com Raising awareness to police brutality and racial inequalities were the initial reasons NFL players began their peaceful protest by kneeling during the national anthem. This broad-spectrum protest covers a variety of issues at various levels. The need for criminal justice reform is an area which exposes the depth of racial inequalities in and out of the U.S. criminal justice system. As you might imagine, issues surrounding and impacting criminal justice reform are much deeper. Becoming educated about the criminal justice system and its impact is the only way one can offer valid solutions for improving the status quo.

Eagles Safety Malcom Jenkins, joined by a few of his fellow NFL players, is spearheading a process for Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie and NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell to gain a better understanding of the criminal justice complexities, and the need for, criminal justice reform which severely impacts the inner cities of Pennsylvania, which are not much different than many inner cities across our nation.

Jenkins, Goodell and Lurie participated in a brainstorming session within various sectors of the Philadelphia justice system to better understand the challenges law enforcement face doing their job done and the training that may be needed. “A great deal of what you see; depends on what you are looking for,” said the Police Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross Jr..

Why Not Prosper, Inc. is a foundation which provides programs and services for woman who re-enter society. This foundation focuses efforts on the basic needs the ex-offender face as they attempt to re-enter society successfully. Many of the needs some may take for granted has a huge impact on the success of an ex-offender such as housing, employment, sobriety support, educational classes, and workshops. They also define the cost associated with a person serve as well as the impact public safety, and families throughout the region.

The Defenders Association offers further insight to the men from the NFL. The Defenders Association also represent 70% of people arrested in Philadelphia. Due to the inability of many people to generate funding for bail, they may find themselves stuck in the criminal justice system. Hence the need for Bail Reform for some lower level crimes. There are “over 2.2 million people in jail today, across the country, because they can’t come with $50 to post bail,” states Defender Association Board President, Davis Rudovsky.

According to Mark Houldin, Policy director at Defender Association, 2016 data shows that, “75% of the people who need $500, or less, spend more than 31 days in jail in Philadelphia.”

Additionally, “studies show that 1 to 3 days of incarceration, increasing the likely hood one would be found guilty; increases the likely hood one will commit another crime once released. If one spends 8-14 days in jail one is 56% more likely to be rearrested before trial. They are also 51% are likely to commit another crime once their sentence is over.”

Some of these minor offenses, are more costly to the local communities than necessary. If bail reform was an option, it

Malcom Jenkins address questions after meeting with league in Sept. 2017 (Bing Photos)

could potentially save the community money by lessening the number of inmates in these facilities over time. It has been proven that many of these inmates can spend anywhere from 3 days to a year in jail, before their case is actually heard by a judge.

Doug Baldwin shakes hands with Michael Bennett after National Anthem is song prior to game in Seattle These brainstorming sessions prompted Roger Goodell and Doug Baldwin of the Seattle Seahawks, to pen a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin, Senator Mike Lee and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Part of their letter states the following; “We are very proud of our players and owners who have

done the hard work over the year to listen, understand and attempt to address the underlying issues within our communities, the bottom line is, that we all want to make our communities better. As Doug stated in a recent memo to owners, this is about ‘doing the right thing for the right reason… love and empathy are more important attributes than a forty time…or route running ability… yearning for justice and equality is something that all humankind can understanding.’”

“The sentencing Reform and Correction Act would address many of the issues on which our players have worked to raise awareness over the last two seasons. This Bill seeks to improve public safety, increase rehabilitation, and strengthen families. If

enacted, it would be a positive step in our collective efforts to move our nation forward.”

The afore mentioned brainstorming session along with collaboration on this letter to the Senators is evidence that the NFL is uniting their efforts to impact change in the many communities they represent across this country. This is also evidence that the peaceful protest which many of the players have been participating in have encouraged some of those unaffected to acknowledge, listen and be a conduit for change of the criminal justice system.

Assuredly other players in other communities will follow suit to improve our criminal justice system one community at a time.

Page A6

Local

The Valley’s News Observer

Thursday, October 26, 2017

He Keeps Dodgers Pointed Toward World Series Glory

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Dave Roberts’ first two years as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager have gone by in an action-packed blur.

He has watched 195 regular-season wins and survived one awful losing skid. He has won two NL West titles, three playoff series and a pennant. He persevered through his father’s death with almost no time to grieve last spring, determined to keep his team pointed toward its championship goal.

And though he played 2 1/2 seasons for the Dodgers, this UCLA product still sometimes feels like a newcomer in blue.

“I’m learning something every day, I think,’’ Roberts said recently. “Being more familiar with the front office, the players, the coaches, I think that all of that has helped me be more comfortable in any situation.’’

Roberts relishes the chance to reflect on these two crazy seasons _ perhaps at his North County winery _ after the World Series, which visits Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night for the first time in 29 years.

But until the Dodgers and the Houston Astros are finished, he’ll stay focused on putting his highly paid players in the best positions to chase that trophy. Although he had no managerial aspirations until long after his playing career ended, Roberts has grown passionate about the work.

“I think that I just love the game,’’ Roberts said. “I love to teach. I love the players. ... I think that as your (playing) career evolves and starts to descend, you start changing roles as far as mentor, teammate, role model, and then helping younger players, and just loving the teaching component.’’

Roberts is often given credit for balancing the demands of the prodigious baseball minds in the Dodgers’ data-driven front office and the hearts of the ballplayers doing the on-field work.

He routinely redistributes any praise among his players and the team’s large group of executives and coaches _ just as a leader should.

And while he was a surprise choice for the job in late 2015, Roberts has been just about as successful as anyone can be in an unforgiving, relentlessly second-guessed profession.

In concert with the front office, he has been innovative and fearless while the big-budget Dodgers honed new strategies to handle pitching staffs and attempted to get maximal value from all their extraordinary assets.

Roberts won the NL Manager of the Year award as a rookie last season while setting a major league record with 606 pitching changes. With a few inspired moves in the NL Division Series against Washington, he helped the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series, where they ran into the destined Chicago Cubs.

After guiding these current 104-win Dodgers past Arizona and Chicago in a 7-1 playoff rampage, the former outfielder has the chance to add another championship ring to the one he earned through his monumental stolen base against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera during the Boston Red Sox’s 2004 championship run.

“Doc gets a lot of respect because he played the game, but the biggest thing that he gives us is consistency,’’ Dodgers lefthander Rich Hill said. “If we’re winning six times a week or in a losing streak, he’s the same guy every day. He’s always trying to make everybody better, and he doesn’t take days off. Teams feed off that, and the results of it show up when you get to where we are in October.’’

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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts talks during a news conference Oct. 17 in Chicago. (Charles Rex Arbogast, Associated Press)

Roberts has major advantages in his job: The highest payroll in baseball, a roster studded with talent, and a loyal, vociferous fan base eager for a championship.

He also has incredible challenges: The Dodgers’ championship drought, a surplus of talent to keep happy, those enormous expectations brought on by that fat payroll _ and a loyal, vociferous fan base eager for a championship.

At 45, Roberts approaches it all with a studied, contagious confidence.

“Doc is a smart man. He always knows what to do in situations,’’ said right fielder Yasiel Puig, whose career has been revital-

ized under Roberts and his coaching staff.

Roberts tries to speak to each of his players every day, even if it’s just a greeting. He works the Dodgers’ clubhouse like a senior class president, checking in on every relationship and staying abreast of everybody’s health. He gave himself a mental break over the weekend, spending a day at home in San Diego and enjoying a favorite wine.

Roberts would be the first manager of Asian descent to win a World Series, and the second black manager to win a title, following Toronto’s Cito Gaston. He recognizes the importance of those milestones, but he believes they would mean more to his father.

Waymon Roberts died at 68 during spring training this year.

The longtime Marine instilled a work ethic in his son and provided a behavior template that he strives to teach his children and his players.

Before these playoffs began, Roberts said he had “a good cry’’ thinking about how excited his father, who followed the Dodgers vociferously, would have been about this playoff run.

“What would he tell me?’’ Roberts said. “He’d be wearing his big Dodgers blue jacket. He would just tell me how proud he was. Just go have fun.’’

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16 Charged in SoCal Animal Trafficking Sweep TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) _ From a baby tiger cub to monitor lizards and a macaw, authorities have seized dozens of animals and filed charges against 16 people as part of what they say is the largest wildlife trafficking sweep in Southern California.

Federal authorities call the sweep “Operation Jungle Book’’ and say it’s an effort to combat a growing illegal market for exotic animals that threatens the survival of species.

“An insatiable desire to own examples _ both living and dead _ of these vulnerable creatures is fueling this black market,’’ Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Brown said in a statement.

Among the animals seized are king cobras, turtles, fish and a Bengal tiger cub that a California man said he bought on the streets of Tijuana, Mexico, for $300.

Luis Eudoro Valencia has pleaded not guilty to smuggling the kitten into the U.S. after border officials found the cub lying on the passenger-side floor of his car in August.

If convicted, Valencia faces up to 20 years in prison.

The cub now lives at the San Diego Zoo. Among other pending cases are those of a man who is accused of using Facebook to illegally sell feathers from protected migratory birds and bald eagles, and three people alleged to have traded in protected live corals.

“Wildlife trafficking does not stop at international borders, and it is our duty to protect imperiled species both at home and abroad,’’ said Ed Grace, acting chief of law enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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