“No athlete, regardless of their race should ever be subject to such hostile conditions,’’ said Richardson, the only Black starter on the Blue Devils team. BYU banned a fan from all athletic venues on campus Saturday, a day after the match. The fan was not a student but was sitting in the student section.
The Duke volleyball player who was subjected to racial slurs during a match at BYU said Sunday that officials onsite didn’t react quickly enough when they were made aware of the behavior during play. Nor did they adequately address the situation immediately after the match, Rachel Richardson said in a statement posted to her Twitter account.
Serving the San Fernando Valley for Over 37 Years Volume 37 Number 42 Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California Thursday, September 1, 2022 The Valley’sThe Valley’sNews Observer One!Take
Richardson, a 19-year-old sophomore from Ellicott City, Maryland, wrote that she didn’t believe the fan’s actions were a reflection of BYU athletes, saying her opponents showed respect and sportsmanship, adding that BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe had reacted quickly once he was notified. “This is not the first time this has happened in college athletics and sadly it likely will not be the last time,’’ Richardson said. “However, each time it happens we as student athletes, coaches, fans, and administrators have a chance to educate those who act in hateful ways.’’
Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta is urging Californians to take advantage of recent changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF) programs.Bonta’s announcement coincides with a CNBC survey that reports 31% of Black women are disproportionately impacted by student debt. Also, four years after graduation, 48% of Black students owe an average of 12.5% more than they borrowed, according to the Educational Data InitiativeAssemblymember(EDI). Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) shared her own struggles with paying back student debt she owed. “I graduated with over $150,000 in student debt. I was in my 20s then,” she said. “I didn’t make my final payment until almost 20 years later, just in time to send my oldest daughter to college.” According to Bonta, a Black woman owes 112% of the loan amount she takes out 12 years after starting college. For a Latina, 12 years after starting college, she will owe86% of that loan. “Black and Latino students, coming from low-income communities take on a disproportionately amount of school debt,” Bonta said. “I witness this every single day.”
“Our public servants work day-in and day-out on behalf of the people of California as our nurses, teachers, first responders, state workers, and more. I urge you to take advantage of the new PSLF Limited Waiver Opportunitybefore the Oct.31 deadline.” California ranks No. 13 among states on student loan debt with borrowers owing an average of $37,084. California’s student loan debt adds up to $141.8 billion, the largest amount of any state. According to EDI, student loan debt statistics show tremendous disparities among racial and ethnic groups. African American college graduates owe an average of $25,000 more debt than White graduates. Four years after graduation, 48% of Black students owe an average of 12.5% more than they borrowed. Black student borrowers are the most likely to struggle financially due to student loan debt, with 29% making monthly payments of $350 or more. About 3% of California borrowers owe more than $200,000 and nearly 10% of the state’s population have student loan debt. The moratorium on federal student loan payments expires on Aug. 31. A total of 43 million Americans owestudent loan debt — worth $1.6 trillion, federal data shows.“Thankfully now, there are federal and state programs that can play a critical role in reducing or eliminating student debt altogether,” Mia Bonta said. “Now we have this last opportunity to spread awareness about these programs. Beyond that, we have to simplify the application process and create a better coordinated, outreach program between institutions of higher learning, the government, and the private sector.” Under the limited PSLF waiver rules, any past periods of repayment count as a qualifying payment, regardless of loan type, repayment plan, or whether or not the borrower made a payment, or if the payment was made in full or on time.Each borrower needs to work for a qualifying employer, private or non-profit. The Temporary change applies to borrowers with Direct Loans, those who have already consolidated into the Direct Loan Program, and those who consolidate into the Direct Loan Program by Oct. 31, There2022.are two requirements in order to receive additional qualifying payments: Full-time employment - Borrowers must have worked full-time for a qualifying employer during the prior periods of repayment. They receive credit only for periods of repayment after Oct. 1, 2007, which is when the PSLF programLoanbegan.consolidation – Borrowers with Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans, Federal Perkins Loans, or other types of federal student loans that are not Direct Loans must consolidate those loans into the Direct Loan program by Oct. 31, 2022.If the borrower had Direct Loans and had PSLF employment certified, ED will award additional payments without further action. If necessary, Federal Student Aid may contact the borrower to certify additional months of employment.Anemployer needs to be a governmental organization, a 501(c)(3) organization, or a not-for-profit organization that provides a designated public service in order to qualifyfor PSLF under normal rules and the Limited PSLF Waiver. “My team has advocated for years for the Department of Education to fix this broken program, and with the recent changes under the Biden Administration, Californians are finally beginning to receive relief,” AG Bonta stated. Get more information on the loan forgiveness program.
Apply Now for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Continued on page A2
Shines Spotlight on Institutionalized Racism
Solomon O. Smith| California Black Media
Mastriano FacultyUniformConfederateWoreforPhoto
Black Doctors March
Photo)
The Kaiser School of Medicine was named the 6th Most Diverse Medical School in the nation and ranked 2nd in California by U.S. News & World Report after the School of Medicine at the University of California Davis. With handmade signs and white lab coats the rally set off for a two-block march to the medical school. Walking in a single file line the doctors raised their voices in a shouted
CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania GOP guber natorial nominee Doug Mastriano, three years before retiring from the U.S. Army, posed in a Confederate uniform for a faculty photo at the Army War College. The photo, which Reuters said Friday it obtained after a request under the Freedom of Information Act, shows Mastriano in the uniform in a 2013-14 portrait for the Department of Military Strategy, Plans and Op erations, where he worked until he retired in 2017. Re uters said it was told that faculty at the time were given the option of dressing as a historical figure, and while a few did so, only Mastriano is shown wearing a Confed erateTheuniform.Army War College said in a statement that a team in 2020 had reviewed all art, text and images dis played at the Carlisle barracks for alignment with Army values and the college’s educational philosophies, but it missed the faculty photo, which “has since been re moved because it does not meet AWC values.’’ Mastriano, a Pennsylvania state senator, has spread Donald Trump’s lies about widespread election fraud in the 2020 presidential election and was a leading propo nent in Pennsylvania of Trump’s drive to overturn the result. He was also in the crowd outside the U.S. Capi tol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by Trump supporters after attending the “Stop the Steal’’ rally nearby. Mastriano did not immediately respond to requests for comment but retweeted a comment by Jenna Ellis, a senior legal adviser to his campaign, who said “Media MELT DOWN that Mastriano apparently once posed as a civil war historical figure for a photo. And? He has a Ph.D in HISTORY. “The left wants to erase history. Doug Mastriano wants us to learn from it,’’ Ellis tweeted. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Shapiro accused Mastriano of wearing “the uniform of traitors who fought to defend slavery,’’ calling it “deeply offen sive’’ and saying his opponent was “unfit to be gover nor.’’Mastriano served for three decades in the Army, retiring as a colonel after serving in Europe, Iraq, and Afghanistan.Confederate flags, symbols and statues have in creasingly divided the country in recent years, with critics calling them symbols representing the struggle to retain slavery and supporters calling them displays of Southern pride and heritage.
The #BlackDocsBelong campaign held a rally in Pasadena last Friday calling on Black medical doctors to join their movement dedicated to keeping and growing the ranks of Black physicians. “We actively support and advocate for Black trainees and physicians facing workplace discrimination,” states the website of Black Doc Village, the group organizing the rally. “We aim to expand the Black physician workforce to improve health outcomes in the Black community.” The national kickoff for the not-for-profit organization Black Doc Village, began with a breakfast at the Pasadena Hilton hosted by two Black Doc Village cofounders: nephrologist Vanessa Grubbs and educator and physician Aysha H. AboutKhoury.100young medical students and staff gathered to march to the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. A wide range of ethnicities came to provide support. A student who chose to remain anonymous shared the contents of a message about the protest from the KaiserSchool of “StudentsMedicine.who choose to participate in the demonstration tomorrow will not be penalized or retaliated against for doing so,” reads an email by senior associate dean for student affairs Dr. Anne M. Eacker, “and absence from class or clinical sites tomorrow morning will beconsidered an excused absence.”
(Shutterstock
Aysha Khoury gets emotional as she speaks in front of her former workplace the Kaiser Medical School in Pasadena. A founder of Black Doc Village, she is suing the school for racist practices. Pasadena, California, Friday August 26, 2022 (by Solomon O. Smith)
The PSLF and TEPSLF programs are entirely different from President Joe Biden’s plan for targeted student debt cancellation to borrowers with loans held by the Department of Education. Qualifying borrowers musthave “annual income of under $125,000 (for individuals) or under $250,000 (for married couples or heads of households). Borrowers who qualify can have up to $10,000 worth of eligible debt canceled. If the borrower received a Pell Grant, the borrower could have up to a total of $20,000 of debt canceled.
“Therefore, on behalf of my African American teammates and I, we do not want to receive pity or to be looked at as helpless. We do not feel as though we are victims of some tragic unavoidable event. We are proud to be young African American women; we are proud to be Duke student athletes, and we are proud to stand up againstTheracism.’’Duketeam released a statement, saying: “We stand against any form of racism, bigotry or hatred. As a program we have worked extensively to create an inclusive and safe environment where our student-athletes feel heard and supported but are not naive to the fact that there is always work to be done.’’
Biden also extended the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections through December 31, 2022.Last year, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) launched a limited-time PSLF Waiver opportunity that runs through Oct. 31. It allows eligible borrowers to receive credit for past student loan payments that would otherwise not qualify under the PSLF program. ED improved the PSLF program in response to a lawsuit and years-long advocacy by a number of state attorneys general and others urging ED to fix the broken program.Following resolution of the lawsuit, AG Bonta has continued to advocate for changes to the PSLF program. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) is taking part in the California Student Loan Debt Challenge to raise awareness about the PSLF program to help DOJ employees’ access loan forgiveness. “On behalf of the more than 5,000 public servants at the California Department of Justice, I’m proud to take the California Student Debt Challenge,” AG Bonta said.
Jay Z and Beyoncé Continue Adding to Their Legacy of Giving Back Page A3 Leimert Park Jazz Festival Celebrates Jazz, Community and Culture Page A10
Richardson also responded to the idea that some people would have liked to see Duke’s team respond quickly, such as by refusing to continue playing in what became a 3-1 victory for BYU.
“Although the heckling eventually took a mental toll on me, I refused to allow it to stop me from doing what I love to do and what I came to BYU to do: which was to play volleyball,” Richardson said. “I refused to allow those racist bigots to feel any degree of satisfaction from thinking that their comments had `gotten to me,’ So, I pushed through and finished the game.
Duke toResponsePlayer:VolleyballBYUSlowRacialSlurs
Black Doctors March Shine Spotlight on Institutionalized Racism call-and-response chant. “Stop pushing,” they shouted followed by the comeback, “Black docs out.” Black medical professionals from across the country came to support the Black Doc Village rally. Dr. Robert Rock, who practices on the East Coast, says he was inspired to go into medicine by his grandmother and the strength she exhibited when she “refused to be disrespected” by medical professionals during her care. He witnessed a racist act aimed at a patient which he described as shocking.“Wewere deterred from talking about it,” said Rock. “It was then that I lost my faith (in the system).” Jessica Isom is a Boston-based psychiatrist and an advocate for equity and justice for BIPOC patients. She has been an outspoken resource and advisor in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs through her company Vision for Equality, which has worked with several major brands and medical institutions. She sees part of the issue as a flaw in the culture of medicine which makes changingit difficult.Isomsays resistance to change is “perpetuated through training” and that people may not be conscious that change is needed. She referred to an article written by Rhea W. Boyd, a pediatrician who has spoken before Congress about racism in the medical profession.
Officer in Breonna Taylor Case Pleads Guilty
Continued from page A1
“We believe the officers violated federal civil rights laws, and that those violations resulted in Taylor’s death,” GarlandAddedstated.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, “On March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor should have awakened in her home as usual, but tragically she did not.”
White House Drags Republican Opposition to Student Loan Forgiveness
In Epic Tweets,
To which the White House put him on blast: “Congressman Markwayne Mullin had over $1.4 million in PPP loans forgiven.” Responding to Hern’s tweet that claimed the administration “forced [taxpayers] to pay for other people’s college degrees,” the White House replied: “Congressman Kevin Hern had over $1 million in PPP loans forgiven.”
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Kelly Goodlett, one of the former Louisville police officers charged with falsifying a search warrant that led to Breonna Taylor’s killing, has pleaded guilty. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Goodlett with conspiring with former Detective Joshua Jaynes to falsify the search warrant for Taylor’s home and to cover up their actions afterward. Also charged are current Louisiana Police Department Sergeant Kyle Meany, and former detective Brett Hankison. Goodlett faces up to 5 years in prison. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland charged Jaynes and Meany with federal civil rights and obstruction offenses, alleging they prepared and approved a false search warrant affidavit that led to Taylor’s shooting death. The indictment against Hankison charges that the former detective with civil rights offenses for firing his weapon into Taylor’s apartment through a covered window and glass door. The indictment alleges that Jaynes and Meany knew that the affidavit contained false and misleading statements, omitted material facts, relied on stale information, and was not supported by probable cause. Jaynes and Meany knew that the execution of the search warrant would be carried out by armed LMPD officers and could create a dangerous situation both for those officers and for anyone who happened to be in Taylor’s home, the indictment noted. The officers tasked with executing the warrant were not involved in drafting the warrant affidavit and were not aware that it was false, the DOJ said. Jaynes also face charges of conspiracy for agreeing with another detective to cover up the false warrant affidavit after Taylor’s death by drafting a false investigative letter and making false statements to criminal investigators. The DOJ also leveled a charge of falsifying a report with the intent to impede a criminal investigation into Taylor’s death against Jaynes. Another charge included allegations that Meany made a false statement to federal investigators. The DOJ said Hankison willfully used unconstitutionally excessive force, while acting in his official capacity as an officer, when he fired his service weapon into Taylor’s apartment through a covered window and covered glass door.
Robert Rock traveled from the east coast to support the BlackDocsBelong rally. Rock is an award-winning physician who has worked as an advocate for equality for doctors and patients of color. Pasadena, California, Friday August 26, 2022 (by Solomon O. Smith)
“People see it. The person who serves you your food looks like me. The person who provides you your medical care often does not, and that is an intentional process of segregation,” says Isom. Doctors were not the only ones who want more Black physicians and medical professionals in the industry. Robert Phillips was looking for a Black nephrologist, a doctor specializing in diseases and functions of the kidneys and found Dr. Grubbs. He felt ignored and unheard byWhiteScoresdoctors.of studies show that health outcomes for African Americans have historically been among the lowest, according to various metrics. The Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) recently reported African Americans have the highest rate of infant mortality of any ethnic group. The number of Black doctors is also disproportionately low, at just 5 %, according to a 2019 survey by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Some at the rally are in litigation against Kaiser, including Khoury. She is well-known for a viral thread on Twitter relating her story of how she was removed fromKaiser Medical School. Kaiser has released a statement disputing Khoury’s claim.“Regarding Dr. Aysha Khoury, one of the founders of the Black Doc Village organization, the school has been clear that Dr. Khoury was not placed on leave because she brought content related to anti-racism to the classroom or because she shared her experiences as a Black woman in medicine,” the Kaiser statement says.
“Since the founding of our nation, the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution has guaranteed that all people have a right to be secure in their homes, free from false warrants, unreasonable searches, and the use of unjustifiable and excessive force by the police,” Clarke continued.
A2 The Valley’s News Observer Thursday, September 1, 2022 Adjudicated a Newspaper of General Circulation on July 2, 1991, Los Angeles Superior Court Decree, Case No. BS007262, Government Code 6023. Bulk Mailing Permit 724 Bakersfield, CA 93385 Published every Thursday by The Observer Group Newspa pers of Southern California, Inc. Member: National Newspaper Publishers Assc. Associated Press, Better Business Bureau, GLAAACC President: Ellen Coley CEO: Jon Coley Publisher/ Editor: James Luckey Jr. Operations Manager: James Luckey Credo - The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accounts to every person, regardless of race, color, or creed full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every per son in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as any one is heldTheback.Observer Group Newspapers reserves the right to publish views and opinions that may not necessarily reflect those of the staff and management are soleley the prod uct of the responsible individuals who submit commen taries published in these newspapers. Letters, articles and comments appearing in the Observer Newspapers reflect the opinions of the contributor and do not constitute the opinion or endorsement by The Observer Newspapers or its staff. The Observer Group Newspapers assumes no re sponsibility for photographs, articles, letters, press releases and unsolicited materials. Decisions as to the editiing and publishing of materials are at the discretion of the Publisher and Editors. All rights are reserved on materials accepted for publication unless otherwise specified. The Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California, Inc.: Los Angeles News Observer, Bakersfield News Observer, The Valley’s News Observer The Valley’s News Observer 6060 Center Drive Floor 10, Los Angeles, CA 90045 Mailing Address: PO Box 2341, Bakersfield, Ca. 93303 Phone (661) 324-9466 FAX (661) Online:Advertising:General324-9472Info:observernews@gmail.comobserveradvertising@gmail.comwww.ognsc.com News ObserverThe Valley’s
Also, on Fox, Mullin claimed that “we do not need farmers and ranchers, small business owners, and teachers in Oklahoma paying the debts of Ivy League Lawyers and doctors across the U.S.”
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent While in the White House, Former President Donald Trump enjoyed a well-earned reputation for using Twitter to attack and hit back at critics of his administration. Since President Joe Biden took office, the use of the @WhiteHouse account on the social media platform was limited to touting specific policies and legislation for which the current administration sought to lift up. Until Whoevernow.oversees the White House Twitter account has quickly learned the art of throwing shade and has done so by dragging certain Republicans who have bashed the administration’s new student loan forgiveness plan. In a series of tweets, the White House spotlighted lawmakers complaining about student loan forgiveness despite the government ultimately forgiving those members of Congress Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The White House account specifically homed in on GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene off Georgia, Reps. Markwayne Mullin and Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, and Vern Buchanan of Florida. Each received large PPP loans during the pandemic. Greene went on television to call Biden’s student loan forgiveness unfair – to which the White House Twitter account sprang into “Congresswomanaction.Marjorie Taylor Greene had $183,504 in PPP loans forgiven,” the White House tweeted along with a video of the congresswoman complaining about Biden’s new student loan policy. On Fox News, Buchanan insisted, “As a blue-collar kid who worked his way through college, I know firsthand the sacrifices people make to receive an education. Biden’s reckless, unilateral student loan giveaway is unfair to the 87 percent of Americans without student loan debt and those who played by the rules.” Tweeting the video, the White House rebuked Buchanan: “Congressman Vern Buchanan had over $2.3 million in PPP loans forgiven.”
“To those Republicans in Congress who believe student debt shouldn’t be forgiven: I will never apologize for helping America’s middle class – especially not to the same folks who voted for a $2 trillion tax cut for the wealthy and giant corporations that racked up the deficit,” Biden wrote.
The White House also pointed out that Congressman Mike Kelly had $987,237 in PPP loans forgiven, and Congressman Matt Gaetz had $482,321 in PPP loans forgiven.Social media erupted over the White House’s diss of Republicans attacking loan forgiveness.
“Today is the day that Joe Biden officially became the second Black president of the United States,” Twitter user @BlackKnight10K wrote. “Because only my people would do some [stuff] as gangster as this.” @BlackKnight10K wasn’t done. “Yo, the White House twitter account has temporarily reinstated slavery in the United States because they are owning every single Republican who had a PPP loan forgiven,” the user wrote. Added U.S. Military Veteran Eric Garcia: “My house provides shelter. The White House provides shade.” The White House “Twitter account pulling a ‘this you?’” Philip Lewis, a Huffington Post editor, tweeted. Singer and actress Malynda Hale tweeted, “The @ WhiteHouse putting Republicans on blast that had PPP loans forgiven is the kind of petty I want to see more of. Drag them. DRAG. THEM.” Rep. Eric Swalwell of California chimed in: “Dear GOP colleagues, before you offer your hot takes on student debt relief, please make sure you or your colleagues didn’t have one of your government loans forgiven. Otherwise, I will absolutely scorch you.” Biden also offered a hot take.
World & Nation
Khoury and Grubbs say that issues with Kaiser are a small part of a bigger problem in the medical community and are hoping that their stories can be the jumping-off point for “Kaiseraction.iswhere we are today, but this is everywhere, not just there,” said Khoury. “This is why we need the whole village.”
Review:
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Popular music’s most powerful couple continue to make power moves. And, even when their good deeds are a year old, the significance never fades.
Twitter and other social media users are again gushing over the impact Beyoncé and her husband Jay Z’s commitment to students in select high schools and historically Black colleges and universities.
Scholars was inspired by Beyoncé’s performance at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Beyoncé, the first black woman in the festival’s 19-year history to be its headline performer, referenced HBCUs throughout her performance that incorporated a 100-piece all-black marching band and song selection. “The show, with its homage to excellence in education, was a celebration of the homecoming weekend experience, the highest display of college pride,” according to a news release.“The energy-filled production put the spotlight on art and culture, mixing the ancient and the modern, which resonated masterfully through the marching band, performance art, choir, and dance. It was the impetus to mark her second scholarship program.”
By RON HARRIS Associated Press Marcus King, “Young Blood'' (American Records/ Republic)Fiery fretboard master Marcus King is out with his new album “Young Blood,'' with his guitar skills on full display _ but diverging some from his blues-heavy themes of theKingpast. goes into high gear immediately on this, scorching his way through the opening tracks including “Lie, Lie, Lie,'' on which he bends and shreds his strings into “Pain''submission.isanother standout effort. “I used to be a diamond/ Now I'm just a rolled up dollar bill,'' King sings in his trademark throaty voice. The guitar solo is a bit more blues-infused, with a massive amount of overdrive effect and speed.Kinghas been public about his bouts of depression and says this work is what has been going on inside of him. The lyrics here are deeply personal to King and his emotions.
Marcus King Smolders on ‘Young Blood’
Jay Z and Beyoncé Continue Adding to Their Legacy of Giving Back
Thursday, September 1, 2022 The Valley’s News Observer A3 Entertainment
Twitter and other social media users are again gushing over the impact Beyoncé and her husband Jay Z’s commitment to students in select high schools and historically Black colleges and universities. Two years ago, they announced a new scholarship program that will award 10 scholarships worth $100,000 each to “exceptional” high school seniors who demonstratefinancial needs. The duo said the award will serve as a dedicated university-based fund for each selected student throughoutthe duration of the student’s enrollment. In 2021, Beyoncé’s “BeyGOOD Initiative” and Jay Z’s “The Shawn Carter Foundation,” partnered with Tiffany & Co. to donate $2 million to HBCUs. As a new school semester dawns, fans and others are anticipating another major power move by the couple. Meanwhile, the “About Love” Scholarship is distributed among students who pursue the arts and creative fields at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania; Norfolk State University in Virginia; Bennett College in North Carolina; the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, and Central State University in Ohio. The power couple have had a long history of helping students with The Shawn Carter Foundation spearheading college tours to historically black colleges and universities and providing scholarships to college bound students throughout the country. Through her BeyGOOD initiative, Beyoncé created the Formation Scholars Award, a merit program to help female students start or further their college education, and this year they announced the Homecoming Scholars Award, a second merit program, opened to qualified students, regardless of gender, to enter or continue their studies at one of eight HBCUs. Jordan Davis decided to apply for the BeyGood scholarship but said doubted he would receive the award. About a month later though, the Plano, Texas, native learned he was one of the eight finalists who had won the inaugural scholarship sponsored by Beyoncé and Google. “I was so ecstatic,” Davis told the Houston Chronicle. “It was a dream come true. It almost felt like Beyoncé had chosenHomecomingme.”
If there's a weak spot on “Young Blood,'' it's that the vocals are tracked much cleaner and quieter than the raucous instrumentals. With King's abilities on all fronts, this feels like a bit of a disservice to the energy of the artist. Still, Marcus King on “Young Blood'' serves notice that high-powered blues rock is in good hands.
PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE Legal Notices BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING
NIA-LOS ANGELES 1725 Main Street Santa
Ca. 90401 Branch Name:
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2022 184265 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: HITIT at 16549 Beaver Road, Adelan to, Ca. REGISTEREDMailingCounty:92301SanBernardinoSameOWNERS(S): HITECH IMAGING TRADE, INC., 16549 Beaver Road, Adelanto, Ca. 92301 The business is conducted by: a SIGNED:CorporationMESROP KHOUDAGOULIAN, CEO The date registrant started to trans act business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 6/2017 This statement filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on: Aug 19, DEAN2022C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk By: A. DeputyGARCIA NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATE MENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATE MENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BE FORE THE EXPIRATION. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY FORM. This statement expires on Aug 19, FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2022 172856 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: LIMITLESS SKILLS TRAINING at 5552 S Corning Ave, Los Angeles, Ca. County:90056 Los Angeles Mailing: 12700 Inglewood Ave #1577, Hawthorne, Ca. 90250 REGISTERED OWNERS(S): YESENIA KNIGHT 5552 S Corning Ave, Los An geles, Ca. REGISTERED90056OWNERS(S): ERIC KNIGHT 5552 S Corning Ave, Los An geles, Ca. 90056 The business is conducted by: Co SIGNED:partners YESENIA KNIGHT The date registrant started to trans act business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 7/2022 This statement filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on: Aug 4, DEAN2022 C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk By: I. DeputyCORREA
A4 The Valley’s News Observer Thursday, September 1, 2022
NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATE MENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATE MENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BE FORE THE EXPIRATION. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY FORM. This statement expires on Aug 4, 2027 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E)
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFOR NIA-LOS ANGELES 6230 Sylmar Avenue Van Nuys, Ca. 91401 Branch Name: Northwest District PETITION OF: DEAN O’HAYON-FADIDA TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: DEAN O’HAYON-FADIDA for a decree changing names as fol Presentlows: name DEAN O’HAYON-FADIDA Filed a petition with this court Proposed name OSHER O’HAYON THE COURT ORDERS: that all per sons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indi cated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes de scribed above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the pe tition should not be granted if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
OF:
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE 22VECP00411NUMBER
VIRGINIA
NOTICE OF HEARING Date: SEPT 16, 2022 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: Room:A510 The address of the court is: Same as noted above. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks pri or to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county LOS ANGELES NEWS OB Date:SERVERAugust 2, 2022 KEENY JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT SHERRI R. EXECUTIVECARTEROFFICER/CLERK OF COURT ERIN Petitioner:DEPUTYMONTAGNADean O’Hayon-Fadida 5440 Van Noord Ave. Sherman Oaks, Ca. 91401 Phone: (818) 966-2076 COURT OF CALIFOR Monica, Santa Monica Court PETITIONhouse LYNNA OUNG TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: LYNNA OUNG for a decree changing names as fol Presentlows: name LYNNA OUNG Filed a petition with this court Proposed name LYNNA NOH THE COURT ORDERS: that all per sons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indi cated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes de scribed above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the pe tition should not be granted if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
E-Mail Address: osherohayon2@gmail. com Attorney For: Self Represented Los Angeles News Observer (E) PUB: Aug 11, 18, 25, Sept 1, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE 22SMCP00389NUMBER SUPERIOR
NOTICE OF HEARING Date: Oct 14, 2022 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: Room:K The address of the court is: Same as noted above. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks pri or to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county LOS ANGELES NEWS OB Date:SERVERAugust 12, 2022 LAWRENCE H. CHO JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT 12610 Braddock Dr., Apt 218 Los Angeles, Ca. 90066 Phone: (310) 302-7562 E-Mail Address: lynnanoh@gmail.com Los Angeles News Observer (E) PUB: Aug 25, Sept 1, 8, 15, 2022
“There are not enough people to do the work,” said Smith.Smith admits that fighting fires is dangerous and scary. He said the first time he fought a fire, “I have never been that scared in my life.” However, for Smith, being a firefighter allows him to “be a good citizen for the state of California.” Being a firefighter has allowed Smith’s family to improve their situation. Now his daughter wants to be a wildland firefighter. And members of his church are interested in getting their family members into the program.
Aldon Thomas Stiles California Black Media Nationwide, book banning is on the rise. It’s reached a 20-year high, according to the American Library Association and Unite Against Book Bans. Some of the books that have been banned include titles like “Beloved” by Toni Morrison, “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers and “Maus” by Art Spiegelman. “It is also worth noting that most challenged books feature LGBTQIA-related topics or are by BIPOC authors,” Kadie Seitz, a librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library who focuses on youth services, wrote on the organization’s blog.Troy Flint, Chief Information Officer at the California School Boards Association (CSBA), pointed out that book bans are not happening in California at the same level as in other states but cautioned that there is still cause for concern.“There are a wide range of books that have been banned in a number of districts, although it’s a relatively small number,” Flint said. “However, this is a concerning trend because the actual effects are on a much bigger scale than they might appear,” he continued. Gov. Gavin Newsom says the bans are largely partisan. “Republicans are trying to destroy public education. Banning history. Banning books. Banning student speech. And now Betsy DeVos is admitting it,” Newsom tweeted last month, responding to the former U.S. Secretary of Education declaring that she believes the nation’s Department of Education “should not exist.” In March, the governor tweeted a picture of himself reading several frequently targeted books with the caption, “reading some banned books to figure out what these states are so afraid of.”
Book Banning Is a Concerning
The same year Burbank Unified made its decision to challenge the use of five books, Pennsylvania’s Central York School District banned eight times the number of books and educational materials banned by the California district, including Brad Meltzer’s “I Am Rosa Parks” and the James Baldwin centered documentary “I Am Not Your Negro” directed by Raoul Peck. While all the 40 books and multimedia articles that the Central York School District banned were either written by authors of color or relate to race, the board insists that the motivation for its controversial decision was the “content” of the material -- not the race of the material’s content creator.Flint argued that this trend of widespread book banning could lead to complications at the local level for educators and institutions who want to avoid legal trouble. He warned that districts that ban several books in similar demographic target audiences could risk “selfcensorship at a classroom and district level, even if some books have not been officially banned.”
Brandon Smith and Royal Ramey pose together at Victor Valley College Wildland Firefighting Academy. (Courtesy of Brandon Smith) Manny Otiko California Black Media After Brandon N. Smith was imprisoned for the ninth time, he found himself at a crossroads. That’s when he learned about the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) conservation campfire crews, which allows inmates to train as firefighters. Smith initially joined the program to get out of his cell, but something changed after working alongside firefighters and saving lives and homes. Smith said he found direction and realized he gained satisfaction fighting forest fires. Smith is no longer incarcerated and now serves as executive director of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program, a nonprofit organization that supports formerly incarcerated firefighters, and those currently incarcerated in California’s Conservation Camps. He said, “This work changed my life.”
Change To Penal Code Allows Hiring Firefighters with Criminal Records
Flint also spoke about some of the perceived political motivations for the renewed vigor of book banning efforts across the United States. “Partisan interest has been driving these kinds of decisions as opposed to objective assessments of material on the basis of what children can handle and what they should learn,” Flint said. In 2020, the liberal leaning city of Burbank banned five well-known titles: “Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain, “The Cay” by Theodore Taylor, “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” by Mildred D. Taylor and “Of Mice and Men” by JohnTheSteinbeck.Burbank Unified School District objected to the inclusion of these books in their schools’ curriculum because according to them these titles “cast Black people in negative, hopeless, and secondary roles; and all but one are written from the lens of a White author.”
Thursday, September 1, 2022 The Valley’s News Observer A5 Features
Trend in the Golden State
Inmates who participated in one of the 44 California Conservation Camps received the same training from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or CAL-FIRE as it gives to seasonal firefighters but inmates are paid $2 to $5 a day in camp and an additional $1 to $2 an hour when they’re on a fire line. But once they were out of custody, former inmates couldn’t get hired on with fire crews despite their training and experience because of their criminalThatbackgrounds.changedin 2020 when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 2147. The law changes the penal code so that formerly incarcerated firefighters can file a petition to request their records to be expunged of convictions and gain early termination of probation or parole. This opened the door for their employment in firefighting. “This legislation rights a historic wrong and recognizes the sacrifice of thousands of incarcerated people who have helped battle wildfires in our state, and I would like to thank the Legislature for passing this bill,” said Newsom in a press Smithrelease.saysAB 2147 opens opportunities in the fire protection field to formerly incarcerated people. “Signing AB 2147 into law is about giving second chances. To correct is to right a wrong; to rehabilitate is to restore,” said Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes, the bill’s Accordingauthor. to Smith, finding employment continues to be a challenge for people with criminal backgrounds. But it’s not just finding work; it’s finding well-paying jobs too. He was looking at minimum-wage jobs when he got out of prison, but now he could find a good job because of his firefighter training. It’s not just about financial compensation for Smith. He genuinely loves his job and finds the work meaningful. “The first fire I did, we saved 10,000 lives,” said Smith. Smith credits retired Chief Betty Ashe for giving him a chance when he got out of prison. He had tried to get a job in the fire protection field but ran into obstacles because of his record.Professional firefighters initially hesitated to work alongside former inmates, but eventually, they were glad for the“Theyhelp.want to find a way to get more people into the program,” said Smith Forest fires continue to be a major problem in California. The situation has been exacerbated for several reasons, such as climate change, hotter temperatures, drought, and mismanagement of forests. Current climate conditions have created a perfect storm for forest fires, and there is a great need for people with the skills to work in fire protection and prevention.
Earlier in 2022, representatives from Regions Bank, the PGA TOUR, historically Black Miles College, and others gathered at the Roebuck Hawkins Park and Recreation Center and municipal golf course in Birmingham, Alabama, for a panel discussion exploring diversity, representation, and access in golf. The goal of that scantily publicized meeting was to get more Black youth onto the golf course. Such efforts that receive little national attention might not necessarily be unfavorable. On the contrary, it might pose as routine, particularly for Tour officials who have long made diversity, equity, and inclusion a primary goal.
The administration said nearly 90% of relief dollars are going to borrowers earning less than $75,000 annually.
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The Department of Education reported that the typical undergraduate student with loans now graduates with nearly $25,000 in debt. “We are a proxy for a lot of HBCUs across the country. For example, at Delaware State, 67 percent of our students are Pell eligible, and 90 percent receive some sort of federal aid,” Allen stated. “The one fact I’ve been talking about is that 90 percent of all federal aid and relief as a result of this initiative will go to folks making $75,000 or less.
The Tour has partnered with organizations like the 100 Black Men of America in its ongoing efforts.
“That’s recent alum. The President and his team literally just made the impossible possible for millions. It’s an investment that will pay back big dividends in the American economy.”
President Biden Announces up to $20,000 in Student Loan Relief
“Twenty years after first enrolling in school, the typical Black borrower who started college in the 1995-96 school year still owed 95% of their original student debt,” officials“Evenstated.before applying the additional $10,000 for recipients of Pell Grants, the typical Black borrower will see their balance cut nearly in half, and more than one in four Black borrowers will their balance is forgiven altogether,” administration officials concluded. In a Fact Sheet, the White House noted that since 1980, the total cost of four-year public and four-year private college had nearly tripled, even after accounting for inflation.Federal support hasn’t kept up, administration officials stressed.
The Tour has partnered with organizations like the 100 Black Men of America in its ongoing efforts. In 2020, the PGA TOUR established a five-year partnership to help 100 Black Men of America to enhance educational and economic opportunities for African American and minority residents and communities. According to the Tour’s latest diversity report, nearly 1,000 youth have benefited in two years from resources and programming that promote career and workforce readiness, financial literacy, community service, and golf. Following Commissioner Jay Monahan’s 2020 announcement committing a minimum of $100 million over ten years to supporting nonprofits that advance equity in the communities in which the PGA Tour plays, the Tour joined the 3M Open as a presenting sponsor of the “Be The Change” golf tournament in Minneapolis. The 3M Open hosted a series of events during its 2022 tournament.Theywelcomed 500 youth from the Minneapolis and St. Paul area to the tournament to enjoy golf, music, art, and discussions with local and national celebrities, sports figures, golf enthusiasts, and corporate leaders. Additionally, the tournament hosted a “Shark Tank” style business competition presented by a local sponsor that featured three finalists selected from nearly 50 applicants that pitched their businesses to a panel of business leaders before a live audience. Grants totaling $100,000 were awarded to assist the finalists with mentoring, business development, and networking resources. Golf also returned to Florida’s oldest HBCU, Edward WatersTHEUniversity.PLAYERS Championship granted $50,000 to Waters’ women’s golf program, which helped support the school’s launch of a Student-Athlete Golf Mentoring Program.The program counts as a dual-purpose initiative that engages student-athletes to serve as mentors in unique professional development environments – including exposure to career opportunities within the Tour and THE PLAYERS network – and off-campus volunteer experiences with community-based programs. Further, after being inspired by a global awakening toward race relations in the United States following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, the Tour announced a $100 million commitment over ten years to support racial equity and inclusion efforts. In delivering the Tour’s diversity, equity, and inclusion report, Monahan proudly announced that they’d achieved more than $40 million in charitable impact in just two years since the pledge. “On the road toward that aggressive goal, we’ve spent the necessary time listening to understand,” Monahan stated.“There isn’t a single solution or one-size-fits-all approach to addressing social inequities and injustices. “Experiences differ. Issues are complex. And we must invest more than dollars in becoming a true and effective resource.”Monahan noted that he’s grateful that the Tour is “uniquely structured in sports to bring our tournaments and corporate partners together to help organizations drive vital equity efforts.”
ForgivenessTotal
A6 The Valley’s News Observer Thursday, September 1, 2022 Features
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent After signing an Executive Order on the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities, President Biden appointed Dr. Tony Allen to lead the White House Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Allen, the President of Delaware State University, had already implemented part of the vision of the Biden-Harris administration attacking student loan debt. So, it proved a no-brainer for the White House to tap Allen to help lead messaging after President Joe Biden introduced a three-part plan the administration said delivers on his promise to cancel $10,000 of student debt for low-to-middle-income borrowers. “HBCUs do more with less,” Allen asserted. “Less is no longer acceptable, and the Biden administration has heard us in word and deed.” Biden announced up to $20,000 in debt cancellation for Pell Grant recipients and as much as $10,000 to nonPell Grant recipients. The President also extended the current federal loan pause through December. “The opportunity for Pell-eligible students to receive $20,000 and for non-eligible students to receive $10,000 is a significant marker for them as they are thinking about how to repay their loans and continue their career,” Allen said. Last year, Delaware State University joined several other HBCUs in forgiving large amounts of student loan debt, using funds to cover the bills from Covid relief dollars.He called the administration’s loan forgiveness a big deal.“Some might see this as significant as just the first step,” Allen said during an interview on the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s flagship morning show, “Let It Be Known.” “I see it as a significant step as it relates to the discussion around college affordability and student debt and what that might mean if we continue to support efforts like this over a longer time over the horizon.”
Pell Grants once covered as much as 80 percent of the cost of a four-year public college degree for students from workingNow,families.thosegrants cover only one-third of the cost.
Some Black Borrowers to Receive
“HBCUs do more with less,” Allen asserted. “Less is no longer acceptable, and the Biden administration has heard us in word and deed.”
The diversity, equity, and inclusion report include a breakdown of the Tour’s priorities. The charitable impact for health and human services counted for $12.7 million, while $8.9 million have gone toward youth development. Additionally, racial equity and social justice reform reaped approximately $7.5 million, and community economic growth and empowerment realized a $5.5 million impact because of the effort of the Tour and its partners. In January, the PGA TOUR received a score of 95/100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, becoming the first major sports organization ever included.Since its inception, the PGA Tour reportedly has generated more than $3 billion in charitable impact. Monahan said the investments directly result from the support of partners, players, sponsors, fans, volunteers, and communities.In2014, the PGA Tour adopted a strategic plan, “formalizing a long-held commitment to diversity efforts that strengthen its workforce, operators, and industry.”Monahan then “convened a task force of leaders across the organization to assess its progress and identify specific actions, initiatives, and opportunities that reflect its core values,” PGA Tour officials stated. The PGA Tour and Advocates Pro Golf Association Tour (APGA) launched the APGA Collegiate Ranking in 2021, providing exemptions for five African American golfers to play on the APGA Tour and the pre-qualifying stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament. The Tour has provided $500,000 to HBCUs and its affiliation with the APGA Collegiate Ranking. “As former Commissioner Deane Beman once stated, the PGA TOUR is ‘more than just a sports league; we are a public trust,’” Monahan said. “With that as our North Star, our success as an organization is through a long-held commitment to showcasing the world’s best players to fans around the world, always with an impact on local lives, communities, and economies.”
PGA Tour Diversity Report Reveals a $40 million Charitable Impact in Year 2 of 10-year $100 million Commitment
“Our study illustrates the potential for sleeping well to preserve heart health and suggests that improving sleep is linked with lower risks of coronary heart disease and stroke,” Dr. Nambiema stated in the release. “We also found that the vast majority of people have sleep difficulties. Given that cardiovascular disease is the top cause of death worldwide, greater awareness is needed on the importance of good sleep for maintaining a healthyheart.”
As Black Americans Struggle
A staggering 90 percent of people fail to achieve a good night’s sleep, according to new international research presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2022. The study found that suboptimal sleep was associated with a higher likelihood of heart disease and stroke.The authors estimated that seven in ten of these cardiovascular conditions could be prevented if everyone was a good sleeper. And while researchers homed in on the sleep behaviors of 7,200 people comprised mostly of Europeans, Americans also aren’t sleeping. Black Americans suffer worse from short sleep or sleep apnea.Earlier this year, the JAMA Open Network indicated that the problem continues to worsen for African Americans.JAMA researchers discovered that Black Americans get less sleep than white people, a deficit of 15 minutes a day in childhood that grows into almost an hour in adulthood. Additionally, an Oxford study found that far more Black and Hispanic people than white people report routinely getting less than 6 hours of sleep, well short ofthe recommended 7 to 9 hours for adults. “Sleep is a privilege,” Dayna Johnson, a sleep epidemiologist at Emory University, told Science.org. “If we can target sleep, we might be able to reduce the burden of all types of diseases among racial minorities.”Science Direct found that more than a dozen studies have identified racial discrimination as a contributor to sleep disparities.
The researchers reported that exposure to this type of pollution can cause inflammation of the nose and throat, and some evidence suggests chronic exposure can worsen sleep apnea and increase daytime sleepiness. “And then there is night-time noise, which a 2017 study at hundreds of sites across the United States found is higher in neighborhoods with a higher proportion of Black residents,” they wrote. The low prevalence of good sleepers “was expected given our busy, 24/7 lives,” said study author Dr. Aboubakari Nambiema of INSERM (the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), in Paris, France. “The importance of sleep quality and quantity for heart health should be taught early in life when healthy behaviors become established. Minimizing night-time noise and stress at work can both help improve sleep.” According to a news release from the ESC, previous studies on sleep and heart disease have generally focused on one sleep habit, such as sleep duration or sleep apnea, where breathing stops and starts while sleeping. Researchers in France used a healthy sleep score combining five sleep habits. They investigated the association between the baseline sleep score, changes over time in the sleep score, and incident cardiovascular disease. Researchers recruited men and women aged 50 to 75 years and free of cardiovascular disease to a preventive medical center between 2008 and 2011. The average age was 59.7 years, and 62% were men. Participants underwent a physical examination and completed questionnaires on lifestyle, personal and family medical history, and medical conditions. According to the news release, researchers used questionnaires to collect information on five sleep habits at baseline and two follow-up visits. Each factor was given 1 point if optimal and 0 if not. A healthy sleep score ranging from 0 to 5 was calculated, with 0 or 1 considered poor and 5 considered optimal.Those with an optimal score reported sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night, never or rarely having insomnia, no frequent excessive daytime sleepiness, no sleep apnea, and an early chronotype (being a morning person).
“Black people reported more discrimination and more severe insomnia symptoms than white people, and a statistical analysis determined discrimination accounted for 60% of their insomnia severity,” researchers wrote at ScienceResearchersDirect. also discovered that environmental factors also cut into sleep. For example, multiple studies have found that Black, Hispanic, and other individuals of color tend to reside in areas where they are exposed to approximately twice as much ambient light at night as white people. “Exposure to artificial light from the street and commercial buildings has been found to suppress melatonin—a hormone that helps initiate sleep,” Researchers wrote. “That causes people to fall asleep later at night, resulting in poorer sleep overall.” Science.org also found that Black, Hispanic, and Asian people in the United States are also exposed to disproportionately high levels of particulate air pollution.
And while researchers homed in on the sleep behaviors of 7,200 people comprised mostly of Europeans, Americans also aren’t sleeping. Black Americans suffer worse from short sleep or sleep apnea. African American woman suffering from insomnia lying in bed, without sleeping with alarm clocks close up, and panorama.
Thursday, September 1, 2022 The Valley’s News Observer A7 Features
to Get a Good Night Sleep
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The researchers checked for incident coronary heart disease and stroke every two years for a total of 10 years. At baseline, 10% of participants had an optimal sleep score, and 8% had a poor score. “During a median follow-up of eight years, 274 participants developed coronary heart disease or stroke,” according to the release. The researchers analyzed the association between sleep scores and cardiovascular events after adjusting for age, sex, alcohol consumption, occupation, smoking, body mass index, physical activity, cholesterol level, diabetes, and family history of heart attack, stroke, or sudden cardiac death.They found that the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke decreased by 22% for every 1-point rise in the sleep score at Morebaseline.specifically, compared to those with a score of 0 or 1, participants with a score of 5 had a 75% lower risk of heart disease or stroke. The researchers estimated the proportion of cardiovascular events that could be prevented with healthier sleep.They found that if all participants had an optimal sleep score, 72% of new cases of coronary heart disease and stroke might be avoided each year. Over two follow-ups, almost half of the participants (48%) changed their sleep score: in 25%, it decreased, whereas, in 23%, it improved. When the researchers examined the association between the change in score and cardiovascular events, they found that a 1-point increment over time was associated with a 7% reduction in coronary heart disease or stroke risk.
A8 The Valley’s News Observer Thursday, September 1, 2022 Local
for Wong-OrantesHomecomingheath)
OnBettsDodgers,SeasonStillaRoll
Rams Roster Set to Begin
The next biggest event is the Women World Cham pionships that will be held in the Netherlands beginning September“That’s23. the best of the best,” said Justine. “It’s a really big challenge and I’m excited about it.” Heleigh Washington serves one up. “It’s the first time we played in front of a crowd in two years, that was a great feeling.” (Photo: Sara Medina)
By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer Mookie Betts has been playing well in his return from a foot injury earlier this year, with a .283 batting average and .859 on-base-plus-slugging percentage since the start of July. But he wasn’t on fire either, not all the way.
All this happen as All-Star pitcher Tony Gonsolin was placed on the injured list because of a strained right forearm, The move. as a precaution hours before his sched uled start against the Miami Marlins.
By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer Quarterback Bryce Perkins and three rookie undrafted free agents have made the LA Rams roster for the upcom ing season. Perkins made the roster for the second year in a row with his preseason performance. He started two of the three preseason games and completed 35 of 49 passes for 399 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. His ability to throw out of the pocket is a good asset. The third- year man from Virginia, also rushed for two touch downs. The Rams with three quarterbacks, two tight ends and six cornerbacks. Snead said several factors are in play. Wide receiver Lance McCutcheon inside linebacker Jake Hummel and outside linebacker Keir Thomas — were among the players who had impressive pre-season and all made the initial 53-man roster. McCutcheon caught 15 passes for 259 yards, the undrafted free agent from Montana State also had two touchdowns in three preseason games he displayed good hands and breakaway speed as he showed on a sixty yard catch and run in the opening.. Harris had five receptions for 28 yards in two games. Hummel had 23 tackles in three games and showed great ball awareness. Thomas had five solo tackles and will probably be a big help on special teams.
Wass)
Betts led the way, going three for five with a home run, a double and two RBIs. Julio Urías got the win improving to 14-7 with a six-inning, one-run outing. Max Muncy and Justin Turner also collected three hits apiece, while Trayce Thompson had a home run.
Last week against Betts homered twice and then hit a game-winning double in the 10th inning. On Saturday, he went deep again for his 30th home run on the season. The following Day the MVP did it once more.
By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer It was a homecoming well worth the wait as Justine Wong-Orantes and her USA Volleyball teammates took on Turkey at the Pyramid Long Beach. Nearly six thousand fiery fans packed the venue on the first night of the America’s Cup. “It felt great to be back here’ said Wong-Orantes. “I didn’t know we were going to sell the place out.” Included in the crowd were her parents and about 40 close family and friends but they had to wait awhile after the match before she would join them. She worked the Pyramid like a rock star, signing autographs and tak ing selfies, chatting with fans young and old. “She’s so outgoing and friendly,” said Elizabeth Crushank “super fan” who made the trip from Lincoln, Nebraska with Marge Higgins. “She will do anything for you.” She’s the one player with the magnetic personality, MS. Congeniality for the women’s game. She flashes a million-dollar smile and speaks with any and all. No better words can describe the 5-7 spark plug than former UCLA softball coach and Volleyball assis tant coach Sue Enquist. “Justine is an incredible athlete but more important a great person and teammate to this program. I wish we could put Justine in the duplication machine! The world needs more JWO’s. The 26-year-old has completed a tough trifactor in the sport. She played prep at Los Alamitos High where she helped lead the Griffiths to a CIF Championship. She then went on to Nebraska and won a National Champi onship (2016). In 2021 her and the team captured the first ever Olympic Gold medal in the sport for the USA.
Running backs Cam Ackers and Darrell Henderson have been in practice together for the first time in a couple of weeks- Both are returning from injuries. Ackers had an Achilles injury that made him miss most of last season. Henderson said his latest unspecified injury was “nothing major” and that trainers took pre caution to en sure it would last throughout the season. A third-round draft pick in 2019, had his first two seasons cut short because of hamstring and ankle injuries. He played in 12 games last season and sat out three playoff games because of a knee injury before returning for the Super Bowl. The four-year veteran from Memphis is the teams longest tenured running back. They both will be ready for the opener at SoFi Stadi um September 8 against the Bills. “Expect all hands-on deck against the Bills,” said head coach Sean McVay.
“I’m definitely feeling optimistic, whenever the IL stint is done I will be coming off feeling 100%,” said Gon solin. It’s overall just kind of playing it safe and letting it heal.” Pitching more than he ever has in his career, Gonsolin is tied for the MLB lead with 16 victories. His injury is the latest for a rotation that has helped the Dodgers post the best record in the majors. The Dodgers are 90-38 (at press time) with a 20-game lead over San Diego.
While at Nebraska she was a two-time -BIG 10 De fensive Player of the Year (2015 and 2016) and finished her college as the schools All-Time career leader in digs (1,890). “When I left Nebraska, I felt like I had a lot left in the tank, there was for of me to give.” She got a break when there was a retirement on theNational team and she became a member in 2017. She won Pan Am Gold and took Bronze at the FIVB volley ball Grand Prix. In 2021 she was named the Best Libero in the To kyo Games, also earning the same honor in the Nations League. “To win the titles everyone has to be on the same page, If not I have to help get them there.” After winning the Gold there was no flashing the medal she came home to So Cal and bought her mom abrand-new car. He mother Winnie and Father Robert Orantes were both former players. “She is so humble and so quiet about her accom plishments,” said Winnie her mother. The Senior Wong has traveled on several trips to tournaments and clinics around the country. “The car was a sign of appreciation, they pushed me really hard and were with me every step of the way, they were 100 percent behind me. It not just the game they provide incredible emotional support.” On this night Team USA defeated Turkey three games to one 28-26, 25-19, 25-20, 28-25 and 25-15. The team has a “never say die” spirit which showed in the first set when they trailed at point game 24-20. They rallied to tie at 24 then went on to win the game 28-26. “We fed off the crowd, they energized us and kept us going,” said Heleigh Washington. “It’s the first time we played in front of a crowd in two years, that was a great feeling.” The 6-3 middle blocker finished the night with 14 points. Ali Frantti chipped in with14. The 2014 AVCA Na tional Freshman of the Year joined the team in 2022. The match finished with Annie Drews nailing six consecutive aces sending fans into a frenzy. “We preach service pressure,” said Washington. “Annie showed a per fect example of that.”
Justine Wong-Orantes signs autographs for young fans at the Long Beach Pyramid after USA defeats Turkey. (Photo: Earl
Thursday, September 1, 2022 The Valley’s News Observer A9 Sports
Mookie Betts (AP Photo/Nick
By Frank McRae Contributing Writer “Regeneration,” a herculean presentation of African American achievements in film covering almost three quar ters of a Century, is enlightening, educational, inspiring and, perhaps most of all, visibly challenging for every racial demographic audience, as well. It is also a tribute to scores of African American film makers and actors who were not only pioneers in depict ing the flavor and zest in black life and culture, but men and women who dramatized the agony and despair of their people’s generational battle against economic, social and political bondage. The exhibit, featuring film clips, archival footage, photographs, memorabilia and even a huge poster hawking “Birth of a Nation,” D. W. Griffiths’ white supremacist tool that incited mass violence against blacks, are on display un til next Spring at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles’ Fairfax District. Set in seven spaces on the Museum’s fourth floor, the exhibit opened on August 21 and includes three rows of photos of 51 noted black actors. Most of them are less well known than such super stars as Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Harry Belafonte and Paul Robe son, but all, in their respective time periods, were masters of their craft. To honor one of the earliest black film entrepreneurs, the exhibit highlights William D. Foster’s “The Railroad Porter,” which, in 1912, was the world’s first motion pic ture with an all black cast. The director was also black, which represented another first in the film industry. Foster, who died suddenly in Los Angeles in 1940, had long planned to create “high class” films for black audienc es, but was constantly stymied by a perpetual lack of funds.
Celebrates Jazz, Community and Culture
Local A10 The Valley’s News Observer Thursday, September 1, 2022
Black Cinema From 1898 to 1971 Regeneration: Leimert Park
Jenene Mckay, Juliet Sosa and Diane Robertson (Photo by Ricky Richardson)
Patrice Rushen (Photo by Ricky Richardson)
Diane Reeves (Photo by Ricky Richardson)
Charmaine Jefferson, Fender Play Foundation, Board of Directors and Ed Magee, Ed Magee, Fender’s EVP of Operations and Co-President of Fender Play Foundation (Photo by Ricky Richardson)
By Ricky Richardson Contributing Writer (Los Angeles, Ca.)- Over 2,000 music aficionados, art patrons and foodies came together at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, southeast upper parking deck on Satur day, August 27, Attendees2022.came to shop, dine, dance, groove and to listen to America’s #1 Art form- JAZZ, and some hot Latin Jazz, on another beautiful, picturesque day in South ern California.The occasion was the return of the popular Leimert Park Jazz Festival, Executive Produced by Diane Robertson in association with The World Stage, Dwight Trible, Executive Director. The Leimert Park Jazz Festival has already landed in the top tier of jazz festivals in South ern California in its 3rd year. Festival attendees bookmark and book their calendars in advance in order to attend this premiere, classic jazz festival. Jazz, Community and Cul ture was on full display throughout the afternoon. DJ Eartha Littt and DJ Merc80 complimented the vibes of the festival with an eclectic soundtrack as peo ple arrived for the festival and in between performances throughout the afternoon. Back by popular demand, LeRoy Downs served as Master of Ceremony. The Los Angeles jazz radio program & festival host, journalist and television producer could be heard on 89.9FM KCRW.com, hosting a weekly Sunday night radio show called “Just Jazz.” Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center Youth Jazz Band kicked off the show with an explosive big band sound as they superbly performed arrangements of “R U Chicken,” “Red Clay,” “Human Nature,” and “Before I Let Go.” These talented students are keeping the flames of jazz lit, and carrying the jazz torch forward. Fender Play Foundation was on site to host a Music Class Pop-up in partnership with the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center. Attendees between the ages of 7-18 were able to pick-up an instrument and learn to play. No prior experience required. The Music Class Pop-up gives students an opportunity to pick-up and play guitars and ukuleles together, with hopes to inspire future engagement in music learning activities with Fender Play Foundation and the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center. In addition to the Music Class Pop-up, the Fender Play Foundation had an info table inside the Fender Tent to use for program awareness. Ed Magee, Fender’s EVP of Operations and Co-President of Fender Play Foundation and Charmaine Jefferson, Board of Directors were on site to speak about the Fender Play Foundation, Music Class Pop-up and the importance of music and arts in education for youth. They also encourage the crowd to support Yes on 28. S.H.I.N.E Muwasi honored the spirit of the Ancestors as well as the life and legacy of community icons who have transitioned. S.H.I.N.E Muwasi Women’s Afri can Drum Circle is a group of women lead by Rene Fish er-Mims who formed the group to spread the knowledge of West African drum culture combined with healing, em powerment and inspiration. The Leimert Park Experience featuring Dwight Trible on vocals and a stellar group of young lions from Los Angeles who have made their mark on the jazz land scape locally, nationally and internationally. Ryan Porter on trombone, Aaron Shaw on tenor saxophone, Ian Mar tin on bass and Lyndon Rochelle on drums. The group performed “Trust in God” by Ryan Porter with a chorus of Amen by the audience. They continued with “Isle of Love” by Cameron Graves, followed by “the Get Out of the Ghetto Blues” by Gil Scott-Heron, with Dwight Trible on vocals.A heartfelt and touching tribute to Barbara Mor rison and Derf Reflaw consisted of spoken word pieces by Conney D. Williams, “My Name in your Mouth,” and “Elixir.” The daughters of Derf Reklaw, Amani Walker Jackson and Monilade Walker paid tribute to their dad. Munyungo Jackson Jr., and Dwight Trible contributed a musical tribute to Derf Reklaw. Vocalist Chloe Vaught shared a memorable anecdote about how she met Barbara Morrison, followed by a beautiful rendition of “In a Sen timental Mood.” Bianca also spoke during the tribute, fol lowed by the release of white balloons and white pigeons into the air.Nine-time Grammy® nominee, and award win ner John Beasley brought his smashing 16-piece big band called Monk’estra to Leimert Park Jazz Festival for a rous ing set. They opened their set with “Little Rudy Tootie,” by Thelonious Monk, followed by “Donna Lee” by Charlie Parker, and “Minuano” by Pat Methany, with special guest vocalist extraordinaire, Diane Reeves. You can only imag ine the pure joy in the air hearing the name Diane Reeves and the actual performance. Dwight Trible joined the band as they concluded their set with “Africa.” Kamau Daáood is a native of Los Angeles where he co-founded with Billy Higgins, The World Stage Per formance Gallery, a non-profit arts institution in Leimert Park Village. Kamau Daáood and A Band of Griots (Mark de Clive-Lowe on piano, Teodross Avery on saxophone, Jeffrey Littleton on bass, and Dexter Story on drums. They highlighted Leimert Par Village, the heart of Los Ange les’ African American cultural community, and several of the musical icons of the area on “Healer Suite,” “Leimert Park,” “Poppa” for Horace Tapscott and “A Walk with the Pharaoh” (Pharaoh Sanders). Pete Escovedo & Family fired up the proceedings with a heavy dose of Latin Jazz marinated in piquant sauce. Pete Escovedo & Family performed “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing,” “Mas Que Nada,” La Cuna,” with a nice piano intro by Jonathan Montez. Vocalist Lynne Fiddmont joined the band for “Let’s Stay Together,” “Ain’t Nobody,” and “Dindi” (pronounced Gingi). The band went out with “Whatcha Gonna Do.” The Jazz Classics featuring Patrice Rushen on pi ano, Ernie Watts on Sax, Marvin “Smitty” Smith on drums and Edwin Livingston on bass, followed by Munyungo’s Jungle Jazz (accompanied by members of Lula Washing ton Dance Theater’s Youth Dance Ensemble) brought the festival to a rousing conclusion in their respective time in the spotlight.2022 Leimert Park Jazz Festival Art Competition Winner was on site to showcased her awesome artwork as well as the previous Leimert Park Jazz Festival Art Compe titionCaliforniawinners. State Assemblymen Isaac G. Bryan, District 54, and Diane Robertson, Executive Producer, Leimert Park Jazz Festival, acknowledged the artistic and creative talents of Peighton Mercier, winner of the 3rd Annual Leimert Park Art Competition. It is a known fact that you will take part in some major events in the next few months leading up to the end of the year. Baby showers, birthdays, gender reveal parties, World series, NFL football tailgates parties or viewing par ties, promotions, weddings, etc. Let’s not forget Thanksgiv ing, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Til The Last Sip! Has you covered as far as a nice selection of premium wines for the above mentioned occasions. For your convenience www.tilthelastsip.com
Among his most noteworthy legacies was in advocating cinema to strengthen the ladder of African American so cial and political mobility: “Nothing has done so much to awaken the consciousness of the colored man in the United States as the motion picture. It has made him hungry to see himself as he has come to be,” Foster accurately predicted. Three all black film companies established in Los Angeles, from 1918 to 1927, were also given space--The Lincoln Motion Picture Company, Loyalty Film Company and the Rosebud Film Corporation, respectively. On late Saturday afternoon, August 27), a News Bay Observer writer spoke with two African American wom en, D’ Ann Howard, 53, and Eden Howard, 23, who were among the hundreds who’ve walked through the exhibits since it opened last week. Eden, when asked to speak to the exhibit’s impact, said, (it) “spoke to me because” (through it), “I was able to see the beauty and rich history that comes with black cin ema and film making.” Her only criticism, Eden said, was her “wish that the exhibit was longer, but I enjoyed seeing everything, nevertheless.” She, along with other film buffs, would likely thrill to a lager space dedicated to the incomparable exploits of Paul AlthoughRobeson the exhibit’s scope is deep and broad, Paul Robeson, propelled to global fame as Otello in the shake spearean play, has only a small niche, but not one that even begins to encompass his singular genius in film and on stage.Robeson, a giant of a man in generosity and ge nius, opened doors for numerous blacks in film and on stage. Poitier and Belafonte were just two of them; both are now icons in film while Robeson’s legacies have largely been buried or over looked. Jazz Festival
