SB American News Week Ending 7/26

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

—Fredrick Douglass (1849)

Community leaders, elected officials seek answers and solutions in wake of mass shootings

By DaQuan Lawrence, AFRO International Writer, DLawrence@afro.com and Aria Brent, AFRO Staff Writer, abrent@afro.com

Community leaders and elected officials alike are seeking to help neighborhood residents recover mentally and emotionally in the wake of recent mass shootings. Though mass shootings since July 1 have occurred across the country from California to New York and Massachusetts, the questions remain the same: why? And where do we go from here?

“The only thing that we really have to do is take a deeper look into the heart of the matter,” said Gregory Dennis, president of ACT Now Baltimore. “If we can’t get people’s hearts to change, we won’t get their lifestyles to change. What we need to do is begin to inspect and look at how we are helping families stay together.”

In the days after the mass shooting in Baltimore that injured dozens and claimed two lives, ACT Now made a point to be present with resources.

“How are we caring for one another? Do we see one another as a support system? Do we look at one another as an enemy or as a foe?” quipped Dennis. “If we see our neighbors as foes, this can always happen.”

Act Now Baltimore operates as a network of faith-based community hubs in each of Baltimore’s 14 Council Districts. Members of the organization work together to assure Baltimore’s political leaders are accountable, credible and transparent to the people they serve. Since the mass shooting on July 2, ACT Now has been on the ground, helping those who were affected by the tragic event cope and heal.

While residents are having their holistic needs addressed with food giveaways and free counseling resources, law enforcement officers in Baltimore

As police search and arrest suspected individuals in unrelated shootings in Baltimore and Philadelphia, community leaders are working to holistically address the issue of gun violence in the community. Shown here, Baltimore city Mayor Brandon Scott leads a crowd of advocates and residents as they walk through the Brooklyn Homes complex, the area where dozens were shot and two were killed on July 2. Mass shooting victims Kylis Fagbemi (top right), 20, and 18-year-old Aaliyah Gonzalez (bottom left) lost their lives in the Brooklyn Homes complex while celebrating at a neighborhood block party. Homicide detectives are still seeking information on what led to the shooting and who should be responsible.

and Philadelphia are busy arresting individuals suspected of involvement in mass shootings that occurred around the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

On July 7, members of Baltimore Police Department’s (BPD) Homicide and SWAT team arrested a 17-year-old male, after obtaining a search warrant and examining his residence.

Mayor Brandon M. Scott released a statement on the day of the arrest, thanking those who helped with bringing in the

suspect and assuring the people of Baltimore that more will be done.

“Bringing the perpetrators of this horrific crime to justice is our number one priority, and I want to thank everyone who had a hand in bringing this person of interest in. I am confident that this investigation will continue diligently working through every single tip, lead, and suspect,” said Scott.

The suspected teen was transported to the Central

OP-ED: Bidenomics Builds on Efforts to Invest in Struggling Communities

Clyburn (SC-06)

Booking Intake Facility, where he is facing several charges, including possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of an assault weapon, carrying a handgun in a vehicle and reckless endangerment.

BPD did not charge the suspect with murder and mentioned their investigation was ongoing. Thus far, no other arrests have been made. Authorities have not determined a motive for the shooting and the number of suspects involved is not clear. BPD stated that there is a $28,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest and charges.

In an unrelated and separate shooting in Philadelphia during the evening of July 3, five people were killed and multiple minors were wounded.

Authorities mentioned that the suspect, 40-year-old Kimbrady Carriker, opened fire on strangers with an AR-15 while wearing body armor. Officers are currently investigating social media for a series of posts by Carriker, about guns, the Second Amendment and the “loss of freedom,” according to law enforcement.

Last month, Carriker shared a contemptuous video of a speech by President Biden and his opinion that Biden was supporting legislation to “take our arms.” In May, Carriker distributed posts from pro-gun advocates in support of the Second Amendment and former President Donald Trump.

As of July 12, 2023 there have been at least 374 mass shootings in the U.S. this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a ‘mass shooting’ as an occurrence where at least four people are shot, not including the shooter.

California Black Media Political Playback: News You Might Have Missed

partners with individuals from underserved communities to own and operate competitive retail businesses.

“It is an incredible honor to serve as President of Board of Airport Commissioners,” said Webb. “An extraordinarily talented group of Commissioners have been assembled to ensure the benefits of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) are realized equitably across our region.

counties. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass congratulated Webb on his election to BOAC President.

“I am confident that LAWA will continue to innovate and grow its impact in the region under the leadership of President Karim Webb and Vice President Matt M. Johnson.”

Bass also congratulated Courtney La Bau and Victor Narro on their appointments as new commissioners of BOAC.

There is an increased focus on “Bidenomics” as President Joe Biden and his administration implement and communicate his economic policy agenda to the American people. President Biden gave a major speech on the subject in Chicago last month. Listening to that speech, I was struck by one line in particular: “I believe every American willing to work hard should be able to say where they grew up and stay where they grew up.”

Focusing on struggling communities has been a priority of mine for many years. For too long, communities like many of those I represent have been victimized by government policies, overlooked for private investments, and neglected for economic development. President Biden understands that we must make America’s greatness accessible and affordable for everyone, everywhere.

Back in 2009, as we began to plot our recovery out of the Great Recession, I remembered how the New Deal was a raw deal for many of the communities I represent, as it largely excluded African Americans. Careful to avoid repeating that shameful history, I insisted that resources be targeted to long-struggling communities.

ranged from drinking water infrastructure in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, to a public safety building in New Madrid County, Missouri, to a “green” administration building for a tribal housing authority in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

We increased the number of accounts subject to the 10-2030 formula from the 3 in the Recovery Act to 15 for the past several years. Billions of federal dollars have been invested under these provisions, and the benefits have continued. Funded by a USDA Community Facilities Grant, the Bamberg-Barnwell Emergency Medical Center opened in 2019 in rural South Carolina, filling an essential need in two communities where two hospitals had closed in 2012 and 2016.

Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative in New Mexico took advantage of the formula to improve reliability and affordability, and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians received a $1.4 million water and waste disposal grant to improve the water infrastructure on their reservation.

On July 13, the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) unanimously elected Karim Webb as the group’s President. Webb is an Entrepreneurial Activist and CEO of 4thMVMT, a Los Angeles-based firm that

“Collectively, we’ll work to support the LAWA team complete the transformation of LAX while centering the interests of all Angelinos in all we do,” said Webb, who is the son of Reggie Webb, a philanthropist and owner of McDonald’s franchises in Los Angeles and San Bernardino

L.A. City Councilmember

Curren Price Says Charges Are “Unwarranted” as He Makes First Court Appearance

On July 13, embattled Los Angeles City Councilmember

Curren Price made his first court appearance since L.A. County Dist. Atty. George Gascón filed charges against him last month.

Gascón is charging Price with receiving nearly $34,000 in medical benefits for his current wife, Del Richardson Price, between 2013 and 2017 while he was still married to his former wife. Prosecutors also allege that Price made several false statements on forms, including misstating his wife’s income.

Price, 72, who continues to serve his district on the city council, did not speak to reporters at the hearing but released a statement afterward.

“We believe that the charges

We came up with what we called the 10-20-30 formula, which required at least 10 percent of funds in designated accounts to be spent in persistent poverty counties, which are defined as counties that have had a poverty rate of at least 20 percent for at least 30 years. There are more than 400 such counties in America. These counties are as diverse as our country. They are majority Black in the South, majority white in Appalachia, majority Latino in the Southwest, and majority Native American in the Great Plains. Far more are represented by Republicans than by Democrats.

The Recovery Act applied the 10-20-30 formula to three rural development accounts: the Rural Community Facilities Program Account, the Rural Business Program Account, and the Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account.

The results were impressive. According to the USDA, the 10-20-30 formula was responsible for funding 4,655 projects totaling nearly $1.7 billion in persistent poverty counties. These projects

A more recent investment by the Economic Development Administration at the Department of Commerce illustrates the promise of these targeted investments in persistent poverty counties. An EDA grant of nearly $4 million was awarded to Panola County, Mississippi, to support the county, and I’m quoting the Department, “with renovating a former outlet mall building for use as a workforce training center that will serve North Mississippi.” That is what the 10-20-30 formula is all about.

Our work to target funds to distressed communities has not stopped with the 10-20-30 formula focused on persistent poverty counties. We recognize that county poverty rates are not necessarily the best metric by which to assess the level of need in urban areas, so we have set aside funds for both persistent poverty counties and highpoverty census tracts, including in the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant program. Late last month, a $22.8 million RAISE grant was awarded to build a pedestrian bridge and multi-modal transit hub in Orangeburg, South Carolina, to connect

By: Assistant Democratic Leader James E.

Karim Webb Elected to Serve as President of Board of Airport Commissioners

Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

SBCUSD Holds Back-To-School Extravaganza July 19

Community/Education

Ramos announces California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation district scholarship recipient....continued

competitive pool of more than 900 applicants and are evaluated using the following criteria: academic performance, personal statements, extracurricular activities, leadership positions held, special awards and honors

The Heat Is On: California Ramps Up Coping Strategies

received, and work history. Each winner receives a $5,000 scholarship, which aids eligible students admitted to or currently enrolled at an accredited college or university.

OP-ED: Bidenomics Builds on Efforts to Invest in Struggling Communities...continued

from page 1 downtown with surrounding neighborhoods and two HBCUs, South Carolina State and Claflin. This investment will be transformational for that community.

By Mark Hedin

Exposure to extreme heat can be deadly. But simple solutions, such as planting more trees for shade, can greatly mitigate harm for vulnerable communities.

The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) is holding its annual Back-to-School Extravaganza on Wednesday, July 19 at Court Street Square in San Bernardino.

The event is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and features community organizations and sponsors all focused on helping families prepare students to return to and succeed in school. Sponsors include Amazon KSBD, San Bernardino Valley College, Molina Healthcare, OmniTrans, IEHP (Inland Empire Health Plan), Dignity Health, Stater Bros. Charities, Mother’s Nutritional Center, SMILE San Bernardino County, Loma Linda University–Institute for Community Partnerships, and CAAASA (California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators).

Families can enjoy free entertainment and participate in raffle drawings as they learn about services that can help children stay in school and overcome obstacles to academic success. SBCUSD departments will be on hand to provide information and guidance on the District's English-learner programs, after-school programs,

special education services, student wellness and support services, and more. Community sponsors will be giving out free school supplies, dental supplies, and information on how to access free and low-cost health and financial resources.

Immunizations will be available for those who qualify. All supplies and immunizations will be available only while supplies last.

Attendance is limited to the first 3,000 SBCUSD students who RSVP at https://sbcusd. info/btse or by calling the Family Engagement Office at (909) 8804057. You must provide a student ID number to register. Court Street Square is located at 349 North E Street in San Bernardino. OmniTrans bus routes, including the sbX Green Line, have stops at or near Court Street Square.

If you plan to attend the Back-to-School Extravaganza and require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the SBCUSD Affirmative Action Office at (909) 381-1122 or mike. medina@sbcusd.com before the event.

Ramos announces California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation district scholarship recipient

First generation college student receives a 2023 California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation Scholarship

Community /Education News

SAN BERNARDINO—

Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) announced today that Fontana resident Angelica Macias was selected as the California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation 2023 Scholarship for the 45th Assembly District and will receive $5,000.

Macias, a first generation college student attends California Baptist University and is pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner in the field of neonatology. She has already graduated from community college. “I have dreamt of working in the medical field since I was nine years old, and that dream lives on to this day,” Macias said. While attending school, she works as a Perioperative Technician at Loma Linda University to offset her school, family, and living expenses.

The nursing student said she found her educational inspiration from her parents who emigrated from Mexico. “My father did not have the privilege to attend high school in Mexico and was expected to provide for his siblings at a young age. When he arrived in California at about eighteen years old, he came with a strong will to learn and absorb any knowledge. He had a hunger to learn and solve any situations in his workplace by studying books in his free time.”

We have been working to target resources to communities in need across the entire federal government while recognizing that different targeting measures will work better for different programs. Last Congress, we developed and introduced the Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act, which would direct the Office of Management and Budget to work with agencies to take steps to better target funds to struggling communities and report to Congress on the steps that they have taken and the results that

they have had. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and I introduced this legislation on a bipartisan basis last year with Hal Rogers (R-KY-05) in the House and Rob Portman (R-OH) in the Senate. It passed the House and was marked up in the Senate. It came up just short of being enacted into law, but our work continues. We have achieved remarkable progress. We cannot help struggling Americans unless we help the communities they call home. We have a president of the United States who understands that. His vision of a country where “every American willing to work hard should be able to say where they grew up and stay where they grew up” is within reach.

The free access Barton Springs Municipal Pool in Austin, Texas. (photo by Tomek

Extreme heat poses the greatest natural risk to human health. These days, there’s plenty of it, and more is on the way.

“This is not your grandmother’s summer,” Marta Segura, chief heat officer and director of climate emergency mobilization for the city of Los Angeles, warned at a July 13 press briefing, the first of three planned to discuss the health risks

heat poses to Californians and the resources being marshaled to combat it.

The briefing, hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California’s Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, came the week after Planet Earth recorded highest-yet daily average temperatures on four

continued on page 7

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD at Universal Studios Hollywood Welcomes Toad,

A New Walk-About Character, Joining Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach in the Mushroom Kingdom, to Greet and Interact with Guests and Fans

Community/Education News

Universal City, California, July 17, 2023 – Toad joins his friends Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach as a new walk-about character within SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Toad, a resident of the Mushroom Kingdom who works in service of Princess Peach, will now be on hand to meet and interact with guests visiting from around the world.

Macias added, “His hard work ethic has profoundly influenced me to also accomplish my career goals . . . it is possible with hard work and grit.”

As the first in her family to attend college, Macias also served as a model and support system for her four younger siblings by helping them meet their education goals and set a career path for themselves.

Ramos said, “Angelica is a testimony to the values her parents have instilled in her. She also brings compassion and care back to the community in her current job as well as her desire to work as a nurse, nurturing and caring for children.

I wish Angelica all the best as she continues to overcome challenges and celebrate the success of Latinos in higher education.”

Each year the California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation opens applications for their statewide scholarship. Over 60 students from the 45th Assembly District applied for the scholarship this year. Applicants included high school seniors and university graduate level students with interests in a variety of studies such as medicine, political science, and technology.

California Latino Legislative Caucus scholarship recipients are selected from a highly

Since opening in early 2023, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD has been incredibly well received, resonating with theme park guests and Nintendo fans across every generation. From the moment guests pass through the signature giant green pipe and are transported into the Mushroom Kingdom to become a part of this exhilarating universe, the energy and excitement is transformative, filled with exploration, discovery and play unlike anything they’ve ever experienced.

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is an all-new visually spectacular land, located within an expanded area of Universal Studios Hollywood. Within the vibrancy of colors and architectural ingenuity sits the groundbreaking “Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge” ride, as well as many interactive activities to engage the entire family within the captivating Mushroom Kingdom.

Along with themed dining at Toadstool Cafe™ and shopping at the 1-UP Factory™ retail store, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is an inspiring, game-changing addition to the world-famous theme park.

At-a-glance, this is SUPER NINTENDO WORLD:

“Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge”: This all-new, technologically advanced ride, inspired by the popular Mario Kart™ video game series, seamlessly fuses cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) with projection mapping technology and actual set pieces along a moving ride track. Set against a multi-sensory backdrop of color, sound and movement, guests are

seated in stadium-style, four-seat vehicles as they navigate familiar courses through the creative use and integration of head mounted AR goggles. This unique feature is a key point of differentiation that distinguishes this ride from other theme park attractions.

The premise of “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” is simple but equally inspiring and challenging, appealing to guests of all ages regardless of gaming experience. As part of Team Mario, guests steer through underwater courses and courses in the clouds to compete for the Golden Cup while collecting digital coins to defeat Team Bowser and win. “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” raises the stakes for guests as an intriguing and repeatable ride with a variety of outcomes.

Mount Beanpole: This towering landmark sits at the heart of the land and also serves as the entry queue for “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.”

Bowser’s Castle: Adorned with a breathtaking sculpture of a large and powerful Bowser, this structure serves as a key centerpiece of the land, home to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD’s signature ride, “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.” As guests navigate the corridors and pass

through the hall of medallions and trophies of the ominous castle towards the ride, they learn more about Bowser’s calculated plans to defeat Team Mario for the coveted Golden Cup.

Power-Up Band™: These wearable, state-of-the-art wristbands sync with the official Universal Studios Hollywood’s free downloadable app to levelup the guest experience within the land and enhance its many interactive elements. These include, but are not limited to, keeping individual and team scores, collecting digital coins and obtaining keys after winning Key Challenges throughout the land. When riding “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge,” guests are encouraged to tap their PowerUp Band on the ride vehicle’s steering wheel. By doing so, they can track digital coins collected as well as gauge their ranking against friends and family when synced to the official Universal Studios Hollywood app. They are available in six design options with character themes and can be purchased both within the land and at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD retail shops located within the theme park and on Universal CityWalk Hollywood.

Interactive Gameplay: Within the land, guests can enjoy many

interactive areas, including punching ? Blocks to collect digital coins. They will discover a new dimension of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD via the interactive binoculars positioned within the land, employing augmented reality technology. Guests can also collect keys after winning the Key Challenges from Goomba Crazy Crank, Koopa Troopa POWer Punch, Piranha Plant Nap Mishap and Thwomp Panel Panic. Collecting at least three keys will ultimately allow access to the final boss battle with Bowser Jr.’s Shadow Showdown.

Toadstool Cafe: The land’s signature restaurant Toadstool Cafe serves a delicious menu perfected by Chef Toad where he greets guests upon entry. Menu items prepared fresh daily include Toadstool Cheesy Garlic Knots, Super Mushroom Soup, Piranha Plant Caprese, Mario Bacon Cheeseburger, Luigi Pesto Chicken Burger, ? Block Tiramisu and Princess Peach Cupcake.

1-UP Factory: What better way to commemorate a visit to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD than to visit the 1-UP Factory retail shop to purchase collectable memorabilia. The 1-UP Factory offers an extensive selection of merchandise from themed apparel to iconic character hats and an array of plush characters, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Toad and Bowser.

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is conceived in partnership with Nintendo and the visionaries at Universal Creative to deliver exhilarating entertainment with innovative technological achievements inspired by characters and video games that have appealed to Nintendo fans for generations.

For more information and details, guests can visit www. UniversalStudiosHollywood. com; like Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook and follow @UniStudios on Instagram and Twitter.

SBCUSD Back to School Extravaganza flyer

Baginski via Unsplash)

America’s Traffic Stop Coach Says African American Drivers Are Being Hunted

Every 13 Seconds, Another Driver Gets Pulled Over

Keeping it Real: A Pending Insurance Crisis

by S.E. Williams

Just before the fires erupted across parts of the inland region this past weekend, Farmers Insurance Company announced it would no longer write new policies in California.

The announcement did not surprise many who have been following this issue as it comes on the heels of similar announcements by both Allstate and State Farm.

Riverside County Probation staff praised during Probation Services Week

2023 Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week is July 16-22

Nationwide -- “It’s alarming and overwhelming that Black America still gets disproportionately pulled over more than everyone else,” notes esteemed African-American author Eric Bryant who is considered to be America’s Traffic Stop Coach. “Yes, they are hunting us,” he adds.

“Correct pullover etiquette is always an afterthought until it’s too late,” he continues. “I’ve heard many say, ‘that’s common sense’ but I have been involved with this for a long time and literally when you see the red/blue lights behind you, everything goes out the window.”

Bryant says that there are as many stories as there are actual traffic stops themselves. However, he believes that there is a proven science to having safe, uneventful, ticketless traffic stops.

Arrest Me Not’s 2023 Top 10 Do’s & Don’ts When Stopped By Police Include:

#1. Best Line to Avoid a Speeding Ticket

#2. What Not to Say

#3. Best Question to Ask Police

#4. What Police Think You Lied

filed by the D.A.’s office are completely unwarranted and that the facts will bear this out,” Price said. “I have always conducted myself, in and out of the public eye, with integrity and professionalism.”

If convicted, Price could face 8 to 10 years in prison.

Gov. Newsom Signs Legislation to Speed Up Infrastructure Projects

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an infrastructure package aimed at accelerating construction on projects that will help California meet its 2035 clean energy goals.

The recently approved state budget allocates $180 billion towards related infrastructure development. It is estimated that these projects could create up to 400,000 jobs, according to the Governor’s office.

“For decades, infrastructure projects critical to our future have stalled because of a pervasive mindset of ‘no,’” said Newsom in a press release.

“With this legislation, California is saying ‘yes’ to building the clean energy, safe drinking water and transportation projects we need to deliver on our worldleading climate action. Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and build California’s future.”

Newsom also signed components of the 2023-24 state budget agreement, which includes $37.8 billion in total budgetary reserves. This represents the largest figure in state history.

In Annual “Top States for Business” Report, California Gets “F” for Cost of Living and Business Friendliness

Every year CNBC releases

#5. 2nd Do after Parked

#6. Biggest Mistake When Stopped

#7. Two Trick Questions Police Ask

#8. What You Never Do to Police

#9. Correct Position When Talking to Officers

#10. Know Your Rights

See the #1 – #10 answers and the free printable PDF –ArrestMeNot.com

About Arrest Me Not, the first nationally published title/book for African-American teenage & adult drivers in the mid90s, details “correct pullover etiquette” when stopped by police & has been featured on Oprah, MTV News, and even in Playboy magazine to mention a few of the countless news media coverage. Created because of a very negative whitecop black-motorist traffic stop plus following day in Cleveland (OH) traffic court, Arrest Me Not provides timeless what-todo and what-to-avoid instructions in multiple formats.

a “Top States for Business” ranking.

The network evaluated all 50 states on 86 metrics across 10 broad categories of competitiveness. Each category was weighted based on how frequently states used it as a selling point to attract potential residents and businesses. The metrics were scored on a scale of 2,500 points and the states with the highest scores made the list. California gained top rankings in ‘Access to Capital’ and ‘Technology & Innovation’. However, the state received F rankings in ‘Business Friendliness’ and ‘Cost of Living’. Overall, California ranked number 25 in the study.

“Our overall ranking should come as no surprise to the governor and Legislature, who continue to push higher taxes, fees, and expensive regulations onto businesses,” said Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable.

“The governor and Legislature’s policies continue to give clear signals that California is not a friendly place to expand or grow jobs,” Lapsley added.

State Board of Education Votes

Unanimously to Adopt Math

Framework for California

Public Schools

On July 12, the California State Board of Education unanimously passed a new framework for Math instruction.

The nearly 1,000-page document calls for significant changes in instruction, emphasizing approaches that engage students through problem-solving, creating context and relating the subject to their daily lives.

Proponents of the new approach say that the goal is to build

California Insurance Commissioner

You may be surprised to learn that California is not only the largest insurance market in the U.S., it is the fourth largest market in the world. Regardless of the profits these corporations make in the state however, insurers appear to be weighing the risk and the continuing impact of a changing climate coupled with the industry’s growing concern over expansive wildfires and the costly claims that result against their bottom lines and apparently deciding that expanding coverage in this state is untenable as it may cut too deeply into their capital reserve requirements.

But, that may not be the only concern. A question remains as to whether ‘insurers have expanded coverage in the state beyond their ability to serve such a large market?

“This wildfire insurance crisis has been years in the making, but it is an emergency we must deal with now if we are going to keep the California dream of home ownership from becoming the California nightmare, as an increasing number of homeowners struggle to find coverage.”

Still others believe the insurance cutbacks are being driven by the industry’s purported inability to raise rates quickly enough due to state regulations and other factors like the cost of rebuilding in the wake of wildfires and related inflationary pressures. All of these may be concerns in addition to drought and other impacts of a changing climate.

Meteorologists estimate that 400,000 to one million acres may burn across the state this year which could mean slightly above average fire dangers due to storms this past winter that gave birth to more brush to fuel fires this season. This puts the state at average or slightly above average for fire dangers later in the summer.

If there is any good news in all of this, it’s that although the big named carriers are bowing out because they are skittish about writing new policies, there are at least 100 insurance carriers still doing business in the state.

If you have questions or concerns about your insurance or are in the market for a new policy, resources are available on the California Department of Insurance’s website. I encourage you to stay informed on this important issue. Today some insurers are shying away from writing new policies, the next step could well be deciding not to renew existing policies.

Of course this is just my opinion. I’m keeping it real.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. –

Pretrial, Probation, and Parole

Supervision Week is a time to recognize dedicated community supervision professionals across the United States. This July 16 through 22, we honor Riverside County Probation Department probation officers, probation corrections officers and support staff who hold justice-involved youth and adults accountable through community supervision while working to help them regain control of their lives and improve safety in Riverside County.

“We are proud of our incredible Riverside County Probation staff for their dedication to assisting clients to overcome challenges and access resources that allow them to build a stable foundation from which they can work their way out of the criminal justice system,” Chief Probation Officer Christopher H. Wright said. “Their efforts reach far beyond the clients; breaking the cycle of recidivism to heal families and make communities safer.”

mental health support. In addition, probation officers work with state and local law enforcement through multi-agency task forces that specialize in gangs, narcotics and accountability and compliance. The department has implemented juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention programs to reduce entry by youth into the justice system.

Pretrial Services provide reports regarding the circumstances of a client’s arrest and criminal history to assists the Court in making the most appropriate orders to encourage their success while remaining free in the community.

of the subject matter before introducing the math procedures and algorithms that have traditionally been taught first.

The changes to the mathematical framework in response to declining math test scores, which are largely attributed to outdated textbooks and students struggling to recover from the pandemic and readjust to in-person learning.

Only 33% of students met or exceeded mathematics proficiency standards in 2022.

“The framework’s focus on fundamental concepts, open-ended tasks, justice, student inquiry, reasoning and justification aligns with effective mathematics teaching practices,” state board member Gabriela Orozco-Gonzalez told edsource. org.

U.S. Small Business Administration Gives L.A.-

Based Black-Owned Fintech

Firm SBA Preferred Lender Status

Last week, Lendistry, a Los Angeles-based fintech firm that administered COVID-19 state grants to small businesses in California, announced that it has been granted Preferred Lender status by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

The Preferred Lender Program grants SBA lenders the ability to underwrite and approve SBA loans independently without waiting for the SBA to review them, resulting in faster and more flexible decisions for customers, according to a Lendistry press release.

"In a time when stricter lending rules are slowing the flow of capital to businesses and households, we're determined to keep expanding financing opportunities," says Everett

K. Sands, CEO of Lendistry. "Technology is the key to equitable lending.”

Probation is an essential and integral part of the justice system. People often enter probation at a vulnerable time in their lives, hoping for a chance to overcome past mistakes and move forward. With courage and dignity, probation staff provide a balance of effective enforcement and finding rehabilitative services to get clients back on their feet and lead productive futures.

Probation staff work collaboratively with the Courts, community-based organizations and fellow county agencies to provide educational, vocational, substance abuse recovery and

The department operates three juvenile detention facilities and one residential treatment facility. The detention facilities primarily house youth pending court hearings or out-of-home placement. The residential treatment facility provides programs and services to youth who are committed to this program by the Court. This includes re-entry case planning to facilitate the youth's seamless transition back into the community upon their release.

The Victim Restitution and Resources Division provides victim restitution memorandums to the Court on a countywide basis for all adult and juvenile cases. Individualized restitution services are provided to the Court and approximately 10,000 crime victims each year.

The Riverside County Probation Department supervises approximately 10,000 adult and 700 juvenile clients throughout the county.

Carlee Russell's Parents Speak Out After Her Mysterious Return

By Kalyn Womack

Derek Smith Joins California

African American Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

The California African American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC) has unanimously added Derek Smith to its Board of Directors. Smith is the founder and managing member of Marinship Development Interest, a California African American Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) leading heavy building and construction innovation for civil and energy infrastructure projects.

CAACC Chairman Timothy Alan Simon, announced that Smith’s experience, leadership skills, resourcefulness, professional achievements, and ability to approach strategic solutions will prove useful to CAACC’s leadership team and objectives.

Smith said he will help the largest African American, statewide-business organization expand exponentially, increase its professional capacity and enhance its image. He will operate as CAACC’s “spokesperson” and is looking forward to elevating the profile of the organization in California and throughout the country.

The parents of the Alabama woman who went missing upon finding a toddler on the side of the road have spoken out for the first time since their daughter returned home. They told TODAY the assumptions of their daughter’s whereabouts have gotten out of hand.

The internet has been speculating what exactly happened when Carlee Russell, 25, disappeared July 13 after pulling over on Interstate 459 to check on a toddler she saw walking on the side of the road. The public’s claim that “something isn’t adding up” in the theory that she was kidnapped have bothered Carlee’s parents, Talitha and Carlos Russell. During the 48 hours of their daughter’s disappearance, they were even trolled with fake phone calls claiming to have tips on Carlee’s whereabouts.

“There were actually just so many calls and texts from people who maliciously lied to us. I just didn’t know people could be so evil,” said Mrs. Russell.

“Carlee has given detectives her statement so that they can continue to pursue her abductor,” Talitha Russell read from the statement. When asked if she believes her daughter’s abductor is still out there, she responded: “Absolutely.”

Russell’s parents declined to

Screenshot: NBC News/TODAY

share what their daughter told them after she returned, citing the ongoing investigation.

“Anything leading to the case itself, we can’t discuss that,” Talitha Russell said. But Russell’s parents said one thing was clear: They believe she fought for her life.

“There were moments when she physically had to fight for her life, and there were moments when she had to mentally fight for her life,” Talitha Russell said. “She made it back.”

The Russells said they were filled with joy when Carlee came back home but also concerned, saying she was not in a “good state.” The public’s conspiracies about what happened to Carlee have not been making the situation any better.

The Russells urged for the internet trolls and TikTok commentators to refrain from making assumptions about the alleged abduction for the sake of Carlee’s mental recovery. The Hoover Police Department plans to release more details about the incident in the coming days.

California Black Media Political Playback: News You Might Have Missed...continued from page 1

Probation officers outside the Hall of Justice.

Ricardo Lara

Hollywood Under Fire: Black Caucus Members Concerned About Black Women Execs Leaving Entertainment Industry

Antonio Ray Harvey| California Black Media

Film studios in Hollywood took a one-two punch last week after actors announced they were joining the ongoing writers’ strike and as legislators in Sacramento questioned their commitment to Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

On July 13, California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) members Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) led a group of lawmakers led a news conference at the State Capitol to express their concerns over various news reports of abrupt departures of Black women leaving high-profile careers in Hollywood after the state recently approved $1.6 billion in tax credits for the industry.

The press conference was held the same day the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the union representing Hollywood actors, joined striking Writers Guild of America (WGA) members in the biggest labor dispute the American entertainment industry has seen in 63 years.

In recent weeks, several Black women who were executives leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at major entertainment companies have left their positions.

“We are here today, calling on industry executives to meet with the state legislative Black caucus and leaders in the coming weeks to explain what is behind this erasure,” Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) said at the press briefing.

“(We want them to) provide the evidence of how diversity, inclusion and the progress made will continue to move forward given the lack of leadership and gravitas at the forefront of those proposals,” added SmallwoodCuevas.

Netflix’s vice president,

inclusion strategy, Vernā Myers; Disney’s LaTondra Newton, chief diversity officer and senior vice president; Joanna Abeyie, the British Broadcasting Company’s (BBC) creative diversity director; and Warner Bros executive, Terra Potts, executive vice president of worldwide marketing, have all moved on.

In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery’s DEI specialist Karen Horne and Jeanell English, executive VP of impact and inclusion at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences left their DEI roles.

The lawmakers say more Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) could join the mass exodus.

Lawmakers at the press conference said the departure of DEI specialists from major Hollywood companies gives the impression that creating an inclusive culture in the American film industry is not a priority for a sector that has a well-documented history of discrimination and exclusion.

“As Vice Chair of the Asian and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, we are proud to stand in solidarity with the Black Caucus,” Sen.David Min said.

“I don’t want to accuse anybody of anything, but it certainly looks suspicious when in a short timeframe after we pass the $1.6-billion tax credit was signed into law that we see a number of leading African American female Hollywood executives let go.”

Senate Bill (SB) 485, introduced last year by Sen. Anthony Portantino (D- La Cañada Flintridge), provides $1.65 billion in tax credits, or $330 million annually, in financial support for film and television makers and other media content creators. The California Film and Television Production Tax Credit Program was scheduled to sunset on June 30, 2025.

State lawmakers are now

asking for meetings and are now looking for ways to hold television and film studios executives accountable for benefitting from state investment that essentially helped create DEI programs.

SB 485 was created after a series of production companies opted to leave California for states that offered larger tax incentive programs. The bill was amended to reflect California’s diverse population.

“I was highly offended to see the industry’s response to a $1.6 billion tax subsidy by quietly eliminating Black women from executive positions with a number of studios,” said McKinnor. “Many of these women were involved in their studios’ diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, which raises a serious question about their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the film industry.”

SB 485 states that “This bill, for credit allocations made on or after July 1, 2023, would revise the definition of qualified motion picture for purposes of the credit to require an applicant to provide a diversity workplan that includes goals that are broadly reflective of California's population.

On July 10, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 132 to extend the state’s $330 milliona-year Film and TV Tax Credit Program an additional five years through fiscal 2030-31.

The Governor’s office put out a statement that SB 132 builds “upon a strong track record of success” and “whose productions have generated more than $23 billion” for the economy.

More than 178,000 cast and crew have been supported by the program. The new budget will create the state’s fourthgeneration film/TV tax credit program – known as “Program 4.0.”

“The California Film and

California NAACP Launches Employee Discrimination Hotline...continued

According to the report, the categories ranked as follows: Sexual Harassment (44%), Race (23%), Sex/Gender (16%), Disability (9%), and Sexual Orientation (7%).

On May 4, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a joint investigation into allegations of employment discrimination and a hostile work environment at the National Football League (NFL).

The NFL has offices in New York and California with more than 1,000 employees. If discrimination and harassment are taking place at these workplaces it should not be tolerated whether the complaint is lodged with the NAACP or the California Department of Justice, Bonta stated.

Youth Development, and Working with Ethnic Media.

The program awards funding to qualified nonprofit organizations to provide support and services to victims and survivors of hate incidents and hate crimes and their families and facilitate hate incident or hate crime prevention measures.

Funded support includes direct services for victims and survivors of hate incidents and hate crimes and their families, including mental and complementary health services; wellness and community healing; legal services; navigation, case management, and referrals.

Television Tax Credit program has led to the creation of hundreds of thousands of high paying union jobs, it’s supported countless local businesses, and pumped billions of dollars into the state’s economy,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association. “The 4.0 version of the program, signed into law by Governor Newsom, will build on that success by creating new commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion and establishing a pilot program on production safety, among other provisions.”

McKinnor said, “While the California film tax credit 4.0 proposal builds upon previous work to solidify California as the entertainment capital of the world, it does not include requirements to increase diversity of its below-the-line hiring.

“The California film tax credit 4.0 only requires a good-faith effort. California, that’s not good enough,” McKinnor continued. “We should all expect more from an industry receiving $1.6 billion in subsidies from California taxpayers.”

Smallwood-Cuevas, McKinnor, and other members of the California legislature want to make amendments to SB 132 that will keep DEI programs intact.

They expect to sit down with members of the film and television industry, union representatives, and Gov. Newsom to get clarity of the entertainment business’ efforts to promote and stabilize DEI initiatives.

“We want progress towards real inclusion and equity in this industry and we want to make sure that our tax dollars are not in any way involved in this erasure,” Smallwood-Cuevas said. “We hope that these conversations will lead to a commitment and level of trust that will allow us to continue to move forward and expand our investment in this important industry.”

California NAACP Launches Employee Discrimination Hotline

Antonio Ray Harvey| California Black Media

Rick L. Callender, President of the California/Hawaii

Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (CAL/HI NAACP), has announced that the organization is offering free legal advice and consultations to public and private sector employees in California who have been targets of racial harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

“It is a legal redress clinic for folks who have contacted our branch and believe they have been discriminated against because of the color of their skin or harassed because of the color of their skins,” Callender told California Black Media (CBM).

“We are providing legal service for our people because sometimes they try to get an attorney to listen to them, but the attorney will tell them they are busy. What we have is two (legal)

firms that have contracted with us to allow people to come and get free advice,” he continued.

Local NAACP branches across California will have the authority to determine if a complaint is appropriate for the legal redress consultations after affected employees submit a Legal Redress Complaint Form. However, the CAL/HI NAACP

points out that completing the form does not constitute filing an official complaint with a legal authority.

According to the California Department of Industrial Relations, workplace discrimination complaints are based on race, color, ancestry, religion, age (40 and over), disability, medical condition,

“California will not tolerate any form of discrimination,” Bonta stated. “We have serious concerns about the NFL’s role in creating an extremely hostile and detrimental work environment. No company is too big or popular to avoid being held responsible for their actions.”

California employees have the right to speak to representatives of the California Labor Commissioner’s Office or any other government or law enforcement agency about any issues affecting their working conditions in California.

For those seeking assistance for workplace discrimination and harassment, the NAACP offers the first step in the process of filing a claim that could eventually become a case against the accused violator or violators.

The free, legal redress advice and consultation offered by CAL/ HI NAACP is funded through the Stop the Hate (STH) Program. The grant – administered by California Department of Social Services – comprises three components: Legal Redress,

Founded Feb. 12. 1909, the NAACP was formed in response to the horrific practice of lynching and the 1908 race riot in Springfield, Illinois. It is the nation’s oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassrootsbased civil rights organization.

The NAACP has more than 500,000 members and supporters throughout the United States, serving as premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, campaigning for equal opportunity and conducting voter mobilization.

The ability to have a program that intends to seek legal redress for workplace discrimination, retaliation, and harassment is an effective tool “to protect employees’ rights,” Callender said.

“We first received ‘Stop the Hate’ funding for the Legal Redress program in January 2023,” Callender told CBM. “This is a necessary program, and we are looking forward to receiving more funding for legal redress in three more years.”

This California Black Media report was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

Divided, Assembly Committee Advances GOP Child Sex Bill After Public Outrage, Gov. Intervention

Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, marital status, military and veteran status, or national origin (including language restrictions).

The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) established the Discrimination Complaint Tracking System (DCTS), which enables the collection of data on complaints regarding discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and denial of reasonable accommodation in state agencies, according to its “2020 Annual Report of Discrimination Complaint Activity in California State Civil Service.”

The 27-page report stated that the five highest statewide categories of complaints in 2020 were Race, Retaliation, Disability, Sexual Harassment, and Sex/Gender.

Tensions mounted in Sacramento when the California Assembly Public Safety Committee – including three members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) -- blocked a bill proposing increased criminal penalties for repeat offenders involved in sex trafficking children.

Senate Bill (SB) 14 proposes adding sex trafficking of minors to the list of “serious” crimes under California’s Three Strikes law, which increases prison sentences to 25 years for defendants convicted of previous felonies.

Under the provisions of SB 14, if a defendant is charged with a “violent sex crime, “plea bargaining is prohibited unless there is insufficient evidence to prove the people’s case, or testimony of a material witness cannot be obtained.”

The bill’s author, Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), said the need for SB 14 is obvious.

“Trafficking of children is a growing tragedy that disproportionately targets minority girls, and California is a hotbed because of our lenient penalties,” Grove said during the Public Safety Committee’s SB

14 hearing.

Public Safety Committee Chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) was among several Democrats who did not vote for the bill when it came before the committee on July 11. Many of these Democrats are vocal opponents of the over-incarceration of Black men, women and children in California.

“SB14 makes no new corrective actions or enhancements to laws already in place,” Jones-Sawyer said in a statement after the committee’s “no” vote.

Opponents of SB 14 argue that while the bill may seem like a tough and reasonable measure to prevent heinous sexual crimes against vulnerable children, hidden are the bill’s harmful side effects. They claim the bill is ineffective as a deterrent to sex trafficking and its penalties would destabilize minority communities, particularly Black and low-income families. Additionally, they argue that the bill would have adverse effects on victims of sexual crimes, contribute to recidivism, and perpetuate the poverty-to-prison pipeline.

continued on page 6

Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D- Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Tina McKinnor ( D-Inglewood) led the CLBC Demand Diversity press conference on July 13, 2023. Photo by Antonio Harvey (CBM)

Senator David Min (D- Orange County) speaking at the CLBC Demand Diversity press conference on July 13, 2023. Photo by Antonio Harvey (CBM)

Justice Thomas: An Insult to Uncle Tom

By: Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper

Divided, Assembly Committee Advances GOP Child Sex Bill After Public Outrage, Gov. Intervention...continued from

page 4

Some members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee also support refocusing California’s criminal justice system from punishing felons to rehabilitating them as a means to reduce repeat offenses and address prison overpopulation as mandated by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Grove indicated in her press conference was not an option.

A number of people in the African American community have known about the character of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas since before his appointment to the high Court. In fact, it was considered a disgrace to replace someone with the character, intellect and commitment to the struggle of Black people with the likes of Clarence Thomas. When the great debate during his confirmation hearing over the allegations from attorney Anita Hill surfaced and Thomas accused his detractors of committing a legal lynching of him, there was a shortness of sympathy for a man who should never have been nominated in the first place. His subsequent inaction on the court, and his conservative leaning almost always against anything that benefited Black people earned him the name “Uncle Tom” instead of “Justice Thomas”. But it's time to set the record straight. The Uncle Tom of Harriet Becher Stowe’s 1852 book, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, had real character. While he appeared to be subservient and docile as a good slave, those characteristics

were used to help him disguise the good he was actually about doing to help others. He had character that allowed him to put himself at risk helping others. Justice Clarence Thomas, on the hand, has shown that he is about helping himself first and always.

The favors, money and deals with his billionaire friends, his wife’s support of the January 6 attack on the Capitol and the lie that they never discussed matters of the January 6 riot in which people lost their lives, all reveal what most of us already knew from the beginning, that Justice Thomas was and is always about his interest and not the people.

Let us no longer insult the life and story of Uncle Tom which was actually based on the real life slave, Josia Henson. Let’s just call Thomas the person without character that he is and call for his impeachment, which we know will never happen in the Republican controlled House of Representatives where impeachment proceedings must start before they reach the Senate.

Let's just call him Clarence Thomas, and know who he really is.

“Longer sentences don't actually stop things from happening,” said Assembly Majority Leader and CLBC member Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights). “All they do is increase our investment in systems of harm and subjugation.”

On July 13, Bryan supported his argument tweeting, “The people most vulnerable to being charged with trafficking are the victims of trafficking themselves. Charges are used to leverage their cooperation in prosecution and their survivor status is erased with many currently incarcerated in both youth and adult prisons.”

Critics of SB 14, also point out that Black offenders are “heavily overrepresented” among people serving sentences with “thirdstrike enhancements, according to a 2022 California Policy Lab study, “Three Strikes In California.”

The evening after the vote, Grove held a press conference expressing her frustration with her Democratic colleagues but declaring her willingness to work with them to pass the bill.

However, a Democratic staffer close to the Safety Committee’s review of SB 14 who asked to remain anonymous, revealed to California Black Media that Grove was not willing to accept amendments to the bill.

After the Public Safety Committee vote, Gov. Gavin Newsom and newly elected Assembly Speaker, Robert Rivas (D-Hollister), intervened.

According to Grove, the Governor contacted her to express his disappointment with the committee’s failure to pass the bill and offered to help see the legislation through the process.

Before the Assembly held a special hearing on SB14 on July 13, Newsom and Rivas both urged Jones-Sawyer to work on a resolution with Grove. On June 12, Jones-Sawyer agreed to meet with Grove. The next day, he announced that the Public Safety committee would reconsider the bill, even though Assembly Democrats had blocked a full floor vote on it. However, JonesSawyer cautioned that the bill needed to be amended, which

Junior Flight Academy (JFA) and California Inland Empire Council, BSA (CIEC) Join Forces to Propel Scouts into the World of Space Exploration, Aviation, and Technology.

Los Angeles, CA, July 18, 2023

-- Junior Flight Academy (JFA), a leading provider of online aviation education, is thrilled to announce an exciting partnership with the California Inland Empire Council, BSA (CIEC). This groundbreaking collaboration will empower all scouts with unprecedented access to cutting-edge online educational programs, aiming to cultivate the next generation of pilots and astronauts as well as educate and inspire the next generation of scouts, encouraging them to become leaders and pioneers in the fields of aviation and technology.

In an era characterized by rapid advancements in science and technology, the need to inspire and educate young individuals in fields like space exploration, aviation, and technology has never been greater. Recognizing this critical need, Junior Flight Academy and California Inland Empire Council BSA have joined forces to ignite the passion for these disciplines among scouts, empowering them with the tools and knowledge necessary to soar to new heights.

Through this exciting partnership, scouts from California Inland Empire Council will gain exclusive access to Junior Flight Academy's comprehensive online curriculum. This dynamic

educational platform is specially designed to captivate young learners and immerse them in a world of wonder, discovery, and endless possibilities. By combining engaging multimedia content, interactive simulations, and expert guidance, scouts will have the opportunity to explore the realms of space, aviation, and technology from the comfort of their own homes.

"At Junior Flight Academy, we believe that every child possesses the potential to become a pilot or an astronaut," said Dr. Michael D. Falkow, Senior Advisor, Academic Programs for the JFA.

"We are thrilled to partner with the California Inland Empire Council, BSA to extend our reach and provide scouts with unparalleled access to our online educational programs. Together, we will inspire and equip the future pioneers of space exploration, aviation, and technology."

With a curriculum carefully curated by industry experts, scouts will delve into a variety of captivating subjects, including spacecraft design, aeronautical engineering, celestial navigation, robotics, and more. Through interactive lessons, online curriculums, and virtual mentorship programs, scouts will have the opportunity to interact

“Human trafficking is a serious crime. But SB14 needs to be fixed. It could charge trafficking victims and children with a felony. We are going to improve this bill and provide justice for victims,” Jones-Sawyer tweeted on July 13.

The same day, the Assembly Public Safety Committee reconsidered SB 14 and advanced it with a 6-0 vote.

“Today is a victory for every survivor. However, the battle is not over. SB 14 must still go through the Assembly Appropriations Committee when legislators return from summer recess,” Grove said as she celebrated the committee’s approval.

Jones-Sawyer voted “yes” on SB 14 the second time around, along with Republican committee members Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) and Juan Alanis (R-Modesto). Three Democrats, Liz Ortega (D-San Leandro), Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Santa Monica) and Miguel Santiago (D-Inglewood) also voted to pass SB 14 out of the committee.

CLBC members on the committee, Bryan and Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) abstained from voting for the bill.

During the hearing on July 11, Grove referenced California’s Ebony Alert law, introduced by CLBC Vice Chair Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), which increases resources to locate missing Black youth and women.

“The coalition to Abolish Slavery and Human Trafficking in Los Angeles, California Noted that 50% of their domestic trafficking clients are Black and over 90% of women in their emergency shelters program are Black,” Grove stated.

April Grayson, a formerly incarcerated woman and human trafficking survivor, sees the problem differently.

Grayson reminded the Assembly that human trafficking is already a crime on the books in California punishable by as much as 15 years to life during the hearing.

“I have to remind the authors in this committee that this bill will actively harm any survivors of human trafficking -- especially, the Black, Brown, Native, poor, LGBTQ women, and trans survivors who are already the least likely to see justice,” Grayson said.

be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

Date: 8/10/2023 Time: 09:00 a.m.

Dept: S37 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO

247 West Third St San Bernardino, CA 92415 -0212 San Bernardino District-Probate IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate

with leading professionals in the field, expanding their knowledge and fostering meaningful connections.

"This partnership between Junior Flight Academy and California Inland Empire Council, BSA is a remarkable opportunity for our scouts," said Mathew Bear, Scout Executive and CEO of California Inland Empire Council, BSA. "By introducing them to the wonders of space exploration, aviation, and technology, we are nurturing their curiosity, sparking their imagination, and providing them with invaluable skills for the future. We couldn't be more excited about the possibilities that lie ahead."

The JFA and California Inland Empire Council, BSA share a common vision of inspiring and empowering young minds to explore the endless possibilities of the world around them. Together, they are poised to make a lasting impact on the lives of countless scouts, building a foundation for future pilots, astronauts, and trailblazers in the field of technology.

Junior Flight Academy (JFA)

Media Contact: Dr. Michael D. Falkow, PMP Senior Advisor, Academic Programs Michael@ JuniorFlightAcademy.com

Practicing Love Together...continued

OP-ED: Safeguarding Charitable Medicines Programs in America

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

serve.

There are zero requirements for hospitals to use the cost savings from 340B to help needy patients, and there isn’t any rule requiring these hospitals to let patients know they are eligible for these drugs.

All Americans should have equal access to high quality healthcare. As our nation steadily emerges out of the awful debilitating aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of communities of color, and in particular the African American community, are all facing lingering challenges and prolonged difficulties in having access to affordable and quality healthcare.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has many important and life-saving public health related programs that are structured and funded to ensure access to the best of healthcare offerings including the provision of affordable pharmaceuticals with respect to the most vulnerable and underserved communities across the nation.

One of those important governmental healthcare programs is known as the Charitable Medicines Program (340B). The 340B program began in the early 1990s when Congress wanted to require pharmaceutical manufacturers, as a condition of benefiting from government programs, to donate at low or no cost prescription drugs to charitable hospitals. These hospitals, overwhelmingly located in underserved urban and rural communities with patients of all races and ethnicities, were in turn expected to use these discount price medicines to serve patients who otherwise could not afford these drugs.

Today, Americans are facing

unprecedented times. We are rebuilding our economy from a global pandemic. But there is another epidemic in this country (Entities putting profits over people) which must be addressed, and it must be addressed now. It’s one of the few things reasonable Americans on all sides of the political spectrum can agree on these days. Where it happens, there ought to be robust, bipartisan reform efforts to fix it. When it happens inside the context of a government program meant to help the poorest among us, it should mean robust oversight from the Congress and the Administration. That’s exactly what’s going on now with the charitable medicines program known as “340B.”

For a while, the program worked as intended. The average discount on a 340B drug is nearly 60%, and for many drugs it’s much more than that. But over time, greed has cropped up and made a mockery of the program resulting in practices which furthers health inequities in our nation. The definition of a “charitable hospital” was never welldefined in law, and today 57% of all hospitals participate in the drug discount program. They are happy to accept the cheaper medicines, but where do they end up? Out of the nearly 13,000 hospitals and community pharmacies participating in the 340B program today, fully six in ten are in middle class and affluent areas, not the poorer zip codes the program is meant to

“Just Around the Corner!”

By Lou K. Coleman

How is this possible? How has a program Congress created to get Big PhRMA to give affordable drugs to charitable hospitals gone so far off the rails? The answer is that no one is minding the store in Washington. There are zero requirements for hospitals to use the cost savings from 340B to help needy patients, and there isn’t any rule requiring these hospitals to let patients know they are eligible for these drugs.

In addition, stand-alone hospitals are now the exception compared to the rule of a broad hospital network with facilities in diverse income areas. A hospital or clinic that qualifies for the discounted drugs in this program might be one of dozens of health care centers in a network conglomerate. As a result, the drug price reductions are eagerly gobbled up and the drugs fed into the larger system. To put a fine point on it, medicines intended for poor urban and rural areas are being re-routed and sold at full price to insured patients in more affluent areas. That’s the definition of health inequity.

This is not a mere theoretical concern. Last year, the New York Times https://www.nytimes. com/2022/09/24/health/bonsecours-mercy-health-profitpoor-neighborhood.html broke a story that Bon Secours, a hospital network in the Richmond, VA area, was accepting 340B discount drugs at Richmond Community Hospital, not telling local patients they were eligible for these free-to-inexpensive medicines, and selling the drugs for full price to patients in more affluent hospitals in their network. This led Richmond mayor Levar Stoney to send a letter to Bon Secours, charging them with using “loopholes [to increase] profit margins for the hospital system while they have reduced services in one of our predominantly Black communities.”

Notably, Mayor Stoney also called on the Biden Administration to increase oversight of the 340B program:

“I request for your administration to urgently investigate the

effectiveness and unintended consequences of 340B–not only regarding Bon Secours in the City of Richmond, but in other localities across the country.”

Untold stories like this exist in communities across the country. But the fact is the hospital lobbyists have influenced Congressional and Administration oversight officials from both political parties for decades. Every Congressman has a hospital in their district, and the 340b program must be used by the hospitals as Congress mandated.

That’s why I was proud to hear about a panel earlier this year organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton on this topic where he stated, “This affects everybody. If you are having people abuse government funds that should be reinvested, this is not a rightwing or left-wing issue.”

The executive branch runs the 340B program out of the Health Resources and Services Administration, a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services. HRSA, as it’s known, makes determinations of what entities are covered by the program, and they have been very generous over the years. According to the Government Accountability Office, the number of hospitals and clinics HRSA has approved has increased from fewer than 10,000 in 2010 to nearly 13,000 today–an increase of 30 percent in a little over a decade.

And while HRSA is supposed to collect information and conduct audits on 340B covered entities, they simply don’t have the manpower to do so. The little number of questions they do raise are answered and accepted, because there is no real oversight possible. There are only the staff resources to facilitate drug discounts to hospitals.

What’s urgently needed is a combination of Congressional hearings and a more inquisitorial HRSA. Until that happens, low income patients across America will be the excuse giant hospital chains use to get drugs at a discount rate and sell them at full price to more affluent patients.

“Just Around the Corner!”...continued

makes his appearance in the temple of God.

Lou K. Coleman

Is a time that is going to be more severe than any other time we have ever known. Wake Up People, Wake Up!

In [Matthew 24:15-28], Jesus talks about an “Abomination of Desolation” in the Olivet Discourse as He referenced a future event mentioned in [Daniel 9:27]. Jesus says, “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place [let the reader understand], then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. Wake up people, wake up, the “Abomination of Desolation” is just around the

corner.

Pay attention to world events and do not be distracted. The Antichrist is soon to be revealed and when the Antichrist exalts himself to the point of deity, a series of devastating events will be transformed into a battleground of world-wide destruction, impending doom, so much so that the aftereffects of this “great tribulation” all life on Earth would be threatened and held in the balance. This is not an overstatement. The wars that are going to engulf mankind at the end of this age will be so destructive that the very death of the Earth is not beyond the realm of possibility. The Lord indicates this very fact in the Book of Matthew chapter 24, verse 22. Jesus says that if God does not intervene to save his people, there should no flesh be saved.

Pay attention to world events and don’t be distracted, because just around the corner is the “Abomination of Desolation” a time period which will be much worse than the World Wars of the Twentieth Century. So much so, that the Bible describes it as a period that will take us all the way up to the Battle of Armageddon and ultimately to the very moment of the return of Christ. And it all will

Wake Up People, Wake Up! The “Abomination of Desolation” is just around the corner. If you have not received the Lord as your Lord and Savior, do it NOW. For NOW, is the acceptable time, NOW is the

now find offensive. Yet still, they kept practicing love together, and now no one can even imagine there was a time when their church wasn’t ONA.

I thought about this church on the last few days of Synod when the sanctuary that love built was breached by the harmful words and actions of siblings from another denomination with which we shared convention space. I’ve replayed my Sunday at University UCC as I’ve read pain-filled messages from some who were unsafe.

I am angry that we were violated. I lament the harm inflicted upon our gathering because some who lost their love lost their way. I grieve the fear and painful memories evoked in LGBTIA+ siblings who deserved to simply delight themselves in what should be the safest place on earth, the Church. But the Church is not safe for everyone

and, in the spirit of Ubuntu, that means the Church is not safe for anyone.

I am grateful their leadership called to apologize. While I know leaders cannot control the actions of every member, apologies must be accompanied by repentance that indicates a commitment to change the way one shows up in the world. These harmful actions disrupted our peace and damaged their witness. May repentance come as I anxiously await the day when we, the Church, the One body of Christ, can’t even imagine that we were ever anything with and to one another other than love. I believe that day is coming, but until then, I will be right here, practicing love with all of you, until love is all we know.

Traci Blackmon is Associate General Minister, Justice and Local Church Ministries for the United Church of Christ.

The Heat Is On: California Ramps Up Coping Strategies...continued

from page 2 consecutive days, from July 3-6.

Marta Segura, chief heat officer and director of climate emergency mobilization for the city of Los Angeles Segura was joined by UCLA Professor V. Kelly Turner, Dr. Lucia Abascal of the state Department of Public Health, Dr. Kimberly Chang, of Asian Health Services and Sandra Young, founder of the Mixteco Indigenous Community Organizing Project.

Extreme Heat Can Kill

Two days before, OCPSC had launched a $20 million “Heat Ready California” campaign to help people stay safe from the deadly effects of extreme heat.

Turner spoke of how urban development has created “heat islands” where asphalt predominates over shade and green space.

Something as simple as a shade structure, she said — strategically placed tree plantings, awnings, or bus shelters — can reduce people’s body heat temperatures by tens of degrees.

But currently, she said, “most Californians are effectively living in shade deserts.”

Less Asphalt, More Shade

of these and other resources is available by county at the “Heat Ready California” website.

Dr. Lucia Abascal of the state Department of Public Health.

Secondly: “Stay hydrated!” Especially high-risk populations such as those with disabilities, the young, the old, and pregnant women.

But “even somebody that’s healthy can suffer from heat stroke,” she said. Dizziness, leg cramps, disorientation are three warning signs.

Shade Structures

Neighborhoods that have been short-changed in access to nearby public parks and green spaces that might offer shade, or whose residents have to travel farther to get health care, also have higher incidence of heat-related health problems.

“Los Angeles wants to take the lead by investing in those areas that have been historically neglected,” Segura said. As part of the “Heat Relief for L.A.” campaign, she said, all 73 libraries will be open, along with 10 cooling centers.

day of salvation. Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” The Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. [Revelation 22:6]

WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #1160

Practicing Love Together

Traci Blackmon

Last November I had the joy of worshipping with University UCC in Seattle for Ubuntu Sunday. Ubuntu is an African concept of the interconnectedness of community most often translated with the phrase: “I am because We are.”

On this Sunday, the invitation to Our Churches Wider Mission (OCWM) was offered by a parent at the church. The mom began by sharing an encounter she’d had with her child who was not feeling like going to church that day and asked her: “Why do we always go to church?”

This mom’s response to the question arrested my attention. She told her child: “We go to church to practice love together.”

As this mom stood before us reflecting on the response she’d shared with her child, I asked myself: Is this why we go to church, to practice love together? While I was still pondering the statement, she began to tell the

story of University’s journey to becoming an Open and Affirming (ONA) Congregation, reminding the gathered church of the challenges, the anxiety filled moments, and the strained conversations they’d shared. She talked about how everyone loved the church, but that some couldn’t find their way to agreement about the direction of the church. She shared how many stayed and some left, and said that both acted out of their deep sense of love for the church they knew.

No matter how difficult the conversations or painful the separations, the majority of people kept showing up. They kept pushing. They kept talking, and they kept listening. She reminded everyone that back then there were common phrases used that we would never say now, and beliefs held that we

It gets worse according to where you live. For example, research conducted in Pacoima, in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, found that less than 10% of the space at the schools provided shade.

“Play yards need less asphalt and more shade,” she said.

Other research has shown that some types of dwellings, such as mobile homes, even when airconditioned, can’t always be sufficiently cooled.

She recommended “shade audits” for those communities that haven’t done them yet, as well as rental unit regulation not just for sufficient protection against cold, but for heat as well. And then, she mentioned, 40% of heat-related deaths currently are among those with no housing at all.

UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation, where she works, has published two extensive reports, Identifying and Addressing Heat Inequities in the City of Los Angeles, and Turning Down the Heat that detail disparities across Los Angeles’s communities that affect hot weather health, and recommendations for improvements.

Stay Cool

“Of all the natural disasters, heat is the main killer,” Abascal said. “It’s very, very important for everyone to understand the dangers of heat.”

“Stay cool,” she said. For those who can’t afford to run their home air conditioning or don’t have any, she recommended libraries, malls or cooling centers. A list

Among the efforts she advocated are accelerating current plans to add shade structures to bus stops in communities that rely on public transit and finding ways to make air conditioning more affordable to low-income users.

Communities already impacted by pollution, she noted, are also additionally vulnerable, because “heat exacerbates pollution.” Workers, she said, should be aware of their rights to take breaks and ensure they stay hydrated.

Workers’ Rights

Sandra Young also addressed the circumstances of agricultural workers, acknowledging that most are undocumented and therefore less likely to challenge employers about substandard working conditions.

Often, even when water is available, it’s too far from where the workers are to make it easily accessible without risking heat exhaustion and lost earnings.

Sandra Young, founder of the Mixteco Indigenous Community Organizing Project She called for on-site advocacy for adequate working conditions and a health care system that goes beyond being service providers to being advocates for their clients.

“Our health care system still has a long way to go to meet the needs of the farmworker community,” she said.

Asian American Elders Are Vulnerable Dr. Kimberly Chang addressed some issues for AAPI communities in Oakland, where she works, and in the Central Valley, where in a single decade

(Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

Birmingham-Area Woman Returns Home Following Two-Day Disappearance and Search

By Birmingham Times

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — A

25-year-old Alabama woman returned home late Saturday after being the focus of a two-day search by police and family members who reported her missing after she stopped to check on a child who was walking along a highway.

Police said Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell had returned to the home she shares with her parents in Hoover, AL.com reported late Saturday night.

Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said Russell arrived home alone and was transported to a hospital for evaluation, AL.com reported.

Russell’s whereabouts were not immediately clear since around 10:45 p.m. Thursday

when she called 911 and a family member to say she saw a young child walking on the side of I-459.

Police found Russell’s car and her cell phone but were unable to find her or a child in the area.

Hoover Police Lt. Daniel Lowe said the family member on the phone with Russell lost contact with her even though the line remained open. A single witness reported possibly seeing a gray vehicle and a man standing outside of Carlee’s vehicle, but they had no additional information.

Police asked people to report any information they might have about her disappearance, while family members organized a search in the area.

Talitha Russell told AL.com that her daughter was headed home in the community about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Birmingham after leaving work and stopping to get food. She was on the phone with her brother’s girlfriend when she said she saw a child on the roadside.

“My son’s girlfriend heard her asking the child, ‘Are you Ok?’ She never heard the child say anything but then she heard our daughter scream,’’ Talitha Russell said. “From there, all you hear on her phone is background noise from the interstate.”

During the search there were two separate rewards of $20,000 and $5,000 for information assisting Hoover’s safe return, police said.

The Heat Is On: California Ramps Up Coping Strategies...

continued from page 7

there was a 53% increase in heatrelated emergency department visits and hundreds of deaths.

In Oakland, despite the relatively temperate climate, her clients too often live in crowded apartments, without elevators. Older adults, who typically have lost some of their innate ability to regulate their body temperatures, need to be mindful of what they’re wearing – Bay Area residents often dress in layers to protect them from cold – and wear more white instead of black, she said.

In general, looser, lightweight clothing, and deploying fans are also simple but effective strategies, she said.

“People don’t like to be told what to do,” Segura said, in closing. But, “prepare in advance. It’s a long-term game.”