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N ll d te ti ie t ta y ec A o n st o m n ab ti is if g te r s p fi io at ad u ab being stLucas st er c en y se n o o in o ev in o rs “humbled and honored’’ after rapper Joyner d ti n le u to g g id o u t sc h ro , n se co th en im k al en ad centers. In a mental h d ee ruck bree lo m ce ce to m p in w es .

C ra et li n al S an ea v ai is h o if y a polic in o in u l rl o o d C g th th y rn at g s o in ea er er ta 1 an in ia o 9 n ck lt p d G se 8 leased a tribute song honoring his career work. ro th er h C 2 , st o v . Th , facility in P eral and in swo o es investi California. have high ex vernor whose su e term of the p und of th Laguna Beach Po alifornia. rn testimonree weapons were ri three attack ennsylvanCiaooper escaped from ro p Lucas released the music video for his track “Will’’ e lice Officer porters on pectations.

Orange Co gressive used er y, before mov Duri th Thomas untypaid olitical LIn Regishomage meonthe one pMonday. the so video, rapper ing to could have bees nwho were White. HJoeshua Ryen said hein the solv “DNA testing sh ter he into gued that nCg his murder trial, e’ ef s p t et o e sa H w la u itially th ld th w h is te en p r e o p im F an Chida Rebecca and Tanu Henry future. te o R ro eb th F p st Smith through a reenactment of the actor’s biggest projic m y se u . e er en ifi . ed rt 1 cu ca ed k 9 h iately take Ryen, th illed husb t darted in caseSurvive: . tors succ er complica that theyCreative Chiang sa Getting to and fin front tingintheCalifornia California Black Media few and beauty salons lace to re-the “The M ullybarbershops ectspincluding Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’’ “Bad ed D ar- an nam cGuir neighboreiCr 10-year-old daughand and wife DougAesansf prosecution ianathe that DNA id during the campally ensure just e R sa o y ic b p s el te e er hriand w th Across the country, barbers are feeling open up occasionally, observing federal and state o r d s’ is h n ev Je ca ai e stophairstylists P Boys,’’ “Men in Black’’ and “Pursuit of Happyness.’’ cl en ging to her se g an ssica and an eggy id m ai n rv en h e im . m her Hughes e ed fo “N s, ce al g rw ,” b o a o ca was big ut testing in t out to chec w mt nly isSmith ard with blo n h p law former boybut others 11-year-oldsocial inaldistancing . Policethefou governments’ gerofth“Will’’ the effects of COVID-19. In the Black community, . She tu guidelines, it provon shared clip Anim enforcemoen ody clothoin an a houwith fr is case woel enWednesday al Coantr nremain d the bcompletely se cat.

Even thoth t g u estroyed it. rned the evidence ieond who was a viole so ld o to impact is more severe. loodied dclosed. lv l co o an e his nearly 44 million followers on Instagram.

He ffi m cr ce u an e im g rs rushperat no cost to imal hospit h Newsom es, tr nt crim- is bold, he ver totellthe ed ’s al Black-owned salons and barbershops have always “I’m just waiting for to show up and th au p Africsomebody , d is sonally thanked Lucas in a separate video on social meo w ec e m li tr h state.” ision in th ce, but they issue th a. eading care ere it was dthe ble an American e at fu iagnose C ll C o served as a hub for men and women to congregate and me I’m breaking the law,” laughed one s,Los y o HisAngeles-area al dia, calling the rapper’s song “creative.” panics and watching. ifornia voters acro on a potentially p per case sh Dr. Kristi Krause other mino catch up on the latest news, gossip and overall happenings barber who asked to remain anonymous. Although he He is keep e , o ss Smith also said he hopes to meet Lucas one day.

In a ex la v th ri p et ec zi e er n p rities liv- C ts inarian, tell g oliti the 11-pou ing his focu ectruLucas within the community. These “meeting places” of sorts sometimes does private bookings for a few of his clients ackneeded ontinued post, “take a cold shower and s th nd (5 into thto s on fairncaeslasp m aresaid bhe -kilogra on page A ew il d s andup. af have also proven to be extremely profitable for its owners. who are celebrities, he told California Black Media he has te r wake dreaming right now.’’

2 M it justI’m cGuire visit regains strem) cat to ice th ngth ed thestudio But per executive orders from Gov.Gavin Newsom, never had to accept appointments from clients he did not at iffrom “Will’’ is a single debut he seLucas’ bobcaalbum es it agai t on Frid.ay n, he’ll issu all non-essential businesses in California have been forced know just to keep earning money.

“ADHD,’’ which releases on Friday. e a ticket fo . into temporary closure; among them, barbershops, beauty So, during this crisis, he dons a mask and gloves, goes r ja salons, nail technician shops and other cosmetology out and does what he has to do. centers.

“This is a crazy time for everybody,” he said. “And its In one fell swoop, the COVID-19 pandemic has tough, tough time for our businesses. We just have to ride caused hairstylists and barbers across the state to go from it out and see what happens.” running lucrative, bustling businesses to owing rent or Customers are equally upset. Many of them have mortgage on a shuttered commercial space that is now taken to #BlackTwitter to express their frustration. home to an under-performing business with an uncertain “My barbershop is closed indefinitely,” tweeted Continued on page A2 VENTURA, Calif. (AP) – A California judge has been publicly censured for making dozens of sexist, racially insensitive and dishonest remarks from the bench over a decade, the state Commission on Judicial Performance announced Wednesday.

The commission said Judge Jeffrey G. Bennett of Ventura County Superior Court consented to the discipline, which is a step below removal from office.

The commission said that Bennett, who was elected in 2008, committed 28 acts of misconduct that violated the state Code of Judicial Ethics.

Most involved remarks “that are offensive, undignified, discourteous, dishonest, sexist, and profane, and that created the appearance of bias and retaliation,” the

By Antonio Ray Harvey Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) has been expanded. People commission said.

California Black Media who earned less than $30,000 in 2019 — including “Such comments included remarks to an African For people who have not yet filed their tax returns, through self-employment — may qualify, and those who American criminal defendant about ‘shucking and jivthe United States Treasury Department and the Internal also have a child under age six may be eligible to claim the ing,’ making crude references to his anatomy, commentRevenue Service (IRS) announced March 21 that they are Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC). ing about `chicks’ liking a car and about not spending moving the 2019 income tax filing due date from April 15 California’s YCTC was introduced in 2019. Upon so much time with his telescope if he had a `20-year-old to July 15 this year, a three month extension. qualifications for CalEITC and having a child under the smoking hot wife,’ and using profanity in other remarks, After the IRS’s announcement, the state of age of six as of the end of the tax year, taxpayers could according to a commission statement.

California postponed its tax deadlines until July 15 due qualify for up to $1,000 through this particular tax credit.

Bennett acknowledged nearly all of the misconto the COVID-19 pandemic. That update superseded Between CalEITC and YCTC, FTB anticipates duct, the commission said. the California Franchise Tax Board’s (FTB) previous returning $1 billion to taxpayers this year.

Earlier this month, Bennett’s attorneys told the announcement that extended the period for filing and Taxpayers earning less than $55,952 may also qualify Ventura County Star that the judge “is known for his payment of taxes until June 15, 2020. for the federal EITC. Through a combination of CalEITC, refreshing ‘tell it like it is’ approach to life and his sense With the approval of the federal government’s $2 YCTC, and the federal EITC, a family can receive up to of humor” but that he had apologized to the commistrillion stimulus package, designed to ease the financial $8,053. sion and “implemented a thoughtfully developed plan impact of the global Coronavirus pandemic, taxpayers In a simple breakdown, the following are the for improvement and change.’’ can take full advantage of several breaks federal and state qualifications for CalEITC and the Young Child Tax agencies are offering.

Credit: Start by paying attention to the California State · You must be at least 18 years old or have a Controller’s summary of the tax credits. By making sense qualifying child, and earned less than $30,000 during the in the simplest terms, taxpayers could learn that there is previous year. more tax-return money on the table for them. · You must have worked during the tax year with “The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting life for income from W-2 wages, or self-employment, or salaries, people and businesses statewide,” State Controller Betty or tips, or other employee wages, subject to California Yee said in a statement addressing filing federal returns withholding (any one of these income sources can qualify), and paying taxes owed. “Hopefully, this small measure of · This credit can be up to $240 (state) and $529 relief will allow people to focus on the health and safety (federal) with no children, up to $2,982 (state) and $6,557 of themselves and their families during these challenging (federal) for 3 or more children, and various other amounts times.” for 1-2 children.

SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (AP) – Lonnie Franklin, Two tax credits specifically — one federal and the · You must file both a federal and state return if the convicted serial killer known as the “Grim SleepJerome Horton,chairperson for the Poverty Preven- other in California — are aimed at giving families and you are interested in receiving money from both sources. er” who preyed on the women of South Los Angeles for tion Alliance and former president of the California businesses a lifeline.

This is actual cash (a windfall for those not familiar with more than two decades, has died in a California prison.

Board of Equalization. (Courtesy Photo) For starters, eligibility for the California Earned Continued on page A2 He was 67.

Corrections officials said Franklin was found unresponsive in his cell at San Quentin State Prison on Saturday evening. An autopsy will determine the cause of death; however, there were no signs of trauma, corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton said in a statement.

Franklin had been on death row since August 2016 for the deaths of nine women and a teenage girl. Franklin was linked at trial to 14 slayings, including four women he wasn’t charged with killing. Police have said he may have had as many as 25 victims.

He was granted a reprieve a year ago when California Gov. Gavin Newsom halted the execution of more than 700 condemned inmates on the nation’s largest death row for at least as long as he’s governor.

California hasn’t executed anyone since 2006, under then-Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and inmates are far more likely to die of old age.

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The Valley’s

BoSays bcat Reco Will Smith ve A f t e r eing Hi He’s HumbledB by olice Car Rapper’sPTribute

Barbers and Beauticians Share COVID-19 Stories

There Could be More Income Tax Return Cash on the Table for You

Ventura County Judge Censured for Offensive Remarks

Serial Killer Dubbed Grim Sleeper Dies in California Prison

It’s a Very Long Game:

Brown Family Celebrates 25 Years as Napa Valley’s Only Black-Owned Vineyard Two doctors shopped for a summer home 40 years ago. Now their children oversee more than 20 employees at the family’s vineyard and winery.

By Dan Holly Urban News Service A Division of Zenger News (March 30, 2020)-When Bassett and Marcela Brown went shopping for a summer home in 1980, the two doctors never dreamed the abandoned walnut orchard in Napa Valley would one day become the only black-owned vineyard in the heart of California wine country.

But that’s the story behind Brown Estate Vineyards, a better one than a trained MBA could craft.

Despite the property’s choice location, the winery came about almost as an afterthought for the couple, who had founded a pioneering medical practice in South Central Los Angeles in the late 1960s.

“They didn’t have any preconceived ideas about what they were going to do out here,” said their daughter Deneen Brown, the president of the family’s winemaking business. “They just fell in love with the place. It was only after meeting and talking with neighboring grape farmers that they started thinking about planting a vineyard.”

The couple fixed up the crumbling Victorian home that came with the property and eventually established a vineyard, seeing it more as a hobby than as a business, she said. It was “a way of life … less about making money or a name for yourself than it was about love for the land, craftsmanship, and a cooperative spirit,” she said.

When Deneen and her siblings Coral and David took over the vineyard in 1995, they didn’t intend to make their own wine.

“Mom and Dad did not intend for us to break into the wine business,” she said. “They were continuing to run their medical business in Southern California and expected all of us to get our MDs and join their practice … After

we’d been growing and selling grapes for about five years, we understood that our fruit was something special based on how it was being handled by the producers who were buying it. We literally had a, ‘We should bottle it and sell it ourselves!’ moment.”

But when the family did fully set their minds on starting a winery, a disaster almost ruined the business. The warehouse where the wine was stored caught fire in 2000.

Nearly all the wine was destroyed shortly after the product had debuted.

“As luck would have it, prior to the fire we’d sent two bottles of our 1998 [Zinfandel] to Robert M. Parker, Jr., widely regarded as the most influential wine critic in the world.,” the family says on the vineyard’s website. Parker’s glowing review created “tremendous enthusiasm” for the wine’s return to restaurants and store shelves and allowed the winery to be revived like “a veritable phoenix from the ashes.”

The three siblings have succeeded well beyond their expectations. Brown Estate Vineyard is a private, familyowned business and they declined to disclose financial figures, but has clearly grown and expanded. They started out making one wine, its flagship Napa Valley Zinfandel.

In 2000, they added cabernet sauvignon; in 2002 came chardonnay; Chaos Theory, a red blend, debuted in 2004.

Subsequently, they expanded their zinfandel offerings and added a few more varietals.

“We produce a lot more wine now than we did when we started,” Deneen Brown said. They now have about 20 employees.

In Napa Valley, Brown Estate Vineyards is one of a kind: the only black-owned business that grows, produces,

Siblings David, Deneen and Coral Brown, left to right, started growing grapes on the family’s property in 1995. (Photo courtesy Brown Estate Winery)

and bottles wine on one contiguous property that they Continued on page A2

US Agency Includes Gun Sellers as ‘Critical’ Infrastructure

WASHINGTON (AP) – A gun rights group is cheering the Trump administration’s designation of the firearms industry, including retailers, as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure during the coronavirus emergency.

The designation by the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is advisory. The agency notes that the designation does not override determinations by individual jurisdictions of what they consider critical infrastructure sectors.

The firearms industry was not part of the federal agency’s original list of critical infrastructure issued just over a week ago. The designation in an update released Saturday follows a brewing legal battle between gun rights groups and California officials.

The group Gun Owners of America says in a statement Saturday that it is encouraged that the Trump administration is not ignoring what it calls “the ability to protect yourself ” during the emergency stemming from the pandemic.

Gun rights groups filed suit last Friday after the Los Angeles County sheriff closed gun stores in the wake of California Gov. Gavin Newsom saying that each of the state’s 58 counties could decide for themselves whether to list firearms dealers as nonessential businesses that should be subject to closure while the state seeks to limit the spread of the virus.

The lawsuit claims that the designation violates the Second Amendment, but officials cite a public health issue.

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Thursday, April 2, 2020

World & Nation

25 Years Napa Valley’s Only Black-Owned Vineyard Continued from page A1

own. Brown is not sure why more African Americans are not involved in the winery business but believes cost is a factor. “ ‘I’m going to start a winery,’ is more than a notion,” she said.

According to a University of California study, the cost of establishing a vineyard in Napa Valley, where Brown Estates is located, is more than $37,000 per acre for the first three years. Experts say it will be at least that long before the winery begins to make a profit. So even a small 10-acre vineyard would need an investment of more than $1 million to get started.

The valley itself is small, just 30 miles long and five miles wide. According to Napa Valley Vintners, a trade association, 95% of the valley’s 475 wineries are family owned.

The learning curve is steep, too.

“The lessons learned in one vintage do very little to

prepare you for the challenges you will face in the next,” said David Brown, whose title is winegrower, in a Q&A on the winery’s website. “As with so many things in life, success comes from being able to accurately predict what is coming next, which is something I am still trying to figure out how to do.”

Deneen Brown admits her family has been lucky.

“Our entrance into this space was in many ways accidental and largely on our parents’ shoulders,” she said.

But she said hard work and determination have carried the business through. They have courted customers through wine tastings and special events, and the winery is especially active on social media.

“We are focused on doing our thing with integrity and humility,” she said. “Our learning curve as far as growing and evolving the business has been 25 years and counting. … It’s a very long game.”

Volkswagen Suspends Production in Europe

The company noted that the suspension of production would begin on March 19, and it’s anticipating that it would last for 10 working days.

California’s Napa Valley is home to approximately 475 wineries, 95% of which are family owned. (Deb Harkness/Flickr)

Getting Creative to

Survive COVID-19 Continued from page A1

Anthony Wheeler. “This is the worst result of #covid19.”

Justin Henderson, another Twitter user, wrote, “The barbershop i go to is closed indefinitely and the company I work for wants us to use video chat for every virtual meeting. If this goes on for more than 2 more weeks, I may no longer be recognizable.”

Bridget Winton, a respected San Diego-based hairstylist and salon owner is among the 33,570 cosmetologists in California trying to rebound from the coronavirus effects.

“I’m glad that I have a couple of options to make money,” she said. “I have a direct franchise business offering health, wellness and beauty products that consumers still need even if they don’t come in. For me, it’s a nice little backup. It’s not as much money as I could be making if I’m in the trenches full time, but its steady money.”

Winton, who’s been in the industry for over 30 years says she learned early on the importance of creating multiple streams of income within her company. By turning her salon into a “one-stop-shop,” she has been able to meet many of her clients’ total body needs.

“I’m a full-service salon. I do facials, body treatments, body contouring, skin restoration, along with scalp treatment and hair services,” she said.

When coronavirus began its rapid spread, Winton started to visit which of her “streams” she’d focus on to maintain a flow of revenue. The services that required her

to touch the skin would have to stop.

“At first, when all of this happened, I was able to get a few people in and do some hair treatments, but if anybody came to me for skin rejuvenation or body treatments, I wasn’t doing them because I’m opening the pores of their skin and it was just too easy to pass on any germs,” she said.

Fortunately, for Winton and other independent businesspeople in the cosmetology industry, they now have a safety net if they need it. Last week, the U.S. Congress passed the CARES act to help individuals and businesses the Coronavirus pandemic has affected. President Trump signed it into law on Friday. The state of California has also extended unemployment benefits to freelancers and “gig workers,” including all barbers and beauticians.

That means they can now apply to receive a weekly paycheck that ranges between $40 and $450 dollars, depending on their average weekly income, and an additional $600 a week from the federal government.

For now, Winton keeps working on restructuring her businesses to meet her new reality. For starters, she has launched a newsletter to stay connected and keep her clients informed.

“I’m going to be taking my business online and set it up where I can interact with people one at a time, and use that time wisely to educate my clients. I’m in the process of updating my website and cleaning that up,” she said.

“In close consultation with our works councils and within the Group network, we have therefore decided at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to shut down production at all three sites. This is the only right decision to take, not least so as not to expose our workers to any unnecessary health risk,” Thomas Sedran, Chairman of the VWCV. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) is taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic and will be suspending vehicle production.

The company noted that the suspension of production would begin on March 19, and it’s anticipating that it would last for 10 working days.

Production at plants in Spain, Slovakia, Poland, Germany and Italy are all affected.

The company said the reason for the suspension is because of the uncertain sales environment for light

commercial vehicles, the suppliers’ volatile supply chains and to protect the health of all employees: “The coronavirus pandemic is naturally having an impact on our entire business: on supply chains, on our production operation, on sales and on our distribution and service partners,” Thomas Sedran, Chairman of the VWCV brand’s Board of Management, stated in a news release.

“In close consultation with our works councils and within the Group network, we have therefore decided at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to shut down production at all three sites. This is the only right decision to take, not least so as not to expose our workers to any unnecessary health risk.”

St. Louis Publisher Praises Establishment of NNPA Task Force and Resource Center

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent The establishment of the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) Coronavirus Task Force and Resource Center is both timely and necessary, and publishers, partners, sponsors, and others should quickly rally around the concept, according to one distinguished NNPA publisher.

“It’s extremely important because the Task Force will use the credible sources available to provide vital information to the Black community,” stated Dr. Donald M. Suggs, the publisher and executive editor of the St. Louis American, Missouri’s largest African American-owned newspaper.

Suggs, who holds degrees from Indiana University and Washington University, said a recent article published in the St. Louis American drove home the point that African Americans must be better informed.

He noted that the NNPA Task Force and Resource Center is positioned to inform the Black community.

“We just had this explosion on our social media platforms and website when we published the story of the first Black woman to die from the virus – she was a nurse,” said Dr. Suggs.

“The story blew up because there’s been so much misinformation in our community and the myth that Black people can’t get the coronavirus. This was a nurse,” continued Dr. Suggs.

Judy Wilson-Griffin, an African American nurse who worked at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, was the first person in the St. Louis region to succumb to COVID-19.

While St. Louis County Executive Sam Page identified her only as a county woman, the St. Louis American provided more information, including identifying her while noting that Wilson-Griffin had multiple health complications before contracting the virus.

Her diagnosis was confirmed 48 hours after being tested for the virus.

“There’s a lot of rumors and I knew that we had a special role to play,” argued Dr. Suggs. “That’s why the NNPA

Task Force is so important. We have to have special, validated information. Our community has a disproportionate amount of exposure to disease and the NNPA collectively is in position to make certain that they are aware of the

kind of information that’s out there and relevant to the Black community.”

He continued: “The problem with social media is that there’s too much misinformation. People need to have a trusted source of where they get their information. In the Black community, you have other diseases like breast cancer and prostate cancer, and our experience is different from others, so what you would recommend to African Americans isn’t what you’d recommend to everyone else.

“We know that African Americans routinely aren’t included in clinical studies, so we need to have information available to us, and the NNPA needs to share that information with influential members of the community and the community in general.

“The Task Force will get to the people who are best informed to get that vital information, and we will be able to share the best and most accurate information available.”

As of this writing, health officials have confirmed more than 120,204 cases of the coronavirus in the United States, with at least 1,997 deaths. Globally, there are nearly 650,926 confirmed cases and more than 30,642 deaths.

“We have not seen this before, and there’s still so much uncertainty,” said Dr. Suggs. “We know that so many with preexisting conditions and seniors are susceptible to the virus, but I know I’ve not seen anything like this. Not even AIDS represented this kind of threat to people’s well-being and a threat to the economy.”

Continued Dr. Suggs: “Look at what’s happened over the past few days with the number of cases and deaths rapidly increasing. What’s going on in Florida? There are a lot of older people there, and then you have those kids on the beach during Spring Break, and they will go home and spread the virus. This is a challenge.

“This changes from day-to-day, and we all have to take this very seriously. It’s a moving target that we’re trying to address. We have to talk to those who are informed, particularly from a Black perspective, and that’s what this NNPA Task Force will do.”

Income Tax Return Cash on the Table

Continued from page A1

this credit) and is intended to equalize the playing field for wage earners in the under $30,000 category.

You can submit retroactive claims for this credit for up to the last four years. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides free tax help for those uncomfortable with submitting tax filings and earn less than $54,000 a year.

Responding to the economic challenges of the Coronavirus crisis, the federal government passed legislation that will provide up to a $1,200 payment for single individuals, $2,400 for married couples and various tax credits to businesses.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) March 19 as a third-phase effort to address the economic fallout the COVID-19 pandemic has caused.

Jerome E. Horton, a former California state legislator and ex-member of the California Board of Equalization, who is now Chairperson for the Poverty Prevention Alliance, said the piece of legislation is a “good beginning.”

“You can actually get $1,200 per individual, and

for a family, it doubles,” Horton told California Black Media. “The important thing about the tax credit is that individuals would have had to file their 2018 tax returns.

So it’s important to encourage everyone to file.”

The legislation authorizes the IRS to issue to individuals with incomes of up to $75,000 a one-time $1,200 payment, phasing out at a rate of 5 percent for every $100 in income above $75,000.

The payment is thus phased out entirely for an individual making $99,000. Married couples with combined incomes of up to $150,000 would receive $2,400, subject to the same phaseout guidelines that apply to individuals.

So, for married couples, the payments would be phased out at $198,000. The provision also provides an additional $500 per child, also subject to a similar incremental phaseout.

The most important key to this tax credit for families and businesses is that emphasis is put on filing the 2018 tax returns, Horton said. They must be filed and the parties filing do not have to worry about previous hardships that prevented them from doing it.

“If you didn’t file because you didn’t think that you owed any taxes or the government didn’t take any taxes out of your check, please go ahead and file,” Horton said. “The individuals who wanted to stay off the radar, should file anyway,” he said, “so that they can take advantage of this stimulus.”

Individuals with disabilities, the elderly and limited English speaking abilities need help filling out tax returns qualify. All income-eligible Californians who need help filing a Personal Income Tax (PIT) return can find it through the VITA program at sites statewide until July 15.

All VITA volunteers are IRS-certified and can be trusted not to charge money for their services.

This tax season, the FTB expects to process 20 million PIT returns, and the IRS expects to process more than 150 million PIT returns.

Horton stresses that taxpayers should file for the tax break brought on by the stimulus and file with confidence.

“My understanding is that Congress is planning to do another $4 trillion stimulus package down the road,” Horton said. “They are considering it depending on how (the first stimulus) works itself out. But then, you must file your tax returns,” he said.

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Thursday, April 2, 2020

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A3

Features

How the Coronavirus Crisis is Forcing School Districts to Bridge the Digital Divide Joe W. Bowers Jr. California Black Media Two weeks ago, Gov. Newsom announced that Californians should not count on schools reopening before summer break. Most school districts had already announced that their campuses would be closed for two to four weeks to support the containment of the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

Prior to most schools “terminating classroom instruction”, Newsom issued an executive order ensuring that teachers would be paid during school closures and that districts would receive their regular funding as long as the school district districts delivered “high quality educational opportunities through distance learning or independent study.”

Distance learning as defined by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond is “simply when the teacher and the student are in two different locations.”

Over 8000 educators statewide participated in a webinar conducted by Thurmond to go over guidance the California Department of Education issued to all school districts detailing how they can provide distance learning opportunities for students including those with disabilities and English learners.

As school districts assess the Coronavirus crisis, most have been preparing as if they will not reopen classrooms for the rest of the school year. They are developing distance learning plans, trying to duplicate online the lessons they originally prepared to deliver in their classrooms.

Online distance learning is feasible because, when California adopted the Common Core State Standards, students had to be computer literate and know how to type in order to take state tests. Low tech school districts and charter schools transitioned to using high tech learning tools and bought devices like Chromebooks and iPads, loaded textbooks on them and required students to use them to complete assignments.

The “digital divide” between students with access to computers and internet at home and those without access has long been a public-policy debating point, but the disruption to learning caused by the Coronavirus crisis demands that something be done about it now.

Districts serving large low-income and minority student populations must bridge the digital divide if

their distance learning efforts are going to succeed. While students have access to a digital device at school, many don’t have one at home. Or if they do, they may not have access to broadband internet.

Across California, an estimated 230,888 Black Californians (12 percent of Black households) do not have an internet subscription compared to 7.4 percent for White households. And 217,860 Black Californians (10.2 percent of Black households) do not own a computer compared to 7.2 percent of White households, according to research conducted by California Black Media and included in the organization’s “Counting Black California” report.

In 378 of the hardest-to-count census tracts in the state, where large percentages of African Americans live an average of 64 percent of the households don’t have access to the internet. These households include over 67,300 Black residents, according to the same report.

In cases where children in the lowest-income homes have a home computer, they might have to share it with a parent who now has to work from home or school age brothers and sisters trying to complete school assignments as well.

Complicating the transition to distance learning for school districts is the fact that many teachers can’t just switch to online teaching overnight. They need training.

However, unlike school districts in other states that have closed down and are not offering instruction to students, that is not an option considered by California school districts. Instead, school districts across the state are identifying what they need to do to provide distance learning and are finding ways to deliver it.

Natomas Unified is located in northwestern Sacramento.

It was named the second most diverse school district in the nation in a New York Times study. They declared that they would transition to a distance learning model just a day after Newsom’s statement about schools not reopening.

According to Superintendent Chris Evans, they started preparing weeks before making the decision. “If we were going to do something virtually, I wanted to make sure there is equity in students having access to digital devices, other than a phone,” Evans said.

They surveyed who needed computers and internet access and worked out an arrangement with Verizon to

provide unlimited Wi-Fi access for three to four months.

A key element to their plan was being able to sign a memorandum of understanding with their teachers union on contract modifications to facilitate teachers’ participation in distance learning.

Currently, between 6,000 and 7,000 Chromebooks are being distributed to students and teachers to start pilottesting lessons for two weeks before they move forward on teaching curriculum online for the rest of the year — or until they are able to physically open their classrooms.

Just as ready to engage in providing distance learning to its students is Fortune School of Education. It is a group of seven public charter schools in Sacramento and San Bernardino with a student population that is over 90 percent minority and 85 percent low income.

Margaret Fortune, Founder and CEO of Fortune School said “I had literally just briefed my team that we need to make a distance learning plan that will be built to last for the rest of the school year,” when Newsom said schools might not open until summer.

Fortune has already distributed hundreds of Chromebooks to families that needed them and are implementing their distance learning program using Google Classroom as their learning management system and Google Hangouts to host face-to-face meetings with scholars and teachers.

Micah Ali, President of the Compton Unified School District Board of Education, said he felt, “Confident, poised, and ready to deliver instruction, virtual learning, no matter how long.”

School districts like Compton Unified and Stockton Unified that provide 1:1 access to a digital device and have arrangements with internet providers to provide free or low cost Wi-Fi are able to bridge the digital divide as they plan to deliver distance learning to the low income and minority students they serve.

And, school districts like San Lorenzo Unified and Inglewood Unified that don’t have 1:1 student access to a digital device, are figuring out how to provide a computer and internet access to students who need them so that they can implement their distance learning programs.

Los Angeles Unified and San Diego Unified, the state’s two largest school districts, are asking the Legislature to approve an additional $500 for every child in the state to

Fortune school staff hand out chrome books and free lunch to parents that need them March 23, 2020. (Courtesy Photo)

help pay for the transition to full online learning.

In that letter, the superintendents, Austin Beutner - Los Angeles Unified and Cindy Marten - San Diego Unified said, “Pick your metaphor: This is the moon shot, the Manhattan Project, the Normandy landing, and the Marshall Plan, and the clock is ticking.”

Rep. Waters Discusses Coronavirus Relief the orderlies, and the [LPNs], and all who are putting their lives on the line. We appreciate you. We thank you.

Be as safe and secure as you possibly can. We honor you for the work that you’re doing. That’s why I went back to Washington to vote, because if they can go every day and

(Saturday, March 28, 2020)-Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, joined MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid to discuss the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the state of California and Congress’ response to the crisis, including the House passage of the historic $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congresswoman Waters played an integral role in drafting.

During the interview, Congresswoman Waters applauded provisions of the CARES Act, particularly the relief measures for small businesses and workers. She expressed her commitment to continuing to push for the bold and progressive proposals that were included in her Committee’s comprehensive coronavirus response plan that

would provide $2000 per month for every adult and $1000 per month for every child; ban evictions, foreclosures, and repossessions nationwide; and suspend all consumer credit payments for car notes, student loans, and credit cards.

“We have people who work every day and [make] minimum wage. When they get laid off or fired, they don’t have any cushion. They don’t have anywhere to turn….

We’ve got to do more,” said Congresswoman Waters.

Congresswoman Waters also discussed her efforts to assist seniors and families in her District who have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. She closed by thanking medical professionals and those who are serving on the front lines of the crisis.

“I want to shout out the nurses, and the doctors, and

service those who are sick and put themselves at risk, I had to go and take that vote.”

Scan over the photo to this story using your “Observer Interactive “ App to watch a video of her full interview.

COVID-19 Changes Our Lives Food 4-Less Cashier Emma returns change to a customer she and others now have protective glass at her register. (Earl Heath Photo)

By Earl Heath Contributing Writer Kids are out of school, mothers are home, fathers are home and some of them are home together. Most stores and restaurants are closed and the ones that are open its like something out of a sci-fi movie.

Workers are wearing mask and gloves. It all due to the corona virus or COVID-19. It’s been the most deadliest virus to hit the world in a while.

The CVS store on Vine Street set up a plastic shield hanging from above and is draped around it’s checkout counter for prevention. Patrons would pass money under the clear plastic. “It’s a different world” said one man wearing a medical mask standing in line six feet behind the lady in front of him. “There are a lot of things that will be done different.”

Many grocery stores including Food-4-Less have all cashiers wearing gloves. They also have put up plastic shields between their workers and customers for protection when checking out. You encounter lines set up six feet apart to enhance social distances.

When you look down Martin Luther King Blvd in Los Angeles there is little movement with fewer cars, bus’s and fewer people. Hollywood Blvd. looks like a ghost town.

This is due to a stay at home order by Governor Newsome and Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti.

Our unemployment state wide and on a national level has taken a major hit. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, appearing on NBC’s Today Show, said what businesses and analysts already know, “We may as well be in a recession.”

“This is a unique situation,” Powell added. “People are being asked to close their business, to stay home from work, and to not engage in certain economic activity, and so they are pulling back. At a certain point, we will get the virus under control and confidence will return.”

Yes the world around us has changed. We don’t know when or if it will return like it was. From the Shores of Santa Monica, to the great state of Texas and the mountains that surround Atlanta, the roads of North Carolina and Virginia, to the awesome land of Connecticut I wish everyone to stay safe and sound.

One CVS store has encased checkout registers for employees protection. Self-Check-out does not have this. (Earl Heath Photo)

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THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Entertainment

Thursday, April 2, 2020

The Day the Music Died

NEW ORLEANS — Drive-through COVID-19 testing is now open in New Orleans.

Mardi Gras Coronavirus Tests New Orleans Why New Orleans has become a hot spot is uncertain, although medical experts and government officials openly speculate that the annual Mardi Gras celebration in late February was a factor. It draws more than a million tourists and locals to city streets each year.

By KEVIN McGILL and REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) _ There were the great fires of 1788 and 1794 and the multiple yellow fever outbreaks of the 1800s. Hurricane Betsy hit in 1965, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the memories linger in New Orleans like remnants of a bad dream.

Now the city is one of the nation's hot spots for coronavirus. As of Friday, New Orleans and neighboring Jefferson Parish had recorded more than 80 of the state's 119 COVID-19 deaths and more than 1,700 of the state's 2,700-plus known cases. The numbers have been climbing fast, in part because increased testing is revealing more people to have the disease.

Why New Orleans has become a hot spot is uncertain, although medical experts and government officials openly speculate that the annual Mardi Gras celebration in late February was a factor. It draws more than a million tourists and locals to city streets each year.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has repeatedly warned that the state's health care system could be overwhelmed by early April. Louisiana is preparing for 2,000 to 4,000 patients above normal for this time of year, said Joseph Kanter, an assistant state health officer.

Morial Convention Center, which sheltered Katrina refugees in sweltering squalor, is about to become an emergency hospital for a potential overflow of virus patients, which will once again test emergency preparedness in a city where rescue efforts were widely viewed as inadequate in 2005. The rush is on to corral protective masks and gowns for medical personnel and to gather lifesaving ventilators.

Meanwhile, an economy largely built on the opposite of social distancing _ tourism, crowded restaurants, music at bars and nightclubs _ is being sacrificed to stay-home orders, business shutdowns and bans of gatherings of more than 10 people. Live music, which reverberates through the city's history, is, for now, history itself.

Bartenders, waiters and hotel staffers are out of work.

And the city's heralded musicians, who could at least travel the world looking for gigs after Katrina, have nowhere to go in a pandemic.

“I've been playing music all my life, since I was a teenager,'' said 78-year-old John Moore, better known as session guitar virtuoso, singer and band leader Deacon John.

“I've never been unemployed. But now, all of a sudden, WHOP! The day the music died.''

“It does feel like what we cherish about this city is being taken away from us,'' said George Ingmire, a longtime

DJ at the city's famed roots music station WWOZ. “The reason that some of us came here and never left ... and those that are from here and take deep pride in ... That's all unavailable right now. That's really heartbreaking.''

The city's vulnerabilities include its poverty and lowwage jobs.

“I worry very much that a lot of people in our city are operating ... on a paycheck-to-paycheck basis,'' said John Clarke, a professor at Tulane University's business school.

He said the New Orleans economy lacks big companies that are often better positioned than smaller enterprises to weather financial ups and downs. The industries that New Orleans has in abundance _ hospitality, gambling, tourism _ have basically “come to a full stop.”

A high poverty rate could also crimp the city's ability to combat the disease. Drive-up testing, which allows symptomatic people to get tested while lessening their possible exposure, isn't always an option for the poor. According to the Data Center, a New Orleans-based think tank, nearly 1 in 5 households do not have access to a car.

Preexisting conditions, a risk for those who get COVID-19, are another problem in south Louisiana, Kanter said.

“We know that our population has more other diseas-

es, underlying, than perhaps other parts of the country do.

We have a lot of diabetes, heart disease, renal disease and liver disease here. That puts us at risk for worst outcomes very difficult to model for these,'' Kanter said.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such afever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.

Meanwhile, medical workers are conserving protective masks and gowns by re-using them. A nurse at a suburban New Orleans hospital, who was not authorized to speak to reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity, said staffers have discussed using plastic rain ponchos, like the ones French Quarter tourists buy at souvenir shops on rainy days, as protective gowns.

“People are handling it well and soldiering on,'' the nurse said. “But there's a lot of people worried about catching it and giving it to your family and all that stuff ... We want to help but we don't want to be sacrificial lambs.”

‘On My Block’ Cast Seeks Truth in Playing Inner-City Teens

By AMANDA LEE MYERS Associated Press WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) – Cast members of Netflix's “On My Block'' say they feel honored to be able to represent teenagers who've long seen themselves portrayed as stereotypes.

The show in its third season tells the story of a group of black and Latino teens navigating high school and the realities of growing up in inner-city Los Angeles.

Critics have praised the comedy-drama for its nuance and care in depicting the four bright, street-savvy friends.

In a recent interview, the stars of the show said they feel a level of responsibility in the truth of their portrayals.

That responsibility can be “terrifying,'' said actress Jessica Marie Garcia, who plays an annoying but lovable busybody who just wants to be part of the cool kids.

“We want to make sure that we do it right and that we don't let them down,'' Garcia said. “It's so rare that you get to see a cast like us in the same show that it's like, we just want to do it right and make them proud.”

Her co-star Bret Gray, who plays a super nerd, said he thinks they're doing a pretty good job because their fans wouldn't hold back if they weren't.

This image released by Netflix shows, from left, Jessica Marie Garcia, Sierra Capri, Brett Gray, Diego Tinoco and Jason Genao from the series "On My Block." The series is an honest portrayal of the realities young adults face growing up in inner-city Los Angeles, and critics have praised the comedy-drama's depiction of four bright, street-savvy friends with nuance and care. (Netflix via AP)

“They are not afraid to tell us,'' he said. “They would let us know, like, `You guys are not doing this,''' he said.

“Since we know that, you know, they care so much that it's an honest feedback and the feedback is positive and that we are doing them justice. So it feels good.”

The cast also hopes the show reaches more than just teens who can identify with the show's story lines.

“There's huge parts of the country that don't know how we grow up and what our lives are like,'' Garcia said.

“So I think it's really important to humanize what you may have seen stereotypes of in the past. I think that's huge.”

For actor Diego Tinoco, who plays a reticent gang initiate, he hopes the show teaches the importance of resilience.

“Push through the difficult times,'' he said. “(Don't) let your circumstances define who you are as a person. I think it's a universal message not only on our show, but just with everybody in their own life. Each and every single one of us are going through our own dilemma, our own problems and stuff, and it's just never get to give up.”

The third season of “On My Block'' came out on Netflix last week.

Sports

Thursday, April 2, 2020

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A5

During Uneasy Times Local Athletes Lend Support

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer Recently the coronavirus virus has changed all our lives in an unprecedented way. Los Angeles Rams players Jared Goff and Andrew Whitworth are stepping up to help people all in the greater Los Angeles area.

Last week the Rams Goff and Whitworth each donated $250,000 to the Los Angeles Food Bank to help fund two million meals for Angelenos in need.

“There are so many people in need right now and we want to do everything we can to help our Los Angeles community,” Goff said in a news release. “My hope is that we can inspire others to support organizations like the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and United Way’s Pandemic

Relief Fund as we come together to face this crisis.”

The closing of California schools has led to the need for meals throughout the city and county. Whitworth knows tragedy first hand he was at LSU during hurricane Katrina. As a student he and some LSU players drove around campus loading up a trailer with donations for hurricane victims.

“We filled up two 18-foot trailers within two days,” Whitworth said. “Then we donated our time when we had a chance. It was the least we could do in a situation to uplift our state, be there for it and not worry about ourselves.”

The actions by Whitworth and Goff are just the kinds of things the city and country need now.

Rams lineman Adam Whitworth works out. He and teammate Jared Goff have donated 2 million meals for those in need. (Earl Heath Photo)

The Sports World Continues to Make a Difference

During this Country’s Challenging Times

By Cameron Buford whatsgoodinsports.com Though many Americans look at sports as a diversion from what’s going on in real life in our society. The unprecedented impact of this COVId-19, in our country, has caught many of us off guard and ill-prepared for this pandemic. This Coronavirus has impacted the lives of everyone in this country, including several of our prominent athletes and sports personalities.

A variety of sports personalities have been inflected with this potentially fatal virus. Personalities such as NBA Reporter Doris Burke, Brooklyn Nets Kevin Durant, Boston Celtics Marcus Smart and Former Jacksonville Jaguar Tony Boselli have all been recently diagnosed with this virus that has changed life in America. Though much of the country has been shut down with only employees deemed essential employees continue to work.

In the wake of this harmful pandemic that has infected our country and changed the lives of every citizen, multiple players, teams, and athletes have chosen to support their fellow Americans in their various communities in the spirit of giving back. We previously mentioned the donations of Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert, Cleveland Cavaliers Kevin Love and New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson.

Admirably Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees have also chosen to follow suit.

Los Angeles Rams Quarterback Jared Goff and their veteran Offensive Tackle Andrew Whitworth will each donate $250,000 to their long-term partner L.A. Regional Food Bank, to fund two million meals for those in need.

“The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is on a mission to help fight the negative impacts of the coronavirus and I am humbled to team up with them to provide 1 million meals to our hurting community.” Giving back to the community isn’t anything new for Whitworth, as he’s been doing this since he’s been here in Los Angeles. Whether it’s donating his time and resources to elementary schools or efforts like this, Big-Whit always makes his presence felt in the community.

After recently agreeing to purchase the Forum for a reported $400 million, the Los Angeles Clippers Chairman

Steve Ballmer has open up his wallet once again. This time he and his wife Connie, through The Ballmer Group, agree to pledge $25 million dollars to multiple healthcare systems to halt the growth of this insidious pandemic in multiple states. Southeastern Michigan, where Ballmer is from, Los Angeles, CA., where he’s NBA team is based and Seattle, WA., where they currently reside will be receiving a portion of this funding.

According to UW Medicines Dr. Paul Ramsey, “Testing is the most immediate priority right now as we try to reduce community spread of COVID-19.” Ramsey continued on to tell the LA Times Andrew Greif, “Private philanthropy, like Connie and Steve Ballmer’s extraordinary gift, is critical to expanding testing at the speed and scale required to save lives. We are incredibly grateful for their leadership during this crisis.”

When Drew Brees arrived in New Orleans years ago, he made it a point to support those who have suffered losses of their homes and lifestyle after Hurricane Katrina ravished New Orleans, LA years ago. This entrenched him into the community’s fabric. He then became legendary in the city by leading the Saints to their first franchise Super Bowl victory a free years later. In his recent interview with TMZ, Drew Brees mentions that with “so much need and so many challenges.” His $5 Million donation is meant to “put people’s minds at ease.” Once again Drew not only talks the talks but walks the walk.

American educator, novelist and poet Paul Eldridge summarized these actions best when he said: “A man is most accurately judged by how he treats those who are not in a position either to retaliate or to reciprocate.” These actions are just the examples of graciousness we like to highlight and promote via www.whatsgoodinsports.com.

Kindly share your thoughts and any other contributions from members of the sports community, that we may have overlooked by reaching out to me on Twitter @whatsgoodnsport or forward any links to info@ whatsgoodinsports.com. Additionally, be sure to subscribe to our weekly “Voice of the Fans Podcast” which is available for you on most podcasting platforms, Apple and Google Podcasts including Spotify, TuneIn, and iHeart Radio. As always, Thank You for making our voice, your choice!

Steve and Connie Ballmer, of The Ballmer Group, pledges $25 Million to Health Care Systems in 3 states to fight COVID-19 (Courtesy Photo)

Stephon Marbury Trying to Lend Big Assist for NY

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer Stephon Marbury is trying to lend the biggest assist of his life. The former New York Knicks guard and Coney Island native is attempting to put together a deal that would deliver 10 million N95 masks to New York City, however he has run into issues coordinating a deal between a Chinese company and the city officials.

New York City and state is the epicenter of the CORVID-19 virus were more than 52,000 cases in also around 7,300 people were reportedly in hospitals. Hospital workers and health officials were complaining about the shortage of PPE’s personal protection equipment that include mask.

Marbury told the New York Post that he arranged for a supplier in China to sell the masks for $2.75 each, nearly two-thirds less than their standard price tag.

“At the end of the day, I am from Brooklyn,” Marbury told the Post from Beijing, where he coaches the Chinese

Basketball Association’s Royal Fighters. “This is something that is close and dear to my heart as far as being able to help New York.”

Marbury added: “I have family there in Coney Island, a lot of family who are affected by this, so I know how important it is for people to have masks during this time.”

Marbury reached out to Brooklyn borough president Eric Adams to help coordinate the sale.

But Adams told the Post that he was initially informed by city and state officials that they did not need the masks.

When the Post contacted state Department of Health officials, however, they said state officials “want to talk to Stephon.” The department was put in touch with Adam’s office to continue talks.

Marbury played 13 seasons, in the NBA including five with the Knicks, before joining the CBA, where he played from 2010 to 2018. He was a fan favorite during that time.

He then became a coach last year.

Stephon Marbury (Photo Credit: Black Enterprise twitter page)

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THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Local

Thursday, April 2, 2020