THE SAN BERNARDINO
AMERICAN
"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
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NEWSPAPER
A Community Newspaper Serving San Bernardino & Los Angeles Counties
December 25, 2025 Thursday Edition December 5, 2024 Thursday Edition
Vol. 56 No. 37
Volume 55 No. 34 Mailing: P.O Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393
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Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance those of whom they suppress. —Fredrick Douglass (1849)
Statue of Barbara Rose Johns, Virginia New California Law Strengthens Protections Against Employee Civil Rights Activist, Replaces Robert Tip Theft E Lee Statue in the U.S. Capitol By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
By Lauren Victoria Burke/BlackPressUSA Newswire Contributor “The Commonwealth of Virginia will now be properly represented by an actual patriot who embodied the principle of liberty and justice for all, and not a traitor who took up arms against the United States to preserve the brutal institution of chattel slavery,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries standing on stage at the U.S. Capitol on December 16. The line earned applause and Leader Jeffries was cheered loudly before saying a word as he approached the stage. The event: A dedication of the Barbara Rose Johns statue in the U.S. Capitol. Johns will replace a statue of Robert E. Lee as one of two statues that represent Virginia in the U.S. Capitol. The Lee statue was removed from the Crypt on the first floor of the U.S. Capitol in 2020. In a Capitol Building that still has statues in honor of Jefferson Davis, Barbara Rose Johns will be on the first floor of the U.S. Capitol in the same position the statue of Lee formerly occupied. The Johns statue now joins Sojourner Truth, Mary McLeod Bethune and Rosa Parks as one of four Black women honored in the U.S. Capitol in statue form. The official dedication and unveiling event featured over 200 members of the Johns family including her two brothers Ernest Johns and Roderick Johns, and sister Joan Johns Cobbs. Over 800 witnessed the unveiling which made the event one of
Barbara Rose Johns statue ‑ X / GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN
the most well attended unveiling events at the U.S. Capitol. Under federal law, each state is represented by two statues in National Statuary Hall. The statues are selected by the state to honor notable individuals from that state’s history. In 2018, the Johns statue was recommended by Virginia’s Commission for Historical Statues to replace Virginia’s statue of Robert E. Lee in the U.S. Capitol. “On April 23, 1951, a 16-year-old Barbara Johns led a walkout of students at the Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia, to protest school segregation and the discriminatory education conditions of Black students. Her courage forced this country to reckon with its conscience on a scale much larger than she ever could have imagined,” said Sen. Mark Warner at the December 16
dedication ceremony. “I’m proud to unveil Barbara Johns’ statue in the U.S. Capitol where she will represent the Commonwealth of Virginia and be recognized for the vital role she played in ending school segregation,” he added. “At the age of 16, Barbara Johns’ refused to accept inequality in our public schools. Her determination led to the lawsuit Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, which ultimately became part of the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Her strength and unwavering belief in equality and justice helped change the entire nation for the better. It is hard to think of a better example of a Virginian to represent the Commonwealth in the United States Capitol,” said Rep. Bobby Scott during the ceremony.
Sen. Warner and Rep. Scott are both cosponsors of the Confederate Monument Removal Act. That legislation is focused on the removal of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Sen. Warner has spoken publicly about the need to remove public symbols honoring the Confederacy as part of broader efforts to advance racial justice. Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN L I V E o n Yo u Tu b e @ LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@ gmail.com and on twitter at @ LVBurke.
California Senate Bill (SB) 648, authored by Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D–Los Angeles), takes effect on Jan. 1. The law strengthens legal protections for workers against employee tip theft. The legislation applies to restaurant servers, hotel staff, hairdressers, and other service workers who rely on gratuities to cover their everyday expenses. Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 30, 2025, the new law based on a bill authored by Smallwood-Cuevas reinforces safeguards against tip theft by empowering the state’s Labor Commissioner to investigate, issue citations, and pursue civil action against employers who withhold employees’ tips. A member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), Smallwood-Cuevas said SB 648 will prevent workers from being “shortchanged” and that “the consumers will and intention” to show appreciation for their service, or to encourage good future service is actualized in the pockets of those workers. “Gratuity theft is one of the most common forms of this exploitation, particularly among minimum wage and low wage service workers,” Smallwood said. “In Los Angeles alone, nearly 1 in 55 low-wage workers has experienced stolen tips.” Tip theft refers to any situation in which an employer or agent collects, takes, or receives a tip or
part of a tip that was paid, given to, or left for an employee by a customer. Smallwood-Cuevas said further that, “Our expectation is that good service deserves a reward. We want to reward and support workers who provide good service. We know that every dollar counts while (they’re) trying to survive.” The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), which is under the Labor Commissioner, generally has the authority to enforce employment statutes and regulations, either through administrative actions or litigation, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations. According to SmallwoodCuevas’s office, a 2017 study discovered that 19.2% of lowwage workers experience minimum wage violations in the state each year. The study revealed that certain employers steal nearly $2 billion from California workers each year through minimum wage violations. continued on page 3
Assemblymember Jackson’s AB 422 Raises the Bar for Civic Engagement in California Schools
November Jobs Report Shows Rising Unemployment and By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media Worsening Outlook for Black Workers By Stacy M. Brown
Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA.
The U.S. labor market showed further signs of strain in November, with new federal data revealing rising unemployment, steep losses in government jobs, and worsening conditions for Black workers, particularly Black men, according to an analysis of the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report and a review by the National Women’s Law Center. Employers added 64,000 jobs nationwide in November, a modest gain following months of data disruptions caused by the federal government shutdown. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6 percent, up from 4.4 percent in September, the last month for which a full labor force survey
was completed. The increase places unemployment at its highest level in four years. Behind the headline figures, federal employment continued to fall sharply. Since January, when Donald Trump returned to office, federal payrolls have declined by 271,000 positions. The November report reveals continued reductions tied to deferred resignation programs and layoffs that accelerated earlier in the fall, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rise in unemployment has been uneven, with Black workers experiencing some of the most severe impacts. Black men ages 20 and older saw their unemployment rate jump
from 6.6 percent in September to 7.5 percent in November. Black women ages 20 and older recorded an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent in November, slightly lower than September’s 7.5 percent but still higher than any other racial or ethnic group. Long-term unemployment has also become more pronounced for Black workers. Black women who are unemployed are typically out of work for 14.5 weeks, while Black men face average unemployment spells of 12.1 weeks. By comparison, white women experience unemployment lasting about 8.6 weeks, and white men about 9.6 weeks, according to the National Women’s Law Center’s review of federal labor data. The November report shows that overall job growth remains concentrated in a narrow set of sectors. Healthcare added more than 46,000 jobs, while construction employment rose by 28,000. Manufacturing lost 5,000 jobs, and transportation and warehousing shed nearly 18,000 positions. Leisure and hospitality also declined, reflecting broader weakness outside a handful of
growth industries. Federal officials cautioned that November’s data carry higherthan-usual margins of error due to survey delays related to the shutdown. Even so, economists reviewing the report noted that revisions to late-summer and early-fall payrolls showed fewer jobs than initially reported, reinforcing signs of a cooling labor market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the number of people unemployed for more than six months rose to 1.9 million in November, up from 1.7 million a year earlier. Wage growth slowed to 3.5 percent over the past year, the weakest pace since before the pandemic, adding pressure on households facing elevated prices and limited job mobility. The National Women’s Law Center said it will continue monitoring labor market data by race, gender, and industry to assess how job losses and prolonged unemployment affect women and families as federal employment contracts and hiring remain subdued.
On Jan. 1, Assembly Bill (AB) 422 — legislation authored by Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D–Moreno Valley) – takes effect. Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October, the bill updates the criteria for the State Seal of Civic Engagement (SSCE), an official recognition awarded to high school students who demonstrate exceptional achievement in civics education and civic participation. Jackson told California Black Media (CBM) that the bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to recommend –and the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt — updated criteria for awarding the SSCE. Under the legislation, students seeking the seal must demonstrate an understanding of the importance of preserving democracy, a free press, free access to libraries, and other vital democratic institutions.
“Expanding the democracy criteria for the State Seal of Civic Engagement is crucial for fostering informed, active, and responsible citizens,” Jackson, a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), stated. “Comprehensive democracy education empowers students with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand their rights and responsibilities in a democratic society and combat misinformation,” he continued. By Jan. 1, 2027, the Superintendent of Public Instruction must propose updated SSCE criteria to the SBE, which must then act on those recommendations by Jan. 1, 2028. Participation in the SSCE program by school districts is voluntary. According to the California Department of Education (CDE), award recipients must also demonstrate active participation in community projects, problemsolving, reflection, and civic mindedness. The gold seal is affixed to students’ transcripts, diplomas, or certificates of completion. continued on page 2
Thursday, December 25, 2025
Page 2
THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN NEWS - COMMUNITY/EDUCATION
Honors Inland Empire Children's Book Project School Choice Is a Path Forward for Our Communities SBCUSD as November Outstanding Community Partner...continued By Dawn Montgomery
Southwest Atlanta Christian’s Head of School Patrice Francis speaks on the community garden at their school in Atlanta, Georgia - Photo Christopher Stewart
Earlier this year, in March, the current President signed an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education. If carried out, this will completely change the landscape of public education at all levels. Ninety percent of students attend public K-12 schools. Despite funding tied to a student’s zip code, Black communities have always found ways to educate each other, and we have routinely chosen where we learn. Church schools, homeschooling, as well as charter or private schools, are part of our Historically Black Colleges and Universities. These various forms of educational institutions still exist today. However, opponents of school choice rarely center Black and Brown communities in their arguments. Meanwhile, some proponents use White America’s fears to exclude us from these options. There’s a shift happening where more Black parents are sharing why they’re pulling their children out of certain school districts across the country. Some of these schools have used funding to hire additional school resource officers and to purchase more metal detectors to enhance surveillance. For example, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro recently announced $160 million in funding in order to enhance school safety in the Commonwealth. In October,
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced $9.01 million in grants are available for school safety. In Georgia, each school will receive $61,000 for safety upgrades, upon the passage of House Bill 268 – the Comprehensive School Safety & Student Well-being Act. The State of Georgia also set aside $20 million for student behavioral health and $7 million to hire student advocacy specialists. Parents believe in protecting their children. One of the most common reasons why Black parents choose to homeschool is that the public-school environment is no longer a good fit for their child. Why? Some public schools don’t have the resources to help students who struggle with behavior or learning challenges. In other instances, city and state governments view education as a zero-sum game. As a result, parents will stress to administrators and the media that they believe they can better support their children compared to the public education system. We all have that right, and we should all have that privilege in this country. Supporting diverse educational options for our children fosters innovation, healthy competition, and promotes school choice. Too many parents are forced to watch their kids become just
another number in a school system shaped by systemic racism and unequal resources. These schools don’t see the whole child—they never have. Therefore, it’s important to encourage everyone to explore other options. If the Trump Administration is successful in taking a meat cleaver to the Department of Education, parents can’t afford to wait and see what happens. The time to understand school choice is now, before the system around us changes. School choice can empower families, and it’s okay to seek out the best educational environment that serves your child. Here’s what you can do right now to prepare for this shift so that your family won’t be left behind. Start Local: Show Up and Engage Show up to your local school board meetings to hear what’s being discussed and meet other parents. These spaces often serve as hubs for sharing insights about available school choice programs. In many districts, options already exist—but families must ask questions and seek out details. School choice resources are available in most public-school districts. However, school choice isn’t uniform across the country. The options available depend on state laws and district policies: States like Georgia and Florida have public choice and voucher systems, including Educational Savings Accounts and tax-credit scholarships. Meanwhile, the State of California focuses mainly on intra-district transfers, magnet schools, and charter schools, but does not offer vouchers or ESA programs. Open enrollment policies differ widely in terms of eligibility, transportation, and capacity
constraints. Build Your Network: Connect and Share Knowledge Once you’ve learned about the options available in your county, city, and state, consider sharing that information with others. Partner with community groups, churches, and nonprofit organizations to help raise awareness. You must create your own educational community if you aren’t invited to join one. This network will help you explore the available resources and prepare for the next school year. Think Bigger: Create What Doesn’t Exist Federal agencies haven’t provided much clarity beyond vague talking points about reducing bureaucracy. But relying on guidance from Washington means waiting too long. Instead, bring students and parents together to share what’s actually working on the ground. When you create space for real conversations about educational experiences, what succeeded, and what failed, communities can design creative and effective approaches to learning. You’ll address educational gaps that may help create better schools and programs for everyone. If what you need doesn’t exist in your area, you can build it. There are microschools flourishing across this country. Reach out to learn what’s working for their communities. We don’t have to start from scratch. If we explore how we can help each other with what already exists among school choice options, we won’t be caught off guard when the Department of Education falls. Our children depend on us to help them identify the best institutions, and we have established schools for them in this space.
SBCUSD Honors Inland Empire Children's Book Project as November Outstanding Community Partner Community /Education News
the School Site Council, offering valuable insight and support in shaping school goals. In addition, she regularly volunteers at school events, always willing to help and build positive connections with students, staff and families. Staff truly appreciate Gonzalez’s commitment to making Wilson a better place for everyone. Custodian I Romelia Mariscal’s exceptional attention to detail and pride in her work ensure that Wilson remains a clean, safe and welcoming environment. Her reliability and dedication go beyond routine tasks— she consistently anticipates needs, supports school events and responds quickly to emergencies. Her positive attitude SHINES through and makes Wilson sparkle. Outstanding Teacher Al Mesones exemplifies the District’s Operating Values by fostering an inclusive classroom where every student’s potential is nurtured through equitable learning opportunities and a strong sense of safety and belonging. His innovative teaching practices and pride in his work inspire students to thrive and reflect the very best of our District’s values. Cesar E. Chavez Middle School, Principal Zackary Peters: Outstanding eighth-grader Mikah Lyons is a shining example of what it means to be an outstanding scholar at Chavez Middle School! He maintains a 4.0 GPA, excels as an athlete, serves as an International Baccalaureate Ambassador and is a student body leader. Lyons truly embodies SBCUSD pride and represents the spirit of Rattler Nation. Joseph Tovar Medina is an outstanding seventh-grader. Tovar Medina is an all-around outstanding student who models what it means to be a Cesar E. Chavez Rattler. As a native Spanish speaker, Tovar Medina is working hard toward full English proficiency while also keeping up with his other subjects. He is caring, knowledgeable and willing to take risks by doing his best in all his classes. Daisy Morales is an Outstanding Parent. Morales is an incredibly involved parent who brings positivity and joy to every event she attends. She serves on both the School Site Council and the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council, where her energy, insight and enthusiasm shine brightly. Daisy truly embodies a spirit of family partnership that makes the Rattler Nation shine. Secretary III Rebecca “Becky” Matthews is an Outstanding Classified Employee. She exemplifies dedication, excellence and heart. As the operational heartbeat of Chavez, she ensures every aspect of the campus runs smoothly. For 20 years, she’s been
the go-to for staff, students and families—offering support, solving problems and creating a welcoming, organized environment. Matthews leads by example, helping our entire community shine brighter. Sabrina Campbell is an outstanding science and design teacher. Campbell believes in every student’s ability to achieve and creates engaging, hands-on learning experiences that unlock curiosity and confidence. Her innovative approach encourages creativity, teamwork and problemsolving, inspiring excellence across the Rattler Nation. Middle College High School, Principal James Espinoza: Brisa Hernandez Garcia is an outstanding scholar with a 4.78 GPA and is on track to earn three Associate’s degrees from Valley College. She plans to attend Stanford University as a pre-law major, aspiring to one day serve as California’s governor. Serving as a Student Board Member, Brisa amplifies student voice Districtwide while being mentored by the Board, Cabinet and Superintendent. Class of 2026 President Ethan Zarate has earned a 4.7 GPA and is on track to earn multiple Associate’s degrees from Valley College. He plans to attend UCLA as a Biological Sciences major with an emphasis in pre-med, aspiring to become a surgeon. He founded Middle College’s first student orchestra and earned County Honor Orchestra 1st Chair for Double Bass. Ashley Zarate, Ethan Zarate’s mother, is an Outstanding Parent. Among Ashley Zarate’s many accomplishments are founding Middle College’s first Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), advocating for the creation of beautiful school murals and serving as a parent leader for the Western Association of School and Colleges (WASC) accreditation team. Stephanie Ramirez is an Outstanding Secretary III. As the heart of the office, Ramirez connects the principal, staff and community with grace and efficiency. Whether she’s welcoming District staff, teams of educators from across the state or parent and community leaders, Ramirez hears everyone, sees everyone, values everyone, loves everyone and always shines. Under the visionary guidance of Digital Media Arts Pathway CTE Teacher and Dept. Chair Richard “Rick” Wilshire, every Middle College student now graduates with a minimum of 61 college credits and industry certifications in Adobe. In 2025, 72% earned one or more Associate’s degrees. Working together with partners like KVCR, Wilshire and his colleagues continue to empower students with real-world experiences and future-ready skills.
Assemblymember Jackson’s AB 422 Raises the Bar for Civic Engagement in California Schools...continued from page 1
Chairwoman Berenice Lowenstein (center) and other members of the Inland Empire Children’s Book Project accept the San Bernardino City Unified School District November 2025 Outstanding Community Partner Award from the Board of Education, Student Board Members and Superintendent Mauricio Arellano. (Photo by Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD)
SAN BERNARDINO, CA—On Tuesday, Nov. 18, the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) Board of Education presented its November Outstanding Community Partner Award to the Inland Empire Children’s Book Project for helping ignite a lifelong love of reading by placing thousands of free books into the hands of children across the District. “A home filled with books strengthens language and cognitive development, deepens parent-child connections, builds imagination and empathy and helps children fall in love with learning. A single book can spark confidence, curiosity and a lifelong commitment to reading,” said I.E. Children’s Book Project Chairwoman Berenice Lowenstein during remarks at the Nov. 18 Board of Education meeting. “This year alone we will visit 34 elementary schools on a Wednesday where every student will get to select a book at their reading level and interest.” The SBCUSD Board also presented the Outstanding Achievement Awards to students, parents and staff of Arrowhead Elementary School, Wilson Elementary School, Cesar E. Chavez Middle School and Middle College
High School (MCHS). The Board recognizes Outstanding Student Award winners to honor excellence in academics, athletics, fine arts, citizenship and most improvement. The Board also presents the Outstanding Parent/ Grandparent/Volunteer Award and Outstanding Employee Award to individuals who embody the District’s dedication to student achievement and well-being. Arrowhead Elementary School, Principal Dr. Felicia Noel: Adrian Acosta is a fifth-grader and Outstanding Student. Acosta is working confidently at grade level and continues to make steady academic progress. He approaches learning with a commitment to excellence and demonstrates good citizenship by modeling respectful behavior throughout campus. All of this makes him a great role model who is soaring to new heights. Kenzai Arrington is an Outstanding first-grader. Arrington has made great academic growth this school year, showing increased effort, focus and enthusiasm for learning. He participates actively
Arrowhead Elementary School Outstanding Student Kenzai Arrington celebrates his award with his family, Arrowhead’s Principal Dr. Felicia Noel, SBCUSD Superintendent Mauricio Arellano and Board of Education members during the official Nov. 18 award presentation. (Photo by Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD)
in class discussions and puts forth his best effort in every assignment. His positive attitude has led to improved behavior and greater success in the classroom and around campus. Outstanding Parent Award winner Alexsis Sandoval supports Arrowhead as a member of the School Site Council and by representing the school on the District Advisory Council, ensuring the Arrowhead community's voice is heard. Her positive spirit makes a lasting impact on students, staff and families. Arrowhead staff are grateful for parents like Sandoval. Attendance Assistant Xochitl Ochoa is an Outstanding Classified Employee. During her daily calls to clear absences, she demonstrates empathy, understanding and genuine care for families. She goes above and beyond by helping with yearbook editing and serving as an integral member of the attendance review team. Outstanding First-Grade Teacher Alejandra Castaneda-Corona lives out the District’s Operating Values every day. She believes in the human potential of every student and colleague. Her spirit of collaboration brings people together to reach shared goals. She demonstrates
professionalism and equity through compassion and fairness, and resilience and innovation through creative solutions to challenges. Wilson Elementary School, Principal Robert Madrigal: Emmanuel Reyes is a thirdgrader and Outstanding Student. Reyes consistently demonstrates a positive attitude, strong work ethic and kindness towards his classmates. He has a curiosity for learning, always striving to do his best in every subject. He also gladly helps and supports his classmates. He is a wonderful example for his peers to follow. Fourth-grader Savannah Singleton is an Outstanding Student. Singleton demonstrates exceptional reading proficiency, with fluency and comprehension skills well beyond grade-level expectations. In math, she excels with advanced reasoning and problem-solving skills. Savannah exemplifies the qualities of a dedicated and compassionate learner. Outstanding Parent Award winner Anna Gonzalez actively serves on
continued in next 2 columns
A core pillar of the SSCE is accessibility for all students, regardless of background, c o m m u n i t y, o r l i v e d experience. The program takes into consideration how local educational agencies (LEAs) can support California’s most underserved students. Because civic engagement can look different from one community to another, the CDE encourages LEAs to collaborate with local and statewide organizations to develop local criteria and design and implement impactful civic engagement programs. Participation in the SSCE program has been modest but “effectively growing,” Jackson said. According to the Department of Education (DOE), during the 2020–21 school year, 103 schools in 28 school districts participated, and 5,359 seals were issued. By the 2023– 24 school year, participation increased to 345 schools in 110 school districts, with 15,627 seals awarded. “(AB 422) moves us closer to a California that invests in our young people, strengthens support for families, and safeguards the future of our democracy,” Jackson stated. The bill passed both the Assembly and the Senate with unanimous support. In the Assembly, it passed 79–0 and 80–0 in separate votes, and in
the Senate, it was approved 40-0. According to the UCLA Bunche Center, data show that Black students in California are actively engaged in civic life, with high participation in social and political activism, including protests. California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber also underscored the importance of early civic engagement, noting that when high school and college students participate in civic activities, it leads to “lifelong civic involvement and it strengthens our democracy.” Since September 2016, nearly 1.4 million students ages 16 or 17 have preregistered to vote, resulting in more than 1.1 million newly eligible voters, according to a report released in August by the DOE and the Secretary of State’s Outreach and Education team. “California is proud to lead the nation in voter education efforts,” Weber stated. “With more than 23 million registered voters — representing nearly 85% of all eligible Californians — our state continues to set the national standard for civic participation.” Jackson said he is grateful to every partner, advocate, and community that supported the bill. “Together, we are building a stronger and more equitable future for all,” Jackson stated.
Thursday, December 25, 2025
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THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN NEWS - INLAND EMPIRE/COUNTY/GOVERNMENT/BUSINESS health workers are among the best-paid public Black Lawyer Delivers Powerful Commentary on Racial Prison employees. Why are so many jobs vacant?...continued Injustices on the American Court System County/Government News
Nationwide -- Attorney Zulu Ali, a former police officer and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has released a powerful commentary titled “Attorney Zulu Ali Speaks on Justice: Trying Cases in a System Built to Oppress Black People.” In it, Ali argues that the American court system is racially biased beyond repair, compares being Black in the justice system to “playing an entire lifetime of away games,” and challenges the notion that recent reforms have meaningfully changed the system. Full Commentary Follows: Playing Every Game on the Road: Race, Power, and Why Our Courts Are Beyond Repair When I walk into a courtroom as a Black man, a former police officer, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, I am still playing an away game. It’s not my stadium. Not my crowd. Not my locker room. And definitely not my officials.
theater. The jury is the audience. The lawyers and witnesses are the cast. The judge is the director. And like any theater, the way the audience sees the show determines how the story ends. In America, race is not just “a factor” in that story. It is the frame. It shapes what jurors see, what they doubt, who they believe, and who they’re willing to throw away. Studies have shown that racial bias—both explicit and implicit—infects every stage of the criminal process: policing, charging, bail, plea bargaining, sentencing, and parole. Black and Latino people are policed more, held pretrial more, and sentenced more harshly than similarly situated white people. Black Americans are imprisoned in state prisons at nearly five times the rate of white Americans. You don’t get numbers like that from “a few bad apples.” You get them from a machine that is doing exactly what it was built to do. The Machine Was Built for Screwdrivers, Not Justice
A football coach once told me: “On the road, you can’t win by one. You’ve got to blow them out. You cannot leave it in the hands of the officials.” Being Black in the American justice system is like playing an entire lifetime of road games. The referees wear robes, the uniforms say “District Attorney,” and the crowd is called a “jury of your peers” even when it looks nothing like your community. This is not an accident. It’s design.
Imagine a factory machine designed to produce screwdrivers. One day, someone walks in and says, “From now on, we’re going to make wrenches.”
Trial Is Theater – and Race Is the Script
Our justice system is that machine.
We like to pretend trials are neutral, mechanical truth-finding processes. That’s a lie. Trial is
From slave patrols and Black Codes to convict leasing and the Jim Crow-era use of criminal
You can swap out the workers. You can repaint the machine. You can add inspirational posters on the wall. But if you don’t rebuild that machine from the inside out, it’s still going to make screwdrivers. That’s what it was built to do.
New California Law Strengthens Protections Against Employee Tip Theft ...continued from page 1 Another study found even higher losses across California’s major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Bay Area. Employers were estimated to have stolen an average of $2.3 billion to $4.6 billion in earned wages annually between 2014 and 2023, according to Rutgers’ School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR). SB 648 received strong support from several organizations, including the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), the California Coalition for Worker Power, the California Teamsters Public Affairs Council, and Courage California. “Obviously we very much enthusiastically support this bill,” Elmer Lizardi said on behalf of the California Federation of Labor Unions at the April 9 Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement hearing. Existing law already imposes a range of administrative sanctions, civil fines and penalties, and criminal penalties for violations of employment statutes or regulations. However, while California law declares that tips are the
property of employees, the Labor Commissioner previously lacked the authority to issue citations or impose civil penalties when employers violated these arrangements. By enabling the Labor Commissioner to act more swiftly, SB 648 provides a more “efficient and accessible” way to recover stolen tips and hold employers accountable for wage theft, Smallwood-Cuevas stated. The legislation includes a “private right of action and authorizes civil penalties of $250 per violation (and $1,000 for willful violations),” increasing pressure on employers to comply with lawful tip practices. Smallwood-Cuevas told the Senate Judiciary Committee in April that the lack of enforcement mechanisms left many low-wage workers without accessible options, such as a pathway to private legal action. “Lawyers wouldn’t take up these cases, and that’s why the state has to step in. Affordability continues to be a great challenge (for low-income workers),” Smallwood-Cuevas said. “(SB 648) also ensures that our most vulnerable workers are not shortchanged.”
courts to control Black labor, the system was built to police, control, and exploit Black bodies—and to protect white property and power. Those roots aren’t just “history.” They are baked into how police departments operate, how prosecutors charge, how judges sentence, and how juries are selected today. Pew Research recently found that about three-quarters of Black adults say the prison system was designed to hold Black people back. Nearly nine in ten Black Americans say the courts and judicial process need major changes or need to be completely rebuilt for Black people to be treated fairly. That’s not paranoia. That’s experience. Jury Selection: Where “Fairness” Goes to Die If trial is theater, jury selection is casting. And America has spent over a century making sure Black people stay out of the jury box. Race-based discrimination in jury selection was technically outlawed nearly 150 years ago, and the Supreme Court’s Batson v. Kentucky decision in 1986 said you can’t strike jurors because of race. On paper, that sounds promising. In reality? It’s theater again. The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) has documented a long history of courts tolerating racial discrimination in jury selection and a “continuing indifference” to fixing it. They show that people of color are consistently underrepresented in jury pools, and when they do make it into the courtroom, prosecutors strike them at far higher rates than white jurors. Studies of specific jurisdictions have found prosecutors striking Black jurors at three to four times the rate of white jurors. EJI’s more recent work links racially biased jury selection directly to wrongful convictions and even wrongful executions. The message is clear: The courtroom says “Equal Justice Under Law.” The jury box whispers “Not for you.” What This Feels Like in Real
Life I’ve been there. In one case, a prosecutor used a flimsy, pretextual reason to kick a Black juror off the panel. She was one of maybe two black people on the entire panel. I challenged it under the law that’s supposed to prevent racially discriminatory strikes. The court denied my motion. Everything was fine, apparently. Later, I exercised my own peremptory challenges to excuse two white jurors for reasons that, in my view, were just as grounded as anything the prosecutor had argued. This time, the court granted Wheeler (Batson) motions against me. Same rules. Same courtroom. Totally different energy, depending on who is being excluded and who is doing the excluding. To add insult to injury, I was told by a district attorney that the district attorney’s office now uses that case in trainings to teach other prosecutors how to “deal with” me. Not how to deal with racism in jury selection. Not how to deal with bias. How to deal with me—a Black man, a former cop, and a Marine who refuses to bow to the machine.
The vacancy rates persisted despite targeted bonuses and wage increases that prison health workers received in contracts and under court order during the Newsom administration. Those included $42,000 bonuses for prison psychiatrists in a 2023 contract and more recently $20,000 bonuses the state had to dole out to mental health workers through a long-running prisoner rights lawsuit.
At face value, some state health workers are comparatively wellcompensated. All of the 55 prison employees who earned more than $500,000 in income last year were doctors, dentists, psychiatrists or medical executives, according to state controller data. A board-certified psychiatrist at Atascadero State Hospital — some of the highest paid state employees — can earn more than $397,000 in base pay. They also retire with pensions through the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. In comparison, the mean wage for a psychiatrist in California is $328,560, according to the U.S.
Why Black Jurors Matter – and Why the System Fights Them To truly presume someone innocent in a criminal trial, a juror has to be willing to believe that: 1. The police arrested the wrong person. 2. The district attorney charged the wrong person. 3. The court allowed a case against the wrong person to go all the way to trial. That takes a level of skepticism about the system that many white jurors simply don’t have— because the system wasn’t built to target them. Black jurors, by contrast, often continued in next 2 columns
Prison health workers are among the best-paid public employees. Why are so many jobs vacant? by Kristen Hwang
continued on page 4
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If race weren’t central to how the system operates, that wouldn’t even make sense.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. But in certain places, local hospitals are offering even more. In Monterey County, $90,000 hiring bonuses are common at private hospitals struggling to fill their own vacancies, staff told state auditors. Despite the pay, vacancy rates were highest among psychiatrists at Atascadero State Hospital and second highest at Porterville Developmental Center and Salinas Valley State Prison, auditors found. All three of the audited facilities house individuals who are either incarcerated or institutionalized because they were deemed by the courts to be dangerous or unfit to stand trial. Federal and state law as well as court rulings require the state to provide adequate medical and mental health care. As a result, most of the facilities are required to have vacancy rates less than 10%. Over the past 30 years, California has consistently failed to meet that standard. None of the state departments overseeing the facilities have taken
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Black Lawyer Delivers Powerful Commentary on Racial Injustices on the American Court System...continued come in with lived experience: stops, searches, family members arrested or overcharged, stories of people railroaded, or simply the knowledge that the system doesn’t treat Black folks like it treats white folks or others. Surveys show that nearly nine in ten Black adults say Black people are treated less fairly by the criminal justice system than whites, compared with a much smaller majority of white adults. That doesn’t make Black jurors “biased.” It makes them informed. But the system treats that life experience as a problem to be solved, not a perspective to be valued. Prosecutors routinely rationalize strikes of Black jurors with coded reasons— “lives in a high crime area,” “appeared angry,” “had negative experiences with police,” “seemed too sympathetic.” EJI has documented that courts accept these explanations again and again, even when prosecutors use the vast majority of their strikes against Black jurors. So when I say that, in many cases involving Black defendants, Black jurors are “the best jurors,” I don’t mean they’ll automatically vote not guilty. I mean they are the ones most
likely to see past the costume of the system—to question the story being staged in front of them. And that is precisely what the machine cannot tolerate. Judges: The Referees Who Think They Are the Game We’re told that judges are neutral “umpires” calling balls and strikes. That’s cute. In reality, judges are embedded in the same culture and power structure as everyone else in the courthouse. Many are former prosecutors. Many worked closely with the very district attorney’s offices now appearing before them. Their professional, social, and political lives are deeply intertwined with one side of the courtroom. Legal scholars and advocates have long noted that judges’ relationships with prosecutors, their prior roles, and their unexamined biases shape everything from who they find “credible” to how they rule on jury challenges, suppression motions, and sentencing. I’ve seen judges who genuinely strive to be fair. I’ve also seen the other kind: Judges who treat defense objections continued on page 6
MISSION STATEMENT Clifton Harris Editor in Chief Investigative Reporter sbamericannews@gmail.com
Patients at the Central Coast’s Atascadero State Hospital walk the halls in 2006. Due to COVID, patients have at times been confined to their units, but still mingle in bathrooms, the dining hall and common day rooms. Of the state’s psychiatric hospitals, Atascadero houses the largest number of mentally ill inmates from state prisons. Photo by Peggy Peattie, ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo
Despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars to fill vacant medical and mental health positions at prisons and state hospitals, California has little to show for it, according to a new report from the state auditor. Job vacancy rates have increased since 2019 at the three facilities examined in the audit, as has the state’s reliance on pricey temporary workers. Atascadero State Hospital, Porterville Developmental Center and Salinas Valley State Prison had healthrelated vacancy rates topping
30% during fiscal year 2023-24. At Salinas Valley State Prison more than 50% of health positions were unfilled. Workers contend that the high vacancy rate leads to more on-thejob assaults, mandatory overtime and staff turnover. “A high vacancy rate is a selffulfilling prophecy,” said Dr. Stuart Bussey, president of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, which represents about 1,300 state psychiatrists.
continued in next 2 columns
Mary Martin-Harris Publisher mary@sb-american.com Clifton B. Harris / Audio Engineering Editor Rosa I. Evans /Writer/Marketing strategist and founder of Tridyn Creative Media, specializing in branding and digital marketing. Legal /Display Advertising (909) 889-7677 The San Bernardino American News was established May 6, 1969. A legally adjudicated newspaper of general circulation on September 30, 1971, case number 15313 by the Superior Court of San Bernardino County. Our product is a local news publication, The San Bernardino American News, that is made available through both print and digital versions. We offer a wide range of content including local news, features, editorials, and columns that focus on the interests and concerns of the minority communities. Our mission at The San Bernardino American News is to provide accurate, compelling, and insightful content that speaks directly to the experiences and interests of minority communities in the County of San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles. We aim to be a trusted voice and platform for these communities, ensuring their stories are told and their issues brought to light. Our strategies involve a combination of robust content creation, digital and print media marketing, and a strong commitment to community engagement. By offering a range of monetization methods, we ensure our services remain accessible and valuable to our readership, while supporting the sustainability of our operations. News releases appearing in the San Bernardino AMERICAN News do not necessarily express the policy nor the opinion of the publishers. The San Bernardino AMERICAN News reserves the right to edit or rewrite all news releases.
Thursday, December 25, 2025
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THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN NEWS-WORLD/ENTERTAINMENT/RELIGION
Black Public Media Acquires We Call Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation Each Other For Afropop Digital Shorts Presents 15th Annual SATCHMO Award Amid funding headwinds, national media arts nonprofit intensifies support for diverse Black stories with world premiere of climate and social justice film Entertainment News
to GEORGE COLEMAN, January 7, 7pm, at Dizzy's
The Evening Features the George Coleman Quintet in Concert with Steve Myerson, John Webber, Peter Bernstein and George Coleman, Jr.,and Special Guests, Camille Thurman, Sarah Hanahan, Alexander McCabe, Eric Alexander, Gideon Tazelaar and Adam Brenner Tickets: $25.00-$55.00 | ticketing.jazz.org Entertainment News
We Call Each Other by Chicago filmmaker Sarah Oberholtzer on AfroPoP Digital Shorts series
NEW YORK (December 18, 2025) — Black Public Media (BPM), the Harlem-based national media arts nonprofit, is doubling down on its mission to fund and support stories about the Black experience despite recent funding challenges. BPM has acquired We Call Each Other, the debut short film by Chicago director Sarah Oberholtzer, for its AfroPoP Digital Shorts series. The film, which has been released on Black Public Media’s YouTube channel ahead of Kwanzaa, brings to life the Kwanzaa principle of Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), observed on December 28. We Call Each Other is an emotionally rich drama of a fictional community facing drought and environmental racism. Against the backdrop of long-standing environmental racism and chronic drought, the film’s protagonist Naullin faces a personal dilemma when someone steals the liquid fertilizer he uses to tend his at-home garden. The short film, which weaves nonfiction recorded audio into a scripted story, features residents who lean on one another to create safety and redemption far outside the criminal justice system. The December/January episode of AfroPoP Digital Shorts comes to streaming as BPM deepens and expands its long-standing efforts to ensure that Black stories like We Call Each Other remain available on public media despite Congress snatching back $1.8 million it had allocated earlier this year. The funding was rescinded when the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was gutted by the federal government. In response, BPM launched the Black Stories
Production Fund, supported by an unprecedented grassroots fundraising campaign to raise $9 million over the next two years — ensuring that Black stories are never again subject to political interference or chronic underinvestment. “For more than 45 years, Black Public Media has helped bring important stories like Sarah’s to audiences nationwide — stories rooted in community and responsive to the issues shaping our lives,” said Leslie FieldsCruz, executive director of BPM. “Public media is stronger when Black story tellers and the full breadth of Black experience are centered in the conversation.” We Call Each Other grew out of four years of community organizing work by Oberholtzer (they/them), an advocate for divestment from policing and militarization in favor of peoplecentered infrastructure. Their stand-alone film is a part of an anthology-format short film series imagining community outside of carceral strategies for public safety. The film is directed, written and produced by Oberholtzer; Johnaé Strong is producer. Executive producers are Aymar Jean Christian and Kristiana Rae Còlon. Watch We Call Each Other on Black Public Media’s YouTube channel. Donate to the BPM’s Black Stories Production Fund this Giving Season at: https:// secure.everyaction.com/ IkFxVSdjX0qpQkceW1r27g2. For more information about BPM, visit blackpublicmedia. org or follow it on social media at: @blackpublicmedia (IG, FB, TikTok and LinkedIn).
NEW YORK, NY, December 22, 2025 – The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation (LAEF) will present the world-renowned tenor saxophonist, bandleader and educator George Coleman with the 15th annual Satchmo™ Award for his spectacular seven decades of jazz musicianship and education at Dizzy’s Club, Wednesday, January 7, 2026, 7:00 pm. The Satchmo™ Award is a testament to Louis Armstrong’s enduring legacy, celebrating artists who, like him, have dedicated their lives to jazz. Coleman joins a list of renowned past award winners, including Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, Herb Alpert, Sheila Jordan and Reggie Workman. The event, held during the yearly Jazz Congress, a twoday series of workshops, panels and networking opportunities organized by Jazz at Lincoln Center, will feature the George Coleman Quintet with guitarist Peter Bernstein, drummer George Coleman, Jr., pianist Steve Myerson and bassist John Webber, Throughout the concert will be special guest performances by saxophonists Eric Alexander, Adam Brenner, Sarah Hanahan, Alexander McCabe, Gideon Tazelaar and Camille Thurman. ABOUT GEORGE COLEMAN Born in Memphis on March 8, 1935, he grew up in one of the most musical cities in the world, with its vibrant blues, gospel, country, R&B and jazz scenes. His first instrument was the alto saxophone, and his first inspiration was Charlie Parker. He was proficient in all of styles of Black music, but it was in the jazz idiom where he would devote his talents for the rest of his life. Coleman established lifelong friendships with fellow jazz inspired classmates at Memphis’ Manassas High School, including
trumpeter Booker Little and saxophonists Hank Crawford and Charles Lloyd. Coleman also played with several hometown musicians including bassist Jamil Nasser and pianist Phineas Newborn. At the age of 17, his first major gig was with Ray Charles, and he later worked with B.B. King. By that time Coleman switched to the tenor saxophone, and he later moved to Chicago, with Little in 1956, and worked with Max Roach, trumpeter Kenny Dorham and a host of other Chicago musicians. Coleman moved to New York City in 1958 and established himself as one of the premier musicians on his instrument. He replaced John Coltrane and preceded Wayne Shorter in Miles Davis’ band, and recorded on Davis’1963 and 1964 LP’s, Seven Steps to Heaven, Miles Davis in Europe, My Funny Valentine and Four & More, and on Herbie Hancock’s 1965 album Maiden Voyage. Those recordings solidified his reputation as a major saxophonist in the sixties. Coleman’s recordings as a sideman feature his work with Ahmad Jamal, Charles Mingus, Lee Morgan and Nicholas Payton. He recorded nearly 20 albums as a leader, including Amsterdam After Dark, Manhattan Panorama, A Master Speaks and Big George. He was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2015. He also served as a consultant and teacher at the New School University, Long Island University, New York University, Mannes School of Music.
Prison health workers are among the best-paid public employees. Why are so many jobs vacant?... continued from page 3 necessary steps to ensure adequate staffing, auditors wrote. The audit found: The facilities had a “significant number of vacant positions” that were not filled by temporary workers or staff overtime. Neither the Department of State Hospitals nor the Department of Developmental Services, which houses some people with developmental disabilities in Porterville, had procedures to adequately evaluate or budget for staffing needs annually. The state hospitals and developmental services departments as well as the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation have no process to determine whether facilities are meeting staffing minimums during each shift. In a letter to lawmakers, California State Auditor Grant Parks wrote that the state should conduct a statewide recruitment campaign to hire health care workers “because of the decadeslong difficulties the facilities have had in filling vacant health care positions and a current and projected health care professional shortage.” In response to the audit, the developmental services and state hospitals departments partially agreed with the findings in detailed
comments. The Department of State Hospitals, however, wrote that the vacancy rates covered during the audit period were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and that salary savings were overstated. “Our hospitals regularly meet or exceed mandated staffing minimums and have self-reported rare occurrences where they have not due to extraordinary circumstances,” department spokesperson Ralph Montano said, in an email to CalMatters. The department has agreed to implement many of the recommendations made in the report, Montano added. In a statement, the corrections department said it was “committed to providing adequate health care for the incarcerated population, while ensuring fiscal responsibility.” Workers claim state wastes money to fill vacancies Coby Pizzotti, a lobbyist for the California Association of Psychiatric Technicians, which represents about 6,000 mental health clinicians, said the audit confirmed what many of the state worker unions had suspected: The state has continually refused to meaningfully improve wages, benefits and working conditions for employees, while spending money on temporary workers.
This, the unions contend, makes the vacancy problem worse. “Effectively, it’s a shadow state employee workforce. They’re just not called civil servants,” Pizzotti said. The departments saved $592 million in payroll over six years by carrying the vacancies, the auditors wrote. But, auditors criticized the state departments for their inability to specifically track how they later spent that money. The departments counter that, generally, the money can be used to offset other costs or it can be given back to the state. But they have also poured money into temporary positions to meet court-mandated minimums. During the six-year audit period, the state spent $239 million on contract workers to fill staff vacancies. The departments were authorized to spend more than $1 billion on temporary workers during that time period, though they used only a fraction of the money, according to the audit. Contract workers, while making up less than 10% of the health care workforce, are paid so much that they cost more per hour than state workers even after accounting for benefits, auditors also found. State workers’ unions say that’s more evidence toward their argument that these arrangements don’t save the state money. “Contracting out is not a great way to do business. It’s expensive,”
said Doug Chiappetta, executive director of the psychiatrists union. Instead, state health worker unions want the state to increase salaries and benefits, to make permanent positions more attractive to candidates rather than spending it on highly paid contract workers. The psychiatric technicians union, psychiatrists union and the state nurses union said that contract workers get paid two to three times more per hour than state employees, according to job advertisements from contracting agencies they have collected. Those companies are also able to offer generous benefits and scheduling flexibility that state jobs don’t have. “It’s been a slap to our faces to see how the state doesn’t care for our nurses,” said Vanessa Seastrong, chair of Bargaining Unit 17 for SEIU Local 1000, which represents about 5,100 registered nurses. “You’re standing next to a nurse that is doing less work than you and getting paid more than you. How does that bring up morale?” Bigger problems for recruitment Even relying on temporary contract workers, the state has in many cases still failed to maintain staffing minimums for health care positions.
continued in next 2 columns
Prison health workers are among the best-paid public employees. Why are so many jobs vacant?...continued from page 3 Vacancy rates increased significantly between 2019 and 2024. Salinas Valley State Prison saw vacancies jump 62% during the audit period, and more than half of mental health and medical positions were unfilled during fiscal year 2023-24. Atascadero State Hospital’s vacancy rate rose 39% over the audit period for a total vacancy rate of about 30%. During the last three years of the audit period, Atascadero also lost 90% of its staff to attrition. Porterville Developmental Center’s vacancy rate increased by just 6% over the audit period, but more than a third of its positions remained unfilled in the final year of the audit. In interviews with auditors, administrators at the facilities said that the COVID-19 pandemic caused higher staff turnover as well as an increased reliance on contract workers to fill gaps. All three facilities, which are located along the Central Coast or in the Central Valley, face additional barriers to recruitment. These areas suffer from health care professional shortages. The area along the coast where Atascadero State Hospital and Salinas Valley State Prison are located faces a medium shortage of behavioral health workers, while Porterville Developmental Center is in an area with a severe shortage, according to the Department of Health Care Access and Information. “Places like the Central Valley
have substantially fewer mental health professionals per population than compared to the rest of the state,” said Janet Coffman, a professor at UCSF’s Institute for Health Policy Studies who studies workforce issues. “Particularly for Porterville, that’s a big part of the issue.” At the same time, demand for mental health services has increased in the general population, Coffman said. Combined, that makes it more difficult for the state to compete with the private sector, which is also struggling to hire health care workers. Other barriers are difficult to address with money alone. The patient population can make the work dangerous. Staff are frequently verbally or physically assaulted. Unsafe conditions make it harder to recruit new workers and sometimes cause long-time workers to retire early. “There were 2,700 assaults on staff last year. It’s not a matter of if, it’s when,” Pizzoti said. The audit recommended that the state conduct a market analysis of all health care positions to determine whether payment was competitive, streamline the hiring process, and conduct a statewide recruitment campaign. Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.
WITNESS FOR JUSTICE Issue #1287
Celebrating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Sarah Lund In the beautiful diversity of humankind, we are invited to celebrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. This is especially true when it comes to the holy work of disability and mental health justice. Alice Wong, disability activist and author who died on November 14, at age 51, felt like a friend to me, even though I only knew her through her speaking and writing. Alice destigmatized disability and mental health experiences by talking openly about the real-life impacts of discrimination against people with disabilities, starting with her own stories of growing up as a disabled child in Carmel, Indiana. That’s just a few miles north of where I live. She was the kind of person you would meet for coffee and share stories with. As storytellers, we can help decrease the shame and stigma associated with disabilities and mental health experiences. I appreciated Alice’s use of storytelling to open people’s hearts and minds to injustices that often feel faraway and too overwhelming to think about. In Alice’s powerful memoir, Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life, she says, “I think of storytelling as a chance to know ourselves better, to really question who are are, where we've been, and who are want to be. Each person has an entire universe of stories inside of us. So my question to you all is, what is your story and how do you want to share it with the world? If you aren’t ready to share tell your stories to yourself and let it nourish and guide you. Most importantly, your stories should please you and you alone. And when you are ready to share it, it’ll be out there with other disabled narratives pushing back at that status quo.” When I share my stories about my family’s experiences with chronic and serious brain disabilities, I often ask people to think about their “God stories” about mental health. I invite people to think about where God shows up in the midst of mental health and disabilities. And in exploring this question, we begin to craft our own theologies of mental health and disabilities. Storytelling is how we make sense of our lives and wrestle with God’s presence with us.
Disability and mental health experiences are not punishments from God. And no, God does not make us disabled and sick so that we can deepen our faith. The saying, “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle” is bad theology. We are wonderfully human and that’s why we get disabled and sick. God shows up in the love and care we show to one another. Alice explored the intersectionality of mental health and disabilities in her writings. She navigated her own personal experiences with mental health and talks about this in her book Disability Invisibility: FirstPerson Stories from the Twentyfirst Century. She writes, “I may not find joy every day. Some days will just be hard, and I will simply exist, and that’s okay, too. No one should have to be happy all the time—no one can be, with the ways in which life throws curveballs at us. On those days, it’s important not to mourn the lack of joy but to remember how it feels, to remember that to feel at all is one of the greatest gifts we have in life. When that doesn’t work, we can remind ourselves that the absence of joy isn’t permanent; it’s just the way life works sometimes. The reality of disability and joy means accepting that not every day is good but every day has openings for small pockets of joy.” I love this idea of “small pockets of joy.” Maybe the joy is so small we can just stick our thumb in the pocket, other days the joy is big enough for our whole hand to rest in our pocket. Yet, claiming joy exists, in some form, is an act of courageous faith. In this season of lights, imagine lights of joy illuminating the world. This light still shines, despite the shadows of fear and despair. No person, no president, no government, no horrific act of violence, no, not anything or anyone can dim our light. Our lights shine on. ABOUT THE AUTHOR The Rev. Sarah Lund serves as the Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice in the National Setting of the United Church of Christ.
Thursday, December 25, 2025
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THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN NEWS - LEGALS/CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011589 Date Filed: 12/11/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/11/2030 ABANDONMENT County of Current Filing SAN BERNARDINO Date of Current Filing. 05/24/2022 File No.: FBN20220004948 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): JAGTAR TRUCKING County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 2284 KENDALL DR SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407 Business Mailing Address: 2284 KENDALL DR SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407 # of Employees: 1 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): NAVTEJ (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): SINGH Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. 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WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 11, 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011103 Date Filed: 12/01/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/01/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): LEGAL CLERK SERVICES County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 17250 HIBISCUS ST. FONTANA, CA 92335 Business Mailing Address: 17250 HIBISCUS ST FONTANA, CA 92335 #of Employees: 1 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): LIZETTE (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): GOMEZ Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: State
of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) Corporation or LLC Street Address: This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Not Applicable /s/: Lizette Gomez, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 4, 11, 18, 25, 2025. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250009994 Date Filed: 10/20/2025 Filing Expires On: 10/20/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): OPTOMETRIC EYE CARE ASSOCIATES OF SAN BERNARDINO County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 222 NORTH G STREET SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92410 Business Mailing Address222 NORTH G STREET SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92410 #of Employees: Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: DR. MICHAEL K. MORTON O.D. OPTOMETRIC CORPORATION State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) 3284381 Corporation or LLC Street Address: 1425 LARSEN LN PLACENTIA, CA 92870 This business is/was conducted by: A Corporation Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Mar 12, 2010 /s/: Micahel Morton, President, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper November 20, 27, December 4, 11, Correction December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250010321 Date Filed: 10/29/2025 Filing Expires On: 10/29/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): 1. HILL TOP SERVICES 2. COVER TO COVER MANAGEMENT 3. OPEN DOOR SERVICES County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 15437 ANACAPA RD VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Business Mailing Address: PO BOX 837 VICTORVILLE, CA 92393 #of Employees: 3 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: PRAYER WARRIOR FOR THE LORD INC. State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) 4121052 Corporation or LLC Street Address: 15437 ANACAPA RD VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 This business is/was conducted by: A Corporation Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Oct 01, 2025 /s/: Clifton Harris, Secretary, Printed Name of: Clifton Harris, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper November 6, 13, 20, 27, Correction December 11, 18, 25, 2025., January 1, 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250010498 Date Filed: 11/07/2025 Filing Expires On: 11/07/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): MY STORAGE County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 17411 SMOKETREE STREET HESPERIA, CA 92345 Business Mailing Address: 2042 BUSINESS CTR. DR STE. 100 IRVINE, CA 92612 #of Employees: 0 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: GSC STORAGE HOLDINGS 3, LLC State of Inc./ Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) 201532310210 Corporation or LLC Street Address: 2042 BUSINESS CENTER DR STE 100 IRVINE, CA 92612 This business is/was conducted by: A Limited Liability Company Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Jun 17, 2025 /s/: Eric Minar, Managing Member, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM
THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 4, 11, 18, 25, 2025. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011587 Date Filed: 12/11/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/11/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): TUNDRATECH SOLUTIONS County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 2999 KENDALL DRIVE SUITE 204 UNIT #3233 SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407 Business Mailing Address: 2999 KENDALL DRIVE SUITE 204 UNIT #3233 SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407 Employees: 1 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): JEREMY (Middle Initial only): I (Last Name): FRANCIS Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) Corporation or LLC Street Address: This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Not Applicable /s/: Jeremy I. Francis, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011831 Date Filed: 12/18/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/18/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): BRIGHTSIDE JUNK REMOVAL County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 1797 OMALLEY AVE UPLAND, CA 91784 Business Mailing Address: 1797 OMALLEY AVE UPLAND, CA 91784 Employees: 0 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): CHRISTOPHER (Middle Initial only): D (Last Name): BRYDEN Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) Corporation or LLC Street Address: This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Dec 16, 2025 /s/: Christopher D. Bryden, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 15, 2026.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011303 Date Filed: 12/04/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/04/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): MANDOS MEXICAN FOOD County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 13738 BEAR VALLEY RD, SUITE, B03 VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Business Mailing Address: 13738 BEAR VALLEY RD, SUITE, B03 VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Employees: 4 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: MANDOS BEAR VALLEY INC State of Inc./ Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) Corporation or LLC Street Address: 13738 BEAR VALLEY RD, SUITE, B03 VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 This business is/was conducted by: A Corporation Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Dec 04, 2025 /s/: Patricia Hernandez Lopez, CEO, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 11, 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250010056 Date Filed: 10/21/2025 Filing Expires On: 10/21/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): OUMI SUSHI County of Principal Place of Business: SAN
BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 3630 GRAND AVE CHINO HILLS, CA 91709 Business Mailing Address: 3623 LAZY HAWK ROAD SUITE 101 ROCK HILL, SC 29730 #of Employees: 0 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: LWIN FAMILY CO, LLC State of Inc./Org./Reg.: DE Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) 201721010145 Corporation or LLC Street Address: 3623 LAZY HAWK ROAD SUITE 101 ROCK HILL, SC 29730 This business is/was conducted by: A Limited Liability Company Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Mar 08, 2024 /s/: Mathew Jon Wilken, CEO, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper November 6, 13, 20, 27, Correction December 11, 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 2026.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011450 Date Filed: 12/09/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/09/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): HOMESTACKS REAL ESTATE SERVICES LLC County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 3618 SHANDIN CIRCLE SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407 Business Mailing Address: 3618 SHANDIN CIRCLE SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407 Employees: Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: HOMESTACKS REAL ESTATE SERVICES LLC State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) 202357814971 Corporation or LLC Street Address: 3618 SHANDIN CIR SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407 This business is/was conducted by: A Limited Liability Company Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Not Applicable /s/: Beverly Ann Gadlin-Hughes, CEO, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011716 Date Filed: 12/16/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/16/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): NIC & EL’S SHOP County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 550 YUCCA AVE APT 108 BARSTOW, CA 92311 Business Mailing Address: 550 YUCCA AVE APT 108 BARSTOW, CA 92311 Employees: 0 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): PATRICIA (Middle Initial only): D (Last Name): AGUILAR Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) Corporation or LLC Street Address: This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Not Applicable /s/: Patricia D. Aguilar, Owner, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011505 Date Filed: 12/10/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/10/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): COMPASSION CARE IN-HOME CARE County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 1551 MAJESTY STREET UPLAND, CA 91784 Business Mailing Address: 1551 MAJESTY STREET UPLAND, CA 91784 Employees: 15 Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): (Middle Initial only): I (Last Name): Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg: COMPASSION CARE IN-HOME HEALTH CARE, LLC State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./ Org./Reg. No: (Optional) Corporation or LLC Street Address: 1551 MAJESTY STREET UPLAND, CA 91784 This business is/was conducted by: A Limited Liability Company Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Jul 01, 2025 /s/: Lakisha Jones, Managing Member, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913
of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 2026. LEGAL AD PROOF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011481 Date Filed: 12/10/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/10/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): 1. ROUND 1 BOWLING & ARCADE 2.YUU JAPANESE FOOD HALL County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 14420 BEAR VALLEY RD. VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Business Mailing Address: 3070 SATURN ST., 200 BREA, CA 92821 Employees: Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./ Reg: ROUND ONE ENTERTAINMENT INC. State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) Corporation or LLC Street Address: 3070 SATURN ST. 200 BREA, CA 92821 This business is/was conducted by: A Corporation Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Not Applicable /s/: Shinji Ogasawara, VP, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 2026. Published in The San Bernardino American News December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011720 Date Filed: 12/16/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/16/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): MOST WANTED AUTO GLASS County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 7420 NAPA CT RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91730 Business Mailing Address: 7420 NAPA CT RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91730 Employees: Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): JOSEPH (Middle Initial only): M (Last Name): RODRIGUEZ CARRANZA Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) Corporation or LLC Street Address: This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Jun 02, 2023 /s/: Joseph M. Rodriguez Carranza, Owner, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 25, 2025, January 1, 8 15, 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN 20250011350 Date Filed: 12/05/2025 Filing Expires On: 12/05/2030 LIST FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME BELOW (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg): PLAYFUL PLEASURES County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: (P.O. Box or PMB address NOT acceptable): 21116 PAHUTE ROAD APPLE VALLEY, CA 92308 Business Mailing Address: 21116 PAHUTE ROAD APPLE VALLEY, CA 92308 Employees: Name of Individual Registrant (First Name): KARINA (Middle Initial only): (Last Name): LAMPITT Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No: (Optional) Corporation or LLC Street Address: This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: (If registrant has not yet commenced to transact business, insert statement “Not Applicable.): Not Applicable /s/: Karina Lampitt, Individual, DECLARES THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40
DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 11, 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 2026.
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVBA 2500873 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ALLEN HUGO TELLEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. ALLEN HUGO TELLEZ to Proposed name: ALLEN HUGO BROWN THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 1-16-26 Time 8:00 a.m. Dept.: B1 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY 235 E Mt View Street Barstow, CA 92311 Barstow District A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: Dec 05, 2025 James R. Baxter Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 11, 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 2026. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVBA 2500874 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: BRANDON MICHAEL TELLEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. BRANDON MICHAEL TELLEZ to Proposed name: JORDAN MICHAEL BROWN THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: Jan 16, 2026 Time 8:30 a.m. Dept.: B1 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY 235 E Mt View Street Barstow, CA 92311 Barstow District A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: Dec 05, 2025 James R. Baxter Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 11, 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 2026. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVBA 2500879 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ROSA MONTERROZA, ESAU MONTERROZA filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. ANDREW MONTERROZA RODRIGUEZ to Proposed name: ANDREW MONTERROZA THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: Jan 30, 2026 Time 8:30 a.m. Dept.: B1 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY 235 E Mountain View Street Barstow, CA 92311 Barstow Superior Court A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: Dec 09, 2025 James R. Baxter Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 2026. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVBA 2500869 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: MARTIN ANTHONY REYES, SARAH ELAINE DESORMIERS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. MARTIN ANTHONY REYES to Proposed name: MARTIN ANTHONY PRIVETT Present name: SCARLETT BRAY REYES to Proposed name: SCARLETT BRAY PRIVETT THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 1-6-26 Time 1:30 p.m. Dept.: B1 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY 235 East Mountain View Street Barstow, CA 92311 Barstow District A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: Dec 04, 2025 James R. Baxter Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 11, 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 2026.
PETITION/PROBATE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: KATHERINE S. PAYNE CASE NO: PROVA2500936
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: KATHERINE
S. PAYNE
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by JODEE YORDY in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that: JODEE YORDY be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 01/07/2026 Time: 9:00AM Dept: F3 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 17780 Arrow Blvd Fontana, CA 92335 Fontana District IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: Don M. Ross II 57382 29 Palms Hwy Yucca Valley, California 92284 (760)999-2095 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper December 11, 18, 25, 2025.
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JOYCE BUSKIRK DECEDENT CASE NO: PROVV2500420
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: JOYCE
BUSKIRK
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: LLOYD STILL in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that: LLOYD STILL be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 01/20/2026 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept: V12 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 14455 Civic Drive Victorville, CA 92392 Victorville District IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept
by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: Sean DeBurgh DeBurgh Law 3017 Douglas Blvd. Suite 300 Roseville, CA 95661 (888)215-3001 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper December 11, 18, 25, 2025
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JANET KRUSER CASE NO: PROVA2500953
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: JANET
KRUSER
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by LARRY BEBBER in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that: LARRY BEBBER be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 01/21/2026 Time: 9:00AM Dept: F2 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 17780 Arrow Blvd Fontana, CA 92335 Fontana District IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code,or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: Don M. Ross II 57382 29 Palms Hwy Yucca Valley, California 92284 (760)999-2095 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 2026.
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Thursday, December 25, 2025
Page 6
THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN NEWS - HEALTH/GOVERNMENT NEWS /CLASSIFIEDS/LEGALS
Covered California Encourages All Californians to Explore Health Insurance Options Before Dec. 31 Deadline to Get Coverage for All of 2026 Health News
Figure 1: Nearly 1.2 Million Uninsured Californians Are Eligible for Financial Help
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California is encouraging all uninsured Californians to sign up for health insurance by Dec. 31. The open-enrollment period for 2026 ends on Jan. 31, but to have insurance in place for January, consumers need to enroll by the end of the year. Covered California’s over 1.9 million enrollees also have until Dec. 31 to make any changes to their coverage for next year. It has been a unique open enrollment with the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits set to expire heading into 2026. Since their introduction in 2021, the enhanced assistance has helped double enrollment nationally under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and by over 23 percent in California. So far this open enrollment,
123,461 Californians have signed up for 2026 coverage as of Dec. 20, marking a 30 percent decrease over the same period last year. Driven by record-high enrollment in 2025, overall, 1.9 million Californians have signed up for 2026 coverage, marking a 3 percent increase over the same period last year. That includes 1,816,067 Californians who have renewed their plans so far, a 7 percent increase over the same period last year. The number of renewing consumers will be better known next month after enrollees pay their premiums, with full numbers available in the spring. “As we get closer to year-end holidays and family celebrations, health insurance may be the last thing you’re thinking about — but being insured is one of the
best ways to protect the physical, mental and financial health of you and your family,” said Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman. “This year more than ever, the Dec. 31 deadline matters — we know people have difficult decisions to make with premium costs rising unless Congress acts in January to extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits. As you go through your options to sign up for new coverage or make changes to your current plan, Covered California is here to help you every step of the way.” Entering this year’s openenrollment period, Covered California continued to see historic enrollment, with nearly 2 million Californians getting connected to health insurance through Covered California in 2025. Despite expiring federal subsidies that have helped lower monthly premiums for millions of Americans, Covered California remains committed to helping people understand their options for keeping or signing up for health and dental insurance. “We know that when people are insured and get the care they need, they’re healthier and they’re able to be more successful in work, school and life,” said Dr. Monica Soni, chief medical officer for Covered California. “As we head toward the end of the year, make sure to put health insurance on your holiday list, because you can’t use your health insurance if you don’t have health insurance. A
Covered California plan ensures that you receive a free, annual preventive care checkup to get a head start on a healthy 2026.” Of the nearly 123,000 new enrollees, nearly half live in four Southern California counties (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino), with 57,838 sign-ups. Also, more than 29,000 new enrollees identified as Latino, while more than 25,000 Asian Americans have signed up for coverage so far. Over 30,000 White Californians and over 3,000 Black Californians have enrolled, and over 23,000 Californians did not disclose their race or ethnicity. Despite the continued progress, the latest data from the California Simulation of Insurance Markets (CalSIM) model, developed by the University of California, Los Angeles’s Center for Health Policy Research, estimates that nearly 1.2 million Californians who either qualify for subsidies through Covered California (508,000) or low-cost or nocost Medi-Cal (682,000) remain uninsured and eligible for insurance in 2026. Further, this data from CalSIM shows that certain groups are disproportionately represented among the uninsured. Among the 508,000 uninsured Californians eligible for health insurance through Covered California, 57 percent are Latino and 50 percent are between 45 and 64 years old, and they reside all over the state.
Black Lawyer Delivers Powerful Commentary on Racial Injustices on the American Court System...continued from page 3 like annoyances and prosecution objections like wisdom; Judges whose body language tells the jury exactly which side they should trust; and Judges who forget they are there to apply the law and start behaving like they are the law. You can almost always guess who a judge was before they put on the robe: lifelong public defender or corporate lawyer? Former D.A. with a taste for “tough on crime” politics? Someone who spent their career needing respect and power they never had—and now intends to collect? Give a person like that the power of the state, control of the courtroom, and the ability to send people to prison, and watch how quickly “judicial temperament” turns into a power trip. As the saying goes:
result from courtroom congestion, the court’s calendar, or the prosecutor’s conflicts, those delays are typically absorbed as part of the ordinary operation of the system. The pattern is subtle but clear: when the state is not ready, it is institutional; when the defense is not available because it is actually trying cases, it is personalized. This dynamic sends a broader message. Lawyers who insist on taking cases to trial, rather than routinely pleading them out, face structural pressure and reputational costs. In that way, the system does not only resist defendants who challenge its narrative; it also resists the defense attorneys who refuse to quietly go along with it. The New Racial Justice Acts: Patching a Cracked Foundation
Man—or woman—will always mess up power. The robe doesn’t cure that. It amplifies it.
Some will point to reforms like the Racial Justice Acts and new jury selection laws and say, “See? The system is fixing itself.”
How the System Strains Lawyers Who Insist on Trial
Let’s be honest about what they do—and what they don’t.
Defense lawyers who regularly take cases to jury trial— particularly those who refuse to simply move cases through the system—are often spread thin. As a Black defense attorney who tries more cases than most, I see this pressure up close. Because there are relatively few attorneys who insist on trying a high volume of cases, the same lawyers end up on multiple trial calendars at once. Instead of being understood as a consequence of exercising the constitutional right to trial, this reality is frequently treated as a scheduling problem attributed to the defense. When trial dates are continued because defense counsel is actively engaged in another courtroom, that delay is often noted and quietly framed as defense “unavailability.” By contrast, when continuances
California’s Racial Justice Act and AB 3070 California’s Racial Justice Act of 2020 (AB 2542) was sold as a breakthrough. On paper, it lets defendants challenge convictions and sentences based on racial bias—whether that bias shows up in statistics about charging and sentencing or in explicit conduct by judges, lawyers, police, or jurors. We’ve already seen it used to knock out extreme gang enhancements where racist texts and data proved that young Black defendants were being overcharged. A judge tossed those enhancements under the Act, and that was celebrated as progress. Another reform, AB 3070, was supposed to fix the long broken Batson/Wheeler system for jury selection. Instead of
forcing a defendant to prove what a prosecutor was “really thinking,” it claims to use an objective test: if an “objectively reasonable” person could see race or another protected trait as a factor in a peremptory strike, the strike should not stand. That sounds good in theory. But in practice, when the same judges, with the same mindset, apply this “new” standard, the system keeps working exactly like the old one. In my own case, the so-called reform was actually weaponized against me. A Black female prosecutor removed a Black juror for a clearly pretextual reason, and my challenge was denied. Later, when I excused two white jurors, the court eagerly granted Wheeler motions against me— using the very framework that was supposed to stop racial discrimination in jury selection to police a Black defense attorney who would not play along. The new law did not protect Black participation in the jury; it protected the old narrative and punished the person challenging it. That is not advancement—that is the same script with updated language. These statutes are not meaningless; they came out of decades of struggle by defense lawyers, civil rights organizations, and communities who refused to stay silent. They deserve recognition. But look at what it took just to get here: more than 30 years after Batson—a decision that should have ended race-based jury strikes—California had to admit that the system was still openly discriminatory and try again. And even now, lawsuits and data show that Black and Hispanic defendants continue to receive longer sentences than similarly situated white defendants, while courts are only beginning to test how far the Racial Justice Act will really reach. We keep laying patch after patch on a foundation that was cracked from the beginning, and judges who don’t truly respect these laws
ensure that, in real time, the old machine keeps doing what it was always built to do. “Beyond Repair” Is Not Hyperbole. It’s a Diagnosis. Some people get uncomfortable when I say the justice system is racially biased beyond repair. They hear that as hopelessness. I mean it as honesty. If a system was designed from the ground up to do a particular thing—to control Black people, protect white wealth, and maintain hierarchy—then you don’t “reform” it into something else. You build something new. Pew’s research shows that nearly nine in ten Black Americans believe policing, courts, and prisons need major changes or complete rebuilding. That’s not a cry for a fresh coat of paint. That’s a call to tear up the blueprints. When you add layers of “race blind charging,” “bias trainings,” and new statutes on top of a machine designed to produce racialized outcomes, you may smooth out the roughest edges, but the product is the same Black people stopped more, charged more, jailed more, and sentenced more; Juries that don’t reflect the communities being judged; and Judges and prosecutors operating in a culture that treats Black suffering as background noise instead of a red alert sign that the system has failed. That’s not malfunction. That’s function. Respect Where It’s Due – and the Line I Won’t Cross Let me be clear: I have nothing but respect for district attorneys and judges who are fair. I’ve met them. I’ve stood in front of judges who were former Marines or military veterans who didn’t need the robe to feel like somebody. Those folks continued on page 7
PETITION/PROBATE
L E G A L S / C L A S S I F I E D S G O H E R E
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: CHARLES EDWARD MCPHERSON DECEDENT CASE NO: PROVV2500398
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of CHARLES
EDWARD MCPHERSON
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by DENNIS MCPHERSON in the Superior Court of California, County of VICTORVILLE THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that: DENNIS MCPHERSON be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 1/5/2026 Time: 9:00AM Dept: V12 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 14455 Civic Drive Victorville, CA 92392 Victorville District IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: DANIEL V. GOODSELL 10155 W. Twain Ave., Ste. 100 Las Vegas, NV 89147 (702)869-6261 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 2026. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVSB 2534492 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: LATOSHA DENICE BLAN filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. LATOSHA DENICE BLAN to Proposed name: LATOSHA DENICE LOWERY THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 01/30/26 Time 8:30 a.m. Dept.: S37 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 247 West Third Street San Bernardino District-Civil Division San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: 12/11/25 Gilbert G. Ochoa Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper December 18, 25, 2025, January 1, 8, 2026.
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Thursday, December 25, 2025
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THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN NEWS -LIFESTYLE/FINANCIAL NEWS
Funding concerns rise after nursing loses professional Congress Fails to Extend ACA Subsidies, Premiums to Soar for Millions degree label by BVN
By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer/astevens@afro.com
Experts warn the Department of Education’s decision could limit financial aid and access to advanced nursing education. (Photo Credit: Unsplash / Andy Feliciotti)
Changes to federal definitions of professional degrees raise concerns for nursing programs and aspiring students. (Photo Credit: Unsplash / Hush Naidoo Jade Photography)
The Department of Education will no longer classify several long-recognized graduate programs as professional degrees, a shift that will affect financial aid limits and reshape how universities describe advanced training in fields that rely on licensing. The updated definition removes nursing from the government’s professional degree category. The change will apply to federal student aid policies beginning with the 2026 fiscal year. Programs that remain classified as professional degrees will include medicine, dentistry, law and veterinary medicine. Degrees that fall outside the list will be categorized as academic graduate programs rather than professional ones. “Nurses comprise the largest component of the healthcare workforce, are the primary providers of hospital patient care, and deliver most of the nation’s long-term care,” according to a study published in 2024 by the American Association of
proposed a consensus definition that designates Medicine (M.D.), Dentistry (D.D.S./D.M.D.), Law (L.L.B./J.D.), and several other high-cost programs as eligible for a $200,000 borrowing limit,” the agency stated in a press release. “Students who pursue a degree in other graduate or doctoral programs would be capped at $100,000 in federal loans.” Wise said she is especially worried about how the new classification will impact loan and grant limits for students who come from low-income or marginalized communities. “It affects people who don’t have anything to fall back on,” she said. “If you put a cap on funding, people in the ghetto who want to be nurses will rethink what they want to do. We are role models. People want to be nurses.” Legal advocates said the consequences could extend beyond nursing and harm communities that rely on accessible professional education. Lauren Corbin, a public defense
Colleges of Nursing (AACN). “17.4 percent of the nation’s registered nurses held a master’s degree and 2.7 percent held a doctoral degree as their highest educational preparation.” State licensing rules for nurses will not be affected because those standards are set by independent boards. Nurses on the ground said the change ignores the worsening shortage of trained providers. Keira Wise, a perinatal nurse, said the ruling could discourage students who might already struggle to pay for graduate school. “It breaks my heart,” Wise said. “We already don’t have enough nurses. The nurse to patient ratio is overwhelming and we are burned out. To take funding away is going to hurt us in a major way.” In addition to reclassifying nursing degrees, the U.S. Department of Education also announced a change in loan limits. “A negotiating committee convened by the agency has
attorney, said financial barriers created by reclassification tend to fall hardest on Black students and others who lack generational wealth. “For people who already face systemic disadvantages it becomes another hurdle,” Corbin said. “Students from Black communities make decisions based on cost. When the price goes up they get pushed out before they even have a chance.” Corbin said the shift could also reduce the number of professionals who return to serve in the neighborhoods where they grew up. “If you limit who can afford these degrees you limit who ends up back in our communities providing care and support,” she said. “That loss affects everyone.” Education officials said the update is not a judgment on the rigor or social value of nursing. Universities, student groups and professional organizations plan to submit comments before the rule is finalized next year.
Educating the Early Childhood Educators By Katie Dukes, EdNC
QuaShawnda Everett, the program chair for early childhood education at Edgecombe Community College in North Carolina, has traveled the globe with her musician husband, but she’d never flown anywhere by herself — or even traveled outside of North Carolina alone. That’s why she was skeptical when the college’s president, Greg McLeod, forwarded her a flyer for a training at Harvard earlier this year. She wasn’t sure she wanted to fly solo to Boston. But the more she learned about the opportunity, the more interested and excited she became, especially for the chance to learn directly from some of the world’s top experts in early childhood education. She decided to go for it. “One thing about me, my mind races, and I’m always trying to do something new,” Ms. Everett said. That’s been the theme of her career in early childhood. She’s set a goal, gone after it, achieved it, and then set her sights even higher. Now she uses her experiences to inspire the next generation of early childhood educators to do the same. ‘A dream job of mine’ Ms. Everett is a native of Bertie County and the daughter of a child care director, which is how she started volunteering in
early care and learning as a high school student. Then she worked part-time in child care while earning her associate degree in early childhood education from Roanoke-Chowan Community College. “At that time, I only had a goal to just be a teacher assistant in a public school, that was all I wanted,” Ms. Everett said. She met that goal after graduation, landing a role as a teaching assistant (TA) with North Carolina Pre-K in Pitt County Schools. She credits NC Pre-K with continuing her education into high-quality early care and learning. “Everything that I learned in the world of early childhood came from that NC Pre-K program,” Ms. Everett said, adding that a teacher she worked with named Cythia Beaudoin left a lasting impact. “I loved her. She was such a great role model, a mentor. And so then I realized: I want my own classroom. I want to be a lead teacher.” Ms. Everett used a TEACH scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s degree and became a lead teacher for NC Pre-K with Pitt County Schools. She also worked part-time for the MartinPitt Partnership for Children, the local Smart Start affiliate, where she continued to learn about the wide variety of careers available
in early childhood education. Relying on another TEACH scholarship, she earned a master’s degree. When a position as a licensing consultant for North Carolina’s Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) in Pitt County opened up, she went for it. “That job was a dream job of mine, but it was one of those things that glittered on the outside, but when you get on the inside, the workload was insane,” Ms. Everett said. With 50 licensed child care sites on her caseload and no idea what to expect day-to-day, she started to experience burnout. By this point in her career, she had a young son and a spouse who traveled frequently for work. She wanted a greater sense of stability, and the opportunity to continue shaping the developing minds of the state’s youngest learners. She found that at a community college. ‘Every child can be reached’ “I think one of the things that led me here was just because I started in this seat as a community college student,” Ms. Everett said of her role at Edgecombe Community College. “With me, I can take advice from people all day, but if you’ve walked in my shoes, I’m really going to listen.” After working in child care, in NC Pre-K as both a TA and a lead teacher, with Smart Start, and as a licensing consultant, Ms. Everett has walked in the shoes her students hope to fill. And that directly informs her teaching. For example, as a licensing consultant, she encountered new teachers who struggled to access and complete paperwork required by the state. Now, in EDU 119 — the introductory course some students take to become lead teachers — she
walks her students through the process of navigating the state website to find the forms they need and coaches them through completing each one. And this school year, in EDU 280 — a class about language and literacy — Ms. Everett will incorporate lessons that come straight from her training at Harvard earlier this year. Ms. Everett said the training was focused on creating languagerich learning environments and experiences for young children. It emphasized how leaders could encourage teachers to be strategic and intentional in setting up classrooms that foster literacy, especially for multilingual learners and their families. “Because we know it’s important, but how do you make it like second nature?” she said. In both of those courses, along with all of the others across the program she leads, Ms. Everett stresses the importance of respecting children and their humanity. “These are humans, they’re just in little bodies,” she said. “So they deserve love, respect, and everything as well.” She also encourages her students to let go of their need for control, something she had to do herself in her professional roles. “Sometimes it’s not the children who need to change; the adults need to change,” Ms. Everett said. Through training her adult students, she’s helping to create the right environments for the young learners they’ll teach in the future. “My drive is just because I’ve seen what children need and I’ve seen what educators lack. And so my goal when these students are in my classrooms is they’re learning how to walk away and be nurturing, loving, continued in next 2 columns
The 119th Congress voted down two pieces of legislation this week, one offered by Democrats, the other by Republicans. Both bills were intended to address the looming health care crisis being triggered by the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire December 31, 2025. (demlist.com) Enhanced premium tax subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will expire on Dec. 31 as Congress prepares to break for the holidays without voting on a health care package. Though House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to call for a vote regarding extending ACA tax credits for three years as proposed by Democrats, four House Republicans signed a Democrat-led discharge petition to force a vote on the three-year extension plan. “And as Leader Jeffries has said all along, this is the only real plan on the table to ensure that Americans’ premiums don’t skyrocket by the end of the year. We have the votes,” Rep. Pete Aguilar said during a press conference on Dec. 18. “We have the momentum. We have the American people on our side. Let’s not waste another second. Speaker Johnson, bring this bill to the floor right now.” The discharge petition will
force the three-year extension bill to the floor for a vote, overriding House Speaker Mike Johnson’s reluctance to do so. However, the vote will not happen until after the current subsidies expire on December 31. This is because Johnson decided instead to send House members home early for the holidays. On Dec. 17, a Republicansupported health care package passed the House by 216-211, but does not extend the expiring ACA subsidies. The package will head to the Senate and is unexpected to pass. As open enrollment for choosing health insurance plans continues, millions of Americans are seeing their premiums increase drastically. For months, Congress has been unable to come to a consensus on a health care package, an issue that contributed to the country’s longest government shutdown in October.
Educating the Early Childhood Educators...continued understanding. You can still be stern and have boundaries and structure, but it doesn’t have to be boot camp. They’re children — don’t take their childhood away, their fun away.” She knows from her own experience that it can be tough, especially when young students
demonstrate challenging behaviors. In those situations, Ms. Everett tells her students what she told herself as a pre-K teacher: “I don’t think there’s such a thing as a bad child. Every child can be reached.”
Black Lawyer Delivers Powerful Commentary on Racial Injustices on the American Court System... continued from page 6 tend to be more grounded. They understand chain of command, service, humility. They don’t take it personally when a defense lawyer fights for their client. I do have a bias in favor of those public servants—especially my Marine Corps brothers and sisters—who bring that integrity into the courtroom. They exist. But they exist inside a machine that is bigger than any one good person. A fair judge can soften the blow in a specific case. A prosecutor with a conscience can refuse to file an unfair charge. But neither of them can turn a screwdriver factory into a wrench factory by themselves. These are my views based on my experience as a Black defense attorney, former police officer, and U.S. Marine. So What Do We Do? If you’re looking for a neat resolution, you won’t get it from me. What I can offer is clarity: 1. Stop pretending race is a side issue. Race is the water the system swims in. Any conversation about “justice” that tries to tiptoe around that is just another performance; 2. Stop acting like juries are neutral. How we build jury pools, how we excuse jurors, and which life experiences we treat as “bias” is where racism shows its face most clearly; 3. Stop romanticizing judges as neutral referees. Look at who they were before the robe, whose
company they keep, whose worldview they share—and how often their “discretion” cuts only one way; and 4. Stop talking about reform like a tune-up. When Black Americans overwhelmingly say the courts need to be rebuilt, believe them. And if you’re Black and find yourself in this system—whether as a defendant, a lawyer, or a potential juror—understand this: you are not crazy, you are not “too radical,” and you are definitely not alone. You are playing an away game. The crowd isn’t cheering for you. The officials are not neutral. The scoreboard is rigged. So yes, we fight like hell inside the existing system—file motions under the Racial Justice Act, make the record, challenge biased jury strikes, expose racist patterns. That’s survival. But we cannot mistake survival tactics for structural change. Until we rebuild the machine itself, it will keep doing exactly what it was built to do. And for Black people in America, that means one thing: The justice system isn’t broken. It’s working. That’s the problem. Attorney Zulu Ali is the Founder and CEO of the largest Black-owned law firm in Southern California’s Inland Empire. Learn more at ZuluAliLaw.com
Thursday, December 25, 2025
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THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN NEWS -LOCAL/NATIONAL NEWS/ADVERTISING
2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom, Chair of the Emergency Management Committee By Edward Henderson | California Black Media I see it as my responsibility to make sure every proposal I review moves California forward and creates opportunity for all, including Black Californians who have too often been left out of the conversation. My goal is to ensure that legislation does not reinforce existing inequities but instead advances opportunity. The Black Equity Collective is the engine behind that work. What frustrated you the most this year?
Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom represents the 13th Assembly District, which includes Stockton, Tracy and Mountain House. With over 20 years of experience in public service, Ransom is a former Tracy city councilmember and an outspoken advocate for social justice, equitable education and economic empowerment. Ransom currently serves as chair of the Assembly Emergency Management Committee and member of the California Legislative Black Caucas and lives in Tracy with her husband and three children. Ransom spoke with California Black Media about her accomplishments and frustrations during 2025 and her vision for the new year. What stands out as your most important achievement this year? One of my proudest accomplishments this year has been establishing our casework program for constituents. We do a lot of work in Sacramento, but we’re just as focused on delivering for people at home. Our team helps residents navigate state agencies like the Franchise Tax Board and the EDD (Employment Development Department), and we’re often stepping in when people are dealing with real challenges and need results. Representation matters. Too many people in my community have felt overlooked or unheard, and part of my job is to make sure their voices are brought to the table and their issues are taken seriously. Over the last year, we’ve helped bring around half a million dollars back into the pockets of our constituents. My team and I are solving problems and delivering real outcomes for the people we serve. How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year? As a member of the Black Caucus, my focus has been on repairing equity and justice throughout the state. Each year, thousands of bills are introduced in the Legislature, and this session alone we saw 2,350 proposals come through.
The most frustrating part of this year has been the forced setbacks coming from the federal administration. We’ve had to shift our priorities to protect Californians from decisions that pull critical funding from disaster preparedness, schools, and other essential programs. Those cuts are costing California billions of dollars. What inspired you the most this year? Realizing that almost everyone in the building truly wants to do what’s best for Californians. That’s a good problem to have. Even when we have different perspectives or approaches, the shared commitment to improving people’s lives is what drives our work. It reminded me how important it is to listen, learn, and collaborate. When we take the time to really listen with an open heart, we can build solutions that reflect the needs of all Californians. is one lesson you learned so far this year that will inform your decision-making in 2026? One lesson I’ve learned this year is that things are constantly changing. Bills and legislation move fast, and they are fluid by nature. It is important to understand that a bill will evolve throughout the process, and that is not a setback. It is an opportunity to make it stronger and more effective.
How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year? For me, my work has been supportive of Black-serving institutions. That’s why I carried AB 335, trying to get $75 million for them. When you look at what the Trump administration has done — attacking HBCUs, trying to cut Black-serving institutions, erasing Black contributions from history books — we need to protect funding streams. This year, the bill was unsuccessful because of budget constraints, but in 2026, my final year in the Legislature, I’ll try again with a smaller amount. We’re organizing Black-serving institutions across California to rally behind it. Even if one door closes, another opens, and we’ll keep pushing so our institutions have the resources they need. What was your greatest frustration this year? My greatest frustration has been seeing grants canceled, funding cut off, jobs lost, and immigrant communities like Haitians and Dominicans targeted. I’ve seen ICE militarization in our streets in Los Angeles. The rhetoric from Washington, D.C., doesn’t match the reality — crime is down in these communities, yet militarization continues. What inspired you most this year?
Democratic Caucus Chair. He served in that role until July 2023, making him the longest-serving Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair in California state history. Gipson is currently running for the State Board of Equalization (BOE), which oversees the state’s property tax system and ensures taxes are assessed fairly across the state’s 58 counties. California Black Media spoke with Gipson on his accomplishments and disappointments during the past year, and his plans heading into 2026. What was your greatest accomplishment this year? My work on gun regulation. My bill, Assembly Bill (AB) 1263, was signed by the governor in October. It deals with ghost guns. When you look at mass shootings, eight times out of ten, a ghost gun was used, continued in next 2 columns
What’s one lesson that you learned this year that will inform your decision-making next year? As chair of the Revenue and Taxation Committee, I’ve been able to shape policy that impacts communities like Altadena, a historically African American community, as well as places like the Palisades after the losses they faced in 2025. I’ve helped usher through tax policies that improve lives. I’ve served on the committee before, but now as chair, I can lead. I believe I’m well-prepared for the next step. I hope voters in 2026 will elect me as a Board of Equalization member. In one word, what’s the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing? Trumpism. What is the goal that you want to achieve most in 2026? I want to make sure that in my final year in the state Assembly, that I finish strong. I started this race in 2014. My goal is to finish this race in 2026. When I complete my term, I want to go out strong with pride, dignity, and a sense of purpose. I want to be able to tell the people who elected me that I delivered on the priorities they sent me to Sacramento to advance.
2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins –Advocate for Health, Aging Californians and More...continued oversight of law enforcement agencies, and secured a historic vote on the path to eliminating criminal strikes against juveniles — all because people showed up, raised their voices, and made themselves heard when I presented the bills. When we share our stories and educate members who may not share our worldview, we can accomplish amazing things. What is one lesson you learned this year that will inform your decision-making next year? This year, I learned more about decision-making in times of financial scarcity. We are trying to solve big problems with limited resources. How do you prioritize among several needs? I’ve learned
would have a seat at the table and that I would elevate their voices in Sacramento. In just one year, we were able to get six bills signed addressing affordability, health access, and community safety. We secured over $60 million for the residents of Assembly District 79, and we led conversations on access to CalFresh, especially considering federal cuts to the program. How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year? Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2024 to represent the 79th District, which includes southeastern San Diego, El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies, a master’s in education with an emphasis in Multicultural Counseling, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University, where she later returned as an adjunct professor. Sharp-Collins, who is co-chair of the California State Assembly’s Select Committee on CalFresh Enrollment and Nutrition, says she is driven by a commitment to equity, community well-being, and expanding opportunity for all Californians. Among her priorities are ensuring older adults receive the support they deserve, strengthening essential services through responsible budgeting, and advancing policies that improve access to quality healthcare. She currently lives in San Diego with her two children. California Black Media spoke with Dr. Sharp-Collins about her successes and disappointments this year, as well as her goals for 2026. What stands out to you as your most important achievement this year? I am proud of all the things we achieved this year. When I was running for office, I promised my district that I would ensure all members of our community
As part of Assembly leadership, I serve as the Assistant Majority Leader for Policy and Research. In that role, I have had the honor of helping guide conversations within our Democratic caucus. This year, I prioritized helping my colleagues understand the impacts of federal cuts and addressing affordability in healthcare, childcare, housing, and food. In each discussion, I emphasize the need to look at issues through an equitable lens and better understand how they may affect Black Californians differently. What frustrated you the most this year? Any bill that does not get signed is understandably disappointing. Working with various stakeholders, I introduced legislation anticipating HR 1 and other federal cuts. Those bills were written to strengthen CalWORKs and CalFresh, putting us in a better position as we brace for the impacts of these cuts. Those bills did not make it to the Governor’s desk. They died in the legislative process. But I am committed to redoubling efforts with my colleagues to defend these critical programs. For now, I feel for my district and all Californians that we couldn’t provide support for earlier.
In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing currently? Visibility. It’s been said you can’t help me if you can’t even see me. I worked on a bill last year that would have enshrined DEIA programs into state law across state programs. It would have ensured Black Californians are seen, their concerns heard, and state programs are equitable. This bill was vetoed by the governor, but I look forward to working to bring it back next year. What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2026? I want to continue doing what I was elected to do: elevate the voices
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the value of trusting the voices of my district and collaborating with members from districts with similar challenges. When we work together to elevate pressing needs, we can address community concerns even
of my community. I want to make sure Black Californians are seen, represented, and receive an equitable portion of state resources. I want us to solve this affordability crisis together.
2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Corey Jackson, a Strong Equity-Focused Voice in the Legislature By Edward Henderson | California Black Media achievements as a Black Caucus have also been significant. My job in the Black Caucus is to steer all of our bills to the governor’s desk. I’m the coordinator, or the conductor, of our reparations bills. We’re building an infrastructure for people that’s embedded in the state, and that’s never been done anywhere in the nation before. What frustrated you the most this year?
Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) represents the 60th Assembly District. He was first elected in November 2022. In the Legislature, Jackson has emerged as a key voice on issues related to equity, social services, and community well-being — first as chair of the Human Services Committee in 2023 and now as chair of Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services. His leadership has placed him at the center of some of the state’s most urgent conversations, from protecting essential safety-net programs to shaping long-term strategies for children, families, and vulnerable Californians. A graduate of CSU San Bernardino and California Baptist University, Jackson brings a blend of academic expertise and lived experience to the Capitol. California Black Media (CBM) spoke with Dr. Jackson about his successes and disappointments this year as well as his goals for 2026. What stands out to you as your most important achievement this year? My most important achievement this year was my work as the budget subcommittee chair for human services. We’ve been able to preserve a lot of the housing programs within our social safety net to prevent our seniors and low-income people from falling into homelessness. How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year?
I continue to be inspired by what we can achieve when Californians make their voices heard. We passed landmark regulations against predatory towing fees, strengthened
The work that I do in terms of supporting our most vulnerable African Americans who are receiving assistance, making sure that as we strengthen our social safety net, our brothers and sisters throughout the state will have a better foundation to work from.
continued in next 2 columns
I think that our reparations
What inspired you the most so far this year?
when budget conditions are poor.
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By Edward Henderson | California Black Media
What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2026? In 2026, I want to keep pushing for solutions that make life more affordable for Californians. People are feeling the pressure of rising costs, and we’ve got to make it easier for working families to get ahead. I’m also focused on investing in education and workforce programs, so our young people are ready for good-paying jobs and real opportunities. And with the federal funding cuts we’re seeing, it’s important that we protect our resources and cut through the red tape so we can keep delivering for Californians.
When Gov. Gavin Newsom stood up and said California would not be relegated to the back of the bus. He said we’d stand up to states like Texas, draw our own maps, and not allow our voices to be muffled. I was proud to push that green button and stand up for democracy. That made me proud not only as a Californian but as a Black man and as a legislator.
2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember LaShae SharpCollins –Advocate for Health, Aging Californians and More
Revisionism
By Edward Henderson | California Black Media
Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) is entering his final year of service in the state Legislature due to term limits. A native of the Watts community in Los Angeles, Gipson says he inherited a spirit of service from his parents. He was elected to the Carson City Council in 2005, and he served as Mayor Pro Tempore before entering the race for the California State Assembly in 2014. The following year, Gipson was appointed as the Assembly
something that is untraceable. My community is victimized by these guns that are winding up on our streets. It’s Black and Brown communities who become victims of these guns.
In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing currently?
2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Board of Equalization Candidate Assemblymember Mike Gipson
Assemblymember Mike Gipson
2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Board of Equalization Candidate Assemblymember Mike Gipson..continued
The constant crises — whether they’re natural disasters, the state budget, the economy, or Donald Trump. It’s been quite some time — probably since maybe Reagan — that we’ve had such an anti-Black president. Someone who is literally trying to weaken our political power, weaken our voice, weaken our culture, weaken our history. That’s probably the most frustrating part. What has inspired you most this year? The story of our people. When the going gets tough, it makes us stronger as a community. It speaks to our resilience; it speaks to us being the conscience of this state and this nation. During the worst of times is when we shine the brightest as a community. What is one lesson you’ve learned this year that will inform your decision-making next year? Trust your gut. And hold the line. In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing currently? Collective action When we act together, when we speak and act with one voice and one action, the whole world listens. Target is finding that out, right? So, the idea is: we must do it more. We only lose when we are not working together. What is the goal you want to achieve the most in 2026? I want to end seniors falling into homelessness next year. You’ve just got to fight for the money and the budget to do it. You can’t allow the crises to stop you from making progress. It’s about being laserfocused. And, obviously, many seniors, families, and people experiencing homelessness are African American. So, I think it’s time to do right by our ancestors and by the people whose shoulders we stand on.