Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or with both. The limits
whom they suppress.
(1849)Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media
LONG BEACH, CA - Doris
Ealy, 56, never felt comfortable renting a room under someone else’s roof. The single mother of four children and grandmother to four didn’t like cooking in a shared kitchen or how her landlord insisted on keeping the windows shut, causing a dank smell to waft in the air. Doris especially didn’t appreciate hearing bickering late into the evening, even though her housemates knew she worked the night shift.
For nearly two decades, Doris has had a stable job at a distribution center with a wellknown delivery service. But her uncertain housing situation was an ongoing source of stress. Then things started to truly unravel when the duplex owned by a relative where she rented a room was sold to an investor. Soon she heard a dreaded knock on her door: the new property manager was there to ask for her keys.
“I headed to the bus stop, and sitting there, I just started crying,” Doris recalls. She "was feeling damned-near homeless,” as she prepared to make yet another move to yet another rented room in someone else’s home.
At that point, Doris decided it was time to make a big change.
“Growing-up my dad would say to me, ‘You ain’t grown until you have your own home’,” Doris recalled. “I didn’t want to rent a room from someone else anymore.” She wanted her own place where she could cook in her own kitchen and feel comfortable spending time at home.
Doris’ aspirations of having a home of her own began to come into reach when she was connected a homeownership counseling service. Out of frustration after her latest move, Doris had shared her housing woes with her sister, who had heard good things about Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County (NHS), a nonprofit housing counseling agency (HCA) that specializes in helping people prepare for homeownership. She urged Doris to call them.
For a $149 fee, Doris enrolled in NHS’ self-paced online homebuyer education program.
The course, which NHS offers to people across the economic spectrum, opens doors to getting a mortgage pre-approval and accessing special downpayment assistance programs. Through the course, Doris was taught how appraisals and escrow accounts work, got tips for how to work with real estate professionals when shopping for a home, and learned things every homeowner ought to know about how to plan for the costs of home maintenance and repairs.
“NHS educated me stepby-step on how to become a homeowner,” said Doris.
“Once I got my homebuyer education program certificate of completion, I was on a roll.” NHS counselors continued to work with Doris after she completed the homebuyer course, helping her monitor her credit score and
establish a personal budget to save for her downpayment, and making sure that she had all the paperwork she needed to apply for a mortgage loan available and organized.
About six months after Doris started working with NHS, her homeownership counseling specialist “ran the numbers” that showed Doris would be preapproved for a mortgage from four different lenders. Getting the pre-approvals was an important achievement for Doris. But in a high-cost housing market like Southern California, coming up with a downpayment large enough to make her mortgage payments affordable over the long-term was yet another challenge.
NHS saw that Doris could be eligible for a matching grant from FHLBank San Francisco’s WISH first-time homebuyer program, which is designed to help aspiring homeowners overcome one of the biggest barriers to achieving their dream and building wealth. The program matches $4 for every $1 a low- to moderate-income homebuyer contributes for downpayment and closing costs.
WISH grants are delivered by the Bank’s member financial institutions. Member Luther Burbank Savings, which approved Doris for her mortgage, has participated in the program since 2013, delivering nearly $1.7 million to 99 homebuyers in their local communities.
Doris was thrilled to receive a call from a Luther Burbank Savings loan officer congratulating her on receiving the mortgage pre-approval and confirming her eligibility for a WISH grant. Doris was able to put enough money down from her retirement and other savings to receive a $22,000 WISH grant, which would significantly reduce her monthly mortgage payments.
“A WISH grant oftentimes is the difference between homeownership being just a dream rather than a reality,” said Simone Lagomarsino, president and CEO at Luther Burbank Savings and chair of FHLBank San Francisco’s board of directors. “We are so happy we were able to finance the mortgage for Ms. Ealy, provide an additional $5,100 in support through Luther Burbank Savings’ own grant program, and award the WISH grant that helped Ms. Ealy obtain a place that she can now call home, where she feels safe.”
Doris closed on her onebedroom condominium in Long Beach, California in May of 2022.
“I’m happy now,” she says. “It feels good to have a key to turn, and be at home. It gives me peace of mind, and I love it.”
(This is one of a series of articles on the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco’s initiatives to expand racial equity in homeownership to strengthen our communities.)
On his trip to California last week, President Biden first stopped in San Diego to meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The heads of state have formed a strategic alliance to scale up military technology intended to protect interests in the China Sea, an important trade route.
Biden then traveled up the coast to Monterey Park approximately seven miles east of downtown Los Angeles where he met with families of the victims of the mass shooting at Star Dance Studio, where 11 people were killed and nine injured during a Lunar New Year Celebration on Jan. 21.
“I’m here on behalf of the American people, to mourn with you, to pray with you, to let you know you are loved and not alone,” Biden said in the gymnasium of a Boys & Girls Club half a mile from the site of the shooting. “I know what it’s like to get that call. I know what it’s like to lose a loved one so suddenly. It’s like losing a piece of your soul.”
Biden announced an executive order to enhance background checks on firearm buyers.
“My executive order directs my Attorney General to take every lawful action possible to move us as close as we can to universal background checks without new legislation,” President Biden said.
“The Executive Order also expands public awareness red flag laws,” Biden continued. “So, more parents, teachers, police offices, health providers and counselors know how to flag for the court that someone is exhibiting violent tendencies, threating classmates, or experiencing suicidal thoughts that make them a danger to themselves or others and temporarily remove that person’s access to firearms.”
The executive order also aims to hold the gun industry accountable by providing the public and policymakers with more information regarding federally licensed firearms dealers who are violating the law.
“The President is directing the Attorney General to publicly release, to the fullest extent permissible by law, ATF records from the inspection of firearms dealers cited for violation of federal firearm laws. This information will empower the public and policymakers to better
understand the problem, and then improve our laws to hold rogue gun dealers accountable,” the White House said in a statement.
The President has also called on the Federal Trade Commission to perform “an independent government study that analyzes and exposes how gun manufacturers aggressively market firearms to civilians, especially minors, including by using military imagery.”
In addition, the Executive Order addresses federal law enforcement’s reporting of ballistics data, and the implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA). That law was passed in 2022 after a man with racist ideology killed 10 Black people and injured 3 at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. Soon after that incident, an 18-year-old lone gunman killed 21 and injured 17 at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
“None of this absolves Congress of the responsibility of acting to pass universal background checks, eliminate gun manufacturers immunity from liability. I am determined, once again, to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” Biden told the Monterey Park audience.
Congresswoman Judy Chu(D-CA-28), a former mayor of Monterey Park, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis (1st District), and Sen. Alex Padilla spoke at the event preceding the President.
Several members of Monterey Park’s local government and city council attended the event.
As part of his broader strategy to tackle gun violence, the President announced an initiative to improve federal support for survivors, victims’ and survivors’ families, first responders to gun violence, and communities affected by gun violence.
“We need to provide more mental health support for grief and trauma. And more financial assistance when a family loses the sole breadwinner or when a business has to shut down for a lengthy shooting investigation,” Biden said.
The Executive Order calls for Congress to prevent the proliferation of firearms undetectable by metal detectors by making permanent the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988, which is currently set to expire in December 2023.
Thursday, March 23, 2023
CSU Long Beach (CSULB). Both are first generation college students. One is undocumented.
According to Ishmael Pruitt, CEO and cofounder, Project Optimism is a non-profit that supports equitable access to nature and environmental justice education to elementary aged children within the Long Beach Unified School District. It focuses on mentorship, empowerment, and uniting community engagement (including food insecurity), and personal development.
“We are big on mentoring the mentor,” said Pruitt. “Every intern and employee gets mentored by myself, one of the other directors, or someone from our board. So, they get direct coaching and support beyond their role working with us.”
Beth Manke is a program lead at CSULB. She matches College Corps students with the non-profit organizations they are assigned to for the program. Manke currently supervises 50 undergraduate students, completing 450 hours of work for 27 different organizations.
“We envision the service they are completing as internships. These are experiences that have proven to be quite transformative for our students,” said Manke. “We honor and draw on the students’ cultural backgrounds by acknowledging their life experiences and how they shape their academic success and wellbeing.”
The briefing also focused on the challenges students are facing on college campuses post-pandemic and how College Corps can help alleviate some of those issues.
Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith, a clinical psychologist and Diversity Lead of Student Life at the University of Washington
Community /Education News
spoke about some of the mental health challenges students are facing and avenues for healing.
“Anxiety is a leading factor for folks on college campuses,” said Dr. Briscoe-Smith. “There was an escalation for students with mental health challenges pre-pandemic. We are finding we are anticipating beating levels of worsening mental health on campus. Many clinicians are hearing challenges of hopelessness, purposelessness, and isolation. Finding purpose through service is something that can be very helpful. The skills that you’re learning and to be able to see yourself in the folks that you serve is an amazing opportunity for transformation and connection.”
Josh Fryday, California’s Chief Service Officer, introduced the College Corps program a year ago and closed the event with remarks about the hope service can provide.
“When it comes to creating and fostering hope, what we know is that it’s so much more than creating a belief. It’s about action. It’s about a plan. It’s about having a real path for change. That’s what people are looking for. We are seeing the impact in the first 9 months. It gives me hope, the governor hope, and we know it’s going to bring hope to our entire state for many years to come.”
Eighty percent of students in the Corps are self-identified students of color and 70% are Pell grant recipients. Five hundred undocumented dreamers throughout the state of California participate in the program. For more information on College Corps and applying to be a fellow, visit California Volunteers.
Community/Education News
Following an illustrious career of public service and leadership, Chief Communications and Community Engagement Officer Ginger Ontiveros announced her retirement from the San Bernardino City Unified School District effective March 31.
Ontiveros, who started with SBCUSD more than six years ago, has served on the Superintendent’s Executive Cabinet since she was hired.
During her career as Executive Director of the Making Hope Happen Foundation, Ginger was instrumental in advancing the work of the thriving nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing opportunities, resources, and hope with the students of San Bernardino City Unified.
To date, Ginger is credited with aggressively pursuing a variety of financial resources, bringing millions of dollars in public and private grant funding to SBCUSD. More recently, Ginger supervised the daily operations of the District’s Communications and Community Engagement Departments, leading her team to earn statewide recognition earlier this month by bringing home a prestigious Excellence in Communications Award from CalSPRA for the District’s Welcome to My Kindergarten Family marketing campaign.
The award recognizes superior achievement in meeting strategic goals through high-quality
communications and public relations initiatives.
“Ginger not only has years of outstanding service to the San Bernardino and Highland community, but she has also provided strategic leadership through the early days of our Making Hope Happen Foundation and she has a proven track record of providing valuable counsel to the Board of Education and Cabinet,” said Board of Education President Dr. Scott Wyatt. “I want to publicly thank Ginger for her service and dedication to serving our students and helping grow our Making Hope Happen Foundation.”
A resident of the High Desert, Ginger is a graduate of California State University, San Bernardino with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication/Public Relations and earned her Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Regis University. A product of the Community College system, Ginger was previously inducted into the Victor Valley College Alumni Hall of Fame to honor her legacy of leadership for the High Desert region.
“Those of us who know Ginger personally admire her not only for her fundraising efforts, but also for the amazing person that she is,” Wyatt said. “We wish her well and we’re confident the community will continue to benefit from her valued leadership.”
Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state’s #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program which has so far provided $10,000 grants to some 6,500 low-income college students as a stipend in exchange for their community service work.
Nearly a year after the paidservice program was first announced, the Governor’s office is hailing its impact on communities and the lives of the students who participate in it.
“The program has proven to be a transformative experience for both students and the organizations where they work,” said Sandy Close, director of Ethnic Media Services, who recently moderated a press briefing to inform the public about the program’s contribution and some of the challenges it has faced.
The event, co-hosted by California Black Media, featured stakeholders representing all aspects of the program talking about their experiences.
“I feel like I’ve gone from being a student who once desperately needed a safe space to learn to being the trusted adult who can provide students with a natural learning environment where they each have a deep sense of belonging, knowing they are seen, heard, supported
and valued,” said Emilio Ruiz, a 24-year-old student pursuing his teaching certification.
Ruiz shared his experiences as a College Corps fellow, mentioning how his upbringing as a child of divorced parents -constantly moving, experiencing financial distress, and witnessing domestic abuse – spurred his desire for a safe space to learn and grow.
College Corps, Ruiz says, gave him an opportunity to receive his education without the added stress of taking on financial aid debt. Moreover, he gained practical experience while doing service-oriented work in his community.
College Corps is a state initiative that addresses “societal challenges” by creating a generation of civic-minded leaders from low-income families. Its programs focus on challenges facing California like climate resilience and economic inequality.
According to the Governor’s office, Black and Latino students have the highest rates of student loan default and owe an estimated $147 billion in college loan debt.
In Long Beach, Project Optimism, currently hosts two College Corps fellows from
San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) students will be off on Spring Break for two weeks starting March 20 and returning to class on Monday, April 3, 2023.
Middle College High School and Inland Career Education Center (ICEC) students have a single week of Spring Break from Monday, March 20 through Friday, March 24. Expanded Learning—Sunrise/ CAPS, SBCUSD’s beforeand after-school program, is offering The Greatest Spring Break on Earth, a circusthemed intersession program. The free program offers academic enrichment and physical activity opportunities to students in transitional kindergarten through high school from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday at 61 school sites during Spring Break. That’s more than triple the number of sites compared to Spring Break last year.
Registration has closed for The Greatest Spring Break on Earth, but summer school registration is currently underway. Summer school registration closes March 17 for TK–eighth-grade scholars and April 7 for high school students. SBCUSD sent registration information via the ParentSquare notification system.
“We’re proud to be able to offer this opportunity for students who may need extra support or parents who need a safe place for their children to stay while they work,” said Ann Pearson, Director of Expanded Learning–Sunrise/CAPS.
SBCUSD is providing every student in kindergarten through 12th grade with an at-home COVID test this week. Families are encouraged to test students for COVID before returning to school after the break to help reduce the spread of COVID in our schools.
Community /Education News
children grew older. At 41 years old, I grew tired of working two jobs, and realized it was time for a career change,” Bridges said.
Through WDB and the Chaffey College InTech Center, he enrolled in an industrial apprentice program. “There were a lot of long days and long nights, but with the support of Workforce and Chaffey, things just felt right,” he said.
Through the challenges of devastating life events, Damon Bridges needed something to change his fortunes and bring peace to him and his family. He found that, through the support of WDB and an apprenticeship program that prepared him for a life-changing career change.
Bridges’ seemingly impossible journey began as a young man, with dreams of attending a fouryear university but believing it was out of reach. In 2009, his wife died of breast cancer, leaving Bridges to raise two young children while working two full-time jobs to make ends meet.
“The years passed and my
Then tragedy struck again, when, on August 21, 2021, his son Shemar was murdered. “In life, people go through things that will cause you to lose focus, but I knew my son would have wanted me to complete my goal. He was my motivation to complete the program,” Bridges said. He graduated in November 2021, and the next month was hired by Ventura Foods in Ontario as an apprentice. This past December, he was promoted to Maintenance Mechanic. “I wouldn’t call this a success story because it is not a race it is a marathon,” he said. “There is so much I want to do for my community. I’d love to mentor the youth. Help them accomplish their goals and dreams. Show them that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and put in the necessary work.”
Courtesy Photo: President Joe Biden and Kerman Maddox
Last summer, the White House offered Southern California small business owner Kerman Maddox a unique opportunity to serve on a national committee set up to advise President Joe Biden’s administration on educational matters.
The Los Angeles resident declined.
Maddox, who is also a communications specialist -most recently a member of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s transition team -- felt he did not have enough expertise in the educational space.
Then, this month, the right opportunity came for Maddox to take his expertise, passion and ambition to Washington. The White House appointed Maddox, along with 14 others, to serve on the United States Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.
“I’m an African American male. I’m a small business owner. There is nothing in my background that ever would have indicated this was even in the realm of possibilities,” he stated. “I am going to do the best to represent other African American small business owners. When you get an opportunity like this, you want to do a good job -- not embarrass folks.”
Maddox, president and majority owner of K&R Hospitality and managing partner of Dakota Communications, told the official he would be interested in serving on any commission that dealt with United States’ commerce, small business, trade, or other related fields if a position
became available.
Maddox, who President Barack Obama once appointed to serve on the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee, says he is excited about his new role.
The other new advisory body appointees are Revathi Advaithi, Manish Bapna, Timothy Michael Broas, Thomas M. Conway, Erica R.H. Fuchs, Marlon E. Kimpson, Ryan LeGrand, Sean M. O’Brien, Javier Saade, Shonda Yvette Scott, Elizabeth Shuler, Nina Szlosberg-Landis, and Wendell P. Weeks.
Along with the other appointees, Maddox will provide policy advice to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who spearheads American trade policy across the globe.
The new committee members were recommended by Tai’s office and appointed by Biden.
They make up one of several advisory committees established by Congress to ensure U.S. trade policy and trade negotiating objectives adequately reflect American public and private sector interests.
In a March 10 statement announcing the appointees, Tai said she looked forward to working with the new appointees.
“Developing a workercentered trade agenda means bringing together a range of perspectives and backgrounds to design and implement our policies,” she stated. “The Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations is an important forum to guide
SACRAMENTO – California
State Treasurer Fiona Ma today issued the following statement: Last week, President Biden helped quell panic in California and around the country by announcing that all Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) depositors would be able to access their accounts and guaranteeing their deposits, despite the bank’s collapse. I applauded his quick and decisive action.
Today, I’m asking President Biden to continue to calm nerves by fully protecting 100% of business and individual account deposits with FDIC coverage, until full confidence is restored in our banking system. Banks of all sizes - large, regional, and community – should be included.
I received several panicked calls last week from small business owners after finding their SVB accounts were frozen, preventing them from paying bills and their employees. If quick access had not been restored to these customers, California’s economy could have taken a hit
and seen significant layoffs.
Small and midsize banks and credit unions are the heart and soul of our communities. These institutions can develop personal relationships with their clients, offering the flexibility and customization that often can be the difference in getting approved for a loan and staying in business.
Temporarily guaranteeing all deposits will ensure that these community institutions are shielded as much as possible from current economic volatility and uncertainty.
California is home to 4.1 million small businesses, representing 99.8 percent of all businesses in the state, employing 7.2 million workers. As the 4th largest economy in the world, it is critical that the banking system seamlessly supports the businesses and individuals that make it possible.
I will continue to work with federal officials to ensure Californians can rest assured that our banking system is strong, and their assets are protected.
Communications, the marketing, public relations, and public affairs consulting firm, in 1996. In 2010, he started K&R Hospitality, a food and beverage concession business. He had a role in Obama’s historic 2008 campaign and was part of Biden’s presidential campaign 12 years later. Maddox worked as an aide and advisor to past L.A. mayors Tom Bradley and Antonio Villaraigosa and for Bass when she was in Congress. He was also an adjunct professor of Political Science at USC and a full-time Political Science professor for the L.A. Community College District. Maddox has several honors from community service organizations and radio and television awards under his belt.
Maddox described himself as an “activist entrepreneur.”
USTR’s work and ensure that the benefits of trade are equitably distributed across our economy and to all people. President Biden has nominated a diverse group of men and women that will help us carry out his vision for sustainable, inclusive and durable trade policy in 2023 and beyond.”
Maddox wants to align with the trade agenda set by the Biden administration. He also has his own objectives he aims to rally for.
“Number one, I’m really going to play a space as a small business guy to see if we can get small businesspeople to export products overseas -- whether it is technology or manufacturing or retail or professional services,” he noted. “Number two, figure out a way to rein in climate change. What can we do to get people to understand that it is real and what should we be doing by the way of trade polices to combat the escalation of global warming and climate change?”
Maddox received a call from the White House late last year inquiring whether he would be interested in joining the committee. He jumped at the opportunity. In January, he learned his position on the panel was finalized.
Maddox now has a lot of homework to do on trade policy before the group meets in April. Tai’s office is introducing the new committee members to trade experts.
“I’m trying to quickly study to get up on this,” Maddox noted.
Maddox founded Dakota
“I do a lot of community stuff,” he said. “I’m very active in my church, but I’m also a businessman. I’m interested in making money, but I’m also interested in hiring as many people that look like me as possible. I’m interested in growing my business and bringing people along at the same time.”
Due to his business experience, Maddox brings a breadth of viewpoints to the commission.
“I have a unique perspective to talk about professional service businesses and how that works and discuss retail, food, and beverage concussion-oriented businesses,” he explained. “One is people, food, merchandising, quality standards, and more. The other is professional services — you are brainstorming and creating.”
Maddox will meet with other committee members via video conference, but expects to also assemble with the group in Washington, D.C.
He said being involved with Obama’s initial presidential run was his greatest professional experience. However, having the chance to pitch Biden, who Maddox has met before, trade policy insights is a close second.
“There is nothing in my background that would indicate I would be talking to the president, let alone advising the president,” Maddox declared. “If I can make it, anyone can make it. I’m a pretty regular guy that worked his way up.”
Beginning March 20, a recent move by the Biden Administration will make owning a home more affordable for current and prospective homebuyers. Arriving just in time for the spring buying season, 850,000 mortgage borrowers who used FHAfinancing for their homes as well as families choosing this popular mortgage program will benefit from lowered mortgage insurance premiums.
This monthly fee, paid along with principal and interest owed will be cut by 0.3 percentage points, thereby lowering regular monthly costs. The cut is also reflected in President Biden’s new budget proposal. With housing affordability straining many efforts to become homeowners, the lowered costs triggered by the insurance premium deduction can be an important difference.
“For this country to truly succeed, all Americans must have access to opportunity. That means expanding access to wealth-building and home ownership,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge in a recent
interview. “Today, we are building on the steps we’ve taken to make homeownership more affordable, and HUD is acting to ensure people feel comfortable purchasing a home as they build toward their future. As we reduce housing costs for people with FHA mortgages, we continue our work to address longstanding disparities in homeownership.”
Although actual dollar savings will vary by market and locale, families who borrowed at the national median price of $270,000 for their home will see an annual savings of approximately $800. In markets where median prices are higher, higher dollar savings will apply. Conversely, in area where median home prices are lower than the national one, savings will be smaller.
For example, in Detroit where the median priced home is $200K, the annual savings for FHA borrowers will be approximately $600. By contrast, FHA borrowers in Prince George’s County, MD, where the average home price is $300K, annual mortgage premium
FHA makes housing more affordable for 850,000 borrowers Savings tied to median market home prices ...continued insurance savings will rise to $900 each year. FHA borrowers in Austin, TX can look forward to an estimated $1,500 in yearly savings on the market’s homes valued at $500K. In Boston, Los Angeles, and New York, where the median price of homes is even higher, so too will be those borrowers’ savings.
The program’s cost-cutting is made possible by the growth in recent years in the fund’s accumulated reserves, now five times the amount required by Congress. This financial heft strengthens the program’s financial stability and was accomplished by multiple factors.
Administratively, HUD updated underwriting policies that enabled lenders to include both rental history and student loan debt in determining mortgage applicants’ creditworthiness. Also, HUD’s mortgage loan modification practices resolved delinquencies for financially-challenged borrowers, allowing them to keep their homes. Yet another policy change offered expanded housing counseling that prepares first-time buyers with knowledge and information gleaned from 4,000 HUD-certified counselors working in 1,500 HUD-approved community agencies across the country.
These reforms, combined with key market measures like stable home appreciation, low foreclosure rates, and significant refinance volume, generated improved loan performance and savings that could be passed on to consumers.
For low-to-moderate income consumers, these developments ensure that this long-standing federally-insured program will remain an available, affordable, and sustainable path to homeownership. More than 80 percent of first-time homebuyers and 25 percent of buyers of color who secured these governmentbacked loans will benefit from the lowered fees.
In its recap of 2021 FHA
lending to Blacks, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, found that 40 percent of Black mortgage borrowers were FHA-insured, including 42 percent of Black millennials. Public and private sector housing stakeholders applauded the action.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is providing needed breathing room in the tight budgets of families who use FHA mortgages, many of whom are first-time homebuyers, people of color, or individuals
with lower-incomes,” said Mitria Spotser, vice president and federal policy director at the Center for Responsible Lending. “By reducing the cost of mortgage insurance premiums, the Administration is putting money back into people’s pockets. This move helps families strengthen their financial backstop and manage unexpected financial events while maintaining homeownership. The Administration has been working to make our housing system more equitable, sustainable, and healthier and this is an important step in that journey.”
“Mortgage rates have doubled over the past yearand home prices have increased more than 30 percent in some counties. In this competitive market, new and low- to moderate-income buyers are often left behind,” said Kenny Parcell, President of the National Association of Realtors. “This reduction will help alleviate some of the financial stress those potential buyers encounter when purchasing a home.”
Nationwide — Diamond Spikes, founder and CEO of DS Creative Design Studio, an awardwinning Black woman-owned branding studio, has announced an amazing partnership with Amazon's Buy with Prime program. The partnership brings comprehensive branding workshops to Black-owned businesses, helping them to take actionable steps to grow and improve their overall brands. The initial workshops were recorded and the 2 upcoming workshops in March, will be as well. This partnership marks a historic moment, as it is Buy with Prime's first partnership of its kind. The workshops were provided to primarily Amazon's Black Business Accelerator participants, providing them with the opportunity to benefit from the expertise and experience of DS Creative Design Studios very own Diamond Spikes. DS Creative Design Studio specializes in working with direct-to-consumer brands through high-level brand partnerships to help them scale to the next level. The company has a proven track record of success, with client work featured in
prestigious publications such as British Vogue and Good Morning America, and has been trusted by over 70 brands.
"We are so excited to be partnered with Buy with Prime to bring our branding workshops to Black-owned businesses and for me to be able to plug other Black experts in my network," said Diamond. "Part of our mission is to empower and uplift Black-owned businesses, and this partnership is a huge step in achieving that goal. With our new workshop presentations happening in March 2023 with the Buy with Prime team, we hope to reach even more businesses and help them to achieve their goals."
This partnership is a significant step in the right direction in terms of promoting diversity and inclusion in the business world and will help to level the playing field for Black-owned businesses by providing them with resources that they normally wouldn’t have access to.
For more information about DS Creative Design Studio, visit the official website at DSCreativeDesignStudio.com
By Emil Guillermo
weirdness.
and trampling over each other, asking white people to ‘choose me!’ Some of them even change their names to go Anglo.”
Reed says it’s the root of “Afro-Pessimism.”
What’s that?
It’s a term by Frank Wilderson, as Reed explains, that means Blacks can’t depend upon Blacks’ “junior allies.” Wilderson calls B.S. on intersectionality and says that Blacks “must go it alone.”
By Ben JealousAfter the Oscars, when Asian Americans were everywhere on the winners list, from actors, writers, directors, but also makeup artists, and not just in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” but also in movies like “The Whale,” I turn to the Oakland playwright Ishmael Reed who must be wondering will Asian Americans now go for the Whiteness Prize?
(I consider Asian American to be a generic term, indicating people of Asian descent either living or working not necessarily indicative of their citizenship status.)
I’m in New York as an actor in “The Conductor,” the latest Reed production now off-Broadway (get your in-person or livestreamed tickets here: https:// theaterforthenewcity.net/shows/ the-conductor-2023/).
I play a brown-skinned Tucker Carlson-type on a faux Fox, and very conservative news network.
That’s how good an actor I am!
As an Asian American sometime-actor, I’m gratified to see Asian American creatives take their historic star turn at the Oscars. Asians have won the Academy Award for best supporting actor before, but never has there been a best actor/actress winner until the Malaysia-born, Hollywood-based Michelle Yeoh last weekend.
There’s something about being a “first.” A “never before.”
But what’s next?
And that’s where Reed’s play got me thinking.
In Reed’s “The Conductor,” Blacks start a new underground railroad to help Indian Americans — not American Indians, but those from the continent of India — escape a wave of xenophobia that is forcing them to flee to Canada.
The main character, columnist Warren Chipp is Reed’s alter ego. When a conservative Indian seeks refuge and asks Chipp why the liberal Chipp is being so nice to him, Chipp reveals his grasp of irony.
“Minorities make alliances with us (Blacks) until their admission to the white club is accepted. This happened to the Jews, the Japanese, the Irish, the Italians and now you guys (Asian Indians).”
It’s just one of the provocative asides in the play, but the historical examples are there.
Says Chipp/Reed: “These groups come running to us when the white man decides to sic mobs on them because of some geopolitical conflict or culture war. Begging us to hide them and save them. And then, when they get an ‘all-clear’ sign, they return to auditioning for whiteness again. Lining up
After rehearsals and the first four performances, the passages from the play haunt me.
Especially last Sunday. When the Asian Americans were preparing for their Oscar turn, I was off-Broadway living Reed’s play.
Is the Model Minority now back to auditioning for whiteness again?
I hope not. I get what Reed’s saying in his play. But I see the Oscar victory as a win for not just Asian Americans but all BIPOC communities in all their unique narratives.
AAPI stories have a kind of heat now. An independent film about a family with a laundromat dealing with the IRS and the multiverse where people have hotdogs as fingers puts us in a whole new ballgame.
We aren’t so weird after all. We’re of immigrant descent, sure. We’re different, yes. But we’re of the modern world and our stories deal in universal truths.
People flocked to “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which gave it some cache as an indie project that was making money. Not like “Top Gun” money, but enough to satisfy Hollywood accountants. Once it caught the attention of the Academy looking for diversity, the film was simply recognized for its off-beat ingenuity and its creative
I was having lunch in New York’s Chinatown with a lawyer friend of mine, a Chinese American immigrant and also a triple Harvard (College, Law School, and MBA) graduate. My friend surprised me when he said he couldn’t understand the hype about “Everything, Everywhere…” He called it unwatchable. He liked the movie “Tar.”
I told him maybe it was generational. Just goes to show you that not everyone, not even Asian Americans are on board with “Everything, Everywhere…”
But the huge victory on Sunday makes the film like a Golden Spike in Hollywood. The track is finally connected and open for AAPI creatives bound for glory.
“Everything, Everywhere…” has put everyone in the equation on notice. We have stories to tell that sell, and that people want to see.
Stories that win Oscars.
I see the phenomenon as a rising Asian American film lifts all boats. And with AAPI at just over 6% of the population, I don’t buy the “Afro-Pessimism” idea in his play. We can’t go it alone. We don’t have the numbers. We need each other.
Like anything worthwhile, it’s going to have to be done together.
Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. See his vlog on http://www.amok.com And see “The Conductor” in person or live-streamed tickets here: https://theaterforthenewcity.net/ shows/the-conductor-2023/
The post What Asian American Oscar Victories Mean for All of Us first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.
Ever get an email about an extended car warranty or a free gift from Home Depot? What about online service to flush out malware from your computer? It’s hard to avoid these unsolicited offers. Fraudsters send texts, they call you on your phone, and sometimes use AI to mimic a relative’s voice who says they have an emergency and please send money.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says what you don’t know can be expensive. They received 2.4 million complaints last year compared to 2.9 million in 2021 but the total amount lost in 2022 was $2.6 billion more than in 2021.
“The dollar loss reported was staggering. Consumers reported that they lost more than $8.8 billion to fraudsters, the most ever reported,” say Maria Mayo, Associate Director for the Division of Consumer Response and Operations in the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The FTC maintains a database of consumer fraud reports. Report a scam here: https://consumer. ftc.gov/media/video-0054-howfile-complaint-federal-tradecommission
“We know that fraud affects every community and that scammers are running their scam in the languages that people speak at home. And that’s why the FTC now has information in a dozen languages to help people spot and avoid these scams,” says Cristina Miranda, Consumer Education Specialist with the FTC’s Education Bureau of Consumer Protection.
Scammers targeting ethnic communities
During an March 10 Ethnic Media Services briefing Miranda briefed reporters about how to
$3.8 billion in investment scams and $2.6 billion in impersonator scams topped the list. Most money lost through bank transfers and crypto currencies.
were enticed to invest in crypto currency in an attempt to make money. Consumers invested, and the scammers were so savvy that they often presented websites that actually showed how the consumer’s money had grown. But it was all fake,” Mayo said. Con artists have not given up on romance scams, a staple in the field of fraud. These scams are aimed at older Americans who lost $139 million in 2020 up from $84 million in 2019. For the most part, scammers operate with impunity and many of them are based overseas. That makes it hard for them to be prosecuted. But sometimes they get caught.
Vice President Kamala Harris is sure to be remembered every March in Women’s History Month as the first woman and the first person of color to serve our nation in that position. As notable as those two facts are, she may grow to be known just as much for a single vote in the Senate that helped save the planet.
Last August, she broke the 5050 deadlock between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to pass the Inflation Reduction Act. That historic package, along with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Harris had crisscrossed the country in 2021 to build support for, give us a once-in-a-generation chance to protect the climate and build a cleaner, fairer economy. Both laws bear Harris’ mark. For example, the two packages provide billions to replace diesel school buses with electric ones and an additional tax credit for purchases that counties and cities make on their own. As a senator, Harris repeatedly sponsored bills to electrify the nation’s school buses. Similarly, she championed proposals to help recovery in low-income communities that bear a disproportionate burden of pollution and climate; the IRA includes $60 billion directed to help those places.
Harris’ role inside and outside Washington on environmental issues isn’t surprising. When she was elected San Francisco’s district attorney 20 years ago, she started one of the first environmental justice units in a prosecutor’s office. When she moved on to be California’s attorney general, she fought to protect the state from fossil fuel interests, winning tens of millions in civil settlements and a criminal indictment against the pipeline
company responsible for an oil spill off Santa Barbara, as well as suing the federal government to block fracking off the coast. It’s a path others have been able to follow in the years since (Columbia University keeps a database of attorneys general’s environmental actions now).
It’s a concern that runs deep. Like I did, Harris grew up in environmentally conscious northern California in a household deeply involved in the civil rights movement. She learned early that conservation was a good thing, so much so that she has joked she couldn’t understand as a youngster why people she knew said conservatives were bad.
The Biden-Harris administration has provided leadership. With Congress, they’ve given us the tools to clean up pollution, to boost communities’ resilience to climate related natural disasters like wildfires, and to create good jobs in clean manufacturing across the country in unprecedented ways. Through the infrastructure and inflation reduction packages, the United States can spend more than double protecting Earth than we spent putting astronauts on the moon.
“I think we all understand we have to be solutions driven. And the solutions are at hand,” Harris said at a climate summit earlier this month. “We need to make up for some lost time, no doubt. This is going to have an exponential impact on where we need to go.”
It’s time for the rest of us to pick up those tools and build. There are powerful interests that would be more than happy to let the inertia that allows people and places to be treated as disposable continue indefinitely. Our planet can’t afford that, and we have to marshal a movement to prevent it.
Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club. He is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free,” published in January.
The post COMMENTARY: A Historic Vote and the Tools It Gave Us first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.
Pres. Biden Visits California Community Devastated by Gun Violence...continued from page 1
protect against fraudsters. She said that recent refugees and immigrants are frequent marks for scammers who use their native language to steal their money.
“We have a downloadable publication called Spotting, Avoiding and Reporting Scams: a Fraud Handbook. It helps people learn to spot some of the scams related to looking for a job, going through the immigration process, or just trying to figure out how things work in this country,” she said.
“Scammers are targeting ethnic communities and they speak your language. They target ethnic communities in unique ways,” says Rosario Mendez, an attorney with FTC’s Division of Consumer and Business Education Bureau of Consumer Protection.
The Latino community filed a higher percentage of reports relating to problems with banks and lenders, related to debt collection, auto issues, and also business opportunities.
“And we’ve had several cases related to bogus business opportunities, bogus work at home, specifically targeting
Latinos. We know from our data analysis and from also our casework that business opportunity, moneymaking schemes, are also something that is impacting the Latino community.
In terms of the black community, the largest number of reports were about payday loan applications, and also student debt relief programs,” Mendez said.
An October 2021 FTC report, Serving Communities of Color, detailed the extent of fraud affecting ethnic communities and the FTC’s efforts to combat it.
Scams vary widely Mayo said a lot of people fell prey to get-rich-quick schemes last year and the average median loss per consumer was $5,000.
“Consumers reported losing money to investment scams more than any other type of scam, and the amount lost in 2022 more than doubled what was lost in 2021. Consumers reported losing $3.8 billion in investment scams, most of which were lost to crypto currency scams. These scams often started on social media where consumers
One case involved an 87-yearold Holocaust survivor who was swindled out of his life savings by a Florida woman, Peaches Stergo. She was arrested January 25, 2023.
The FTC stopped a large-scale fraud of students enrolled at the University of Phoenix (UOP) and made them pay. The FTC is sending nearly $50 million in payments to more than 147,000 UOP students who may have been lured by allegedly deceptive advertisements.
The 2019 settlement also required UOP and its parent company, Apollo Education Group, to cancel $141 in student debt.
The FTC alleged UOP falsely touted its relationships and job opportunities with companies such as AT&T, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Twitter, and the American Red Cross. The FTC also alleged that UOP’s advertising gave the false impression that the online school worked with those companies to create job opportunities for its students and tailor its curriculum for such jobs.
Consumers can get email alerts from the FTC regarding the latest imposter, real estate, and investment scams.
President Biden also acknowledged Brandon Tsay, who disarmed the shooter, thwarting a second attack at his family's dance studio in Alhambra. Tsay, who was President Biden’s guest at his State of the Union Address this year, met the president as he arrived at Los Angeles International Airport.
President Biden's trip comes as gun violence deaths (including all causes) are trending higher in the first three months of 2023
than the recent high in 2022, according to The Gun Violence Archive, an independent data collection and research group.
“I led the fight to ban them in 1994. The ten years that law was in place, mass shootings went down. My republican friends let it expire, and mass shootings tripled since then,” Biden said. “Let's finish the job, ban assault weapons. Ban them again. Do it now. Enough. Do something. Do something big.”
California will soon restart its annual eligibility review for people enrolled in Medi-Cal, a process that has been suspended since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Sacred Web of Abundance...continued forest, including tree sitting. The effort was successful in that it delayed the project and allowed time for lawsuits to prevent the construction company contracted to build cop city from obtaining a permit. Education and advocacy have continued to spread, and eventually I caught stories from trusted organizers that I knew.
Credit: Shutterstock
Fans of the hit HBO show
“The Wire” and the high-octaine action movies “John Wick” are saddened by the passing of its stars. Lance Reddick, a veteran character actor known for his performance as Cedric Daniels on “The Wire” and for his work in the “John Wick” franchise, passed away of natural causes at the age of 60, according to his representative, Mia Hansen. His “Wire” co-star Wendell Pierce remembered Reddick as a “man of great strength and grace” in a tribute on Friday.
“As talented a musician as he was an actor,” Pierce wrote. “The epitome of class. A sudden unexpected sharp painful grief for our artistic family. An unimaginable suffering for his personal family and loved ones. Godspeed my friend. You made your mark here.”
“Shocked!! Speechless!! This talented, kind, intelligent King is gone!! I was blessed to have worked with you and blessed to have known you,” actress Viola Davis wrote in a tribute on Instagram. “Praying for comfort for your family and loved ones! Rest well Lance Reddick…..see you on the other side.”
Reddick was often put in a suit or a crisp uniform during his career, playing tall, taciturn and elegant men of distinction.
“I’m an artist at heart. I feel that I’m very good at what I do. When I went to drama school, I knew I was at least as talented as other students, but because I was a Black man and I wasn’t pretty, I knew I would have to work my butt off to be the best that I would be, and to be noticed,” Reddick told the Los Angeles Times in 2009.
Reddick also starred on the Fox series “Fringe” as a special agent Phillip Broyles, the smartly-dressed Matthew Abaddon on “Lost”.
As a teenager growing up in
Baltimore, he had intended to become a musician, he once told The Guardian. He fell into acting as a means of supporting his young family and in hopes of laying a base for a music career.
He began earning roles in regional theater and at 29, he applied- and was accepted – to Yale University to study drama, eventually graduating.
In New York, he first auditioned for “Wire” creator David Simon for his project “The Corner,” an HBO miniseries that came two years before Simon’s “The Wire.”
After being asked about his role on the critically-acclaimed “The Wire,” Reddick admits he had no idea that it would be that well-received.
“I thought it would be a hit but I didn’t anticipate that it would take so long to catch on, or that it would become this phenomenon,” Reddick told the Guardian. “Or that it would be so ignored by the industry. That really floored me, because I knew how good we were; we all did.”
He went on to book his first regular role on HBO’s “Oz,” where he played an undercover detective posing as an inmate.
Reddick’s John Wick co-star, Keanu Reeves, issued a statement to share his shock with his fans.
“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick,” Reeves, 58, and director Chad Stahelski said in a joint statement to Variety.
“He was the consummate professional and a joy to work with. Our love and prayers are with his wife Stephanie, his children, family and friends.”
The duo said they will dedicate John Wick: Chapter 4, which is set to be released in cinemas on March 23, to Reddick’s “loving memory”.
“We will miss him dearly,” they said, Page Six reports.
Simi Valley, California - The Kiwanis Club is proud to present the ROUND-UP Country Music Festival, to be held on April 1, 2023, at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park in Simi Valley, California. Headlining the event is the legendary Sawyer Brown whose top hits include Some Girls Do, The Race is On, and Six Days on the Road. Other acts hitting the stage are Canada's #1 artist Aaron Goodvin singing his Lonely Drum and You Ain’t, Simi Valley native Justin Honsinger feat. Katie Dix, Neon Circus-A Brooks & Dunn Tribute , the Jimi Nelson Band, and Sterling Silver.
The Kiwanis Club is pulling out all the stops to make this event a true community celebration. Kids 12 and under can play for free in the Adventist Health Simi Valley sponsored Kid's Korral, featuring a range of fun activities. Adults can enjoy some grown-up fun at the Sassy's Saloon, which will be serving up delicious adult beverages and lawn games in the area.
This means that starting in mid-April, residents enrolled in Medi-Cal, the state’s insurance program for low-income people, will start to receive renewal notices in the mail. The process will be spread over 14 months. Some people may be automatically re-enrolled, but most people will have to fill out a renewal packet with information about their income and household size. People who no longer qualify or who fail to fill out the paperwork will lose their free or low-cost coverage.
State officials estimate that between 2 million and 3 million people could lose their Medi-Cal coverage. Ideally, people who no longer qualify for Medi-Cal will transition to a plan in the state’s insurance marketplace, Covered California, or to a jobsponsored health plan. Still, health advocates worry that many people could fall through the cracks or get caught in administrative hurdles and become uninsured, leaving them more likely to delay or forgo care altogether.
Currently, 15.4 million people — more than a third of the state’s population — are enrolled in Medi-Cal, the most ever, according to the California Department of Health Care Services. That’s partly a result of the increased need during the pandemic: As people lost jobs and wages, many also lost their medical insurance. From March 2020 to February 2023, MediCal enrollment increased 16%, according to the department.
And as thousands of people became newly eligible for MediCal, far fewer were coming off. Federal rules prohibited states from dropping people from government-sponsored insurance during the pandemic as a way to protect access to care. Now those federal rules are lapsing.
California’s renewal process will restart on April 1 and should be completed around June 2024, meaning people can receive their renewal notices and paperwork anytime during this time period. Those who in the past have renewed in the month of June will get their paperwork first, said Yingjia Huang, assistant deputy director for health care benefits and eligibility at the Department of Health Care Services. This phased-in approach will help
spread the caseload for county offices in charge of the review, Huang said, and also allow enrollees who have renewed in the past to keep a similar timeline.
To qualify for Medi-Cal, people can earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level — that’s $20,121 a year for an individual or $41,400 for a family of four. Some Californians, such as pregnant women and people with disabilities, may qualify with slightly higher incomes.
People who were eligible for Medi-Cal at some point during the pandemic, but who may no longer qualify because their income has increased, will be automatically transitioned into a similar plan through Covered California, Huang said.
“The system automatically will review their eligibility for Covered California and Covered California will send out the enrollment notice to the member, informing them of their options and to pay the plan premium. So there’s no administrative burden on a member,” Huang said. “We’re trying to make sure that process is seamless and streamlined.”
Whether people successfully make the switch will largely depend on their ability to pay their new monthly premium.
Most people who buy from the marketplace receive generous subsidies, and some people don’t have a premium cost at all. Nearly half of the people enrolled in coverage through Covered California pay less than $50 a month, according to the agency. Still, even a $5 premium, along with the accompanying deductibles and copays, can discourage people from buying a health plan, said John Baackes, CEO of L.A Care, which offers Medi-Cal and Covered California plans to Los Angeles residents.
This auto-transition into Covered California will be a new test for the state. In the past, when people disenrolled from Medi-Cal, they were likely to go without coverage at least temporarily. Between 2016 and 2019, roughly 65% of people who dropped off Medi-Cal (Medicaid in other states) had a period of uninsurance, according to national research from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #1143
Tracy Howe
In January, the police escalated with a heavily armed, multiagency operation. They killed Tortuguita and arrested others, charging them with domestic terrorism, which carries a minimum 15-year sentence.
Despite permits still not being issued, the construction company has razed trees to prepare for construction. Local organizers quickly planned a week of action and invited help and solidarity nationally. I connected with local Atlanta clergy and helped to draft a letter, which has now been signed by over 300 faith workers and faith leaders representing hundreds of congregations across different religions and denominations.
I am horrified by the failure
By: Lou K. Coleman Lou K. ColemanRegardless of what the wolves in the pulpits, the TV preachers, and the workers of iniquity in the churches claim, the Bible is clear; when it comes to the things that we have to know, believe, and obey in order to be saved and live according to the will of God. So don’t be fool by the wolves in sheep clothing. It will cost you dearly. I didn’t say it, Jesus did! Know the truth and the whole truth. Your survival and salvation depend on your understanding of such. Know that God is the one Source and sole Author of truth. Sin is whatever God says it is. Judgment is whatever God says it is. Salvation is what God says it is. Heaven and hell are what God says they are. It matters not
of democracy in Atlanta and the severe abuse of power by police leveraging terrorism charges. I am staying connected to this struggle because cop city will mean increased police repression across the nation and internationally, as plans include police departments from other cities and even other countries coming to “train” and “rehearse” urban warfare against citizens. Being a part of this struggle, I also have been exposed to the vision of life and abundance that Tortuguita and others defending Welaunee held. Prior to the week of action, a collective of people from the movement published a piece on the Sacred Web of Abundance. As Jesus said, we will recognize a tree by its fruit. I see the Gospel of life and so many of the living fruits of the Holy Spirit in this vision of the Sacred Web of Abundance as well as the people who are risking so much for it.
Rev. Tracy Howe is the Team Leader and Minister for FaithINFO for the United Church of Christ.
what man says but simply what God says.
Truth has the final word in all matters, telling us how to worship and how to walk. It tells us how to follow Christ. It is the final arbitrator on any subject. It is the final judge of every life. All people are measured by the truth. Every life is weighed in the balances by the truth. Every destiny is marked by the truth. And truth will have the final say in every life. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, which will enable you to know truth, live by truth, and not be destroyed in your soul by lies that make it into your heart.
[Ephesians 6:14].
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. [2 Timothy 4:3-4]. To their own detriment. Sad!
General admission tickets are $35, kids 12 and under are free with a paid adult. VIP tickets are also available for $100 ($50 for kids 12 and under), and include special seating and a scrumptious meal.
"We're thrilled to bring the ROUND-UP Country Music Festival back to Simi Valley," said Stephie Jennings, President of the Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley. "This is a great opportunity for the community to come together and have a fun day out, while supporting a great cause. We hope to see everyone there!"
The Kiwanis Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and communities through a variety of service projects. Proceeds from the event will benefit kids and the underserved in Simi Valley.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www. roundupsimi.com or call 805807-5100.
The day after spreading their child’s ashes in Welaunee, also known as the South River Forest outside of Atlanta, the family of Manuel Paez Terán, “Tortuguita,” held a press conference to share the independent autopsy report. The independent autopsy found that Tortuguita had their hands up and was seated in a crosslegged position when they were shot 14 times by multiple officers during a multi-agency raid of Welaunee Forest, also known at South River Forest. Tortuguita loved and died for the forest and a vision of the world in which everyone would have access to and enjoy abundance.
I have been following the movement in Atlanta to defend the forest and stop what has come to be known as cop city for some time. The movement started in 2020 following the summer of uprisings protesting police brutality, the killing of George Floyd, and others across the country. In Atlanta, it
was Rayshard Brooks. The city responded with an increase in funding to the police, and still the Atlanta Police Foundation proposed a 300-acre militarized police training facility, including a “rehearsal space” with a mock city where bombs and tear gas could be deployed. This would be the largest training facility in the country and the city of Atlanta would raze part of the largest urban forest in the country to do it.
After nearly two years of incredible organizing and coalition building, over 17 hours of comments were logged at the City Council meeting when the proposal came to a vote, with overwhelming dissent against the proposal across diverse communities, citizens, and interest groups. The proposal was approved by Atlanta City Council anyway. So protesters changed tactics and started occupying the
To help avoid unnecessary loss in coverage, state officials are asking enrollees to verify their contact information. The Department of Health Care Services estimates that about 12% of enrollees may have moved during the pandemic and are at risk of not receiving their renewal packets. People who have moved during the pandemic should update their address via the state’s KeepMediCalCoverage.org website or by contacting their local county office.
Health advocates are concerned that people won’t be able to access timely help, given the influx of calls and visits county offices may receive. The increased volumes compounded by workforce shortages can prove to be a barrier, said Tiffany Huyenh-Cho, a senior staff attorney with Justice in Aging, a legal aid organization that advocates on behalf of seniors.
“We need these county offices to be appropriately staffed because that is the first place people go with a question about eligibility,” Huyenh-Cho said. “We already hear reports of long wait times in general.”
Awareness that the renewal process is restarting is also key, advocates say. State and county officials have known that the Medi-Cal renewal process would restart at some point, even though the timeline was pushed back
multiple times. The general public may be less aware. One national survey found that as of December, 64% of enrollees had not heard of the return to regular eligibility checks, though education efforts have been ramping up as the April 1 date gets closer.
“I wonder how many of these 15 million people even know they still have Medi-Cal coverage?” said Shannon McConville, a research fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, noting that many people, especially if healthy, distanced themselves from routine care during the pandemic.
Baackes at L.A. Care said the onus of spreading the word about the renewal period also falls on the health insurance plans. L.A. Care, he said, has been beefing up its staff to prepare for the anticipated volume of calls and requests. It will also have 14 locations where people can go and get help filling out the hefty packet.
“The packet is 20 pages. It should be one page: ‘Where do you live? How much do you make? Thank you,’ but it’s 20 pages. So one of the things we’ll be doing is we’ll have these community resource centers spread across the county,” Baackes said.
Among his concerns is that the
“Listen!”
Think that a hug is just a nice way to greet someone you haven’t seen in a long time? Think again.
There’s a reason why hugs feel so good, there’s healing power in them. Seriously!
Studies show that a 20-second hug, along with 10 minutes of hand-holding, also reduces the harmful physical effects of stress, including its impact on your blood pressure and heart rate. This makes sense, since hugging is known to lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol.
Yet, many people are touchdeprived. One study found that one-third of people receive no hugs on a daily basis while 75 percent said they wanted more hugs.
Check out the five reasons why you should stop and give someone a hug today:
5. Hugs Lower Blood Pressure
The hormones that are released in the body after a hug aren’t just good for happy feelings — they can also help your physical
health. When someone touches you, the sensation on your skin activates pressure receptors called Pacinian corpuscles, which then send signals to the vagus nerve, an area of the brain that is responsible for (among many things) lowering blood pressure, NPR reported.
4. Hugs Heal Your Heart (Literally)
Embracing someone may warm your heart, but according to one study a hug can be
good medicine for it too: In an experiment at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill , participants who didn’t have any contact with their partners developed a quickened heart rate of 10 beats per minute compared to the five beats per minute among those who got to hug their partners during the experiment.
3. Hugs Get More Powerful With Age
Studies have shown that loneliness, particularly with age,
Cost: $19
Duration: 5 minutes
Why It’s Heart Smart: Sizing up your particles gives a clearer picture of heart risk than the conventional test: Having a lot of large particles cuts risk, while small ones raise it. The more Lp(a) you have, the worse it is, too–it makes LDL particles extra sticky, so they cling to the lining of blood vessels, causing plaque and clots.
Get It If: You have a family history of heart disease.
body at unnecessary risk.
– issues with hand-eye coordination
can also increase stress and have adverse health effects. Because of that, researchers at Ohio State University concluded that hugging becomes increasingly important as you age since the need for physical touch grows. It’s your body’s way of coping with
2. Hugs Reduce Stress
When we embrace, we immediately reduce the amount of the stress hormone cortisol produced in our bodies. Hugs also make our bodies release tension and send calming messages to the brain.
1. Hugs Strengthen Your Immune System
When you hug someone, you exert pressure on the sternum (breastbone) and an emotional charge is created. This activated the solar plexus chakras which in turn stimulates the thymus gland. This gland regulates the production of WBCs (white blood cells) in the body, thereby, keeping you healthy.
Mercury may affect the nervous system, leading to neurological symptoms such as:
– nervousness or anxiety
– irritability or mood changes
– numbness
– memory problems
– depression – physical tremors
As the levels of mercury in the body rise, more symptoms will appear. These symptoms may vary depending on a person’s age and exposure levels. Adults with mercury poisoning may experience symptoms such as:
– muscle weakness
– metallic taste in the mouth
– nausea and vomiting
– lack of motor skills or feeling
uncoordinated
– inability to feel in the hands, face, or other areas
– changes in vision, hearing, or speech
– difficulty breathing
– difficulty walking or standing
straight
How Seafood Affects Children
Too Mercury can also affect a child’s… early development.
Children with mercury poisoning may show symptoms such as:
– being physically unaware of their surroundings
Mercury poisoning tends to develop slowly over time if a person comes into frequent contact with mercury. However, in some cases, mercury poisoning comes on quickly and is associated with a specific incident.
Anyone who experiences a sudden onset of mercury poisoning symptoms should call a doctor or poison control.
Exposure to high levels of mercury may also put a person at risk for long-term complications, including neurological damage:
side effects of eating too much seafood
– Mercury poisoning may cause slow reflexes, damaged motor skills, and intelligence disorders.
A study in the Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health noted that many incidents of mercury poisoning have led to long-term nerve damage, which can cause:
– intelligence disorders and low IQ
– slow reflexes
For decades, doctors had nothing more sophisticated than a stress test to identify potential heart problems. Not anymore. Cardiologists now use advanced imaging and blood tests that give a much more accurate assessment of heart attack risk. These tests are the best ways to tell who is in danger, because they can catch cardiovascular disease 20 to 30 years before it gets severe enough to cause a heart attack or stroke. They are available at most major medical centers and hospitals. If your doctor doesn’t request them for you, demand the ones that are recommended for your age group and risk category.
1) Carotid Intimal Medial Thickness Test
How It Works: This “ultrasound of the neck” takes a picture of the left and right carotid arteries, which supply blood to your head and brain. After putting a gel on your neck, a technician glides an ultrasound transducer over your carotids to measure the thickness of the arteries’ lining.
Duration: 15 minutes
Why It’s Heart Smart: Studies show a link between the abnormal thickness of the carotid lining and coronary artery disease. This test can detect even the earliest stages before blood flow is blocked. Because it’s not an x-ray, it’s also helpful for women who are or may be pregnant.
What the Results Mean: You’ll get two numbers: the thickness of your carotid lining (normal is less than 1.06 mm) and your “arterial age,” an estimate of how that thickness compares to others in your age group. If your arteries are more than 8 years “older” than you are, your doctor can tailor a treatment to reduce your risk.
2) High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Test
How It Works: A blood test measures CRP, a protein in your blood that’s a strong indicator of inflammation throughout your body.
Cost: $8
Duration: 5 minutes
Why It’s Heart Smart: Cholesterol plaque injures blood vessels, triggering inflammation and raising CRP levels in your blood. That’s dangerous because people with high levels of CRP may be up to 4 times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. A high CRP is most dangerous if you also have another risk factor: a waist circumference of more than 35 inches, indicating the presence of belly fat.
What the Results Mean: If your score is under 1.0 mg per liter, your risk of developing heart disease is low. A score between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/l equals average risk. Above 3.0 mg/l, you’re at high risk. It’s possible to have high CRP without heart disease, though, because infections and injuries can also trigger a spike in levels.
3) Advanced Lipid Profile and Lipoprotein(a) Test
How It Works: Unlike the traditional cholesterol blood test, which measures total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides, the advanced test also looks at particle size. This is important because some particles are big and fluffy, so they tend to bounce off artery walls as they travel through the body. Others are small and dense, meaning they can penetrate the artery lining and form clumps of plaque. (Think beach balls versus bullets.) The Lp(a) blood test analyzes a specific type of cholesterol that can triple heart risk.
What the Results Mean: You do not want more than 15% of your particles to be the small, dense type. For Lp(a), levels above 30 mg/dl put you at increased risk.
4) A1C Blood Glucose Test How It Works: A blood test indicates your average level of blood sugar over the prior 3 months. Unlike other glucose tests that require fasting or
drinking a sugary beverage, this test requires neither.
Cost: $50
Duration: 5 minutes
Why It’s Heart Smart: This is the simplest way to detect your future risk of diabetes. This disease puts you at a 5 times higher risk of developing heart disease–yet 5.7 million Americans have undiagnosed diabetes (on top of the 17.9 million who are diagnosed) because they haven’t had their blood sugar checked.
Get It if: You’re 45 or older–or earlier if you’re overweight and have one or more diabetes risk factors, such as family history, high triglycerides, or low HDL.
What the Results Mean: An A1C level between 4.5 and 6% is normal, between 6 and 6.4% indicates prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher on two separate tests means you have diabetes.
are then eaten by other fish. These fish will now have more methylmercury in their bodies than the original shrimp.
– impaired motor skills
– problems thinking or problem-solving
– difficulties learning to speak or understanding language
– damaged motor skills – paralysis
– numbness
– problems with memory and concentration
– symptoms of ADHD
After a Pandemic Pause, the State Will Restart Checking Medi-Cal Eligibility...continued from page 6
Medi-Cal renewal process will be taking place at a time when California is preparing for some key expansions and changes.
Starting in 2024, more people will qualify for full-scope MediCal benefits as the state opens enrollment to income-eligible undocumented people ages 26 to 49, the last remaining age group. About 700,000 people are expected to gain benefits through that expansion. At the same time, the state will also commence new Medi-Cal contracts with insurers, which could result in health plan
changes for some enrollees. That’s a separate process, Huang at the state department said, and will not require any action from enrollees.
But these different moving parts happening at the same time will create more traffic in county social services offices, Baackes said.
“It’s just unfathomable to me,” he said, “that the state thinks that this is all going to happen without huge confusion on the part of the people we’re trying to serve.”
By Peter White
President Biden's recently announced budget proposal promises to maintain entitlement programs while dramatically increasing defense spending.
When trying to cut back on red meat, many people often turn to their deep-sea favorites. Tilapia, catfish, crab legs, lobster, or some great scallops are delicious. But many articles are showcasing the nation is being overrun by seafood with high levels of mercury. Should you be concerned? Continue reading this article to know what happens to your body when you will be eating too much seafood and fish.
Eating seafood that has been tainted with mercury is one of the most common ways humans accumulate mercury in their bodies. The mercury in seafood is a highly poisonous form of the metal called methylmercury, which forms when mercury dissolves into the water.
Methylmercury can be absorbed from the water by all sea creatures, but it also continues through the food chain.
Small sea creatures, such as shrimp and crawfish, often ingest methylmercury and
This process continues all the way up the food chain, so that a large fish may contain much more mercury than the fish it has eaten. This does not necessarily make it better to eat smaller fish, however. It is always essential for a person to check the source of their seafood to avoid contaminated fish and shellfish.
People worried about their exposure to mercury may want to limit their seafood intake, particularly of fish that are high on the food chain, such as swordfish, shark, white tuna, pike, walleye, and bass.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women may want to avoid or restrict their intake of fish and shellfish, as any mercury they contain can pass to the fetus or infant through the umbilical cord or breast milk.
Consuming food that contains mercury is the most common cause of mercury poisoning.
Mercury poisoning can cause severe symptoms and put the
When President Biden formally unveiled his budget last week in Philadelphia, he took direct aim at the political football that is entitlement reform. “I guarantee you I will protect Social Security and Medicare without any change,” the president said.
But analysts say looming shortfalls will put those commitments to the test.
“They’re really two choices, very straightforward. You can increase revenues going in, or you can reduce benefits being paid out,” said Andrew Eschtruth, associate director for external relations at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.
“The president’s budget did not go into any detail other than to say that it was absolutely not going to propose any benefit
reductions and would fight any benefit reductions that were proposed by the Congress,” Eschtruth added.
He was among a panel of speakers during an Ethnic Media Press briefing last week examining the president’s proposed budget.
Biden wants high-income workers to pay more taxes to ensure the nation’s popular Social Security program will have stable financial footing in the future. Social Security is the backbone of the retirement and disability income systems in this country, providing inflationadjusted benefits to more than 65 million people.
According to Eschtruth, based on incoming payroll taxes the program could continue to pay
Elizabeth Lower-Basch, Deputy Executive Director of Policy at the Center for Law and Social Poverty CLASP notes that Biden’s most striking budget proposals, including a national paid family leave policy, are in the space of care.
“The budget also calls to invest an additional $150 billion over 10 years for seniors and people with disabilities so that they can get care at home or in community settings rather than having to be cared for in a nursing home,” she said.
Investing in food security
Biden’s budget puts a high priority on federal nutrition food security programs, including school meals. The WIC program provides new moms with baby formula and pregnant women with groceries. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps poor families buy healthy food. A two-person family with a $1,526 monthly income qualifies.
State/Local News
“The Farm Bill is up for reauthorization this year. That’s usually a bipartisan bill, so the SNAP program is one area where there might be some opportunity for legislation to actually happen,” says Lower-Basch.
Other things on the President’s wish list include 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for all workers. Child Care and early childhood programs would get large increases — $600 billion over 10 years for childcare. Sixteen million children would get affordable childcare and four million 4-year-olds would go to preschool.
Lower-Basch says there’s going to be a lot of fighting and back and forth when Congress starts to debate Biden’s budget.
“These are proposals that didn’t quite make it to the finish line last year, even when Democrats did control both the House and the Senate, so they’ll definitely be more challenging to get through this year,” she said.
On Thursday, April 20, students from across the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) will test their knowledge of Latin-American and Hispanic history and culture during the Latino History Bee.
The Latino History Bee is the only event of its kind in the nation. The bee is divided into multiple rounds, with each round focusing on a different theme. The event is organized by SBCUSD’s Multilingual Programs department in order to help students learn about and embrace the rich history and cultural heritage of people of
Latin-American and Hispanic descent.
Multilingual Programs is asking local businesses and individuals to help make the Latino History Bee a success by donating time and resources. Any donations are welcome, from cash to bottles of water. To become a sponsor, contact Allynn Scott at (909) 891-1013. The Latino History Bee is set for Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 5–8 p.m. at Indian Springs High School Performing Arts Theater, 650 North Del Rosa Drive in San Bernardino.
TORRANCE, Calif. -- On March 4, 2023, an unidentified Latino male was brought into to a local hospital without identification. The hospital is seeking help from the public and news media to identify this patient and his possible family because he is currently unable to communicate any information which will help the hospital identify himself or his family. This is a general description of the patient; anyone with information that may help to identify his family is asked to contact the hospital at (424) 3066851. Thank you.
Sex: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Latino
Age: Mid 30’s
Eyes: Black
Hair: Black
Height: 5’3”
Weight: 148 pounds
Other descriptive information: Slim build with no visible tattoos; mustache and goatee; curly black hair
Wants Guns and Butter...continued from page 7 full benefits until 2035, at which point it would only be able to pay about 80% of benefits.
Andrew Eschtruth, Associate Director for External Relations at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, discusses the state of social security and policy options to ensure retirees will continue to receive full benefits.
Removing the $160,000 cap on taxable income, as the president’s budget proposes, would take care of three fifths of the projected shortfall, says Eschtruth. Putting a flat tax of 1.7% on everybody, including employers, would eliminate it. Neither of those solutions are on the table.
Impossible to know what will happen
Under the Constitution, Congress has the power of the purse so the President can’t order them to pass his budget. He must persuade them, says one prominent economist who has worked on Capitol Hill for many years.
“President Biden has presented a visionary budget proposal which recognizes that meeting the needs of the United States in the 21st Century requires more revenues and bolder program initiatives than we currently have,” says Chad Stone, Chief Economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Last year’s budget was no walk in the park. “It wasn’t like the President said, ‘This is what I want’, and Congress said, ‘Here you are’. Even so, Stone says a lot of good legislation got passed.
“Frankly, it’s impossible to know what will happen in the Republican-controlled House,” he said.
Stone noted Congress votes to fund many programs every year. That’s discretionary spending. Some things like Social Security, Medicare, and much of the Defense budget are paid for by dedicated taxes. Those programs are mandatory spending.
“I really don’t know how
VICTORVILLE, Calif. — The City of Victorville will hop into spring with its annual Spring Festival and Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hook Park located at 14973 Joshua Street.
All are invited to come and enjoy this event that will feature an egg hunt for children, local food and craft vendors, display booths, and an inflatable KidsZone. Admission, parking, and the KidsZone are FREE!
child and must be pre-purchased online at VictorvilleCA.gov/ Recreation.
Egg hunt participants should bring their own baskets. Children who find a golden egg during the egg hunt will be awarded a prize that can be claimed at the Recreation Booth.
things are going to play out. We live in interesting times,” Stone said, adding support for Ukraine is not going to be a budget buster and China is the one place where both sides agree.
Defense spending & investments in families
Biden’s request on defense spending is $842 billion, $35 billion higher than last year.
Defense officials are calling it the “largest, nominal-dollar peacetime budget ever.” If you add another $44 billion for the Department of Energy to upgrade nuclear weapons, it’s a total of $886 billion. That is still less than the $1.3 trillion spent on social welfare last year.
“The budget does propose to make some really important investments in children, families, seniors, workers, particularly those with low and moderate income, and it’s a particularly important moment, because a lot of the pandemic era programs are winding down,” says Elizabeth Lower-Basch, a social policy director at the Center for Law and Social Policy in Washington.
She said that costs for food, child care, and healthcare are continuing to rise. “So families are feeling the pinch. The President’s budget does propose to bring back the enhanced child tax credit which was rolled out in 2021 as part of the American rescue plan.”
Biden wants to bring it back permanently. And he wants to close the “Coverage Gap” for low-income families and individuals who make too much to qualify for free insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Lower-Basch said Biden’s budget would require all states to expand Medicaid for postpartum women for 12 months. Right now, 11 states have not expanded Medicaid and the President’s proposal would require them to do so.
Children’s Egg Hunt —The “Egg-Citing” egg hunt will be grouped into four separate hunts for children ages three to nine.
10:30 a.m. – Ages three and four (One parent or guardian allowed on the field. No strollers.)
11:15 a.m. – Ages five and six
12 p.m. – Ages seven to nine
12:45 p.m. – Children with special needs (One parent or guardian allowed on the field.)
Egg hunt tickets are $5 per
Vendor Information — Vendor applications are due no later than April 1. Vendors are encouraged to register right away as space is limited. To apply to be a vendor, visit VictorvilleCA. gov/SpecialEvents or call (760) 245-5551.
Sponsorship Information
— For more information on spring and summer sponsorship opportunities including Spring Festival, Community Clean Up Day, Public Works Day and Concerts in the Park, visit VictorvilleCA.gov/Sponsor or call (760) 955-3306.
March 20, 2023, Rancho Cucamonga, California – The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch due to forecasted widespread rainstorms throughout the Inland Empire beginning tomorrow morning, Tuesday, March 21, 2023, and into the afternoon. Due to the increased precipitation levels and concern for public safety, the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District and the San Bernardino County Fire Department have ordered a closure of the North Etiwanda Preserve beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 20, 2023.
The closure is being implemented under the authority granted to the fire chiefs of both agencies and pursuant to Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District Ordinance FD-058 and San Bernardino County Fire Code Section 11. The closure is supported by San Bernardino County Special Districts, the agency that manages the North Etiwanda Preserve.
The closure began at 7:00 p.m. Monday, March 20, 2023, and will be enforced until 6:30 a.m. Thursday, March 23, 2023. A violation of the closure order is punishable by a fine of $1,000. The closure order can be viewed at CityofRC.us/
EtiwandaPreserveClosure
This prohibition is in addition to the rules and regulations of the North Etiwanda Preserve, which are available at https:// specialdistricts.sbcounty.gov/ home/parks-and-recreation/ north-etiwanda-preserve/ or can be obtained from:
San Bernardino County, Special Districts Department 222 W. Hospitality Lane, 2nd Floor
San Bernardino, CA 924150450
The high precipitation levels could cause ponding on roadways and low-lying areas creating dangerous hiking conditions. The closure is necessary for public safety and to prevent public safety resources from responding to rescues within the North Etiwanda Preserve. For updated information and safety tips on the rainstorm, visit RCFire.Org and follow the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District on social media.
To request additional information related to the North Etiwanda Preserve Closure, please contact the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District at 1-909-477-2770 or by emailing RCFire@cityofrc.us.
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
(Ontario, California) Toyota
Arena has announced the position of General Manager has been filled by Gus Le Grand. He took on the day to day duties of General Manager as of March 20, 2023. “We are pleased to welcome Gus to Ontario and look forward to his expertise in managing our entertainment venue.” said Michael Krouse, Regional Vice President of ASM Global. “His experience in the live entertainment industry, as well as the food and beverage sector, will benefit the guests of Toyota Arena”.
Gus has over twenty years of accumulated experience in the Hospitality and Entertainment industry. His passion for the business began when ne moved to Maryland from Wisconsin at the age of twenty-one. Through hard work and dedication Gus obtained a management role and became the Assistant General Manager at Ram’s Head Live!
Within this position he managed an astounding three hundred employees while handling all scheduling, inventory, and day to day operations. In this capacity, Gus’s passion for the industry and customer service became glaringly evident. Within six months he was promoted into the role of General Manager where he played an integral role in Ram’s Head Live!’s $2.8 million-dollar annual revenue. Most recently, Gus was at Live! Casino Hotel in Hanover, MD. His love for music and people drives him daily to help others to succeed. Gus is active in mentoring others to reach their full potential. Gus Le Grand will relocate to Southern California. Learning about the region that will be his new home, the arena, and getting to know the guests of Toyota Arena will be his top priorities.
Toyota Arena, located in Southern California, built and owned by the City of Ontario, managed by ASM Global,
continues to win awards for the best entertainment venue in the region. The 225,000 square foot venue can accommodate capacities up to 11,000 for concerts, family shows, and sporting competitions. The arena features 36 luxury suites located on two levels and a continuous concourse hosting a variety of refreshment stands, merchandise kiosks, a VIP club and other fan amenities. Toyota Arena is proud to be recognized for cleaning and disinfecting to a higher standard to keep our space clean and safe for occupancy with a GBAC Star Accreditation. Toyota Arena hosts a variety of sporting competitions, concerts, family shows, special events, graduation ceremonies and community activities as well as private events. The Arena is home to Ontario Reign - AHL Hockey Team, and Ontario Fury - MASL Soccer Team and the Ontario Clippers - G league basketball team. Toyota Arena is the biggest and most modern arena within the region, an area with nearly 5 million people. It is located in the City of Ontario, California, on a 37-acre parcel located between Haven Avenue and Milliken Avenue, Fourth Street and the I-10 Freeway. For more information visit ToyotaArena.com
About ASM Global
ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. It is the global leader in venue and event strategy and management—delivering locally tailored solutions and cuttingedge technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 350 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention, and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. asmglobal.com