"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best-colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you." ― Lyndon B. Johnson
AMERICAN
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never
which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with
Autopsy for a Failed Presidential Campaign and the Democratic Party
By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon, III
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - “…
People know that something's wrong; Everybody oughta know winter…The truth is there ain't nobody fighting; Because, well nobody knows what to save, Brother, save your soul; Lord knows it's winter in America. The Constitution, a noble piece of paper; With free society; Well, they struggled but they died in vain; And now democracy is ragtime on the corners; On the cord, hoping it'd rain…” - Winter In America – Gil Scott-Heron
The 2024 American presidential election is over. The people have spoken. The world is shocked! Trump won! Americans fell for it again, or did they…fall for it?
Many in the African American community are angry, shocked and looking for the culprits. Who did this to VP Harris? Somebody must be held accountable! The audacity of those misogynistic Latino men, White women and those angry Black men who hate Black women. All of them must he held accountable. What damage does this do to the psyche of Black Women? VP Harris was ENTITLED to the Oval Office and has been denied.
According to Senator Lindsey Graham in 2015, Trump is a “a race-baiting xenophobic religious bigot.” Senator Rick Perry warned us that Trump, “doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies…” while Senator Ted Cruz said, “he lies, practically every word that comes out of his mouth…”
With all of that, Hilary Clinton lost to him in 2016 and now VP Harris has lost to him as well. Trump has prevailed…AGAIN! Why? Don’t ask why Harris lost; ask yourself why did this “racebaiting xenophobic religious bigot,” win. AGAIN!
It’s too easy to chalk this up to or write this off as being a “masterclass in white privilege.” It’s too simplistic to attribute this cataclysmic failure to “hatred toward Black women.” Too many Democrats, their pundits, and some analysts are trying to write this historic blunder off as America will “never elect a Black woman as president”. Stop it! The bad lies are the lies you tell yourself. Even worse are the ones you tell yourself and believe. That flawed “hatred toward Black women” troupe is more convenient than making the necessary course corrections that the Democratic Party needs to make in order to help America live up to its promise. Instead, odds are that they will continue to “maintain course and speed”, running aground or striking the iceberg time and again. To truly be able to move forward, the Party and its African American constituency must first look inward and self-assess before placing blame.
On March 6, 1857, Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney opined in Plessy v Ferguson, “…negro’s had for more than a century before been regarded as beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with
the white race, either in social or political relations; and so far inferior, that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect…”
I believe that the racist, white supremist, eugenic based mindsets that led to the holdings in Plessey, even though that decision has since been overturned by the Brown decision and others, continues to influence mindsets in America today. Variations of this racist theme continue to be the reality in America.
This is not new. This is not a news flash. This is everyday life in America for Black people. So, to boil VP Harris’ loss down to “no one will vote for a Black woman” is too simplistic. It is an excuse, not analysis. It lets the Democratic party and her off the hook for their failures.
Hilary Clinton (a woman) won the popular vote in 2016 with 64M votes. Harris (a Black woman) received 68M votes. Barack Obama (a Black man) was elected as president twice. So, before we turn to the very simplistic knee jerk refrain that America will not elect a Black woman to be president, ask yourself, did the Democrats set themselves up for this outcome? Was VP Harris the best candidate? Did the Party and her campaign make mistakes that resulted in this failure regardless of phenotype?
Start the analysis here, Democrats and their financial backers knew that President Biden’s faculties were declining before he embarrassed himself and the party during the debate. The phrase “non compos mentis” comes to mind.
It was a huge mistake to anoint VP Harris as the nominee. James Carville wrote in early July that Democrats needed to move away from Biden, “But it can’t be by anointing (VP Harris) or anyone else as the presumptive… nominee. We’ve got to do it out in the open — the exact opposite of what Donald Trump wants us to do.” Carville was correct.
Once on the stump, VP Harris ran a campaign based upon the politics of personality and
identity, not a policy-based campaign. It took until midSeptember before her webpage even had a policy tab and the policies that were listed were more campaign talking points than substantive solutions to the real problems facing the country.
VP Harris ran away from her base instead of embracing it. For example, polling showed that over 70 percent of Democrats supported a ceasefire in Gaza. Additionally, almost four in 10 likely voters, as well as more than half of all Democrats, believe that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. VP Harris and the DNC would not even allow a Palestinian spokesperson on stage at the convention. Thus, loosing Michigan.
Former President Obama had a stroke of genius and decided, once again, to attack, castigate and lecture Black men during a speech in October. Maybe he forgot that approximately eightin-ten Black voters – both women (84%) and men (81%) – are Democrats or lean Democratic. Mr. President, note to self, don’t attack your base that close to an election. Embrace them. Trump embraced his.
The Obama/Biden campaign promised to deliver federal codification of Roe. Over two terms, they failed to deliver. The Biden/Harris campaign promised the same thing and failed to deliver. With women’s reproductive rights as a lead issue of the Haris/Waltz campaign, why would voters trust that she would deliver now?
VP Harris chose to embrace the endorsement of former ultra-conservative, war hawk, Republican VP Dick Cheney, over working closer with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VM). She traversed the campaign trail with former Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) who voted with Trump 93 percent of the time, instead of campaigning with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). These are just two examples of how the Democrats have moved to the political right and realigned themselves with political adversaries that were once considered extremists,
instead of securing their base.
The traditional Republicans did not win. MAGA won. Project 2025 won. The kleptocrats won. America will now be governed by the pathocracy, the inmates have taken control of the asylum. Voters did not fall for it. They clearly voted for it and America is about to get what these folks voted for. JD Vance is being groomed to carry the banner forward after Trump is done. Are you ready for that? It might very well be a long cold winter in America.
As we continue to do this autopsy and/or requiem for a failed presidential campaign and a party, African Americans who have been so loyal and ideologically wedded to the Democratic party may want to reconsider this alliance. Former President Bill Clinton and his DLC acolytes have taken the party so far to the right that if he were alive today, Ronald Reagan would be considered a conservative Democrat.
Historically, those are not our politics and that’s why our continued support of it, without it supporting us makes no sense. DuBois told us in 1956, “I shall not go to the polls. I have not registered. I believe that democracy has so far disappeared in the United States that no "two evils" exist. There is but one evil party with two names, and it will be elected despite all I can do or say.” As Fred Hampton said, this is why you continue to “… come up with answers that don’t answer, explanations that don’t explain, you’ll come up with conclusions that don’t conclude…”
So, if you really want to understand why VP Harris and the Democrats lost, don’t blame misogynist Latino males or “the White man”. Look inward and self-assess before placing blame on those around you. Because contrary to popular belief, Harris/Waltz (just like Clinton/ Kaine) was a lousy campaign.
“And I see the robins, yeah, perched in barren tree tops Watching last-ditch racists marching across the floor
And like the peace sign that vanished in our dreams
That never had a chance to grow
Somebody want to go tell them it's winter
It's cold, it's like winter in America…” Winter In America – Gil Scott-Heron
Dr. Wilmer Leon, a Trice Edney News Wire columnist, is a national broadcast radio talkshow host; author of Politics Another Perspective; and host of the podcast, Connecting the Dots w/ Dr. Wilmer Leon. Contact: www.wilmerleon. com or email: wjl3us@yahoo. com. www.twitter.com/drwleon and Dr. Leon’s Prescription at Facebook.com © 2024 InfoWave Communications, LLC
2024 General Election: Black Women Make History as California and U.S. Senators
Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
Lisa Blunt-Rochester
Angela Alsobrooks
and Michelle Chambers – candidate for CA State Senate District 35.
There is one African American woman currently serving in the California State Senate, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Ladera Heights).
It’s the same in the U.S. Senate.
In October of 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) to complete the term of Sen. Dianne Feinstein after she passed away in September 2023. Butler will likely be replaced in January by Adam Schiff, who is projected to win the seat after the Nov. 5 general election. Now, two more Black women are on pace to become California State Senators.
In the United States Senate, two Black women have already won seats. Lisa Blunt-Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland will be going to Capitol Hill in January after winning their respective U.S. Senate races.
It will be the first time in U.S., history that two Black women have served in the Senate at the same time.
“It is remarkable to think that in two years, America will celebrate is 250th birthday and in all those years, there has been more than 2000 people who have served in the United States Senate and only three have looked like me,” said Alsobrooks in her victory speech on Nov. 5.
“So, I want to salute all of those who came before me, who made it possible for me to stand on this stage tonight, whose sacrifice and stories I will continue to carry with me,” added Alsobrooks.
In Southern California, as of Nov. 9, Laura Richardson leads Michelle Chambers with 107,255 votes to 103 638 votes in Senate District 35. Both women are Democrats. The 35th Senate District 35 encompasses an area in South L.A. County, including parts of Inglewood, Compton, San Pedro, Hawthorne, and Carson.
That seat is currently held by California Legislative Black Caucus vice chair Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), who terms out in December and is
running for lieutenant Governor in 2026. Richardson served in the California State Assembly in 2006-2007 before she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where she served from 2007 to 2013.
“As a dedicated housing advocate for the past decade, I stand unwavering in my commitment to ending homelessness,” Richardson stated on her campaign website.
“With a profound understanding of the pressing issues at hand, my top priority is to spearhead the creation of more affordable housing options.” Chambers is a former Compton city Councilwoman who has worked for the State’s Attorney General’s office.
“Our campaign is about fighting for the needs of working families,” Chambers posted on the social media platform X, formerly called Twitter, on Oct. 11. “I’ll always stand up for our #SD35 communities – not special interests.”
In San Diego, Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa), is leading her Republican opponent, Bob Devine, in the race for the 39th Senate District seat. Weber has 219, 465 votes (62.4%) so far to Devine’s 132, 044 (37.6%). Weber and Devine are vying for a seat that is currently held by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who will be running for governor in 2026.
“I am extremely humbled and incredibly grateful for the support you’ve shown me throughout the election,” Weber posted Nov. 6 on the X. “San Diego has just made history by electing the first African American woman to the CA State Senate south of Los Angeles. Thank you for believing in me. Now let’s get to work.”
Eight years ago, BluntRochester first made history in Congress as the first Black person and woman elected to represent Delaware. Alsobrooks was a Maryland states attorney and a County Executive in Prince Georges County before running for the Senate.
Vice President Kamala Harris,
Dr. Wilmer J. Leon, III
Top row (left to right): Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-San Diego), Laura Richardson – candidate for CA State Senate District 35.
Bottom row (left to right):
(Delaware),
(Maryland),
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Move, Play, and Learn at Home
By SHAPE America
SHAPE America (the Society of Health and Physical Educators) serves as the voice for 200,000+ health and physical education professionals across the United States and recognizes the importance of early childhood education. It suggests these activities to help teach families the importance of physical activity for young children. SHAPE America offers a variety of ideas, strategies, information, and resources for parents to use the space within their homes, the materials they have, and their limited time to model and encourage physical activity. Here’s an idea for infants (age 2 months or when the child can lie on their tummy and hold up his/her head):
Setting
The Adult lies on his/her back on the floor with the baby lying on top of the adult, facing each other. Place blankets or pillows around the sides of the adult so there is something soft for the baby to touch as the adult rolls from side to side.
Description
As you are lying on your back on the floor, place the infant on your tummy, so that the child is facing you. Begin by holding the child with both of your hands on his/her back. Gently roll your body from side to side. This will cause the child to explore using his/her body to maintain a balanced position, thus contracting many muscles. As the child gains more control, let go little by little, to the point where you are barely holding on to the child as you gently roll from side to side. As the child gets older, you can make this a bit more “rough and tumble” by holding onto the child and increasing your rolling motion from side to side. As you play this game, make the sounds of an airplane engine taking off and banking through the air.
Learning Outcomes
Large Motor Skills: The child begins to gain voluntary control of arm movements, using arms, legs, and torso to maintain
CARB’s Environment-Friendly Vote Could Hit Californians With Higher Prices at Gas Pump
Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
After a 12-hour public comment period and debate, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved updates to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) with a 12-2 vote, ensuring its ambitious commitment to reaching zero-emission goals for the transportation sector by 2045.
The meeting took place at Haagen-Smit Auditorium in Riverside. The approval of the fuel standards is expected to trigger an increase in gas prices in the state, but board members are uncertain how much more Californians would have to pay at the pump.
“The proposal approved today strikes a balance between reducing the environmental and health impacts of transportation fuel used in California and ensuring that low-carbon options are available as the state continues to work toward a zeroemissions future,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. CARB board members serve as
the air quality regulators for the state aligned with climate change programs, and they oversee all air pollution control efforts in California. From requirements for clean vehicles and fuels to promoting solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, CARB creates standards for effective air and climate programs. The amendments of LCFS are directed to decrease the carbon intensity of California’s transportation fuel pool by 30% by 2030 and by 90% by 2045, according to CARB. The provisions also expand support for zero-emissions infrastructure, including for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, and make more public transit agencies eligible to generate credits. According to CARB staff, the LCFS program is designed to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by “setting a declining carbon intensity target for transportation fuels” used in the state. The modifications to LCFS arrived after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation legislation to help prevent gas price spikes.
Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles),
for young children.
Get ready
Space: Outdoors
Stuff: Your imagination
Time: Playing after school, weekend fun
Get set
Throw a leaf or bunch of leaves up in the air and watch them float through space. Talk about how they move high and low and fast and slow. Some leaves even twist and twirl as they float down toward the ground.
balance.
Social Emotional Development: The child displays pleasure in interacting with familiar adults, and engaging in social games through playful, back-and-forth interactions.
It’s important to know that balance requires the use of many different parts of the body at one time. To fully balance, the body must learn to work its different parts together, contracting and relaxing various muscles to achieve the desired posture. As infants lay on their tummies and move their arms and legs, they work very hard, contracting numerous muscles while relaxing others, allowing them to achieve the constantly changing postures while achieving some sense of balance.
Movement Milestone
Most children can lie on their tummies and hold up their heads to look around by the age of 1-4 months. Here’s a pre-K activity that teaches families the importance of physical activity
Go
Now it is your turn. Use your imagination to pretend you are a leaf that has just fallen from a tree. Float all over space. Dart high and low, fast and slow, twist and twirl until you reach the ground. Try it again but this time pretend to be a very small leaf or a very large leaf. Help your children grow and learn by providing opportunities for both movement and creativity. Children will improve their thinking and movement skills while getting much-needed physical activity. Extend the activity above by pretending to move like other things you may see in nature — jump like a frog, fly like an eagle, roll like a rock, or flow like a stream. Act out a few examples with your child and then let your child lead the activity with a few ideas.
SHAPE America provides many free resources for individual, non-commercial use; learn more at http://www. shapeamerica.org.
CARB’s Environment-Friendly Vote Could Hit Californians With Higher Prices at Gas Pump...continued
Tony Thurmond Vows to Protect Education in California
Bo Tefu
In the wake of the general election and Donald Trump winning another term as president, State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) Tony Thurmond is on a mission to protect public education in California.
On Nov. 8, Thurmond, members of the California legislature, educators, union leaders, and other elected officials expressed their concerns at a news conference about the possibility of the Trump Administration dismantling the U.S. Department of Education (DOE).
“To tear down and abolish an organization that provides protections for our students is a threat to the well-being of our students and our families and of Americans,” Thurmond said.
Thurmond said losing $8 billion dollars in federal funding is at stake. During his campaign, Trump didn’t hesitate to take barbs at the DOE.
Closing the doors of the DOE could affect a range of scholastic programs such as Special Education, English as a Second Language (ESL), free lunch, federal grants for college students and Title I, a program that provides support to educate disadvantaged families.
conference held in the boardroom of the California Department of Education building.
Muratsuchi said, “We need to get ready now for what is going to start on Jan. 20 (2025).”
“It is the job of every teacher, every school board member, every principal, every elected representative in the state of California who believes in public education,” he said. “It is time for us to stand up to protect all of these kids. When we are facing a bully who is targeting our most vulnerable students, we all need to stand up.”
Trump has said that he prefers the Choice School initiative, a policy that provides parents and students the choice to use public funds to attend a school other than their district or local public school.
Thurmond and supporters of the traditional public school system are asking President-elect Trump and the U.S. Congress to continue federal supporting the funding of the programs.
Thurmond said he has started reaching out to lawmakers in Washington, D.C., and in the California legislature to get in front of Trumps policy plans.
Sen. Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward) and Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), the chair of the Assembly Education Committee, spoke at the news
“I am hoping that in this legislation that we do have the teeth to ensure that people in South Los Angeles will be protected,” Jones-Sawyer said. The lawmaker is termed out of
a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), voted for the Newsombacked measure to protect consumers from gas prices spikes, but during the special session he said many people of color in his South Los Angeles district were struggling with high gas prices and were looking for relief.
Re-election of Donald Trump Sparks Fears of Conflict for California’s Schools and Immigrant Communities
Bo Tefu and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
The re-election of Donald Trump is set to create significant challenges for California, particularly in the areas of education and immigrant protections. Trump has threatened to cut school funding for states, including California, that uphold policies protecting transgender students and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools.
With federal K-12 public school funding in California totaling $7.9 billion annually, these cuts could have a major impact on the state’s education system. Additionally, advocates say, Trump’s promise to deport undocumented immigrants en masse threatens the stability of millions of California families, including students with undocumented parents.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have signaled their intent to resist Trump’s policies, with Bonta preparing for possible litigation against measures that threaten rights for transgender youth and undocumented individuals. In the past, California has sued the federal government over more than 100 of Trump’s actions, particularly during his first term.
Bruce Fuller, professor of education and public policy at the University of California
Berkeley, stated that Trump's tax cuts to the rich will be paid for by budget cuts in public education.
“The president-elect's commitment to cutting taxes for affluent Americans means there will be no new funding for public schools," said Fuller. “Watch out for efforts to expand vouchers and tax credits for welloff parents who opt for private schools.”
Education experts also worry that Trump’s proposed tax cuts for the wealthy could lead to budget cuts for public schools, while his push to expand school vouchers and tax credits could divert funding away from public education. Trump’s proposals to reduce federal involvement in education, such as cutting teacher tenure and introducing merit pay, also conflict with current federal law.
The potential deportation of undocumented immigrants is a significant concern for many families in California, where an estimated one in 10 children has an undocumented parent. This has already caused anxiety among students and teachers. Educators fear Trump’s policies will undermine public education, with some predicting a backlash against teacher associations and unions that support Democrats.
“I’m prepared to sponsor legislation that would call on the California State Legislature and the Governor to backfill that funding to preserve and protect that funding for the students of California,” Thurmond said.
and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
Thursday, November 14,
Car Buying in 2024 – How to Prepare
Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase
For decades, most people followed a simple formula when they were ready to purchase a new vehicle. Visit a dealership in person, negotiate a price, complete the purchase and drive the car off the lot.
Today, there’s a myriad of car buying options available, and whether you’re a first-time or a veteran car buyer, the everevolving landscape of the auto industry can leave consumers with a lot of questions. Here are five tips to help prepare for your next car shopping experience.
1. Set your budget, and stick to it
There are a variety of different expenses that come with getting a car – the purchase cost, insurance, maintenance and fuel being a few of them. Knowing how much you can afford, especially if you plan to pay for it over time, is key to avoiding a car bill that stretches your finances. Chase has a variety of different budgeting tools and tips to help you save for your purchase.
2. Look for the best deals
Like many other items, vehicles have a price cycle; the end of the month and end of the model or calendar years
tend to be when you can find a better deal, as dealers may need to meet quotas or clear out inventory. New models generally hit lots in the fall, so instead of buying a 2025 model in September, consider the 2024 model. Generally, make sure you are considering multiple vehicles and shopping around at several dealerships to get the best price.
3. Test drive the vehicle to make sure it fits your needs
This is your time to see how the vehicle looks and feels, try out the interior systems and figure out if the vehicle fits your needs. Schedule test drive appointments to ensure the car you want is still available, ideally a few in the same day or week to keep your impressions fresh in your mind. It’s also helpful to simulate your daily driving conditions as much as possible, such as bringing any car seats or equipment you may have in your car daily. After your test drive, you can ask about the car’s warranty and fuel and maintenance requirements, as well as the possibility of getting an extended test drive or bringing the car to your own mechanic for a second opinion.
4. Determine whether you are
On the outside: Adjust to civilian life after serving in the military
By Shaela Foster Special to the AFRO
increases the chances of success.
Roughly 200,000 service members transition from military life to civilian life each year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Serving in the military can be demanding, but transitioning to civilian life comes with its own challenges. According to the VA, common challenges include preparation to enter the workforce, creating community, adjusting to providing oneself with basic necessities and adjusting to a different pace of life and work.
Service members choose to begin the civilian life transition for various reasons like injury, medical issues and honorable or dishonorable discharge, according to John D. Sawyer, Director at the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO).
At GAO, Sawyer works for the education, workforce and income security team while overseeing work involving civilian transitions.
Sawyer said that military service provides structure, from the time a servicemember wakes up to the time they retire to bed.
This can pose a problem once members of the Armed Forces transition into the regular world.
“You have to sort of be in charge of your own fate or your choices that you make and sometimes assistance is needed in those areas,” said Sawyer. “Start the planning process now to see where you would like to land once that transition date occurs.”
According to Military One Source, an official Defense Department website, it states the Defense Department “recommends retirees begin the transition process at least two years prior to retirement.”
Major Damon N. Knauss, Active Duty Army Officer and Professor of Military Science at Morgan State and Coppin State University Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, agrees with the notion of preparing beforehand.
He states someone should take the time to understand
financing or leasing
There are benefits of both a lease and a loan. With a loan, there is no mileage limit and you are free to customize and change the car as you see fit. After completing your finance payments, you own it. Leases typically have lower upfront costs than loan payments, and at the end of the term you can return, purchase or trade the vehicle in. But keep in mind that most leases have a mileage limit, so it might not be the best option if you travel often.
5. How to know if an electric vehicle is right for you
With so many major manufacturers building EVs, there are more options than ever before. However, cost, maintenance, range and charging logistics are all key factors to consider. On average, it costs about half as much to fuel a vehicle with electricity compared to a similar vehicle that runs on gasoline[1]. But just as gas prices vary, so do electricity costs – based on your location, your driving style and the size of your battery. And the cost of an EV itself may be higher than a traditional gas vehicle, although
there are options to help offset the cost like federal and local tax incentives.
When it comes to maintenance, EVs typically require less maintenance than traditional cars. EV batteries tend to be covered by 8-10 year warranties (outlasting the amount of time most people own their cars) but EV tires degrade faster due to the weight of the battery
The median range of an EV with a fully charged battery is roughly 250 miles[2], but that number depends on the make and model as well as other factors like weather, traffic conditions and driving style. And when it comes to charging infrastructure, some cities and states may have more charging stations than others. Make sure to plan your trip ahead of time and map your route.
My advice to customers? Be open to the different options in the market. Do your research and discover all the resources available to help you understand what kind of car and financing will be best for you and your family.
For more information about the online car shopping, financing and education that Chase offers, visit autofinance.chase.com.
On the outside: Adjust to civilian life after serving in the military...continued
what they’re trying to do next, setting themselves up for success through programs and internships at the end of their career.
A program he points to is the Soldier for Life program, where according to the U.S. Army Soldier for Life website, “retirement is a process, not an event.”
It states Army service members can plan and prepare for retirement 24 to 36 months before their retirement date.
On their website, they provide guidance on finding employment, applying for education programs, health and wellness advice and a
toolkit for an Army retirement. When planning early, Sawyer states you’re able to start “populating knowledge” that is needed in the decision making process helping to inform further decisions to be prepared for the transition.
In addition to preparation, Knauss advises service members to utilize their network to help find employment. He states he’s a firm believer in “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know and who knows you” adding that family members are part of someone’s network.
continued on page 4
California Voters Reject Proposition 33, Blocking Expansion of Rent Control Protections
Bo Tefu and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
California voters have rejected Proposition 33, which aimed to expand rent control protections by repealing the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. With nearly 95% of precincts reporting, 61.6% of voters opposed the measure, while 38.4% supported it. The proposition would have allowed cities to extend rent control to properties not previously covered, such as newer homes and units with new tenants.
The initiative, backed by labor unions and tenant advocacy groups, sought to
California Voters Embrace Stricter Crime Laws with Prop 36
Bo Tefu and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
California voters have approved Proposition 36, a ballot measure imposing stricter penalties for retail theft, property crimes, and drug offenses, effectively rolling back aspects of the state’s 2014 Proposition 47.
Prop 47 aimed to reduce California’s prison population by reclassifying some non-violent felonies as misdemeanors, shifting funds from incarceration to toward drug treatment and victim services . However, supporters of Prop 36 argue that Prop 47’s leniency has contributed to increased property crime, homelessness, and drug addiction.
Mike Gatto, a Democratic former state assemblymember from Los Angeles is a proponent of Prop 36 and anticipates that the initiative will curb retail crime in the state.
“The voters recognize that Prop 36 is a sensible measure and that it will be the first step in stopping the retail thefts that make shopping miserable,” said Gatto.
Backed by law enforcement, business groups, and a mix of political leaders, including
outgoing San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Prop 36 seeks to address homelessness and the fentanyl crisis through longer prison sentences for drug dealers and a mandatory treatment program for individuals with addiction issues.
Opponents say the measure will increase California’s prison population and court system costs, estimated in the tens of millions.
Critics, including social justice groups, warn that Prop 36 undermines the progress achieved under Prop 47, which has reallocated over $800 million to treatment and behavioral health initiatives. Opponents like Californians for Safety and Justice argue the new law preys on public fear, exacerbated by viral retail theft incidents, to push a “tough-on-crime” agenda that may drain resources from essential support programs. Proponents, however, contend that addressing rising crime rates justifies these increased expenses, with Gatto expressing confidence that the legislature can allocate funding to offset any cuts to treatment services.
2024 General Election: Black Women Make History as California and U.S. Senators... continued from page 1
the first Black person elected as U.S. Senator from California, served from 2016 to 2020. Blunt-Rochester pointed out that Kamala Harris had only four months to launch her presidential campaign, highlighting the significant challenge of such a tight timeline.
“From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for stepping up to run when our country needed her leadership, tenacity, and commitment to serve the American people,” BluntRochester stated. “Because of the trails she blazed, the lives she touched, the communities she fought for, the stories she uplifted, we are better.”
NYC Mayor to End Food Voucher Program For Immigrants After Phone Call With Trump
Nationwide — After a phone call with President-elect
Donald Trump 48 hours after his victory, Mayor Eric Adams has reportedly decided to end a pilot program providing migrants in taxpayer-funded shelters with prepaid debit cards for groceries, which had sparked considerable debate. The initiative, launched in March through an emergency contract with New Jersey tech startup Mobility Capital Finance (MoCaFi), distributed $2.4 million in preloaded Mastercards to approximately 2,600 migrant families, according to City Hall officials.
ease housing costs for groups like seniors, low-wage workers, and veterans. However, it faced strong opposition from landlords, real estate developers, and property owners, who argued that it would worsen California’s housing crisis by discouraging new construction and lowering property values.
This marks the third failure of a similar measure, following two unsuccessful attempts in 2018 and 2020. Proponents of Prop. 33 raised $50.1 million, while opponents outspent them with $124.6 million.
On Thursday, Adams announced the city would not renew the program when it expires in January. Officials cited a decline in the number of asylum seekers in shelters and the administration’s shift towards competitive contracting for migrant services rather than emergency, no-bid contracts. MoCaFi’s $53 million emergency contract, first reported by The New York Post, faced criticism, including from rapper 50 Cent, as the selection process bypassed standard bidding procedures. Under the program,
families received around $350 weekly on preloaded Mastercards for groceries and baby supplies, distributed at hotels repurposed as shelters. Since spring, the number of migrants under city care has dropped to approximately 60,000. The pilot program’s total cost reached around $3.4 million, which included taxes and fees, while $2.4 million supported local grocery spending. Officials added that there were no reports of misuse or fraud related to the cards.
The program aimed to cut costs and reduce food waste from the city’s previous boxedmeal delivery system, which saw significant amounts of food discarded. By allowing migrants to select their own food, the city hoped to minimize waste and improve efficiency.
The Adams administration defended the no-bid contract as a necessary step to avoid delays in launching the program. However, City Comptroller Brad Lander has since revoked the city’s authority to issue similar emergency contracts for migrant services.
Mayor Eric Adams
Experts say the transition from soldier to civilian can be tough, but having a plan in place
(Photo: Unsplash/ Benjamin Faust)
New Report Ranks States on the Health of Women & Children
By Dr. Lisa Saul, UnitedHealthcare, National Director, Maternal Child Health
United Health Foundation recently released its America’s Health Rankings 2024 Health of Women and Children Report. The report provides a comprehensive look at the health of over 59 million women of reproductive age and over 72 million children, examining overall health across the nation, including mental, behavioral and physical health outcomes, as well as social drivers of health outcomes.
Many measures have worsened for women in recent years, such as maternal mortality and drug deaths. Meanwhile, two measures of clinical care for pregnant women — low-risk cesarean delivery and adequate prenatal care — have not changed.
There are bright spots in children’s health, including decreases in the teen suicide rate and the prevalence of overweight and obesity among youth. These were offset by the increase in child mortality.
California ranks 14th among 50 U.S. states, but ranked No. 1 in areas such as Climate Policies, Minimal Tobacco Use among Children and Cigarette Smoking among Women. The state also ranks first in Low Maternal Mortality Rates.
Key findings in our state include:
Unemployment dropped 44% among female civilians between 2021 and 2022.
Children in Poverty dropped 12% between 2018 and 2022.
Uninsured Women dropped 10% between 2021 and 2022.
Well-Child Visits dropped 7% between 2019-2020 and 20222023.
Strengths identified in California include:
Low mortality rate among women ages 20-44
High WIC coverage among eligible children ages 0-4
High percentage of infants exclusively breastfed for six months
Challenges facing California:
High prevalence of public school students experiencing homelessness
High prevalence of unemployment among women
Low prevalence of well-child visits
The report also highlights the national need to address health challenges and disparities affecting women and children, particularly rising maternal mortality rates. Some of the report’s key national findings include:
Long-term growth in mortality rates: Maternal mortality increased 34% between 20142018 and 2018-2022.
Worsening physical health, depression, and drug death rates in women: The prevalence of asthma and obesity both increased in women ages 18-44, by 9% and 8% respectively, from 2019-2020 to 2021-2022. At the same time, depression increased by 11% between 2019-2020 and 2021-2022. Drug deaths also increased by 38% between 20172019 and 2020-2022.
Declining teen suicide rates: The teen suicide rate dropped by 6% in 2020-2022, down from a 2017-2019 peak. But diagnosed mental health conditions increased by 12% between 20202021 and 2022-2023, and child mortality rose by 14% between 2017-2019 and 2020-2022.
America’s Health Rankings, produced by the United Health Foundation, is the longestrunning state-by-state analysis of the nation’s health, providing important insights into the health of various populations, including older adults, women and children, and veterans. Policymakers, health officials and researchers use these reports to better understand the specific health concerns in their communities.
For more information, go to www.AmericasHealthRankings. org.
DOJ Targets Elder Fraud and Nursing Home Abuse in Sweeping Nationwide Actions
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has released its annual report to Congress on efforts to combat elder fraud, abuse, and neglect. The report details over 300 enforcement actions against more than 700 defendants accused of targeting older adults. The department recovered nearly $700 million, disrupted major transnational schemes, and prosecuted cases involving substandard care at nursing homes and serious rights violations in veterans’ facilities. One high-profile case
Thursday, November 14, 2024
DOJ Targets Elder Fraud and Nursing Home Abuse in Sweeping Nationwide Actions...continued
investigation into New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes at Menlo Park and Paramus found conditions that violated residents’ constitutional rights under the 14th Amendment. According to DOJ findings, inadequate infection control and medical care at these facilities exposed veterans to life-threatening conditions. The report noted that poor management compounded these deficiencies, contributing to high death rates among residents.
The DOJ’s report highlighted a broad initiative against elder fraud schemes affecting over 225,000 seniors. Fraud cases ranged from romance scams to government impersonation schemes, with DOJ efforts stopping $27 million in fraudulent transfers before they reached perpetrators. With assistance from financial institutions, the DOJ returned millions of dollars to victims and provided resources through its National Elder Fraud Hotline, which handled more than 50,000 calls from older adults seeking support and guidance.
Beyond prosecution, the DOJ emphasized prevention and awareness, hosting nearly 1,000 elder justice events, including the first Elder Justice Law Enforcement Summit. The summit gathered law
enforcement from all 50 states to share best practices in addressing elder abuse and fraud. Public campaigns also raised awareness of common scams, providing seniors with valuable tools to protect themselves from fraud.
“By working together with federal, Tribal, state, and local law enforcement, we can make meaningful progress toward curbing and preventing elder abuse,” Attorney General Merrick Garland stated. “Because millions of older Americans suffer some form of elder mistreatment each year—and because many more abuses go unreported or unseen—everyone has a role to play in this work.”
The report additionally covered DOJ’s enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Four Texas counties agreed to improve the accessibility of their election websites, addressing barriers faced by older adults with disabilities. Officials said the commitment to accessibility was part of the DOJ’s broader mission to ensure that elderly Americans can fully participate in their communities.
“The Office for Victims of Crime recently funded
continued on page 6
On the outside: Adjust to civilian life after serving in the military...continued from page 3
“I think a lot of angst comes from people that are applying constantly for online jobs and not hearing back,” he said.
Knauss understands the job search will be difficult but adds that alongside tapping into their network early, understanding their individual skills, military members should begin creating flexibility for themselves before their transition date.
He states service members should try to pay off as much of their bills as possible while simultaneously saving money that could withstand a few months during the job search.
All of these things add to the main point of preparation.
Sawyer adds that if family members are available, to rely on them and the ones that aren’t blood related especially if they are trustworthy and have the service members best interest at heart.
“There is a significant preparation that is needed to transition,” he said. “Not all of those who are transitioning are really prepared to handle that.”
Family members and friends don’t have to be someone’s first point of contact, Knauss states members should be upfront and honest with their leadership as they can help create flexibility
and provide guidance.
“What you need to do is develop a plan with them, get it in writing, get both sides to agree and then honor your end of the bargain and the other side will honor theirs,” he said.
Ensuring the plan is in writing helps prevent any gray areas, he states, and signifies that both sides fully understand and are committed to the plan during the transition process.
Alongside preparation and utilizing family members’ support, Sawyer emphasizes being aware of the various programs that are offered.
He highlights the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program, Department of Veterans Affairs’ Transition Assistance Program otherwise known as TAP and the Department of Labor’s Transition Assistance Program.
All these resources are set up to assist service members through the process of adjusting to civilian life and tools needed to succeed in civilian employment.
“People are successful in the military because they show up at the right time, right place, in the right uniform with the right attitude,” Knauss said. “It’s no different in the civilian world. If you do those things, you’re going to be set up for success anywhere you go.”
WITNESS FOR JUSTICE Issue #1229
One Sure Thing
Shari Prestemon
included the convictions of two Pittsburgh-area nursing homes, Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center and Mount Lebanon Rehabilitation and Wellness Center. A federal jury found both facilities guilty of falsifying records submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to avoid penalties for inadequate care. Evidence presented at trial revealed that both facilities manipulated staffing records to appear compliant with Medicare and Medicaid standards. Sentencing is scheduled for December following a comprehensive investigation by the FBI, Health and Human Services, IRS, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. In its report, the DOJ noted an
The deadline for this column was one day before the November 5 election. By the time you read this, we might know the election results. Or we might not.
That kind of anxious uncertainty has plagued me these last few months as our nation careened toward election day. I could feel it taking up residence in my body, a chronic unease I found difficult to shake. It woke me up too early in the morning and had me exhausted too early at night. And those endless candidate commercials? Don’t even get me started.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), I’m not the only one feeling this way. In APA’s 2024 Stress in America survey, 69% of U.S. adults said the presidential
One Sure Thing...continued
of it a little less. Or that I could simply look the other way. But my faith won’t let me. My faith won’t allow me to be content with a status quo that is so damaging, or to cynically insist there’s no reasonable hope of change. Instead of ignoring the brokenness all around me, I’m called to repair whatever I can. Instead of allowing myself to become consumed with anger, I’m invited to focus on compassion and mercy. Instead of dismissing or demeaning the person I fundamentally disagree with, I’m commanded to somehow love my neighbor. Instead of giving up or giving in, I’m compelled to persevere in the pursuit of justice, peace, and possibility for all.
Some days all of that is much easier said than done. On those days I hold on to the one thing I’m sure of even when nothing else feels certain: God is still with us… today, tomorrow, and forevermore.
That simple yet profound statement of faith is the blessed balm we all need for our souls. The world around us is chaotic, and so many things we thought we knew seem to be slipping from our grasp. But this central
pillar of our faith holds firm: “… neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 8:38–39)
Today I’m still feeling that tremor in my spirit, that sense that all is not well with the soul of this nation. Yet God still is who God has always been. A God who created us to be partners in the creative, redemptive, sometimes agonizing work of discipleship. A God who goes to the greatest lengths to deliver and liberate God’s people. A God who grants healing in the most unexpected of places and ways. A God of Resurrection, who wrestles new, abundant life out of desperation and death. A God who works in God’s own time and way, and bids us to be faithful in every season. Even election season.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR The Rev. Shari Prestemon serves as the Acting Associate General Minister and CoExecutive of Global Ministries in the national setting of the United Church of Christ.
“Consider Today with Some Urgency Your Eternal Life!”
By: Lou K Coleman
Lou K Coleman
With as much going on in our society and in the world today, tomorrow is not promised. I want you to understand that there are two pressing deadlines and that both of them are urgent. Christ has a deadline for His return of which no man knows the day nor the hour [Matthew 25:13] and at the very same time, we are reminded in [James 4:14] that we do not know what our life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? A vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. So, consider today with some urgency your eternal life and repent before it is too late! Because once the Master of the house gets up and closes the door, you’ll stand outside knocking and pleading, sir open the door for us. But “He will answer,” I don’t know you or where you come from [Luke 13: 25-27].
with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance [2 Peter 3:9]. Don’t gamble with your soul because one day an angel will place one foot on the sea and the other on the dry land and lifting his hand to heaven, swear by Him that liveth forever and ever, that "Time shall be no more." [Revelation 10:5-6].
election caused them significant stress. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they were worried the 2024 election could be the end of democracy in the United States, and 74% feared the election results could lead to violence.
All those statistics confirm what we already surely know: our nation is painfully and deeply divided. It feels as if we’re teetering on the edge of a very steep cliff while the whole world is watching. And that is taking a serious toll on all of us: as individuals, as congregations and communities, and as a nation. This path we’re on is unsustainable and unhealthy.
I wish that I cared about all
Listen, you don’t have to go to Hell. God has provided a way of escape for you. But even God’s way of escape will do you no good unless you reach out and take it. Why should you die in your sins? Why go to Hell when Jesus has opened the door to Heaven? Consider today with some urgency your eternal life. For you are not the master of your fate. You are not the captain of your soul. Consider the words of Jesus in [Mark 1:15]: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe the gospel.
And please, don't make the mistake of thinking that you can wait until the last minute to prepare for it. Just as we don't know the "day nor the hour" that Christ will return, the same goes for our own demise. Death can come at any time, whether we are ready or not! Take advantage of the fact that you are alive and well to seek God’s mercy and grace today [Proverbs 27:1]. The Bible says that God is patient
Now I know some will say, well the thief on the cross was spared at the last minute. Yes, he was. But although the story of the criminal on the cross demonstrates that last-minute conversions are possible, the Bible warns us to repent now, without waiting another moment [Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17]. We are not instructed to consider converting someday, but to believe today! For none of us knows how much time we have left in this life or what the circumstances of our death will be. We may die in a sudden, unexpected manner that will preclude a deathbed conversion. The only reasonable option is to repent and believe in Jesus Christ today [Hebrews 3:7-8, 14; 4:7]. For in [2 Corinthians 6:2; Luke 16:26] Jesus declares, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.
Now this day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God [Deuteronomy 30:19-20].
For a small reward, a man will hurry away on a long journey; while for eternal life, many will hardly take a single step[Thomas a Kempis]. They know the truth and even believe the truth, in the sense that they acknowledge its truthfulness, its rightness. They are well aware of the good news of salvation provided in Jesus Christ but are not willing to commit their lives to Him. So, they drift past the call of God into eternal damnation [2 Timothy 4:42 Thessalonians 2:11:12].
The Tragedy Of Delay and Rejecting Salvation!
Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA
by Dwight Brown Film critic
E m i l i a P é r e z
Nothing in law school prepared her for this. Not the bar exam. Mock trials. Nothing! Only creative, forwardthinking and innovative filmmakers could concoct this modern-day life-of-crime fable. Those accolades describe writer/ director Jacques Audiard (A Prophet) and his co-screenwriters Thomas Bidegain and Nicolas Livecchi. They’re telling a tale that will rock audiences’ world. A parable so different ears won’t believe what they hear. Eyeballs will be glued to the screen. And that’s just the beginning.
Rita (Zoe Saldana, Avatar) is a very successful defense lawyer who lives and works in Mexico. She’s so good she gets guilty creeps off the hook even when they deserve to go to the slammer. Her success doesn’t go unnoticed. She gets a mysterious phone call, “Do you want to become rich?” It’s for a job she doesn’t want and declines. Unfortunately for her, no is not an acceptable answer. Next thing she knows, she’s been kidnapped and is facing the menacing leader of a drug cartel. Rita is scared to death as Manitas Del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón), with his evil stare, gravelly voice and metal-grill teeth, demands her services. Defense lawyer? No. Consigliere? Closer. How about leader of his transition team. The fresh, mind-boggling narrative captures attention and holds it throughout. Audiences
won’t gain their equilibrium again until the film ends. That’s 2h 10m later (editor, the very brilliant Juliette Welfling). Not willing to make things easy for anybody, the filmmakers made this movie a musical too. Characters sing and dance. They break into song at good or awkward moments. The pulsating musical score in the beginning is entrancing. But some of the song/dance routines feel Broadwayish. Some like musical videos. Others like a fashion shoot.
However, the words and music, unlike those in Joker Folie à Deux, define scenes, distinguish characters, extend emotions or further the plot. Sometimes the breaking into song feels organic. Sometimes disruptive in a plotline that needs no enhancements. Saldana is a decent singer, a better dancer. Selena Gomez and other cast members have stellar voices that can sell records. Still nothing is imperfect enough to detour attention from the riveting storyline. Nothing. Rita helps Manitas become his better self. The machinations involved, from finding international surgeons like Dr. Wasserman (Mark Ivanir, Schindler’s List) and operating rooms, to learning how to accommodate her newly transformed boss Emilia, keep Rita on her toes. She also has to juggle the lives of Manitas’ wife
DOJ Targets Elder Fraud and Nursing Home Abuse in Sweeping Nationwide Actions... continued fro page 4 the first National Center for State and Tribal Elder Justice Coalitions, promoting statewide coordination to address and prevent elder abuse more effectively,” Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer remarked. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco added, “Given the financial, emotional, and physical toll suffered by older victims regardless of how they are victimized, the Department aggressively pursues all forms of fraud and abuse wherever they may arise.”
CARB’s Environment-Friendly Vote Could Hit Californians With Higher Prices at Gas Pump... continued from page 2
CLBC members Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymembers Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) and and Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) attended the governor’s signing event of Assembly Bill (AB) ABX2-1 at the State Capitol in October.
L E G A L / C L A S S I F I E D S G O H E R E office in December.
“The state has the tools to make sure they backfill supplies and plan ahead for maintenance so there aren’t shortages that drive up prices,” Newsom said in an Oct. 14 written statement.
Jessi (Gomez) and his two sons. They’re moved around under the deception that their lives are in danger, and they must live on the lam. Jessi’s lover Gustavo (Edgar Ramírez, TV miniseries Carlos) is in the picture. Epifinía (Adriana Paz), a battered wife, who becomes Emilia’s new friend, is added to the new extended family. Jealousy, threats and guns add complexities. How will this all coalesce? Where will this lead?
Saldana, Gomez, Paz and Gascón intermesh well, pushing each other’s performances to greater heights. Saldana demonstrates a certain dexterity as a lawyer who becomes a fixer. Gomez plays Jessi like a lamb lost in the woods. A lamb with a strong libido, “Gustavo, my p---still hurts when I think of you.” She’s a wife who knows her dead husband’s cruelty well, “He’d cut us into pieces and feed us to the dogs.” Ivanir is one of the better singers. Ramírez has an edge that makes you feel like Gustavo is reckless. But when Oscar noms are announced, if there’s justice in this world, Gascón may make history and gain an Oscar nom for Best Actress. Hard to ignore the magic she creates as she navigates between OG cartel head and a sweet lover with a jealous streak.
Jumping between violent action scenes, brightly lit operating rooms and lowlight
bedrooms seems easy for cinematographer Paul Guilhaume (Paris, 13th District). Adding to the footage’s visual flair looks like second nature for production designer Emmanuelle Duplay (Anatomy of a Fall) and costume designer Virginie Montel (A Prophet). The very daring music by Camille and Clément Ducol sets this film apart. Some songs are powerful. Some not. Yet viewers and listeners will take the great with the not so great in stride.
The very versatile French director Jacques Audiard can add musical film to his eclectic resume. This project idea came to him during COVID, when he read the 2018 novel Écoute, by Boris Razon. Now with this inventive production, combined with previous work like the immigrant prison/ drama A Prophet and modern romance Paris, 13th District, he has a diverse filmography. He can also expect Oscar nods for Best Director, Film, Adapted Screenplay and acting nominations. Very impressive. Nothing will prepare audiences for this heady strange mix of gender ID transformations, crime, thrills and romance. Nothing. They’ll feel as coerced and lost in love’s drama as Rita.
Trailer: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=4h7j_EcZ5fU Visit Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com
producing.
Dahle referred to the governor’s extended session as “Special Session Stunt 2.0.”
“(The) decision by CARB will not only make it more expensive for families, but also disproportionately affect residents in rural communities in my district who must travel long distances for groceries, healthcare, etc.,” Dahle stated. “Californians shouldn’t have to forfeit taking their family out to dinner in order to afford putting gas in the car just to get to work.” In October, California
Senate Minority Leader Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) expressed his concerns about the vote. In a written statement released after the meeting, he indicated that California residents could see gas prices upwards of 65 cents per gallon.
Legislative Republicans (CLR) sent a five-page letter to Randolph estimating that the change could lift gasoline prices 47 cents a gallon, or $6.4 billion a year. The letter was signed off by 25 Republicans in the California Legislature, including Dahle.
“A separate study placed the pump cost much higher – 65 cents a gallon. Now the air board has backed off its 47-cent price hike estimate. And it refuses to offer a revised forecast,” the Oct. 15 document stated. At present, the LCFS program currently limits the “pass-through costs companies can shift to consumers,” according to CARB. This action is done by putting a lid on the price of credits that are high-carbon-intensity fuel-
CARB shared that information provided by third-party product experts explains the current LCFS pass-through to Californians is $0.10 per gallon of gasoline.
The data, according to CARB, is in line with the self-reported data by high-carbon-intensity fuel producers, which reflects an LCFS cost pass-through to consumers of $0.08 to $0.10 per gallon of gasoline.
“(The board’s) approval increases consumer options beyond petroleum, provides a roadmap for cleaner air, and leverages private sector investment and federal incentives to spur innovation to address climate change and pollution,” Randolph stated.
Zoe Saldana in Emila Perez
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Updates on the Results of Rialto and Moreno Valley Races for Mayor,
City Council
by Alyssah Hall
City of Rialto Mayor
After serving three, fouryear terms as Rialto’s mayor since 2012, Mayor Deborah Robertson’s incumbency has come to an end. On Nov. 5, voters of Rialto elected City Council Member Joe Baca as their mayor, ending Robertson’s historic 12year reign.
There were four candidates in total running to become Rialto’s mayor, including Rialto City Council Member, Rafael Trujillo and newcomer, Ché Rose Wright.
Out of 15,273 votes, Joe Baca won with 6,226 votes (40.76%) to secure the position as the city’s new mayor. Runner-up, incumbent Robertson held 4,668 votes (30.56%) and behind her trails Trujillo, with 3,444 votes (22.55%).
Rialto City Council
Rialto voters had seven candidates to choose from to fill two city council seats. The four-year term positions were sought by Lupe Camacho, Andy
Of the 22,121 votes cast, Andy Carrizales took the first city council seat with 4,977 votes (22.50%).
Karla Perez secured the second city council seat with 4,061 votes or 18.36% of the ballots cast.
Moreno Valley City Mayor Moreno Valley residents reelected mayoral incumbent, Ulises Cabrera for his second, two-year term on Nov. 5. In 2022, Cabrera was first elected as Mayor of Moreno Valley and is the youngest “directly elected” mayor in the history of Moreno Valley, according to the city.
Moreno Valley Mayor Ulises Cabrera is re-elected to serve a second term. Moreno Valley’s mayoral race candidates also included Patsy D. Brown, Hector Diaz, and Daryl Terrell. Cabrera won with 14,754 votes (47.57%). Diaz received 6,935 votes
(22.36%), and Terrell followed with 5,846 votes (18.85%).
Moreno Valley City Council, District 1
In a tight race between incumbent Council member Elena Baca-Santa Cruz and newcomer Alisa Lopez, BacaSanta Cruz secured her seat by just 139 votes
The District 1 council seat was set for a four year term. Council members serve their four-year terms in a staggered manner, according to the City of Moreno Valley.
In 2022, Baca-Santa Cruz was first elected to the Moreno Valley City Council to represent District 1. On Nov. 5, Lopez received 2,271 votes(48.52%) while Baca-Santa Cruz received 2,410 (51.48%).
Moreno Valley City Council Member District 3 Race
On Nov. 5, residents voted among five candidates for the
California Attorney General Unveils New Guidelines to Safeguard Abortion Access
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a law enforcement bulletin outlining the state’s legal protections for individuals seeking reproductive healthcare.
The new guidance emphasizes the right to timely, confidential care, free from harassment or threats, as established by Assembly Bill 1356 (AB 1356), authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda).
This law complements the California Freedom of Access to Clinic and Church Entrances (FACE) Act, which mandates that state and local law enforcement agencies develop policies for handling anti-reproductive rights incidents.
Moreno Valley City Council District 3 seat. The candidate chosen will spend four years serving Moreno Valley residents.
Erlan Gonzalez won with 2,745 votes (34.45%) for the city council seat. Behind him with 1,960 votes (24.60%) was Alvin Dejohnette and Zenda Yvette Lewis with 1,334 votes (16.74%).
City Council District 3 candidates were Erlan Gonzalez, Alvin Dejohnette, Justin Jackson, Anna Lapuos and Zenda Yvette Lewis.
The District 3 seat has been vacant since April 16, when previous council member David Marquez resigned. His resignation came after the City of Moreno Valley reported he was “absent without permission from all regular city council meetings for 70 days consecutively from the last regular meeting.” Marquez was elected to the Moreno Valley City Council in 2016 to represent District 3 and resigned in 2024.
SoCalGas Shares Five Simple Ways to Reduce Energy Use and Save
News
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 12, 2024 – As cooler weather approaches, Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) shares energy-saving tips and tools to help customers prepare their homes.
“As we transition into the cooler months, SoCalGas is here to support our customers in managing their energy use and by participating in energy efficiency programs, while maintaining comfort throughout the season,” said Don Widjaja, vice president, customer services field and solutions at SoCalGas. “Together, we can take simple yet effective steps to lower energy consumption, which helps our customers save on their bills and contributes to a more sustainable future.”
Energy-Savings Tips for Customers:
Manage Your Heating Systems: Heating is often the largest energy expense for customers. When away from your home or business, adjust your thermostat by five to eight degrees, if health permits, to help save energy.
Optimize Appliance Usage: Ensure your dryer runs efficiently by checking the ductwork for obstructions and cleaning the lint filter before every load. Dry full loads of laundry but avoid overloading or over-drying.
Upgrading to energy-efficient
models can result in up to 20% savings.
Install Energy-Saving Showerheads and Other Fixtures: By using less water, less natural gas will be used for heating. Consider installing fixtures such as low flow faucet aerators and tub spouts.
Test for Duct Air Leakage and Seal Leaks: Leaky ducts can lead to 10%-30% higher heating and cooling costs. Check for leaks in ductwork to help reduce energy expenses. Seal any leaks around windows and doors to retain heat and ensure proper insulation to reduce heating needs.
Replace Furnace Filter(s): Replace your furnace filter(s) monthly during heating season or as often as the manufacturer recommends.
A great way to conserve energy usage is to upgrade older model appliances with new, energyefficient ones. Find eligible appliances at our SoCalGas Marketplace site where you can purchase, finance, and schedule delivery of your new appliances.
For example, replacing an old, inefficient clothes dryer with a new, more efficient model could save customers up to 20% in energy savings. Over the lifetime of the product, energy efficient models that have earned the ENERGY STAR® certification can save around $370 in energy costs.
For a limited time, through Nov. 30, 2024, residential and
multifamily customers can get 50% more in rebates to purchase an eligible, qualifying energy-efficient appliance. No extra steps are needed; a customer’s increased rebate will be automatically calculated. Eligibility requirements apply; see participating rebate programs’ conditions for details. *
SoCalGas offers programs and tools designed to help customers track, manage and save on their energy use and bills:
● Ways to Save Tool: The My Energy Profile survey offers a complimentary household energy analysis with personalized tips and information about energyefficient appliance rebates.
● SoCalGas Text Notices: Customers can opt-in for the Natural Gas Price Notice, which sends a text message if there is a 20% or more increase in the monthly natural gas commodity cost—affecting part of their bills. Sign up at socalgas.com/ NotifyMe to receive updates from December 2024 through March 2025.
● Energy Savings Assistance Program: This program provides no-cost energysaving home improvements for income-qualified renters and homeowners, including lowflow showerheads, water heater blankets, attic insulation, and more.
● CARE: This is a statewide assistance program that provides a 20% discount on natural gas bills for qualifying low-income households.
This fall, SoCalGas launched its newly redesigned website, offering enhanced navigation and improved access to information on billing, energy savings assistance programs, as well as critical and timely customer announcements, safety information, and sustainability initiatives. The update also optimizes efficiencies and enhances secure access to self-service options, making it easier and more convenient for customers to manage their accounts and payments. Learn more about the updated features to “My Account” at www. socalgas.com/my-account.
For more information on managing your natural gas usage and accessing available programs, visit Manage Higher Bills | SoCalGas.
* Participating Rebate Programs: Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Program, Multifamily Energy Efficiency Rebate Program (including Boiler Controllers), and the Multifamily Vended Clothes Washer Rebate Program (applies to only SoCalGas rebates).
“Abortion care is healthcare; and in California, access to abortion care is a constitutionally protected right,” said Bonta.
The bulletin aims to equip law enforcement with the tools to effectively respond to violent or threatening situations at
reproductive healthcare facilities, ensuring the safety of both providers and patients.
In response to a national surge in violence and harassment targeting abortion providers, particularly in states that protect abortion access, the bulletin provides guidelines for law enforcement on addressing antireproductive rights crimes. The National Abortion Federation reports significant incidents, including arson and death threats, aimed at clinics across the country.
The bulletin also references revised 2023 guidelines from the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, which cover law enforcement’s role in preventing violence, providing training, and managing protests and events. With these measures in place, Bonta reaffirmed California’s commitment to defending reproductive rights and ensuring the state’s continued role as a stronghold for reproductive freedom.
9 Tips to Practice Good Credit Hygiene Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase
by Tre Campbell
Good credit can help unlock the door to a brighter future.
That’s not just a metaphor – your credit score is one of the first pieces of information lenders review before approving you for a mortgage, business loan or other purchase requiring finance. A strong credit history could help position you as a more trustworthy borrower.
Think of building credit like practicing good hygiene. The more you maintain good financial habits and clean up past mistakes, the better your credit can be.
Ashley Kelly, a Chase Senior Business Consultant in Phoenix, offers these nine important tips to help establish and maintain good credit health.
Check your credit reports
Reviewing your credit report is the first step in finding information that may be affecting your score. You have a credit report with the three major bureaus. You can access your Experian TM credit report for free with Chase Credit Journey®. Monitor your credit score
This three-digit number can be key to your lender’s decision and helps determine the interest rate offer you’ll receive. With a higher credit score, you may be able to lower your interest rate. Keep in mind, credit score is just one of the many factors considered.
The five main categories that determine your credit score are payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit (10%) and types of credit used (10%).
Pay off delinquent accounts
Bring any delinquent accounts current, or work to pay them off when you are able.
Delinquencies include past due payments, charge-offs, collections or judgments. Make payments on time
Every on-time payment is important as it helps demonstrate good financial behavior. It also takes time to rebuild your credit score after delinquencies and late payments.
Avoid new debt
Because hard inquiries can also affect your credit score, try to avoid applying for multiple lines of credit in a short period of time. Hard inquiries will appear on your report for two years.
Know your debt-to-income ratio
Debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is the percentage of your monthly income that goes toward paying off debts. Keep DTI ratios low, as this shows you’re more likely to be able to afford monthly loan payments.
Keep low balances
Paying off your revolving loans every month is beneficial for your payment history while lowering the total amount owed.
Try to keep your balances at or below 30% of your credit limit to help your credit score.
Keep accounts open
Closing accounts lowers your total amount of available credit and increases the percentage of credit in use, which can have a negative impact on your score and credit history. Borrowers who have credit available but don’t use it all or pay it off every month likely appear more credible to lenders.
Know how much you can afford to spend
Understanding your personal finances helps avoid getting into debt you can’t pay off, which could potentially harm your credit. Knowing and maintaining your personal budget reduces the chances of missing payments.
Keep your credit clean Building good credit is a gradual process. While it takes time for derogatory marks to disappear from your credit report, there are steps you can take now to start improving your credit score.
As with any healthy routine, once you’ve gotten started, it can be easier to maintain.
Over time, you’ll be on your way to establishing healthy credit hygiene and solid financial health.
After serving three, four-year terms as Rialto’s mayor since 2012, Mayor Deborah Robertson is defeated. (source: File photo)
Carrizales, Vickie Davis, Ana Gonzalez, Kelvin Moore, Karla Perez and Paola Vargas.
8 Thursday, November 14, 2024
The Impact of the 2024 Election
By Selen Ozturk
The presidential election has left a country questioning outcomes on political violence, women, immigrants and the environment.
The presidential election has left a country questioning outcomes on political violence, women, immigrants and the environment.
Through all these issues, November 5 shattered public assumptions that an increasingly multiracial America necessarily means an increasingly progressive one, said political, immigration and economic experts at a Friday, November 8 Ethnic Media Services briefing on election insights.
Political violence
There’s a similar public misconception around political violence: “We seem to assume that either we can predict it or else it’s not going to happen at all, which is why we’re constantly surprised when it does happen,” said Dr. Robert Pape, professor of political science at the University of Chicago and founder and director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST).
Already, as of November 8, the Justice Department disclosed a murder-for-hire plot for an accused Iranian government asset to kill President-elect Trump before the election.
Professor Robert Pape, Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago and Founder and Director, Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST), shares what he believes are the potential triggers for political violence, postelection.
“We need to be watchful against this. It would not come as a surprise to me if there are more assassination attempts between now and January 20 … and in the first 100 days after that, especially if he proceeds with aggressive deportation plans, which include sending ICE agents into blue sanctuary cities like Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Portland … where immigration protests turned violent in 2020,” said Pape.
“Political violence operates like a wildfire. We can measure the material that can combust, but we can’t predict the triggering lightning strikes, thrown cigarette butts, the unattended campfires,” he added. “Because the Washington resistance march this January, for instance, is planned to be a peaceful gathering of 50,000, that doesn’t mean it will be. We’re in a tinderbox of a country.”
Women “What contributes to political violence are narratives that blame any one group of people for the outcome of this election — like that women lost the election for a woman candidate,” said Kelly Dittmar, research director of the
Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
2024 exit polls show that 54% of women and 44% of men voted for Harris, while 44% of women and 54% of men voted for Trump.
Kelly Dittmar, Director of Research, Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University, says Trump has consistently played into a fear of gender-role disruption and masculinity being threatened, which proved effective in a campaign against a female candidate.
The 2024 voting gender gap, where women were 10 points less likely than men to support Trump, is similar to those in recent elections; in 2020 the gap was 12 points, while in 2016 it was 11.
Women have been more likely than men to support the Democratic candidate and less likely to support the Republican in every election since 1980 — “But these aggregate counts alone are insufficient to truly understand the women’s vote,” said Dittmar.
While most white women (52%) voted Republican, for example, over 90% of Black women voted Democrat.
An AP VoteCast exit poll shows that a third of Black women said Harris being the first woman president “was the most important factor” in their vote, compared to 14% of all women and 11% of all men.
“We talk about the gender of the voters, but we also have to recognize the ways in which gender plays a role in who we’re willing to vote for,” she continued.
An October 2024 Public Religion Research Institute survey found that, while the 43% of Americans overall agreeing that “society as a whole has become too soft and feminine” is down from 48% agreeing in 2023, partisan divides have more than doubled since 2011.
Now, 73% of Republicans say that society is too soft and feminine, compared with 42% of independents and 16% of Democrats.
“It’s less about Harris’ identity, and more about why a man tapping into grievances about threatened masculinity did not disqualify him from winning,” added Dittmar.
Vanessa Cardenas, Executive Director, America’s Voice, discusses the impact that the Trump presidency will have on immigration, as well as on the lives of immigrants. Immigrants and Asian Americans
“Without sugar coating it, this is the worst outcome we could have expected … That the majority of the popular vote
is against us,” said Vanessa Cardenas, executive director of America’s Voice. “Economic issues overtook everything.”
A September 2024 Pew Research poll found that 81% of registered voters said “the economy will be very important to their vote.”
An AP exit poll found “voters broadly believed that Trump would be better equipped than Harris to handle the economy and jobs.”
“It’s no surprise that immigration was another major motivating factor, because Republicans ran the most vicious anti-immigrant campaign of any major party in modern history,” Cardenas continued.
An October 2024 America’s Voice report using AdImpact data finds that Republican candidates and organizations spent “$964 million on 1,892 unique TV ads that mention immigration so far this year.”
John C. Yang, President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, AAJC, says survey data shows that immigration was a top concern for Asian American voters, with the majority being in favor of laws that support immigrants.
“Immigration itself is being redefined,” explained Cardenas. “As conversations around ending birthright citizenship, TPS and DACA are becoming mainstreamed, the lines between ‘legal’ and ‘undocumented’ are being blurred.”
“The Asian American voting bloc is particularly supportive of pro-immigrant laws, especially those allowing citizens to bring relatives to the U.S., said John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC).
The AAPI community has the highest proportion of immigrants among all racial and ethnic groups, with about two-thirds of Asian Americans and one-sixth of Pacific Islanders born outside the U.S.
An October 2024 Pew poll found that 82% of Asian American immigrants supported prioritizing family immigration policies.
An AAJC voter survey conducted that month found that overall, however, the issues most important to AAPI voters were similar] to those most important to voters generally, the top three being jobs and the economy (86%), inflation (85%) and healthcare (85%).
Green jobs
“These issues have led to Trump being the first Republican president to be elected with having won the popular vote in more than 20 years,” said Ben Jealous, executive director of the
California Department of Aging Highlights Essential, Free Resources to Support Caregivers for Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities During National Family Caregivers Month
California’s Network of Aging and Caregiving Services Offers Free Resources to Empower and Uplift Family Caregivers
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
To support the well-being of caregivers, the state provides free, essential tools and resources through the network of Caregiver Resource Centers and Area Agencies on Aging.
across California balancing work, family, and caregiving responsibilities. Most caregivers are women, many working outside the home in addition to providing critical support to loved ones who rely on them, often at the expense of their own physical and emotional health.
Sierra Club and former president and CEO of the NAACP. “You can’t account for this without looking at the deindustrialization of our nation in the last 30 years after NAFTA.”
Ben Jealous, Executive Director, Sierra Club and former President and Chief Executive Officer, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), discusses the Inflation Reduction Act and the impact it will have on the U.S. economy.
Since 1994, when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) came into effect under President Clinton, the U.S. lost over 80,000 manufacturing plants through 2014, the last year that Census Business Dynamics Statistics data is available.
In comparison, there are approximately 19,500 cities and towns in the U.S.
“That means that most Americans now live where there used to be a factory, and when that factory shut down, what shot up was despair, poverty, joblessness, drug abuse and death from suicide,” said Jealous. “We’ve got to get back to the basic American formula of building an economy that lifts all boats by doing what we’ve always done: designing new things by following the science, then building them here.”
With the Inflation Reduction Act, passed under President Biden in 2022 and authorizing $783 billion for domestic energy and climate change spending, the largest in U.S. history, “We’re doing something we haven’t done in my lifetime: opening factories through the biggest economic opportunity on earth, a chance to change the way the world is powered,” he continued.
As of August 2024, Climate Power data shows that U.S. companies have reported 646 new clean energy projects, creating 334,565 new jobs and driving $372 billion in new investments.
“The turn to the right that we saw is a straight line from us betraying the working people of this country,” said Jealous, adding that this was reflected in Trump’s own performance: “In 2016, he promised to kill Obamacare, and his own party rebelled. This time, Vice President-elect Vance attacked the new green jobs as ‘table scraps,’ and Republican voters roared back.”
“In many red states, voters can be divided on whether or not they want clean technology, but they’re united on wanting it produced there, because they understand that their fortunes are tied to it,” he added. “Trump can say what he wants, but this is the future, and people aren’t going back.”
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Aging (CDA) is proud to recognize November as National Family Caregivers Month, a time to honor and support the millions of individuals who provide care for their loved ones. This year, CDA continues its commitment to enhancing caregiver wellbeing by providing essential tools and resources across California. These resources, available through local Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), empower caregivers to thrive while caring for their loved ones.
"Caregiving is a great act of love, and this month –and every day – we uplift California’s caregivers as the under-recognized backbone of our families and communities," said Susan DeMarois, director of the California Department of Aging. "We understand the sacrifices family caregivers make, and we are dedicated to ensuring that they have access to the tools, resources, and support they need to take care of themselves while providing for their families. We encourage all family caregivers to learn about and take advantage of the many free resources California makes available to meet their unique needs."
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:
Family caregivers are the unsung heroes of California’s long-term care system, with every caregiver providing an average of 18 hours of care per week. That amounts to an estimated $81 billion annually in economic value to the state, with more than 4.5 million unpaid family caregivers
According to recent statistics, one in five Americans currently provides care for a loved one, with more than 4.5 million Californians providing unpaid care for family members, friends, or neighbors with chronic illnesses or disabilities. As the population ages, the need for caregiver support continues to grow, making it more important than ever for caregivers to know about the free services and resources available to them.
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT CAREGIVERS: CDA offers extensive support for unpaid family caregivers through the network of CRCs and AAAs. These local agencies provide free education and training, group counseling, respite care, and financial and legal assistance. Whether helping caregivers plan for long-term care or offering much-needed breaks, CRCs and AAAs are dedicated to ensuring caregivers have the resources and tools to succeed. In fiscal year 2022-2023, millions of family caregivers accessed these services, with thousands benefiting from professional care management and respite support. The Aging in California Resource Guide, with information on caregiver support and other topics, is another helpful resource that’s available in six languages.
To learn more about the support available to caregivers, visit CDA’s website at aging.ca.gov and connect with a local CRC or AAA to discover personalized resources that can help empower a caregiver's journey.