SB American News Week Ending 3/6

Vol. 49 No. 45

February 28, 2019 - March 6, 2019

This publication is a Certified DBE/ SBE / MBE in the State of California CUCP #43264 Metro File #7074 & State of Texas File #802505971 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 words or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they suppress.

—Fredrick Douglass (1849)

**BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT**

2019 Oscars: Black Filmmakers Win Big

Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson celebrate Lee's 2019 Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Beachler thanked Black Panther co-writer and director Ryan Coogler stating, “I stand here because of this man who offered me a different perspective of life,” says the Moonlight and Lemonade production designer.

Ludwig Göransson won the Best Original Score category for Black Panther. He also thanked Coogler, his collaborator while the two were students at the University of Southern California’s film school.

Regina King started the night off with a win for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk.

Her role was small but mighty and the decorated actress cried as she thanked her mother.

Mahershala Ali became a twotime Best Supporting Actor Acad-

Email: sbamericannews@gmail.com Clifton Harris Editor in Chief Publisher of The San Bernardino AMERICAN News

African WWII Vets Seek Formal Apology and Compensation from UK

By Global Information Network

By Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., NNPA Newswire Entertainment and Culture Editor

The 2019 Academy Awards have come to an end and #BlackGirlMagic and #BlackBoyJoy were in full effect as some of our favorites walked away with gold statuettes, some after a 30-year uphill climb.

Black Panther was a big winner, taking home Oscars for Best Costume Design (Ruth E. Carter) and Best Production Design (Hannah Beachler). Both women making history. Carter, who thanked her 97-year-old mother during her speech, is the first black woman to win the coveted category.

Beachler is the first AfricanAmerican and only black woman to be nominated and to win for set design.

Carter thanked Spike Lee for helping to launch her career in the entertainment business while

Publisher’s Corner

emy Award-winner with his win for Green Book. Ali thanked his grandmother for her sage advice and always believing in him. Peter Ramsey won for co-directing the Best Animated Feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, making history as the first African-American to win the award.

Prolific filmmaker Spike Lee won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlacKkKlansman after having been overlooked in the competitive categories. Lee literally jumped into the arms of prolific actor and fellow Morehouse man Samuel Jackson in celebration of the win.

While Jackson held the statuette, Lee went on to discuss slavery, Black History Month, his grandmother, a Spelman College

graduate, and his alma maters: Morehouse College and New York University.

The filmmaker said, “Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let’s do the right thing,” when accepting his award.

The academy finally did the right thing by acknowledging the contributions of African-Americans in front of and behind the camera.

Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D. is entertainment and culture editor for NNPA/BlackPressUSA. A film and media scholar, Dr. Burton is founder and editor-in-chief of the award-winning news blog The Burton Wire, which covers news of the African diaspora. Follow her on Twitter @Ntellectual or @TheBurtonWire.

Fresh Hopes, Familiar Disappointment Follow Gov. Newsom’s Call for New DNA Testing in Kevin Cooper Case

The UK government is coming under pressure to compensate and apologize to the last surviving African veterans who fought alongside White British soldiers in the second World War. More than half a million Black African soldiers who fought in the British army were paid up to three times less than their white counterparts, a newly unearthed document has revealed, prompting calls for an investigation and the government to compensate surviving veterans.

The document, buried in Britain’s national archives, reveals how the government systematically discriminated against African soldiers, paying White personnel – even those living in African colonies and serving alongside African soldiers in British colonial units – far more than their Black counterparts.

Three parliamentarians are demanding that the administration of Theresa May acknowledge the unfair treatment, launch an investigation, issue a formal apology and pay veterans compensation.

Details of the discriminatory practices were highlighted in a documentary for Al-Jazeera English’s People and Power series. The documentary also highlights how, although enlistment was supposed to be voluntary, testimony from surviving veterans and their widows undermines this official line.

One veteran, 93-year-old Gershon Fundi – whom Britain sent to Ethiopia and Somaliland as a signalman – said: “They were treating us as slaves. We were there not because we wanted to be there. But we were forced to go there. If you run, even if you go home, chiefs would arrest you and then you’re going to be

Photo by: Global Information Network brought back. But how can you complain? To whom are you going to complain?”

“We have no voice, we have no voice at all,” he told a Guardian reporter.

Their testimony is supported by the research of leading historians of the era. “Pressure was put on chiefs to provide their quota and they forced men to enlist,” says David Killingray, emeritus professor of modern history at Goldsmiths University, who described the experience of individuals “caught up by this system” as appalling.

Not only were African soldiers in Britain’s forces barred from becoming commissioned officers and from disciplining lower-ranking White soldiers, they were also subjected to corporal punishment, which the British army had officially outlawed for decades.

“They beat us,” said Eusebio Mbiuki, a 100-year-old veteran who served in Britain’s Burma campaign against the Japanese.

“They beat us a lot. Our bodies became so swollen from the beatings. They would beat us and slap us until you accepted everything you were being told. And you couldn’t answer back. Who would you speak to? They were your commanders.”

This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel.

Aguilar Takes “Job for a Day” Tour to March Air Reserve Base Government News

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media

Kevin Cooper Sacramento - On Friday, Feb. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered new DNA tests in a 35-year-old quadruple murder case involving African-American death row inmate Kevin Cooper.

Newsom's decision could lead to the overturning of Cooper's 1985 conviction in the killing of a rural Chino Hills family and their 11-year-old house guest. The case has the potential, some political watchers say, to divide Californians.

Both the California and United States supreme courts and more than a dozen lower courts have rejected Cooper’s past appeals.

“I take no position regarding Mr. Cooper’s guilt or innocence at this time,” Newsom said in his executive order about the highprofile case that has drawn inter-

national interest. New York Times' columnist Nicholas Kristof, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris and reality TV star Kim Kardashian have all called for re-testing using current, more sensitive forensic technology.

The ACLU and other human rights and social justice groups have also urged California state officials to launch a deeper investigation into Cooper’s conviction.

Gov. Newsom’s order Friday expands previous direction issued by former Gov. Jerry Brown in December to test four pieces of crime scene evidence. Brown’s order allowed analysts to perform DNA re-testing on a tan T-shirt; an orange towel; and the handle and sheath of a hatchet prosecutors say Cooper used in the murders.

In this new investigation, analysts will look at strands of hair from the victims’ hands, blood samples and a green button Cooper's attorney Norman Hile maintains investigators planted at the scene of the crime. A retired Los Angeles County Superior Court judge will oversee the investigation.

Cooper, 61, has maintained his innocence over the years. His lawyers hope the results of the re-testing ordered by Gov. Newsom, which could take several months, will help prove their client’s innocence and finally exonerate him.

In 1985, a San Diego County jury convicted Cooper on four counts of murder. At the time of his arrest, he was 26 and an escaped prison inmate. His lengthy criminal record - including several burglaries and the rape of a minor in Pennsylvania – did not help his case.

Cooper, formerly named Richard Goodman, was born in 1958 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

When he was six months old, he was adopted and renamed Kevin Cooper. During his childhood, his parents physically abused him and he spent a good part of adolescence living in several juvenile detention centers. In 1982, Cooper escaped from a mental health facility in Pennsylvania before moving to California.

During his murder trial, prosecutors successfully argued that Cooper killed husband and wife

Doug and Peggy Ryen, their 10year-old daughter Jessica and an 11-year-old neighbor Christopher Hughes. Police found the bloodied bodies in the Ryen’s home with a total of 143 stab wounds.

Joshua Ryen, the victims’ 8-yearold son, suffered a slash wound on his throat. He was the only survivor of the attack.

After Coopers’s jail break, investigators found, he illegally stayed in a house next door to the victims. They also say they found evidence in the Ryen’s home and in the family’s station wagon that tied Cooper to the murders.

For some, Gov. Newsom's order to broaden DNA testing in the case is being met with dismay. The lone survivor of the murders Joshua Ryen and family, friends and supporters of the Ryens and Hughes all across the state say they are disappointed with the governor’s decision.

"Unfortunately, over time it seems the victims' desire for justice in this case matters less and less," San Bernardino District (continued on page 6)

Congressman Pete Aguilar, of the 31st Congressional District of California (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dary M. Patten)

March Air Reserve Base, CA — On Friday, Rep. Aguilar took his Job for a Day tour of the Inland Empire to March Air Reserve Base, where he learned how to record, edit and upload audio files for Armed Forces Network (AFN). AFN provides radio and television news and entertainment for active, guard, and Reserve military service members,

and their families overseas. AFN reaches US military audiences in 168 countries, as well as Navy and Coast Guard ships around the world. In addition to learning firsthand about the work of an AFN Radio Specialist, Rep. Aguilar recorded a brief radio message to thank deployed service members and their families.

Our Values, Mission, & Vision Statement Our Values: Treat all people with care, respect, honor, and dignity. Tell it as it is with love, truth and integrity. Promote the interests of advertisers and sponsors along their strategic interest for the betterment of the community and beyond. Speak truth to power.

Our Mission: To continuously improve communication between all people of the world.

Our Vision: To be the best community newspaper in our region and the nation.

Provider of: A voice for the poor, the underserved, those that are marginalized, Positive and edifying news about people, places and businesses. Keep San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties informed about global trends while retaining the consciousness of local events and processes.

Memberships and Associations: The San Bernardino American Newspaper is a member of the California Newspaper Publishers Association, National Newspaper Association and addociated with California Black Media.

Visit Us Online: www.SB-American.com

PAGE 2

February 28, 2019

COMMUNITY/EDUCATION/ADVERTISING

CSUN Joins UC Berkeley and the Compton Unified School District to Improve Retention Rates of Male Teachers of Color Community/Education News

Members of the first cohort of the Mentoring Male Teachers of Color and Their Administrators: Compton Male Teachers of Color Network. Stranding, from left, are Olushina Oshinuga, Damon Stokes, Marco Godinez, Ian Eddy, CSUN elementary education professor John M. Reveles, UC Berkeley education professor Travis J. Bristol, Dlain Watson and Peter Arasomwan. Kneeling, from left, are Joaquin Wong, Eric Wells and Caleb Dawson. Photo courtesy of Travis J. Bristol.

California State University, Northridge has partnered with the University of California, Berkeley and the Compton Unified School District (CUSD) to launch a threeyear pilot program to improve the retention rates of male teachers of color.

If successful, the program’s organizers hope that it will provide a national model for increasing the retention rates of AfricanAmerican, Latino and Asian men who choose careers as teachers.

“We are very lucky to be working with such a forward-thinking school district like the Compton Unified School District, which recognized that we, as a society, have a problem recruiting and then retaining male teachers of color,” said CSUN elementary education professor John Reveles, who received a $250,000 three-year grant from the FEDCO Charitable Foundation for the “Mentoring Male Teachers of Color and Their Administrators: Compton Male Teachers of Color Network (CMTCN).”

“Teacher attrition rates are high enough in general,” Reveles said.

“Within the first three years in the classroom, many teachers leave the field for various reasons, and the number is particularly high for male teachers of color. The Compton Unified School District is working with us to create a program that, if successful, can serve as a model for other districts throughout California, and perhaps the nation, for retaining male teachers of color. Teacher reten-

tion is so important because students from diverse backgrounds need support systems that encourage them to reach their fullest potential, and an important factor in this equation is the presence of positive male role models. And what better role model — besides a parent — is there than a teacher?”

Officials with the Compton Unified School District said they were looking forward to collaborating with Reveles and his colleague Travis Bristol, a faculty member at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education, to create an environment that provides the kind of support that encourages men of color to stay and thrive in the teaching profession.

“We are excited to be the site of this innovative partnership with CSUN, and we look forward to seeing its impact on our teaching staff,” said Darin Brawly, superintendent of the Compton Unified School District. “It is important to us that CUSD is a place that they want to work, but also is a district that fosters growth and success. I am already impressed with the work that has begun this month with Dr. John M. Reveles and Dr. Travis J. Bristol. Out staff is excited and positive about it.

At the end of the day, it is good for our students.”

Micah Ali, president of the Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees, agreed.

“Male teachers of color are vital to our success as a district in achieving educational equity for

It’s Time To Stop Marginalizing African Americans In Public Higher Education

By Spencer Overton, The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

Spencer Overton Students across the country are putting final touches on their applications for some of our country’s most prestigious public institutions. Higher education officials and policymakers alike need to ensure that these universities are not underserving Black students.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of work to do. A new study from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

shows that African Americans aren’t attending selective colleges (e.g. the University of Michigan, University of South Carolina, University of Houston, and others) at the same rates as their White peers. Even states with a sizable population of average-college-aged Black people (18-24 years old) are falling short.

In Delaware, for example, African Americans account for 26 percent of 18-24 year olds, but only 6 percent of students at the University of Delaware.

These public colleges should serve a representative cross-section of students, and be engines of mobility for all students. Unfortunately, they are not. White students make up 54 percent of 18-24 year olds, but account for 64 percent of freshman enrollment (continued on page 8)

Aquatics Training And Certification Classes 2019 Registration is now open for lifeguard training, water safety and lifeguard training instructor classes.

Community News The City of San Bernardino Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is currently taking registration for their upcoming Aquatics Training Programs. Classes are available for Lifeguard certification, Water Safety Instructor certification, and “Water Safety Today” certification. Classes are offered now; space and class availability is lim-

ited, so early registration is encouraged. Some coursework is completed on-line. Applications for summer employment as Pool Manager, Senior Lifeguard (Swim Instructor), and Lifeguard are available online for certified personnel, with wages starting at $13.77 - $17.31 per hour.

Lifeguard Training Classes are (continued in next 2 columns)

our students,” Ali said. “I recall how impactful it was for me as a student to be taught by a male teacher of color — to see him as a mentor and role model. This program will hopefully be a way that we as a district can deepen our commitment to diversity, while providing a source of inspiration for our students — who see male teachers of color as positive examples of their future selves.”

Reveles and Bristol are spending the first year of the project, which started this month, training teachers and administrators at one school within the Compton district on how to mentor and support new teachers, particularly men of color.

Reveles said the program will grow during its second and third years to include more teachers and schools.

“When you create a network to support male teachers of color, they feel like they belong to the school culture and are more likely to stay in the district and the school they are working at,” he said.

Throughout the project, Reveles said, its organizers will ask participants for their feedback to ensure that the model being designed truly meets the teachers’ needs.

“It’s important that we listen and are flexible,” he said. “Teachers need to know that we are here for them, and that the model we create is one that helps them become better teachers, and teachers who are happy to stay in the

profession.

“Working with a smaller district like Compton allows an environment where it’s easier to get regular feedback about what works and doesn’t work,” Reveles said.

“Hopefully, we can take what we learn and scale it up, and share it with other districts here in Los Angeles County and perhaps across the country. Ideally, it will be a model that is flexible enough to respond to the needs of each individual community. The needs of a school district in Los Angeles are going to be different than those in Northern California, and the same can be said for schools in the Midwest and on the East Coast.

“The ultimate goal is to increase the number of men of color who become and remain teachers,” he said.

The FEDCO Charitable Foundation was created when the FEDCO chain of stores closed in 1999. After creditors and employee benefits were paid in full, the remaining assets of more than $7 million were used to establish the FEDCO Charitable Foundation, a supporting organization of the California Community Foundation, whose staff coordinates the grant distribution process.

Compton Unified School District is located in the south-central region of Los Angeles County.

The district encompasses the city of Compton and portions of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles. The district currently serves nearly 24,000 students at 36 sites and has emerged from a dramatic turnaround, marked by increases in student achievement rates, a graduation rate of nearly 90 percent (according to the California Dashboard), facilities improvements and a focus on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) throughout all schools. The mission of the Compton Unified School District is to empower leaders to lead, teachers to teach and students to learn by fostering an environment that encourages leaders and teachers to be visionary, innovative and accountable for the achievement of all students. For more information about the district, visit http:// www.compton.k12.ca.us.

Aquatics Training And Certification Classes 2019...continued offered in four sessions with a swim test one week prior to the first date of each session. Full certification is accomplished in attendance at ONE 2-week session (times vary): Session #1 March 15, 16, 17, 22, and 23 Session #2 April 12, 13, 14, 19, and 20 Session #3 May 3, 4, 5, 10, and 11 Session #4 May 31, June 1, 2, 7, and 8 The cost for each session is $125.00 plus a $39.00 Authorized Provider Fee to the American Red Cross. Non-residents add 10% fee on all classes. No cost to take the Swim Test. Upon passing of Swim Test, all fees are payable at the PRCSD Main Office. Times vary, so please call for more information. Water Safety Today Classes are available the first Tuesday of

the month from April through May and resume again in September through October. The upcoming dates are April 2 and May 6, resuming on September 9 and October 1. These classes are conducted indoors from 6:00-9:00 p.m. The cost is $40.00 per individual and $60.00 for couples.

There is one Water Safety Instructor course scheduled for May 17-19, Friday 4:00pm – 9:00pm and weekends 8:00am – 6:00pm, registration fee of $150.00 and $39.00 on-line fee to ARC. For more information on training/certification classes, contact the Main Office at (909) 384-5233 or visit www.SBCity.org/Parks.

For Summer Aquatics employment inquiries, call the City of San Bernardino Job Line at (909) 3845104, visit www.SBCity.org/Jobs or stop by Human Resources on the third floor, City Hall, 290 N. D Street, San Bernardino.

Machines whisper our secrets Spies can learn what a machine is making from the sounds it makes

By Holly Ober Lab instruments are important tools throughout research and health care. But what if those instruments are leaking valuable information?

When it comes to biosecurity, this could be a very real threat, according to a group of researchers at the University of California, Irvine, and the University of California, Riverside. By simply recording the sounds of a common lab instrument, the team members could reconstruct what a researcher was doing with that instrument.

“Any active machine emits a

trace of some form: physical residue, electromagnetic radiation, acoustic noise, etc. The amount of information in these traces is immense, and we have only hit the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we can learn and reverse engineer about the machine that generated them,” said Philip Brisk, a UC Riverside associate professor of computer science who worked on the project.

In a paper presented at the Network and Distributed System Security Symposium, the group showed they could reconstruct (continued in next 2 columns)

Machines whisper our secrets...continued what a researcher was doing by recording the sounds of the lab instrument used. That means academic, industrial, and government labs are potentially wide open to espionage that could destabilize research, jeopardize product development, and even put national security at risk.

The researchers wondered if it was possible to determine what a DNA synthesizer was producing from the sounds its components made as it went through its manufacturing routine.

DNA synthesizers are machines that allow users to build custom DNA molecules from a few basic ingredients. Researchers commonly construct segments of DNA to insert in the genome of other organisms, especially bacteria, to make new organisms.

Sometimes these living systems are used to make valuable new pharmaceuticals or other products.

Brisk and UC Irvine electrical and computer engineering professor Mohammad Abdullah Al Faruque and his doctoral student Sina Faezi; along with John C. Chaput, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at UC Irvine; and William Grover, a bioengineering professor at UC Riverside, set microphones similar to those in a smartphone in several spots near a DNA synthesizer in Chaput’s lab.

All DNA is built from just four bases, adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T), arranged in almost infinite combinations. The specific patterns, or sequences, can be read as a clue to what kind of DNA it is.

DNA synthesizers contain components that open and close to release chemicals as they manufacture each of these bases, along with the tubes and chambers through which they flow. These mechanisms make distinctive sounds as they work.

After filtering out background noise and running several adjustments to the recorded sound, the researchers found the differences were too subtle for humans to notice.

“But through a careful feature engineering and bespoke machine-learning algorithm written in our lab, we were able to pinpoint those differences,” Faezi said. The researchers could easily distinguish each time the machine produced A, G, C, or T. When the researchers used software to analyze the AGCT pat-

terns they acquired through the recordings, they identified the correct type of DNA with 86 percent accuracy. By running it through additional well-known DNA sequencing software, they boosted the accuracy to almost 100 percent.

Using this method, a knowledgeable observer could tell if the machine was making anthrax, smallpox, or Ebola DNA, for example, or a commercially valuable DNA intended to be a trade secret. The method could help law enforcement prevent bioterrorism, but it could also be used by criminals or terrorists to intercept biological secrets.

“A few years ago, we published a study on a similar method for stealing plans of objects being fabricated in 3D printers, but this DNA synthesizer attack is potentially much more serious,” Al Faruque said.

The researchers recommend that labs using DNA synthesizing machines institute security measures, such as strictly controlling access to the machines and removing innocuous-seeming recording devices left near the machine. They also recommend that machine manufacturers begin designing machine components to reduce the number of sounds they make, either by redesigning or repositioning the components or swaddling them in sound absorbent material.

Almost all machines used in biomedical research make some kind of sound, noted Brisk and Grover, and the hack could conceivably be applied to any machine.

“The take-home message for bioengineers is that we have to worry about these security issues when we’re designing instruments,” Grover said.

In addition to Al Faruque, Brisk, Grover, Chaput, and Faezi, authors include UC Irvine doctoral students Sujit Rokka Chhetri and Arnav Vaibhav Malawad. The paper, Oligo-Snoop: A Non-Invasive Side Channel Attack Against DNA Synthesis Machines, will be presented at the 2019 Network and Distributed Systems Security Symposium, which takes place in San Diego between Feb. 24-27.

The research was supported in part by National Science Foundation awards to Brisk and Al Faruque.

(Header photo credit: Darryl Leja and Ernesto Del Aguila III, NHGRI)

San Bernardino Celebrates Seuss Community Education News

The San Bernardino County Library invites residents to join in the celebration of everyone’s favorite author, Dr. Seuss. A weeklong celebration of reading and Dr. Seuss is in store, in support of the Countywide Vision’s literacy campaign, Vision2Read, and NEA’s Read Across America initiative. Starting Friday March 1 through Sunday, March 10, each of our 32 branch libraries will host a special-themed storytime or event featuring popular Dr. Seuss stories.

All SBCL branches will host fun programs for the whole family which include crafts and, of course, reading favorite Dr. Seuss stories. Select branches will offer opportunity drawings for prizes and more. Please check with your local County library for more details.

Also, all 32 branch libraries will be offering a free stovepipe hat to those who checkout 15 items during our celebration (March 110) while supplies last.

NEA’s Read Across America is an annual reading initiative and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss.

The San Bernardino County Library System is a dynamic network of 32 branch libraries that serves a diverse population over a vast geographic area. The County library system strives to provide equal access to information, technology, programs, and services for all people who call San Bernardino County home.

The library plays a key role in the achievement of the Countywide Vision by contributing to educational, cultural, and historical development of our County community.

For more information on the San Bernardino County library system, please visit http:// www.sbclib.org/ or call (909) 3872220.

The San Bernardino AMERICAN News Staff Samuel Martin Sr.-Founder Clifton Harris/Editor in Chief/Investigative Reporter Mary Martin-Harris/Editor Clifton B. Harris/Audio Engineering Editor Legal /Display Advertising & Sales (909) 889-7677 The San Bernardino American News was established May 8,1969. A legally adjudicated newspaper of general circulation on September 30, 1971, case number 153913 by the Superior Court, of San Bernardino County. The San Bernardino AMERICAN News, a division of Don Roberto Group, Inc. is published every Thursday by Mary Martin-Harris and Clifton Harris P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393, Telephone (909)889-7677, Emails: msbamericannews@gmail.com sbamericannews@gmail.com The San Bernardino AMERICAN News subscription rate is $58.00 per year.

The San Bernardino AMERICAN New is committed to serving its readers by presenting news, unbiased and objective, trusting in the mature judgment of the readers and, in so doing strive to achieve a united community.

News releases appearing in the San Bernardino AMERICAN News do not necessarily express the policy nor the opinion of the publishers.

The San Bernardino AMERICAN News reserves the right to edit or rewrite all news releases.

Visit Us Online: www.SB-American.com

PAGE 3

February 28, 2019

WORLD GOVERNMENT/BUSINESS/ADVERTISING

Trump’s national emergency declaration called unconstitutional – “egregious abuse of power”

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

By Hazel Trice Edney

Trump’s national emergency declaration called unconstitutional – “egregious abuse of power” (TriceEdneyWire.com) – U.S. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), the highest ranking African American in the U.S. Congress, has assailed President Donald Trump’s immigration national emergency as an “egregious abuse of power” and calls on his fellow congressional members to challenge his actions.

“The president’s declaration of a manufactured national emergency in order to erect an ineffective, wasteful, and medieval wall sets a dangerous precedent,” Clyburn said in a statement. “All of us who have taken an oath to the Constitution must challenge this egregious abuse of power and uphold the checks and balances that are the foundation of our republic.”

Clyburn joins a chorus of voices expressing outrage about Trump’s action that could draw $5.7 billion of taxpayer dollars for a wall that more than 58% of Americans say they do not want, according to a recent PRRI survey.

“This declaration has more to do with the president’s bruised

ego than actually doing what is best for America. The author of The Art of The Deal couldn’t make a deal to build a wall. This is a fake solution to a fake crisis and we must stand firm in keeping the nation focused on the real issues impacting Americans,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-Calif.).

The Washington Post has reported that a coalition of 16 states have filed a federal lawsuit to block Trump’s plan for a border wall. Like Clyburn, the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, argues that Trump’s declaration of a national emergency was unconstitutional.

The lawsuit is being brought by states with Democratic governors, except Maryland’s Larry Hogan, a Republican who has challenged Trump on several major issues.

Trump is clear that he is declaring the national emergency because Congress refused to provide enough money for a border wall that he promised as a presi-

dential candidate and also promised that Mexico would pay for it.

But then Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto refused to pay for the wall, saying “Mexico doesn’t believe in walls.” Trump was then stuck with the unkept campaign promise and now appears desperate for a way to make good.

The 16 states suing Trump are California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon and Virginia.

In a Rose Garden announcement of his intent to declare the emergency, Trump claimed he is protecting the nation from caravans of people that he says are bringing drugs and crime into the U.S. through the Southern border, a claim that experts have refuted as false.

“So we’re going to be signing today, and registering, national emergency. And it’s a great thing to do because we have an invasion of drugs, invasion of gangs,

invasion of people, and it’s unacceptable,” Trump said in his Rose Garden announcement, calling the emergency a “National Security and Humanitarian Crisis.”

As Trump continues to dig in his heals, predicting an eventual win in the U.S. Supreme Court, civil rights leaders are fighting their war in the court of public opinion.

“There are families who can’t make ends meet because their wages are too low. Citizens are being denied equal access at the ballot box because of voter suppression. We have a criminal justice system that still treats Americans better if they are rich and guilty than if they are poor and innocent. Black boys and girls are dying prematurely from gun violence while Black women are losing their lives during childbirth.

These are just some of the real crises confronting America. Mr. President, it’s time to finally demonstrate the leadership worthy of the office you hold.”

This article originally appeared in the Nashville Pride.

Assemblymembers O’Donnell, McCarty, Smith, Bonta, Joined by Educators, Administrators, School Boards and Labor Partners, Intro Bills to Fix Broken Laws Governing Charter Schools, Hurting Students Four Bills address local control over authorizing new charter; clarifying site and location of new charters; facilities, academic and fiscal impact on students; and a cap on growth of charters State/Government News SACRAMENTO – A concerned group of lawmakers, educators, administrators, civil right organizations and classified personnel have come together to address many of the issues surrounding California charter schools by fixing the laws governing charter schools that have negatively impacted students attending neighborhood public schools.

Assemblymembers Patrick O’Donnell, Kevin McCarty, Christy Smith and Rob Bonta and introduced AB 1505, AB 1506, AB 1507 and AB 1508.

AB 1505 by Assemblymember O’Donnell ensures all matters related to charter schools’ authorization, renewal and other key decisions be made by the local governing board—those who actually know and manage the school district.

AB 1506 by Assemblymember McCarty establishes a cap on growth of charter schools. The removal of the cap that was included in the original charter school law has led to destabilizing school districts and the law has not kept pace with the growth of unregulated corporate charter schools and the groups behind them. AB 1507 by Assemblymember Smith closes a loophole in current law which allows a charter school to operate outside of its authorizing district.

AB 1508 by Assemblymember Bonta would allow authorizers to consider facilities, fiscal and academic impact on the district when considering new charter school petitions.

SB 126 by Senator Connie Leyva

CVS Officials Talk Project Health, Black Press at Rainbow Push Wall Street Conference

and Assemblymember O’Donnell which cleared the Senate last week is making its way through the Assembly this week. SB 126 ensure all corporate charter schools are held to the same transparency and accountability as neighborhood public schools.

“Charter school reform is long overdue. These bills will provide school districts the ability to make responsible and informed decisions regarding authorization and renewal of charter schools, which are critical for student success and taxpayer accountability,” said Assemblymember O’Donnell, Chair of the Assembly Education Committee.

“AB 1506 will put a cap on the number of charter schools in California yet allow some capacity for charter schools to expand when schools are phased out or shut down,” said Assemblymember Kevin McCarty. “This will give some much needed financial stability to California school districts — many of which are challenged with declining enrollment and other cost pressures.”

“I am proud to author AB 1507 which restores the right of individual districts to have oversight of schools located within their boundaries,” said Assemblymember Smith. “I am pleased that AB 1507 is a part of a broader package of measures creating greater transparency and accountability for our taxpayer dollars, while improving public schools for every student.”

“School board members have a fiduciary duty to ensure the fis-

cal health of their district,” said Assemblymember Bonta. “They know the needs of their schools the best and should be able to consider the fiscal impact on their students and district when considering whether to approve a new charter school."

Additional lawmakers are considering legislation to impose a moratorium on charter school growth similarly to what the NAACP recently called for and also agreed upon between the Los Angeles Unified School District and United Teachers Los Angeles in its strike resolution agreement earlier in February.

“It is clear that Californians want significant changes in the decades-old laws governing charter schools that have allowed corporate charter schools to divert millions away from our neighborhood public schools, allowed for waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars at the expense of our students,” said California Teachers Association President Eric Heins. “We need the Assembly to support SB 126 this week to ensure transparency and accountability at corporate charter schools. Fixing these laws will put us on the right path to making sure all schools are held to the same standards for the sake of our students.”

California Federation of Teachers President Josh Pechthalt said: “These common-sense measures will empower local communities to decide whether charter schools are the right choice for

their students. Placing decisionmaking powers back in the hands of local communities will mean more accountability and better outcomes for all of our students.”

California School Employees Association President Ben Valdepeña said: “Public schools are designed to lift all students. Nobody, including charter schools, should be exempt from laws that protect local control and a fair playing field for all students. These bills are good public policy and are a positive step towards education equity.”

Max Arias, Executive Director, SEIU Local 99 said: “SEIU members share a commitment to strengthening public education as a foundation of the California Dream for the next generation. We believe every child in California should have access to a quality education within walking distance of their home and that we must have a strong system of accountability to protect our investment in their future.”

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig, California NAACP Education Chair said: “In 2016, the national NAACP called for a moratorium on the rapid expansion of charter schools. Charter schools, as currently operating under law in California, are lacking public transparency and financial accountability.

As a result, the California NAACP stands in solidarity with legislative efforts that call for a charter moratorium.”

When Cornelius Raven visited his nearby CVS Pharmacy for free health screenings, he didn’t realize that he was having a stroke.

His blood pressure was so high — 200/190 — that he was sent to the hospital for immediate care.

Unfortunately, when it comes to health care, Cornelius is the exception when monitoring our health should be the rule.

At a time when health care costs are mounting, CVS officials say it’s smart to take advantage of free health screenings. “It saved his life and that’s the message CVS wants to get out to everyone,” said David Casey, the vice president of Workforce Strategies and Chief Diversity Officer at CVS Health.

Casey joined other CVS Health representatives at Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Push 22nd Annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit in New York where, among other things, care providers demonstrated the company’s pop-up health screenings – known as Project Health.

Offering care that is quick and convenient with no appointment needed, Project Health offers free biometric screenings for individuals to help identify chronic conditions before they become lifethreatening illnesses.

Such screenings are valued at $100, but CVS offers them for free.

It includes screenings and offerings like body mass index; blood pressure; glucose; total cholesterol; individual health plan access plan; professional consultations; smoking cessation counseling; and diabetes resources.

In November, CVS Health closed on its acquisition of Aetna, which created what CNBC called a new health-care powerhouse.

The merger combined CVS’ pharmacies with Aetna’s insurance business and the final deal was valued at about $70 billion.

While the merger counts as critical to CVS Health’s mission of providing access to care to often overlooked communities, it does present some challenges in getting the word out about the importance of the CVS/Aetna marriage and Project Health.

“One of the value propositions of doing the deal with Aetna is how can we make healthcare local because there’s a lot of folks who can’t get to healthcare,” said Casey.

David Casey, the vice president of Workforce Strategies and Chief Diversity Officer at CVS Health “About 80 percent of Americans live within a couple of miles of a CVS so the question becomes what can we do more? You can’t do anything without [good] health. You can’t learn without health, you can’t walk without health, so we have to figure out how we can deliver more healthcare in the [underserved] community,” Casey said.

The CVS-Aetna merger has the potential to create an integrated model for consumer healthcare that could transform the consumer experience.

CVS has indicated its focus on the consumer will be its primary strategy to engage customers, improve health outcomes and lower healthcare costs J.D. Power’s December 2018 pulse survey delved into consumer perception of the CVSAetna merger and the prospect of receiving care in a CVS retail pharmacy setting.

It generated 1,000 responses.

More than half (53 percent) had visited a CVS store within the previous 12 months and 96 percent said a CVS store was located less than 30 minutes from their home.

Additionally, 45 percent said they would consider receiving primary care at a CVS Clinic while 55 percent said they would not.

Most of the respondents that said they would not along with many who were not survey participants but who’ve said they’re “on the fence,” are minorities.

Casey agreed that’s where the Black Press of America could assist.

“The Black Press is important because, as great as we think our brand is, there’s a level of credibility at the community level where the Black Press is,” he said.

“Mainstream and other media may have a voice, but they’re not always that sense of community and credibility and people like to engage with and hear from folks they know have invested in that community. So, the Black Press has a huge role,” Casey said

Senator Leyva Introduces Toxic Fragrance and Flavor Chemicals Right to Know Act of 2019 SB 574 “will empower consumers so that they can make educated decisions” State/Government News

SACRAMENTO – Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) introduced legislation earlier today that would require companies selling beauty or personal care products in California to report the presence of toxic fragrance and flavor ingredients in their products to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Safe Cosmetics Program. This information would then be publicly available through CDPH’s Safe Cosmetics Database.

Recent data compiled by Women’s Voices for the Earth reveals that a third of all fragrance chemicals currently in use have been flagged as potentially toxic by scientists around the world.

“In California, we actually know more about the fragrance ingredients in products that we use to clean our homes than those that we put on our faces or bodies,” Senator Leyva said. “Consumers have a right to know what ingredients are in the beauty and personal care products they bring home to their families and use daily on their bodies. The bottom line is that no toxic ingredients should be kept secret. SB 574 will empower consumers so that they can make educated decisions about which products to use with their kids and families.”

No state or federal law currently requires the disclosure of fragrance or flavor ingredients to

consumers or regulatory agencies. This loophole allows dozens—sometimes even hundreds—of chemicals to hide under the word “fragrance” on the labels of beauty and personal care products with little regulatory oversight of the safety of those ingredients. The same loophole exists for flavorants, which are appearing more frequently in flavored lip gloss and chapsticks marketed to children.

Thousands of synthetic chemicals are used to create the fragrances and flavors that comprise the beauty and personal care products that we use every day.

Some of these chemicals have been linked to negative health impacts ranging from allergic reactions to reproductive harm and increased risk of breast cancer.

Fragrance chemicals are found in more than 95 percent of personal care products such as shampoos, conditioners, hair styling products, antiperspirants and shaving products, as well as fine fragrances, body sprays and lotions.

SB 574 is sponsored jointly by Black Women for Wellness, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, and Women’s Voices for the Earth.

Following today’s introduction, SB 574 will be considered by the appropriate Senate committee(s) later this spring.

Visit Us Online: www.SB-American.com

PAGE 4

February 28, 2019

HEALTH/FITNESS/SENIOR NEWS

Black Women in America and Cervical Cancer Prevention

By Dr. Anisa Shomo, Director of Family Medicine Scholars at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio and Health Columnist for the NNPA.

Dr. Anisa Shomo is the Director of Family Medicine Scholars at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio and is a health columnist for the NNPA. Many people may believe that cervical cancer is a problem of the past. Prior to the 1940s, it was a major cause of death of women of childbearing age. According to the National Institute of Health, invasive cervical cancer is now considered to be the 14th cause of cancer deaths in women in the US. That accounts for approximately 4,000 deaths of women each year.

African American women are twice as likely as Caucasian women to be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer and 2-3 times more likely to die from this diagnosis. Before we examine why this health disparity exists, let’s explore the historical gains that lead to the reduction of invasive cervical cancer diagnosis and deaths.

Before the 1940s, it was difficult to diagnose cervical cancer unless accompanied by significant symptoms such as bleeding, pain, and nausea were occurring, which caused women to present in the later stages. In 1943, Dr. George Papanicolau published a paper on his work to identify cervical changes as normal or cancerous via a microscope before invasive cancer occurred in an article titled “Diagnosis of Uterine Cancer on Vaginal Smear.”

In 1954, Dr. Papanicolau published his atlas for labs to learn how to identify cervical cancer using his method and this is now called a Papanicolau test or “Pap”

smear. We now use this to screen for cervical cancer and catch it in its early stages. Cervical cancer caught in the early stages can be removed with very minor surgeries and in many cases, hysterectomy can be avoided.

In the 1970s, the HPV virus was being extensively researched as a possible link to cervical cancer.

In 1984 Dr. Harald zur Hausen discovered that HPV 16 and 18 were major causes of cervical cancer.

He later won a Nobel Prize in Science for this discovery. In the 1990s, Dr. Lowy and Schiller began working to create an HPV vaccine that could help prevent cervical cancer altogether. In 2006 the FDA approved the first HPV vaccines.

We now use the HPV vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer in the first place. This is especially important internationally since currently 500,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and 275,000 of them will die of their disease due to low access to screening and treatment.

Cervical cancer has had such great advancements in treatment and diagnosis in the United States that even one death from this disease could be considered a failure of the system. But an estimated 700 African American women still die of cervical cancer each year. The three main reasons are: later stage at diagnosis, less

The illusion and cost of drug rebates

By Peter J. Pitts President Trump and every declared candidate for the Presidency want to lower drug costs.

And, surprise, it's the President who has made a bold move towards a workable free market solution.

His new proposal cracks down on the price-gouging practices of middlemen in the drug supply chain -- Prescription Benefit Managers, the mega-corporations that insurers employ to administer their drug benefits.

The Administration's new proposal impacts Medicare Part D, the federal prescription drug benefit for seniors and those living with disabilities. Beneficiaries can expect more money in their pockets as a result of the proposed rule. Kudos to the President and HHS Secretary Azar for putting patients first.

The Trump plan imposes new restrictions on how PBMs share rebates and discounts in the Part D program. Currently, insurers hire PBMs to negotiate with drug manufacturers. PBMs are able to secure big discounts -- usually through rebates -- by promising to include specific medicines on preferred insurer formularies.

These rebates aren't pocket change. By one estimate, the average rebate knocks off nearly 40 percent of a brand name drug's list price. That's billions of dollars annually.

In theory, these savings should flow down to insurers and beneficiaries and result in lower outof-pocket pharmacy costs. But that isn't how it's working.

The current system encourages PBMs to favor medicines that carry higher rebates rather than lower list-priced drugs. As a result, patients do not directly benefit from significant price nego-

tiations in the market today.

A recently leaked contract with the nation' largest PBM, Express Scripts, offers some insight into how PBMs operate.

For starters, PBMs exploit the definition of "rebate" to their financial favor. Rather than categorizing all discounts as rebates, PBMs deduct "administrative" and "service" fees from the discounts they receive. They also slap drug manufacturers with "inflation payments" to account for annual price increases. These tactics hide the true value of manufacturer discounts.

PBMs have been wildly successful with these tactics. The nation's three largest PBMs -who together control three-quarters of the market -- earned a handsome $10 billion in profits in 2015.

President Trump is right to target America's greedy intermediaries.

Should his plan take effect, PBMs will no longer receive rebates for prescription drugs in the Part D program. Most importantly, the pharmaceutical industry would be encouraged and empowered to pass rebate dollars to patients instead.

Patients will save big. By one estimate, if just one-third of the total discounts PBMs negotiate for Part D was passed on to patients at the pharmacy counter, Medicare beneficiaries would have an extra $20 billion in their bank accounts over the next ten years.

President Trump's proposal is a great step in putting patients first.

His Administration deserves praise for this bold move.

Peter J. Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner, is president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest.

Teeth-Whitening Products Could Cause Bigger Problems Than Yellow Teeth Health News

Are you thinking that your teeth don’t look nearly as white as the movie stars you see? If so, perhaps you’re thinking about

purchasing one of those over-thecounter teeth- whitening products. (continued in next 2 columns)

aggressive treatment, and more barriers to care once diagnosed.

One reason cited for lack of timely screening is confusion of Pap smear with a pelvic exam causing a person to think that they have already been screened, although they may have had this exam for a different reason. Many African American women do not receive treatment due to comorbid conditions, advanced cancer, or refusal to be treated. In 2016, Nardi et al detailed some of the findings of multiple studies that indicate that lack of knowledge about cervical cancer may be the largest barrier to screening and treatment of cervical cancer in African American women.

Many women do not know that a Pap smear is a cervical cancer screening and do not realize that HPV is a known risk factor. They also may believe that if they are no longer sexually active, they no longer need to be screened which may contribute to presenting with cervical cancer in the later stage.

There was also discussion that women feared hysterectomy would be needed and they did not desire to have this performed so they avoided screening.

In 2012, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology drastically changed the guidelines for cervical cancer screening. As of September 2017, the guidelines are: Screening starting at age 21 with a Pap smear Screening is now every 3-5 years with a Pap Smear and depending on age, HPV testing HPV testing is recommended to start at age 30 but many physicians perform it at ages 21-29 with Pap smear These changes have caused further confusion about the importance of cervical cancer and when a person’s next pap smear is due. This change occurred due to research demonstrating that yearly Pap smears were not bet-

ter at decreasing cancer rates than when performed every 3 years.

There was also concern about damaging the cervix with unnecessary procedures if screening too often.

The HPV vaccine has been FDA approved since 2006. It is currently recommended for use in all genders aged 11-26 and it was most recently approved to be extended for use up to age 45. The vaccine has been shown to be effective in preventing an estimated 90% of HPV related cancers. In 2015, the CDC studied the percent of women aged 19-26 who received at least 1 dose of the vaccine and it was found that African American women were 10% less likely to have started that vaccine.

Despite the many advances in cervical cancer screening, treatment, and prevention, African Americans women are more likely to be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer and death as a result of late diagnosis. Increased knowledge about the purpose of a Pap smear and how often it is needed, the new treatments available that may prevent need for hysterectomy, and the purpose of the HPV vaccine may help reduce this health disparity in the future.

For Black American women receiving updated information about how to prevent cervical cancer is a matter of life or death.

If our Black families and communities are made more aware of the advantages of early detection and diagnosis concerning cervical cancer, the current disproportionate mortality rates for Black women with this health problem in America will be dramatically reduced.

Dr. Anisa Shomo is the Director of Family Medicine Scholars at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio and is a health columnist for the NNPA. She can be reached at drshomoknows@gmail.com

Teeth-Whitening Products Could Cause Bigger Problems Than Yellow Teeth...continued But buyer beware: Cosmetic teeth-whitening is a $3.2 billiondollar industry that is not regulated by the Food And Drug Administration because it is considered a cosmetic procedure.

The sheer number and types of whitening products can be overwhelming. They include whitening toothpastes, gels, whitening strips, whitening pens, whitening mouth rinses and even paint on bleach.

“It is best to consult your dentist before purchasing over-thecounter whitening products,” says Dr. Anita Myers, a dentist and author of the bookStunning Smiles: A Dental Guide To Improve the Way You Eat, Smile & Live (https://dranitamyers.com).

“Some of these products can lead to thinning enamel, gum irritation and recession, and make teeth overly sensitive.”

Some whitening strips contain chlorine dioxide, which can destroy the enamel on teeth. Chlorine dioxide is the same acid that is used to disinfect swimming pools. It whitens teeth by eating away at the surface of the enamel.

“All stains are the same,” Dr. Myers says. “Some are mostly on the surface of the teeth and come from consuming lots of dark-colored liquids like coffee, tea and red wine, as well as foods with vibrant yellow spices like turmeric. The tar and nicotine from cigarettes are also huge culprits.

“Often, surface stains can be diminished by routine brushing, flossing and biannual professional cleaning in the dentist's office. Unfortunately, there are deeper stains you just can't avoid by being careful about what you

eat and drink. And some issues may remain after whitening. Porcelain or composite dental crowns and bondings will not lighten up. So if you change the color of the teeth around them, you might wind up with an uneven smile or need to replace old fillings and crowns.”

If you are going to use an overthe-counter whitening product, Dr. Myers has these recommendations: Don’t leave the strips or gels on longer than recommended.

This could lead to sore gums and other dental problems.

Avoid acidic beverages. After you whiten, avoid soda, sports drinks, or other acidic beverages for a couple of hours to protect your teeth.

Pregnant women or nursing mothers should delay applications. Although no studies have shown this to be a problem, it is best to delay using those products, Dr. Myers says.

Monitor Gums. If you use gelfilled trays, which you wear over your teeth like a mouth guard, it may bother your gums if they don't fit well. “Stop using the product if you start having this problem,” Dr. Myers says. “If you like the gel-filled trays, your dentist may be able to make one that better fits your teeth.”

“If you are in doubt about what to choose as a teeth-whitening product over the counter, look for the The American Dental Association seal of acceptance,” says Dr. Myers. “At least you will know that the product has been evaluated by an independent panel of qualified dentists.”

Bothered By Chronic Pain?

Its Source May Surprise You Health/Fitness News

Pain that lingers or worsens is usually a signal to see a doctor.

Medical professionals, however, don’t always diagnose the problem correctly in the initial visit.

Chronic pain sufferers, in particular, may want to get a second

opinion. Researchers at Johns Hopkins have reported that 40 to 80 percent of chronic-pain patients are misdiagnosed. Being misdiagnosed can lead to ineffec(continued in next 2 columns)

Bothered By Chronic Pain?

Its Source May Surprise You...continued tive treatments and perhaps surgery the patient did not need.

One way to save time, money and worry – and most importantly, to receive the right treatment - is to find the source of the pain, says Dr. Victor Romano (www.romanomd.com), an orthopedic surgeon and author of Finding The Source: Maximizing Your Results – With and Without Orthopaedic Surgery.

“You treat the source, not the symptoms,” Dr. Romano says. (www.romanomd.com). “Finding the source of pain can help cure a problem using non-surgical means, and it can change someone’s life.

“It comes down to peeling back the layers to figure out what is contributing to the pain. Finding and treating the source of an injury helps determine whether surgery is warranted at that time.”

Dr. Romano uses a patient evaluation tool called Autonomic Motor Nerve Reflex Testing (AMNRT) to identify the source of symptoms. Sometimes patients are surprised to learn the origin of their pain.

“The body compensates for injuries,” Dr. Romano says. “For instance, a patient may have shoulder pain because they are adapting their stance to accommodate a back injury. Pain in one area of the body is often associated with an injury on the other side.”

Dr Romano also points out, "Obstructed breathing - for instance, if you have a cold, allergies, or a deviated septum - will contribute to weakness and pain in your back, shoulders, and hips.

Believe it or not, improving your breathing - with nasal sprays or rinses and allergy medication, or fixing your crooked nose - will help improve your strength and relieve your pain."

Dr. Romano lists five common physical ailments that produce chronic pain, some possible sources for the pain, and non-surgical remedies to relieve it: Tennis elbow. “Why are you using more force on that elbow for gripping or lifting?” Dr. Romano asks. “Testing could reveal the

hand is weak from carpal tunnel syndrome. Fix your carpal tunnel problem and your elbow pain will begin to heal on its own.” For therapy, he suggests self-manipulation of your wrists, grabbing the back of the hand while resting a forearm on your stomach, then pulling on the wrist and bending it downward.

Slumping shoulder. “Shoulder weakness can be associated with neck or back problems and obstructive breathing disorder,” Dr. Romano says. “Lower back stretches and a pelvic stabilizing program can help.”

Runner’s knee. The medical term is patellofemoral pain syndrome, felt as vague pain around the kneecap from prolonged sitting or more strenuous activities like stair climbing. “The injury is thought to come from overuse, excess weight, or arthritis,” Dr. Romano says, “but the true source for, say, right knee pain is often a weakness in the right hip flexor. Physical therapy, stretching the outside structures and strengthening the inside muscles are often better solutions than surgery.”

Sciatica. This affects about 40 percent of the population at some point. It’s characterized by pain in the lower back going down the leg. There can be several nonobvious sources, such as obstructed breathing and its associated back problems or a tilted pelvis. Dr. Romano suggests a variety of stretches in yoga, along with rotational and hip flexion stretches.

Achilles tendinitis. “ Sometimes the source can be foot maladies in the same or opposite foot such as peroneal neuropathy and Morton’s neuroma,” he says.

“The Peroneal nerve ends on the top of the foot; Morton’s is the nerve branch between the third and fourth toe. Stretching and strengthening exercises for the calf muscles can help heal it.”

“You’re going to keep on getting hurt and have pain,” Dr. Romano says, “unless you find and fix the source of the problem.”

California Counties Encouraged to Apply for Mental Health Wellness Grants Application Deadline is Fast Approaching Health/Fitness News

SACRAMENTO – California State Treasurer Fiona Ma announced today the availability of $27.3 million in mental health wellness grants for children and youth. This competitive grant program funds facility acquisition, construction and/or renovation, equipment acquisition, and applicable program startup or expansion costs for crisis residential treatment facilities, crisis stabilization facilities, mobile crisis support teams, and family respite care.

“There is no better investment we can make today than in the next generation of adults who will be the workers, parents, leaders, and caretakers of the world,” Treasurer Ma said.

The deadline for counties to apply for grants is Thursday, February 28, 2019 at 5:00 p.m.

Non-profit corporations also are encouraged to contact their counties to apply jointly.

The California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA), chaired by Treasurer Ma, will distribute the funds through the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Grant Program for Children and Youth (“CY Grant Program”).

Chapter 30, Statutes of 2016 (SB 833), Section 20, expanded the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Act of 2013 to specifically address a continuum of crisis services for children and youth, 21 years of age and under.

The competitive grant program was established under SB 833.

“It is imperative that we provide a complete menu of crisis services for children and youth 21 years of age and under regardless of where they live in the state,” said

Treasurer Ma. “To this end, it is my goal that this program fulfill its legislative objectives to add at least 120 crisis stabilization and crisis residential treatment beds, 200 mobile crisis support teams, and to expand family respite care.

I encourage California counties to submit applications for CY Grant Program funding.”

CHFFA adopted emergency regulations for the CY Grant Program that became effective November 26, 2018. For more information or to submit an application, please visit CHFFA’s website.

Fiona Ma is California’s 34th State Treasurer. She was elected November 6, 2018 with more votes (7,825,587) than any other candidate for treasurer in the state's history. She is the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant elected to the position. California is the world’s fifth-largest economy and Fiona serves as its head banker, providing transparency and oversight for the government’s investment portfolio and accounts as well as managing the state’s $92 billion in financial assets. The Treasurer’s Office provides financing for our schools, roads, housing, levees, public facilities, and other crucial infrastructure projects that better the lives of all Californians. The Treasurer’s Office manages cash receipts for the state and bond issuances and oversees programs that fund schools, hospitals, affordable housing, and small businesses. Our three savings programs help individuals with disabilities, save for college, and fund private-employee retirement plans.

Visit Us Online: www.SB-American.com

PAGE 5 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20190001752 Date Filed: 2/08/2019 Filing Expires On: 2/08/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): FALLAS PAREDES County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 12480 AMARGOSA RD. #A VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Mailing Address: 15001 S. FIGUEROA ST. GARDENA, CA 90248 Name of Individual Registrant: Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: PEGASUS TRUCKING, LLC State of Inc./Org./Reg.: DELAWARE Inc./Org./Reg. No.: 5819327 Residence Street Address: 15001 S. FIGUEROA ST. GARDENA, CA 90248 This business is/was conducted by: A Limited Liability Company Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 10/19/2018 Michael Fallas,Manager, 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 February 28, March 7, 14, 21, 2019.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20190001754 Date Filed: 2/08/2019 Filing Expires On: 2/08/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): FALLAS County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 14598 7TH ST. VICTORVILLE, CA 92395 Mailing Address: 15001 S. FIGUEROA ST. GARDENA, CA 90248 Name of Individual Registrant: Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: PEGASUS TRUCKING, LLC State of Inc./Org./Reg.: DELAWARE Inc./Org./Reg. No.: 5819327 Residence Street Address: 15001 S. FIGUEROA ST. GARDENA, CA 90248 This business is/was conducted by: A Limited Liability Company Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 10/19/2018 Michael Fallas, Manager, 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 February 28, March 7, 14, 21, 2019.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190000977 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 1/24/2019 Began Transacting Business: N/A Filing Expires On: 1/24/2024 Business is Conducted By: An Individual Fictitious Business Name(s): MI AMIGOS TIRES Business Address: 10714 I AVE. UNIT A HESPERIA, CA 92345 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Registrant(s)Address: PAUL D. ZAHARIA 14560 JENNY ST. HESPERIA, CA 92345 Signature/Officer Title: Paul D. Zaharia, Owner

BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) 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 FORTH 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 February 28, March 7, 14, 21, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190001996 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 2/14/2019 Began Transacting Business: 2/09/2019 Filing Expires On: 2/14/2024 Business is Conducted By: An Individual Fictitious Business Name(s): M I AMIGOS PAINT Business Address: 10714 I AVE. SUITE A HESPERIA, CA 92345 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Mailing Address: 14560 JENNY ST. HESPERIA, CA 92345 Registrant(s)Address: PAUL D. ZAHARIA 13059 1ST. AVE. VICTORVILLE, CA 92395 Signature/Officer Title: Paul D. Zaharia, Owner

BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) 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 FORTH 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 February 28, March 7, 14, 21, 2019

LEGALS/CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS Signature/Officer Title: Richard J. Staffieri, President

BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) 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 FORTH 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 February 21, 28, March 7, 14, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20190001158 Date Filed: 1/28/2019 Filing Expires On: 1/28/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): FRISSON GRAPHICS County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 15053 BINFORD AVE. ADELANTO, CA 92301 Name of Individual Registrant: JULIANNA R. ZEITER 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: 15053 BINFORD AVE. ADELANTO, CA 92301 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A Signature/Title of Person Signing: Julianna R. Zeiter, Owner

BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).

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 FORTH 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 February 7, 14, 21, 28, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT Doc# 20190001841 Date Filed: 2/12/2019 Filing Expires On: 2/12/20/24 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): TERRY’S SMOG County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 333 S. WATERMAN AVE., STE. D SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92408 Mailing Address: Same as above Name of Individual Registrant: TERRY L. TEAGUE 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: 720 MURCHSON ST. POMONA, CA 91768 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A Signature/Title of Person Signing: Terry Teague, Owner

BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).

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 FORTH 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 February 21, 28, March 7, 14, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190001806 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 2/11/2019 Began Transacting Business: 1/01/2019 Filing Expires On: 2/11/2024 Business is Conducted By: An Individual Fictitious Business Name(s): A & W RENTALS Business Address: 320 BARSTOW RD. BARSTOW, CA 92311 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Mailing Address: 436 FENOAK DR. BARSTOW, CA 92311 Registrant(s)Address: LORETTA A. MALDONADO 436 FENOAK DR. BARSTOW, CA 92311 Signature/Officer Title: Loretta A. Maldonado

BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) 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 FORTH 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 February 14, 21, 28, March 7, 2019

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190001794 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 2/11/2019 Began Transacting Business: 2/15/2017 Filing Expires On: 2/11/2024 Business is Conducted By: A Corporation Fictitious Business Name(s): R & J TREE SERVICE, INC. Business Address: 9570 WILLOW WELLS AVE. LUCERNE VALLEY, CA 92356 County of Principal Place of Business:SAN BERNARDINO Mailing Address: P.O. BOX 1348 LUCERNE VALLEY, CA 92356 Registrant(s)Address: R & J TREE SERVICE, INC. 9570 WILLOW WELLS AVE. LUCERNE VALLEY, CA 92356 A1#: 3979244 State: CA

February 28, 2019

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVDS 1901908 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: VERONICA CRUZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. ALYZIA MONZERRATT CRUZ to Proposed name: ALYZIA MONZERRATT CRUZ-AYON Present name: b. SOPHIA PRIZILA CRUZ to Proposed name: SOPHIA PRIZILA CRUZ-AYON 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: 3-05-19 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: S17 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 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: January 22, 2019 Michael A. Sachs Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper February 21, 28, March 7, 14, 2019

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVVS 1900057 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: WILLIAM EDWARD NELSON filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. WILLIAM EDWARD NELSON to Proposed name: EDWARD MAXWELL NELSON JR. 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: 3-22-19 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: V15 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, VICTORVILLE DISTRICT 14455 CIVIC DRIVE STE. 100 VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 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: January 30, 2019 Judge Lisa Rogan Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper February 7, 14, 21, 28, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVDS 1903685 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ADELA ORTIZ MARTINEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a.

ANGEL SEBASTIAN LEON ORTIZ to Proposed name: EMILIANO DAVID ORTIZ 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: 3-18-19 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: S17 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 WEST THIRD 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:February 04, 2019 Michael A. Sachs Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper February 14, 21, 28, March 7, 2019

SUMMONS SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): CIVDS1818501 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): JESUS C FONG YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away.

If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service.

If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en

formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia.

Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro.

Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 West Third St, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): REESE LAW GROUP, Breanne L. Reese, Esq., (Bar #314663), 3168 Lionshead Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010; 760/842-5850 (File No. 555571) DATE (Fecha): JUL 16 2018 Clerk (Secretario), by Sabrina Duran, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served 1. as an individual defendant.

2/21, 2/28, 3/7, 3/14/19 CNS-3222359# THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): CIVDS1823563 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): ANGEL JAUREGUI, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away.

If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service.

If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia.

Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro.

Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 West Third St, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): REESE LAW GROUP, Golnaz Heidari, Esq., (Bar #317574), 3168 Lionshead Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010; 760/8425850 (File No. 557692) DATE (Fecha): SEP 06 2018 Clerk (Secretario), by Danielle Paris, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served 1. as an individual defendant.

2/28, 3/7, 3/14, 3/21/19 CNS-3224880# THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN

Submission Deadline For Legal Publications Is Mondays By 5pm Please Email To:

$40.00 TO PUBLISH YOUR

msbamericannews@gmail.com

SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): CIVDS1821168 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): NARVOLEAN JACKSON YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away.

If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service.

If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta.

Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia.

Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales.

AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil.

Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 West Third St., San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): REESE LAW GROUP, Golnaz Heidari, Esq., (Bar #317574), 3168 Lionshead Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010; 760/8425850 (File No. 5556885) DATE (Fecha): AUG 13 2018 Clerk (Secretario), by Nancy Liemsithisak, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served 1. as an individual defendant.

2/14, 2/21, 2/28, 3/7/19 CNS-3220839# THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN

FBN CALL TODAY! (909) 889-7677

TO PUBLISH YOUR LEGAL OR CLASSIFIED AD OR TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE PLEASE CALL (909) 889-7677 OR Email: msbamericannews@gmail.com

Visit Us Online: www.SB-American.com

PAGE 6

February 28, 2019

LEGAL ADVERTISING/ LOCAL/NATIONAL NEWS

Research offers superior therapeutic approach for MS Local/National News

Multiple sclerosis affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide.

This debilitating condition periodically shutters communication between the brain and other parts of the body, resulting in symptoms that range from numbness and tingling in the arms and legs to blindness and paralysis. While treatments are available to alleviate inflammation, no therapies exist to protect neurons or repair the degraded myelin sheath that normally surrounds nerves.

Previous studies have shown that estrogens and estrogen-like compounds reduce multiple sclerosis-like inflammation and disability in mice. At first glance these treatments appear promising, but they carry a host of negative side effects, from feminizing male mice to increasing the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke.

An interdisciplinary team of scientists has piggy-backed on this approach with a new concept that side steps the negative side effects while alleviating symptoms.

In a paper published in Nature Scientific Reports, Seema TiwariWoodruff, an associate professor of biomedical sciences in the School of Medicine at University of California, Riverside, and her colleagues detail their efforts to create new forms of the drug chloroindazole, or IndCl, a compound that acts on a subset of estrogen receptors. Their work shows that these new compounds offer the protective effects of estrogen without the unpleasant side effects.

For more information, please visit: https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2019/02/20/research-offerssuperior-therapeutic-approachms

Fresh Hopes, Familiar Disappointment Follow Gov. Newsom’s Call for New DNA Testing in Kevin Cooper Case ...continued from page 1 Attorney Jason Anderson said in a statement. "Prior DNA testing that Mr. Cooper sought, agreed to and claimed would exonerate him have all confirmed Mr. Cooper's guilt."

Yet persuasive arguments based on conflicting testimonies and allegations of evidence tampering, keep raising reasonable questions about the methods and stories investigators used to nail Cooper. Three weapons were used in the attack, and in sworn testimony, Joshua Ryen said he saw three attackers who were White. He later testified that they could have been Hispanic.

Further complicating the prosecutions’ claims, a woman named Diana Roper came forward with bloody clothing belonging to her former boyfriend who was a violent criminal. She turned the evidence over to the police, but they destroyed it.

African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities living in the San Bernardino County are not surprised about the allegations Cooper’s attorneys are making about their D.A.’s office. Many of them frequently complain about racial biases and discrimination in the way their cases or complaints are handled. Just last month, a San Bernardino gang prosecutor Michael Selyem, who is White, resigned under pressure for making crude and racist and comments on social media. His insults targeted former First Lady Michelle Obama, U,S. Rep. Maxine Waters and an unnamed Black shooting victim.

Thomas R. Parker, a former deputy head of the FBI’s Los An-

geles office, believes Cooper.

This guy is innocent,” he told the New York Times. “The evidence was planted, he was framed, the cops lied on the stand.”

What has kept the case going and Cooper alive - is a federal appellate court's decision in 2004 to stay his execution and review the case with more scientific evidence.

Gov. Newsom's decision to allow another round of DNA testing comes early in the term of the progressive California Governor whose supporters on the political Left have high expectations.

“DNA testing should immediately take place to resolve the Ryen case and finally ensure justice is served,” Chiang said during the campaign. “Not only is it proven that DNA evidence can help law enforcement solve crimes, but testing in this case would come at no cost to the state.”

Even though Newsom’s decision in the Cooper case is bold, he is treading carefully on a potentially polarizing issue that California voters across the political spectrum are watching. He is keeping his focus on fairness and justice with the realization that the convictions of thousands of felons – particularly African-American men – have been overturned after DNA testing proved their innocence.

"Especially in cases where the government seeks to impose the ultimate punishment of death,” he said. “I need to be satisfied that all relevant evidence is carefully and fairly examined.”

Trump administration's Aversion to Accountability Underscores Why Congress Must Step Up and Allow Justice for Epstein's Victims Local/National News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Trump administration is once again circling the wagons around a cabinet member involved in illegal behavior. “They made the best possible decision and deal they could have gotten at that time," said White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders today in reaction to a federal judge’s ruling on Feb. 21st that Labor Secretary Alex Acosta broke federal law when he, during his time as a U.S. Attorney, crafted a sweetheart plea deal in secret for a politically-connected billionaire, with little or no disclosure to victims and their families.

“While it’s jarring that the White House considers Secretary Acosta’s illegal deal to let a rich and powerful child sex predator off with a slap on the wrist without telling the victims to be the ‘best possible decision’ -- standing by cabinet members accused of breaking the law is just par for the course for this administration,”said Kyle Herrig, senior advisor to Allied Progress, which recently ran digital ads and sent letters to the Senate Judiciary Committee urging accountability for Acosta by passing the Inspector General Access Act. (continued in next 2 columns)

Trump administration's Aversion to Accountability Underscores Why Congress Must Step Up and Allow Justice for Epstein's Victims ...continued Added Herrig: “Secretary Acosta should have resigned immediately in the face of the judge’s ruling, but considering he bragged during his confirmation hearing that the Epstein case’s outcome is a ‘point of pride’, no one is holding their breath. Given his total lack of judgement, Acosta has no business continuing to make decisions as Labor Secretary that could potentially let the powerful exploit the powerless on a much larger scale."

Yet, Acosta is apparently under no pressure to resign from within with the White House spin machine working hard on his behalf.

It’s clear the victims and their families can’t look to President Trump for justice in this case, and in fact should consider him a barrier to it. That’s why it is incumbent upon Congress to step up by holding oversight hearings and by immediately acting on legislation that will open the door to accountability. Congress can start by passing the Inspector General Access Act, which already passed the House and is currently collecting dust in the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill would allow for a transparent and meaningful investigation into Acosta’s illegal misconduct, but Chairman Lindsey Graham has unfortunately decided to give Acosta a pass rather than risk an angry tweet directed at him from his good friend President Trump.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Trump Administration Claims It Is Looking Into Alex Acosta’s Lenient Plea Deal With Jeffrey Epstein – But That Acosta Made “The Best Possible Decision And Deal” With Epstein At The Time.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders Said The Trump Administration Is “‘Looking Into’” The Jeffrey Epstein Case, But She Thinks Alex Acosta “‘Made The Best Possible Decision And Deal’” At The Time.

On February 22, Trump Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders Said That The White House Is “‘Looking Into’” Alex Acosta’s

Plea Deal With Jeffrey Epstein.

“The White House is ‘looking into’ a decade-old Florida case in which Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, then a federal prosecutor, potentially violated the law by keeping underage female victims of billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein in the dark about his plea deal to avoid federal prosecution.” [Rebecca Morin, “White House 'looking into' Alexander Acosta's prosecution in billionaire pedophile case,” Politico, 02/ 22/19] Huckabee Sanders Said, “‘My Understanding Is That’s A Very Complicated Case’” And That “‘They Made The Best Possible Decision And Deal They Could Have Gotten At Time.’” “’We’re looking into the matter, I’m not aware of any changes on that front,’ press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters when asked whether President Donald Trump's confidence in Acosta has changed.’ She added: ‘My understanding is that’s a very complicated case ... but that they made the best possible decision and deal they could have gotten at that time.’” [Rebecca Morin, “White House 'looking into' Alexander Acosta's prosecution in billionaire pedophile case,” Politico, 02/22/19] Sarah Huckabee Sanders Declined To Say If Trump Would Continue To Support Alex Acosta.

Huckabee Sanders Declined To Say If Donald Trump Will Back Alex Acosta, Saying “‘I’m Not Aware Of Any Changes’” In Trump’s Thoughts On The Secretary Of Labor. “Asked if Trump still has confidence in the latest member of his Cabinet — which he frequently praises as doing a collective solid job — Sanders declined to say the president does. ‘Again, that’s something we’re looking into,’ the spokeswoman said, ‘I’m not aware of any changes.’” [John T. Bennett, “White House ‘looking into’ Acosta’s role in sex offender’s illegal plea deal,” Roll Call, 02/22/ 19]

Macy’s ‘My Stylist’ Program Makes Every Shopper Feel Like Celebrities

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

My Stylist@Macy’s is a fast, fun and free service for all customers. The appointment includes personalized pulls and a private fitting room in the My Stylist office.

Macy’s stores in Metro Center in Washington, D.C.; Annapolis, Montgomery, Md.; Fashion Center at Pentagon City, Va; Springfield, Va and Tysons Corner Center in Virginia are among the 160 nationwide that are treating customers like pampered celebrities.

The retail giant’s “My Stylist@Macy’s” program has become a hit, allowing for the convenience of personal shopping and the ability to make in-store appointments online.

The goal of the free service is to help shoppers find the perfect items for themselves and to also guide customers in selecting items and gifts for family and friends.

“In August 2015, Macy’s launched the My Stylist@Macy’s program focused on personal shopping and styling services to help our customers prepare for all of life’s special moments,” said Bonnie Cole, of MyStylist@Macy’s Metro Center. “The service is also free for all customers.”

The program has proven successful and customers have shown their approval, particularly during the holiday season when tens of thousands of bargainhunters and style-seekers join in the shopping frenzy of Black Friday.

For instance, the Herald Square flagship store, located between the two most trafficked retail cor-

ners in the world – on 34th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue. The iconic New York Macy’s store sees over 250,000 shoppers in one day.

Macy’s employees said there’s no greater rush in retail than to see the doors open and have thousands upon thousands of holiday shoppers streaming in looking for the best deals of the season.

That holds true even during non-holidays because the wildly popular and complimentary My Stylist@Macy’s service offers shoppers the latest trends in fashion and accessories – which many endorse as the perfect look for any occasion.

Additionally, the service offers corporate sales services for workrelated gifting.

Whether it is hunting for holiday gifts, packing for an extended business trip or treating oneself to a brand new seasonal wardrobe, the personalized service provided by each My Stylist@Macy’s stylist guarantees an enhanced shopping experience.

The beauty of the service is that there is never a minimum required, only the desire to shop for the best brands and latest looks in fashion, accessories and home.

“My Stylist@Macy’s is a unique addition to the shopping (continued in next 2 columns)

Macy’s ‘My Stylist’ Program Makes Every Shopper Feel Like Celebrities...continued experience that is truly personalized,” Cole said. “Customers come in looking for a variety of pieces for different occasions ranging from casual work attire to an outfit for a night out on the town as well as the perfect gift for loved ones,” she said.

Cole continued: “My Stylist@Macy’s is a fast, fun and free service for all customers. The appointment includes personalized pulls and a

private fitting room in the My Stylist office.”

Macy’s has also made it easy for shoppers to book an appointment, which can be done online by answering simple questions that will help one of retail store’s personal stylists get started.

For more information about the My Stylist@Macy’s program or to book an appointment, visit https://www.macys.com/social/ my-stylist/.

Mending Kids Holds Seventh Annual “Imagine” Wings Gala in L.A. Mending Kids “Imagine” Gala Has Huge Turnout With Hope and Inspiration As Theme Local/National News

Pictured Top left; Actor Ryan Ochoa with MEND recipient Dr. Robert M. Bernstein. Top right; Mending Kids newest ambassador and Gala host, Ms. Ali Landry. Bottom left; Hope Award nominee Sienna Dugan with Ethiopian Mended Kid, Werkneh. Bottom right; New Executive Director Isabelle Fox (center) with gala co-chairs Rana Gebran (left) and Carmela De Brouwer (right).

Glendale, Calif., February 26, 2019) – Mending Kids held “Imagine,” its seventh annual Wings Gala & Awards Ceremony on Thursday, February 21, at 6 pm at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. The event was sponsored by the Cusumano Family Foundation. Despite a postponement due to the Woolsey fire in November and the strange, snowy, local weather that day, the gala was well-attended with over 300 participants.

The event is Mending Kids’ largest and most important fundraiser in support of critical surgical care for sick children all over the world; including in the USA. The evening recognized three honorees who have selflessly given their time and support to Mending Kids: Sienna Dugan, Children’s advocate, and Southern Methodist University student, MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach, and Dr. Robert Bernstein, Chief of Staff Shriners Hospitals for Children-Portland.

The Gala host, Former Miss USA and new Mending Kids Ambassador, Ali Landry, welcomed our guests and spoke of why giving back is such an important part of life, why helping children in need is so vitally important and that health insurance shouldn’t be taken for granted. Landry, Mom of 3, said, “Speaking to you as a mother of three, I have health insurance; my children have health insurance. I am fortunate to have easy access to specialized care for myself and for my kids.” Ms. Landry drew attention to the several dozens of medical providers that were gathered in the Guerin Pavilion to note that there were officially more experts present than there are in most

countries we serve.

Around the world, millions of children live without access to the life-saving and life-changing pediatric surgical care that they need. Mending Kids recruits volunteer teams of surgeons and medical professionals from renown medical centers all over the U.S. and Europe and deploy them to developing countries to treat children suffering from a variety of critical conditions while training the local medical professionals to elevate their standards of care building toward self-sufficiency. They also help U.S. children through their Los Angeles Hometown Missions. Board member and veteran Mending Kids surgeon, Dr. Ayal Willner, said, “The Gala was such a wonderful display of the amazing people who do such great work helping kids all over the world! Supporting this work in any way, as a medical professional, as a staff person, and as a donor, allows us all to be a part of the Mending Kids dream.”

Special celebrity guests included Mckenna Grace of the upcoming Captain Marvel film, Ryan Ochoa of the soon-to-bereleased Indie film Room For Rent, Marcello Reyes of Modern Family and Musician and Actor, Dominic Scott Kay, Former Good Day L.A. Host, Mending Kids Ambassador, and Board Member, Dorothy Lucey and CBS News Anchors David Goldstein and Pat Harvey.

The night’s donations will go to support Mending Kids’ Overseas Surgical Missions, Individual Surgical Care Program and their Los Angeles Hometown Mission. For more information about Mending Kids visit www.mendingkids.org

“NAEJA urges investigation by Attorney General” Local News San Bernardino CountyAllegations of judicial malfeasance were detailed in a letter to state Attorney General Xavier Becerra.

National Association For Equal Justice In America/NAEJA asserts alleged acts allegedly committed by former District Attorney Michael Ramos, Deputy DA Vance Welch and Superior Court Judge William Jefferson Powell have cost Black residents their personal freedom and possibly violated federal equal housing rights.

Barbara Bratton is just one victim. As a result of the alleged actions of these judicial officers, Ms. Bratton a 60 year-old Black woman, after forty years of ownership of her Inland Empire home is now serving house arrest after having spent 16 months of State Prison incarceration all for

actions to save her home from predatory foreclosure.

Lending fraud committed during the era of predatory lenders was highly publicized in state-wide law suits. Resultant “predatory foreclosure mills” however, went largely unnoticed, leaving many once long-time homeowners jailed or homeless.

NAEJA President/CEO Royce Esters said, “It never seems to matter, their age, their place or their issue, Black people never seem to have the system work in their favor. We’re counting on Attorney General Becerra to shine the light of justice on these officials.”

NAEJA is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax exempt. To support the predatory foreclosure investigation call NAEJA Offices at 310-608-5878.

Visit Us Online: www.SB-American.com

Page 7

February 28, 2019

LIFESTYLE NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT/RELIGION

‘Empire’ is taking action against actor Jussie Smollett

By Rollingout.com

Jussie Smollett — who is being investigated over reports he orchestrated an alleged homophobic and racist attack on himself — will not be returning to set to shoot the final two episodes of the series.

The 36-year-old actor who plays Jamal Lyon on the show has been written out of the finale, as producers are keen to “avoid further disruption.”

Producers including Lee Daniels and Danny Strong said in a statement to The Blast: “The events of the past few weeks have been incredibly emotional for all of us. Smollett has been an important member of our “Empire” family for the past five years, and we care about him deeply.

“While these allegations are very disturbing, we are placing our trust in the legal system as the process plays out.

“We are also aware of the effects of this process on the cast and crew members who work on our show, and to avoid further disruption on set, we have decided to remove the role of ‘Jamal’ from the final two episodes of the

Jussie Smollett (Photo credit: Jen Lowery / Splash News) season.”

The statement comes not long after show chiefs admitted they were “evaluating” the situation and “considering” what to do next.

20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment previously said in a statement to CNN: “We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process. We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options.”

He appeared in court on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, where he was ordered to pay a $10,000 bond and surrender his passport after being arrested on felony charges of filing a false police report and disorderly conduct.

After the hearing, he headed straight to the Cinespace Studio in Chicago where he became “very emotional” as he maintained his innocence in a speech to the cast and crew of the show.

He reportedly said: “I’m sorry

I’ve put you all through this and not answered any calls. I wanted to say I’m sorry and, you know me, I would never do this to any of you, you are my family. I swear to God, I did not do this.”

Smollett was later praised by his legal team as a “young man of impeccable character” in a statement that hit out at the way the investigation has been handled.

The lawyers said in a statement: “Today we witnessed an organized law enforcement spectacle that has no place in the American legal system.

“The presumption of innocence, a bedrock in the search for justice, was trampled upon at the expense of Mr. Smollett and notably, on the eve of a mayoral election.

“Mr. Smollett is a young man of impeccable character and integrity who fiercely and solemnly maintains his innocence and feels betrayed by a system that apparently wants to skip due process and proceed directly to sentencing.”

This article originally appeared in Rollingout.com.

COMMENTARY: #CancelMichaelJackson? — It’s ROUTE 66 CRUISIN’ REUNION® Not That Easy 2019 Classic Car Vehicle registration is open

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

Lifestyle News

ONTARIO, California (Monday, February 25, 2019) – Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion®, powered by the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau, has announced vehicle registration is now open but limited to the first 2,000 approved vehicles. Classic cars that are 1988 and older will be allowed to participate in the annual event. “Route 66 Cruisin Reunion is celebrating its seventh year – this family fun event has become one of the best classic car shows in the nation.” Said Michael Krouse, President and CEO of the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau. The fee for pre-registration of classic cars is only $60 per vehicle which includes access to the event for 2 days, plus a swag bag with the official participate shirt, commemorative license plate, and more. In addition, registered vehicles will be able to participate in the award program. For complete rules and regulations plus the vehicle entry form visit GOcvb.org or Route66CruisinReunion.com or call 800.867.8366.

The public is invited to attend

the 7th Annual Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion®, a two-day Cruisin’ Classic Car Show scheduled for September 20 -21, 2019. Come as a family, food or retail vendor, bring your classic car, and enjoy a stroll along the historic tree lined Euclid Avenue to admire the beauty of these fabulous vehicles from yesteryear.

This annual event, held on the third weekend in September, is free to the public and encompasses approximately twenty-two city blocks with classic cars parking to show and shine plus cruisin’ for two days along the streets of downtown Ontario, California. The event is located on historic Euclid Avenue and the surrounding streets near Ontario Town Square, Ovitt Family Community Library, and Ontario City Hall located at 303 East “B” Street, Ontario, CA 91764. Last year Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion proved to be a huge success with over 200,000 car enthusiasts and spectators. Get ready to rumble Southern California – Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion will be coming to town this fall!

Beautillion Knights Visit New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Lifestyle /Religion News

Michael Jackson and a young Wade Robson/Courtesy “Leaving Neverland”/Sundance Institute After a riveting documentary that revisited some of the alleged crimes by R&B superstar R. Kelly – even before his high-profile arrest on child pornography and other sex-related acts – a major social media movement got underway to #MuteRKelly and #CancelRKelly.

Now, a possibly equally explosive documentary about the late Michael Jackson has led some to wonder if it’s time to “#Mute” or “#Cancel” the late King of Pop. “I don’t care about toppling Michael Jackson,” said the documentary’s filmmaker Dan Reed, whose “Leaving Neverland” is set to air over two nights on HBO beginning Sunday, March 3.

“The question we should be asking is, ‘Should I trust my children to this stranger?’ The question that child sexual abuse victims should be asking is, ‘Is this the time for me to come out and tell my story to those around me?

Can I tell my mum?’”

Reed continued:

L/R: Marlene Davis, Twillea Evans-Carthen, Neuman Sneed II, Tynan Currie, Dr. Michael Andrew Owens (Sr. Pastor), Syree Rucker-Spears, Jordan Dean-Reynoso, (Not in Photo: Zamir Subero), Lisa Blacksher, Tina Darling (Social Lites, Inc. Beautillion Chair), Donna Little Participants of the Social Lites, Inc. Beautillion Program attended both 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Church services at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, February 24, 2019. It was a wonderful experience to celebrate the end of Black History Month at one of the historic African American Churches in the Inland Empire. New Hope Missionary Baptist Church located at 1575 W. 17th Street, San Bernardino has been in the community for over 106 years. One of the most wonderful experiences for all to take part in was a Black History exhibit set up in the fellow-

ship hall that included samples of southern cooking all to enjoy.

Morning worship also included a guest speaker from Live Stream in partnership with the Blood of the Martyrs Blood Drive Committee in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to inform congregation of the upcoming Blood Drive at New Hope Missionary Baptist church from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on March 31, 2019.

The Beautillion program will commence on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the National Orange Show of San Bernardino. For more information, please contact: knight.beautillion@gmail.com

“I don’t care whether people listen to Michael Jackson’s music or not. It’s about the man and not the music. But the man appears as a much different figure after watching the film. He hurt a lot of people. He was cruel. He was vicious. How you reconcile that with the music is a private matter.”

The film centers on two men who say that Jackson sexually assaulted them when they were children.

Choreographer Wade Robson met Jackson when he was 7.

James Safechuck said he began sharing a bed with the singer when he was only 10.

In their younger years, both men denied Jackson molested them, but after Jackson’s death in 2009, both have detailed in graphic fashion the sex they said took place at various hotels and at the star’s famed Neverland Ranch in Santa Ynez, Calif.

Jackson’s estate has sued HBO for $100 million claiming that the network entered into an agreement with the singer in 1992 that prohibited them from disparaging Jackson.

HBO called the suit meritless and said it would air the documentary as planned.

Some Twitter users have weighed in on whether there should be a “#Mute” or “#Cancel” Michael Jackson movement.

“If you can #MuteRKelly you can also #mutemichaeljackson.

Death has nothing to do with the situation,” wrote Twitter user Krissiekris7331. “#MichaelJackson doc #LeavingNeverland follows his serial rape of boys just like #SurvivingRKelly documents his serial abuse of girls,” Twitter user Robbie Woliver wrote. “Jackson’s music should be muted from playlists just like #RKelly. No difference just because the victims are boys. #MuteMichaelJackson.”

Because fans of the late singer arguably are the most loyal for any entertainer and his estate is a cash cow that rakes in hundreds of millions each year, muting or canceling Michael Jackson poses many challenges.

It’s also a fact that Jackson’s music represents the soundtrack of the lives of so many and his songs are a staple at weddings, anniversaries, and just about any social event imaginable.

Oliver Keens, the Music & Nightlife editor of Time Out London, tackled that conundrum.

“DJs I’ve spoken to recently have already started saying goodbye to their disco edits of ‘Rock with You,’ pruning ‘Off The Wall’ out of their record boxes, deleting ‘PYT’ from their memory sticks. I can’t stress how much this is for your own good. After this film, you will not want to listen to Michael Jackson on the dance floor, at a wedding, at a club, anywhere.

“I think it’s essential that ‘Leaving Neverland’ sparks so much outrage that a movement for change begins straight away. Yet outrage itself is a complicated issue in 2019. Take a common reaction to any artist accused of wrongdoing, which goes: ‘But this is hypocritical. If we censor X, then surely we should censor Y and Z too?’

“If you’ve read all this and think I’m overreacting, see the film and (continued in next 2 columns)

#CancelMichaelJackson? — It’s Not That Easy...continued make up your own mind. If you’re cynically minded and instinctively think the two men are liars (or just after money, a picture Jackson habitually tried to paint of any accuser), see the film and make up your own mind. Yes, Michael Jackson made some of the finest music ever recorded, but it’s not enough anymore. Letting his songs stay ingrained in the fabric of our society says that our society is morally dead.”

Still, Jackson’s family and fans argue that, like R. Kelly in his 2008 trial, the King of Pop was acquitted of charges in 2005 that he molested a young boy.

Critics counter that both men paid out substantial settlements in other cases, including Jackson’s more than $20 million payout to a young accuser who said Jackson molested him in

1993.

As for the claims that “Leaving Neverland” is a “pathetic attempt to cash in on Michael Jackson,” Reed told the Independent: “Of course it’s all about money. It’s about the estate’s money. It made $400m last year [and] is trying to protect its main asset.

“I’m not making any allegations, but I think the question remains: how much did the family know?”

Reed said. “When did they know it? It’s clear that a lot of people in the Jackson household saw things. On the record, they testified to that,” he said. “[They] gave evidence in court.

But the only noise I’m hearing from the Jackson camp is the estate hurling abuse at children who were raped by Michael Jackson. I think that’s shameful.”

“Although the Month Dedicated to ‘Black History’ has Come to an End Never Forget...

That ‘We’ are the Hope and the Dream of the Slave!” By: Lou Yeboah

Lou Yeboah Yes, we have been endowed with a rare privilege to take their legacy further. Their mantle has been laid upon us as a symbolic action, therefore, it is time to stop talking about it and being about it. Like Elisha [2 Kings 2:13], we must make a conscious decision to pick up the mantle as a symbol of responsibility, service, and sacrifice. Realizing that when we pick up the mantle, that not only do we honor the spirit of our ancestors, but it becomes the symbol of God’s power in our hands as it was for our ancestors. That when we pick up the mantle, we will not just be a passive observer to inequity and injustice. That when we pick up the mantle, we say that we are willing to pay the price and sacrifice.... for the future is in our hands. The future belongs to us. Therefore, we must com-

mit to the calling of something bigger than just a feel-good. We must commit ourselves to doing this, and doing it together.

Greatness is still standing among us. And now we must pass that legacy on . It is my obligation. It is your obligation. It is our obligation. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders... and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.... [Hebrews 12:1] Now shall we ....

“Lift every voice and sing, Till earth and heaven ring. Ring with the harmonies of Liberty; Let our rejoicing rise, High as the listening skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, Let us march on till victory is won...```` [Lift Every Voice and Sing by James Weldon]

Witness For Justice #933

Resist Amy Johnson UCC Our Whole Lives Coordinator and Commissioned Minister for Sexuality Education As I sat down to write this piece, the notification came in that the president declared a national emergency in order to access close to $8 billion in funds to build a wall at our southern border.

Meanwhile, in my closet hangs my “Resist” shirt. It is shortsleeved, V-necked and black with white lettering. The letters of the word “RESIST” are made up of other words, giving the visual message to resist racism, resist sexism, resist violence, bullying, white supremacy, xenophobia, evil…. Resist, in other words, the things that separate us. Resist false borders between each other and God. Is there a national emergency?

Most certainly. There is a national emergency of divisiveness and willful ignorance that has too many of us believing platitudes like “we are committed to ending HIV by 2030” with no specific plan or funding to save those lives, and while existing civil rights are being torn away from those of us who are most affected

by HIV: LGBTQ people. People of color. People of limited economic means. People without health care.

This willful ignorance incorrectly insists that everyone has a choice about being sexually active, discounting the ever-rising numbers of sexual harassment and assault, ignoring the misuse of power, and systematically dissecting a person’s options to prevent unintended pregnancy and their right to choose whether to terminate such a pregnancy. It inflames false righteousness with confrontational language, judgment, shame, and stigma.

This is an infectious ignorance that fuels arguments about which bathrooms people are entitled to use, what options we have for of-

ficial identification, and evershrinking spaces where it is safe to reveal all of who we are.

This national emergency pits us against them, restricting funding for workers in agencies who give lifesaving information about sexual and reproductive health not only in the United States, but also in places in our world where people are literally dying to learn how to be safely in relationship with each other.

Make no mistake. There is a national emergency. One in which we are being called to resist the temptation to believe that a wall will solve anything—when in reality, we need to renew our minds and spirits and remember who and whose we are.

Under “RESIST” on my shirt is a scriptural reference: Romans 12:2. The NRSV version of this verse says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

No wall will ever be good and acceptable and perfect in the eyes of the God I know. The God I know tears down walls of ignorance, pride, greed, and power and calls us into community with each other, to build bridges to peace and faith and wholeness. When we choose to resist messages and practices of separation, we join in the deep spiritual practice of resistance for peace. Together, we can—and must—resist.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Amy Johnson is the Our Whole Lives Coordinator and Commissioned Minister for Sexuality Education for the United Church of Christ.

PAGE 8

Visit Us Online: www.SB-American.com

February 28, 2019

NEWS/ AD VER TISING ADVER VERTISING

Fund Commits $50 Million for Down Payment Assistance National Association of Real Estate Brokers Sign Agreement with Minority-Owned Mortgage Company to Boost Black Home Ownership Business/Financial News

Lois Johnson, ceo and founder of of Salt Lake City, Utah-based United Security Financial (USF) and NAREB president Jeffrey Hicks(Front) sign the landmark $50 million agreement making down payment assistance funds available to expand homeownership opportunities for low and moderate-income Black American home purchasers. Witnessing the signing at NAREB's Mid-Winter Conference in Miami, FL are: (2nd Row, L-R) Lydia Pope, NAREB 1st VP; Sumari Barnes, personal assistant to LJ Jennings; Tim Johnson, VP, Secondary Markets, USF; Michael Grant, regional president, USF; LJ Jennings, president, NAREB Sales Division affiliate, and Robert Hughes, chair, NAREB board of directors.

MIAMI, Florida - At its recent Mid-Winter Conference in Miami, FL, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with United Security Financial (USF), a minority-owned mortgage company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah to make down payment assistance more broadly available to Black

American home buyers. The two organizations announced that they have obtained a commitment of $50 millionin down payment assistance funds from LBC Funding, LLC to assist in the expansion of homeownership for lowto-moderate income purchasers.

"NAREB welcomes the collaboration with United Security Financial. Latest official homeownership rates issued by

Noticias Telemundo’s Statement On The Abduction Of Its Venezuela Correspondent, Daniel Garrido Local/National News

the U.S. Census Bureau, report that Black homeownership at 41.7% lagging far behind the NonHispanic White homeownership rate of 73.1%. That nearly 30% gap represents a significant loss of economic security and wealth building opportunity for Black Americans. NAREB's goal is to build Black wealth through homeownership. That's why

NAREB continues to forge ahead with its aggressive 2 Million New Black Homeowners in 5 Years (2Mn5) program," said Jeffrey Hicks, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) founded 72 years ago to ensure "Democracy in Housing" for Black Americans.

Lois Johnson, chief executive officer of United Security Financial, the company that is managing the fund that will provide the $50 million commitment, explained why USF had chosen to partner with NAREB. She stated, "Since 1947, NAREB has been at the forefront of an on-going effort to secure homeownership for people of color. We, at USF, while serving all citizens, regardless of race, creed or sex, are excited to support equality in housing.

NAREB's mission is aligned with our corporate values. This MOU creates a win-win for both of our organizations."

The down payment assistance funds will be used in conjunction with first mortgage home purchase loans made by USF to NAREB Realists' clients over the next 12 months. The commitment represents an important step in meeting the 2Mn5 goal. "The new partnership with USF allows Black Americans to overcome one less barrier in their quest to become home owners," Hicks added.

Noticias Telemundo’s Statement On The Abduction Of Its Venezuela Correspondent, Daniel Garrido...continued venezolano garantizar nuestro derecho a informar, así como la integridad física de los periodistas operando en Venezuela, tal como lo establecen los convenios internacionales y las leyes del país.

Contact: Camilo Pino. Publicity Director, Telemundo Network News/C: 305.322.9584/E: camilo.pino@nbcuni.com/ A: Telemundo Center, 2350 NW 117th Place, Miami, FL 33182

RISE UP MY PEOPLE

MIAMI -February 26, 2019Noticias Telemundo’s correspondent in Venezuela, Daniel Garrido, was abducted today at 6 am ET in the vicinity of the Hotel Cayena in La Castellana, Caracas. Daniel was covering the recent detention and deportation of a Noticias Univision crew when a group of unidentified armed men forced him into a vehicle and covered his head with a hood. After questioning him for six hours and seizing his equipment, the kidnappers freed him without explanation and without returning his equipment.

Our priority at Noticias Telemundo is the safety of our employees. After verifying Daniel’s abduction with his family, we began a search process and proceeded to denounce the case.

At 10:30 am ET, the Press Workers Union of Venezuela (SNTP in Spanish) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement via Twitter denouncing Daniel’s disappearance. At 1:20 pm ET the Noticias Telemundo team in Miami received an email by Daniel regarding his release. After contacting him directly, we confirmed that he is free and in good health.

It is not the first time that Daniel has been harassed during the exercise of his journalistic work. On previous occasions, he has been a victim of physical harassment and his equipment has been stolen.

Noticias Telemundo repudiates this type of harassment that threatens freedom of expression and human rights. It demands that the Venezuelan government guarantees our right to inform, as well as the physical integrity of journalists operating in Venezuela, as established by international agreements and local legislation.

SPANISH:

MIAMI -26 de febrero de 2019El corresponsal de Noticias Telemundo en Venezuela, Daniel Garrido, fue secuestrado hoy a las 6 am ET de Caracas en las inmediaciones del Hotel Cayena en La Castellana. Daniel estaba cubriendo la reciente detención y deportación del país del equipo de Noticias Univisión, cuando un grupo de individuos armados y sin identificar lo forzó a subirse a un vehículo y le cubrió la cabeza con una capucha. Tras interrogarlo por seis horas y quitarle sus equipos de trabajo, los secuestradores lo liberaron sin explicación alguna y sin devolverle sus equipos.

Para Noticias Telemundo la seguridad de nuestros empleados es nuestra prioridad absoluta, por lo que inmediatamente verificamos con su familia su desaparición, iniciamos labores de búsqueda y procedimos a denunciar el caso. A las 10:30 am ET, el Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Prensa de Venezuela (SNTP) y el Comité para la Protección de Periodistas (CPJ en sus siglas en inglés) emitieron una declaración vía Twitter denunciando la situación. A la 1:20 pm ET la redacción de Noticias Telemundo en Miami recibió un correo electrónico en el que Daniel confirmó su liberación. Tras contactar con él, hemos constatado que se encuentra libre y en buen estado de salud.

No es la primera vez que Daniel ha sido hostigado durante el ejercicio de su labor periodística.

En ocasiones anteriores, ha sido víctima de acoso físico y le han robado sus equipos.

Noticias Telemundo repudia este tipo de acoso que atenta contra la libertad de expresión y los derechos humanos. De igual manera, le exige al gobierno (continued in next 2 columns)

Rise up my people for it takes an entire Village to raise a child each one must teach one from generation to generation for this Injustice done to my people may be forgiven by God's grace but never ever forgotten. We went from Kings and Queens to being classified as 3/5 human beings from draped in gold to Shackles On our feet being beaten by whips they even made it legal call it the TransAmerican slave trade 500 miles our ancestors was stuff in the belly of their ships 60 million of our people died on those boat rides travel across the world those 500 years ago and lost something we never regained our Language our Religion our Basic Human Rights.

Rise up my people we when from African glory to hostile territory work my people from can't see to can't see that's can't see in the morning to can't see at night in this strangers land picking their cotton shedding our Blood Sweat and Tears rape, murder and kidnapping was all part of slavery forced to live a life of horror and terror my people sang songs to keep themselves strong while in trees they hung with ropes around their necks.

Rise up my people they had us breeding like animals only to take away our litter or should I say children cause more babies meant more slaves which meant more money they divided us from one another and to this very day we're still divided as long as we stay separated we will always be Weak.

Rise Up by people it's a cold cold world we live In, and not one among us is free from Sin, but we got some who think they're better than Others, a little money and power and they forget about their Brothers, politicians, lawmakers and churches are supposed to Lead, but to me they got a monkey can't see hear or speak to our Plead, explain to me how blacks make up only 12% of this Nation but 48% of the prison

Population, are so many of my people that bad or just caught up in a trick Bag, Got brothers fighting over a red and blue Rag, put the white in the middle now we salute his Flag, black on black crime here comes another body bag another toe Tag. Rise up my people the government got game but I recognize It, ancient time slavery you can't disguise It, I guess you can call me Moses Man trying to lead my people out of pharaohs Land, against each other we be Scrapping, black on black we Capping, hold up slow your roll let me tell you what's happening Captain, I'm coming out shooting with both hands from the Hips, I'm not just bumping my Lips, I'm trying to sink his Battleship, Ask yourself how many brothers do you see out on the Dock, you see the hood didn't go to The Rock, the rock came to the Hood, laid out the bait made it look all Good. Fell for your trap because of dollar Starvation, now my people either dead locked up or on some type of Probation.

Rise up my people they gave the Native Americans liquor the African Americans Crack, as a matter of fact I know some Mexicans who still want their land Back, now you got Mexicans across the border Indians on Reservation, 48% of the prison Population has black Incarceration, what happened to my 40 acres and a Mule, we can settle right now for five and some Tools, separate mines from yours that's what I Thought, so let all that nonsense Walk, fell for the plan by the man didn't understand it's his damn land his Contraband put it in our hand now in court we stand being judge by the clan now who said slavery was banned.

We have to WISE UP My PEOPLE so we can RISE UP BLACK PEOPLE.

By Fred Eli West aka elidapoet

SCE Celebrates Black History Month in Chino By Susan Cox

Left to right: Mike Marelli, SCE vice president, Business Customer Division, joins in congratulating KIGT Co-founder and Chief Tech Officer Jatomis Stevenson and KIGT co-founder and CEO Paul Francis, with SCE CEO Kevin Payne, right. KIGT, aka Keep It Green Transit, was recently awarded Edison’s “Clean Energy Champion Award” for being a clean energy champion and strong Edison partner. KIGT, based in Ontario, is the only black owned electric vehicle charging station manufacturer in North America to design and develop its own hardware and software. Also recognized with the “Community Partnership Award” was College Bound, based in Riverside; and A3K Consulting LLC, located in Pasadena, which received SCE’s “Diverse Business Enterprise Award.”

Left to right: KIGT co-founder and Chief Tech Officer Jatomis Stevenson, and KIGT colleague Brandon Aparicio, manned the KIGT (Keep It Green Transit) table at Southern California’s Black History Month celebration at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino. KIGT, based in Ontario, is the only black owned vehicle charging station manufacturer in North America to design and develop its own hardware and software.

On Feb. 21, Southern California Edison observed its 17th annual Black History Month celebration at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino. SCE recognized the important contributions African Americans have made, and continue to make, to our country and to the world. SCE honored three businesses and company partners for their achievements and contributions to economic growth, service to the community, and participation as education and energy-efficiency champi-

ons. The event is an opportunity for SCE to show its appreciation to the communities it serves.

Edison believes that when the community thrives, everyone benefits. That’s why it invests millions of dollars and lots of volunteer manpower to local nonprofits. In 2018, SCE’s parent company, Edison International, gave an estimated $20 million to community programs that help make a difference in education, the environment, public safety & preparedness, and civic engagement.

It’s Time To Stop Marginalizing African Americans In Public Higher Education...continued from page 2 in selective public colleges.

Meanwhile, Black students account for 15 percent of 18-24 year olds in the United States, but only 7 percent of students in public selective colleges.

Some argue that African American students are less qualified to attend selective enrollment schools, but that isn’t the case.

Among students who score in the upper half of standardized test scores, 31 percent of White students enroll in a selective college, but only 19 percent of Black students get that chance. All of these students are highly likely to graduate—students in the upper half of high school test distribution scores have an 85 percent chance of graduating from college. And evidence suggests that some schools may over-rely on these scores, a practice that may over-emphasize affluence and access to quality K-12 schooling.

This can hide race and class inequality behind a façade of quantitative metrics.

The Georgetown study also acknowledges Black students may be choosing to attend colleges other than the highly selective public universities. In fact, Black students are going to college in greater numbers than ever. Unfortunately, the open-access colleges they are attending are overcrowded and under-resourced.

This is likely affecting their chances of obtaining a degree, as graduation rates are significantly lower for students at open access colleges than they are at selective schools.

America’s higher education system sees the problem, but it is getting worse, not better. Over the last decade, Black representation at selective public colleges fell.

For every 100 average collegeage African Americans, four fewer

are attending public selective colleges than a decade ago. The largest Black underrepresentation in selective public colleges is in the Deep South. In Mississippi, for example, African Americans account for 44 percent of 18-24 year olds, but only 11 percent of students at the state’s selective public college (the University of Mississippi).

The same states where African Americans are underrepresented in selective public colleges are also underfunding the open-access colleges that African Americans attend. According to Georgetown’s study, selective public colleges spend nearly three times more on instruction and academic support than open access colleges. At a time when we need to further invest in developing a skilled workforce for a changing labor market, it’s more important than ever to adequately support public open-access colleges and hold selective public colleges accountable to avoid underserving Black students.

We must bring an end to this separate and unequal education system. It is in our country’s best interest to engage with people from all communities to reach their educational potential. Increasing skills and expanding the number of people who have access to higher paying jobs will help grow the economic pie for all Americans.

Adequately supporting openaccess colleges and holding selective public colleges accountable for educating people from all communities would take us a long way toward a public university system that truly serves the best interests of all members of the public.

This article originally appeared in the Seattle Medium.