SB American News Week Ending 5/8

AMERICAN

Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never

and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will

Beyond Earth Day: Inland Empire Environmental Justice Community Lays Solutions for Warehouse Growth

While Earth Day may have come and gone, the fight for environmental equity continues as local community organizations and activists address the importance of protecting the environment all year long.

The impacts of an expanding warehouse industry are one of the top environmental equity concerns of communities in the Inland region.

Last year, a coalition of more than 60 environmental and social justice groups and organizations wrote a letter, as part of a working paper report, to Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and California Department of Education Superintendent Tony Thurmond. The letter addressed warehouse growth: what they identified as one of the most critical environmental justice issues of our time.

According to the report’s findings, across the Inland Empire over 300 warehouses stand 1,000 feet or less from schools, while over 600 warehouses surround these same schools at 1,500 feet.

Warehouses are a crucial component of the global supply chain: which begins with TransPacific shipments, container sorting at the ports and movement of goods to warehouses in the Inland Empire where they are stored and then moved throughout the rest of the nation.

The letter was part of Region in Crisis: The Rationale for Public Health State of Emergency, a report co-authored by the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ), the Sierra Club San Gorgonio and Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability.

The report emphasized the detrimental impact of the rapidly growing warehouse industry in the region, which saw an increase from 229 million square feet of

warehouses in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties in 1980, to 385.5 million square feet of warehouses in 2020, according to the Redford Conservancy at Pitzer College and Radical Research LLC warehouse mapping tool. Riverside and San Bernardino Counties rank as counties with the worst air quality in the nation, according to the American Lung Association.

In the year since publishing the report, one of the authors, Susan Phillips, Professor of

Environmental Analysis at Pitzer College and Director of the Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability, said that one of her greatest concerns is local agencies continuing to facilitate warehouse development next to schools and homes.

“There is also a troubling pattern of demolishing housing or rezoning land designated for housing for industrial [land use],” she added. “This has racialized overtones in which

SBCUSD School Hosts Exciting NFL Draft Party Celebrating Cajon High Alumnus Jayden Daniels

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—

The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) hosted a thrilling NFL Draft Party on April 25 at Cajon High School, where the anticipation was palpable as more than 100 attendees eagerly awaited the selection of 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. Students, staff, alumni and community members gathered at the Cajon High gymnasium to witness the historic moment as Daniels, an LSU standout quarterback, was drafted second in the first round by the Washington Commanders. The atmosphere was electric as

guests enjoyed food, music and camaraderie while awaiting the announcement of Daniels’ NFL destiny. As the draft unfolded, cheers erupted throughout the gymnasium when his name was called by the Commanders, marking a monumental achievement for both him and the San Bernardino community.

“We are incredibly proud of Jayden and all that he has accomplished,” said Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, who like Daniels calls San Bernardino his hometown.

“His dedication, talent and leadership have inspired countless

students and demonstrated the limitless potential of our SBCUSD graduates.”

The NFL Draft Party was a testament to the strong sense of pride and support within the San Bernardino community, as friends, family and fans came together to celebrate the success of one of their own.

For Cajon High quarterback Evan Powell, 16, whose siblings grew up playing Pop Warner with Daniels, watching his college football career has been surreal.

“It feels great to be here to support someone from my city. Jayden’s from right here in San

Bernardino,” Powell said. “That makes me feel like it’s also possible for me.”

About San Bernardino City Unified School District: The San Bernardino City Unified School District is California’s eighth-largest school district and is dedicated to providing a high-quality education that prepares more than 46,000 students for college, career and life. With a focus on equity, excellence and empowerment, the District serves a diverse student population in the San Bernardino and Highland communities.

primarily people of color are forced out of neighborhoods, are evicted, or losing out on future housing opportunities… all this in the midst of a major housing crisis.”

The Zimmerman Elementary School playground faces an already existing warehouse, the Bloomington Commerce Center, that is situated across the street on April 11, 2023. The developer, Howard Industrial Partners purchased the school

and will demolish it to build the Bloomington Business Park. The school will be relocated to a heavily trafficked road and behind the Pilot Travel Center truck stop, creating outcry within the community. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice

Black Voice News has documented the impact of the warehousing industry on the community over the last few years. From chronicling local pushback by community members to examining state intervention on behalf of warehouse building, residents across both counties are demanding environmental justice.

As local climate and environmental justice organizations like the Sierra Club and CCAEJ work to address and rectify the health impacts and economic harms of the growing logistics industry, the report offers proposed solutions to the warehousing boom.

“The Sierra Club San Gorgonio Chapter has been involved in using the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) rules for years in attempts to get city and county governments in our area to do their jobs,” said Mary Ann Ruiz. Chair of the Sierra Club San

Cinco De Mayo: Five Interesting Facts You Should Know About the Popular Mexican American Holiday

Edward Henderson | California Black Media

To explore the historical significance of Cinco De Mayo, we step back to the origins of the commemoration, share how some Mexican American Californians regard it and trace how it has morphed into the celebrations we see today.

Celebrations in the United States began in 1862 in Columbia, California, a small town located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Tolumne County, according to that town’s website.

Today, millions of Americans celebrate Cinco De Mayo annually with 120 official celebrations organized across the United States. This day has become a cultural point of pride for Mexican Americans and other Latino communities in the United States. It serves as a time to affirm and celebrate their cultures with other Americans of

all backgrounds as they highlight their contributions to American history and society.

Joseph Soltero, a Mexican American living in Escondido, shared his perspective on Cinco de Mayo with California Black Media. He learned about Cinco De Mayo from his grandfather and talked about the extent to which his family and San Diego County community celebrate the holiday.

“We knew September 16 was really Mexican Independence Day, but kids in my school would always mistake Cinco De Mayo as our Independence Day. [Cinco De Mayo] is not really even a Mexican holiday,” said Soltero. “It’s something people do to have an excuse to buy drinks, have fun and spend a little money at taco shops.”

Soltero’s Grandfather always made sure the family understood

The crowd at the SBCUSD NFL Draft Party cheers for Jayden Daniels when he is drafted by the Washington Commanders.

(Photo by Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD)

Cajon High quarterback Evan Powell, a longtime admirer of Jayden Daniels, attends the NFL Draft Party on April 25.

(Photo by Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD)

Aryana Noroozi

Traffic moves through Ontario on Interstate 215 north on April 4, 2023. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/CatchLight Local)

News/ CatchLight Local)

A Child’s First Three Years Hold the Power to Unlock Bright, Strong Futures

By BlackPress of America

Ernestine

Benedict, Chief Communication Officer, ZERO TO THREE

The first three years of a child’s life lay the foundation for lifelong health and wellbeing. From the moment they’re born, babies soak up every interaction and experience from their environments and love from their caregivers. Babies’ brains grow rapidly during those earliest days, weeks, and months, forming 1 million neural connections every second. Understanding the significance of these early stages lies at the heart

of ZERO TO THREE’s mission.

As the premier organization that translates the science of early childhood into action, we recognize the profound impact these early experiences have on shaping the trajectory of a child’s life and our collective future.

When we’re born, we have billions of neurons. But they’re not, for the most part, connected. Connections between synapses— or signals sent through the brain—are strengthened through repeated positive experiences. These connections are vital in helping babies learn the essentials they need to survive and thrive. As science has provided us a window into how the brain develops and can be nurtured, it has also documented how the early years can lead to profound and lasting gains in school achievement and lifelong success…or not. Research shows that early adverse experiences become integrated into our bodies, impacting lifelong

San Bernardino City Unified School District's Sierra High Named a 2024 Model Continuation High School

SBCUSD)

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Sierra High School, in the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD), has been named a Model Continuation High School by the California Department of Education (CDE). This is the third time the campus has received this prestigious designation, recognizing Sierra for its exemplary programs and services that support students who have faced challenges in traditional high school settings.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced last month that 31 schools throughout California were recognized as Model Continuation High Schools this year. Model Continuation High Schools provide comprehensive services to at-risk youth through the use of exemplary instructional strategies, flexible scheduling and guidance and counseling services. Continuation schools provide a high school diploma program for students who have not graduated from high school, are required to attend school and are at risk of not completing their education.

“We are proud to celebrate Sierra High School’s

development, emotional success, and mental and physical health. This stark reality is one where disparities in access to resources and high-quality care create barriers to success, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.

There are 11 million infants and toddlers in the United States, and each is born with unlimited potential. In communities across the country, families are striving to give their children a good start in life. They share a common desire for their babies to be healthy, happy, and secure. Yet far too many families face considerable obstacles. Decades of underinvestment in systems for supporting the health and well-being of young children and the insidious impacts of systemic racism often stand in their way. In the U.S., roughly 2 million infants and toddlers live in poverty. About 40% live in families without enough income to make ends meet.

When parents and caregivers

receive the support, they need to foster close connections and healthy relationships with their babies, they can serve as a buffer against the impacts of ongoing and inherited trauma many families face every day.

That’s why ZERO TO THREE is leading the Think Babies™ movement, advocating for policy changes to address urgent priorities — maternal health, infant and early childhood mental health, early learning and child care, housing, and economic security. Families from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. came together on April 30 for the 8th annual Strolling Thunder™ rally on Capitol Hill, urging policymakers to take bold action now. Our collective message is clear: By investing in policies that support the well-being of babies, we can ensure all children have an equal opportunity to thrive throughout life and build a brighter, stronger, healthier future for our nation.

San Bernardino City Unified School District's Sierra High Named a 2024 Model Continuation High School...continued

every student has the opportunity to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.”

As a Model Continuation High School, Sierra High School offers innovative educational programs, personalized support services and a caring and nurturing learning environment that empowers students to overcome obstacles and achieve academic success.

The school’s comprehensive approach to student health and wellness ensures that students have access to nutritious meals, physical fitness programs, mental health resources and supportive

achievements and we commend them for their dedication to student success and well-being,” said Superintendent Mauricio Arellano. “Sierra High School exemplifies the values of SBCUSD and serves as a shining example of making hope happen for students.”

Additionally, in October 2023, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation named Sierra High one of America’s Healthiest Schools for its dedication to supporting the health and wellbeing of students, staff and families. Sierra is one of 781 schools across 36 states in the U.S. honored this school year by the Alliance. These two prestigious recognitions underscore the school’s dedication to nurturing the whole child, encompassing physical, mental and emotional health.

“We are thrilled to receive these esteemed honors, which reflect the dedication and hard work of our entire school community,” said Principal Hector Murrieta. “At Sierra High School, we are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment where

$10 Million Awarded to St. John’s Community Health for Climate Resiliency...continued

be a community-driven safe haven in South Los Angeles with the infrastructural capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate, public health, and other emergencies.

The climate and community resilience center will incorporate wide-ranging disaster relief and environmentally sustaining campus amenities and services, including: accessible and adaptable indoor and outdoor spaces for cooling, emergency shelter, climate and community resilience classes and events, and a community garden.

Physical infrastructure elements will be integrated with yearround medical, dental, and behavioral health services, case management, educational programming, peer support,

workforce training, basic-needs services, and other programs to address lack of access to resources for low-income people of color from a diverse group of priority populations living and working in South Los Angeles. This first-of-its-kind center represents a significant step in expediting recovery efforts and building resilience among communities in South Los Angeles. Moreover, the center will serve as a catalyst for community cohesion, bringing residents together to collaborate, share resources, and support one another. St. John’s anticipates serving at least 15,000 members from the priority populations at the Avalon Health Access and Resilience Center annually.

Cinco De Mayo: Five Interesting Facts You Should Know About the Popular Mexican American Holiday...continued from page 1 the historical importance of the day to Mexicans and Mexican American immigrants, but it was never a point of emphasis when it came to celebrating the holiday as a family. Other traditions were more important to them.

“It’s the Mexican version of Saint Patrick’s Day. Everybody is White and Irish on that day, and everyone is Mexican on Cinco De Mayo. It’s never been what Día De Los Muertos is to us. We celebrate the day of the dead. That is honored, that’s a tradition. Cinco De Mayo is just another day.”

Soltero believes that the best way for people to celebrate the ‘holiday’ is to educate themselves on what really happened on Cinco De Mayo.

relationships with teachers and staff.

Sierra’s commitment to excellence, innovation and student support continues to make a positive impact on the lives of students and families in the community. As the school embraces its well-deserved recognition, it remains steadfast in its mission to empower every student to reach their full potential. For more information about Sierra High School and its programs, please visit https:// sierra.sbcusd.com/ or contact the school at (909) 388-6478.

$10 Million Awarded to St. John’s Community Health for Climate Resiliency

Los Angeles – Today, St. John’s Community Health – a network of community health centers serving South, Central, and East Los Angeles; the Inland Empire; and the Coachella Valley – announced they have been awarded $10 million by the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) to help build a community resilience center in South Los Angeles.

“To protect communities made most vulnerable to climate change by racist policies and practices, we must be proactive in treating environmental disparities and implementing climate preparedness plans,” said Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St. John’s Community Health. “We will build the Avalon Health Access and Resilience Center alongside the community it is meant to serve, offering a diversity of programs and services to treat both the symptoms and the root causes of the climate crisis.”

The abundance of concrete, heavy traffic corridors, and lack of green space in South Los Angeles causes more extreme heat than in other areas of Los Angeles. Further, rapid gentrification has caused spikes in homelessness, leaving many people forced to live on the street and face dangerously hot weather with no respite. Increasing risk of wildfires also put people experiencing homelessness and low-income children at greater risk for respiratory illnesses.

St. John’s Community Health is one of nine applicants being awarded a community resilience center implementation grant.

Through this grant, St. John’s Community Health plans to build the Avalon Health Access and Resilience Center near their existing community health center and drop-in clinic serving unhoused people. The center will

“I would love for people to do actual homework on it. Go still support us. Go to our stores and visit our restaurants -- minus the ponchos and sombreros. Go spend money while you’re in that community, go learn while you’re in that community, engage when you’re in that community. Don’t just eat and forget about us on the 6th.”

Like Soltero, many Mexican Americans (and other Latino Californians) do not take the support and solidarity they receive from people of other races on Cinco De Mayo for granted. They also appreciate when people take the time to learn about the cultural significance of the day and avoid some of the cultural tropes that can easily whisper undertones of racism.

To help raise your awareness about the origins and cultural significance of the day, here are 5 little known facts about Cinco De Mayo:

1. Cinco De Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. It is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla. This military victory on May 5, 1862, over the French forces of Napoleon III was hailed as a symbol for Mexican resistance to foreign influence.

2. The holiday was not given much historical significance outside of Puebla, and it has not been celebrated on a large scale in Mexico. However, during the Civil War, Mexican Americans in California, Oregon and Nevada who supported the Union drew inspiration from the victory over the French-backed Confederate forces.

3. The Chicano civil rights movement in the 1940s gave a new energy to celebration of the holiday in the United Sates as a symbol of national pride.

4. In the 1980s and 1990s, beer companies’ marketing strategies targeted Mexican Americans by encouraging them to celebrate their heritage – and Cinco De Mayo --with Coronas, Bud Light, and Dos Equis. This created the perceived connection between Cinco De Mayo, alcohol, and merrymaking.

5. Los Angeles hosts the largest Cinco De Mayo celebration in the country.

As we join Mexican American Californians to celebrate Cinco De Mayo next week, let’s deepen our cultural understanding. With a greater knowledge of its history, we can approach our celebrations with more appreciation. Let’s use this occasion to commit to learning more about our neighbors, colleagues and friends of other races and ethnicities.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

Angelica Carbajal and Lissette Sanchez are members of the Sunshine Crew, Sierra High School’s peer wellness advocate program.

(Photo by MaryRone Goodwin and provided courtesy of

COUNTY/GOVERNMENT/BUSINESS ADVERTISING

OP-ED: DEI Confronts the Legacy of Jim Crow

By Texas State Representative Ron Reynolds

We need DEI programs to help remedy decades of Jim Crow policies that led to underinvestment in Black and Brown students.

As a lawmaker, a parent, and a member of a community that has felt the sting of systemic injustices, it’s time to confront the uncomfortable truths of our past and pave the way toward a more just future, especially in our education system.

Centuries of discriminatory policies stemming from systemic racism have left lasting scars on Black and Brown communities.

State-sanctioned policies have deprived generations of students of the opportunities they deserve. These policies have relegated students to inferior schools, underfunded classrooms, and a

future shrouded in inequality.

Today, the echoes of those injustices still reverberate in our educational institutions. Despite progress, glaring disparities persist, with Black and Brown students disproportionately facing barriers to success. It’s time to acknowledge that simply removing overtly discriminatory laws is not enough. We must actively work to dismantle the systemic biases and structures that continue to perpetuate inequality.

This is where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs become not just an educational necessity but also a moral imperative. By embracing DEI initiatives in our schools, we acknowledge the unique challenges marginalized

California Bill Wants Total Grocery Store Plastic Bag Ban by 2026

Black Media

Last week, a group of lawmakers introduced Assembly Bill 2236 and Senate Bill 1053 which will address plastic pollution statewide.

The bills will remove the option to receive an unwoven plastic bag at grocery, retail, and convenience stores. The bills authored respectively by Assemblymember BauerKahan (D-Orinda) and State Senator Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) are backed by a coalition of environmental advocacy groups and organizations like the California Grocers Association.

Bauer-Kahan said that California tried to ban plastic bags a decade ago, but that effort failed. Today, she says, pollution from plastic is harming the environment and wildlife.

“With tougher rules and a push for eco-friendly alternatives, we're ready to kick plastic bags to the curb and reclaim our environment,” said BauerKahan.

Blakespear said that plastic waste is a global issue that has caused irreversible damage to the environment in California.

“It’s time to improve California’s original plastic bags ban and do it right this time by completely eliminating plastic bags from being used at grocery stores,” Blakespear said.

California environmental advocacy groups continue to push for plastic bans following the passing of SB 270 which banned the single use of carryout plastic bags from most grocery stores in 2014.

Court Throws Out Controversial Law That Allowed Californians to Build Duplexes, Triplexes and RDUs on Their Properties

communities face and commit to addressing them headon. These programs provide a framework for creating inclusive environments where every student, regardless of race or background, feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.

Critics may argue that DEI programs are unnecessary or even divisive. They couldn’t be more wrong. DEI is not about singling out any group; it’s about ensuring every student has a sense of belonging and can succeed. The goal is to promote empathy, comprehension, and cultural competence among students and educators. It’s about recognizing that diversity is not a hindrance but a strength—one that enriches the educational experience for everyone.

Moreover, DEI programs are not just about rectifying past wrongs but about building a brighter future for all. By breaking down barriers and fostering inclusivity, we address the injustices of the past and lay the groundwork for a more just society moving forward. When every child has access to a quality education and feels supported in their journey, we all reap social, economic, and moral benefits.

Implementing DEI programs has challenges, but the rewards far outweigh the obstacles. It requires policymakers, educators, parents, and communities to prioritize equity and inclusivity in all aspects of education. It demands uncomfortable conversations, introspection, and a willingness to confront our own biases. But if we genuinely believe in the promise of equality and justice for all, there is no other path forward.

As we reflect on the legacy of Jim Crow and the injustices it wrought, let us not despair but rather draw inspiration from the resilience of those who fought for change. It’s shameful that the MAGA Movement has attacked the marginal progress we’ve made under DEI programs. They are reversing history with anti-DEI and critical race theory policies under the leadership of MAGA extremists like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Let us honor their legacy by redoubling our efforts to create a more just society, starting with our schools. Let us embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion as not just buzzwords but guiding principles in our quest for a brighter future for all our children.

RETIRED COUPLE

Buys T.D.s and Buys/Lends on Partial Interests

Wildlife Officer Laura Decker is CDFW’s 2023 Wildlife Officer of the Year

County/Government News

Santa Clara County Wildlife Officer Laura Decker was named 2023 Wildlife Officer of the Year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced.

Wildlife Officer Decker began her career with CDFW in 2018. In the short time on patrol, Decker became relied upon as an exceptionally dedicated officer, investigator and a true asset to CDFW. Decker had a tremendous year in 2023, conducting investigations related to inland fishing, ocean fishing, hunting, abalone, Dungeness crab, unlawful streambed alterations and penal code violations to name a few. Although Decker is assigned to the Gilroy position, her patrol duties have taken her to the areas along the California coast assisting other wildlife officers whenever needed.

“It is my pleasure to recognize the outstanding efforts of Wildlife Officer Laura Decker as our Wildlife Officer of the Year,” said Nathaniel Arnold, Acting Chief of the Law Enforcement Division.

“Her work accomplishments are truly impressive, and the citizens of California are lucky to have her protecting California’s diverse natural resources.”

the unlawful take of Dungeness crab under Decker’s lead for weeks. The patrols resulted in 225 citations for unlawful possession/take of Dungeness crab (727 crabs), unlawful take of rock crab (89 crabs), take of undersized Dungeness crab, several San Mateo County Code violations, four DUI’s and one arrest.

Charter cities in California won a lawsuit last week against the state that declared Senate Bill (SB) 9, a pro-housing bill, unconstitutional.

Passed in 2021, SB 9 is also known as the California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency Act (HOME). That law permits up to four residential units --- counting individual units of duplexes, triplexes and residential dwelling units (RDUs) – to be built on properties in neighborhoods that were previously zoned for only single-family homes.

A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge ruled in favor of the cities, pointing out that SB 9 discredited charter cities that were granted jurisdiction to create new governance systems and enact policy reforms. The court ruling affects 121 charter cities that have local constitutions.

Attorney Pam Lee represented five Southern California cities in the lawsuit against the state and Attorney General Rob Bonta.

“This is a monumental victory for all charter cities in California,” Lee said.

However, general law cities are excluded from the court ruling as state housing laws still apply in residential areas.

Attorney General Bonta and his team are working to review the decision and consider all options that will protect SB 9 as a state law. Bonta said the law has helped provide affordable housing for residents in California.

“Our statewide housing shortage and affordability crisis requires collaboration, innovation, and a good faith effort by local governments to increase the housing supply,” Bonta said.

“SB9 is an important tool in this effort, and we’re going to make sure homeowners have the opportunity to utilize it,” he said.

Charter cities remain adamant that the state should refrain from making land-use decisions on their behalf. In the lawsuit, city representatives argued that SB 9 eliminates local authority to create single-family zoning districts and approve housing developments.

Wildlife Officer Decker is a K-9 handler, with her loyal partner Maverick. They have responded to many requests for assistance calls from partnering law enforcement agencies, including a search for a man suspected of stabbing another at a party, a search for a firearm used in a drive-by shooting, which injured a six-year-old, and other assists to agencies in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties.

Wildlife Officer Decker was the lead for planning Dungeness crab poaching details to respond to an uptick in Dungeness crab poaching reports in San Mateo County. Local wildlife officers patrolled the San Mateo coast for

Decker is especially valued as a trainer. She is an arrest/control instructor and is skillful in her demonstrations and teaching methods. She became a first aid/ CPR instructor, then built upon that foundation and attended the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center’s Tactical Medicine Instructor Course. Decker is an expert at treating wounds in the field and uses this experience to train other officers and the public to survive an injury. Her training scenarios are often designed to mimic conditions a wildlife officer faces patrolling a remote location, hours away from help. Finally, Wildlife Officer Decker is a Field Training Officer, training new wildlife officers to prepare them for their career in wildlife law enforcement.

Wildlife Officer Decker’s extraordinary service to the citizens of California, our natural resources, and her fellow wildlife officers in the Law Enforcement Division made her the obvious choice for Wildlife Officer of the Year.

Beyond Earth Day: Inland Empire Environmental Justice Community Lays Solutions for Warehouse Growth...continued from page 1

Gorgonio Chapter. “We make public comments, members and supporters show up at their city council meetings and speak against the projects in their communities, and when all else fails we litigate.”

Ruiz added that action is needed at the state level when local leaders fail their communities.

During public comment at the San Bernardino County Planning Commission meeting on September 22, 2022, Ana Carlos and other members of the Concerned Neighbors of Bloomington and local environmental justice groups hold signs in protest of warehouses being built in their community. At the end of the meeting the Planning Commision voted to move the project ahead to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)

Among the key solutions and suggestions offered in the report one emphasizes the need for more state-wide air quality regulations. The report noted that although there has been progress in state and federal air quality regulations over the past 22 years, the recent surge in warehouse construction is undermining these efforts. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and ozone disproportionately affect communities in close proximity to warehouses. According to the American Lung Association and CalEnviroScreen 4.0’s most recent report, the Inland Empire has the highest concentrations of ozone in the country.

Another suggested intervention from the report is the declaration of a regional warehouse moratorium of one to two years which would allow time to

implement policy changes. A moratorium is a period of time that allows for expert assessment of the impact of the warehousing industry on the community.

During the moratorium, new warehouse expansion projects are paused. Once the findings and recommendations are provided to the governing body, a moratorium can be terminated.

In recent years, eight cities in the region enacted a moratorium against warehousing after the community expressed concerns.

Mark Tomich, the Director of Colton’s Planning Department presents updates in Colton’s warehouse moratorium ordinance to the Colton City Council on February 7, 2023. He included the recommendation regulations around warehousing to better protect the community that the Ad Hoc committee, a group formed to study the impact of warehouses, developed during the moratorium period. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)

The report also calls for the identification of high exposure communities from both warehouse and industrial land uses. Once these communities have been identified, it calls for the creation of higher standards at the state level to approve projects in these zones. According to the report, in 2010, 337,445 Inland Empire residents lived within a quarter mile of a warehouse; by 2022 this number grew by 30,000 to 367,584 individuals, roughly 60% of whom are Latino.

From a legislative perspective, the report’s authors recommend the enforcement of existing state limits for campaign contributions and to prohibit developer donations to city councils or other decision-making bodies within three years of pending decisions.

Currently in effect, Senate Bill 352 requires that when a school site is being selected that any potential sources of pollution within a quarter mile of the proposed school site be surveyed and included in a risk assessment. This legislation also includes school sites within 500 meters of a busy roadway to be assessed to show that neither short- nor long-term exposure poses a significant health risk.

The study recommends the bill to apply the same rules to warehouses and to extend the distance to schools within 500 meters.

On April 4, 2023, dusk onsets as lights from an Ontario warehouse illuminate the land it stands on and snow capped San Gabriel Mountains loom behind.

(Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News / CatchLight Local)

Since the report’s publication over a year ago, CCAEJ has made strides in advocating for communities at further risk of displacement due to warehouse development as exemplified by their work on the ground with impacted communities, from helping them get involved at community meetings by leaving comment and gaining access to translation services, to making decisions about whether to sell their homes when approached by developers.

Highlighting its accessibility, Phillips said that a powerful tool for community-based environmental justice engagements is Warehouse CITY, an interactive cumulative impact tool that allows users to map warehouses in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, from acreage and square footage to diesel particulate matter and carbon emissions.

“The public response has been encouraging, with much more attention to the issue and participation in communities across the Inland Empire,” Ruiz said. “The government response has been lacking, and at the local level in cities and counties it is business as usual, with many mega-projects still in approval.” Ruiz shared that she hoped for a greater government response.

“I’ve been disappointed in the lack of response from the Governor’s office and the office of Attorney General Bonta,” she said. “We, the Sierra Club, are also feeling left out of the process with the warehouse task force group, but hopeful to be included at some point in the process.” Phillips said that there have been few changes in terms of legislation or engagement of higher-level officials since the report’s publication but that there is now more information at hand than ever.

“We do have the ears of some politicians who are interested in new ways of thinking and framing healthier futures for residents and the planet,” she said.

Phillips added that many communities are now faced with the encroachment of warehouses.

“Not just here in Southern California, but across the state and U.S.” she said. “Our biggest success is slowly shifting the narrative, but in terms of actual change, we have seen a speeding up as opposed to a slowing down of warehousing in the region.”

A Region in Crisis II report is currently being developed and projected to be published in the summer.

It is intended to be utilized by planners, municipalities, community-based organizations, and residents who are interested in community and environmental health.

Bo Tefu and Joe W. Bowers Jr.| California

Whole vs. Term Life Insurance: Which Is the Right Choice for You?

Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase

Michal Bednarek via 123RF

According to a recent LIMRA and LIFE Foundation study, more than 50 percent of American respondents overestimated life insurance costs by three times or more than the actual amount. Most policies average between $40 and $55 a month, depending on the coverage type. This discrepancy in cost expectation can lead to putting off coverage or dismissing life insurance as an unaffordable luxury exclusively for the wealthy.

Life insurance provides a financial safety net for your family in the event of an untimely death. If you need coverage, the two primary options are whole and term life insurance.

Whole vs. Term Life Insurance

Are you trying to decide the best fit for your family’s needs? Here’s a synopsis of each type of life insurance coverage.

Whole Life Insurance Explained

Whole life insurance, also known as traditional life insurance, offers permanent coverage for the insured person — as long as their premiums are paid on time. Additionally, whole life insurance includes a savings component called “cash value” that accrues interest at a fixed rate on a tax-deferred basis.

According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), whole life insurance is the most pervasive type of permanent life insurance.

Benefits of Whole Life Insurance

Guaranteed payout: Whole life insurance includes a guaranteed death benefit, as long as the account is in good standing. Fixed premiums: No matter what type of life insurance, you’ll be required to make monthly payments. However, whole life insurance has fixed premiums.

RUHS Celebrates Mental Health Month with ‘The Art of Wellness’ Fairs Across Riverside County

Health /Lifestyle News

MORENO VALLEY, CA

(April 29, 2024)—Residents are invited to take part in The Art of Wellness, free, family-friendly events hosted by Riverside University Health System— Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH). Held in May as part of Mental Health Month, the fairs will spotlight mental health with a variety of engaging activities aimed at enhancing wellness and providing education.

"RUHS is deeply committed to promoting well-being through education, support, and the dismantling of mental health misconceptions," said Dr. Matthew Chang, Director of Behavioral Health at RUHS. "We aim to build a community that knows more, cares more and lives healthier."

Guests of all ages can enjoy food, music, entertainment and games while learning about local resources and services for behavioral health and wellness. Additional countyprovided resources, local nonprofit organizations, and other agencies will be on hand to offer information and support related to housing, financial aid, behavioral health, physical health, and more.

EVENT DETAILS:

Indio: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 at Coachella Valley History Museum, located at 82616 Miles Ave., in Indio San Jacinto: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9 at Valley-Wide Recreation & Park District, located at 901 W Esplanade Ave., in San Jacinto

The monthly payment stays the same throughout the policy’s entirety.

Cash value: Whole life insurance builds cash value. This feature means that a percentage of each payment is set aside and added to the policy’s cash value, accumulating throughout the policy’s duration. Some companies allow policy owners to withdraw funds or borrow against their cash value.

Term Life Insurance Explained

Term life insurance provides coverage for a set amount of time, usually one, five, 10, or 30 years. If the insured outlives their policy, their beneficiaries won’t receive any money. That said, the policy owner can terminate, renew, or convert their policy to permanent coverage once it expires.

The III points to a couple of different types of term life insurance. Level term life insurance offers a fixed death benefit. While decreasing term life insurance reduces potential

death benefits as the policy ages.

Benefits of Term Life

Insurance

Affordable: Term life insurance is usually more economical than whole life insurance. This disparity is because, with term life insurance, the policyholder’s coverage is for a limited predetermined time.

Flexible: Term life insurance is also adjustable. Policyholders can choose how long they’d like their term insurance to last — whether it’s one, five, 10, or 30 years.

Tax-free death benefit: If the insured dies during the policy term, their beneficiary or beneficiaries will receive a taxfree lump sum from the insurance company.

How to Choose the Right Type of Life Insurance

Life insurance isn’t one-sizefits-all. Before you make a final decision, do some research. Think about what kind of coverage you need, why, and how long you need it. Educating yourself is the best way to make an informed choice.

A term life policy is probably the best option if you’re interested in affordable coverage for a specific period. However, if you’re comfortable paying a higher premium and are interested in another investment tool, you may want to look into a whole life insurance policy.

Biden Administration Delays Decision on Menthol Cigarette Ban

By Stacy M. Brown | National Newspaper Publishers Association

The Biden administration announced on Friday yet another delay in a decision regarding a regulation aimed at banning menthol-flavored cigarettes, citing extensive feedback and attention surrounding the controversial proposal by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Health and Human Services

Riverside: 11:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 23 at Fairmount Park, located at 2601 Fairmount Blvd., in Riverside

Mental Health Month is recognized in May to increase awareness, promote healthy habits, and support those with behavioral health challenges. It serves as a time to educate the public on the importance of mental health and work towards reducing stigma to create a healthier community.

Last year, the American Psychological Association found that among adults aged 35 to 44, 50% were identified with mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression and stressrelated conditions. Additionally, 16% of U.S. youth were reported to experience severe major depressive episodes. These findings underscore the extensive impact of collective trauma on mental health and highlight the crucial need for accessible mental health care and support services for individuals of all ages.

RUHS offers services, including Mental Health Urgent Cares for immediate assistance, Mobile Crisis Teams for onsite support, and prevention and early intervention services tailored for youth and adults. These services are designed to provide appropriate and effective aid, ensuring that individuals facing mental health challenges can access the help they need.

For those in need of immediate assistance, dial 951-686-HELP for support. Learn more: www.ruhealth. org/events.

Secretary Xavier Becerra stated, “This rule has garnered historic attention and the public comment period has yielded an immense amount of feedback, including from various elements of the civil rights and criminal justice movement.”

One senior administration official highlighted the challenges in reaching a consensus, stating, “It was hard to put a timeline on the delay, citing lingering disagreements after months of hard conversations.”

The administration seeks additional time to gather input from external stakeholders, particularly from the civil rights perspective. Acknowledging the disproportionately high rates of Black Americans affected by menthol cigarette usage, which prompted the FDA’s initial push for a ban, concerns have been raised about the potential enforcement of such a rule.

Among the vocal opponents of the menthol cigarette ban is the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has been lobbying against it for months.

The ACLU warns that such a ban would “disproportionately impact people of color” and “prioritize criminalization over public health and harm reduction.”

“The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) applauds and strongly supports the decision of the Biden-Harris Administration to continue to take the necessary time to hear directly from a wide range of African American leaders, as well as from an array of leaders from other communities of color across the United States, on the proposed FDA ban on menthol cigarettes,” said Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., NNPA president

Biden Administration Delays Decision on Menthol Cigarette Ban...continued

unintended law enforcement consequences like the very ones that led to my son’s death. It’s why I organized other mothers who have lost children to police violence, NAN, Attorney Ben Crump, and others to ensure there were clear guidelines to safeguard against our concerns. We commend the Biden Administration for hearing those concerns and taking them seriously. The fight for our freedom of choice and our civil liberties must carry on.”

Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, also welcomed the decision, stating on X

(formerly Twitter), “I am pleased that the Biden Administration understands the civil rights harm that could result from a menthol ban in the Black Community. I look forward to working with the Biden administration toward effective prevention solutions as it relates to smoking in our great country.”

The delay underscores the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the issue, as the administration seeks to balance public health objectives with civil liberties and racial equity concerns.

Proposed California Bill Would Allow Arizona Doctors to Provide Abortions in CA by

Breanna Reeves

1864 ban. (Graphic by Chris Allen, BVN)

Overview: California

The delay underscores the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the issue, as the administration seeks to balance public health objectives with civil liberties and racial equity concerns.

(Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

and CEO. “The NNPA joins with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NOBLE), the National Action Network (NAN), and the Mothers of the Movement Against Police Brutality in our public opposition to the proposed ban on menthol cigarettes. This a matter of racial profiling and the unintended consequences of proposed rules that will have a negative impact on the communities in which we serve.

Thank you President Biden for your continued leadership.”

The White House has engaged in over 100 meetings regarding the proposal with numerous outside groups both for and against the regulation, ranging from convenience store associations to the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner, who tragically died nearly a decade ago due to a police altercation over the sale of loose cigarettes, expressed relief at the Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to delay the menthol ban. Carr has consistently voiced concerns about potential unintended consequences of the rule, emphasizing the need for clear guidelines to prevent further harm in Black communities.

In a statement, Carr said, “I worked diligently trying to avoid the menthol ban because it was personal to me. My son, Eric Garner, died as a result of police crackdowns on the sale of loose cigarettes. I realized this ban would only create more

Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed a bill that would allow Arizona providers to provide abortions in California in response to the Arizona Supreme Court’s ruling upholding an 1864 abortion law. Under the proposed Senate Bill 233, licensed Arizona doctors in good standing would be temporarily allowed to provide abortion and abortionrelated care to Arizona patients traveling to California until November 30, 2024. The bill would be under the supervision of California’s Medical Board.

California has taken steps to protect reproductive care and abortion access since Roe v. Wade was overturned, including strengthening protections for providers and safeguarding patient reproductive records. If the Arizona Supreme Court’s ruling is not repealed, Arizona would become the 22nd state to ban or restrict abortion.

In response to an Arizona Supreme Court’s ruling that would ban nearly all abortions in the state in accordance with a 1864 abortion law, California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a bill that would allow Arizona providers to give their patients abortions in California.

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled to uphold the 1864 law — which hadn’t been enforced since Roe v. Wade passed — on April 9. The law could take effect by June 8 if efforts to repeal it do not succeed.

“Arizona Republicans continue to put women in danger—embracing a draconian law passed when Arizona was a territory, not even a state.

California will not sit idly by,” Newsom said in a statement.

“We’re urgently moving legislation to allow Arizona doctors to provide safe and reliable reproductive care to Arizonans here in California.”

Under the proposed Senate Bill 233, licensed Arizona doctors in good standing would be temporarily allowed to provide abortion and abortion-related care to Arizona patients traveling to California until Nov. 30, 2024. Newsom introduced the bill, authored by Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Cecilia AguiarCurry (D-Winters), alongside the the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. Arizona doctors would be under the supervision of California’s

Medical Board under the bill.

“In upholding Arizona’s 160 year old law, it’s clear that their real objective is to return women to second class status,” California Legislative Women’s Caucus Chair Sen. Skinner said in a statement. “With SB 233, the Legislative Women’s Caucus is taking our gloves off once again as we pursue every legislative action necessary to protect women’s reproductive rights, and especially our right to an abortion.”

SB 233 includes an urgency clause and would take effect immediately once Newsom signs it.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned nearly two years ago, California has taken concrete steps to protect reproductive care and abortion access in the state. In September 2023, Newsom signed a series of bills that strengthened protections for providers who deliver abortion care and safeguarded patient reproductive records.

Following a Texas federal judge’s ruling in April 2023 which prevented the approval of mifepristone, one of the drugs used in the process of ending a pregnancy, California obtained an emergency stockpile of the drug.

In November 2022, Californians voted to approve Proposition 1, which explicitly added abortion and contraception rights to the state constitution as a fundamental right to reproductive freedom.

Attorney General Rob Bonta also welcomed abortion care providers from other states to California, reinforcing California’s support of reproductive health care.

“For providers from neartotal abortion ban states who are willing to practice in California, you are welcome in California, and we want to ensure that you know your rights and are empowered to continue fulfilling your vital role of providing necessary abortion care here,” Attorney General Bonta said in a press release.

There are currently 21 states that ban or restrict abortion, with Arizona being number 22 if the State Legislature is unable to repeal the 1864 ban. The State Supreme Court temporarily put a hold on their ruling, allowing abortions to continue under the state’s 15-weeks law.

Photo:

There are currently 21 states that ban or restrict abortion, with Arizona being number 22 if its State Legislature is unable to repeal the state’s

Photo: Olga Yastremska via 123RF

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Honored for Leadership in Holocaust and Genocide Education

SACRAMENTO—State

Superintendent Tony Thurmond was honored yesterday by the California Legislative Jewish Caucus for his leadership in the area of Holocaust and Genocide Education. Thurmond was honored alongside leaders and educators from the Jewish Family & Children’s Services Holocaust Center as well as Holocaust survivors and their descendants who have chosen to share their stories as part of educational initiatives.

“"I am deeply honored by this recognition from the California Legislative Jewish Caucus for our collective efforts in Holocaust and Genocide Education. Through education, we not only honor the memory of the victims but also strive to ensure that such atrocities never happen again,” Thurmond said.

“By understanding the horrors of the past, we empower ourselves to build a future rooted in empathy, tolerance, and justice."

Senate Concurrent Resolution 135 (Wiener), commemorating Yom HaShoah and honoring leaders in Holocaust Education, was supported by the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, Latino Caucus, Women’s Caucus, and Legislative Black Caucus in solidarity.

In January, Thurmond launched an oral history speaker

series for Holocaust survivors and their family members to share their personal perspectives with students. He is also the cochair of the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education.

Many of his efforts come after a nationwide survey released in 2020 showed a lack of “Holocaust knowledge” among adults under 40; more than one in 10 respondents did not recall ever having heard the word “Holocaust.” Sixtythree percent of Millennials and Generation Z surveyed did not know that six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, and over half who did know thought the death toll was fewer than two million people. More than 40,000 concentration camps and ghettos were established during World War II, but nearly half of U.S. respondents failed to name a single one. Recent surveys indicate that one in five young Americans think the Holocaust is a myth.

The oral history event was the beginning of a series of survivor testimonies that Thurmond will host in districts across California. Educators who are interested in bringing these historic testimonies to their students should contact communications@cde.ca.gov.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Recommends Rescheduling Cannabis

Washington, D.C. — On Tuesday, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reportedly proposed rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. Before taking effect, the DEA’s proposal must undergo review by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

“This is a positive step forward for federal cannabis policy, however it is a rather modest step given the strong support among American voters for comprehensive cannabis reform,” said Matthew Schweich, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, the nation’s leading cannabis policy reform organization. “It is important to acknowledge that this rescheduling would not affect the criminalization of medical cannabis patients and cannabis consumers under state laws – so we must continue the work of enacting sensible and fair cannabis legalization and medical cannabis laws through state legislatures and ballot initiatives.”

Spot scammers looking to profit from

Midwest tornados

By Gema de las Heras Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Just as people in Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, and other Midwestern states are reeling from the catastrophic damage caused by tornados and other severe weather, scammers are rolling in. They use all kinds of stories to try to trick not just those doing their best to recover, but also anyone who tries to help. The best way to steer clear of these disaster-chasing scammers? Know what their tactics have in common.

A great place to help yourself and others spot and avoid scams after a disaster is ftc.gov/ WeatherEmergencies. If you’re pressed for time as you focus on recovery, remember this:

FEMA and the Small Business Administration don’t charge application fees. Only scammers

say they’re a government official and demand money to help you qualify for FEMA funds or government grant. The best place to get information is fema.gov or sba.gov if you are a business owner.

Scammers offer help but demand you pay for clean-up or repairs upfront. Never pay in full upfront. And don’t hire anyone who refuses to give you copies of their license and insurance, and a contract in writing.

If you’re not directly affected but want to donate to help people in need, take time to research places to donate. That way, you make sure your money goes to the people in need, not charity scammers.

Suspect a weather-related scam? Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Over 1.6 Million Dollars in Unclaimed Funds Available

1,298 Claimants have until August 1 to claim their funds, which have been made available due to a roll change that resulted in a refund Riverside County News

Riverside, CA - The Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office is seeking 1,298 claimants who may have upwards of $480,000 in unclaimed funds due to roll changes and now risk being unable to secure those funds due to the statute of limitations.

general fund.

“I’m underwhelmed by the progress made during President Biden’s administration, I think it was fair to expect more,” added Schweich. “It was absurd to consider cannabis to be more dangerous than heroin, as is the case today. It will remain absurd to consider cannabis to be more dangerous than alcohol, Xanax, and Valium, which will still be the case after this rescheduling takes effect.”

However, MPP recognizes that rescheduling cannabis would still provide many real-world benefits, including facilitating research and reducing burdens on medical cannabis patients, providers, and the businesses that serve them. However, moving cannabis to Schedule III will still leave many of the harms of federal prohibition in place. Rescheduling cannabis will not resolve the conflicts between federal and state laws, and ultimately action is needed from Congress to enact federal legalization and criminal justice policies.

In August 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) formally recommended rescheduling cannabis. In a letter sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), HHS provided findings from their review of marijuana’s scheduling status and recommended rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III controlled substance.

“Our office is working diligently to contact the potential claimants, in hopes that they will recoup these funds that are due back to them,” stated TreasurerTax Collector Matthew Jennings. “We will continue to exhaust all methods of communication to distribute these unclaimed funds to the rightful owner.”

Claimants have been contacted prior, but due to unresponsiveness, will have additional time to submit claims. The list of eligible claimants for this time period is live as of May 1st, with a 90-day filing period, therefore claims must be postmarked by August 1st. Once this period has lapsed, the unclaimed funds will be transferred to the county’s

A roll change occurs in two forms, such as an escape assessment, which is an assessment of a property that was not assessed or under-assessed, for any reason, on the original roll. Secondly, a correction is any authorization change to the existing assessment except for an underassessment caused by an error or omission of the assessee. Both forms of roll changes are regulated by Revenue and Taxation Codes. Once the roll change occurs, the Treasurer-Tax Collector is required to mail a form to the appropriate person entitled to the refund before the funds can be released. Claimants must have completed a form within four years from the date that the payment was made or within 1 year after the mailing of the letter, whichever is later.

For those who may have unclaimed funds that are near the statute of limitations, please visit https://apps.countytreasurer. org/unclaimedrefund or call 951955-3900 to learn more.

NFPA and HFSC Encourage Fire Departments and Safety Advocates to Participate in Home Fire Sprinkler Week Digital Campaign, May 12 - 18

April 30, 2024 – The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition® (HFSC) and the NFPA Fire Sprinkler Initiative® announce the launch of Home Fire Sprinkler Week on May 12 – 18, 2024, focusing on the home fire problem and the need for better understanding of the life safety benefits of installed home fire sprinklers. In every community, home fires are a severe threat to residents and responding firefighters. Homes account for 78 percent of all civilian fire deaths. Today this problem is intensified by the fact that homes continued on page 7

L E G A L S C L A S S I F I E D S G O H E R E

the Coachella Valley Unified School District is requesting sealed proposals for:

Apple Products Repair Services RFP # 106-2024

Award will be for one year with option to renew for four additional one-year terms.

Bid documents may be electronically downloaded by registering at District Bid Manager: https://cloud. astihosted.com/CVUSD/dbm/Vendor/Ven_Default.asp Sealed proposals must be received prior to 2:00 p.m. on May 23, 2024, at the District’s Superintendent’s office located at: 87-225 Church St. Thermal, CA 92274. Sealed proposals will be opened at, or after, the time indicated, and will publicly be read aloud. Any proposal submitted after the specified date and time shall be deemed nonresponsive and returned to the bidder unopened.

Any claim by a bidder of error in its bid must be made in compliance with Public Contract Code Section 5100 et. seq.

All proposals shall be on the form provided by the District. Each proposal must conform and be responsive to all pertinent proposal documents.

Award will be made to a firm that best meets the needs of the District. A scoring system will be used to determine the award.

The Board reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive any irregularity in any proposal received.

Published: May 2, 2024 and May 9, 2024.

Submission Deadline is MONDAYS by 5pm & 12 noon TUESDAYS if holiday falls on Monday Email Press Releases to: mary@sb-american.com

Submit legals to website: sb-american.com

Thursday, May 2, 2024

INLAND EMPIRE/HIGH DESERT/ ENTERTAINMENT/RELIGION NEWS

IN MEMORIAM:

Tribute to the Ministry, Life, and Legacy of Reverend Dr. Cecil “Chip” Murray

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Rev. Murray also sparked and inspired something much closer to home. He inspired me, but he directly mobilized my brother and friend Rev. Whitlock to lead his newest church initiative back then – something he boldly called FAME Renaissance. Just some of the results of FAME Renaissance and Dr. Murray’s most trusted senior team, which featured (Rev.) Mark Whitlock, Rev. Dr. Steve Johnson, and Peggy Hill included 300 Jobs for teenagers at Disneyland every year for 10 years! 3000 jobs, a Fame Renaissance loan fund, a Fame Renaissance Venture Capital Fund, a Fame Renaissance Transportation Program that transported 1,000 000 people annually; a Fame Renaissance environmental protection program, which saved 1.5 billion square acres of water; a Fame Renaissance Commercial Office Building of 75,000 square feet; a Fame Incubator Program – which trained 1000 entrepreneurs and started 400 small businesses, a Fame Renaissance Home Loan Program, which funded five hundred homes, a FAME Housing had affordable housing projects of 700 units with low to moderate tenants, encompassing seven buildings. And so much more.

How do you salute a man who walked amongst the angels? You start by making sure that history accurately reflects his name. This is my modest contribution to the telling of his vital history and legacy.

Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray changed my life. Life, literally. He was more than a mentor, a supporter, or a good friend to a ‘young man coming up.‘ He was, in every way—particularly during my evolving years as a young man in the making—my spiritual father.

Rev. Murray and I met originally through my brother and friend Mark Whitlock, now Rev. Mark Whitlock, who leads one of the three largest AME churches in the nation –Reid Temple AME Church in Maryland. Back then, he was an executive in the making, first at a property title company and then a banker at Wells Fargo. But what Mark and I knew then was that Rev. Murray had already decided, in his spirit, that our lives would be transformed into a life’s calling.

Very seldom do you meet someone who you believe is ‘otherworldly.’ Someone who you genuinely believe walks their talk and might even qualify as a saint on this earth. A true prophet

from on high, representing God almighty right here on earth. That there is one Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray.

It is impossible to communicate in an Op-Ed the power and transformational impact that this man had on my life, but I will try by telling you a couple of intimate stories about Dr. Murray. When I first showed up at the church, the Rodney King Riots of 1992 had engulfed the city, and everyone important at the time seemed to be sitting in Rev. Murray’s office.

This included the governor (the Republican Pete Wilson), the mayor (the legendary Democrat Mayor Tom Bradley, also an early mentor of mine), civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Catholic bishop, the Jewish Rabbi, the Muslim Imam, and every other whose-who from the city had crammed into this one man’s office—all seeking his approval and wise counsel. As a young man of 26, whom Rev. Murray had reluctantly agreed to mentor, I was invited to come in and take a seat, even though I had zero role, power, or responsibility.

One might say, I was actually in the way. But Rev. Murray saw something in me and invited

NFPA and HFSC Encourage Fire Departments and Safety Advocates to Participate in Home Fire Sprinkler Week Digital Campaign, May 12 - 18...continued from page 6 with modern furnishings, open spaces, unprotected lightweight wood construction, and emerging technologies such as lithiumion batteries, make home fires deadly in two minutes or less.

To confront this stubborn public safety burden, fire departments and safety advocates across North America will team up during the campaign to help amplify the message that fire sprinklers stop a fire from becoming deadly, protecting residents, and firefighters.

Each day during Home Fire Sprinkler Week, participants can highlight a different theme and content for social media and websites that focus on key facts about home fire sprinklers. The messages are sized for various platforms, making it easy to share with little time and effort. Everyone is encouraged to visit the campaign website each day and share the messages.

“Educating and increasing awareness about home fire sprinklers can be a challenge,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president

me in to take a quiet seat in the corner when I showed up at his office, looking for a way to help following the citywide unrest. It was after and in many ways because of this meeting that I ultimately founded Operation HOPE.

Rev. Murray told me to take my business skills (and my high contacts in local finance) and put them to work ‘rebuilding our community.’ Within the week, on May 5th, 1992, I organized the first Bankers Bus Tour through a still smoldering South Central Los Angeles. The result of this first tour was a commitment from the assembled bankers to fund the rebuilding of Handler’s Pharmacy, a Black-owned pharmacy business located at Western Ave and 42nd Street. That was the first commitment to ‘rebuild’ by anyone and involved leaders from government, community, and the private sector. It also focused on a quality that later became my strength and global calling card – outcomes and results. A focus on Ph.D and Ph.Do too. I ended up founding Operation HOPE in 1992, with a $61,000 grant requested by then-Democratic LA Mayor Tom Bradley to thenRepublican President George W. Bush. It was an SBA 7J grant made on a bi-partisan basis. This also became a quality I would find useful for 30 years of ‘getting stuff done.’

On the 10th anniversary of the Rodney King Riots—22 years ago today—Rev. Murray and First AME Church partnered to host then-US President George W. Bush in South Central Los Angeles to salute the rebuilding. They were joined by 700 leaders from across the Southern California community, inclusive of both major political parties and all racial groups. Classic Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray.

Today, Operation HOPE is the largest financial literacy coaching, counseling, and economic empowerment organization nationwide, with 300 full-time HOPE Inside offices in 40+ states. Its partners have invested more than $4.5 billion into our communities, raising credit scores, lowering debt, increasing savings, and creating minority homeowners and small business owners. One Majority Black-owned Business has inspired, created and grown more than 400,000 Black businesses, equal to more than 12% of all black businesses in America. This is the living legacy of Rev. Cecil Murray, which began in 1992.

Rev. Murray also sparked and inspired something much closer to home. He inspired me, but he directly mobilized my brother and friend Rev. Whitlock to lead his newest church initiative back then – something he boldly called FAME Renaissance. Just some of the results of FAME Renaissance and Dr. Murray’s most trusted senior team, which featured (Rev.) Mark Whitlock, Rev. Dr. Steve Johnson, and Peggy Hill included 300 Jobs for teenagers at Disneyland every year for 10 years! 3000 jobs, a Fame Renaissance loan fund, a Fame Renaissance Venture Capital Fund, a Fame Renaissance Transportation Program that transported 1,000 000 people annually; a Fame Renaissance environmental protection program, which saved 1.5 billion square acres of water; a Fame Renaissance Commercial Office Building of 75,000 square feet; a Fame Incubator Program –which trained 1000 entrepreneurs and started 400 small businesses, a Fame Renaissance Home Loan Program, which funded five hundred homes, a FAME Housing had affordable housing projects of 700 units with low to moderate tenants, encompassing seven buildings. And so much more. Sometimes, you run into someone in life who changes your life and the world we all live in, too. That man, for me, at 26 years old, was The Reverend Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray.

And this one thing I know, and I hope that you now understand this to be true too – his powerful, one-of-a-kind legacy lives.

John Hope Bryant, founder of Operation HOPE, and spiritual son of Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray, can be reached at jhbhope@oerations.org

NFPA and HFSC Encourage Fire Departments and Safety Advocates to Participate in Home Fire Sprinkler Week Digital Campaign, May 12 - 18...continued

CDC warns of E. coli outbreak linked to organic walnuts sold in bulk...continued

has recalled these products.

These walnuts have expiration dates between May 21, 2025, and June 7, 2025.

Ask the store where you purchased if recalled walnuts were sold.

Some stores may repackage bulk walnut halves and pieces into plastic clamshells or bags.

FDA has a list of stores that may have received these walnuts.

What People Should Do:

If you bought organic walnut

halves and pieces from bulk containers, see if yours might be part of the recall. Check your pantries, refrigerators, and freezers for walnuts. If you can’t tell if it’s part of the recall, it’s safer not to eat them.

Wash items and surfaces that may have touched the walnuts using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.

“Ongoing Warning to All!”

Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Great tribulation – a time of suffering and desolation unlike this world has ever experienced is on the horizon. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Prepare! Consider Noah. God warned Noah and his family of the coming flood and directed them how to prepare the Ark to survive it. Noah listened to God, took the warning to heart and “did according to all that God commanded him.” [Genesis 6:22]. And because Noah listened to the warning and obeyed the command of God, He, and his household, along with a remnant of every living creature on the earth, survived the flood waters that covered the earth. [Genesis 8:1]. Ongoing warning to all. Prepare and don’t delay. There is only one place of refuge – in the hands of Jesus by accepting Him as the Lord of your life. Jesus is the only source of refuge from the coming storm. Don’t wait until the storm falls on you. It

will be too late to prepare then. There will be no place to hide and no place of safety, for the whole world will be burned away and there will be no place to go. God has promised that the storm is coming, but many won’t believe the warnings or heed the call because they can’t see it with their natural eye. But "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." [2Peter 3:9]. Ongoing warning to all! God is not a man that he shall lie. A storm is on the horizon. It is coming just as surely as the sun rose this morning. It’s more certain than the sun may rise tomorrow. This is a storm that cannot be compared to any storm of nature in its power and intensity. It’s a storm that will bring judgment upon the heart of every man and woman remaining in the earth and none will escape its power. Please don’t wait until the storm falls on you. It will be too late. Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation. Jesus is the only source of refuge from the coming storm. Give your life to Jesus now! Don’t wait until it’s too late!

What is Solidarity?

Tracy Howe

of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA and president of the HFSC. “What thwarts progress is a lack of public awareness, rampant myths, and the influence of special interests. More than one million homes are built each year and less than 10 percent are protected with fire sprinklers. Homes without fire sprinklers counter the goals of community risk reduction. During Home Fire Sprinkler Week, NFPA and HFSC are working together to raise awareness about unprotected home fires and how home fire sprinklers can prevent injuries, save lives, and protect property.”

Participants can take advantage of the free resources of the new HFSC Studio to create a wide range of educational materials for their fire sprinkler community outreach initiatives. With this new, easy-to-use online tool, fire departments can design their own flyers, posters, and social media cards; share messages through their social media platforms; and print customized materials

to distribute at community events such as home shows and open houses, and during campaigns such as Fire Prevention Week™ (FPW™).

Fire safety advocates know, and every year national fire data reinforces, installed fire sprinklers reduce home fire injuries, deaths, and property loss. “That’s why all national building codes require sprinklers in new construction,” said Carli. “As a result, every new home

built without fire sprinklers is by definition, substandard. Today’s homebuyers are savvy about safety and when they learn about fire sprinklers, they want them. The virtual reality, digital, and other Home Fire Sprinkler Week resources underscore not just that we can do better; they underscore exactly how to do better.”

For free resources and media information about Home Fire Sprinkler Week, visit the HFSC Media Room.

CDC warns of E. coli outbreak linked to organic walnuts sold in bulk

A CDC food safety alert regarding a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections has been posted: https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/walnuts-04-24/ index.html

CDC News

Key Points:

CDC has received reports of 12 people from 2 states who have been infected with this outbreak strain of E. coli.

Seven people have been hospitalized and 2 people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. No deaths have been reported.

Almost all sick people purchased organic walnuts from bulk bins in food co-ops or natural food stores in California and Washington.

FDA determined that Gibson Farms, Inc supplied these walnuts and Gibson Farms, Inc

“Solidarity” is a word I picked up as I became more involved in the work of justice building. No one ever defined it for me, but I extracted meaning from the contexts in which it was used. It expressed, in my earliest understandings, solid commitment to a cause or more specifically, the people involved in the cause or impacted by the injustice which necessitated the cause. I heard the word, though, used so ubiquitously, solidarity as social media reposting, solidarity as keeping people in your thoughts and prayers, that the word lost meaning. When I was organizing in Charlottesville, VA against violent white supremacists, I was introduced to “embodied solidarity.” I first heard this from Dr. Larycia Hawkins, a womanist organizer and faith leader who organized with us in Charlottesville, the city in which she landed after being fired from Wheaton College for wearing a hijab as an act of solidarity with Muslim women who were being targeted in xenophobic attacks.

Dr. Hawkins spoke courageously about the gospel itself being about embodied solidarity, willingly taking on the bodily vulnerability of another, unto death, such that our stakes are entangled. Yes. I see that in the Gospel of Jesus. What does that mean for us now?

As I have continued organizing, and growing in my walk with Jesus, I understand the call to willingly take on the embodied vulnerability of others as a demonstration of possibility, power and more. More than

that, I have witnessed countless of people acting in embodied solidarity and it gives me surety that the Spirit and Transformative Power of the Gospel are at work in the world. Jesus willingly took on the bodily vulnerability of poor people living under a brutal occupation unto death. Now, when I see likewise action, I praise God. Praise God for the young and old locking themselves to construction machinery on behalf of the vulnerable earth, which is also our shared vulnerability. Praise God for students risking their education and housing and futures to demand an end to genocide. Praise God for the Apache Stronghold people and those who have camped out on the land with them in the struggle to save a culture and a water shed. Praise God. I now claim the definition of abolitionist organizer and thinker, Dr. Ruth Wilson Gilmore, who asserts that solidarity is radical dependence. Colonial violence and systems have effectively isolated us from one another and the more than human world, such that one living with a good measure of socioeconomic security in the United States is not impacted by exploitation and death that the system produces. There is not an embodied interdependence. So, in the abolition community, we know we must “build” solidarity. To build solidarity is to entangle ourselves more deeply in the vulnerabilities of the world produced by injustice. It is a Gospel call. It is our embodied witness.

By Lou K. Coleman

Lou K. Coleman

Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray.

By John Hope Bryant

Reverend Dr. Cecil “Chip” Murray and John Hope Bryant.

Supreme Court to decide whether communities can penalize homeless for sleeping in public

By Lisa Woelfl, Capital News Service

Davidson Luna)

In what advocates call the most important case on homelessness in 40 years, the Supreme Court must decide whether cities can punish the unhoused for sleeping in public when they have nowhere else to go.

The case comes from the small Oregon city of Grants Pass, which prohibits sleeping in public with so much as a blanket. After three homeless people filed a complaint, courts have blocked the city from enforcing the rule.

Grants Pass, supported by dozens of other cities and states, wants the Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that punishing homeless people for sleeping outside when they have nowhere else to go violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

Theane Evangelis, the lawyer representing Grants Pass, told the justices in oral arguments Monday that the city needs to protect its public spaces, but the lower court’s ruling has tied its hands to address public health and safety.

If the Supreme Court affirms the decision, the city will have to “surrender public space” while local shelter beds go unused, she said.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, who make up the liberal minority, appeared to strongly oppose the city’s fines

for homeless people sleeping on public property.

Evangelis argued that the camping ban, which includes setting down a blanket to sleep, applied to everyone. Sotomayor rejected that claim, citing the testimony of the Grants Pass police officers, saying they hadn’t ticketed anyone who wasn’t homeless.

Much of the discussion revolved around whether sleeping in public is an inextricable part of being homeless or a behavior that can be outlawed.

Evangelis insisted that “sleeping outside is considered conduct.”

“You could say breathing is conduct too, but presumably, you would not think it’s okay to criminalize breathing in public,” Kagan replied.

Sotomayor asked what would happen if all cities and states passed laws like the city’s public sleeping ban.

“Where are [homeless people] supposed to sleep? Are they supposed to kill themselves [by] not sleeping?” Sotomayor said.

Department of Justice Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler, who represented the United States at the hearing, said that Grants Pass made it “a crime to be homeless while living in Grants Pass” and accused the city of banishing its homeless residents.

Chief Justice John Roberts asked if it was reasonable to

of the Inland Empire

expect someone to take a shelter bed just outside the city, or even 30 miles away. He was skeptical that cities should be held to build more local shelters.

“What if there are lead pipes… Do you build the homeless shelter or do you take care of the lead pipes?” he asked.

If sleeping is protected from fines because it is a biological necessity, the ruling could have broader implications, parties siding with Grants Pass argue.

“Its next logical application is urination and defecation, which are ‘biologically compelled’ no less than sleep is,” said a brief signed by 24 states that was filed with the high court.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh wanted to know if someone suffering from hunger could be prosecuted for stealing food.

Justice Neil Gorsuch expanded that argument and asked if public urination and defecation would be protected if there were no public bathrooms.

Kelsi Corkran, who represented the homeless people of Grants Pass, argued that stealing food or urinating in public are not inextricably linked to the state of being homeless, but sleeping outside is.

She pointed out that cities can still punish homeless people for refusing to go to a shelter if a space is available to them.

All justices seemed to agree that fines and imprisonment will not solve the homelessness crisis.

“When you get out of jail… what’s going to happen then?” Kavanaugh asked. “You still don’t have a bed available. So

how does this help?”

Nevertheless, the conservative majority seemed skeptical of blocking city laws that deal with homelessness.

Maryland is among six states in the case supporting the Grants Pass people experiencing homelessness. A brief filed by Attorney General Anthony Brown states that policies criminalizing sleeping in public “just move the problem elsewhere” and might even increase homelessness by imposing debts through fines and creating criminal records.

Maryland is outside the Ninth Circuit Court’s jurisdiction. But if the Supreme Court sides with the homeless residents of Grants Pass, Maryland cities would be blocked from punishing homeless people for sleeping outside when they have nowhere else to go.

At least one Maryland city has such a law on the books.

The city of Frederick’s ordinances prohibit laying down bedding and sleeping in public. A violation of these rules is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or six months in jail.

It is unclear whether the city enforces the law. The communications department didn’t return multiple emails and calls asking about enforcement.

The nation has seen unprecedented levels of people living and sleeping outside. Unsheltered homelessness affected over 250,000 people on any given night in 2023, according to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

RETIRED COUPLE

CDC warns of E. coli outbreak linked to organic walnuts sold in bulk... continued from page 7

NIIMBL announces 63 students for the 2024 NIIMBL eXperience

NEWARK, Del., April 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is pleased to announce 63 students from 41 academic institutions have been selected to take part in the 2024 NIIMBL eXperience, the largest cohort since the Program's launch in 2019. Students will participate in one of five NIIMBL eXperience programs hosted by Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, North Carolina State University (Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center), Thomas Jefferson University (Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing), Santa Clara University, and the University of Houston.

The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (PRNewsfoto/National Institute for Innovati)

The NIIMBL eXperience is a week-long, all-expenses-paid immersion program designed to introduce underrepresented groups including Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students completing their first or second year of college to career possibilities in the biopharmaceutical industry. The goal is to increase the diversity of the school-to-industry pipeline and strengthen the biopharma workforce of the future.

"The NIIMBL eXperience has been a cornerstone of our efforts to expand and diversify talent pipelines for the biopharmaceutical industry," said John Balchunas, NIIMBL Workforce Director. "We are excited about the continued growth of the program and look forward to connecting another

group of talented students to the industry." Since 2019, the NIIMBL eXperience has served 80 students from 69 different academic institutions. Participants have secured internships and jobs at leading biopharmaceutical companies, including Merck, MilliporeSigma, Pfizer, and Eli Lilly.

The 2024 NIIMBL eXperience dates are: Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences – June 2 – 8; North Carolina State University (BTEC) –June 3-7; Thomas Jefferson University (JIB) – June 3-7; Santa Clara University – June 23-29; University of Houston –June 3-7. For more information and to view the list of student participants, visit niimbl.org.

About NIIMBL The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is a public-private partnership whose mission is to accelerate biopharmaceutical innovation, support the development of standards that enable more efficient and rapid manufacturing capabilities, and educate and train a worldleading biopharmaceutical manufacturing workforce, fundamentally advancing U.S. competitiveness in this industry. NIIMBL is part of Manufacturing USA®, a diverse network of federally sponsored manufacturing innovation institutes, and is funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce with significant additional support from its members.

24/7 Access to Expert Tutors for California Students

FREE Online Tutoring and Homework Help Available Just in Time for Year-end Finals can just go to the HelpNow website Tutoring.Library.ca.gov, select their local library and then follow the easy instructions (step-by-step instructions are available here).

"Dancing with the Leaders of the Inland Empire" is an innovative Arts project that engages the community with civic leaders, it also addresses social justice through performance. The program is directed and co-choreographed by Makeda Kumasi, Artistic Director of the Umoja Ensemble of the Inland Empire / UC Riverside Continuing Lecturer in the Department of Dance, Joy Wilson of Caribbean Joy Dance Entertainment, and Monique Williams-Randolph of Unity Dance Studios.

Multicultural meets Multimedia for this Dance Production which includes screened interviews of Inland Empire leaders and live choreographies of various genres from varied cultures.

Two Dates to Choose from: Scan QR Code for Tickets on Eventbrite

Saturday, June 8, 2024, 6:00 PM

Cultural Arts Center of the High Desert 15615 8th Street, Victorville, CA 92395

Saturday, June 15, 2024, 6:00 PM

Indian Springs High School Performing Arts Center 650 North Del Rosa Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92410 WITH

I.E. Leaders Include:

Call your healthcare provider if you have any severe E.coli symptoms.

What Businesses Should Do: Check to see if you received Gibson Farms, Inc. organic walnut halves and pieces with lot codes listed above. Do not sell or serve them.

Discard the contents of the bins and use extra care to wash and sanitize containers including bulk bins, surfaces, and other items that may have come in contact with recalled walnuts.

When possible, contact customers by email, post on your business’ social media account and/or place signs at locations where the walnuts were sold to notify consumers.

E. coli Symptoms:

Most people infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Symptoms usually start 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria.

Most people recover without treatment after 5 to 7 days.

Some people may develop serious kidney problems (hemolytic uremic syndrome, also called HUS) and would need to be hospitalized.

For more information about E. coli, see the E. coli Questions and Answers page.

If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state’s health department.

SAN MATEO, Calif. – As the academic year draws to a close, many California students – especially those in middle and high school – are preparing for their final exams in a myriad of subjects. With the HelpNow Program, these students can have access to free online tutoring and homework help so they can walk into finals week confident and well prepared.

HelpNow is offered by California’s public libraries and is administered by Pacific Library Partnership (PLP), in partnership with the California State Library and Brainfuse. The program ensures all California students, beginning in kindergarten through 12th grade, can have access to high quality tutoring and homework help regardless of barriers, such as the cost of tutoring, technology requirements, time constraints, transportation hurdles and other issues.

With HelpNow, the goal is to even the playing field for all students, to ensure equity not just with tutoring but in overall educational attainment, especially for those with limited resources and access.

“No doubt many students and parents are feeling anxious about upcoming finals, for some seniors, it’s their last requirement before graduating or going on to college,” said Justin Wasterlain, Assistant Director, PLP. “But by going to the HelpNow website, students can get one-on-one tutoring on specific subjects to get ‘test-ready’.”

Students do not need a library card to access the program. They

HelpNow tutors are available at all hours – anywhere, anytime. As long as a student has access to an internet connected computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone, they have access to qualified tutors! Those with no internet or computer at home can visit their local library to use the computers there.

The tutors are highly qualified subject-matter specialists holding at least a bachelor’s degree and certifications in the area they tutor. They are selected only after a thorough review of their qualifications and proficiency in their subject area as well as an interview to determine their ability to work well with students in an online environment.

Additionally, tutoring support is available in multiple languages, breaking down language barriers and making for a personalized learning experience for all California students. Languages served are English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Tagalog.

The tutoring platform is secure and has features to protect families’ privacy and security. Individual users are not required to create an account or share personal information to receive assistance, providing an additional layer of privacy.

The Supreme Court will soon decide if states can punish America’s homeless population for sleeping in public. (Photo: Unslpash/