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“A Man In Debt is So Far A Slave” -R.W. Emerson

NEWSPAPER A Community Newspaper Serving San Bernardino, Riverside & Los Angeles Counties

January 20, 2022 Thursday Edition

Volume 52 No. 40 Mailing: P.O. Box 837, Victorville, CA 92393

Office: (909) 889-7677

Email: Mary @Sb-American.com

Website: www.SB-American.com

Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance those of whom they suppress. —Fredrick Douglass (1849)

A Listing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nearly Two Dozen Visits to Birmingham THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES — Many point to King’s efforts in Birmingham in the spring of 1963, when he helped direct thousands of demonstrators to fill up Birmingham jails, as legacy-defining. His work during that pivotal year helped loosen the grip of segregation not just in the South but nationwide. However, King, whose birthday will be celebrated on January 17, began his work in the Magic City before 1963 and he did return afterwards. Here’s a timeline of King’s most memorable visits to the city.

By Ryan Michaels | The Birmingham Times

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Birmingham have been intertwined ever since the Civil Rights leader helped dismantle segregation in a city once known as “Bombingham” for the frequent explosions at homes and Black churches during the 1950’s and 60’s. Many point to King’s efforts in Birmingham in the spring of 1963, when he helped direct thousands of demonstrators to fill up Birmingham jails, as legacydefining. His work during that pivotal year helped loosen the grip of segregation not just in the South but nationwide. However, King, whose birthday will be celebrated on January 17, began his work in the Magic City before 1963 and he did return afterwards.

Here’s a timeline of King’s most memorable visits to the city.

Jan. 23, 1955: King gives speech titled “A Realistic Approach to Race Relations” at a Birmingham NAACP rally at Tabernacle Baptist Church. In the speech, King rebukes pastors for ignoring the cause of civil rights.

March 7, 1956: King meets in Birmingham with journalist William Worthy and veteran organizer Bayard Rustin to develop strategy for the Montgomery Improvement Association. The MIA, which guided the Montgomery bus boycott, was led by King and civil rights titans Edgar “E.D.” Nixon and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy. The boycott, which began the Monday after Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, lasted from Dec. 5, 1955 to Dec. 20, 1956, a little over a month after a U.S. Supreme Court decision deemed Alabama’s bus segregation unconstitutional.

March 6, 1960: King speaks

at Men’s Day at New Pilgrim Baptist Church in Birmingham’s South Titusville neighborhood.

The church, which was led by pastor Nelson H. Smith, a leader in the Fred Shuttlesworth-led Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR), was a common meeting place for many Civil Rights leaders. King had just left his role as pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery to dedicate more time to his Civil Rights work.

Feb. 12, 1962: King speaks on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday at an ACMHR event at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in downtown Birmingham. In his speech, King urges members to keep the fight going for Civil Rights. “I wish I could tell you our road ahead is easy, that we are in the Promised Land, that we won’t have to suffer and sacrifice anymore, but not so.

We have got to be prepared,” King says, according to archived police documents. “The time is coming when the police won’t protect us, the mayor and commissioner won’t think with clear minds, then we can expect the worse.”

King also recognizes the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, the president of the ACMHR, who was in jail at that time.

Sept. 24, 1962: King speaks at the beginning of the SCLC annual convention which is held in Birmingham. A few days into the convention, just after King had been reelected as president of the SCLC, a 22-year-old member of the American Nazi Party punches King twice. King urged those present to pray for the man and not hurt him.

April 2, 1963: King arrives at the A.G. Gaston Motel for the start of the Birmingham Campaign.

Wyatt Walker, another civil rights leader and strategist, lays out plans for demonstrations to be held in the coming weeks.

April 3, 1963: King speaks alongside Walker and James Lawson, another Civil Rights Movement, to around 65 people before they are to sit in at five different lunch counters in the city. At Britt’s Department Store’s segregated lunch counter, 21 demonstrators are arrested.

April 4, 1963: King leads a small group in a march to Birmingham City Hall followed that evening by a mass meeting at St James Baptist Church.

April 11, 1963: King and other leaders receive a court-ordered injunction against “boycotting, trespassing, parading, picketing, sit-ins, kneel-ins, wade-ins, and inciting or encouraging such acts.”

April 12, 1963: In defiance of the injunction, King leads a march on Good Friday, alongside Abernathy and Shuttlesworth. King and 52 others arrested. While in solitary confinement at Birmingham City Jail, King pens his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He also writes that the “greatest stumbling block” for Black people may be the “white moderate who is more devoted to ‘order’ than justice.”

April 20, 1963: King bailed out of Birmingham City Jail, through money raised by singer and actor Harry Belafonte, who is a close friend and supporter of King.

April 30, 1963: After Birmingham city officials deny permits for a march on May 2, King allows James Bevel, another SCLC leader, to go before a mass meeting to inform people that demonstration would happen without the permits. Prior to his time with the SCLC, Bevel was

part of the Nashville Student Movement, which organized student sit-ins in Nashville, Tennessee. King and other leaders decide to use similar tactics for the latest demonstration, courting high schoolers and younger children for the march. Around 600 children are arrested at the march. At a mass meeting that night, King said, “If they think today is the end of this, they will be badly mistaken.”

May 7, 1963: After days of marches, which had jailed over a thousand Black demonstrators, King speaks at a press conference at the A.G. Gaston Motel. He says the nonviolent protests have been wildly successful. “This is the first time in the history of our struggle that we have been able literally to fill the jails,” King says. As he speaks, young demonstrators prepare for yet another march, which begins around noon.

Thousands of Black demonstrators flood downtown Birmingham’s streets and businesses and are met by high-powered fire hoses with such force that even Shuttlesworth is sent to the hospital as a result of the encounters.

May 8, 1963: Following the violence of the previous day and overnight negotiations between King and local leaders, demonstrations are called off for the day. Following a press conference from King and Shuttlesworth, and a press conference from President John F. Kennedy which praises the negotiation in Birmingham, the two Civil Rights leaders are arrested for being unable to pay fines for their protests, which violated an April 11 injunction continued on page 3

10 little-known facts about Martin Luther King Jr. ROLLING OUT — As the nation pauses to pay homage to one of America’s greatest sons, take a look at some little-known facts about the late civil rights icon.

By Terry Shropshire | Rolling Out Martin Luther King Jr. would be 93 years old today, had he not been assassinated on April 4, 1968.

The nation has celebrated MLK’s birthday (Jan. 15, 1929) as a national holiday ever since former President Ronald Reagan signed it into law in 1983. The nation began observing the holiday in 1986.

As the nation pauses to pay homage to one of America’s greatest sons, take a look at some little-known facts about the late civil rights icon.

According to history.com and Insider, President Jimmy Carter was the first to propose a national holiday in MLK’s honor, but the measure did not pass in Congress.

South Carolina became the last state to observe MLK as a national holiday in 2000.

MLK Jr.’s father, MLK Sr., originally named his son “Michael.” But MLK Sr. made a transformational trip to Germany in 1934 where he became very inspired by Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther. When he returned to Atlanta, MLK Sr. legally changed his name and that of his son to Martin Luther King Sr. and Jr. when he was 5 years old.

King entered Morehouse College at the age of 15. King was such an academic genius that he was able to skip grades nine and 12 before enrolling at Morehouse College, the alma mater of his father and maternal grandfather.

King did not originally want to go into the ministry, despite the fact that his father, grandfather and great-grandfather were

Baptist preachers. However, MLK changed his mind when legendary Morehouse president Benjamin E. Mays, who was also a theologian, persuaded him to get into alignment with his lineage. King, therefore, entered the ministry prior to graduation with his sociology degree.

King went to jail almost 30 times. The King Center lists MLK’s trips to jail at 29 times.

King narrowly escaped an assassination attempt a decade before his death. King was signing copies of his new book, Stride Toward Freedom, on September 20, 1958, in Blumstein’s department store in Harlem, New York. A crazed critic, Izola Ware Curry, stabbed MLK in his chest, barely missing his aorta.

The surgeon famously told King that just “one sneeze” could have punctured the aorta and killed him.

King’s mother was also killed by gunfire. MLK’s mother, Alberta Williams King, was playing the organ at Ebenezer Baptist Church on June 30, 1974. Suddenly, Marcus Wayne Chenault Jr., who was armed with two pistols, began firing. One of the shots struck and killed King’s mother. He said he received divine instructions continued on page 2

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Thursday, January 20, 2022

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COMMUNITY/EDUCATION/ADVERTISING

Voting Rights Takes Center Stage at Black Caucus MLK Breakfast

Voting Rights Takes Center Stage at Black Caucus MLK Breakfast...continued

Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

what side you want to be on.”

Lawson called for community leaders to “dismantle plantation capitalism” and praised the work of other Black leaders that led to civil rights legislation during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.

“The greatest use of law and nonviolent tactic was the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Many movements were in it, and we must not forget Little Rock Nine, Jackie Robinson's desegregation of baseball and so on. It helped the Black community come together,” said Lawson.

Photo caption: Washington, D.C. | U.S.A. - Aug 28, 2021: March On for Voting Rights "Protect Voting Rights”

By Johnny Silvercloud/Shutterstock Voting rights was the central theme at a virtual breakfast the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) held Jan. 12 to celebrate the sacrifices and impact of Martin Luther King Jr. on American life and politics.

“It is not enough to evoke Dr. King's name on his birthday, post on social media and then take the day off,” said Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Inglewood), CLBC chair, reminding the audience of King’s activism and how his efforts led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Bradford said there are forces still attacking the rights of some Americans to vote, and more work needs to be done to make sure the voices of all Americans are heard and that all voters have access to the ballot box.

“His birthday should be about a day on, a day of activity in our community, of activism and continuing to push for real change in this country,” he continued.

California Secretary of State

Shirley Weber, who is a former chair of the CLBC, said “the crisis of democracy is center stage, we are still fighting for our fundamental rights.”

“In 1965, we secured [the vote] and now we find ourselves debating the same issue over again and with great concern about the fact that we are faced with the rolling back of what we had thought was just old stuff that people would never go back to,” said Weber.

A day before the CLBC breakfast, President Biden and Vice President Harris visited Atlanta to emphasize the importance of protecting voting rights. Although, the House of Representatives voted a day later to pass the Freedom to Vote: John Lewis Act, the legislation is in jeopardy of not passing in the U.S. Senate as two Democratic Senators -- Joe Manchin (DWV) and Krysten Sinema (D-AZ) -- refuse to change the rules allowing a minority of senators to block legislation.

Weber said there are about 400 bills making their way through state legislatures across the country that are attempting to restrict voting rights.

“Here we are now in this century, in this timeframe, in 2022, and we are talking about something that took place in 1965 in terms of the Voting Rights Act,” said Weber.

“Dr. King told us, ‘I see governors with the words of interposition and nullification dripping from their lips.’ In other words, ‘I see Jim Crow laws. I see governors trying to overturn federal law with regards to what is right and what is just in this country.’”

Civil rights activist and friend of Dr. King, Rev. James Lawson, also spoke at the virtual breakfast and encouraged Black leaders to fight for their communities.

“Black elected officials must support the community of Black people all around the country, organizing continuous campaigns,” said Lawson who shared intimate details of his work with Dr. King and how much King’s ideas, strategizing and activism secured the human rights of all Americans.

During a press call on the same day, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Cedric Richmond spoke about the historical weight of the current voting rights standoff among lawmakers in Washington.

“Our democracy has faced defining moments many times in our history and this is one of those,” said Richmond.

“This will be a question of continued in next column

10 little-known facts about Martin Luther King Jr.... continued from page 1 to kill Martin Luther King Sr., but he settled on the mother because she was closer. Chenault also killed a church deacon.

Academy Award-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson was an usher at MLK funeral. Jackson, like MLK, is a graduate of Morehouse College. Afterwards, Jackson traveled to Memphis with Bill Cosby to continue the sanitation strike that King had started before he was slain on April 4, 1968.

According to history.com, MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech was at least partially inspired by gospel legend Mahalia Jackson.

The post 10 little-known facts about Martin Luther King Jr. appeared first on Rolling Out.

Landmark 15th Year of Disney Dreamers Academy Program Awaits 2022 Class of Talented High School Students BlackPressUSA News

Established by Walt Disney World in 2008, Disney Dreamers Academy’s mission is to inspire young leaders to dream beyond imagination by providing life-long access to personalized support for the Disney Dreamer, their caregivers and community through insightful content and uplifting experts, mentors and sponsors.

The exclusive Walt Disney World Resort mentorship event that fosters the dreams of Black students and teens from underrepresented communities plans to return in March with reimagined programming and a new group of outstanding high school students LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Disney Dreamers Academy, an educational mentorship program created and hosted by Walt Disney World Resort, plans to return with a reimagined approach, March 3-6, marking its 15th year of broadening career awareness and creating exclusive opportunities for Black students and teens from underrepresented communities across America.

This year, the impactful program will introduce the Disney Dreamers to an array of new immersions designed to continue to foster the dreams of young leaders

Assemblymember James Ramos ( D-San Bernardino) State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurman

— Dennis Parker, 78

COVID-19 vaccines have been tested and proven safe and effective for millions of people. An additional booster dose is recommended to help keep immunity strong and increase protection against COVID-19.

Booster doses are free and available regardless of immigration or insurance status. Free transportation and in-home appointments are also available.

Visit VaccinateALL58.com or MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255 today to learn more.

continued on page 3

State Leaders Call for Teaching Native American History, Culture in Schools Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

WITH AGE COMES WISDOM “Just the ultimate feeling of being protected. It gave me the confidence that I would not get the virus, and now with the booster as well. I’m happy it was available in my neighborhood, and I like that it is being administered by professionals.”

beyond imagination, including career-building workshops, networking sessions, mentorship connections and introductions to future professional opportunities at The Walt Disney Company and beyond.

For its 15th year, Disney Dreamers Academy is supporting students in even more ways. In a new initiative, Disney Dreamers Academy, in partnership with ESPN’s The Undefeated and GRAMMY-nominated rap artist Cordae, is awarding college scholarships to 11 students from

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) want Californians to have a better understanding of the history and culture of California’s Native American people.

At the State Capitol last week, Thurmond joined Ramos, the only Native American serving in the Legislature as the lawmaker announced that he will introduce a bill encouraging school districts to collaborate with local tribes to increase knowledge about Califor nia Native Americans in their communities.

Ramos, who is the first American Indian ever to be elected to the Legislature, cited a similar effort being made in Washington State.

“When Washington state revamped its Native American curriculum, it began by initiating a relationship between the tribes and schools. Its state’s curriculum, entitled ‘Since Time Immemorial,’ has made a positive difference for students. We can’t reverse 171 years of falsehood and mythology overnight, but we can start,” Ramos said.

Thurmond said he is excited about the initiative and honored to

be working along with Ramos to integrate Native American studies into California public education.

“We have the opportunity right now to counter the actions of those who continue to teach harmful and stereotypical messages and create an environment where all students learn about and benefit from the rich history and culture of California’s first People,” said Thurmond.

Ramos said a deeper understanding of Native American people and their sovereignty would help to get rid of enduring racist stereotypes and misperceptions stuck in the imaginations of some Californians.

Last fall, a teacher in the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) in Southern California was placed on leave after a student shared a video of her mocking Native Americans while teaching math to students.

In the video, which was shared many times across the internet, the teacher was wearing a headdress made of paper feathers while explaining a math assignment. The student who captured the moment identifies as Native American.

“So few people understand the diversity of California’s first

people,” Ramos stated. “They speak different languages, use different musical instruments, practice different customs and traditions. Few know many tribes were wiped out or almost eliminated during the 1800s.”

More than 40,000 students are enrolled in RUSD schools.

About 80% of the district’s students identify as Black, Latino or another ethnic minority, and 46% of them are economically disadvantaged, according to U.S News and World Report.

“These behaviors are completely unacceptable and an offensive depiction of the vast and expansive Native American cultures and practices,” the school district said in a statement. “We are deeply committed to implementing inclusive practices and policies that honor the rich diversity of our district and the greater region. We will be working with our students, families, staff, and community to regain your trust” According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 630,000 people identify as American Indian and Alaska Native in California.

In combination with another race, the number of Native Americans increases to about 1.4 million people. Altogether, they make up 3.6% of all Californians, as compared to 1.9% ten years ago, the 2020 census reported.

Ramos said the legislation he plans to introduce will be the first step toward increasing student knowledge about the indigenous tribes residing in the state.

“We are fine-tuning language in the bill and will introduce it soon,” said Ramos. “If we don’t do a better job at encouraging our schools and tribes to work together, we’ll see more classroom episodes such as the one we saw last October.

Thursday, January 20, 2022

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STATE/GOVERNMENT/BUSINESS/ADVERTISING

Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal A Listing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nearly Two Dozen Visits to Birmingham...continued Record-Clearing Jurisdictions can take several steps to eliminate the financial barriers imposed by fines and fees, which would help system-impacted individuals clear their records and reenter society.

State/Government/Business News

One in 3 people in the United States has a criminal record.

These individuals are subject to more than 44,000 legal sanctions and collateral consequences that create barriers to housing, job access, education, nutrition assistance, and many other necessary resources.1 Indeed, the deeply rooted discriminatory policies and practices of the criminal legal system—which disproportionately affect people of color, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities, among other vulnerable groups2—fuel systemic inequalities and cycles of poverty and hardship, stigmatize and exclude people with criminal records, and impede community integration.3 Addressing this massive barrier to justice and severely limiting the role of fines and fees is essential to establishing a meaningful path to criminal record-clearing. Key steps to addressing these barriers include:

Eliminating or reducing court fines and abolishing fees Supporting systems that promote transparency in the use of fines and fees Allowing expungement of cases with unpaid monetary sanctions This issue brief explores how individuals trying to clear their criminal records face enormous hurdles and challenges due to fines and fees and underscores the importance of implementing measures that will eliminate these barriers.

Background: The record clearance process Some criminal records can be sealed from public view or removed through expungement, exoneration, or pardons. However, these paths to record clearance are notoriously difficult to navigate. As a result, only about 7 percent of people with criminal records who are eligible for

from page 1

barring them from demonstrating.

Local business leader A.G. Gaston pays $5,000 to bail both King and Shuttlesworth out of jail.

May 10, 1963: King announces that Birmingham officials have agreed to end segregation during a press conference from the A.G. Gaston Motel. At a mass meeting later, he lays out the phases of desegregation and says jailed demonstrators were “either out of jail or on the way out of jail.”

May 11, 1963: A bomb explodes outside King’s room at the A.G. Gaston Motel, which had become the headquarters for King and his colleagues. Fortunately, King had already left for Atlanta.

Aug. 5, 1963: Entertainer Ray Charles, Writers James Baldwin and boxer Joe Louis are all present alongside King at the Miles College Salute to Freedom ’63, which was a fundraiser for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, at which King would deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech later that month.

Sept. 18, 1963: King back in Birmingham for a somber moment as he delivers eulogy during a joint funeral for three of the four victims of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing.

In the bombing, four girls died — 11-year-old Denise McNair and 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Carole Rosamond Robertson and Cynthia Dionne Wesley.

Oct. 30, 1967: King, Abernathy, Walker, and A. D. King in Birmingham to serve fiveday sentences from contempt charges they received during the Birmingham campaign to end segregation in 1963.

Sources: Taylor Branch, “Parting the Waters”; Barnett Wright, “1963”; Stanford University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute; Birmingham Public Library; Birmingham News; New York Daily News.

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

Free Los Angeles Covid Testing Site Opens to Community Jan. 18th in Hawthorne Amidst Significant Testing Shortage State/Government/Business News Los Angeles, California (Jan. 17, 2022) – As the Omicron variant surges throughout Los Angeles, significant testing shortages are magnifying the strain on families and individuals across the region.

A free COVID-19 testing site, hosted by Reliant Health Services and sanctioned by the City of Hawthorne, will be open to the continued in next 2 columns

continued on page 6

Free Los Angeles Covid Testing Site Opens to Community Jan. 18th in Hawthorne Amidst Significant Testing Shortage...continued community beginning January 18th.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Location: Parking lot of Betty Ainsworth Sports Center 3851 West El Segundo Blvd., Hawthorne, California 90250 Dates: Testing site will open on January 18th, Tuesdays through Saturdays Hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. PT Notes: Walk-ups are welcome.

No appointments required but encouraged and can be made at relianthealthservices.com/ hawthorne. Testing is available to all ages.

The free testing site will offer both rapid antigen and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for free to the public. All persons without medical insurance will be tested at no cost.

"Access to testing is a key

component to stopping the spread of COVID-19. I am proud to be partnering with Reliant Health Services to provide testing to Hawthorne residents for the next 6-months. We are all in this together, so please join me in keeping your family and neighbors safe,” said City of Hawthorne Councilwoman, Angie Reyes English.

“The Omicron variant is very contagious. Most of the transmission occurs before individuals have symptoms.

Therefore, it's critical that people have testing options that can easily be accessed immediately after a suspected exposure,” said Michael Daignault, M.D., Chief Medical Advisor at Reliant Health Services. “We expect Omicron to circulate in the community at high levels through the Spring. We need to normalize having regular access to consistent and reliable diagnostic testing.”

Colorful cars

By AMAC

The traditional way of changing the color of your car is to take it to a body shop, pick a color and let the professionals paint it for you.

But says the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] it’s the 21st century and BMW is showing off a car that changes color with just a push of a button.

It’s made possible by the use of what they call “electronic paint.”

For now, the car comes in a gray

to white color changing paint job, but the company says it says that in the future you’ll be able to pick the color of your choice. A phone app is needed to make it work, but the engineers at the German car company says they’ll soon include a dashboard button. They debuted their futuristic concept recently at the Consumer Electronics Show and made quite a hit with visitors.

Landmark 15th Year of Disney Dreamers Academy Program Awaits 2022 Class of Talented High School Students...continued from page 2 underrepresented communities attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The Disney Dreamers program is an important part of Disney’s commitment to supporting diverse communities, such as Black America, by encouraging the next generation to think big and to carry what they learn back with them, so they can relentlessly pursue their dreams and make a difference in the lives of others.

“We are excited and honored to celebrate 15 years of Disney Dreamers Academy with this year’s class,” said Tracey D. Powell, Walt Disney World Resort Vice President and Disney Dreamers Academy executive champion. “We’ve embraced this opportunity to amplify the event, and we’re thrilled to introduce new experiences, new career programs and new mentors.”

Since 2008, Disney Dreamers Academy has inspired more than 1,300 students from across the country by fueling their dreams and showing them a world of possibilities as they prepare for their futures. In the years following, graduates have gone on to become doctors, nurses, engineers, pilots, journalists and more, and have transitioned into mentors to the Disney Dreamers who follow them, including event speaker Princeton Parker (Class of 2011), who is now a Disney cast member.

Each year the Disney Dreamers are selected from thousands of applicants who answer essay questions about their personal stories and dreams for the future.

The students and a parent or guardian are given an all-expenses paid trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida for the event.

These Disney Dreamers engage in a wide variety of experiences at Walt Disney World while working side-by-side with and hearing inspirational stories from community and business leaders, Disney cast members, celebrities and other special guests.

During the four-day event, the 100 students selected for the annual program participate in sessions teaching valuable life tools such as leadership skills, effective communication techniques and networking strategies. They also experience in-depth career workshops in a variety of disciplines aligned with the students’ dreams. These workshops introduce the Disney Dreamers to diverse career paths within business, entertainment and sciences, including career opportunities within The Walt Disney Company.

Past celebrity participants have included stars from the big screen and television, noted sports figures, popular musicians as well as personalities and cast members from across the Disney family including “Good Morning America,’’ ESPN, Disney Channel and the TV series “black-ish” and “grown-ish.”

For more information, visit DisneyDreamersAcademy. com. Regular updates about Disney Dreamers Academy are also available on social media at Facebook.com / DisneyDreamersAcademy, Twitter.com/DreamersAcademy and Instagram.com / disneydreamersacademy.

The 100 students selected to participate in the 2022 Disney Dreamers Academy are (listed

by state): Nolan Hatcher, Birmingham, AL Ava Cocke, Fairhope, AL Mackenzie Hill, Hazel Green, AL Jaynie Turner, Helena, AL Tylor Anderson, Mobile, AL Prisha Shroff, Chandler, AZ Annalise Jones, Mesa, AZ Alex Zhang, Cupertino, CA Jamila Abdelkarim, Fullerton, CA Katherine Lawler, Livermore, CA Roi Clinton, Manhattan Beach, CA Kevin Gonzalez Ramirez, San Diego, CA Kayli Joy Cooper, Studio City, CA Sophia Mitsuoka, Centennial, CO Caleb Hatch, Colorado Springs, CO McKenzie Williams, Boca Raton, FL C h r i s t i a n n a A le x a n d e r, Jacksonville, FL Zachary Andrews, Jacksonville, FL Khushi Talluru, Lakewood Ranch, FL Isabella Puglisi, Miami Shores, FL Roxie Richbourg, Orlando, FL Javier Lageyre, Weston, FL Ramon Abreu, Windermere, FL Azriel Melvin, Atlanta, GA Jordyn Spencer, Atlanta, GA Nathanael Occilien-Similien, Covington, GA MiCai Haywood, Fairburn, GA Cedaisia Talton, Fort Valley, GA Amia Georges, Marietta, GA Ryann Richards, Powder Springs, GA Ilarose Robinson, Riverdale, GA Abigail Smith, Statesboro, GA Kayla Nelson, Frankfort, IL Reagan Sturgis, Cambridge Cty, IN Alison Yee, Leawood, KS Hrilina Rakhs, Gretna, LA continued on page 4

Thursday, January 20, 2022

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ENTERTAINMENT/ LOCAL/FINANCIAL/ADVERTISING

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Tik Tok sensation Smoovemusiq shares his secrets to his success

By Dwight Brown NNPA News Wire Film Critic

By Clifton Harris

Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand in The Tragedy of Macbeth - Courtesy of Apple & A24

Frances McDormand The_Tragedy_of_Macbeth The Tragedy of Macbeth was theatrically released nationwide in 2021 and is now streaming on AppleTV+. Watch this work of art on a TV screen and you’ll likely agree that last year’s “Best Film” is this year’s masterpiece.

Joel Coen (O, Brother, Where Art Thou) has created a magnus opus that sets a high bar few other films vying for annual awards will ever reach. He reinterprets one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Macbeth, keeping the most pivotal parts and accentuating subplots and characters at will. Some potential viewers may have forgotten the crux of the plotting, but not the most famous lines: “Double, double toil and trouble;” "What’s done cannot be undone." Scottish general Macbeth (Denzel Washington) is warned by three witches (Kathryn Hunter) that someday he‘ll be king. Heeding that prophecy and egged on by his ambitious

wife Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand), the impatient officer kills the current king, becomes the new ruler and murders more people during his uncontrollable fits of paranoia.

A rebellion erupts, aiming to overthrow him. Themes of greed, deception and ruthlessness mirror the U.S.’s recent political spectrum and should enthrall audiences with its timeliness.

This dra/his/thr is shot in stunning black and white (ci nematog r apher Br u no Delbonnel, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) with the most arresting production design (Stefan Dechant, Avatar), art direction (Jason T. Clark, Black Panther), set decoration (Nancy Haigh, Barton Fink) and regal costumes (Mary Zophres, La La Land). Haunting shadows and light. Shapes and textures.

Darkness and white. The vivid images will entrance audiences as much as the penetrating

FTC Returns More Than $10 Million to Consumers Who Paid Hidden Fees to LendingClub FTC also notifies additional consumers to apply for refunds Financial News The Federal Trade Commission is returning more than $10 million to consumers who were charged undisclosed fees by online lender LendingClub Corporation. The FTC is distributing refunds directly to more than 15,000 LendingClub customers and encouraging a d d it ion a l L e nd i ng Clu b customers to apply for refunds.

The FTC sued LendingClub in April 2018, charging that the company falsely promised loan applicants that they would receive a specific loan amount with “no hidden fees,” when in reality the company deducted hundreds or even thousands of dollars in hidden up-front fees from the loans. The FTC also alleged that LendingClub told consumers they were approved for loans when they were not and took money from consumers’ bank accounts without authorization.

The FTC is sending refunds via PayPal to 15,748 LendingClub customers who complained to the company or the FTC about the hidden fees. Recipients have until February 16, 2022 to accept the payments. Recipients who have questions about their payments should call the refund administrator, Rust

Consulting, at 833-630-1417.

The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.

In addition, between January 18 and 20, the FTC will email a d d it ion a l L e nd i ng Clu b customers who took out loans before January 6, 2017 and repaid the loan. The email will provide instructions on how to request a refund. LendingClub customers who believe they may be eligible for a refund but do not receive an email by January 20 should contact the refund administrator at 833-630-1417. The deadline for additional consumers to file claims is February 16, 2022.

The FTC’s interactive dashboards for refund data provide a st ate-by-st ate breakdown of FTC refunds. In 2020, FTC actions led to more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the country, but the United States Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the FTC lacks authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief in federal court going forward. The Commission has urged Congress to restore the FTC’s ability to get money back for consumers. continued in next 2 columns

Denzel Washington in The_Tragedy_of_Macbeth

Kathryn Hunter in The_Tragedy_of_Macbeth_ dialogue, treacherous plot points and Coen’s gifted direction.

Comparisons to the style of Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles’ classic 1940s Shakespeare adaptations and early twentieth century German expressionism are noted. However, Cohen’s netherworld seems unique and new in its own way. Not filmed as a stage play, not set in real surroundings. A hybrid. And rarely does black and white footage produce more of an expressive richness than the most vibrant and vivid color film. But it does here.

W hen Oscar acting nominations are handed out, expect Washington’s brooding performance and McDormand’s scheming portrayal to top the lists.

As bitter, aging co-conspirators, they take cunning and evilness to a new level. Seething like vipers, as duplicitous as any con artists could be. Award nominations should also be given to Alex Hassell as the sleezy vulture Ross, Bertie

Carvel as Banquo, Moses Ingram as Lady Macduff, Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton) as the brave and righteous Macduff and, of course, Hunter as the sorceresses who delivered both a prophecy and misfortune in equal portions.

You may need a bit of patience and a sharp ear to understand the dialogue, which was originally written in the 1600s and adapted by Coen. However, your perseverance will be rewarded. At the end of your 1h 45m journey, you’ll discover that every element of this object d’art is beyond excellent.

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” Who could have guessed that shrewd, vile cruelty could be so damn mesmerizing?

Trailer: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=N3jGfTwAjYU O n A p pl e T V+ n ow.

Visit NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown at Dwig htBrow n I n k.com and Black PressUSA.com.

FTC Returns More Than $10 Million to Consumers Who Paid Hidden Fees to LendingClub...continued The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, stop deceptive and unfair business practices and scams, and educate consumers. Report fraud, scams, or bad business

practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Get consumer advice at consumer. ftc.gov. Also, follow the FTC on social media, subscribe to press releases, and read the FTC’s blogs.

Weber's AB 1655 Would Make Juneteenth a Paid Holiday in California Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Last week, Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa) announced the introduction of Assembly Bill (A B) 1655, legislation that would make Juneteenth a paid h ol id ay i n C a l i fo r n i a .

AB 1655 is co-authored by Assemblymember Reginald JonesSawyer (D-South Los Angeles) and Mia Bonta (D-Oakland).

Weber, Bonta and Jones-Sawyer are all members of the California Legislative Black Caucus.

“It is time that June 19th has the status it deserves in California to honor the significant contributions of Black Americans to our nation and reflect on the long struggle for freedom,” Weber said, speaking

during an Assembly session Jan. 15. “By making Juneteenth an official state holiday, California would demonstrate its commitment to celebrating the emancipation of all slaves.”

If the Legislature approves AB 1655 and Gov. Newsom signs it into law, it would amend current statutes to include June 19th as an official state holiday for public schools, community colleges, and California State University systems. It would also grant paid time-off to all state employees.

Juneteenth commemorates the day American forces declared that enslaved people in Galveston, continued on page 8

For many of us, social media is a platform we all use for various reasons. It could be for fun, business, marketing ideas and art or just killing time. For Jerel Hodnett, he turned Tik Tok into a mission to become a viral sensation and the mission he set forth to accomplish was achieved. Hodnett is known as “@SmooveMusiq” on Tik Tok and with just over 200,000 followers he is on his way to reaching a million followers within a few more months.

So how did he do it? Research, studying social media experts, and digging deeper into the Tik Tok algorithm to understand which content is engaged with the most.

Detailed descriptions, proper use of hashtags and using trendy music all play a part in the success of his content he’s posted. Hodnett gained 100,000 followers within a

few days and never looked back.

With a larger social media presence came responsibility and Hodnett understood that and took on the responsibility of being a role model for the younger generation who made Tik Tok what it is today.

Once Hodnett’s following became substantial, he began doing live streams focusing on positive reinforcement, which he felt was a dire need in the Tik Tok space.

With much appreciation growing from his positive message, many fans began sharing gifts in appreciation. Today, Hodnett is able to provide for his family for being a positive influence on others. He only hopes more join him in using social media for positive reinforcement to reap the same benefits he’s achieved.

Follow Jerel Hodnett and join him on his journey.

Tik Tok- @Smoovemusiq

Landmark 15th Year of Disney Dreamers Academy Program Awaits 2022 Class of Talented High School Students...continued from page 3 Elizabeth Garder, Mandeville, LA Rose Warfield, Grafton, MA Lance Carr, Clarksburg, MD Kemery Oparah, Clinton, MD Danielle Nelson, Columbia, MD Kaiya Jones, Ellicott City, MD Whitley Shields, Fort Washington, MD CiaRa Sejour, Ft Washington, MD Caleb Oh, Gambrills, MD Amber Johnson, Oxon Hill, MD Olivia Jones, Silver Spring, MD Miyana Holden, Bloomfield Hills, MI Alexis Cornett, Highland, MI Sean Shelbrock, Montrose, MI Maxwell Parney, Rochester, MN Michael Wren, Florissant, MO Bryce Allen, Charlotte, NC Journi Kirby, Concord, NC Joshua Hanflink, Greensboro, NC Britney Nyabaro, Wake Forest, NC Maya Roseboro, Wilmington, NC Justin Fountain, Winston Salem, NC Diya Nair, Avenel, NJ Denia Smith, Belle Mead, NJ Darius Brown, Newark, NJ Kendall Henderson, Robbinsville, NJ Alexis Halm, South Orange, NJ Abibat Akinyele Yusifu, Bronx, NY Elsa Woodarek, Ellicottville, NY Malaya Talavera, Hicksville, NY Michael Taggart, Jamaica, NY Justin Alvarez, New York, NY

Darcie Wu, New York, NY Aaliyah Summons, Port Jervis, NY Cyruss Bell, Rochester, NY Naeema Baksh, Rosedale, NY Sanaalee Troupe, Uniondale, NY Annabel Long, Bexley, OH Isabella Green, Cleveland, OH Nolan Pastore, Hartville, OH Meghana Boda, Lewis Center, OH Skylar Blumenauer, Massillon, OH Emma Jeffrey, Yukon, OK Kyler Wang, Portland, OR Bethany Washington, Hanover, PA Zachary Sullivan, Pittsburgh, PA Arianna Gaiter, Pittsburgh, PA Victoria Ren, Sewickley, PA Tyra Jefferson, Columbia, SC Cadence Brown, Williston, SC Samuel Draper, Converse, TX Mason Thenor, Cypress, TX Andre Scott, Humble, TX Baani Sandhu, Irving, TX Destiny Weeden, Killeen, TX Maya Burns, McKinney, TX Elizabeth Mielke Prosper, TX Marcus Drake, Rockwall, TX Theodore Hervey, San Antonio, TX Myles Bracey-Hairston, Lorton, VA Audrey Zorrilla, Midlothian, VA Kortney Bostic, Shenandoah, VA Samantha Haywood, Vienna, VA Simmi Sen, Vancouver, WA

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Page 5

LEGALS/CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20210012435 Date Filed 12/20/2021 Filing Expires On: 12/20/2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): CALIFORNIA TRUCKING COMPANY County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 12693 WHISPERING SPRINGS RD. VICTORVILLE, CA 92395 Mailing Address: 9319 SVL BOX VICTORVILLE, CA 92395 Name of Individual Registrant: JONATHAN CORA Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 12693 WHISPERING SPRINGS RD. VICTORVILLE, CA 92395 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Dec 01, 2021 Jonathan Cora, Owner, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct.

NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT 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 FORT IN THE STATEMENT 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 BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper January 13, 20, 27, February 3, 2022.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20210012648 Date Filed: 12/27/2021 Filing Expires On: 12/27/2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): TAYLOR POE PRODUCTIONS County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 13737 BURNING TREE DRI VICTORVILLE, CA 92395 Mailing Address: 13737 BURNING TREE DRI VICTORVILLE, CA 92395 Number of Employees: 0 Name of Individual Registrant: LLOYD B. POBER Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 13737 BURNING TREE DRI VICTORVILLE, CA 92395 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Not Applicable Lloyd B. Pober, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct.

NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT 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 FORT IN THE STATEMENT 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 BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper January 13, 20, 27, February 3, 2022.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20210012638 Date Filed 12/27/2021 Filing Expires On: 12/27/2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): INTERNATIONAL RACK, CA. County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 11157 CHICO AVE. POMONA, CA 91766 Mailing Address: NESTOR MEDINA PO BOX 9008 PMB., 233 PAULIN AVE. PMB 7102 CALEXICO, CA 92231 Name of Individual Registrant: NESTOR L. MEDINA Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 11157 CHICO AVE. POMONA, CA 91766 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Not Applicable Nestor L. Medina, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct.

NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT 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 FORT IN THE STATEMENT 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 BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 30, 2021, January 6, 13, 20, 2022.

Publish Your FBN Statement with The San Bernardino American News

for ONLY $45 go to sb-american.com to upload Payments are accepted by debit/credit card FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20210012252 Date Filed 12/13/2021 Filing Expires On: 12/13/2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): 1. GREEN BUDDY SO CAL 2. GREEN BUDDY SOUTH County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 16666 SMOKE TREE STREET A4 HESPERIA, CA 92345 Number of Employees:1 Name of Individual Registrant: Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: GENERAL VERDE ORGANICS INC. State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No.: C4248504 Residence Street Address: 16666 SMOKE TREE STREET #A4 HESPERIA, CA 92345 This business is/was conducted by: A Corporation Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Dec 01, 2021 Agnes Sinclair, CEO, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct.

NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT 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 FORT IN THE STATEMENT 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 BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 30, 2021, January 6, 13, 20, 2022.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVSB 2133389 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: TOM LEONARD BOWERS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. TOM LEONARD BOWERS Proposed name: to: YIRMEYAH AVRAHAM BOWERS THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written 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 petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 2/22/2022 Time 9:00 a.m. Dept.: S17 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 San Bernardino District-Civil Division A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: Jan 07, 2022 John M. Pacheco Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper January 20, 27, February 3, 10, 2022.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVSB 2130510 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: QUADRI OLATUNJI SHAMUSIDEEN filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. QUADRI OLATUNJI SHAMUSIDEEN to Proposed name: BABAFEMI OLATUNJI SAMSON THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written 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 petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 01/27/22 Time 9:00 a.m. Dept.: S16 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO San Bernardino District-Civil Division 247 West 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92415 A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: Dec 14, 2021 John M. Pacheco Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper January 13, 20, 27, February 3, 2022.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVSB 2200079 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: DAQING WANG filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a.

DAQING WANG Proposed name: to: PETER D. WANG THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written 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 petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 2/15/22 Time 9:00 a.m. Dept.: S17 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO San Bernardino District-Civil Division 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: Jan 4, 2022 John M. Pacheco Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper January 6, 13, 20, 27, 2022.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVSB 2131214 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: MICHAEL DAVID VARGAS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. MICHAEL DAVID VARGAS Proposed name: to: MICHAEL DAVID ZARAGOZA THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written 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 petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 2/08/22 Time 9:00 a.m. Dept.: S16 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO San Bernardino District-Civil Division 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition

in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: Dec 28, 2021 John M. Pacheco Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 30, 2021, January 6, 13, 20, 2022.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVSB 2132980 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ROBERTO ALEXANDER ORTIZ ARCHILA & GABRIELA CARRILLO filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. JAIDYN GRACE CARRILLO Proposed name: to: JAIDYN GRACE ORTIZ CARRILLO THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written 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 petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: Feb 8, 2022 Time 9:00 a.m. Dept.: S16 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO San Bernardino District-Civil Division 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: John M. Pacheco Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 30, 2021, January 6, 13, 20, 2022.

PETITION/PROBATE

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: VERNON E. ARRITT aka VERNON EDWARD ARRITT aka VERNON ARRITT CASE NO: PROSB 2101131 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: VERNON E.

ARRITT aka VERNON EDWARD ARRITT aka VERNON ARRITT

A Petition For Probate has been filed by: DAVID ARRITT in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO. The Petition For Probate requests that: DAVID ARRITT be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 02/07/2022 Time: 9:00 a.m.

Dept: S35 Superior Court Of California, /county Of San Bernardino 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0212 Central Justice Center If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.

Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

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Page 6

LIFESTYLE//NATIONAL/RELIGION

SBVC’s FTVM students set to earn IMDB $20M Lilly Endowment Grant to The State of Welcoming Immigrants One Year into the Biden Administration...continued credit for production services on Go Local Preserve Black Churches Lee Lifestyle/National News

Chef Lee, star of the forthcoming TV show is partnering with the college’s film department to highlight local restaurants, bars, coffee shops and more!

SA N BE R NA R DI N O, Calif.) - A new collaboration between San Bernardino Valley College’s Film, Television and Media Department and Inland Empire Food Aficionado Chef Lee Burton is brewing and it’s resulting in a new TV show set to premiere on KVCR-TV. Students enrolled in FTVM 114, 112, 130, 131 and 132 will have the opportunity to support the show with production services and earn IMDB credit, solidifying their professional experience in TV and media.

Spring 2022 enrollment is open for all of the courses referenced above - with the opportunity to shoot video, operate cameras and lighting, engineer audio, and more.

“Our program thrives on

partnerships like this, as we’re able to put theory into actual practice for our students, and not only do they learn necessary skills to thrive in the industry, but they end up with an IMDB credit at the end.”

Lucas C u n y, Fi l m , Television, & Media Co-Chair In the meantime, Chef Lee is counting down the days until January 18, the start of production, and the beginning of a collaboration that will greatly benefit local community foodrelated establishment, especially amid the hardships presented by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“I’m excited to collaborate with students at SBVC for my show.

I want Go Local Lee to have a current, fresh perspective and I know the students will help me achieve the look and feel that I envision. Being a culinary instructor, I enjoy working with students, especially on projects requiring lots of creativity and collaboration. I believe that experience, in any profession, is the best way to learn.”

Chef Lee Burton, Go Local Lee The goal of Go Local Lee is to encourage viewers to support locally-owned restaurants and continued on page 7

Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal Record-Clearing... continued from page 3 expungement have their record cleared within five years of eligibility.4 The criminal legal system imposes process barriers such as inaccessible filing systems and lack of legal assistance, as well as material barriers such as lack of transportation to required court appearances, child care challenges, and high filing fees.

1 in 3 Share of people in the United States who have a criminal record 44K Nu mbe r of col lat e r al consequences that exist because of a person’s criminal history Fines and fees in particular contribute to the United States’ startlingly low record clearance numbers. Fines are part of court sentencing, intended to serve the punitive or deterrent purposes of other criminal sanctions. Fees, on the other hand, are intended only to make money for the state; defendants are usually required to “reimburse” the state for their public defenders, courtordered drug testing, electronic monitoring, and much more.5 Of course, the distinction between different types of court debt means little to the people paying them.

The overall amount of criminal justice debt and the number of people affected are unknown,6 but the Fines and Fees Justice Center estimates that court debt alone totals more than $27 billion.7 Restitution Restitution is another form of monetary sanction intended to compensate victims of crime.

However, it is collected at a very low rate,8 and the federal government estimates that more than 90 percent of restitution currently owed to survivors of crime will never be collected.9 Furthermore, a prior criminal conviction often bars survivors from accessing restitution funds.10 Most restitution is owed to insurance companies rather than

to the individuals who are actually hurt by crimes. In practice, private corporations are able to use the criminal legal system as a collection agency against poor individuals—predominantly Black and brown—who are disproportionately convicted of crimes.11 Courts often deny individuals the opportunity to seal or expunge their records if they are unable to pay the imposed fines or fees.

Without the ability to seal or clear their records, system-impacted individuals are left to overcome the stigma of their record as they struggle to build toward a successful future.

Unpaid monetary sanctions can often extend probation terms, pushing back the date a person’s case is closed and, in turn, the date they are eligible for expungement.

In many states, unpaid fines and fees are often considered grounds for probation violation and incarceration, potentially adding a new charge and a new arrest to an individual’s record. These barriers can ultimately continue a vicious cycle of poverty and hardships or result in recidivism, particularly among marginalized groups.

While there is abundant evidence indicating that monetary sanctions stymie rehabilitation and community integration, there is little evidence to suggest that these sanctions improve public safety.12 In fact, research shows that police in jurisdictions that rely on fines and fees for more of their revenue are less likely to close serious cases because they are forced to spend their time acting as debt collectors.13 The importance of recordclearing The collateral consequences of having a criminal record affect every aspect of a person’s life. Nine in 10 employers, 4 in 5 landlords, and 3 in 5 colleges and universities use criminal continued on page 7

Lifestyle/Religion News (Washington, D.C.) Since our nation was founded, Black churches have led at the forefront of critical and meaningful democratic reform in our society.

From the abolition of slavery and the public education movement, the advent of civil rights to the expansion of voting rights, the Black church has helped interpret the spiritual mandate of democracy in ways that have not only assisted the African American community, but have extended the franchise to language minorities, women, LGBTQ communities, rural and senior citizens, and millions of other Americans. The Black Church has created a template of advocacy for the dispossessed in nations around the world, demonstrating how to defend their human dignity and demand the access and respect they deserve.

Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. writes in The Black Church, “No pillar of the African American community has been more central to its history, identity, and social justice vision than the ‘Black Church.” They are the oldest institutions created and controlled by African Americans. In recognition of its pivotal contribution, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (AACHAF) has received a new $20 million grant from the Indiana-based Lilly Endowment Inc. to launch the Preserving Black Churches Project.

The Action Fund project will advance sophisticated strategies that model and strengthen stewardship and asset management, interpretation and programming, and fundraising activities of historic Black churches. Through grant-making, technical assistance, and multiyear projects, the Action Fund will provide direct support to uplift the people and communities working to save these special places. In the current period of reckoning with racial and economic justice, this partnership will make an unprecedented investment in and build capacity among Blackled institutions to reimagine, redesign, and redeploy historic preservation to address the

needs of faith-based institutions, assets, and stories. Together, our organizations will leverage historic preservation as a tool for equity and reconciliation and celebrate historic Black churches with active congregations as well as those with new uses as centers of civic pride and cultural value.

“Black churches have stood at the center of the African American experience and are a living testament to the achievements and resiliency of generations in the face of a racialized and inequitable society,” said Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.

“Yet despite the central role that these historic houses of worship play in the fabric of Black communities, they face a myriad of challenges. Their preservation— like that of all Black heritage sites—has often been overlooked and vastly underfunded. A critical piece of our work is to increase investments in the preservation, management, and interpretation of historic Black churches—so that they can continue to serve as the epicenters of Black communities and American heritage.”

The Action Fund is the largest preservation fund in U.S. history dedicated to the preservation of historic African American places.

It works at a critical moment both in the trajectory of the National Trust and the trajectory of history when preservation, culture, and creative thinking are ascending as essential methodologies for shaping livable and equitable futures.

As a unifying force of the community’s spiritual, social, economic, and political will, Black churches have also been targeted by opponents of progress, fairness, and justice. They have survived arson, bombing and other violence, as a result of their pivotal civil role. From Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C. and Bethel Baptist Church in Birmingham, A.L., to Vernon AME Church in Tulsa, O.K. and Robert’s Temple in Chicago, I.L., the Action Fund has partnered with Black churches to tell their stories of racial violence and community empowerment, while continued in next 2 columns

WITNESS FOR JUSTICE Issue #1082

The State of Welcoming Immigrants One Year into the Biden Administration Noel Andersen The rising trend to cast blame on immigrants continues to be at the heart of U.S. politics and is growing across the globe.

As we approach the State of the Union address and reflect on the last year, we realize that the Trump anti-immigrant era has left a residual effect on the entire country, including the Biden administration’s own immigration policies.

Although President Biden has created relief from deportation for many people claiming sanctuary to keep their families together, his administration has kept many Trump policies in place, such as the weaponization of the

Title 42 public health code and the pandemic to block and expel hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers at the border, denying them due process in violation of U.S. and international law.

Haitians and Africans at the border are experiencing anti-Black discrimination by other migrants and when attempting to claim asylum, they face institutional racism by both Mexican and U.S. officials. Thousands of Haitians are now being deported back to unsafe conditions. The Biden administration had promised to end private detention, but the continued in last 2 columns

number of people detained by ICE has increased by over 50 percent since he took office. Nearly one hundred United Church of Christ faith leaders recently signed a letter to tell Biden to end the inhumane detention of migrants.

Much of Biden’s immigration stances appear to be a response to the Republican party’s political strategy, which utilizes immigration to stoke fear and incite a sense of White nationalism. For example, the Governor of Texas, Gregg Abbot, signed an executive order that criminalizes asylum seekers and has attempted to blame them for the state’s rise in COVID cases, even after he failed to implement mask wearing policies or robust vaccination efforts.

The erosion of the asylum and refugee programs over the last five years is part of the larger threat to democracy. A true democracy has the moral responsibility to create safe refuge for people fleeing lifethreatening persecution because of their ethnicity, social group, or religion. It is also a key tactic to confront authoritarianism and human rights abuses abroad.

Right-wing hate groups are behind the White nationalist propaganda that stokes xenophobic fervor and are the same groups, such as the “Proud Boys,” that helped organize the January 6th insurrection.

At the mainstream level, a pathway to citizenship for essential workers and farm workers polls well, with over 70 percent of people supporting it. Yet, Republican Senators are using the filibuster to block any path to citizenship, forcing Democrats to utilize provisions in the reconciliation

process to pass immigration reform in the Build Back Better legislative package. However, the Senate Parliamentarian, who has her own history of working to deport immigrants at two different detention centers, has recently ruled against the proposed immigration reform provisions. The United Church of Christ is asking constituents to contact their Senators to demand a pathway to citizenship.

The tragic crisis that unfolded in Afghanistan led to the evacuation of over 80,000 people seeking refuge. The U.S. government has done an excellent job working with refugee resettlement agencies and faith communities to stand up the Afghan Placement and Assistance program, but has recently issued blanket humanitarian parole denials to those who are left behind while Congress delays passing the Afghan Adjustment Act to create a pathway to citizenship.

At the root of xenophobic policies is racism, White supremacy, and the attempt to limit the increasingly diverse landscape of American culture.

As people of faith, we must continue to locate our mission and purpose in confronting institutional racism and how it impacts our ability to welcome the immigrant in our midst and treat our neighbors with the equity and dignity that all people deserve.

Learn more about how to become an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation and how to welcome a newly arriving refugee.

Noel Andersen is the UCC & CWS Grassroots Coordinator for Immigrants' Rights for the United Church of Christ.

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866-999-8966 x896 | BelleOaksTX.com $20M Lilly Endowment Grant to Preserve Black Churches ...continued also ensuring these landmarks of cultural memory and national legacy are protected and preserved.

Since its launch, the Action Fund has raised more than $70 million and supported more than 200 preservation projects nationally, including the abovementioned historic churches.

Over the next three years, the Action Fund will partner with more than 50 churches nationwide, many of which are now suffering from threats of deferred maintenance, insufficient funding, aging and decreasing congregations, and/or sitting vacant or slated for demolition.

Meanwhile, impor tant sanctuaries are also lost to natural disaster, like St. James AME Church, founded in 1868 and constructed in 1923, which was hit by a tornado during the last weeks of 2021 devastating the town of Mayfield, Kentucky. Through the Action Fund, St. James will be awarded $100,000 and is the first recipient of the Preserving Black Churches Project’s special emergency funding to help restore the historic church and conserve a Helen LaFrance

mural damaged in the storm.

The Reverend Gloria Lasco stated, “We are filled with joy because this makes a great difference in being able to restore our historic church and mural.

I can barely find the words to express our gratitude.” LaFrance is a folk artist whose depictions of rural life are collected by the likes of celebrities Oprah Winfrey and Bryant Gumbel.

This special fund will enable the project to respond to a church’s need to rebuild after an unexpected disaster that can displace congregations and leave historic assets beyond repair, especially if mitigation is not undertaken immediately.

The Action Fund is pleased to make this investment and help accelerate the rescue and rebirth of this landmark imbued with community history and resilience.

Information on grants, programs, and resources will be announced in the summer of 2022. Sign up to receive updates and guidelines as they become available by visiting www. savingplaces.org/blackchurches.

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Page 7

WORLD/LOCAL/HEALTH NEWS

National Day Of Racial Healing Celebrates The Voices In America Calling For Unity And Peace World/Health News

Dr. Christopher’s Complete Video Message is HERE: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=2HSk2sIoJE WASHINGTON – “The National Collaborative for Health Equity has a vision and a mission to eliminate health inequities and to help create conditions that will allow all people to experience optimal health and well-being. But we know that the biggest barrier to achieving that mission is racism.

And so, as part of our work, we are helping this country to overcome racism and its harmful legacy.

Today is the 6th annual National Day of Racial Healing. Why focus a day on racial healing? Because we need to lift up the voices for unity, for peace, for engaging communities in the process of learning how to see ourselves in the face of the perceived other.

America was built on a fallacy, on a hierarchy of human value. In the early centuries of this country that belief system was enacted through the decimation and the taking of the lands of indigenous people,

the forced enslavement of African people, immigration policies that were based on that racial hierarchy.

“This notion of racism is built into the systems and structures of our society. And to a large measure, we're in denial about that as a root cause and a root threat to the very viability of our democracy. Now, if you turn on the news these days, you'll hear whispers about the possibility of a civil war. You'll also hear about surveys that say that a large number of people think that political violence is okay.

“I want us to recognize that we have the power to quiet those voices. We have the power to come together as a society and actualize the core tenets of our democracy.

All people were created equal and all people should have an equal right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But that will only happen when all people, and certainly the majority of people, actually commit to that as our primary work. And that's what the National Day of Racial Healing is about. It's about paying attention to the unfinished business of creating an equitable society.

It's about working to eliminate the permission to devalue some people and value others based on superficial characteristics. And it's about creating structures of opportunity and putting in place practices that understand continued in last 2 columns

National Day Of Racial Healing Celebrates The Voices In America Calling For Unity And Peace... continued

American Lung Association in California to Release 20th Annual ‘State of Tobacco Control’ Report on January 26

the complexity of that work.

“We created the National Day of Racial Healing to fall every year one day after we celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr holiday.

Why is that? Because it's a day that we set aside to pay attention to the reasons Dr. King both lived and died to help us as a country believe that we could create the Beloved Community. And, the Beloved Community is built on valuing all people equally.

“I'm excited that our national partners are also committed to this work. Over 300 organizations are supporting the call for the creation of a National Commission on Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT). Many communities are implementing a version of the TRHT process.

I define racial healing as our individual and collective efforts to eliminate the belief in the false hierarchy of human

2022 report recognizes progress, work to be done to reduce tobacco use in California

value. And most importantly, to replace that belief with a reverence and respect and regard for our interconnectedness and learning how to see ourselves in the face of the other or the perceived other. That's learning how to be empathetic, how to be compassionate and how to translate that empathy and compassion into standing up for justice in this country and for fair and equitable opportunities.

“Voices are calling for unity and peace, calling for embracing our full humanity as a society, the full humanity of all of us.

And we know that we must do this for ourselves and for future generations. Our democracy depends on our collective effort to heal and to transform. I hope this National Day of Racial Healing is an important day for you because you recognize the primacy of this work.”

SBVC’s FTVM students set to earn IMDB credit for production services on Go Local Lee... continued from page 6 food-related businesses; while showing appreciation for the diligence that goes into operating a business serving homemade food and handcrafted beverages.

“After having worked every job in a restaurant, from busboy to general manager, to dishwasher to executive chef, I truly understand how challenging it can be to run a

restaurant. I want viewers to have a sincere appreciation for how much goes into operating a restaurant.

It’s really a show about people more so than it’s a show about food.

I believe that if you get to know the restaurant owner’s stories, and have the opportunity to learn about their struggles, we’ll all be more inclined to support them.”

World/Health News SACRAMENTO, CA (January 18, 2022) – On Wednesday, January 26, the American Lung Association in California will release the 20th annual “State of Tobacco Control” report.

Access to the embargoed report and embargoed interviews are available upon request.

WHAT: The American Lung Association’s 20th annual “State of Tobacco Control” report shows prog ress in reducing tobacco use over the past 20 years, reveals what factors are threatening that progress, and looks ahead to the significant amount of work that remains to be done. The annual “report card” tracks federal and state efforts to protect peoples from adverse impacts of tobacco. The report will grade California’s tobacco control measures in five areas, including funding for state tobacco prevention programs, state tobacco taxes, smokefree workplace laws, coverage of and access to services to quit tobacco and ending the sale of flavored tobacco products.

WHERE: New findings from the “State of Tobacco Control” report for California will be live on Lung.org/sotc following the launch. Embargoed report f indings and embargoed interviews (upon written email agreement to embargo) along with b-roll, graphics and more assets are

available prior to the report launch.

WHEN: The embargo on “State of Tobacco Control” 2022 lifts on Wednesday, January 26 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time.

WHO: The following are available for media interviews on report findings and health impacts of tobacco use: Erica Costa, Director of Advocacy, American Lung Association in California Thomas Carr, report lead author, National Director, Policy, American Lung Association Anne DiGiulio, lead tobacco cessation policy expert, National Director, Lung Health Policy, American Lung Association Local and national medical experts in the field of lung health WHY: Tobacco use results in 480,000 deaths per year, making it the nation’s leading cause of preventable death. The annual “State of Tobacco Control” report evaluates states and the federal government on actions taken to eliminate tobacco use and save lives with proveneffective and urgently needed tobacco control laws and policies.

HOW: To request embargoed report findings (agreement to embargo required in writing) or an embargoed interview, contact MediaWest@Lung.org.

Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal Record-Clearing...continued from page 6

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background checks.14 These restrictive barriers exist across a number of domains, barring millions of people from accessing the paths and resources needed to promote stability for themselves and their families.

9 in 10 Share of employers who use criminal background checks 4 in 5 Share of landlords who use criminal background checks 3 in 5 Share of colleges and universities that use criminal background checks

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Housing: More than 1,300 barriers to housing exist across jurisdictions and at the federal level, affecting access to rental housing, homeownership, student housing, and public housing.

These include the denial of rent or sale of a home, denial of constitutional fair housing law protections, and even eviction or housing forfeiture.15 Job a cce ss: Cr i m i n al background checks are legally but often unfairly used by employers to justify not hiring people solely based on their records, rather than evaluating their qualifications or fitness for the role. In addition, criminal convictions often bar people from obtaining certain occupational licenses, excluding millions from the job market.16 Education: Thousands of colleges and universities in the Unites States require the disclosure of criminal history during the application process.17 This hurdle prevents many individuals from accessing higher education.18 Additionally,

the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) includes a question about applicants’ drug conviction history, creating a barrier to accessing necessary federal funding.19 Safety net program eligibility: In some states, people with felony drug charges must navigate legal barriers to safety net programs and public assistance—such as the lifetime ban from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—leading to food insecurity and hardship for entire families.20 Voting and civic participation: An estimated 5.2 million people with criminal records across the country experience felony disenfranchisement, meaning they have been stripped of the right to vote in elections—including the recent 2020 presidential election.21 Furthermore, people with certain records are banned from serving on a jury and running for or holding public office.22 How records are cleared The excerpt below comes from the CAP fact sheet, “Expunging and Sealing Criminal Records: How Jurisdictions Can Expand Access to Second Chances”23 An expungement removes arrests and/or convictions from a person’s criminal record entirely as if they never happened. Even a court or prosecutor cannot view a person’s expunged record.

In contrast, sealing removes a person’s criminal record from public view, but it can still be accessed through a court order.

Most states provide some form of expungement or sealing for certain types of records. Yet the

federal government currently does not have a regular mechanism for clearing federal conviction or even nonconviction records.

Expungements and sealing typically require the individual to file a petition, appear in court, and serve a waiting period without reoffending. Taking these steps, however, can cost hundreds of dollars in legal and administrative fees, dissuading many who are eligible from expunging or sealing their criminal records.

Additionally, many eligible individuals simply may not know that these remedies are even an option.

Barriers to record-clearing Most states have enacted their own petition-based record clearance processes. However, this often comes with its own set of challenges, many of which can put significant financial strain on the applicant.

A petition-based court process alone can cost individuals hu nd reds of dollars i n administrative fees and associated costs, which many low-income and marginalized people might not be able to afford.24 In many states, applicants are burdened with costs such as application fees, fingerprint processing, notary fees, and copy fees for court documents.25 Additionally, the convoluted petition process typically requires the assistance of legal counsel, which can add thousands of dollars in attorney fees.

Other financial burdens may be imposed by everyday social and logistical realities. For example, the cost of transportation to court proceedings, lost wages or time continued on page 8

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Page 8

COUNTY/POLITICAL NEWS/ADVERTISING Weber's AB 1655 Would Make Juneteenth a Paid Holiday in California...continued from page 4 an official federal holiday. It is the first commemoration to become a national holiday since President Ronald Reagan declared Martin Luther King Jr. Day a holiday 39 years ago.

Juneteenth is now a paid state holiday in nine states, including Texas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, Oregon, and Illinois.

“Juneteenth is an important and special annual celebration for Black culture, resilience, and achievement,” said Weber.

“Designating this date as a paid state holiday mirrors the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.”

Jones-Sawyer said people of all races and backgrounds in the state should commemorate the holiday.

“This is a significant milestone for African Americans, to have a date recognized by our state that is celebrated by all Californians,” said Jones-Sawyer. “AB 1655 is an inclusive act marking a key point in our nation’s history – one we should never forget or ignore, and one that correctly balances the American scale of freedom from 3/5ths to a whole.

Texas were freed – more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.

On June 19th, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger led troops into Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of the Civil War and the institution of slavery. As a result, thousands of enslaved people in Texas were among some of the last to be informed of their liberation.

Historians say that incident captures a broader reality: many enslaved Black people across the South working on plantations did not know about the Emancipation Proclamation – or that they had been freed – until much later.

Today, the celebration of that joyous occasion in Texas has spread around the nation, with cities and communities in California joining to mark that all-important milestone in the American journey to freedom.

In June last year, President Biden proclaimed Juneteenth

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Private Party loans generally have higher interest rates, points & fees than conventional discount loans Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal RecordClearing...continued from page 7 away from work, and payment for people in the United States who child care services can severely already have a record, as well hinder the expungement process, as the millions of families and especially for applicants whose communities indirectly affected financial resources are already by the system’s collateral limited. With so many expenses consequences.26 In order to involved, it is no surprise that so address the harms stemming 100 60 40 100 40 100 100 70 30 100 40 40 70 40 70 40 40 40 70 40 40 70 40 few eligible people successfully from fines and fees and prevent expunge their records. monetary sanctions from inhibiting record clearance, Recommendations for reducing it is40 100 critical for state and local 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 40 100 40 10 40 40 20 70 70 70 70 40 70 40 40 and removing barriers governments to implement the Comprehensive steps must be following policies: taken to prevent criminalization Reduce or eliminate fines and reduce harm for the 1 in 3T:12" continued in next 2 columns 3%

Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal Record-Clearing... continued imposed as punishment: There is no evidence that such fines improve public safety, yet they trap millions of people in debt.27 Abolish fees that are imposed only to generate revenue: Such fees harm individuals and families and drive people deeper into both the criminal legal system and poverty. Moreover, they have been shown to keep police from solving serious crimes and often generate little to no net revenue because the cost of collections is so high.28 Reform restitution to prioritize redressing harm rather than furthering cycles of hurt, poverty, and criminalization: This effort should involve reducing or eliminating restitution interest as well as eliminating restitution to government institutions and corporations.

Require public reporting of fines and fees data: This publicly accessible information would aid in transparency around how much criminal justice debt is held by people in the United States.29 Automate criminal recordclearing through clean slate laws: Such actions would automatically clear certain misdemeanors and felony 70 40 40 3 without 10 25 burden 50 records, the of a court-petition process or monetary requirements, after a set period of time.30 0000 3.1 2.2 2.2 10.2 7.4 7.4 25 19 19 50 40 40 Decouple sealing and expungement eligibility from court debt: This would allow

for expungement regardless of outstanding fines, fees, and restitution, as long as the individuals have met other legal criteria.

Remove other barriers to criminal record-clearing: These barriers include expungement fees, fingerprinting requirements, mandatory or discretionary hearings without substantial notice, and complicated filing procedures, such as in-person filing requirements or paid online filing.

Conclusion Removing fines and fees and their harmful consequences is key to addressing the barriers to clearing a criminal record. At the same time, the justice system must work at all levels to end hyper-criminalization and mass incarceration, remove the collateral consequences of having a criminal record, and invest robustly in essential community services.

Taken together, these measures can significantly improve individuals’ chances of successfully reentering society and avoiding the harmful setbacks that can accompany a criminal record.

It is time for states and localities to recognize the harms that stem from the use of monetary sanctions and work toward comprehensive measures that aim to remove the collateral consequences of criminal 75records, 90 eliminate 100 or reduce the use of court fines and fees, and support transparency and awareness of the negative effects that monetary 75 66 66 100 100 100 80 70 70 100 sanctions can have on systemimpacted communities.

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This year, there’s an extra $3 billion to help Californians afford brand-name coverage. Every plan we offer covers the important things, from heart-health screenings to emergency care, and no one is turned away for having a pre-existing condition. Get free, expert help finding a plan that’s right for you.