California DOJ, Legislators Warn of Growing Danger of ‘Ghost Guns’

Manny Otiko | California Black Media

A new report released by the California Department of Justice warns of the danger of ghost guns (weapons assembled at home that have no serial numbers.)

The weapons cannot be traced, making them a go-to for criminals who want to operate under the radar of law enforcement.

Over the past few years, the use of ghost guns has surged as people have been able to make them by producing gun parts with 3-D printers.

According to the California Department of Justice report, from 2020-21, the use of ghost guns jumped by about 10,000, from 13,000 to 23,000 incidents. However, the use of ghost guns recently decreased to about 21,000 incidents per year.

Since 2016, Assemblymember

Mike Gipson (D-Carson) has been a vocal opponent of ghost guns, pointing to the many threats they pose. Gipson said many Americans are unaware of the danger of ghost guns. This year, he authored Assembly Bill 1089, which bans the sale, purchase and possession of ghost gun technology.

The bill is currently under review in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

“Irresponsible companies have continued to sell machines that are explicitly designed as ghost gun manufacturing machines while deceptively claiming that these machines do not have the ‘primary’ purpose of manufacturing firearms,” according to a factsheet from Gipson’s office.

Existing law in California prohibits persons or corporations from manufacturing or assembling firearms that are not imprinted with a valid state or federal serial number.

“These companies fail to inform buyers that it is now unlawful in California to use these machines to produce firearms without a firearm manufacturer’s license.

Additionally, while California law currently prohibits unlicensed manufacturers from using a 3-D printer to produce firearms, state law does not regulate the sale of 3D printers that are designed or marketed as ghost gun manufacturing 3-D printers,” according to Gipson’s office’s factsheet.

Gipson represents the 65th Assembly district that covers cities such as Willowbrook, Compton, Long Beach and parts of Los Angeles. His district has been plagued with gun violence arising from both registered and unregistered firearms.

In many cases, people who can’t get legal guns, because they don’t want to go through background checks, turn to ghost guns. And they are often used for nefarious purposes. Black and brown people are the main victims, according to Gipson.

“This is a health issue,” he said.

Ghost guns have been used in several California mass shootings. In 2022, David Mora, a father-of-three was banned from possessing a gun

The donation from SoCalGas’ Fueling Our Communities initiative will increase the number of individuals served by Family Service Association’s food security program Riverside County/Inland Empire News whom

Wage War: Four California State Employee Unions Are Demanding Pay Increases

Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program, which will help those individuals save on their annual utility bills. This investment will assist FSA to expand their reach and provide nourishing meals to an even greater number of seniors and families facing food insecurity.

FSA provides daily congregate and home-delivered meals to older adults, at no-cost, throughout Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and nutritious breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to the children enrolled in its ten child development centers. This year, FSA will serve over 1 million meals in the Inland Empire. The attendees were:

Shannon Gonzalez, Family Service Association, Chief Operating Officer; Tom Donahue, Family Service Association, Chief Operating Officer; Lea Peterson, SoCalGas, Public Affairs Manager; Richard Roth, 31st District Senator; Sabrina Cervantes, 58th District Assemblymember; Karen Spiegel, Riverside County District 2 Supervisor. Interviews in Spanish were available: Lea Petersen, SoCalGas, Public Affairs Manager

A Ceremony was held at 11:00 a.m. at Eddie D. Smith Senior Center located at 5888 Mission Blvd.., Riverside, CA 92509 and volunteering opportunity was took place.

Four California government employee unions are demanding salary increases from the California Department of Human resources (CalHR) and the State Legislature to keep up with the high cost of living in California. When compared to their peers in the private sector, the employees say, there is a significant disparity in salaries.

Representatives of the unions say they are frustrated with stalled negotiations with the state over disparities in pay.

Last week, one of the Unions, the American Physicians and Dentists, authorized a strike.

The other three unions are the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1000 – California’s largest labor union; the California Correctional Peace Officers; and the California Association of Professional Scientists.

In June, the SEIU employees initially demanded a 30% wage increase in their next three-year contract. The legislature countered with an offer of a 2% annual increase over three years. That offer –which union members view as a move to low-ball them -sparked a demonstration at the State Capitol in June that has been followed by an ongoing stalemate between the parties.

“It’s moving slowly,” said

Local 1000’s Vice President of Bargaining Irene Greene. “We’re severely disappointed in the state’s movement to get this contract negotiated with bargaining team members.”

According to the bargaining update, the state also rejected the union’s request for paid time off to observe Juneteenth.

Local 1000 represents approximately 100,000 workers in jobs as diverse as prison librarians, janitorial staff and educators at California’s schools for the deaf and blind.

In response to the state’s 2% initial offer, the Union lowered its wage request to a 26% raise.

Greene believes the union’s 26% compromise is reasonable, considering the high cost of living in California.

“We have a large number of members that are unable to maintain a living wage in the state of California. They love the positions that they work in, however we’ve been delayed in our salary increase for a number of years,” she said. “The reason we felt that the 30% and 26% were justified is because of the low income we are finding ourselves getting.”

Greene said union jobs once ensured a comfortable standard of living, but this is no longer

California DOJ, Legislators Warn of Growing Danger of ‘Ghost Guns’...continued

because of his criminal record.

He later went on a gun rampage in Sacramento County, shooting his three children and a social worker. The gun was created with a 3-D printer.

According to Gipson, statistics show that one of the most dangerous times for shootings is between Friday and Monday.

He also stated that legislation on ghost guns was needed because technology is moving faster than the law.

“Technology has advanced faster than policies and bills,” he said.

Gipson isn’t the only legislator who has taken action on ghost guns.

Senate Bill (SB)1327, authored by Sen. Bob Hertzberg

(D-San Fernando Valley,) and approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom, allows Californians to sue people who manufacture, transport and distribute ghost guns for up to $10,000.

“Our message to the criminals spreading illegal weapons in California is simple: you have no safe harbor here in the Golden State,” Newsom said in a speech at Santa Monica College, the site of a 2014 mass shooting that killed six people.

“As the U.S. Supreme Court expands the right to own guns, California continues to add new ways to restrict them. California will use every tool at its disposal to save lives, especially in the face of an increasingly extreme Supreme Court,” said Newsom in a press statement.

SBCUSD Appoints New Associate Superintendent

education is truly life changing, and I want to be part of that renaissance.”

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Convenes Teacher Recruitment Summit, Launches Statewide Recruitment Coalition

SACRAMENTO—State

Superintendent of Public coalition will help us maximize every idea and opportunity for reducing the teacher shortage.”

The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) proudly announces the appointment of Terry Comnick as the District’s new Associate Superintendent.

With an extensive background in education finance and administration, he brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role, overseeing the District's budget and leading the Business Services, Facilities, and Operations Divisions.

Officially joining the SBCUSD leadership team in July 2023, Comnick will take on the responsibility of managing the approximately $1.1 billion budget for California’s eighthlargest school district.

The Board of Education and Superintendent Mauricio Arellano have placed their trust in Terry's capabilities, recognizing his proven track record in financial management and dedication to optimizing resources.

“I’m excited to be returning to San Bernardino because it’s where my heart is,” Comnick said. “In San Bernardino and Highland, our work in public

Terry’s journey in the education sector began as a substitute teacher in 1992, and he has since held various positions that have showcased his unwavering commitment to public education. Most recently, Comnick served as an assistant superintendent at the Upland Unified School District, where he made significant contributions to the district's financial stability and success.

Returning to SBCUSD, Comnick brings a unique perspective and a passion for improving educational outcomes for students. Previously, he served as the Director of Categorical Programs in SBCUSD for seven years, from 2014 to 2021, during which he demonstrated exceptional leadership and an ability to allocate resources effectively. His leadership proved instrumental during the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan) process.

In his new role as Associate Superintendent, Comnick will play a vital role in ensuring the allocation of financial resources aligns with the educational needs of SBCUSD's more than 47,000 students and 9,000 staff members. With a focus on collaboration, transparency, and accountability, he aims to foster a culture of innovation and equity, guaranteeing that all students have access to high-quality education and opportunities for success.

Comnick's belief in the

Instruction Tony Thurmond will host a Teacher Recruitment Summit at the California Department of Education (1430 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814) on August 14, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in State Board Room 1101. Thurmond and guests will address the media at 10:30 a.m.

The Teacher Recruitment Summit is open to individuals from all organizations focused on work in this area, which includes teacher credentialing programs, school districts and county offices of education, pipeline programs, and AmeriCorps programs. This event will formally launch a coalition to engage in direct recruitment of teacher candidates on a statewide basis.

Summit attendees will hear from Dr. Linda DarlingHammond, President of the California State Board of Education; Dr. Mary Vixie Sandy, Executive Director of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing; and Dr. Travis Bristol, Associate Professor of Teacher Education and Education Policy at the Berkeley School of Education.

“Addressing the educator shortage is one of the most important things we can do to support student achievement,” Thurmond said. “We must increase compensation, prioritize training, improve working conditions, and pursue all strategies that can help our schools add the staff needed to help our students thrive. The Summit and launch of the new

Like most states in the nation, California is experiencing a teacher shortage. Teacher recruitment has largely been led by the 1,000 individual districts in the state, and the California Department of Education historically has not had the staffing capacity to engage in direct teacher recruitment or support in this area. Now, Thurmond’s team at the California Department of Education, along with other partners, are embarking on a bold effort to change this and are offering resources to assist school districts in their efforts to recruit teachers. In recent months, Thurmond launched a one-stop recruitment portal that allows teacher candidates to get information in one place, including on how to pursue a teaching credential, how to find vacancies at districts, and ways to access resources to support their education and credentialing.

Thurmond developed and sponsored legislation in 2022 that made it possible for those pursuing the opportunity to work in schools as a mental health clinician to receive the $20,000 Golden State Teacher Grant. In 2019, Thurmond sponsored a bill that resulted in tax credits that school districts can use to build educator housing, and Thurmond is currently sponsoring Assembly Bill 1169 (Wilson) to further expand educator housing.

This year, Thurmond developed and sponsored

SBCUSD Appoints New Associate Superintendent... continued

transformative power of public education, combined with his dedication to supporting educators and empowering students, makes him an invaluable asset to Superintendent Arellano's leadership team.

“We are thrilled to welcome Terry Comnick to our leadership team,” Arellano said. “I look forward to working closely with Terry as we shape a bright future for the children of the San Bernardino City Unified School District.”

Comnick’s vision and expertise position him to lead the District forward, driving positive change and creating a bright future for the students of SBCUSD.

Four

Senate Bill 765 (Portantino), which would make it easier for retired teachers to return to the classroom on a short-term basis. The provision in Senate Bill 765 related to residency grants was incorporated into the 2023 budget trailer bill and, as such, has already increased the subsidy available for teacher candidates in residency training programs from $25,000 to $40,000.

In support of new statewide teacher recruitment efforts, Thurmond and the California Department of Education have developed a Public Service Announcement campaign to inspire future teacher candidates and hosted numerous teacher recruitment hiring fairs with California Volunteers, the State Service Commission that selects 3,000 undergraduate “College Corps” service members annually to serve as civic leaders, including as tutors and mentors in schools. Thurmond is prioritizing California Volunteers, with its 3,000 College Corps members and 7,000 members in other service corps, as a key pipeline for teacher recruitment.

Participants in the Summit on Teacher Recruitment will take part in small groups to brainstorm specific strategies to support teacher recruitment and to make recommendations. Group breakout discussions may include:

Developing strategies to help retired teachers return to schools as short-term substitutes

Identifying strategies to recruit teacher candidates from other states, including military spouses with teaching backgrounds

Establishing and strengthening “grow your own” programs Identifying ways to help classified and expanded learning staff get on the path to becoming credentialed teachers

Anyone interested in attending the summit or becoming part of the statewide teacher recruitment coalition should RSVP to TeachinCA@cde.ca.gov.

Five Back-to-School Tips for Extreme Heat

Keep Kids Cool and Safer in Hot Weather heat-vulnerable communities like our Black and African American communities. page 1 the case.

“We used to be able to have these jobs as middle class jobs, purchase a home, be able to provide for our families and retire with dignity,” she added.

“At this point, those who we represent are really struggling.”

California Black Media contacted CalHR for comment, but Camille Travis, deputy director of communications for the state’s human resource agency, said the department does not comment on or share proposals for ongoing negotiations.

For nearly three years now, the California Association of Professional Scientists have been in negotiations with the state, demanding up to 43% increases in pay.

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) introduced a bill Assembly Bill (AB) 1677 that would commission the UC Berkeley Labor Center to assess the salary continued on page 4

Sacramento, Calif. – Back to school is near and as families gather essentials for the new year, heat preparedness must remain top of mind. Ensuring the safety of our children during extreme heat events is critical to their well-being and educational success. It is crucial that we all—parents, caregivers, and educators—work together to accomplish this task.

Children are one of the groups at greatest risk of heat illness, including kids with disabilities or those with chronic health conditions like asthma or diabetes, so it is important to take extra precautions to protect them during extreme heat. California's Heat Ready CA campaign encourages California residents to be proactive in safeguarding children from the effects of rising temperatures and raises awareness about the dangers of extreme heat, especially within

"As a doctor and mother, I understand how vital it is that we prioritize our children's safety during extreme heat. Their bodies are more sensitive to high temperatures, and simple steps can make a big difference in preventing heatrelated issues,” said Dr. Sharon K. Okonkwo-Holmes, a family practice physician with Kaiser Permanente Southern California, and an instructor at Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in Pasadena.

“Heat Ready CA offers simple yet essential tips and resources for parents and caregivers to create a safer environment for children as they head back to school, allowing them to focus on learning and play without worry."

Heat Ready CA is demonstrating its dedication to promoting community health and safety by sharing five tips for parents and guardians to implement and help protect children during extreme heat as they return to school.

1. Apply Sunscreen and continued on page 7

Conservative group files lawsuit against venture capital fund that offers help to Black women-owned Businesses

Edward Blum, a conservative activist, founded the American Alliance for Equal Rights nonprofit, which has filed a lawsuit against Fearless Fund, an Atlanta-based venture capital fund.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

With the white sheets removed, the hoods now off, and the dog whistles as overt as they were during Jim Crow and the struggle for civil rights in the mid-20th century, a conservative group that spearheaded the Supreme Court’s overturning of affirmative action now has set its sights on Black women.

Edward Blum, a conservative activist, founded the American Alliance for Equal Rights nonprofit, which has filed a lawsuit against Fearless Fund, an Atlanta-based venture capital fund.

The lawsuit alleges that Fearless Fund “is engaging in unlawful racial discrimination by restricting eligibility for its grant competition to only Black women entrepreneurs.”

The legal action cited the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and was filed in federal Court in Atlanta. Fearless Fund, established in 2019 by prominent Black women, including Cosby Show actress Keshia Knight Pulliam, entrepreneur Arian Simone, and corporate executive Ayana Parsons, aims to support and empower Black women who own small businesses.

Notable investors in the fund include Bank of America, Costco Wholesale, General Mills, Mastercard, and JPMorgan Chase.

The lawsuit reportedly marks Blum’s first legal challenge since his organization’s victory in the Supreme Court in June.

The Court rejected affirmative action in collegiate admissions, ruling against race-conscious student admissions policies used by institutions like Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

Blum’s group had argued that such policies unfairly discriminated against white and Asian American applicants.

Blum’s lawsuit focuses on Fearless Fund’s “Fearless Strivers Grant Contest,” which provides $20,000 in grants, digital tools, and mentorship opportunities to Black women business owners.

The American Alliance for Equal Rights claims that white and Asian American members of their organization have been excluded from the grant program solely based on race.

Fearless Fund has yet to respond to the allegations.

In an interview with Reuters, Blum stated that the lawsuit is just the beginning of his efforts to challenge race-based policies used by private corporations through the American Alliance for Equal Rights.

He said he aims to build upon the success of the cases against Harvard and UNC, filed by his organization, Students for Fair Admissions, which led to the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in June.

“The common theme of these organizations is to challenge in the courts the use of racial classifications and preferences in our nation’s policies,” Blum said, as reported by Reuters.

This article was originally published by NNPA Newswire.

State Approves Extension for Pandemic Food Benefits Reissuance

Families have until August 18 to request reissuance of expired 2021

P-EBT 2.0 benefits

Riverside County News

Pandemic EBT, or P-EBT, is a federal program designed to give eligible families with children extra money for groceries. P-EBT cards are accepted at most grocery stores, farmers markets, and online food retailers. Learn more at: ca.p-ebt.org

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif.

— Residents whose children qualified for, but didn’t use extra pandemic food benefits in 2021 now have more time to request a reissuance.

Pandemic EBT (or P-EBT) is a federal program that provides food assistance to eligible young or school-aged children in addition to free or reduced-price meals at childcare or school.

P-EBT benefits that remain unused after a year expire. California officials say if your child received a P-EBT 2.0 card in 2021 and didn’t use any of the benefits for a year, you may be eligible for a reissuance of expired benefits. The State extended the reporting timeframe, allowing families until August 18 to request reissuance of expired benefits.

To qualify for the reissuance, customers must have received a P-EBT 2.0 card in 2021 and have not used any of the benefits on the card, causing them to expire.

“Riverside County DPSS

State Approves Extension for Pandemic Food Benefits Reissuance ...continued encourages families who may be eligible for replacement benefits to contact the P-EBT helpline by the deadline,” said Assistant Director Allison Gonzalez of the department’s Self Sufficiency Division. “These food benefits help children and families reach and sustain nutritional wellbeing.”

To request a reissuance, families can contact the State’s P-EBT 2.0 Expungement Helpline at 1-800-887-8230 (Monday – Friday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.) or visit the P-EBT website at www.ca.p-ebt.org and use the P-EBT Live Chat (Monday –

Friday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.) to request a new card. The new cards should be received in late September through October.

When calling or chatting, state officials urge customers to have the first and last name of the child(ren) believed to be eligible, the child(ren)’s date of birth, and the address on file during the 2021 P-EBT 2.0 issuance.

If you’re interested in receiving additional food benefits, apply for CalFresh food assistance a www.benefitscal.com, by phone at 1-877-410-8827, or in-person at any DPSS office.

Shootings Across California Underscore Need for Continued Action on Gun Violence

County/Government News

SACRAMENTO – The start of August has been marked by yet another deadly week as gun violence killed and wounded many across California. Gun violence continues to be the leading cause of death for children, teenagers, and collegeaged people.

A snapshot of gun violence in California this week:

ANAHEIM: On Thursday, a 72-year-old man shot and killed his wife who was pronounced dead at the scene when first responders arrived. According to reports the man arrested was identified as an Orange County Superior Court judge.

LOS ANGELES: On Thursday, according to reports, a man pulled out a gun after a fight broke out on the metro. He was later fatally stabbed and the perpetrator was arrested shortly after.

L.A. Lawmakers Could Empower More Tenants to Sue Landlords for Harassment

The city could guarantee payment to lawyers who win cases for renters, as alleged abuses continue despite 2021 anti-harassment law.

By Jack Ross

Renters and supporters march in L.A.'s Chinatown on July 8 in support of tenants' rights. Photo courtesy the Chinatown Community For Equitable Development.

Thousands of Los Angeles residents who live in rentcontrolled dwellings have accused their landlords of trying to drive them out in order to charge higher rents to new tenants.

Two years ago, the city passed a sweeping law to bar tenant harassment practices such as falsely telling renters they must move, refusing repairs, and threatening physical harm or deportation. But with the city government lacking sufficient money or staff to enforce the law, reports of such coercion are still pervasive, and the city remains in a housing crisis in which rents and homelessness continue to soar.

Now, the City Council is considering a proposal that could give more tenants a way to fight back: guaranteeing legal fees for tenants’ lawyers who win judgments against landlords.

Currently, the law does not require landlords to pay for tenants’ legal fees if they lose tenant harassment lawsuits. The ordinance says only that tenants “may” be reimbursed for their legal fees, not that they “shall” be.

Tenant lawyers in Los Angeles say they will not take on tenant harassment cases — because even when they win, there is no guarantee that they will be paid.

The city also has the power to criminally prosecute landlords for harassment, but such efforts have failed completely.

More than 6,000 complaints have come to the city since the Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance was adopted in 2021. Just 12 of those complaints were referred to the city attorney for criminal prosecution. None of those complaints has led to a landlord being charged. More than 5,000 complaints have been closed.

Eleven of those complaints to the city attorney come from just two properties. The city attorney referred all 11 back to the Los Angeles Housing Department for more investigation, according to Ivor Pine, spokesperson for the City Attorney’s Office.

Councilmember Nithya Raman said in a statement that lawmakers knew the city would be unable to enforce the law when they wrote it.

“The theory for enforcement was that because the City didn’t have its own enforcement apparatus already up and running, we would depend on private attorneys to bring these cases forward,” she said.

Two years later, both the city and the private bar have failed to litigate tenant harassment in Los Angeles, said Sergio Vargas, co-director of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Institute, which organized for TAHO before it passed.

Instead, the ordinance is just “a symbolic piece of paper that gives you a definition of what harassment is, but there’s no enforcement,” he said.

The proposed amendment before the City Council to guarantee tenants’ legal fees is opposed by the powerful Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA), which represents landlords.

The association’s executive director, Dan Yukelson, said tenants could file lawsuits as a pretext to cover their own transgressions, like not paying rent. Guaranteeing legal fees to-car shooting in Diamond Bar, authorities said.

While in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts, a recent wave of gun violence has resulted in two people shot and killed, and nine others wounded near the Imperial Courts and Jordan Downs public housing projects. Watts is the latest example of how communities of color bear the brunt of gun violence. According to Everytown Research, Black Americans are disproportionately impacted by gun violence. They experience 10 times the gun homicides, 18 times the gun assault injuries, and nearly 3 times the fatal shootings by police of white Americans.

IRVINE: On Thursday, a person was shot and killed by an attacker in a neighboring car. According to authorities, the victim met up with a person in a black sedan and entered the vehicle on the passenger side, when a white car pulled up and opened fire on the victim's side of the car, fatally shooting and killing the passenger.

OAKLAND: On Wednesday, a man was shot and killed. According to local reports, the fatality is the 64th homicide investigated this year by Oakland police.

FRESNO: On Tuesday, a woman was shot and killed and three others were wounded. According to reports, a vehicle that was possibly involved in the shooting crashed into another car on Brawley and Weber, causing both to catch fire.

COSTA MESA: On Tuesday, one person was shot and killed and another was injured in a car-

Community violence intervention programs provide evidence-based and communityinformed, comprehensive support to individuals who are at greatest risk of gunshot victimization. The Everytown Community Safety Fund supports community-based violence intervention programs implementing evidence-based strategies to reduce gun violence, like Youth Alive! in Oakland, and The Build Program in Los Angeles. In Sacramento, Senators have yet to vote on AB-28, the measure to establish the Gun Violence Prevention, Healing and Recovery Fund to provide vital resources to lifesaving programs — including the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) grant program, supported by a modest industry tax on businesses selling firearms and ammunition.

In an average year, 3,253 people die by guns in California, the 6th lowest gun death rate in the country. Statistics about gun violence in California are available here, and Everytown’s Gun Law Rankings – which shows California’s gun laws are the strongest in the country – is available here. https:// everytownresearch.org/rankings/

L.A. Lawmakers Could Empower More Tenants to Sue Landlords for Harassment...continued

would “only be opening the gates for more owners to be harassed,” he said.

Yukelson said AAGLA is not yet lobbying against the amendment because it is fighting a council effort to make landlords install air conditioning.

Lawyers say they are not likely to take many tenant cases because of the high risk they will not be adequately paid. Currently, legal fees are determined by a jury when awarding damages at the end of a trial. Harassment cases often involve “psychic damages, not physical damages,” said Frances Campbell, a Los Angeles tenant lawyer. She stressed that psychic damages are real — but because of their subjective nature, “a jury gets to decide how much that’s worth. It could be $20,000 or it could be $300,000,” Campbell said. “No one’s going to spend two years with a case on their caseload only to maybe or maybe not get fees.”

Campbell said the amendment could remove an obstacle to representation because “at least if there’s a right to attorney’s fees, a court will have to give you fees for how much time you spent,” she said.

That proposal is before the City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee, where it appears to have just one of the three votes it requires to advance to a full council vote. Only Councilmember Nithya Raman has said she will support the change.

Councilmembers John Lee and Monica Rodriguez did not answer repeated questions on whether they support the amendment. Neither did Raman’s fellow progressive on the committee, Councilmember

Marqueece Harris-Dawson.

Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said he is still considering the idea but prefers guaranteeing reimbursement only in lawsuits against corporate landlords.

Councilmember Raman proposed an amendment to TAHO in 2021 that would guarantee tenants legal fees if they won in court — but it failed.

At the time, Councilmember Gil Cedillo, who then chaired the committee, asked the City Attorney’s Office to pick and choose between Raman’s amendment and others instead of letting the committee vote on them. The city attorney did not pick Raman’s amendment, selecting language that did not guarantee legal fees for tenants — and which the housing department now recommends correcting.

Cedillo’s move was “highly unusual,” according to Jackie Goldberg, a former councilmember and current school board president. “The council does not leave it up to the city attorney to make policy. Picking one [amendment over another] is making policy. City attorneys don’t make policies.”

Last year, Cedillo’s office did not respond to requests for comment on that deferral to the city attorney. He has since left the council after losing his reelection to Eunisses Hernandez last summer.

The city’s housing department blames its poor enforcement record on a lack of financial resources, but nearly $12 million in funding for enforcement may be available this year through a tax on real estate transactions.

Assemblymembers, Hearing Witness, Report N-Word-Laced Death Threats

Assemblymembers, Hearing Witness, Report N-WordLaced Death Threats...continued carries a prison term for up to 12 years, or 15 years to life.

On June 11, the Democratic majority on the Public Safety committee unanimously abstained from voting on the bill. The committee’s two Republican members voted for it. The bill’s failure to advance from the committee drew national attention and sharp condemnation from conservative groups.

We’re Called to Stand Up Against Anti-Immigrant Politics...continued

Asm. Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) is pictured here at a California Reparations Task Force Meeting on June 29. Jones-Sawyer and other members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee received death threats for not supporting Senate Bill 14 on July 11. The bill was reconsidered and passed out of the committee on July 13. SB 14 would include sex trafficking of a minor among crimes defined as serious under California’s Three Strikes law. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey. June 29, 2023.

the threats and said such attacks against lawmakers should be taken seriously.

“It can be a felony offense to threaten public officials in California. I urge any legislative member who has received a threat to contact the Capitol police immediately so that an investigation can take place and those making threats can be held responsible for their abhorrent actions,” Grove wrote.

April Grayson, who she was sex

“After passing the Senate with a unanimous, bipartisan vote, I had hoped Democrats on the Assembly Public Safety Committee, led by Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, would agree to make sex trafficking of a minor a serious felony. I am profoundly disappointed that committee Democrats couldn’t bring themselves to support the bill, with their stubborn and misguided objection to any penalty increase regardless of how heinous the crime,” Grove said in a statement after the committee vote. “Human trafficking of children is a growing tragedy that disproportionately targets minority girls, and California is a hotbed because of our lenient penalties.”

Two days after SB 14 failed in the Public Safety committee, it passed with a 6-0 vote. California Legislative Black Caucus members Assemblymembers Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) and Majority Leader Assemblyman Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) abstained from voting.

In a statement sent to CBM, Grove who has been the main champion of SB 14, addressed

California Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), a strong supporter of SB 14, also condemned the death threats and hate messages and expressed his concerns about the attacks leveled at his colleagues from across the aisle.

“We need to get to a place where we can have a difference of opinion without the threat of violence…on any level,” Gallagher posted on X – formerly known as Twitter.

Jones has stated that he is committed to ending sex trafficking in California, but he wants to improve Grove’s bill so that it does not just result in more incarceration, considering that some of the offenders are victims themselves.

In the Legislature, JonesSawyer has also been a vocal supporter of shifting the focus of California’s criminal justice system from incarceration to rehabilitation. In California, Blacks make up under 6% of the state’s population but account for nearly 30% of prison inmates, according to the Public Policy

JOB OPENING: CUSTODIAN POSITION:

Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), along with other Democratic lawmakers and April Grayson -- a witness who last month testified against a sex trafficking bill proposing stiffer penalties for repeat offenders – have disclosed receiving death threats laced with the n-word and other racial slurs. Jones and Grayson, who are both Black, said the threats and insults came by emails, telephone and social media.

“The number of death threats, people who threated to rape members of the Assembly and their families, the number of times people were called the ‘N-word,’ and staff members who may be with the LGBTQ community, were called the ‘F-word,’” are just a sample of what Jones-Sawyer told

California Black Media (CBM) he was hearing. “They were calling like crazy. That’s not a place for public discourse. You can disagree but you don’t have to be disagreeable.”

The hate-filled messages came after Jones-Sawyer, chair of the Assembly Public Safety Committee and other Democratic committee members were criticized for not supporting Senate Bill 14 authored by Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield).

The legislation proposes adding the sex trafficking of minors to the list of “serious” crimes under California’s Three Strikes law. A conviction, including previous felonies, would increase prison sentences to 25 years to life. The trafficking of minors currently

Wage War: Four California State Employee Unions Are Demanding Pay Increases...continued from page 2 structure of scientists employed by the state. The Assembly Appropriations Committee is currently reviewing the bill.

Another study commissioned by Local 1000 and conducted by the UC Berkeley Labor Center released in March found that many Local 1000 members, particularly women, Black and Latino employees were struggling financially. The study also found that nearly 70% of the union’s members did not earn enough to support themselves and at least one child.

While the majority of Local 1000’s contracts will remain in effect until a new agreement is reached, members enrolled in CalPERS health insurance plans lost their monthly $260 health care stipend on June 30.

Some consider this as an additional reduction in pay that workers must endure. Local

1000 proposed a new monthly payment of $320 to cover those losses, but the state rejected that request, according to the bargaining update. Instead, the state countered with a threetiered stipend — $30, $70 or $140 — depending on the employee’s chosen health plan. Despite the complications and setbacks during current negotiations, Greene remains hopeful that an agreement will be reached that will benefit the workers she represents. “I’m still optimistic. I still believe in my state, I believe in this negotiation process, and I still have hope that the state is going to live up to their end and that they’re going to be there for those who work for them,” she said. “My hope is still there. I believe we are going to get this done.”

NEW HOPE CHURCH is accepting applications for a parttime Custodian position at the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, San Bernardino; CA. Applications are available at the New Hope Church Office. For additional information, resume is desired; please contact the Church Office at (909) 887-2526.

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Ability to read, listen and communicate effectively, both verbally and in

Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Washington, DC. Governor Ron DeSantis convinced the Florida legislature to pass one of the most anti-immigrant bills in history so that he could tout it on his presidential campaign. Florida SB 1718 includes provisions to criminalize the transportation of undocumented people into the state, and forces hospitals to ask for citizenship status of all patients. The fear it has caused within immigrant communities is forcing some to choose to leave the state. These governors from Texas and Florida have used the issue of immigration to catapult themselves into national politics as DeSantis positions himself to the right of former President Trump. Although harsh anti-immigrant politics filled with racist rhetoric are most prevalent within Republican strategies to use immigration to their advantage against Democrats, the Biden administration has chosen to see border issues as a liability, putting forth an asylum ban policy with striking resemblance to the policies of the Trump administration. Last week, a federal court once again enjoined the ban. Additionally, the Biden administration has chosen to utilize expedited removal and set a dedicated docket that is deporting asylum seekers so quickly that they never get to have their asylum cases heard in court. People of faith have a moral responsibility to see through the politics and respond to the influx of migrants with compassion. Thousands of congregations are welcoming asylum seekers, but the grassroots capacity to house and provide services has its limits. Instead, we need to advocate for new policies that can truly address the issues we’re facing. As Congress appropriates funds, they should recognize the housing affordability issues that have become a challenge for all, including new arrivals, and should pass robust funding to address affordability. As many companies experience a labor shortage, we need to expedite work permits for asylum seekers and ensure that we’re not wasting the talent of immigrant newcomers. Congress should reject increased border militarization and create case management infrastructure. Faith communities have a role in welcoming immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, but we need our government systems to move forward real solutions now, rather than using these marginalized communities for political expediency.

Reverend Noel Andersen is the Coordinator for the Immigration National Collaborative on Immigration for the United Church of Christ.

Temple M.B. Church invites the public to our Conflict Resolution Workshop

writing.

Must have strong janitorial knowledge and experience. Ability to work independently and complete duties and projects with little direct supervision.

• Ability to accurately work under pressure in meeting deadlines.

Basic Duties: Clean sanctuary, classroom, offices, fellowship hall, conference room, kitchen, restrooms, and other assigned areas including facilities owned and operated by New Hope Missionary Baptist Church during an assigned shift or an assigned cleaning crew; perform minor repair and maintenance and assure cleanure of the during assigned hours.

WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #1163

We’re Called to Stand Up Against AntiImmigrant Politics

Andersen

Noel

It is clear that far-right political actors see increased migration as an occasion to stoke racism and fear in order to mobilize voters with a nationalist agenda. However, both parties seem to place blame of the increased reality of forced migration on the backs of migrants themselves.

At the end of 2022, there were globally more than 108.4 million displaced people, more than 35 million of whom are refugees, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees report. This is more than any time in history. People are fleeing political upheaval, natural disasters, violence, hunger, and persecution because of their race, cultural group, or LGBTQIA status. As climate disasters increase, millions of people are impacted by hurricanes and floods, yet current political systems do not envision granting refugee or asylum status to people displaced by climate change. On the contrary, the more people who are forced to flee, the more wealthy countries like the United States harden their walls, allowing thousands of migrants and refugees to die in the desert, or the Mediterranean sea, as if a deterrence strategy based on cruelty would stop people fleeing for their lives.

Governor Abbott of Texas is telling state troopers to push migrant children back to the Rio Grande river, where he wants barbed wire buoys to go, and then he buses migrants out of his state to Sanctuary cities like Los continued on page 7 continued in next 2 columns

Religious News

Temple M.B. Church invites the public to our Conflict Resolution Workshop, moderated by Dr. Patricia Rodgers Gordon. Do you have conflict in your home, at work, with family and friends, or even at church? Our workshop will teach you new coping skills. The workshop date is Saturday August 26, 2023,

10:30am-1:30pm. Please RSVP by August 16, 2023 by calling the church office at (909) 8882038. There is no charge to attend but a free-will offering will be collected. Light snacks will be available. Temple's address: 1583 W. Union Street San Bernardino, CA 92411. Raymond W. Turner, Senior Pastor.

“Christ is Giving Us So Many Signs and Warnings!

By Lou K. Coleman

And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, those days will be shortened.” [Matthew 24:21–22]. Wake Up! Christ is giving us so many signs and warnings.

Lou K. Coleman

Repent before it is too late! How can we possibly live in the day and age in this world that we are living in right now, seeing the news, seeing what’s taking place, and not realize that the Bible has prophesied everything that has taken place, and everything that will take place. Repent before it is too late!

The Bible said that the Euphrates River will dry up. It’s drying up. The Bible said that there would be a cashless society. It is here. The Bible said that there will be an Antichrist that will be revealed. He is here. Unbeknown to the masses. Don’t wait until it’s too late! We are not living in ordinary times. We are nearing the end of an age— the end of a civilization. Wake up! A world-shaking crisis is inexorably building and will, in the near future, explode the appearance of normalcy.

Understand the significance of today’s news and where it is all leading. Because soon and very soon, mankind will suffer through the most devastating, bloody war in human history— called, in biblical terminology, the Great Tribulation. “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, then you should pay close attention to His instruction to you: “Watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” [Luke 21:36]. Watch for wars— big wars, little wars, ethnic wars, wars of all sorts, along with escalating violence and increasing lawlessness—which will increasingly affect all of the world. Do not just believe me. Believe what is written in your Bible. Check up and prove it.

For thus says the Lord God: ‘A disaster, a singular disaster; behold, it has come! An end has come, the end has come; it has dawned for you; behold, it has come! Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land; the time has come, a day of trouble is near, and not of rejoicing in the mountains.” (Ezekiel 7:2–9).

Wake Up! Christ is giving us so many signs and warnings.

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” [Luke 21:20-22).