Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance those
whom they suppress.
—Fredrick Douglass (1849)(CNN)-A white man in his 80s is the individual who apparently shot and seriously wounded Ralph Yarl, a Black teen, on April 13 in Kansas City, Missouri, according to a CNN review of property records, police statements and detention records.
CNN is not naming the man at this time, given he has not been charged.
Two representatives at the Kansas City Police Department detention unit read the man’s booking information to CNN over the phone. They confirmed the man who was booked on an investigation hold was a White man in his 80s and his home address matches the address where the shooting took place.
The representatives also noted he was taken into custody on April 13 just before midnight and was released less than two hours later at 1:24 a.m. on April 14.
Property records, and a neighbor who spoke to CNN, confirmed the man and his wife are the homeowners living at the shooting location.
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said in a Sunday news conference a “homeowner” was placed on a 24-hour investigation hold following the shooting. After consulting with the Clay County prosecutor’s office, the homeowner was released pending further investigation.
Police also said that they have to interview the victim, and collect other forensics.
CNN has not been able to reach the man for comment at this time. A lawyer was not listed in the booking report. CNN has requested the booking report and mug shot for the accused shooter, in addition to the incident report, but has not yet received it from the Kansas City Police Department.
‘It is inescapable not to observe the racial dynamics here,’ lawyer says Officers responded to a home on April 13, just before 10 p.m., after receiving reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found Ralph, 16, who had been shot outside the residence by the homeowner.
Ralph was “shot twice and
struck in the head and arm,” his family’s attorneys said in a statement.
The neighbor CNN spoke with said they did not hear the shooting because they were asleep. But did say once awake, “We came outside (the victim) was laying in the street surrounded by a few of our neighbors.”
Ralph was transported to a hospital where he is currently in stable condition, police said.
Family attorney Ben Crump said the teen was shot in the head and chest and is “obviously distraught” by the incident.
“He understands that he could be dead now,” said Crump, describing Ralph as a musician and an honor roll student who was hoping to attend Texas A&M University.
Crump claimed the shooting was a racial profiling incident in an interview with CNN’s John Berman.
“We have been informed by his family that it was a White man who shot their 16-year-old son,” Crump said, explaining that he believes the teen was shot
because he is Black.
“It is inescapable not to observe the racial dynamics here,” said Crump. “If the roles were reversed,” he continued, “how much outraged would there be in America?”
At a weekend rally, community and family members marched to and demonstrated in front of the man’s house, calling for charges to be filed. Protesters marched as they chanted, “justice for Ralph” and “Black lives matter,” and carried signs reading, “Ringing a doorbell is not a crime” and “The shooter should do the time,” footage from CNN affiliate KMBC shows.
The teen’s father said, “We want charges. That’s what we want.”
Teen’s family seeking ‘swift action’
Police learned the teenager’s parents had asked him to pick up his siblings at an address on 115th Terrace, but he accidentally went to a home on 115th Street, where he was shot. Lawyers for Ralph’s family also say the
youth was shot after he went to the wrong house.
“Ralph Yarl was picking up his younger brothers when he mistakenly rang the doorbell at the wrong house. A man shot Ralph twice and now he’s in critical condition. His family needs support during this tragedy,” Crump tweeted.
Attorneys for the wounded youth’s family issued a statement demanding “swift action from Clay County prosecutors and law enforcement to identify, arrest and prosecute to the full extent of the law the man responsible for this horrendous and unjustifiable shooting.”
In a Monday interview with CNN, Crump said the shooting “hearkens back to Trayvon Martin and Ahmaud Arbery and so many of these other tragedies where you had citizens profile and shoot our Black children and the police then let them go home and sleep in their beds at night. Unacceptable.”
Asked whether the shooting may have been racially motivated, the police chief said, “the information that we have now, it does not say that that is racially motivated. That’s still an active investigation. But as a chief of police, I do recognize the racial components of this case.”
Graves sought to assure the Kansas City community Sunday the police department is committed to the case.
“We recognize the frustration this can cause in the entire criminal justice process. The women and men of the Kansas City Police Department are working as expeditiously and as thoroughly as we can, to ensure the criminal justice process continues to advance as quickly as all involved and our community deserve,” Graves said.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said there will be a thorough investigation and review by the prosecutor’s office.
“As a parent, I certainly feel for the mother of the victim and others in the family. My heart goes out to them,” the mayor added.
Teen was a band section leader
A GoFundMe started by Faith Spoonmore, who identified herself as Ralph’s aunt, to help the family raise money for medical expenses had garnered more than $1 million in donations by Monday morning.
Ralph had been looking forward to graduating from high school and visiting West Africa before starting college, his aunt
wrote in the fundraiser.
The teen is a section leader in a marching band and could often be found with a musical instrument in hand, Spoonmore wrote. Most recently, Ralph earned Missouri All-State Band honorable mention for playing the bass clarinet, according to a North Kansas City Schools’ newsletter in February. He also plays multiple instruments in the metropolitan youth orchestra, his aunt wrote.
He is a member of his school’s Technology Student Association and Science Olympiad Team and is a 2022 Missouri Scholars Academy alumni, she wrote.
“Last summer, Ralph attended Missouri Scholar’s Academy, where he got a full college life experience,” Spoonmore wrote. “His goal is to attend Texas A&M to major in chemical Engineering. When asked how he plans to get into this university, he said, ‘Well, if they have a scholarship for music or academics, I know I can get it.’ “
“Life looks a lot different right now. Even though he is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally. The trauma that he has to endure and survive is unimaginable,” the GoFundMe post reads.
McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media
Californians enrolled in MediCal should keep an eye out for a yellow envelope in their mailbox over the next 14 months.
The Medi-Cal eligibility of over 15.4 million Golden State residents is under review for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
If a Medi-Cal beneficiary does receive the yellow envelope, they must provide their current contact information to health care officials as soon as possible to retain their Medi-Cal coverage, noted California Department of
Health Care Services (DHCS)
Assistant Deputy Director Yingjia Huang.
“It is critical that they do it by the due date that is on the packet that will come,” she said. “If that is not completed by the due date, there is a possibility that you will lose your coverage from MediCal.”
Huang was one of several speakers featured during an April 12 online media briefing held to notify Medi-Cal members of the health coverage eligibility check, which began on April 1. The media teleconference was
organized by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services in partnership with DHCS. Medi-Cal is California’s version of Medicaid, the
federal government-funded health insurance program.
Administered in conjunction with states, Medicaid is designed for people with limited incomes. The
insurance covers services such as dental care, prescriptions, and medical and preventive care.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, enacted in 2020, directed Medicaid programs nationally to keep everyone enrolled during the pandemic. The annual redetermination process was suspended due to the severity of the worldwide health emergency. However, federal agencies,declared the emergency over last month. So now, 80 million Americans are in the process of having their Medicaid eligibility checked by
their states’ health department.
According to DHCS figures, 1,066,215 African Americans in California have Medi-Cal. Over 2.6 million Whites are enrolled in the program, as are 7.4 million Latinos. Over 2.8 million people who did not provide a race or ethnicity are insured by Medi-Cal and the number of Asian/Pacific Islanders enrolled is over 1.4 million. By ethnicity, people of American Indian/Alaskan Native descent account for the lowest number of enrollees at 55,851.
universal education freedom is that public schools will lose funding and low-income students will be most adversely impacted. Nearly two decades of research prove these assertions wrong. Research shows that healthy competition from education freedom programs has little effect on traditional schools in the same zip code. If anything, the studies show a slight increase in test scores.
Education freedom embraces everything from charter schools
to learning pods, parochial schools, home schools, and even traditional public schools. The beauty of education scholarship accounts is that they allow parents and educators to be innovative and creative while maintaining academic guidelines set by the state. And, best of all, they provide students with the clearest path to success.
Lisa B. Nelson is CEO of the American Legislative Exchange Council. Michelle Harvey is a National Education Advisor.
For decades, parents have fought to provide education freedom for their children. The District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program, passed in 2003, provided a glimmer of hope. The movement to pass a D.C. scholarship program was led by a mother, Virginia Walden Ford, who wanted a brighter future for her son. Twenty years later, six states -- West Virginia, Arizona, Iowa, Utah, Arkansas, and Florida -- have passed significant legislation that empowers every family with education scholarship accounts. With funding in place, students are now positioned for unprecedented success. West Virginia, a state historically at the bottom of education success ratings, has emerged as a national leader in education freedom. Families may apply for a Hope Scholarship of $4,300 per eligible student and use the funds for a wide variety of educational expenses like tuition, testing fees, tutoring services, school uniforms, and more. They make a difference because they address the most basic of needs.
First, they provide parents with more control over their student's education. If a parent's standards aren't being met, they are empowered to make a change. The scholarships also
allow students to choose the environment that best fits their learning style. Not every child learns at the same pace with the same lessons under the same methods. And finally, these scholarships will open doors for families who previously could not afford private schools. In a word, they offer choice.
The timing for this freedom has never been better. Postpandemic school closures, controversial curriculums, and lackluster academic success from traditional teaching models have motivated parents and commonsense legislators to embrace model education freedom policies like the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Hope Scholarship Act. This act, which creates an education scholarship account for any student throughout the state, is a pathway to education freedom.
Opponents of such a freedom claim to be the student’s only champion. But their one size fits all approach prioritizes the system over students. By contrast, education freedom advocates recognize that students need the option of both strong public schools and alternative forms of education.
The chief argument against
APRIL 13, 2023UPDATED APRIL 14, 2023
Thousands of adult Californians without a high school diploma want to take college classes. Unfortunately, those classes aren’t free, and the lack of a high school diploma cuts off access to most financial aid.
The good news is, there’s a fix. The bad news is most students don’t know about the fix, and most college officials don’t understand the laws surrounding it. Federal law has a special clause that allows students lacking a high school diploma to access financial aid money they would otherwise miss. Known as the Ability to Benefit, the provision opens up federal financial aid to adults without high school degrees who enroll in GED and college classes simultaneously. California community colleges also stand to benefit financially from the law because it could allow schools to boost enrollment and the number of students on federal aid, both of which are tied to the state’s new college funding formula.
credits. In 2012, Congress cut the funding, only to restore it fully in 2016. Then Congress required that colleges offer counseling and career training to these students and that they restrict them to a certain set of classes and majors that align with the local economy. Whereas the original rule had only been about the student’s eligibility, the 2016 regulations asked colleges to perform certain services, and colleges didn’t know how to interpret it, Mortrude said.
More than 4 million Californians lack a high school degree and roughly 340,000 of those adults were taking some form of adult education in 2021, according to the California Community College Chancellor’s office. At least that many adults could be eligible for this federal aid, but in 2016, just shy of 58,000 students in California actually received federal grants or loans associated with it. The numbers have dropped every year since, and in 2021, just more than 30,000 California students participated, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That means as many as 90% of eligible adult students weren’t taking advantage of this aid. The decline is the result of a complicated balancing act.
On the one hand, the federal government has noted a history of poor oversight and “abuse” of Ability to Benefit, especially by for-profit colleges. On the other hand, more regulation has left community colleges feeling confused and uninformed.
Still, Bradley Custer, a senior policy analyst for higher education at the Center for American Progress, said use of the aid has room to grow.
“There’s no compelling reason why we couldn’t at least get back to 2016 and prior enrollment,” he said. Locked out of loans and grants In California, community college tuition is free for qualifying lowincome students who apply, but even for those who get the fee waiver, it’s just a fraction of the many costs related to attending college. Textbooks, transportation, and food add an average of roughly $12,000 a year.
That’s why the federal government offers flexible aid for college students — and through Ability to Benefit, adults without high school degrees can access that money, too. A federal Pell grant, for instance, currently provides as much as $6,895 a year for qualifying students, money that can be spent on things like childcare or rent.
Joe Villa, 67, needs that money. He has six children from two marriages, no high school diploma, and a criminal record that makes even a simple job interview challenging. But he won’t give up.
While serving a 10-year sentence at High Desert State Prison in
Susanville, Villa attempted to get his GED, but the program closed before he could finish.
Then in 2019, Villa was standing beside a prison employee when another inmate charged at the two of them. Villa intervened, saving the employee’s life. Gov. Gavin Newsom commuted Villa’s sentence, and he was released in April 2020 — just weeks after the state locked down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There was no employment because of COVID, and I’m thinking, perhaps this is the best time to re-educate myself and get my degree,” he said. Through Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, Villa promptly enrolled in both a GED program and a number of college classes. CalMatters found Villa through a Saddleback administrator reference. He tried to apply for federal student aid, but didn’t get far since he doesn’t have a high school diploma and didn’t know about the Ability to Benefit provision.
Qualifying for the Ability to Benefit exception is not easy. A student must first enroll in a program to obtain their high school degree or equivalent and take six credits of college courses. Alternatively, they can pass a special exam.
Finally, students who want the federal dollars must receive certain kinds of counseling support and can only take a certain set of courses, as interpreted by their college.
Villa checks nearly every box. He is currently enrolled in both a GED class and has already taken more than six credits worth of courses at Saddleback in the hope of getting his associates degree and then transferring to four-year university to study cinematography.
But as of 2020, Saddleback College no longer offers students aid through Ability to Benefit.
Fixing a ‘scam,’ facing consequences
It’s a trend, said Judy Mortrude, senior technical advisor at the National College Transition Network of World Education, Inc., a Boston-based nonprofit that helps community colleges.
In 1991, Congress put Ability to Benefit into the law and slowly added regulations that explained how students could qualify, like through an exam or by taking six
“The chain of communication is poor,” said Naomi Castro, a senior director with the Career Ladders Projects, a nonprofit research group founded by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. She said that many financial aid directors at community colleges didn’t even know that Congress restarted the program in 2016.
Saddleback allowed students who enrolled prior to 2012 to get aid at any point, since they qualified through the old law, but the college never implemented the 2016 regulations, meaning students such as Villa have yet to benefit.
The challenge, said Karima Feldhus, an academic administrator at Saddleback, is that the college lacks “an eligible list of careers” according to the 2016 regulations. As to why the college waited years to adopt the regulations , she said she didn’t know and referred CalMatters to the director of the financial aid office and the dean of enrollment. Neither person responded to requests for comment.
Nor did San Jose City College implement Ability to Benefit when it restarted in 2016, according to Takeo Kubo, the financial aid director.
San Jose City College spokesperson Daniel Garza said the 2016 law required “significant curriculum development efforts,” which he noted can be “quite an undertaking” at any school. He said he was not aware of what efforts the college made to consider making the necessary curriculum changes when the new regulations came out.
Some community colleges, including the four Sacramentoarea ones in the Los Rios Community College District, did adapt to the new regulations. Those colleges currently have 42 students who receive aid through Ability to Benefit out of a total of 780 students in the system without a high school diploma. While community colleges have increasingly shied away from Ability to Benefit over the years, for-profit colleges have leaned in.
Nationally, participation at public and private nonprofit colleges has dropped by more than half since 2016 while usage at private for-profit schools has risen, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. The department did not respond to requests for recent statewide data. For-profit and nonprofit use different processes, too. The department data shows public and private nonprofit colleges generally have students qualify
By an 8-3 margin, bill putting distance between new logistics centers and sensitive receptors like homes, schools and daycares moves forward.
(SACRAMENTO) — Today
for Ability to Benefit by taking six credits worth of classes. At for-profit colleges, nearly every student qualifies for it through an exam.
“It’s sort of a scam how they are
getting bucket loads of people to hit a cut score on an exam who somehow couldn’t pass the GED test,” said Mortrude. The department created many of the new regulations to clamp
down on such “predatory behavior,” she said. A third way While students generally qualify for Ability to Benefit through the two national pathways, federal law also allows states to develop their own processes.
In 2019, Mortrude, Castro, and other college leaders sent a proposal to the Community College Chancellor’s Office on how California could set its own such process. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Washington and Wisconsin have already done it.
In Wisconsin, for example, adult students at some technical colleges can qualify for aid by participating in an orientation and by working with a tutor or academic counselor, among other criteria.
The individual community colleges are responsible for implementing the Ability to Benefit provision for students,
said Paul Feist, a vice chancellor for the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, in a statement. He said the office will explore creating a “state defined process” akin to what other states have done. The office did not provide a timeline for a new state process.
This month, a committee of Saddleback administrators came together to figure out the federal regulations with the goal of offering the Ability to Benefit aid this fall.
If they succeed, Villa has a list of expenses he hopes his aid can cover. First, he’s late on child support payments. He wants a new apartment and after putting on some weight during the COVID pandemic, he needs new clothes that fit. Adam Echelman covers California’s community colleges in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education.
TEGNA and Diversity in Media Ownership
the Assembly Natural Resources Committee approved AB 1000, the Good Neighbor Policy, which addresses the planning and construction of new logistics centers across California. The bill would permit local governments to approve construction of large warehouses and logistics centers of over 100,000 square feet when they are 1,000 feet from sensitive receptors such as schools, homes and daycares. Local governments would also be able to approve construction of these facilities as close as 750 feet from a sensitive receptor when specific mitigation measures are followed to reduce negative community impacts.
“Today was an important initial step in moving AB 1000 through the legislative process” said Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes. “I am encourage by the diverse group of stakeholder including healthcare professionals, environmentalists,
and organized labor who joined us in calling for balance between warehouse construction and community quality of life. I look forward to continuing to engaging with stakeholders on all sides of this issue as this legislation moves forward.” AB 1000 will next be scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Local Government Committee. To sign up for email updates on this legislation, download a factsheet, and to view articles and videos relevant to AB 1000 you can visit https://a50.asmdc. org/GoodNeighbor.
Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes is the Majority Leader of the California State Assembly, representing Assembly District 50, which includes the cities of Colton, Fontana, Loma Linda, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands and San Bernardino, as well as unincorporated Bloomington.
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from page 1
By Hazel Trice Edney (TriceEdneyWire.com) -Cedric Richmond, former Congressman (LA-2), former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, former senior advisor to President Joe Biden, and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, has become the latest voice of Black America to appeal to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for racial diversity in media ownership.
In an opinion-editorial published in the Baltimore Sun, Richmond exhorted the FCC not to “cave to special interests who have sought to pit minority groups against each other in an effort to block one of the biggest opportunities in history to advance media ownership diversity in our country.”
Richmond was referring to the Standard General’s acquisition of media company TEGNA, a deal widely viewed as a major opportunity to instantly enhance minority media ownership and transform local newsrooms by bringing a level of new and racially diverse media faces and voices into them like never before seen or heard across America.
“It’s an exciting opportunity. But rather than celebrating this thrilling moment, deal critics have resorted to the ugliest of rhetoric,” Richmond points out.
The FCC has given Standard General no feedback or provided any reasons for not taking a vote, and it appears to be running out the clock on the deal, for which Richmond exhorts the commission to clarify any “substantive grounds for rejecting” the acquisition or “act and change its course.”
In his appeal, Richmond joins a distinguished line up of civil rights leaders, activists and media professionals supporting
the acquisition. They include household names such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network, media personality Roland Martin, civil rights lawyer Barbara Arnwine, Benjamin Chavis of the NNPA, among many others. Richmond recently appeared on Sharpton’s radio show, “Keepin’ It Real”.
In response to Rev. Sharpton’s questions about the state of media diversity, Richmond gave a dismal report on the state of Black media in America.
“It’s not diverse at all,” he said. “And especially when you talk about the ownership of media in the United States.
And so you know it far better than I do because you have been there and been a voice… one that has always pushed for diversity. And it’s just something that we've never been able to accomplish or never been able to hold the powers that be to make them diversify it. And so now you're talking about a day and age where you have so much misinformation, so much fake news, so much alternative facts, people really need to know the
truth and we always say that, you know, facts and truth empower people to know what's going on in their community. So that’s why your TV Show is so important, your radio show is so important among other voices that are out there. But if we don’t own it and you don’t have diversity in ownership then you are at the whim of what others say.”
Rev. Sharpton later asked Richmond why Standard General’s deal with TEGNA matters. Mr. Richmond explained: “Well the proposed acquisition by Standard General of TEGNA would create the country’s, it would create the biggest TV broadcasting company owned by a minority, led by a female, and you have history. And for an administration that focuses on diversity, and I know for a fact that the President when he says it he means it, and the FCC is in the process of letting this golden opportunity to empower minority voices…You're talking about a deal that would infuse almost two billion dollars into TEGNA to allow them to expand local news funding. The leadership of Standard General, Soo Kim, has a great track record in terms of labor, in terms of investing in
companies. So immediately off the bat they’re saying they won't lay anyone off in the newsroom for three years, and they're going to continue to create local grant funds for local journalism.”
Even with top civil rights and Black media voices pushing for the TEGNA acquisition, it appears they are not being heard. Unless the FCC does an abrupt turnaround, it is still on course to allow the proposal to die, despite promises from Kim to maximize newsroom investment and diversity. “No one in the history of this country has had to deal with what the FCC Is doing to Standard General,” Richmond concluded.
“We (Standard General) want to partner with community journalism groups to amplify the work they’re doing and the communities they represent,” Kim said in an interview last June.
“We’re open to exploring new partnership models to get diverse viewpoints and perspectives on the air and to make sure people have the resources to do it. We’re calling it enhanced community access or creative community access and we’re excited about the possibilities it will open up.”
Together, Standard General and TEGNA, would be led by television industry veteran Deb McDermott, the first woman from broadcast management to be inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.
TEGNA has a national audience with stations in over 50 markets. “I’ve long believed the people producing the news should be as diverse as those who tune in to watch it every day — and this deal is an opportunity to achieve exactly that,” Kim said last year.
Yet, a year later, the FCC mysteriously appears poised to allow the venture to fail.
Children’s Partnership Executive Director Mayra Alvarez said during the online call that it is important for MediCal eligible families to keep coverage.
“As we come out of this public health emergency, health insurance coverage and access to care is essential for everyone to be healthy and thrive,” she explained. “Particularly during this pandemic, which has also exacerbated mental health issues for children and youth across the state.”
Alvarez said most of Medi-Cal enrollees are people of color, and nearly 70% of the 5.7 million children that use the service are minorities.
“It is a lifeline for so many in our communities, and it’s a program that continues to be available for the millions enrolled,” she stated. “Even before the pandemic, long standing, structurally racist policies and practices have created an environment wherein families of color experience significantly greater degrees of instability. Instability in employment; instability in income; instability in housing. These economic and housing conditions actually heighten the risk of disruptions in health coverage and in doing so, eliminates the security that comes with having health insurance coverage.”
The packets inside the yellow envelopes Medi-Cal members will receive ask for personal information, including their current phone number, email address, and street address. Recipients must reply by the deadline, which is typically between 45 to 60 days after getting the packet in the mail.
For example, packets mailed this month have a June 30 due date and packets sent in May must be returned by July 31. The MediCal account holders can provide that info by mail, online, or by
calling their county’s Medi-Cal office.
“The easiest way to actually do this is online,” Huang remarked. Medi-Cal members all have different medical renewal months. Around 30% will be automatically renewed. Those people will get a letter in the mail acknowledging that.
Also, addressed during the briefing were the steps involved in redetermining a person’s eligibility and how to get information in 19 different languages.
Between two million to three million Californians will lose the health service, while others will become eligible for the first time.
Workers hired to jobs that provide health benefits and people who earn enough income to be shifted from the health coverage to Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange, are among those predicted to lose Medi-Cal.
Huang said the switch from Medi-Cal to Covered California can be automatic.
“It all goes back to the member must have the most updated information with the county Medi-Cal office for that process to happen,” she said.
The Medi-Cal packets are sent to the last known address of beneficiaries. Recipients whose name, phone number, email address or mailing address have changed in the last three years need to update that information at Covered California, BenefitsCal, or My Benefits CalWIN. Medi-Cal coverage, Alvarez said, can continue for everyone who is eligible.
“Now is the time to make sure we are taking the necessary steps to keep our coverage,” she noted. “This is especially important for people of color, who are more likely to rely on Medi-Cal for coverage and who are more likely to be at risk of losing that coverage.”
Thursday, April 20, 2023
continued from page 3
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA
– The Riverside County Library System (RCLS), a leading resource for education, connection, and life enrichment, will celebrate all things library during National Library Week, April 23-29, 2023. National Library Week, an annual observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the United States, promotes library use and support.
Riverside County Library branches serve as a welcoming and accommodating environment that promote a feeling of belonging and encourage the growth of a community among individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. Riverside County residents can benefit from free access to an array of technology, internet access, educational programs, and diverse collections that cater to the needs and interests of the entire community, ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities to avail themselves of these resources.
As part of National Library Week, RCLS extends an invitation to take part in the launch of the new county-wide reading campaign centered around the theme of "READ TODAY, LEAD TOMORROW," which aims to unite and cultivate future leaders. In addition to providing programs and activities at all 36 libraries, the initiative will also recognize the contributions of local leaders who work tirelessly
to make Riverside County a great place to live.
"Through the power of reading, we can unlock our full potential and become the leaders of tomorrow," said Third District Supervisor, Chuck Washington.
"That's why I am proud to support the 'Read Today, Lead Tomorrow' reading campaign that will launch during National Library Week, which promotes the library as a valuable resource for personal and professional growth for all members of our community."
By participating in National Library Week with RCLS, county residents can establish a connection with their local library and make a beneficial impact on the community. “We want our patrons to know that reading leads to great outcomes,” says Joan Tyler, Interim RCLS Library Director. “So, we are giving everyone the opportunity to share more about their favorite leader who inspires them at every Library location.”
To find out more about upcoming events and other National Library Week programs happening within the Riverside County Library System, please visit https://rivlib.libcal.com/ calendar.
The Riverside County Library System is a division of the Office of Economic Development. For more information, please contact the Riverside County Library System at (951) 369-3003 or visit rivlib.net.
The threatening comments by the officials that were recorded have sparked outrage and protests, with Oklahoma's governor calling for them to resign.
Author: KEN MILLER (Associated Press)
Updated: 7:12 PM EDT April 18, 2023
Richmond explains in his op-ed: “The review process is meant to be completed within 180-days based on an informal 'shot clock.' Yet it took the FCC nearly a full year to make any announcement about it all; and when the commission finally did last week, the message was that it was going to delay a ruling even further by referring the deal to an administrative law judge for more hearings. Keen industry observers were quick to point out that this further delay was likely a death sentence for the transaction — since this drawn out legal process will likely continue well past the May 22nd closing deadline for the acquisition. Indeed, Standard General acknowledged as much in its public statements.”
Among the deal’s earliest supporters, Ben Chavis, President/CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association with more than 22 million readers per week, said this week that the FCC should immediately revive Kim’s proposal.
“The National Newspaper Publishers Association takes the position that the FCC should reconsider this issue of Soo Kim and the issue of the potential benefit to communities of color
because he suspected the group was continuing to conduct county business after the meeting had ended in violation of the state’s Open Meeting Act.
Willingham said he twice spoke with his attorneys to be sure he was doing nothing illegal.
The newspaper released portions of the recording in which Clardy, sheriff’s Capt. Alicia Manning and District 2 County Commissioner Mark Jennings appear to discuss Bruce and Chris Willingham, a reporter for the newspaper who is Bruce Willingham’s son. Jennings tells Clardy and Manning “I know where two deep holes are dug if you ever need them,” and the sheriff responded, “I’ve got an excavator.”
Jennings also reportedly says he’s known “two or three hit men” in Louisiana, adding “they’re very quiet guys.”
In the recording, Jennings also appears to complain about not being able to hang Black people, saying: “They got more rights than we got.”
Jail Administrator Larry Hendrix was also present during the conversation.
The Associated Press could not immediately verify the authenticity of the recording. None of the four have returned telephone calls or emails from The Associated Press.
as a result of this proposal. We believe that upon a rereview by the FCC, it should be reconsidered because it would bring great economic benefit and strongly deal with the issue of equity. The FCC not approving this merger contributes to inequity.”
Despite what appears to be deaf ears at the FCC, the civil rights community shows no sign of giving up.
“The FCC’s failure to seize this opportunity to advance minority media ownership is beyond disappointing,” wrote Richmond.
“From Day 1, the Biden-Harris administration has taken bold action to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion throughout government. Undermining the attempt by a minority business leader to acquire a major media property, and doing so in a way that is totally unprecedented, is, on its face, at odds with the administration’s approach and core values. It is difficult to understand how we have come to this place.”
The FCC is running out of time to do the right thing, Richmond says. But it’s not too late. He and others are clear: Our voices won’t be silenced even if they aren’t being heard.
the death of Bobby Barrick, a Broken Bow, Oklahoma, man who died at a hospital in March 2022 after McCurtain County deputies shot him with a stun gun. The newspaper has filed a lawsuit against the sheriff’s office seeking body camera footage and other records connected to Barrick’s death.
Separately, Chris Willingham has filed a federal lawsuit against the sheriff’s office, Clardy, Manning and the Board of County Commissioners alleging Manning slandered him after he wrote an eight-part series of articles detailing problems inside the sheriff’s office. The lawsuit claims after the first few articles were published, Clardy and Manning began investigating which office employees were speaking to the newspaper and were attempting to get a search warrant for Willingham’s phone.
The lawsuit, which was filed on the same day the recording was made, alleges that after the series was published, Manning told a third party during a teleconference that Chris Willingham exchanged marijuana for pornographic images of children from a man who had been arrested on child pornography charges.
Paulette Brown-Hinds will be honored at May 25 luncheon
commerce news release states.
Paulette Brown-Hinds, publisher of the Black Voice News, will be honored as the 2023 ATHENA of Riverside Award recipient on Thursday, May 25, 2023, during an event at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in downtown Riverside. (Courtesy of JSK Journalism Fellows)
Paulette Brown-Hinds, publisher of the Black Voice News, will be honored during a May luncheon at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in downtown Riverside.
Brown-Hinds has won the 38th annual ATHENA of Riverside Award in recognition of her work in the news media and journalism.
The award is given by the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce and its ATHENA Committee. She will be saluted at noon Thursday, May 25, at The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa. Event proceeds will fund scholarships for young women at Riverside colleges and universities.
Brown-Hinds is “a practitioner and strategist, utilizing Black Media as a trusted source for community news and information,” a chamber of
Brown-Hinds has worked more than 30 years in media, communications and community engagement, the release states. She has served as the lead Black media strategist for several campaigns. Also, she is turning the Black Voice News from a print publication into a digital platform with solutions-based data journalism, the release states. She led the Mapping Black California geospatial community mapping initiative, which won $300,000 from the Google News Initiative Innovation Fund. Brown-Hinds is co-founder of Media In Color, which works with media professionals to “ensure California’s news media organizations in communities of color are self-sufficient civic actors informing, empowering, and advancing the interests of their communities,” the release states.
Brown-Hinds also conducts Underground Railroad Study Tours and has served on several boards, including the American Press Institute, CalMatters and the California Press Foundation. In 2019, she became president of the California News Publishers Association and was the first African American elected to lead the group. She is also the first African American to chair the Inland Empire Community Foundation board.
Event information: Quirina Arana, 951-683-7100, ext. 211, or qarana@riverside-chamber. com
They claim the "inglorious aspects" of US history are too divisive for college curriculum.
By Candace McDuffieAn Oklahoma sheriff’s office says a newspaper's audio recording in which the sheriff and other county officials are reportedly heard discussing killing two journalists and hanging Black people was illegal and predicted felony charges will be filed.
A post on the sheriff's office Facebook page — the agency's first public comment since the comments by Sheriff Kevin Clardy and others were reported by the McCurtain GazetteNews — does not address the recorded discussion, but calls the situation “complex” and one “we regret having to address.”
The threatening comments by the officials that were recorded have sparked outrage and protests. Oklahoma’s GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt and state Rep. Eddy Dempsey, a Republican who represents the area, have called for Clardy and others to resign.
NAACP leaders in Oklahoma also called for the FBI and the Department of Justice to investigate. The sheriff’s statement calls
the past 72 hours “amongst the most difficult and disruptive in recent memory” and says the recording was altered and involves many victims.
“There is and has been an ongoing investigation into multiple, significant violation(s) of the Oklahoma Security of Communications Act ... which states that it is illegal to secretly record a conversation in which you are not involved and do not have the consent of at least one of the involved parties,” according to the statement.
Joey Senat, a journalism professor at Oklahoma State University, said under Oklahoma law, the recording would be legal if it were obtained in a place where the officials being recorded did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Bruce Willingham, the longtime publisher of the McCurtain Gazette-News, said the recording was made March 6 when he left a voice-activated
county commissioner’s
Glenn Cook, the executive editor of the Las Vegas ReviewJournal, where reporter Jeff German was stabbed to death in September allegedly by an elected official the reporter was investigating, said he was “chilled to the bone” after learning about the Oklahoma case.
“What’s almost as troubling as the contents of the recording is the complete absence of shame,” Cook said of the sheriff’s office’s response to the incident. “Sadly, the willingness of government to protect itself at all costs really never surprises me, but in this particular case the kind of digging in that we’re seeing reflects incredibly poorly on the people of Oklahoma.”
A spokesperson for the FBI’s office in Oklahoma City declined to comment on the case. Phil Bacharach, a spokesperson for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, said the agency had received an audio recording and is investigating the incident, but declined to comment further.
Bruce Willingham said he believes the local officials were upset about “stories we’ve run that cast the sheriff’s office in an unfavorable light,” including
“Manning made these (and other) false statements about Willingham in retaliation for articles he wrote about the (sheriff’s office) as a reporter for the McCurtain Gazette and to destroy his credibility as a reporter and journalist,” the lawsuit states.
More than 100 people gathered outside the McCurtain County Courthouse in Idabel on Monday, with many of them calling for the sheriff and other county officials to resign.
On Tuesday, the Oklahoma Sheriff’s Association, a voluntary membership organization and not a regulatory agency, held an emergency meeting of its board. It voted unanimously to suspend Clardy, Manning and Hendrix from the association. The sheriff’s office statement said there have been “a large number of threats of violence including death threats” against unspecified county employees, officials, their families and friends since the conversation was first reported.
The statement said the sheriff’s office will issue news releases until its investigation concludes “and findings are forwarded to the appropriate authorities for felony charges to be filed on those involved.”
As the right continues their attack on education, Louisiana Republican Party officials want lawmakers to stop colleges from teaching racism in its curriculum. According to NOLA.com, the GOP is asserting that the “inglorious aspects” of American history are too divisive to teach.
In addition, Republican leaders also want to get rid of diversity, equity, and inclusion departments “within any institution of higher learning within the state.” The US Census Bureau has reported that a third of Louisiana residents are Black, according to the US Census Bureau.
In a resolution passed Saturday, the GOP asserted— without any proof—that these programs often have generous budgets and caused incendiary political tensions on campuses. It also criticized Louisiana State University and University of Louisiana System programs, run by Claire Norris, for giving resources to DEI initiatives.
University of Louisiana System President Jim Henderson told Insider in a statement that the GOP resolution was “so foreign
to the reality at our institutions it defies comment. In addition, he stated: “We make no statement on the inner workings and platform development of political parties. That is their business.
“That said, the naming of an invaluable member of my staff is unnecessary and inappropriate. She is an exemplary professional and an asset to Louisiana and higher education.” State party officials encouraged the Legislature to follow the lead of other conservative states with their resolution by ridding classrooms of curriculum and books pertaining to racism and LGBTQ+ themes.
This measure is similar to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ attack on critical race theory from being taught on college campuses. Republicans insist that teaching American history accurately reinforces white guilt when all it does is educate students on the fact this country was built on the backs of Black people. Erasing it from lessons plans will never change the fact that it happened.
SoCalGas’ $1 million donation to California Restaurant Foundation to support qualifying restaurants with $5,000 grants; applications
open April 15 to May 7
LOS ANGELES (April 12, 2023) – Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced that grant applications for the California Restaurant Foundation's (CRF) Restaurants Care Resilience Fund will open April 15 to May 7, making $5,000 grants available to 177 restaurants in SoCalGas’ service area, with a total of 360 grants available statewide for qualifying independent restaurants. The grants will go towards technology adoption, equipment upgrades, employee onboarding and retention, or unforeseen hardships.
This latest round of grants follows SoCalGas’ $1 million donation earlier this year to the foundation’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund to support independently owned restaurants. Together, this brings this year’s fund total to $2.1 million, making it the largest Restaurants Care® Resilience Fund to date since the program started in 2021.
SoCalGas’ continued support of our Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, as it allows us to help independent restaurant owners in central and southern California to build resilience and strengthen their business for the long term,” said Alycia Harshfield, executive director of the California Restaurant Foundation. “The Resilience Fund grants directly benefit the local community by providing restaurant owners with financial assistance to adopt new technologies, upgrade equipment, promote employee training and retention, and weather unforeseen hardships. Thanks to SoCalGas’ generosity, this will be our biggest and most impactful Resilience Fund yet!”
Double XXposure Media are excited to announce that the legendary Tony winner, R&B hit maker and Grammy nominee Melba Moore will make her return to the world of television sitcoms, by being cast on an episode in the upcoming debut season of TUBI-TV’s “Kim & Niecy”.
A spinoff of the longtime sitcom, “Moesha”, the series “Kim & Niecy” stars two alumni from the former show – Countess Vaughan (“Kim Parker Hauser”) and Shar Jackson (“Niecy Jackson Hamilton”). Both reprise their characters, who are now business partners in Kim’s fashion store and beauty salon.
Ms. Moore will portray Niecy’s grandmother, Lori Shockman. The “Kim & Niecy” episode is slated for production this summer and will be streamed on TUBI-TV during the upcoming fall season, when the series will make its debut.
In previous years, Ms. Moore starred in the CBS-TV variety series, “The Melba Moore/ Clifton Davis Show” (thus making the duo the first African American couple to host a network program), as well as the sitcom, “Melba”, which also aired on CBS.
Ms. Moore is available for interviews. To inquire, contact angelo@dxxnyc.com
Press releases & Legal Advertising Submission Deadline
5 pm MONDAY
Please email to: mary@sb-american.com
Following 10 years of partnership, Tribe and School celebrate the uplifting of hundreds of Native lives
Lifestyle/Entertainment News
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians (SMBMI) is providing Sherman Indian High School (SIHS) a $2.7 million grant for a comprehensive career technical education program. Funding will allow students at Sherman Indian High School have access to pathway programs that support careers in agricultural science, computer literacy, construction, culinary, health and public safety.
On Wednesday, April 19 at 2 p.m., Sherman Indian High School, a historic off-reservation boarding school, hosted a recommitment ceremony as the Tribe and School celebrated their ten-year partnership through culture, arts, and student-led presentations.
Sherman was pleased to recognize the sustained generosity and support of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, with the awarding of a fifth educational grant, for a total of $12 million, to continue its innovative Career Technical Education Pathways Program (Career Pathways), for an
additional three years (2022 through 2025). The growth and success of this program is due to the dedication of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians to opening doors through education. The Tribe wss dedicated to Native youth becoming productive members of their communities and places philanthropy as one of their top priorities.
Together the partners continue seek to address the needs of Native youth leaving high school by providing needed direction and the skills so they may support themselves, their communities, and others. With this in mind the Tribe connected with Sherman to create the Pathways program to provide students new choices and opportunities for college or vocational careers. The Pathways department supplements the students core academic classes by providing vocational education, interweaving Math, Science, Art, and History while continuing exposure to essential workplace skills and expectations.
"SoCalGas is partnering with the California Restaurant Foundation’s Restaurant Resilience Fund for the third consecutive year with grants for independent restaurants. Restaurants are the fabric and flavor of our local communities, and the work of the foundation helps support and sustain local restaurant owners, their employees, and their businesses,” said David Barrett, SoCalGas senior vice president, general counsel, and California Restaurant Foundation board member.
Since its inception, the Resilience Fund has awarded 788 grants to independent restaurants across California. Among them, 68.5% were women-owned and 83% were owned by people of color.
“We are so grateful for
By: Lou K. Coleman“California’s restaurants have faced unprecedented challenges throughout the pandemic, and this grant from the California Restaurant Foundation and SoCalGas will provide funds to help small businesses continue to be a part of our communities,” said Assembly Member Miguel Santiago.
"We are so thankful to SoCalGas for last year’s grant. We were able to purchase a new refrigerator for our kitchen, and with the funding, upgraded it to a more energy-efficient model that better serves my customers and the planet," said 2022 grant recipient Claire Risoli, owner of Pocha LA in Highland Park. "I was also able to award my steadfast employees with a bonus on their paycheck for their loyalty and service, despite the hardships we experienced the past few years. Our team is the heart of Pocha and I know my food is not my greatest asset – my people are."
In addition to providing financial support to restaurants, SoCalGas offers programs
continued in next 2 columns
San Bernardino, CA, April 15, 2023-As you tidy up during the spring season, be sure to set aside your bags and boxes of gently used clothing, shoes, accessories, books, blankets, small appliances and other home goods and bring them to the Legacy Bridges Foundation, Inc. Clothing Donation Drive-Thru Event on Saturday, May 6th, 2023 10:00a.m. - 1:00p.m. at the New Hope Family Life Center located at 1505 W. Highland Ave. San Bernardino, Ca 92411.
"Drive-up and we'll unload your vehicles,” said Executive Director Melanee Stovall. "So many of us have an abundance of clothing that we no longer wear or an overflow of shoes, accessories and other items that we just don't know what to do with. Here's an opportunity to give those unwanted items a new home. Sort through your closets and cupboards and set aside these items in preparation of the largest donation drive-thru event in the Inland Empire," she said.
out of every 26 individuals; 3.4 million people nationwide, more than 65 million people globally, and 150,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year."
“This is a unique two-fold opportunity that we strongly encourage you to participate in, as it will free up space in your homes and allow you to support a local nonprofit organization doing tremendous work,” said Volunteer Director Melody Solomon. "Items we accept include: gently used clothing, shoes, accessories, books, blankets, small appliances and other home goods. We cannot accept the following: encyclopedias, hazardous or construction materials, or weapons. Please use bags for clothes and textiles and tightly packed boxes for small household goods. All items must be in clean condition," she added.
Unable to make this event?
Lou K. ColemanWar is Coming! The battle lines have been drawn in the sand. The forces have taken their positions. The leaders have exhausted every resource and have resigned themselves to the inevitable. Weapons are ready, now aimed toward the enemy [America]. A war that has been waged for many years but has intensified in the last few centuries. Fighting will be as fierce as it has ever been and if you aren’t under the wings of the Almighty God, you are in trouble. I’m talking about the War in Revelation!
Two beasts—end-time political powers that are Satan’s human agents to carry out his war against the woman and her offspring. This is the same war that began in heaven and quickly moved to earth and is now in its final phase. And in this phase of the war, Satan will succeed in gaining the political control that he failed to achieve in heaven, for Revelation says that he will be “given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.”
Brace Yourself!
War in Revelation identical to Jesus’ warning that deceptions from end-time signs and miracles
by False Christs and False Prophets will be so subtle that they will “deceive even the elect. [Revelation 13:16-17]. The first beast will “make war against the saints and . . . conquer them,” and the second beast will cause anyone who refuses to worship the first beast to be killed! Brace Yourself! Another World War is coming, and it will be the biggest World War ever. According to the Bible, one out of three people on the earth will die in this war of all wars. And out of the chaos and destruction, a strong leader will rise to promise peace and security. The Antichrist will step onto the world scene at just the right moment. He will provide firm direction, but he will also demand absolute obedience. Brace Yourself!
I want you to know that there are four prophetic developments occurring right now that demonstrate how close we are to the Euphrates River War, otherwise known as World War III. Get under the wings of the Almighty God NOW! DO NOT DELAY!
Read and understand the prophetic truths found in the Book of Revelation. [Revelation 6:2; 4; 11:7; 12:7; 13:4, 7; 16:14; 17:14; 19:11; 19:19]. As Daniel related too in the final chapter of his book God will open up the prophetical books at the end times so that those with wisdom can discern what is coming.
Because what God prophesied for ancient Judah also applies to America. Brace Yourself!
The Legacy Bridges Foundation, Inc. (LBF) is a California 501(c)3 nonprofit public benefit corporation founded to support individuals and families who suffer from epilepsy and other seizure related disorders. LBF's mission is to raise awareness of the disease of epilepsy and other seizure related disorders, shine a light for those individuals and families affected, and partner with other organizations to find a cure.
According to the Epilepsy Foundation, "epilepsy affects 1
Contact us to coordinate pickup or drop-off of donations. For more information or to volunteer, call (951)3740933 or email us at admin@ legacybridgesfoundation.org.
To make a monetary contribution today, visit www.givebutter.com/ LegacyBridgesFoundationDonations. Support the foundation's mission to raise awareness, shine a light and partner to find a cure. All contributions are fully taxdeductible to the extent of the law.
2023 Restaurant Resilience Grants Soon to be Available for Central and Southern California Independent Restaurants...continued
and services to help business
customers select energy-efficient equipment. Restaurant owners can schedule a ‘Try Before You Buy’ demo with gas cooking equipment before purchasing, request a no-cost energy survey to be conducted by a utility expert, and obtain information on rebates and incentives for eligible gas cooking equipment, water heating, heat recovery products, and energyefficient upgrades installation.
Commercial customers are invited to attend our No-Cost Foodservice Equipment Expo, April 25th-26th, 2023, 10am to 3pm at the SoCalGas Energy Resource Center, located at 9240 Firestone Blvd., Downey, CA 90241. There, commercial customers can reconnect and rebuild, discover new operational savings and performance tools, and learn about new products and technologies for success.
Resilience Fund applications will be open from April 15 to May 7, 2023, and can be found at www. restaurantscare.org/resilience. Grants will be available to all
California-based restaurant owners located in the SoCalGas’s service areas that have less than five units and less than $3 million in revenue. Priority will be given to restaurants who have yet to receive a grant; however, previous recipients are encouraged to re-apply.
The Resilience Fund is currently accepting additional support from corporations, foundations, and individuals who want to invest in California’s restaurant community. Donations of all sizes are accepted and celebrated at www.restaurantscare.org/ resilience. For more information about the California Restaurant Foundation, Restaurants Care, or the Resilience Fund, please visit www.restaurantscare.org.
SoCalGas’ partnership with the California Restaurant Fund is part of the company’s ASPIRE 2045 sustainability goals, which include a commitment to invest $50 million to drive positive change in diverse and underserved communities across five years.
“Brace Yourself!”
too high to operate when they prepped her but thankfully they were able to get it down before the surgery. Now we pray and wait. CONTINUE to pray with me & my family for a successful surgery & a speedy recovery,” Bailey added.
Bailey continued that her family was grateful they caught the diagnosis early “by the grace of God.”
The group will demand that BAT stops killing Black people around the globe
WASHINGTON, DC - On
Model and former Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member Cynthia Bailey is all smiles as she continues to celebrate a miracle: the gift of health of her mother! Bailey shared that her mom is now cancer-free. She shared the news with a selfie of her and her mom, Barbara Ford Morris, on Instagram.
“For everyone that has been asking for an update on my mom @barbarafmorris cancer journey,” wrote Bailey. “I am so excited to let you all know that today was her last day of radiation, and she is by the grace of God cancer free!!!”
“Thanksgiving came early.
Thank you all for your love, prayers & well wishes! Glory be to God!”
In August, Bailey told her fans her mom was diagnosed with cancer. Luckily, Morris caught cancer early. According to the America Cancer Society, early detection can help prevent cancer from spreading to other parts of the body and can increase the chances of survival.
For some common cancer types, such as cervical, colorectal, lung, and breast cancer, clinical trials have shown that screening does save lives.
The 5-year survival rate for non-small-cell lung cancer
All U.S. Firefighters are encouraged to join
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through its National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), are pleased to launch the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer online enrollment system for firefighters across the nation. The NFR for cancer is the largest effort undertaken by the nation to support and advance understanding of cancer in the fire service. President Biden has shown strong and enduring support for firefighters for decades and this step will help deliver on his commitment to end cancer as we know it as part of the Cancer Moonshot.
Numerous studies show that firefighters’ exposure on the fireground, where smoke and hazardous chemicals are released from burning materials, may increase the risk of certain types of cancer. President Biden has signed two laws that seek specifically to advance firefighter health, safety, and protection from toxic exposures on the job.
The National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer will contribute to these broader efforts by helping scientists better understand the link between cancer and firefighting to ultimately improve firefighter health. The NFR will capture details about firefighters’ work and match it with cancer information from state cancer registries.
While participation is voluntary, all U.S. firefighters, with or without cancer, are encouraged to join the NFR for Cancer; these include: active and retired firefighters career, paid-on-call, and volunteer firefighters structural firefighters
wildland firefighters instructors
fire investigators other members of the fire service
Visit NFR.CDC.GOV to complete the NFR survey through the secure website. Enrollment takes about 30 minutes to complete. You will:
Create an account with a personal password and secure login
Give informed consent to participate
Create a profile, including contact information and work status
Complete a questionnaire with demographics, your fire service and health history, and lifestyle choices
Visit the NIOSH NFR for Cancer webpage to learn more about:
Why the registry was created
How the registry works
Data collection, privacy, and data security
Available materials you can share with firefighters
Watch “Join the NFR for Cancer” here.
John Howard, M.D., the Director of NIOSH, states that “I encourage all firefighters across America to join the NFR for Cancer - the more firefighters who join the NFR, the more researchers can learn about cancer arising from firefighting and how to prevent it. Firefighters are vital to the safety of our communities and their enrollment in the NFR for
(NSCLC), stomach, and pancreatic more than doubles in all cases when detected at earlier stages These differences in survival rates shine a light on the opportunity to make progress in beating cancer by decreasing late-stage diagnoses with improved and expanded testing.
Almost 9 in 10 of lung cancer patients will survive their disease for at least a year if diagnosed at the earliest stage.
Earlier this summer, Bailey posted photos as she sat in the hospital with her mother as she prepared for surgery to help get rid of the cancer.
“Her blood pressure was
“Just recently my beautiful mother @barbarafmorris was diagnosed with breast cancer. She didn’t feel anything but it showed up on her most recent mammogram. We took her to her first doctors appointment yesterday to confirm what stage and her treatment options. By the grace of God, we caught it early & it is only stage one.,” she shared at the time, posting family photos of her mother and sister, Malorie.
Bailey went on to share that she shared the personal news to remind women to stay on top of getting mammograms annually.
“With surgery to remove the cancer & radiation she is going to be fine. Initially I only shared this information with close friends & family but after getting the great news yesterday that my mom is going to be ok, I felt inclined to share it with all of you. Thank you for all the love & prayers & well wishes. Ladies please make sure you get your mammograms yearly. Early detection is key!I am scheduling my next one today!❤❤” Bailey added.
NIOSH Launches the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer to Understand and Reduce Cancer in the Fire Service ...continued
cancer can help protect them and the next generation of firefighters from cancer.”
The NFR Team Lead, Kenny Fent, Ph.D., CIH adds that “with more than 1 million career and volunteer firefighters across the U.S., protecting their health and safety is a top priority for NIOSH. We are excited to raise awareness
about this groundbreaking effort to better understand and reduce cancer among all types of firefighters, including those who have traditionally been underrepresented in research, such as women, volunteers, and firefighters from racial and ethnic minority groups.”
April 19, British American Tobacco (BAT) will host their Annual General Meeting at the Hilton London Bankside. Black public health leaders from across the United States will be there to demand that BAT stops their predatory marketing of products that kill tens of thousands of Black people each year.
British American Tobacco wholly owns Reynolds American International (RAI), the maker of Newport cigarettes. RAI and other tobacco companies have perniciously and racially targeted the Black community since the 1950s. As a result of this targeting, tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable deaths for Black people in America accompanied by much higher rates of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and death. Each year, more than 72,000 Black Americans are diagnosed with a tobacco-related illness and more than 45,000 die from a tobaccoinduced disease.
85% of all Black Americans who smoke use menthol cigarettes compared to 29% of White smokers. Menthol cigarettes increase addiction and make it harder to quit. More than 70% of African American smokers want to quit, and more than 60% made a quit attempt in the previous year. However,
Black American smokers are much less likely than White smokers to successfully quit smoking.
It is important to note that international tobacco companies work tirelessly to market and sell their products to people of all races and ages – including kids – across the globe, with full knowledge of the harm, death, and destruction they bring. BAT also works tirelessly to undermine public health and tobacco prevention in Africa. Though the U.K., Canada, Ethiopia, Japan and the European Union have banned the sale of menthol flavored tobacco products, BAT and other tobacco companies persist in doing everything in their power to block public health policies that will protect Black people in the US. Delegation Members will be available for press interviews and media appearances to discuss the harm British American Tobacco and Big Tobacco have caused to Black people around the world and what our leaders and the community can do to fight back and save Black lives.
Please contact Josh Brown at +1 (202) 503-9671 (Google Voice) or josh@brownstrategy. com for availability and scheduling.
The attitude of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas only adds to concerns about non reported gifts from wealthy donors. In addition, it adds to the ongoing discussion of his wife Ginny Thomas’ involvement with the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Mrs. Thomas’ emails have already proven to be very telling as to her position with the “far right” and the false statements about a “stolen” Presidential election. It was already hard to believe that she never shared any of her views with her husband, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Considering the Justice’s conservative position on most issues, it became very hard to believe that the two persons in that marriage didn’t discuss politics.
of Florida in 1989.
Across the U.S., governments have declared an end to pandemic-era protections. But for the millions of people who still suffer from long-term symptoms, the fight is far from over.
Larry Buhl sheds light on the multi-faceted effects of long COVID — a persistence of symptoms brought on by the virus long after it’s gone — that impacts long-haulers’ ability to claim disability benefits or stay employed.
The pandemic has exacerbated numerous disparities in the workforce, Buhl reports in the first of two stories. Jobs where workers are most at risk of COVID — such as leisure and
hospitality, in which it’s hard to work remotely — are lower paid and much less likely to accommodate sick workers.
Part of the problem is that many long COVID symptoms, as defined by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, are real but vague, and can worsen, or improve, over time.
And unlike those with well-established disabilities, COVID long haulers have to jump through more hoops. According to attorney Claire Kennedy-Wilkins, insurance companies and Social Security require special tests and lengthy observations to demonstrate ongoing impairment. This makes it much harder for some to qualify for federal disability benefits, Buhl writes.
Now we find a trail of gifts and favors to the Justice, spanning decades, as well as a personal real estate deal involving the home of the mother of Justice Thomas having been sold to his billionaire donor with no record of the sale being reported, as required by law. Also, no reporting of income from the sale. The excuses offered by Justice Thomas, when he chooses to give one, reflect neither remorse nor concern about the appearance of such actions from a Justice seated on the highest court in the land and expected to lead by example.
Justice Thomas can only be removed from office by death, resignation or impeachment. He is not expected to resign. Justice Roberts, the Presiding Justice, is not expected to take any action and, therefore, the only recourse is impeachment as provided by the United States Constitution.
So far, the only Federal Judge removed from office by impeachment was Judge Alcee Hastings of the Southern District
The issue is not whether the Senate has the votes to convict Thomas, or if a Republican controlled Congress will allow the impeachment proceedings to clear the House of Representatives, as required by the Constitution, but the need to show the American people that some elected officials still take their Oath of Office seriously enough to make the effort for removal from the highest Court in the Land.
While the United States Constitution does not have a recall provision, each state which elects individuals to the U.S. Congress does have such a provision in its State Constitution. It is time for the voters of each state to take a look at the people they have elected to some of the highest offices in the land and for the people of each state to consider recalling those elected officials who are ignoring the will of the people on such issues as gun control, abortion and voter suppression. While there may not be enough votes to remove many of the Republicans in state and national office, the idea of a Recall against them should be enough to let them know the American people have had enough of the attack on democracy.
Something to think about.
Louisville’s Historically Black College Simmons College of Kentucky will soon house the Jesse Jackson, Sr. Center for Racial Justice. This is a “Call to Action” as Louisvillians are still digesting the U. S. Department of Justice’s Investigation into the Louisville Metro Police Department.
"The last person to speak to Martin Luther King was the Rev. Jesse Jackson," said Rev. Dr. Kevin Cosby, president of Simmons College. "Jesse Jackson picked up the mantle of Dr. King, and since 1968, for 55 years, he has been a stalwart champion for racial justice."
“Because the DOJ Report (86-pages) identifies ongoing racial injustice against the black community by LMPD, we will announce the formation of an initiative to coordinate a response
to systematic and structural racism,” said Dr. Cosby. Cosby added, “This will navigate Black Louisville from racial disparities to true equity.”
The announcement was made on Tuesday, April 4 on the 55th Anniversary of the assassination death of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as Simmons College of Kentucky hosted a special program titled “From Memorial to Movement,” at St. Stephen Baptist Church, 1018 S. 15th Street.
According to Cosby, “structural and systemic racism in Louisville and America, and it reflects a bigger problem that we have not faced.” He said the “police are only a symptom of a much deeper problem—the centuries old disparity between the races.
"The reason why there are disparities is not because of Black nature or Black nurture, but because of the legislature," he said. "Our objective is to fix public policy."
Dr. Cosby made the following points about disparities in Louisville:
• Blacks are 13.2 percent of the population, yet Blacks are 40 percent of the homes. In an Equitable society, Blacks would be 13.2 percent of the homeless
• Blacks are 13.2 percent of the population, yet Blacks are 30 percent of all incarcerated.
In an Equitable society, Blacks would be 13.2 percent of the incarcerated
• Blacks possess 2.6 percent of the wealth. In an Equitable society, Blacks would possess 13.2 percent of the wealth
Dr. Cosby said Blacks must be resourceful to address their problems. “We do not need other people to do it for us.”
He said the Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. Center for Racial Justice at Simmons will educate, advocate and legislate. According to Dr. Cosby, the JLJ Center will educate people on social and systemic racism. It will advocate for just laws, policies, systems and structures and it will legislate by working to improve public policy in order to move from disparities to equity.
How will the Center be funded? A contribution was made by The Eula May and John Baugh Foundation based in Houston, TX. The Baugh foundation has approved a $2 million grant to the Jesse L. Jackson Center for Racial Justice at Simmons College of Kentucky, Speaking at the event, Callie Langton, Administrator for the
Foundation said the organization was honored to support the center with the $2 million grant.
"We call on other funders, other individuals and other people in the community to join together with us in our commitment to supporting Simmons College and the new center for racial justice," she said.
The program opened with a selection from the Simmons Symphonic Orchestra, Nearer Thy God to Thee, led by Simmons Music Department Chair Dr. Kevin Davenport. Dr. Frank Smith, Executive Vice President brought greetings followed by a responsive Litany by David Cassady, Cheri Mills delivering the opening prayer and Congregational Songs.
The Louisville Defender Newspaper had an exclusive interview with Simmons President Rev. Dr. Cosby following the event. The interview was as follows:
Defender: What is your view of policing in Louisville after reading the DOJ Report?
Dr. Cosby: Policing cannot be separated from the political policies that govern people’s lives. Words like police, policy, politicians, poles, and politics originate from the same Greek word—polis. The polis is how society is structured to benefit some and exclude others. The reason why we are unable to fix police malfeasance is because we separate issues of policing from issues of public policy that consign certain communities to limited opportunities, solely based on race. Police officers simply reinforce public policies instituted by politicians who socially and economically exclude black people. We will never fix bad policing until we first fix centuries of bad policies
instituted by racist politicians.
Defender: What is the number one solution to correct disparities in the way African Americans are treated in policing?
Dr. Cosby: Disparities are rooted in centuries of antiblack propaganda. It is almost impossible to eradicate the implicit bias that white America has toward the Black community because it is rooted in historical narratives that have been used to justify white domination and Black subordination. The same racist ideologies that fostered the lynching of Black bodies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries is the same ideology that makes police malfeasance possible today.
Defender: When you look at policing, you have to address Black-on-Black crime. There has been an increase in Louisville. How can the community and its leaders play a role in stopping these senseless crimes that are taking an alarming number of African American lives?
Dr. Cosby: First, we have to address the misunderstanding that there is something dysfunctional about Black people that causes them to prey on each other disproportionately. Truthfully, crimes are, in general, misdeeds of proximity and opportunity, not race. According to statistics from the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division white person is overwhelmingly more likely to be victimized by another white person, and the same is true for a Black person. Crime victimization simply not a matter of race. Second, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. observed, “Black-on-Black crime is a derivative of systemic and structural crime committed against the Black community.” Blacks often suffer from
misplaced anger. For example, if you are in a trapped room and you bang on the door trying to get out, then a direct expression of anger, such as knocking on the door, would be appropriate because the door is the direct cause of keeping you trapped. However, if you are in the same room, and you kick the chair, that is displaced anger. Much of the crime in the Black community is displaced anger often directed toward other Blacks because the real issue is white supremacy and structural injustice. If we can dismantle Black disparities that are rooted in systemic racism, we will go a long way toward eradicating the displaced anger Blacks often direct at each other.
Defender: How can educational institutions play a role in stopping disparities in policing and addressing the Black-on-Black crime?
Dr. Cosby: First, by framing the issue correctly. The problem is not Black-on-Black crime. The problem is systemic and structural racism. To address the source problem, however, educational institutions such as Simmons could play a role in serving as training centers to increase awareness on matters of diversity and culture to enhance their knowledge and abilities with skill sets such as de-escalation.
Simmons College of Kentucky is an accredited private, coeducational historically black college located in Louisville, Kentucky. Founded in 1879, Simmons College is an institution of biblical higher education dedicated to educating people in the urban context through vital academic and professional programs in order that they may become productive citizens and agents of change in society.