SB American News Week Ending 11/30

A Sampling of Dining Out Options for Thanksgiving Soul Food Around California

Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and with that comes greens, beans, candied yams, turkey (roasted and deep-fried), dressing, mac n’ cheese, sweet potato pie and all the other soul food “fixins” that make the holiday meal arguably the tastiest meal of the year for many African Americans. We can choose from a diverse menu of food options that we prepare at home, or we can try to enjoy those options dining out.

The city of Inglewood, for example, is hosting a drive-thru turkey giveaway on Nov. 23 with special guest Snoop Dogg.

The event will go from 9 am to 12 pm and is located at Hollywood Park.

The goal is to serve 2,500 Inglewood residents with free turkeys provided by Don Lee Farms.

While many people enjoy preparing and eating that turkey dinner at home, some people prefer to outsource their feast.

For those folks, here's a small sampling of some soul food restaurants around the state that will be open on or around Thanksgiving.

StreetCar (San Diego)

First up is StreetCar in San

Diego. On Nov. 24, they will be hosting a Thanksgiving Feast Event.

"Bring your friends and family on Thanksgiving Day for a celebratory feast," it reads on their flier.

The event is located at 4002 30th St. and will go from 11:00am to 10:00pm.

Founded by Ron Suel and RaVae Smith in 2014, StreetCar specializes in southern cuisine and features an all-day brunch menu.

"You will find classic southern dishes and Louisiana favorites," their website reads.

ComfortLA (Los Angeles) In Downtown Los Angeles, ComfortLA is an option for those

who want to eat out this holiday as it's open on Thanksgiving Day.

Located on 1110 E. 7th St., ComfortLA was once a pop-up restaurant founded by Jeremy McBryde and Mark E. Walker.

ComfortLA focuses on taking a clean approach to their menu, sporting a variety of all-natural soul food options.

"We use locally sourced, fresh and organic ingredients and healthier cooking methods to create top-notch, Southern cuisine including 'Cousin Kina's Mac ‘n’ Cheese,' 'Clean Mean Greens' and our signature 'Organic Not Your Average Fried Chicken' with 'That Sauce,'" it reads on their website.

They also have an Inglewood

location, though that restaurant is not open on Thanksgiving.

Minnie Bell's (Emeryville)

Minnie Bell’s – a soul food truck in Emeryville up north – may not be open the day of Thanksgiving, it will be open on the 23rd for those who want to celebrate a little early.

Founded by Fernay McPherson in 2013, "Minnie Bell's Soul Movement" is born out of legacy.

"Fernay learned to cook from her great aunt Minnie and late grandmother Lillie Bell," the website reads. "Fernay's family arrived in San Francisco during the Great Migration as part of the relocation of more than 6 million African Americans from the rural South to cities in the North and West."

Minnie Bell's is located in the Emeryville Public Market at 5959 Shellmound St.

Hotville Chicken (Los Angeles)

The last establishment on this list is Hotville Chicken in Los Angeles.

This restaurant is not open the day of Thanksgiving but patrons

The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade & Extravaganza Returns to San Bernardino’s Westside in Celebration of Dr. King’s Birthday

SAN BERNARDINO, CASan Bernardino Calif. Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce brings back The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade & Extravaganza in celebration of Dr. King’s birthday on Monday January 16th, 2023, at 11:00 AM. The Parade starts at Graciano Gomez Elementary School at Mt. Vernon and Baseline and continues west on Baseline ending at Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Shirrell’s Park.

“Everyone is invited to attend the parade and & Extravaganza in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King,Jr., and his legacy of freedom.

Come rejoice with vendors, music, community booths, First 5 children’s zone, custom and classic cars, motorcycles, fun

and entertainment at the parade and after at Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Shirrell’s Park,” said event Chair Lou Dowdy.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.

King advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through nonviolence and civil disobedience. Inspired by his Christian beliefs and the nonviolent activism of Mahatma Gandhi, he led targeted, nonviolent resistance against Jim Crow laws and other forms of discrimination.

Dr. King and the civil rights movements greatest

achievements were convincing congress to pass the 1964, landmark Civil Rights Act, essentially eliminating legalized racial segregation in the United States. The legislation made it illegal to discriminate against Blacks or other minorities in hiring, public accommodations, education or transportation, areas which at the time were still very segregated in many places in America.

In 1965, they also convinced congress to pass Voting Rights Act, which was an equally important set of laws that eliminated the remaining barriers to voting for African Americans, who in some locales had been almost completely disenfranchised.

The campaign for a federal

holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983. To learn more about Dr. King go to: TheKingCenter.org Set up and staging for The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade & Extravaganza begins at 11:00 am at Graciano Gomez Elementary School in San Bernardino and the parade starts at 1:00 PM. The celebration at Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Shirrell’s Park continues until 8:00 PM.

Collaborators for The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade include: The Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, Lue ProductionsCommunity Umbrella Services, Dameron

Rep. Karen Bass

Proclaimed

First Black Female Mayor of Los Angeles

When Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) announced her candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles last year, she knew the race wouldn’t be easy.

But the former Congressional Black Caucus Chair also believed that her beloved city faced a crisis, and that others that had (or were likely to) declare their candidacy, probably wouldn’t live up to the challenge.

“I’ve spent my entire life bringing groups of people together in coalitions to solve complex problems and produce concrete change – especially in times of crisis,” Bass declared in September 2021.

“Los Angeles is my home. With my whole heart, I’m ready. Let’s do this – together.”

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, more than a week after voting closed in the City of Angels, Bass was declared the winner in a tight race that pitted her against billionaire developer Rick Caruso.

With her victory, Bass will become the first Black woman to lead the city during a time when Los Angeles faces an evergrowing homeless crisis and a myriad of other issues left behind by her predecessor Eric Garcetti.

“We are in a fight for the soul of our city,” declared Bass, who counted among those on President Joe Biden’s short candidate list for the vice presidency that ultimately went to fellow-CBC alum Kamala Harris.

“We are going to build a new Los Angeles,” she said.

With extensive experience in Congress and as a California Assembly leader, Bass said she understands the fight ahead. After all, she emerged from an intense battle in which her opponent spent more than $100 million.

Projections had Bass winning more than 53% of the vote to Caruso’s 47%.

The Associated Press said Bass enjoyed the advantage of being a lifelong Democrat “in a city where Republicans are almost invisible.”

Last week, Vice President Harris campaigned in Los Angeles with Bass, and many high-profile Democrats backed her candidacy.

The news service noted that Bass would become the first woman and second Black person to hold the job after former Mayor Tom Bradley held the post from 1973 to 1993.

She’ll also attempt to cool the figurative fires that have been stoked internally among city leaders, including a racial scandal that’s rocked City Council.

Further, the city has more than 40,000 individuals who are homeless, and crime has unnerved even the upper-class areas of Los Angeles.

“Congratulations to our Mayor-Elect,” superstar entertainer and Bass supporter John Legend tweeted.

“Angelenos chose someone who has devoted her life to helping her community become healthier, safer, and more just.”

After Republicans Do Poorly in Midterms, Trump Announces Presidential Run in 2024

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor

A week after congressional Republicans failed to win the U.S. Senate and barely won the U.S. House, former President Donald Trump announced he would run for President in 2024. Trump lost to President Joe Biden by seven million votes in 2020.

After the loss, Trump has spent two years claiming falsely the 2020 election was “stolen” and disinformation and misinformation drove his supporters to violently attack the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

At his announcement in Palm Beach, Florida on the evening of Nov. 15, Trump repeated some of the old themes that were a turnoff to young voters, swing voters and moderate Republicans in the midterm elections.

Trump complained about, “Biden and the radical-left lunatics running our government right into the ground,” during the speech. The timing of his announcement appears to be

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The Westside Pacesetters Drill Team in previews MLK Day Parade

Spectators enjoy the MLK Day parade.

Assemblymember Eloise Reyes and husband Frank Reyes at a previous MLK Day parade.

President of the United States Donald Trump speaking at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. (Photo: Gage Skidmore / Flickr)

The Associated Press said Bass enjoyed the advantage of being a lifelong Democrat “in a city where Republicans are almost invisible.” (Photo: Flickr, Taken on February 16, 2010)

Texas Judge Stops President Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

nominee.

“In this country, we are not ruled by an all-powerful executive with a pen and a phone,” he continued.

Keep Covid Off Your Holiday Guest List

By Sunita Sohrabji

The conservative group, Job Creators Network Foundation, filed the lawsuit against the plan on behalf who two individuals who didn’t qualify for relief under Biden’s program.

A federal judge in Texas bent to the will of a few and struck down President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program that offered relief to at least 40 million borrowers.

The conservative group, Job Creators Network Foundation, filed the lawsuit against the plan on behalf who two individuals who didn’t qualify for relief under Biden’s program.

There remains another legal challenge to the plan.

“We strongly disagree with the District Court’s ruling on our student debt relief program, and the Department of Justice has filed an appeal,” White House Press Secretary Karine JeanPierre said.

“The President and this Administration are determined to help working and middle-class Americans get back on their feet, while our opponents – backed by extreme Republican special interests – sued to block millions of Americans from getting muchneeded relief,” she stated.

White House officials maintain that the secretary of education received power from Congress to discharge student loan debt under the 2003 HEROES Act.

“The program is thus an unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s legislative power and must be vacated,” wrote Judge Mark Pittman, a Donald Trump

Under the president’s plan, borrowers who earned less than $125,000 in either 2020 or 2021 and married couples or heads of households who made less than $250,000 annually in those years are eligible to have up to $10,000 of their federal student loan debt forgiven.

If a qualifying borrower also received a federal Pell grant, the individual would receive as much as $20,000 of debt forgiveness.

In October, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals placed an administrative hold on Biden’s forgiveness program based on a suit filed by six GOP-led states.

In the most recent case in Texas, one plaintiff did not qualify for the student loan forgiveness program because the federal government does not hold her loans.

The other plaintiff is only eligible for $10,000 in debt relief because he did not receive a Pell grant.

They argued that they could not voice their disagreement with the program’s rules because the administration did not put it through a formal notice-andcomment rule-making process under the Administrative Procedure Act.

“This ruling protects the rule of law which requires all Americans to have their voices heard by their federal government,” said Elaine Parker, president of the Job Creators Network Foundation, in a statement.

CNN reported that major Trump donor and former Home Depot CEO Bernie Marcus founded Job Creators Network Foundation.

The holiday season is just around the corner. And, as we comb through our collections of treasured holiday ornaments, put Santa and his reindeer on the lawn, and plan elaborate feasts, health experts advise us to devise a strategy to keep our beloved friends and family safe from COVID-19 infection. This is especially important to protect elderly family members.

Dr. Dali Fan, a cardiologist and health sciences clinical professor at UC Davis, says he expects there will be an increase of COVID-19 cases this winter.

“I would not call it a ‘surge,’ which carries a tone of an uncontrolled situation. But a winter case increase is likely, and we need to stay vigilant,” said Dr. Fan.

Boosters Provide Protection

About 80 percent of Americans have received their initial COVID-19 vaccine series, but just 10 percent have availed of the updated booster, which is believed to recognize and provide protection against the Omicron variant.

In mid-October, the BA.5 subvariant accounted for 70 percent of COVID-19 cases in

the US. But rapidly emerging are the BA.4 and BA.4.6 subvariants, which account for 13 percent of infections. BQ.1 and BQ1.1, both immune-evasive variants, are rising rapidly and account for about 11 percent of cases in the US., said the CDC in a Nov. 4 report.

“It’s unclear whether any of them will overtake BA.5 as the country’s dominant COVID strain,” Fan said. “That makes getting a new Omicron-specific COVID booster all the more crucial.”

Dr. Fan provides advice on keeping our families safe from a COVID-19 infection, as we celebrate the holidays.

EMS: The holidays usually mean large indoor parties, often with poor ventilation because of inclement weather. Are such gatherings super-spreader events?

Dr. Fan: The short answer is yes. Hosting a holiday party indoors is considered risky for those who invite family and friends living outside of their homes. Risks associated with parties and events are driven in large part by the highly infectious

(Riverside, CA – November 16, 2022) – Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) received a $128,288 grant from Albertsons/Vons Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbor Program. The grant was provided from funds donated by generous customers at checkout in September and will be used to ensure every child in the Inland Empire gets access to a healthy breakfast.

“We’re excited to partner with Albertsons/Vons to help our community’s children start their day with a nutritious breakfast so they can succeed in school,” said Carolyn Solar, CEO of FARSB. “Together with Albertsons/Vons, we’ll continue to tackle the ongoing food insecurity issues in our community.”

FARSB is the leading hunger relief and food rescue organization serving the Inland Empire region. Thanks, through a partnership with over 250 local nonprofits. The food bank operates multiple nutrition programs and works to create a

hunger-free reality for children, seniors, veterans, and neighbors in need. All the donations made at these select stores helped reduce child hunger in our community.

“We’re pleased to partner with FARSB to address hunger issues in our community,” said Kevin Curry, Southern California Division President. “Nourishing Neighbors, together with partners like FARSB, are making our neighborhoods better for our most vulnerable community members.”

Nourishing Neighbors is a charitable program of Albertsons/Vons Foundation. The program aims to eradicate childhood hunger in America by keeping food banks stocked and supporting meal distribution programs at schools. In 2020, Nourishing Neighbors enabled 350 million meals, invested $10.4 million in schools to feed children, and provided $9 million towards empowering BIPOC communities through hunger programs.

The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade & Extravaganza Returns to San Bernardino’s Westside in Celebration of Dr. King’s Birthday...continued from page 1

Communications, YouthBuild Inland Empire, Chords Youth Enrichment Program, San Bernardino Valley College, San Bernardino Airport, Off the Chain Alliance, Westside Story Newspaper, Empire Talks Back and Black Health Coalition.

For more information or to sign up to be in the MLK Day Parade go to BlackChamberofCommerce.org follow the link for information and registration or call (888) 466-7408..

Medicare Savings Programs, run by your state, can help lower your healthcare costs.

If you’re single with an income of $20,000 or less, or if you’re married with an income of $25,000 or less, you may be eligible to save with Medicare Savings Programs.

Call your state Medicaid office at 1- 800-541-5555.

Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino Receives over $128,000 given by the Nourishing Neighbors Grant from Albertsons/ Vons Foundation’s Breakfasts for Kids Fundraiser

Dr. Dali Fan, a cardiologist and health sciences clinical professor at UC Davis, offers some tips for keeping your family free from Covid exposure this holiday season.

(Image courtesy of the Baylor College of Medicine)

Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. Donates Turkeys to Organizations in the Fifth District in Time for Thanksgiving

Panel Discuss Supreme Court Case Threatening End of Affirmative Action...continued

of hers and seven other students' testimonies. “My testimony really spoke to that direct experience and making clear that Asian American students and communities are in support of affirmative action.”

In 1965, Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246, requiring all government contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to expand job opportunities for minorities.

Law (LLM) admissions and supervises the Office of Financial Aid.

California ended affirmative action policies in 1996 with the passage of Proposition 209.

Golden State Could have $25 Billion

reserves.

The LAO, the state legislature’s fiscal and policy advisor, details the budget shortfall and suggests ways to avoid it in the 20-page “The 2023-24 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook.”

San Bernardino, CA.-

On November 17th, 2022, Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. donated over 100 turkeys to organizations in San Bernardino County’s Fifth District right in time for Thanksgiving. The event was held at Leno’s Rico Taco’s in Colton, where the chosen organizations drove in and had their turkeys placed into their cars. Those who received turkeys are planning on giving them out to members of their organizations who are unable to afford Thanksgiving dinner this year for their families.

“Giving back to our Fifth

District community is the least I can do. I am thankful for many things in my life and being fifth districts county Supervisor is something I will forever be thankful for. There is no better way to show thanks then by giving back to those who need some extra help during the holiday season. It was so touching to see just how grateful these organizations were as they drove in to pick up their donated turkeys. We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, full of happiness, peace, and love.

-Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.

Panel Discuss Supreme Court Case Threatening End of Affirmative Action

Fifty-seven years later, a decision by SCOTUS could be reached at the end of the current term in late June or early July 2023 banning affirmative action. The decision would dismantle race-conscious admission policies that overwhelmingly help BIPOC students create a better future for themselves, members of the panel stated.

“Schools take race into account as a factor in admission because that is the single best, most effective way to create a racially diverse class,” Zearfoss said.

Zearfoss directs the University of Michigan Law School Jurist Doctorate (JD) and Master of

Prop 209 states that the government and public institutions cannot discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to persons based on race in public employment, public education, and public contracting.

Proposition 16 was a constitutional amendment designed to repeal Prop 209, but the initiative was defeated by voters in 2020. Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber introduced the legislation that was the basis for Prop 16 when she was a state Assemblymember for the 79th District.

“When we no longer live in a White supremacist society then we can start thinking about ending these interventions that are necessary to counteract preferences for White people that exist and continue to exist,” Holder said.

After Republicans Do Poorly in Midterms, Trump Announces Presidential Run in 2024 ...continued from page 1

forced by the growing popularity of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who easily won reelection on Nov. 8th after barely winning against former Florida Mayor Andrew Gillum in 2018.

Several Republicans are now publicly critical of Trump after the GOP’s poor showing in the midterm elections. That poor showing followed a number of wrong predictions by popular prognosticators who said there would be a “red wave” and that Republicans would win 2025 seats over the Democrats. Instead, the Democrats narrowly lost the U.S. House.

Video of Trump’s announcement last night demonstrated security preventing attendees from leaving the event early.

an epic failure of our criminal legal system that Trump, having committed so many crimes in plain sight for years, was able to freely stand on that stage and announce his third run for President,” wrote New York Congressman Mondaire Jones after Trump’s speech.

It has long been a habit of the campaign to use, without permission, music from popular artists including Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, neither of whom support Trump.

Last night, the song “Hold On, I’m Comin”, sung by Sam Moore and Dave Prater and written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter was played.

The document is released yearly around this time to help guide California lawmakers as they begin to put together budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.

Petek said the threat of a national recession and actions by the Federal Reserve played a hand in the report’s outlook, but the predicted numbers are not based on a recession occurring.

“Economic conditions are really weighing on the revenue estimates that are a major influencer of our fiscal output,” Petek said. “With high inflation, with elevated inflation that causes the Fed to have to take action to cool down the economy in its effort to bring down inflation. The longer and the higher inflation remains, the more aggressive the Fed has to be. And the more aggressive the Fed has to be, it really increases the risk that the economy will fall into a recession. So, that being said, our revenue estimates do not assume a recession.”

California taxes wealthy people more than other states, so most of the revenue decline is because the rich aren’t making as much money as they used to. The report details that California could see deficits between $8 billion to $17 billion in the following years.

Less spending on large, onetime allocations is one way the state can offset the revenue losses it is expected to experience.

In response to the LAO budget prediction, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) said the state has budget resiliency — $37.2 billion in

“We can and will protect the progress of the recent year’s budgets,” Rendon said. “In particular, the Assembly will protect California’s historic school funding gains, as districts must continue to invest in retaining and recruiting staff to help kids advance and recover from the pandemic.”

State Senate Pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) said in the past, the dreary budget forecast would have meant program cuts and middle-class tax increases.

“That does not have to be the case this year,” Akins said.

“Thanks to our responsible approach, we are confident that we can protect our progress and craft a state budget without ongoing cuts to schools and other core programs or taxing middle class families. The bottom line is simple: we are prepared to hold onto the gains we’ve made and continue where we left off once our economy and revenues rebound."

Petek recommended that legislators not look to the reserves to solve the budget paucity when they begin formulating the state spending plan in early 2023.

“It would be prudent to try and identify other solutions in the early part of the budget period, and then if and when we have a lot more information about the economic situation — if revenues have deteriorated for example or if there were a recession, we are certainly not saying don’t use the reserves,” he said. “We are saying, keep them on hold and you have them to turn to in that situation if the picture has gone south in May. You have the reserves that we can tap into to really help supplement the other solutions identified earlier in the

Submission Deadline is MONDAYS by 5pm

Court’s

Harvard.

The online event titled, “The End of Affirmative Action: How SCOTUS Is Coming After BIPOC Students” delved into the impact of banning the consideration of race as a factor during the college admission process.

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students would be affected by such a ruling, said panelist Lisa Holder, an attorney and president of Equal Justice Society (EJS). EJS is an Oakland-based nonprofit and civil rights organization that does work geared toward transforming the nation’s consciousness on race through law, social sciences, and the arts.

“(Ending Affirmative Action) essentially, completely upends our ability to level the playing field and remediate for centuries of discrimination and marginalization,” said Holder said. “If you do not have intervention and take affirmative steps to counteract continued systemic racism it's going to take hundreds of years to repair those gaps. It will not happen by itself.”

Holder is also a member of the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, a nine-member panel established after Gov. Newsom signed Assembly Bill 3121, authored by then-Assemblymember Shirley Weber. The task force is investigating the history and costs of slavery in California and is charged with recommending an appropriate remedy for the state to implement.

Also participating on the End of Affirmative Action panel were Sally Chen, education equity program manager at Chinese for

On Oct. 31, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) listened to oral arguments in two cases challenging race-conscious student admissions policies used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC) to promote creating diverse student populations at their schools.

The case emerged in 2014, when SFFA, a nonprofit advocacy organization opposed to affirmative action, brought an action alleging Harvard violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (Title VI).

SFFA argues that Harvard instituted a race-conscious admissions program that discriminated against AsianAmerican applicants. SFFA also alleges that UNC is violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, by unfairly using race to provide preference to underrepresented minority applicants to the detriment of White and Asian-American applicants.

Chen is a first-generation college graduate from a workingclass immigrant family. She is an alumna of Harvard College. She was one of eight students and alumni that gave oral testimony in support of affirmative action in the 2018 federal lawsuit Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard.

“Particularly as these cases were taking advantage of a claim that Asian American students don’t benefit from Affirmative Action or are harmed; we really saw how this was a misrepresentation of our community needs,” Chen said

There have been three examples of Trump’s power waning. The first was his 2020 seven million vote loss to President Biden. The second was the victory in Virginia of political novice Glenn Youngkin over Terry McAuliffe in a race where Youngkin ran as a moderate and was deliberate in keeping Trump out of Virginia and the political conversation. The third example of MAGA’s waning power was the 2022 midterms. All of the statewide candidates running MAGA campaigns lost.

As results continue to come in for various U.S. House races it’s becoming clearer that New York redistricting will be a major factor in why the Democrats lost the majority in the House. That theory is demonstrated chiefly by the decision by DCCC Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney losing in a race about “Biden and the radical-left lunatics running our government right into the ground.”

“As a Black American, it’s really hard for me to shake what I just saw on TV. It is

“Once again, the estate and family of Isaac Hayes DID NOT approve the use of “Hold on I’m Coming’” by Sam and Dave by Donald Trump at his 2024 Presidential announcement tonight. We are exploring multiple legal options to stop this unauthorized use,” a message from the twitter account of the Isaac Hayes estate read.

“Stopping a politician from using your music is not always an easy task, but we are dedicated to making sure that Donald Trump does not continue to use “Hold on I’m Coming” by written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter in further rallies and public appearances,” the account added.

President Biden is expected to take on Trump again in 2024. But there has been open talk among pundits that Biden, 80, maybe too old to run again. Trump is 76.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist and the host of the podcast BURKEFILE. She is a political analyst who appears regularly on #RolandMartinUnfiltered. She may be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

Golden State Could have $25 Billion Deficit in 2023-24 Fiscal Year

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Petek said during a Nov. 16 video press briefing that if the predicted downturn happens, it will be the Golden State’s weakest revenue performance since the 2008 to 2009 Great Recession.

Email Press Releases to: mary@sb-american Submit legals on website @ sb-american.com

Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. Would Like to Formally Invite You to His Second Annual Holiday Open House Event

County/Business News

San Bernardino, CA.Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. would like to formally invite you to join him at his second annual Holiday Open House Event on December 6th, 2022.

The event will be taking place at the San Bernardino County Government Center from 4:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. Supervisor Baca, Jr.’s office will be having a children and pet toy drive that evening and would appreciate guests bringing unwrapped presents that will be delivered to underserved children and pets in our community.

“It’s the most wonderful time of year again! As my third year in office as San Bernardino County’s Fifth District Supervisor is fast approaching, we felt there was no better way to celebrate than by inviting our community to come and join us at our second annual Holiday Open House event.

I would love for you all to join me and my office as we celebrate the growth and accomplishments that have been made in our Fifth District this year! We are looking forward to seeing you all there!

-Supervisor Baca, Jr.

California’s government may have a faceoff with a $25 billion budget shortfall in the upcoming fiscal year as tax revenues decline, according to a report issued by the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO).

Legislative

Analyst Gabriel

“It is not insignificant, but it is also manageable,” Petek said. “We don’t think of this as a budget crisis. We just think of it as a notable budget problem that the legislature will have to confront when it begins that process in January.”

A webinar hosted by ChangeLawyers, American Constitution Society (ACS) Bay Area, and Equal Justice Society was held on Nov. 15 to discuss the possible outcomes of the United States Supreme

pending decision in the case Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v.

Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Affirmative Action, and Sarah C. Zearfoss, Senior Assistant Dean for the University of Michigan Law School.

Shilpa Ram -- Senior Staff Attorney for Education Equity, Public Advocates and a board member of the ACS Bay Area Lawyer Chapter -- was the moderator.

Yvonne Wheeler Elected New President of L.A County Federation of Labor

Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Yvonne

Bakewell continued. “She is the perfect person at the perfect time for this role.”

on its mission of representation and inclusivity for the diverse workers they represent.

“I am honored to be elected to lead during such a critical time for workers,” said Wheeler.

“In a post-COVID reality, we have to rebound, restabilize and reimagine from the perspective of workers to ensure we are on the right path, and that has to be our priority.”

very humble. She is a natural organizer and a natural leader. She will bring those skills to the labor council and the labor movement will thrive,” said Doug Moore, Executive Director, UDW/AFSCME, and AFSCME International Vice President.

A Sampling of Dining Out Options for Thanksgiving Soul Food Around California...continued from

can order ahead of time and pick their food up on the 24th.

Hotville, then known as the BBQ Hot Chicken Shack, was founded by Thornton Prince in 1936 in a segregated part of town.

Thorton's great-great niece Kim Prince now runs the family business.

Thorton's original recipe focused heavily on a fiery flavor.

"If you’ve never heard about Nashville-style hot chicken, it’s certainly time to get familiar," it reads.

Prince's focus is on community, as Thorton's original chicken recipe "brought people together" even in a divided town.

Nov.

21. The historic unanimous vote by her peers makes Wheeler the first Black woman to hold the title and makes her one of the most influential people in Los Angeles politics.

The LA Fed, the second largest central labor body in the nation, is a federation of over 300 affiliated union and labor organizations that represent more than 800,000 members. LA Fed is known for fighting for better wages, establishing respect in the workplace and the vast political influence their endorsements hold.

“Yvonne is the best selection and most informed Union leader in the state,” said Danny Bakewell, Executive Publisher, LA Sentinel and the Chairman/ CEO of Bakewell Media.

She has integrity, understands union leadership and she is one is those rare leaders that the community and the people trust,”

Wheeler’s election comes in the wake of a political scandal involving former LA Fed President Ron Herrera and three City Council Members – Council President Nury Martinez, Kevin de León, and Gil Cedillo.

A secret recording of Herrera and the City Council members was released in October that featured a conversation involving crude and racist remarks directed towards African Americans, Jews, Armenians, and other ethnic groups. They also were plotting ways they could use the council’s redistricting power and influence to their advantage.

Herrera stepped down from his position as president the day after the LA Times released their initial report on the recording. Massive protests and demonstrations followed the release of the report and the audio of the conversation.

The LA Fed’s decision to elect Wheeler shifts attention from the scandal and directs focus

Sandals Church Fights to Help Inland Empire Teens with New Center

The Hill Teen Center is named after the late educator and community leader Dr. Margaret Hill. The center will provide support for teenagers suffering from homelessness, hunger, gang violence, drugs, alcohol, and poverty.

A Baton Rouge, Louisiana native, Wheeler was serving as the LA Fed’s vice president at the time of her election. Her years of experience as a labor worker, union representative, and activist earned her a reputation as a steward of speaking up for the voiceless and demanding fair treatment from employers.

Wheeler emerged as a labor leader in the late 90s when her advocacy for Black operators at South Central Bell (SBC) prompted her co-workers to elect her to lead the local union. She became president of the Los Angeles Chapter and President of the California State A. Philip Randolph Institute, an AFL-CIOsponsored group bridging the gap between the African American community and the labor movement through civil rights campaigns, voter registration, and job training.

“Yvonne and I grew up in the labor movement.

She is the right person to lead the LA Labor council. She has integrity and she is a true leader who understands how to bring people together from diverse backgrounds. She is fearless and at the same time

In 2002, she was recruited by the AFL-CIO as a national field representative. Wheeler also co-chair of the L.A. Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride in 2003, championing the plight of immigrant workers. Her credits include pivotal L.A.-area campaigns such as the longshore union lockout, supermarket strike/lockout, and helping to defeat Gov. Schwarzenegger’s 2005 special election initiatives.

Wheeler served as an AFLCIO Senior Field Representative covering all of Southern California. She also served as the California Area Director for AFSCME Western Region prior to serving in Washington, DC as the Special Assistant to the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National Secretary-Treasurer. She transferred back to California to reunite with her family in 2014.

“Change is never easy,” Wheeler said. “But it is what we need right now. Our members, our communities rely on us, so we will fight to uplift their voices and build their power to make sure they are never put in this position again. My term as President will not be about what I can do, or what my staff can do, but what we will all do together.”

Pastor Reinhard.

“I live here, I serve the Sandals Church congregation right here and have fought to make a difference for more than 30 years. It breaks my heart to see children in such distress, it’s time to all work together to give our teens what they need to succeed. To do that, we need your donation today,” said Pastor Reinhard.

The Hill Teen Center is being built at 3701 N Sierra Way, in San Bernardino. The location

is a closed building owned by Sandals Church San Bernardino.

Sandals Church currently provides essential services to the community, including office space for existing nonprofit organizations that provide essential services to the youth of the Inland Empire.

For more information about The Hill Teen Center, go to TheHilltc.com/GivingTuesday, or call The ROGO Foundation at (951) 800-7865.

Their website boasts about how spicy their chicken is, as

Hotville is located at 4070 Marlton Ave.

FDA Warns Companies for Illegally Selling Food and Beverage Products that Contain CBD

Constituent Update November 21, 2022

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted warning letters to five companies for illegally selling products containing cannabidiol (CBD).

Warning letters were sent to the following companies:

11-11-11 Brands Naturally Infused LLC Newhere Inc dba CBDFX Infusionz LLC CBD American Shaman, LLC These companies are selling CBD containing products that people may confuse for traditional foods or beverages which may result in unintentional consumption or overconsumption of CBD. CBDcontaining products in forms that are appealing to children, such as gummies, hard candies and cookies, are especially concerning.

The use of CBD raises safety concerns, especially with longterm use. Scientific studies show possible harm to the male reproductive system, including testicular atrophy, harm to the liver, and interactions with certain medications. The FDA has not found adequate information showing how much CBD can be consumed, and for how long,

before causing harm. This is particularly true for vulnerable populations like children and those who are pregnant. People should be aware of the potential risks associated with the use of CBD products.

FDA experts commented on the agency’s concerns with adding CBD to food and on information they want consumers to know. View the conversation on our website. https://www.fda. gov/food/conversations-expertsfood-topics/what-fda-doingprotect-consumers-cannabidiolcbd-foods

Today’s warning letters also outline additional violations of the FD&C Act, including that several of the companies are illegally selling unapproved CBD products that claim to cure, mitigate, treat or prevent various diseases, and adding CBD to animal foods, such as pet treats. The FDA has requested responses from the companies within 15 working days stating how they will address the issues described in the warning letters or providing their reasoning and supporting information as to why they think the products are not in violation of the law.

Failure to adequately address the violations promptly may result in legal action, including product seizure and/or injunction.

Alarming Surge of Pediatric RSV

The disease, which affects very young children, currently has no cure.

By Peter White

The Hill Teen Center, a free community center, to provide essential services to Inland Empire teenagers in need of help.

To make The Hill Teen Center a reality the coalition seeks to raise $1.3 million on Giving Tuesday, November 29.

The Hill Teen Center will be a 10,000 square/foot facility that will deliver clinical counseling, tutoring, skill - and lifecoaching, mentorship, laundry facilities, as well as a safe and fun environment for teenagers to spend time with friends in a safe place, all free of charge.

“The Hill Teen Center is named after the late educator and community leader Dr. Margaret Hill. The center will provide support for teenagers suffering from homelessness, hunger, gang violence, drugs, alcohol, and poverty,” said Chris Reinhard, Campus Pastor at Sandals Church in San Bernardino.

“The Hill Teen Center is a place for kids to go for hope, rather than despair,” said Dr. Scott Wyatt, Ed.D. Area Director, Student Services at San Bernardino County

Reinhard and Wyatt spent the last few years creating a solution to address these concerns understanding that the teens “just need a safe place to go.”

Inland Empire teens are in a state of crisis, said Reinhard with three out of 10 suffering from poverty in the immediate vicinity of the center, two out of ten in the city, and 1.5 out of ten in San Bernardino County, according to the United States Census Bureau.

One in ten of youths in the City of San Bernardino are “homeless.” In the 2019/20 school year, 30,270 San Bernardino County K-12 students were identified as homeless or lacking secure housing increasing 6.6 percent from the previous year.

“These factors, along with alcoholism and drug addiction have left too many students and their families hopeless, with little belief that their life will have any meaningful change,” said Pastor Reinhard.

“Now is the time to make a concerted effort to solve these problems and help our young men and women overcome these obstacles and regain the hope and the need to succeed in life,” said

A common virus with flulike symptoms is infecting very young children in large numbers, leading to a spike in the number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in recent weeks.

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, was first identified in 1956; there is no vaccine although clinical trials are underway with pregnant women, said Dr. Priya Soni, a Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist at CedarsSinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

“There is no treatment or therapeutic antiviral for RSV virus,” Soni added, speaking at a national Ethnic Media News briefing last week. Babies are getting ill because they have smaller airways and they’re not able to clear secretions like older adults.

“For us, our virus can be just a mild cold but in babies they can get bronchiolitis and other complications,” she said.

To make matters worse, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is reporting large numbers of flu cases across the country, especially in Georgia and

Florida. RSV could spike later.

“We hope that everything doesn’t coincide at the same time as RSV surging, but we are seeing an uptick in flu cases as well,” Soni said.

The journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine published a study in November estimating that 1 in 50 children under age 5 around the world die from RSV. It is the second leading cause of death after malaria and kills between 100,000 and 200,000 babies under the age of one every year.

Dr. Mina Hakim usually sees more RSV patients in January or February. He is a pediatrics specialist at South Central Family Health Center in Los Angeles. “It’s very unusual to see it this early,” he said. He worries what will happen in the next few months

“This is coming to a point where it’s overwhelming our ERs and our ICUs, and our hospitals,” he said.

Whites, Hispanics, and Native Americans have a higher risk of infection, according to the CDC. But Hakim said the highest risk

Wheeler was elected the new President of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, (LA Fed)

Yvonne Wheeler

Photo credit: Leroy Hamilton

San Bernardino, Calif. – The ROGO Foundation in partnership with Sandals Church, The San Bernardino City Unified District School Board, and small businesses across the Inland Empire is building

Superintendent of Schools, and School Board President of the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

Sandals Church Fights to Help Inland Empire Teens with New Center...continued

Last Piece of the End-Time Puzzle Is Being Put Together!”

By: Lou K. Coleman-Yeboah Lou K. Coleman-Yeboah

The signs are everywhere. Signs in the sun, in the moon, in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring [Luke 21:25; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:2426; Revelation 6:12-17]]. Just take a look around you. What do you see? War and the nations gathering for more war. Economic woes, massive inflation, crime on all sides, wickedness everywhere, natural disasters, famine, etc., etc., etc. I tell you; we are living in a time like no other before us, and yet just as in the days of Noah and Lot, people continue to 'eat and drink' and live as if nothing is going to happen. But I tell you, great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones. Despite all the talk about things getting better and better, the contrary is true…things are getting worse and worse. There is a great deception taking place in this world that many people, are not seeing. It is an extremely dangerous deception, one that is perpetrated on a massive scale. So much so, that [Mark 13:22] tells us that it will be so strong and so powerful and so convincing that even Christians will be tempted to be deceived by it. Do not be complacent. Be alert! Be ready!

Because now unfolding before our eyes, certain signs hint that the enactment of Antichrist’s plan is imminent. Satan has been planning this world takeover for millenniums now. He has

cunningly formulated his plans and will, and at the right moment, he would put them into play. Be alert! Be ready! Because I tell you, the last piece of the EndTime puzzle is being put together.

The question for all who are still unsaved is: Will you be delivered by Christ, or will you be deceived by the Antichrist and his puppets? Who will use all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be save [Matthew 24:23-24; 2Thessalonians 2:911].

As I see it, it is only the mercy of God that He has not sent His Son to rapture us out of this world before now. If I were you, and was not prepared for eternity, believe me, I would run to Jesus to get saved, because end time prophecies is fast being fulfilled. Watch the sun and moon and the stars of the Heavens. When they appear to be unduly disturbed and restless, know that the day is not far away. The time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand, even at the door [Matthew 24:33]. You have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecies of the eleventh of Daniel have almost reached their final fulfillment. "The hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try us that dwell upon the earth" [Revelation 3:10] will soon be upon us, and all who are not firmly established upon God's Word and the righteousness of Jesus Christ will be deceived and overcome. Run to Jesus before it is too late!

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” [Revelation 1:3, see also 22:7].

Saving Lives with Sexuality Education...continued

By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew

As I get older, I recognize that feelings are real and yet, they can be dangerous. Our feelings, if unchecked, can wreak havoc and confusion.

Just last week, I received a voicemail from an angry lady. She was livid about something that happened to her and spewed frustration about what others had done. I immediately called her back, and she began to apologize for being in her feelings and reacting too quickly. I called to inform her that it wasn’t something I was responsible for and after listening to the situation, I immediately informed her that she needed to reach out to a totally different entity. She continued to apologize after realizing that she had gotten upset without having clear information.

She’s not alone—it is commonplace to witness individuals immediately respond based on how they feel. Many of our decisions are rooted in how it makes us feel.

We immediately respond often

without thinking things through and truly assessing what is going on. Relationships have been destroyed, trust broken, and jobs terminated because of the need to respond.

If more people paused and thought of the consequences of their actions, they might be more apt to do things differently.

According to Dr. Bryn Farnsworth, “…feelings are the conscious experience of emotional reactions. Originating in the neocortical regions of the brain, feelings are sparked by emotions and shaped by personal experiences, beliefs, memories, and thoughts linked to that particular emotion. Strictly speaking, a feeling is the side product of your brain perceiving an emotion and assigning a certain meaning to it.”

Your feelings become thoughts which can then become an action— they are all connected.

Assumptions are the worst because they lead us down a

COMMENTARY:

Your Feelings CAN Fail You... continued

path of no return because we can assign the wrong meaning to the emotion we are experiencing.

Without having complete information and knowledge, we can make decisions that have far reaching consequences that began in our thoughts and our emotions.

In Luke 15:11-32, we see an example of a young man who thought he knew more and requested his inheritance from his father. He probably allowed his feelings to validate his decision and instead of staying in a place of stability and comfort, he squandered his finances with nowhere to live.

“17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.”

His feelings, based in bad thinking, resulted in destructive consequences.

When we make rash decisions, we are like this young man. Instead of consulting God (represented by the Father in this passage), we allow our feelings, bad information, and other people’s opinions to sway us into choices that are not in our best interests.

We make assumptions that others have it better than we do and if we just do it ‘our’ way, things would be better. So much grief could have been avoided if he had spoken with his father first.

Are you talking to God about your emotions and feelings

before acting? Are you allowing the presence and Word of God to inform your decisions, your feelings, and your thoughts before reacting or seeking the advice of others? The Bible speaks about emotions and their power. “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV) It is okay to experience our feelings because they are a gauge.

We cannot allow our feelings to control us in such a way that we make decisions that harm us and others. It’s not that you don’t pay attention to how you feel. You should but you cannot allow your feelings to be the sole indicator in your decision making.

It is about listening to God to direct you, seeking wise counsel, and taking an inventory of what is going on objectively. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. Our emotions and feelings are real. They are data. And just as data doesn’t tell the entire story, your feelings don’t either.

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the Founder and CEO of Soulstice Consultancy, Specializing as a Partnership Broker and Leadership Expert for companies and organizations to thrive with measurable and meaningful impact. She also is the VP of Community Affairs and Strategic Alliances for the State Fair of Texas.

WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #1126

Saving Lives with Sexuality Education

Amy Johnson

My friends’ lives are at stake. From retired clergy to the best friend of teen relatives, to the grandchildren of friends, my beloved are being targeted by legislation designed to make people afraid of them.

I strongly believe faith leaders and communities have a responsibility to dismantle shame and stigma about bodies and relationships. It saves lives.

Florida leaders, however, are stoking stigma by prohibiting classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to students in kindergarten through grade 3. A new policy calls for the revocation or suspension of teaching licenses for any K–3 teachers who teach students about these topics.

In addition, the Florida Board of Medicine and the state Board of Osteopathic Medicine approved a rule banning transgender minors from receiving gender-affirming care, which stands contrary to the recommendations of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the American Psychological Association. While the ban includes some exceptions for young people already receiving nonsurgical care, doctors who violate the new rules face losing their medical licenses.

These actions codify discrimination and create unsafe environments for many young children to discuss their family members and for many teachers to be authentic about their lives.

Studies show that LGBTQ students who do not have affirming school environments are at a higher risk of attempting suicide. Additional research done with Harvard Medical School shows that access to genderaffirming care like that now

banned in Florida is associated with lower rates of suicide ideation in transgender young adults.

At a moment in time when many feel helpless about the growing number of movements placing legislative restrictions on medical care and education, we must band together and take the actions we can to protect those who are vulnerable to such vicious medical and educational discrimination.

The United Church of Christ has a long history of providing comprehensive, inclusive, faithbased sexuality education in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Association through the Our Whole Lives and Sexuality & Our Faith ministry. Our denomination remains committed to providing training and developmentally appropriate materials throughout the lifespan for congregations and other organizations to be able to engage in crucial conversations about sexuality in the context of their faith.

Providing space in our faith communities to have these conversations helps reduce biased attitudes, which are at the base of the Pyramid of Hate developed by the AntiDefamation League. Genocide is at the top of the pyramid, and while not all biased attitudes lead to genocide, all acts of genocide have roots in biased attitudes. Our Whole Lives saves lives.

Nurturing health and wholeness includes actively and intentionally teaching about the sacredness of our bodies, our relationships, and our communities. I call on people in Florida to demand these actions be rescinded and to help put an end to punishing teachers

for teaching about the diversity of humanity and doctors for providing medical care. I stand in solidarity with and affirm my LGBTQ+ siblings in Florida, throughout the country, and throughout the world. You were

created in the image of God and are beloved.

Rev. Amy Johnson is the Minister for Sexuality Education and Justice for the United Church of Christ.

Alarming Surge of Pediatric RSV...continued from page 4

population is children less than six months old.

CDC RSV-NET Interactive Dashboard, Rates by Race/ Ethnicity Hakim noted the general overall hospitalizations rate year to year for RSV is about 13 per 100,000, or 0.3%. “For children less than six months of age, the hospitalization rate can be up to 2 percent. So there’s more than a 100-fold difference there in the hospitalization rate,” Hakim said.

RSV spreads like the flu—from tiny droplets that are inhaled, unwashed hands, or from hard surfaces where the virus can live up to six hours. But why is RSV surging now?

Dr. Manisha Newaskar, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, said most babies catch RSV before they are two years old and get over it but precautions taken during the COVID pandemic kept babies from being exposed to it.

“We were taking utmost precautions, right? We were wearing masks, we were washing hands, we were not sending our kids to school if they were having even a sniffle. So that’s what was causing fewer cases and now that things have opened up, the world has gone back to its normal pace,” Dr. Newaskar said.

“The most common symptom is a stuffy nose and babies breath thru their nose and that makes them struggle.”

Babies may have a fever and Tylenol can help reduce it. But what lands them in the ER is difficulty breathing from swollen airways. RSV babies fuss, don’t eat, and get dehydrated.

Newaskar said that if an infant is less than six months old with cough, congestion, or fever, parents need to keep a close eye

on the baby’s symptoms and see a pediatrician if they get worse. There is a diagnostic test that can determine if the baby has the flu, RSV, or COVID. The flu comes on quickly, RSV in stages, and all three viruses have similar symptoms.

RSV is a virus and antibiotics won’t help. What does is suctioning mucus from the nose with a bulb and using a humidifier to keep airways moist.

Newaskar noted that doctors give the Synagis vaccine to preemies and other high-risk infants to prevent severe RSV disease.

“Studies have found that kids who are exposed to smoking at early stages are more likely to be in the hospital due to RSV, as are babies who have not been breastfed, Hakim noted.

“Three months of breastfeeding can decrease your risk for severe bronchitis from RSV.”

Hakim, 90% of whose patients are below the poverty line, added that working mothers stop breastfeeding because the realities of life make them return to work sooner than other populations.

Doctors advise the same prevention measures people use to avoid COVID.

Newaskar said that good basic hygiene like covering your cough and frequent hand washing can keep babies from getting sick.

“If your child is sick, don’t go to school, right?…even if they are having mild symptoms, it’s best to keep them home to prevent the virus from going around in the school,” she urged.

If you’re planning to travel over the holidays, make sure you’re up to date on our COVID boosters and get a flu shot. “So at least you have protected yourself against two major viruses,” she said.

Golden State Could have $25 Billion Deficit in 2023-24 Fiscal Year...continued from page 3 process.”

Republican Assemblymember Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) said the report is a wakeup call.

“California’s economy is weakening, and now with persistent inflation, the revenue that is coming into the state of California is coming in way below projection,” Fong said. “As someone who has been on the budget committee for a number of years, we have been warning about this. The ruling party in Sacramento continues to spend and grow government programs without any accountability and the budget is completely unsustainable. We have to refocus on fiscal responsibility.”

LAO’s budget forecast comes on the heels of Gov. Newsom and the Democratic-controlled legislature estimated $97-billion

surplus that led to the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility to all immigrants in 2024, a boost in the earned income tax credit, and free preschool for 4-year-olds.

A relief package, priced at $17 billion, to help families, seniors and low-income Californians and small businesses was also approved in June by lawmakers.

The surplus is gone once a budget is passed, according to the LAO, so the fiscal outlook provided to legislators assumes that current state laws and policies will remain in place.

“We make adjustments for caseloads and things that influence the budget expenditures, but if you keep the same policies what would your budget picture look like?”

Petek said. “That is what we are trying to tee up for them as they await the governor’s proposal.”

“The

COMMENTARY: Your Feelings CAN Fail You

Faithfull Utterances

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the Founder and CEO of Soulstice Consultancy, Specializing as a Partnership Broker and Leadership Expert for companies and organizations to thrive with measurable and meaningful impact.

Oakland Jehovah’s Witnesses Return to Door-to-Door Ministry After 30-Month Pandemic Pause

By Alan Mobley

Jehovah’s

The decision to resume their door-to-door ministry marked the complete restoration of all pre-pandemic in-person activities for the nearly 1.3 million Jehovah’s Witnesses in the 12,000 congregations in the United States.

Houses of worship (called Kingdom Halls) were reopened on April 1, witnessing in public places resumed on May 31, and in-person conventions are again being planned for 2023.

“I have had a great time reintroducing myself to my neighbors,” said lifelong Oakland resident Aaron Elder, who has begun visiting people at their homes again with his wife, Natasha. “People have been very friendly. I think many are concerned about the state of the world and are eager to talk about something positive.”

The suspension of the public

ministry was a proactive response by the organization to keep communities and congregants safe. The move was also unprecedented. Jehovah’s Witnesses had been preaching from house to house without interruption for more than 100 years including World War I, the Great Depression, World War II and further global unrest, but COVID-19 demanded a different response.

“We believe that the early decision to shut down all inperson activities for more than two years has saved many lives,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “We’re now ready and eager to reconnect with our neighbors once again – person to person, face to face. It’s not the only way that we preach, but it has historically been the most effective way to deliver our message of comfort and hope.”

The return to an in-person ministry coincides with a global campaign to offer an interactive Bible study program, available in hundreds of languages and offered at no cost.

Witnesses Return to Door-toDoor Ministry...cont’d

The course comes in the form of a printed book, online publication or as an embedded feature within the organization’s free mobile application, JW Library. Released in late 2020, the interactive study platform combines text, video, illustrations and digital worksheets to help learners of all ages.

“This study program is designed to match the learning style of the 21st-century student,” said Hendriks. “We’re excited to begin sharing it with our neighbors as we return to making personal visits.”

The pandemic forced Jehovah’s Witnesses to quickly pivot to virtual meetings and conventions while conducting their ministry exclusively through letters, phone calls and virtual Bible studies.

This has led to growth in

meeting attendance and the number of congregants, with more than 400,000 newly baptized Witnesses joining the ranks of 120,000 congregations globally in just the first two years of the pandemic.

For more information about Jehovah’s Witnesses, their history, beliefs and activities, visit their official website, jw.org, with content available in more than 1,000 languages.

Alan Mobley is the public communications representative for the U.S. office of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The post Oakland Jehovah’s Witnesses Return to Door-toDoor Ministry After 30-Month Pandemic Pause first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.

Riverside County child dies from RSVassociated illness

An eastern Riverside County child under the age of 4 has died after contracting a respiratory illness that is possibly linked to Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, health officials reported today.

“The loss of a child is devastating and all of Public Health sends it heartfelt condolences to the family, loved ones and anyone impacted by this tragic event,” said Dr. Geoffrey Leung, public health officer for Riverside County.

The name of the child and city of residence are not being released. The child died at a local hospital after a short illness. Leung urges parents to take the

Water saving actions that make a big difference

Regardless of the season, California is still experiencing an extreme drought. Here are a few simple tips to help you save water.

necessary precautions to protect their children as officials see an increase in influenza and RSV in young children. He noted the following recommendations will help prevent the spread of RSV and other diseases:

Wash hands frequently.

Cover coughs and sneezes. Keep children home when sick.

Consider indoor masking. Disinfect frequently used surfaces.

There is a medicine that can help protect some babies at high risk for severe RSV disease. Healthcare providers usually

Riverside County child dies from RSV-associated illness ...continued

give this medicine (called palivizumab) to very premature infants and young children with certain heart and lung conditions as a series of monthly shots during RSV season. If you are concerned about your child’s risk for severe RSV infection, talk to your child’s healthcare provider.

RSV typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but can be particularly serious for infants and older adults each winter.

The RSV season typically lasts from November to March, but this year began early and seems to be affecting more kids than previous seasons. It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year old in the United States.

Symptoms can include shallow or difficulty breathing, cough, poor appetite, listlessness or

irritability and it can cause bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs).

The RSV-associated pediatric death is the first reported in Riverside County and underscores the early onset of what is expected to be an active winter season countywide for influenza, COVID and other respiratory illnesses.

Residents are advised to call their healthcare provider and seek immediate medical attention if a child or anyone is having difficulty breathing.

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about RSV, click here.

To learn more, visit Riverside University Health System Public Health’s Disease Control branch at https://www.ruhealth.org/ public-health/disease-control or call 951.358.5107.

Covid Off

Omicron strain of COVID-19.

A Harris Poll conducted last year found that 54 percent of fully vaccinated respondents intend to make vaccination status a factor when they’re making their holiday plans. More than 50 percent are hesitant to attend gatherings with unvaccinated family members or friends. So, if you are concerned, you are not alone.

EMS: How can hosts keep their guests safe from getting a Covid infection during their indoor gathering? Conversely, what can guests do?

Dr. Fan: First, urge everyone on your holiday guest list to get vaccinated, and to get a new updated booster or third dose if advised to by their health professional. This will be the biggest COVID-19 risk factor reduction.

Second, if you’re able to, host family outside, where risks are considerably lower.

Third, protect yourself while attending indoor gatherings. Wear a well-fitted mask, keep a safe distance from others, and wash your hands frequently.

Lastly, if you are sick, stay home.

EMS: Would you recommend wearing a mask at an indoor holiday party, even if folks around you choose not to wear them? And should we limit the size of gatherings?

Dr. Fan: Wearing a mask in indoor spaces helps slow the spread of many different respiratory viruses including RSV, flu and COVID.

I personally recommend that if you’re going to get together with people who are not living in your home and local transmission rates are high, do wear masks, if possible. This can be awkward and embarrassing. But it lowers your risk, your host’s risk, as well

as your loved ones. If the meal can be enjoyed outdoors with a limited number of people, that’s safer than gathering inside. If the celebration must take place indoors, opening windows can increase ventilation.

Who Should Wear Masks?

Other people who should consider wearing masks include:

Younger children who may not be able to receive full vaccinations

Elderly guests who may be considered immunocompromised but unable to complete vaccination and those who face pre-existing conditions that put them at high risk for severe sickness

Those living in a town or city where local COVID-19 transmission is trending high, as asymptomatic spread (those who are sick without any symptoms) is still a concern.

EMS: Would you recommend that hosts mandate a COVID test of each of their guests on the day of the gathering?

Dr. Fan: I don’t think a COVID test mandate is necessary, but those that feel safer testing before traveling or attending in person events should feel free to do so.

EMS: How do we keep elderly family members and high-risk people safe? If a resident of a long-term care facility joins in, what safety measures would you suggest for them, and your guests?

Dr. Fan: Remember: Compared to young adults, those over the age of 65 are 60 times more likely to die from COVID-19, according to the CDC. The death rate is 340 times higher for those over the age of 85. This underscores the need to get vaccinated and boosted and to take any additional precautions

based on your situation, like masking or celebrating outside or virtually if necessary.

People from long-term care facilities usually have the highest risk. Inform your guests about their presence.

EMS: Will boosters play a big role in keeping people safe during the holidays?

Dr. Fan: I believe the COVID vaccine booster doses are crucial. Please keep in mind that while the original mRNA coronavirus vaccines have proven effective at preventing death and severe disease from COVID-19, breakthrough infections and reinfections have become more common in the face of an evolving virus and waning immune protection over time. The boosters can strength the protection on both fronts.

The updated booster is a bivalent vaccine, which means it contains two messenger RNA (mRNA) components of the coronavirus. Half of the vaccine targets the original strain, and the other half targets the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariant lineages, which are predicted to continue circulating this fall and winter.

EMS: When is the ideal time to take the shot, for protection through Thanksgiving and beyond?

Dr. Fan: It’s going to take about two weeks for you to start to develop protection from the initial COVID vaccine. It typically takes a few weeks for the body to produce T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes after vaccination. But the protection starts to wane after about six months.

So, the best time to get boosted for the holidays is now. Check with your medical care provider, local clinic, or MyTurn.ca.gov.

Witnesses resumed their trademark door-to-door ministry after a two-and-a-halfyear suspension, just in time for their September launch of a global campaign featuring an interactive program for Bible study.

Oakland Jehovah’s

Grateful, Thankful and Blessed

City Of Victorville One Step Closer To Forming Revitalization Investment Authority For Old Town, Will Be

First In

Public Input for Draft Revitalization Plan Sought

VICTORVILLE, Calif. —

With the release of its draft revitalization plan for Old Town last week, the City of Victorville is one step closer to forming the first Community Revitalization Investment Authority (CRIA) in California. The CRIA is an economic and affordable housing tool established by AB 2 in 2015 for government agencies to finance revitalization of disadvantaged communities like Old Town Victorville.

The Victorville City Council authorized the formation of a CRIA for Old Town in August 2021.

“Our plans to revitalize Old Town were derailed in 2012, when the state axed its funding program for local redevelopment,” said Victorville Mayor Debra Jones. “Without the necessary funds, the struggle to find the most prudent way to invest in this once-thriving, historical section of our City was ever present. Fortunately, the state authorized the CRIA as a new investment mechanism that can help us restore vitality to Old Town.”

Once fully implemented, the CRIA will have access to property tax increment revenue generated within the Old Town Specific Plan Area to fund revitalization activities such as infrastructure improvements; low- and moderate-income housing development; real property acquisition; loans or grants to owners and tenants to improve, rehabilitate, and retrofit buildings; and business assistance.

CRIA revenue is not raised through a new tax. Instead, it comes from rising property values within the revitalization zone. For example, as developers and

businesses improve and build on properties in Old Town, those properties benefit from higher appraised values, which in turn triggers increased property tax assessments collected by the County. With an active CRIA, the extra revenue generated would be allocated directly to the CRIA for use solely within the Old Town Revitalization Zone.

To further incentivize investment, the Victorville City Council took action in June 2022 to waive development impact fees for all development in the Old Town CRIA Area.

The Old Town Area satisfies state requirements to form a CRIA – the annual household income is below 80 percent of the statewide median, unemployment is at least three percent higher than the statewide median, crime rates are at least five percent higher than the statewide median, and the area has deteriorated commercial and residential structures.

In its current draft status, the Old Town Victorville CRIA only includes the City of Victorville’s portion of future property tax increment collected by the County of San Bernardino; however, to increase the CRIA’s economic impact in Old Town, City officials are pursuing the County’s participation to also invest a portion of County tax increment. The addition of County tax increment would mean greater revitalization investment in Old Town Victorville improving the area and thereby reducing the burden on County provided services.

In August 2021, Victorville established its CRIA Board comprised of three City Council Members and two community

California

members. The next state requirement is adoption of the CRIA Plan. The draft plan is now available for public input.

Community members can view the draft CRIA Plan online at VictorvilleCA.gov/CRIA or inperson at Victorville City Hall.

The CRIA Board will be hosting four public meetings to discuss the CRIA Plan, answer questions, and take comments from the public. The first public meeting is planned for Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. within Conference Room D of Victorville City Hall, located at 14343 Civic Dr. Additional meetings are planned for Feb. 6, March 20, and May 15. Once the plan is approved, the CRIA will be established making it the first CRIA in California.

Questions can be directed to the City of Victorville Planning Division at (760) 955-5135 or planning@victorvilleca.gov.

Located in Southern California at the high-point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Victorville is the leading city for both industry and retail in the High Desert region. Victorville is a growing, vibrant community that is home to approximately 130,000 residents and some of the area’s largest employers. Clean air, abundant mountain vistas, family-friendly recreational activities, spectacular sunsets and breathtaking night skies entice locals and visitors alike to fall in love with this city that is within a few hours of SoCal beaches, National Parks, mountain retreats, and other major attractions.

Ontario International Airport is less than an hour away. Learn more about the City of Victorville at VictorvilleCA.gov.

The finalist of the Miss Black Awareness Scholarship Pageant Contestants, Kylie Brown, Sincerely Tim's, Serenity Tim's, Aliyah Belvins, Si'yae Purnell, and Chardonna Dixon, are gratefully preparing Thanksgiving bags to bless families in our communities for Thanksgiving.

The Miss Black Awareness Scholarship Pageant Contestants Show They Are Grateful