SB American Week Ending 5/1

Vol. 50 No. 1

April 25, 2019 - May 01, 2019

This publication is a Certified DBE/ SBE / MBE in the State of California CUCP #43264 Metro File #7074 & State of Texas File #802505971

The San Bernardino AMERICAN News Celebrates ****50 years****

Homeless Persons Cannot Be Punished for Sleeping in Absence of Alternatives, 9th Circuit Decision Establishes

Publisher’s Corner Email: sbamericannews@gmail.com Clifton Harris Editor in Chief Publisher of The San Bernardino AMERICAN News

COMMENTARY: The Mueller Report and the Question of US foreign policy By Bill Fletcher, Jr., NNPA Newswire Contributor

National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, NNPA Newswire Contributor People experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the west coast states of the Ninth Circuit can sleep more safely, without facing criminal punishment for simply trying to survive on the streets. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an en banc petition by the city of Boise in Martin v. Boise (formerly Bell v. Boise), leaving in place its September 2018 ruling that homeless persons cannot be punished for sleeping outside on public property in the absence of adequate alternatives. In so holding, the court of appeals permitted the homeless individuals who have received criminal citations under Boise’s policy to proceed with their constitutional claims against the City. The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, which filed the case in 2009 with co-counsel Idaho Legal Aid Services and Latham & Watkins LLP, hails this decision as being essential to encouraging cities to propose constructive alternatives to homelessness. “Criminally punishing homeless people for sleeping on the street when they have nowhere else to go is inhumane, and we applaud the Court for ruling that it is also unconstitutional,” said Maria Foscarinis, executive director at the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. “It’s time for Boise to stop trying to hide its homelessness problem with unconstitutional ordinances, and start proposing real solutions.” The case challenges Boise’s enforcement of its Camping and Disorderly Conduct Ordinances against persons experiencing homelessness who need to sleep in public in the absence of adequate housing or shelter. Last September, a panel of the Ninth Circuit agreed with the central premise in the suit, holding that “as long as there is no option of sleeping indoors, the government cannot criminalize indigent, homeless

This case is part of a nationwide movement against the criminalization of homelessness, spearheaded by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and more than 850 groups and individuals who have endorsed the Housing Not Handcuffs Campaign. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA) people for sleeping outdoors, on public property, on the false premise they had a choice in the matter.” Following that ruling, the city of Boise petitioned the Ninth Circuit to rehear the case en banc. Today, the court rejected that request, thereby affirming that within the western states that make up the Ninth Circuit, “the Eighth Amendment preclude[s] the enforcement of a statute prohibiting sleeping outside against homeless individuals with no access to alternative shelter.” “Today, the court says that people experiencing homelessness cannot be punished for sleeping or sheltering on the streets in the absence of alternatives,” said Eric Tars, Legal Director at the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. “But our hope is that tomorrow, cities will begin to create those alternatives—getting homeless people into housing is a win-win approach, benefitting both the individuals helped and the communities that no longer have to deal with the negative impacts of people living in public spaces, at lower cost than cycling people through the criminal justice system.” The case gained national at-

tention in 2015 when the United States Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest brief in the case, arguing that making it a crime for people who are homeless to sleep in public places unconstitutionally punishes them for being homeless. “The outcome of Court’s decision will support cities who are addressing real solutions to the complex issues faced by homeless individuals and families rather than just create more barriers and fill more jails with persons who only needed a place to sleep for the night,” said Howard Belodoff, of Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc. “Boise can be one of those cities—it has the resources, it just needs to apply them correctly.” Judge Berzon, in her opinion, notes that the decision, while important, is unlikely to impose dire consequences on cities. “The distressing homelessness problem…has grown into a crisis for many reasons, among them the cost of housing, the drying up of affordable care for people with mental illness, and the failure to provide adequate treatment for drug addiction. The crisis continued to burgeon while ordinances forbidding sleeping in public were on the books and sometimes en-

forced.” “We are pleased that the Ninth Circuit held that the Constitution ‘prohibits the imposition of criminal penalties for sitting, sleeping, or lying outside on public property for homeless individuals who cannot obtain shelter,’” said Michael Bern, lead pro bono counsel from Latham & Watkins, who argued the case before the Ninth Circuit. “As the Department of Justice recognized earlier in this case, ‘[c]riminalizing public sleeping in cities with insufficient housing and support for homeless individuals does not improve public safety outcomes or reduce the factors that contribute to homelessness.’ With today’s decision, we hope that cities can redirect their efforts to identifying meaningful and constitutional solutions to the problem of homelessness.” This case is part of a nationwide movement against the criminalization of homelessness, spearheaded by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and more than 850 groups and individuals who have endorsed the Housing Not Handcuffs Campaign. The court’s decision can be read here.http:// cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/ datastore/opinions/2019/04/01/ 15-35845.pdf The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty is the only national organization dedicated solely to using the power of the law to prevent and end homelessness. With the support of a large network of pro bono lawyers, we address the immediate and long-term needs of people who are homeless or at risk through outreach and training, advocacy, impact litigation, and public education. The Housing Not Handcuffs campaign is a project supported by the AmeriCorps VISTA program.

Public Health Investigates Measles Outbreak Residents urged to get measles immunization to protect their health and prevent disease spread Los Angeles County News LOS ANGELES – Given widespread outbreaks in the United States and internationally, and locally-acquired cases, the chance of exposure to measles is increased at this time. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is investigating a number of reports of measles in Los Angeles County residents (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena as any cases identified in those cities are reported by their local health departments). These include a local outbreak of four confirmed measles cases linked to one another after international travel and an additional single case of measles after international travel. Public Health urges residents who have not been fully

immunized against measles with two doses of the measles immunization, to contact their healthcare provider to get fully immunized in order to better protect their individual health and to prevent the spread of measles to others. Infected people can infect those around them before they have symptoms and know they are infected. The measles virus can be transmitted from one person to another up to 4 days before the onset of rash. About 90% of people who have never been immunized against measles become ill 7-21 days after exposure. These five cases are the first cases of measles confirmed by Public Health among Los Angeles County residents and the

first cases of transmission within LA County in 2019. These are unrelated to the four non-resident cases that traveled through Los Angeles County earlier this year. The majority of the cases were unvaccinated. “We will likely see additional measles cases in Los Angeles County, so it is important if you or someone you know has the symptoms of measles or has been exposed to measles to contact your healthcare provider by phone right away before seeking treatment,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer. “The best way to protect yourself and to prevent the spread of measles is to get the measles immunization, with

two doses of measles immunization being about 97% effective at preventing measles.” Public Health recommends the following: All children should receive two doses of measles immunization. The first should be administered between the ages of 12 to 15 months, and the second between the ages of 4 and 6 years. Written confirmation from the administering doctor or other clinician should be kept. The immunization can be given from ages 6-11 months, if there is concern about direct exposure to measles or if travel to places with current measles (continued on page 4)

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the former president of TransAfrica Forum. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and www.billfletcherjr.com. He is the author of the new mystery The Man Who Fell From the Sky. If there had been any question about Russian interference in the 2016 election, that is now a settled matter in light of the Mueller Report. Whether that interference had a demonstrable impact on the election results will be debated for years to come, but Robert Mueller’s committee established, early in the report, sufficient evidence of the scale and scope of interference that further debate about “whether” is pointless. Yet, what has been interesting throughout this entire period of discussion of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections has been the hypocrisy of most so-called mainstream commentators and political officials. On the one hand, they have expressed absolute outrage concerning alleged Russian interference. They have pointed to how the manipulation of social media and hacking, along with possible efforts to affect voter registration rolls, compromises the system and could call into question the legitimacy of any election result. This is all true. So, where is the hypocrisy? It is found in the actions carried out historically by the US government in its various forms of covert activity over most of the 20th century and to this day. Yet, this sort of covert activity receives precious little attention from mainstream commentators and politicians. They act as if it was never done. We can start with coups. Whether the 1953 coup which overthrew the Mossadegh government in Iran; the 1954 coup in Guatemala against Arbenz; the 1964 coup in then British Guiana against Chedi Jagan; the 1973 coup against Allende in Chile; the 2009 coup in Honduras against Zelaya; or the contemplated coup today against the Maduro government in Venezuela, the US government has rarely restrained itself from undoing democratically elected leaders. Coups are among the most extreme forms of electoral in-

terference. The USA, through the Central Intelligence Agency and/or numerous other intelligence organizations has offered financial and organizational support to political candidates and parties and conducted dis-information campaigns against individuals and political parties that were perceived as a threat to the interests of the US ruling groups. To paraphrase Bugs Bunny: what’s all the hubbub…bub…? Please do not get me wrong. The activities of the Russians in the 2016 elections in the USA or their activities in Europe are reprehensible and should be exposed and opposed. Yet, we in the USA should not be sitting back acting as if such activities are a shock to our system; something that we have never seen previously. The reality is that, in the name of the USA, immense criminal acts have been conducted that have ignored the rule of law and undermined efforts at national self-determination and democratic rule. The lesson from all of this? If we are going to oppose Russian electoral interference— which we should—then what is demanded of democraticminded people in the USA is absolute opposition to interference in the internal affairs of countries trying to pursue their own paths, particularly when those paths are consistent with rule of law and democracy. Anything else is hypocrisy, though I was going to use another term. Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the former president of TransAfrica Forum. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com. He recently authored the mystery novel The Man Who Fell From the Sky from Hardball Press. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

Our Values, Mission, & Vision Statement Our Values: Treat all people with care, respect, honor, and dignity. Tell it as it is with love, truth and integrity. Promote the interests of advertisers and sponsors along their strategic interest for the betterment of the community and beyond. Speak truth to power. Our Mission: To continuously improve communication between all people of the world. Our Vision: To be the best community newspaper in our region and the nation. Provider of: A voice for the poor, the underserved, those that are marginalized, Positive and edifying news about people, places and businesses. Keep San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties informed about global trends while retaining the consciousness of local events and processes. Memberships and Associations: The San Bernardino American Newspaper is a member of the California Newspaper Publishers Association, National Newspaper Association and addociated with California Black Media.

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PAGE 2

April 25, 2019

COMMUNITY/EDUCATION/ADVERTISING

Federal Flash: The Education Question Betsy DeVos Can’t Answer By Rachel Bird Niebling

Moody’s Upgrades Rating...continued rating is the result of years of work toward fiscal stability and our Board’s emphasis on planning for a rainy day.” In 2012, local voters approved

SBCUSD

Bond

Measure N, the District’s facilities bond measure. The $250 million general obligation bond was vital to helping SBCUSD meet its facility needs.

States Hunt for Evidence to Underpin School Turnaround Efforts ESSA's demand for evidence in turning around poor performers begins to bite By Alyson Klein

Betsy DeVos During a wide-ranging hearing held by the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testified on a wide range of Education Department priorities. Federal Flash covers the controversial exchanges during the hearing, including one question that DeVos struggled to answer. The House Education and Labor Committee hearing this week examined the policies and priorities of the U.S. De-

partment of Education. It was the first oversight hearing for Secretary DeVos to testify before the Committee since Democrats regained control of the House. While members asked questions on a variety of topics ranging from student loan debt to affirmative action to the rights of transgender students, many focused on implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA. In one heated exchange, Representative Jahana Hayes from Connecticut pressed Secretary

COMMENTARY: Is There More to Teaching and Learning Than Testing? By Barbara D. Parks-Lee, Ph.D., CF, NBCT (ret.), NNPA ESSA Awareness Campaign

Teaching is a multi-faceted calling for many and an occupation for some, but how can teaching and learning effectiveness be measured without testing? There must be some way— or ways—to measure what and whether students are learning, and teachers are teaching. Rigor, high standards, curriculum design, learning and teaching styles, and external demands all must be considered in any teaching and learning situation, regardless of location and resources. As the teaching population becomes more monocultural and the school-aged population becomes more multicultural, teaching materials, beliefs, and techniques tend to rely too heavily on standardized tests and testing materials. In order for education to capitalize on the strengths and talents of learners and the skills and professionalism of their teachers, what kinds of additional progress measures might be employed? Different kinds of professional development programs and materials may be needed to provide more sufficient and culturally responsive information about the teaching and learning process. One way of assessing whether students are actively engaged in learning on a high level might be using multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary materials such as those in an original textbook of poems, shorts stories, and essays. The book, Connections: A Collection of Poems, Short Stories, and Essays with Lessons,became part of a study in the Washington, D. C.

schools and surrounding Metropolitan areas of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and Alexandria, Virginia, from 1996-2001. (Parks-Lee, 1995) It addresses some of the challenges Gloria Ladson-Billings pointed out when she quoted Jonathan Kozol, saying that “…Pedagogic problems in our cities are not chiefly matters of injustice, inequality, or segregation, but of insufficient information about teaching strategies.”(Ladson-Billings*, 1994, p. 128) Both neophyte and experienced teachers participated in a study that provided them with information, materials, and teaching strategies to employ with urban, poor, and predominantly, but not exclusively, African American youth. The idea for the study originated with a concern that an increasingly middle class or suburban teaching force often seems unable to meet the needs of diverse students who are different from them in class, socioeconomic status, geography, ethnicity, and/or culture. The Connections materials were intended to help address ways to foster a positive impact upon all children, but particularly upon children of color. In addition, teachers using these materials might also feel more empowered to think creatively and to utilize students’ strengths and talents as they incorporate high and rigorous interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary lessons and higher order thinking skills in order to increase academic achievement. Effective teachers believe that we must produce and use materials that encourage students (continued in next 2 columns)

DeVos about an Education Department memo she obtained citing that the Secretary does have sufficient authority to block states from using ESSA Title IV funds to buy guns for schools. Our viewers may recall that funding for Title IV, or the Student Support and Academic Enrichment program, was hotly debated last year when Secretary DeVos said she did not have the power to block states from using Title IV funds to purchase firearms. The memo Representative

Hayes presented, however, stated exactly the opposite. While the exchange between Representative Gregorio Sablan from the Northern Mariana Islands and Secretary DeVos may not have received as much attention, Representative Sablan raised a very important issue regarding the Department’s approval of state ESSA plans that do not consider the performance of historically underserved students… Read the full article in Alliance for Excellent Education.

COMMENTARY: Is There More to Teaching and Learning Than Testing?...continued to be able to read, to write, to speak, to be creative, to understand, and to interpret what they hear and read. If students can develop these proficiencies, they may experience greater success on standardized tests. Success breeds success, and if our students are to be involved learners and thinkers, we cannot keep doing the same things the same ways and then blaming students and teachers if standardized test scores are not optimal. There must be more inclusive ways of tapping into and measuring what is taught and what is learned. Standardized tests are but one wayand should not be the onlyway to validate the teaching and learning processes. There are three domains to teaching, the cognitive, the affective, and the psychomotor. The one that is not easily ad-

dressed by standardized testing is the affective domain. As Sharon M. Draper says, “You must reach a child before you can teach a child.” (Draper, S., November 2002). The challenge comes when trying to measure the affective domain. However, affective success is often reflected in student attendance and behaviors that are involved, on-task, and diligent. There is often a spirit of collaboration and cooperation between the teacher and the students. Fewer discipline problems are observed when there is a positive classroom community involved. When diverse students are allowed to utilize their talents and skills, they often become self-motivated, because they feel affirmed, valued, and respected. *Ladson-Billings, G. (1999). (Notes from speech delivered at Howard University).

Moody’s Upgrades SBCUSD Bond Rating Community Education News

Allendale County's school district sits in South Carolina's Lowcountry, in an impoverished, rural region near the coast known as the "corridor of shame" for the chronic poor quality of its education system. Until recently, three of the district's four schools were considered among the lowest performing in the state. But after an assist beginning more than a year ago from the state—which is working to rebrand the area as the "corridor of opportunity"—two of those schools made it off the state's list of the lowest performers. Another remained, but showed improvement, going from needing intensive interventions to the lesser designation of "unsatisfactory." That's thanks in part to using a school improvement plan the district and South Carolina say is grounded in research. "Growth is taking place in this school district," Margaret Gilmore, the superintendent of the 1,150-student district said. "We are a prime example that if you put systems and processes in place and implement them with fidelity, you can transform schools." Next school year, district and school leaders across the country will begin trying to pull off the kind of improvement efforts already underway in Allendale. And, thanks to the Every Student Succeeds Act, they'll largely be able to chart their own turnaround course—as long as at least part of their plan is backed by evidence. It's a big opportunity for state, district, and school leaders to show that they can tackle one of the most intractable problems in K-12 education. But not everyone is going to be up for the challenge, at least initially, experts say. "Some of what my fear is—at least at the district level—is that the interpretation of evidence-based intervention leads to, 'What do we purchase and what do we buy?' " said Carlas McCauley, the director of the Center for School Turnaround at WestEd, a research and educational services organization. "If that continues to grow, then I think we're going to all look back five years from now and say, 'What happened to that opportunity?' " Others have noticed a dearth of available evidence-based interventions and a lack of information in state ESSA plans about how states will fix low-performing schools. ESSA directs states to set aside at least 7 percent of their Title I money, which is geared toward disadvantaged students, for school improvement, up from an allowable 4 percent under the No Child Left Behind Act. Tiers of Evidence

Low-performing districts that get a piece of the federal cash must choose an intervention that's backed by what the law defines as either "strong," "moderate," or "promising" evidence. Districts that don't get federal funding to fix their lowest-performing schools must pick a plan that has a rationale behind it, and then study it carefully to see if it's working. Turning Around Troubled Schools: What ESSA Says What's Required States must reserve at least 7 percent of their Title I funds for disadvantaged students for school improvement, and allocate that money to districts. These dollars can either be given out competitively, or by formula. If districts use federal funding for school improvement, they must come up with a plan that is backed by “strong,” “moderate,” or “promising” evidence. If schools don’t use federal funding, they must pick a plan that has a rationale behind it, and study it to see if it’s working. Who's Covered Schools in Comprehensive Improvement: Title I schools considered among the bottom 5 percent of performers in the state, as determined by factors including test scores; those where more than a third of students don’t graduate; and those where subgroups of students are chronically underperforming. States can also choose to define this category more broadly. Initially, the district comes up with a plan to fix these schools, monitored by the state. Schools in Targeted Improvement: Title I schools where any particular subgroup of students—English-language learners, students in special education, students of color, or disadvantaged children—are struggling. The school comes up with a plan to fix these schools, monitored by the district. Source: Every Student Succeeds Act Some state chiefs say this portion of their ESSA plan is a work in progress. A team working on North Dakota's plan will likely be revisiting (continued on page6)

RECEIVE YOUR NEWSPAPER WEEKLY!!

Moody’s Investors Services has upgraded the San Bernardino City Unified School District’s (SBCUSD) financial rating, a move that could signal lower interest rates on school bonds and lower costs for taxpayers. The general obligation bond upgrade from A2 to A1 reflects the District’s strong financial outlook and makes it an attractive investment opportunity. Much like a personal credit score, the upgraded bond rating is based on the District’s effective financial management, the general economy in California and the nation, and community demographics. Bond ratings measure the likelihood that a financial obligation will be repaid. The higher the rating, the more likely the debt will be repaid. Moody’s also upgraded the

COP (Certificate of Participation) rating from Baa1 to A3. It is typical for Moody’s to give a COP rating slightly lower than the general obligation bond rating for California school districts. Moody’s cited its expectation that the District’s tax base will continue growing, financials will remain healthy, and debt and pension obligations will remain manageable as signs of a stable outlook. Associate Superintendent Jayne Christakos, who oversees the District’s Business Services Department, said the positive ratings are good news for SBCUSD and its taxpayers. “Our Board of Education has shown that it is a responsible steward of taxpayers’ money,” Christakos said. “This improved (continued in next 2 columns)

CALL US TODAY @ 909-889-7677 Email: msbamericannews@gmail.com Website: SB-American.com The San Bernardino AMERICAN News Staff Samuel Martin Sr.-Founder Clifton Harris/Editor in Chief/Investigative Reporter Mary Martin-Harris/Editor Clifton B. Harris/Audio Engineering Editor Legal /Display Advertising & Sales (909) 889-7677 The San Bernardino American News was established May 8,1969. A legally adjudicated newspaper of general circulation on September 30, 1971, case number 153913 by the Superior Court, of San Bernardino County. The San Bernardino AMERICAN News, a division of Don Roberto Group, Inc. is published every Thursday by Mary Martin-Harris and Clifton Harris P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393, Telephone (909)889-7677, Emails: msbamericannews@gmail.com sbamericannews@gmail.com The San Bernardino AMERICAN News subscription rate is $58.00 per year. The San Bernardino AMERICAN New is committed to serving its readers by presenting news, unbiased and objective, trusting in the mature judgment of the readers and, in so doing strive to achieve a united community. 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.

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PAGE 3

April 25, 2019

WORLD GOVERNMENT/BUSINESS/ADVERTISING

Trusting the Powerful Yet Fragile American Dream

IRAs Come With Strings Attached; Are There Safer Retirement Alternatives?...continued

By Hakim Hazim

Hakim Hazim The Founding Fathers mulled over various approaches to governing before establishing the viscous of our nation. When they framed our constitution, they did so with care, deliberation, and foresight. Luke 7:35 states, “…Wisdom is justified by its works.” We see the fruit of their work enduring in this great nation. Believing that axioms, selfevident truths, would remain relevant in people’s judgment and conduct, they constructed a new approach for future governance. They factored in various aspects of human nature – paying careful attention to the morally corrosive nature of unchecked power. To guard against this, they instituted three branches of government, along with a free press, and empowered citizenry. America was not just a place; our nation gave birth to an inspiring idea that people, collectively and individually, could, despite their differences, flourish. Leaders trusted the collective will of the people over tyrants, and the people trusted their leaders. This powerful, fragile, dream gave birth to revolution. We became a shining light, a place in which people armed with aspirations, gifts, work ethic, and morals, could come and

start afresh. Now, America’s promise is in peril. Our leaders have failed us. Today many feel a sense of angst, and powerlessness – believing they no longer matter. They are waiting on a new movement or political figure to arrive on the scene and change the direction we are headed. That direction is likely void of godly principles, logic, and critical thinking. America has always been imperfect and flawed, but the dream has remained and carried us. Today, there are many fault lines and a massive fissuring taking place. Cynicism about the other is systematically being fed to us and replacing “we the people.” (The other, are those who don’t agree with us.) Despite this, my optimism springs from my forbearer’s history in this country. I recall the salient imagery of my ancestors crossing the North Atlantic under some of harshest and most inhumane circumstances ever thrusted upon a people. People deprived of the very things America supposedly stood for helped build the American Dream for others, while being subjected to centuries of nightmares. We were excluded; yet, we longed and labored for our piece of the promise. Generations of our leaders fought for the futures of their children, bearing patiently the injustices of our nation, while keeping a long-term view in mind. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., understood the landscape. He employed godly principles, strategic logic, and critical thinking to arouse a nation’s conscience. He knew that the legal system, religious institutions, and scientific

community, had long agreed upon our inferior status. As a Christian, I marvel at Dr. King’s use of spiritual values. He shattered those racist perceptions, while unifying a nation. King understood and trusted that the original idea was good, but it needed to be fully implemented for all. He was grateful to be an American, because the dream, though delayed, proved true. America, from its inception, was a collaborative effort in which the founders considered history, philosophy, principles of governing, and the passions of the people when they decided to wrest power and their future from British tyranny. They rightly placed their faith in God and the people. Today, we are returning to the old, divisive politics of exclusion. We are returning to a tribalism that shuns those we don’t agree with and critical thinking about issues. We see politicians on both sides utilizing strawmen arguments, victimizing victims, ranting about selective prosecution when justice is at work against them, and not shockingly, debating when a baby can be terminated. Missing from these discussions is our voice. We matter, and a great deal more than we think. I am challenging you to step forward and get involved in your community and political discourse—not meme sharing and Facebook ranting. America was based on the notion that every citizen matters and has a voice. Do you believe that? If you do, are you willing to engage with people you disagree with? Will you break bread with people who

are different than you in race, ethnicity, beliefs, and political party? Will you seek common ground? What if we rejected the cynical news cycles that show one side of an issue only? What if we, the citizenry, took seriously our civic duty to be educated on matters and critically thought about some of the things taking place in this country? If we did, things would change, and politicians could not get away with their business as usual approach. Corporations could not slant the news they have purchased with impunity. We matter and what we do matters. If we lose sight of this, the American Dream dies, and our children’s dreams will die with it. We can secure the results we seek if we return to the original principles of our nation, trust in God and one another. What we are seeing today are the results of our entrenched political party system, and our apathy. This approach will fill us with fear and angst, while stripping us of our voice. It is time to return to civil, informed conversation. It is time to return to the American Dream. Hakim Hazim is the founder of Relevant Now, a nationally recognized consultancy that focuses on security, criminality and decision analysis. Mr. Hazim has been featured in many publications and has provided more than 17 years of trusted service to a broad spectrum of professionals tasked with law enforcement, national security and offender populations. He is also the co-founder of web-based Christian think tank, Freedom Squared.

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights The CROWN Act' To End Hair Discrimination Under Law Sues White House Office of In The Workplace And Schools Passes Senate Vote In California...continued Management and Budget For Payday traits historically associated with Education Code. Lending Documents Records race, such as hair texture and hair"Dove has been committed to Lawsuit Seeks to Expose Former CFPB Director’s Ties to Payday Lending Industry Government News

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the White House Office of Management and Budget. The lawsuit seeks the release of public records related to OMB Director Mick Mulvaney’s ties to the payday lending industry after his office failed to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request made several months ago. “Director Mulvaney’s decision to roll back consumer protections for low-income borrowers in America is a prime example of regressive policies that harm consumers across the country, particularly African Americans and other communities of color,” stated Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Clarke continued: “We know that Mr. Mulvaney previously accepted large campaign contributions from key points of contact in the payday lending industry as a member of Congress, and the American people deserve to

know if their influence had anything to do with his decision to undermine anti-discrimination enforcement or roll back regulations preventing predatory lending. The law requires the White House to disclose any records relating to Mulvaney’s communications with industry lobbyists. Through our litigation we are fighting to promote transparency during an era in which CFPB, OMB, and other agencies have increasingly concealed information to keep the public in the dark.” After taking over the CFPB last year, while also keeping his role at OMB, Mulvaney immediately moved to roll back rules protecting low-income payday loan borrowers. The CFPB had enacted these new rules after years of careful study of the predatory harms of payday lending, including how such loans are targeted to communities of color. The Lawyers’ Committee filed this FOIA request with OMB to determine whether Mulvaney improperly used his White House office to discuss his regulatory actions with industry representatives.

The CROWN Act' To End Hair Discrimination In The Workplace And Schools Passes Senate Vote In California SB 188 Introduced by Senator Holly J. Mitchell Sponsored by National Urban League, Dove, Color of Change and Western Center on Law & Poverty

championing real beauty for women and girls for decades, and believes the individuality of all of our hair should be celebrated," said Esi Eggleston Bracey, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of North America Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever. "As a proud member of the CROWN Coalition, we're overjoyed to see that the California Senate passed SB 188, and look forward to continuing to drive equity and fairness for all women and men, particularly around hair inclusivity." The CROWN Act corrects an inconsistency in existing anti-discrimination laws by amending the California Government and Education Codes to protect against discrimination based on traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and protective hairstyles. The Coalition, in support of The CROWN Act, aims to put an end to the significant injustices of hair discrimination that has spanned decades across the United States. The CROWN Coalition The CROWN Coalition is a national alliance comprised of the National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty, Color Of Change, and Dove as sponsors of Senate Bill 188 'The Crown Act'. The CROWN Coalition members believe diversity and inclusion are key drivers of success across all industries and sectors. SOURCE The CROWN Coalition

IRAs Come With Strings Attached; Are There Safer Retirement Alternatives? Business/Consumer News

State/Government News

#THECROWNACT #CROWNCOALITION #SB188

SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The CROWN Coalition, a national alliance comprised of the National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty, Color Of Change, and Dove, is proud to announce the bill they are sponsoring, Senate Bill 188 (The CROWN Act),

style, be protected from discrimination in the work place and in our K-12 public and charter schools. "Many Black employees, including your staff, members, will tell you if given the chance that the struggle to maintain what society has deemed a 'professional image' while protecting the health and integrity of their hair remains a defining and paradoxical struggle in their work experience, not usually shared by their nonBlack peers," said Senator Mitchell shortly before the Senate vote. "Members, it is 2019. Any law that sanctions a job description that immediately excludes me from a position, not because of my capabilities or experience but because of my hair, is long overdue for reform." The C.R.O.W.N. (Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural hair) Act will ensure protection against discrimination in the workplace and schools based on hairstyles by prohibiting employers and schools from enforcing purportedly "race neutral" grooming policies that disproportionately impact persons of color. Additionally, while anti-discrimination laws presently protect the choice to wear an Afro, Afros are not the only natural presentation of Black hair. SB 188 will ensure protection against discrimination based on hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles in the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the California

passed the Senate floor today in California. Introduced by Senator Holly J. Mitchell, SB 188 aims to "Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair" (the CROWN Act) by clarifying that (continued in next 2 columns)

Most people planning for retirement probably would prefer some predictability as they plot out their post-work futures, but financial professionals say the reality they face is that uncertainty surrounds the stock market, tax rates and the future of Social Security. And even one of the most popular retirement-savings tools – the Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) – can get more complicated than many people realize, limiting a retiree’s control of their money, retirement planners say. “We’re supposed to believe we’ll pay lower taxes on our fu-

ture IRA distributions,” says Jeff Brummett (www.greenlinefinancialservices.com), a financial talk show host, public speaker, and the author of The Worthless IRA: How To Keep Wall Street and Uncle Sam From Getting Their Greedy Little Fingers On Your Hard-Earned Money. “An IRA gives Wall Street the use of our money with no promise it will be there when we need it. Even if it is, one must remember we have a partner in our traditional IRA/401k account. When one considers our astronomical (continued in next 2 columns)

national debt combined with the fact that only one-third of baby boomers are drawing social security (or medicare) benefits today, does anyone really believe tax rates are not likely to go through the stratosphere in order to support these programs in the future? “Fifty million baby boomers have yet to turn 65. All will have done so by 2030. Math says Uncle Sam will likely increase his percent of ownership on our tax-deferred IRA account values by raising taxes on withdrawals. How else will he pay for these two retirement entitlement programs? Both are broke today with a third of baby boomers drawing benefits. The math is the math!” Brummett breaks down three ways strings are attached to IRAs and provides two retirementmoney alternatives he says are safer: IRA Strings Most IRA holders must invest in a securities-based financial product. “This is a product of risk, and retirement is a critical and certain need,” Brummett says. “Wouldn’t it be more logical and responsible for everyone to be able to invest a portion of their cumulative life savings into an investment offering certainty? Why not allow these retirement IRA savings instruments to include a variety of safe-money financial products?” You can’t withdraw until age 59½. If you take money out of an IRA before 59½, the IRS imposes a 10% penalty. There’s also the possibility of a marginal tax rate increase that the withdrawal might cause. “Studies by Fidelity and Vanguard have indicated that over 40% of people with IRAs and 401(k)s withdraw from those accounts before they’re 59½,” Brummett says. “And long-term, whether stock values rise or fall, the only guaranteed beneficiary

is Uncle Sam and the financial elite of Wall Street.” You must begin withdrawing at age 70½. “IRA rules restrict your activity not only on the front end, but also the back end,” Brummett says. “The key back-end requirement is that at age 70½ you must start withdrawing a minimum amount each year, which is subject to income tax. We give up far more control of our money than one might think, and it can severely hurt our financial future if taxes are increased in the future.” Retirement Alternatives Tax favored cash-value life insurance. Cash-value life insurance can offer its owner a source of non-taxable income if properly designed and executed. “Most people have been purposely – and incorrectly – taught to believe that the only benefit of owning a life insurance policy is the death benefit,” Brummett says. “Permanent cash-value life insurance policies often have great living benefits, allowing the owner to leverage multiple non-taxable cash benefits contained within the policy while still living.” Fixed-index annuity. “Protecting principal and providing income are the two most important objectives for anyone approaching retirement,” Brummett says. “In a variable annuity, there is no principal protection, and the owner must sometimes pay an additional fee to include a spouse in the living benefit. Fixed-index annuities offer lifetime income protection with zero to 1% fees, and they have 100% protection of principal from market risk.” “What most retirees need today is not more of Wall Street’s version of diversification - diversification of market risk,” Brummett says. “What they need is diversification from market risk and a healthy dose of guaranteed income.”

Inglewood council extends emergency rent control measure By Wave Staff

Inglewood council meeting (Photo by: wavenewspapers.com) INGLEWOOD – An emergency rent control ordinance limiting rent increases and protecting tenants from short-notice evictions was extended April 16, as city officials pledged to adopt a permanent rent control ordinance within 60 days. The extended emergency ordinance, which applies to apartments in buildings with four or more units built before February 1995, will continue to limit rent increases to 5% a year and protect against 60-day eviction notices when tenants are paid up on their rent. If officials do not adopt a rent control measure by mid-June, the emergency ordinance can be extended until Dec. 31, officials said. The issue surfaced last year after several residents and civic activists complained of hefty rent increases — in one case, a 150% hike — by property owners. That nearly $1,500 rent increase went viral on social media, catching the ire of Mayor James T. Butts, who negotiated the increase down to 28%. Officials then created an online survey urging residents to submit documentation of rent increases of more than 20%. Officials received 20 submissions, Butts said, with residents reporting an average rent hike of 53%. As the issue continued to percolate, officials adopted an emergency rent control measure last month. The City Council extended that ordinance April 16. During a standing room only council meeting, Butts presented his plan for a permanent rent control measure, which includes an 8% cap on rent increases for apartments built before February 1995 and a relocation allowance for rent increases above 4%.

The proposed ordinance also would prevent property owners from raising rents more than once in a 12-month period, Butts said, and would establish a “Just Cause Eviction Policy” protecting renters from receiving 60-day eviction notices, except for criminality, drug use or failure to pay rent. Under an exception to the measure, landlords would be free to raise rents up to 8% without offering relocation allowances if they can prove their tenant’s rent is less than 80% of market rental rate in Inglewood. Butts applauded the city’s proposed measure, saying that it could end up becoming “the premiere housing protection ordinance in the country.” Many property owners oppose the ordinance, however, saying that they’ve kept rents significantly below market rate for years. Their biggest concern now, they say, is relocation allowances of more than $11,000. Longtime residents and activists also weren’t as complimentary of the ordinance, speaking out against portions of the proposal during public comment. “Homelessness; that’s what people are facing in Inglewood,” said Julia Wallace, who has lived in Inglewood since 1991. “We need to keep people in Inglewood, not just give (them) a consolation prize for getting kicked,” she said, referencing the relocation allowances. Tenants rights activist Jorge Rivera and some residents also denounced the 8% rent hike cap, saying that it far exceeds industry standards. “Generally speaking, rent control ordinances generally stay within the range of 3%,” said Rivera, a regional coordinator for Tenants Together, a statewide tenants rights group. “That’s because it’s supposed to be kept in accordance with the cost of inflation and income increases.” Rivera said Inglewood’s NFL’s Stadium and Entertainment Com(continued on page 7)

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April 25, 2019

HEALTH/FITNESS/SENIOR NEWS

John Singleton and 5 things Take Charge of Your Sexual Health: Black men need to know to avoid Get Tested By The Oakland Post a stroke By Derrel Johnson April is sexually transmitted disease

John Singleton was a featured speaker at the Rolling Out Innovation Digital Entertainment (RIDE) conference in 2017. (Photo credit: Steed Media Group) Oscar-nominated director John Singleton remains hospitalized in intensive care after suffering a stroke, according to numerous media outlets. As such, the 51-year-old director has become part of an alarming health statistic, as Black men are twice as likely to suffer strokes than their White counterparts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. But it doesn’t have to happen. Here are five ways African American men can avoid having a stroke: Lower your salt intake. Chris Rock once joked that table salt is killing a lot of Black men, and it isn’t a laughing matter. Salt, or sodium, raises your blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of a stroke. Use salt in moderation, and avoid foods that are high in sodium. Sodium intake should be no more than 1,500 milligrams per day. Stop smoking. According to the CDC, smoking doubles your risk of stroke. Stop smoking, or, at the very least, limit the amount you smoke. Hit the gym. Being healthy is

key, and being obese or overweight increases your risk of stroke. The CDC reports that a staggering 70 percent of Black men are overweight. Monitor your blood pressure. The CDC reports that 40 percent of Black men have high blood pressure — a huge risk factor for strokes. Healthy eating leads to healthy living. Consuming too much fried food and fast food can lead to many health complications, including stroke and high blood pressure. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, and, when the choice arises, opt for grilled or baked meats as opposed to fried. Making subtle changes to your diet may not seem like much, but the long-term health benefits can help you avoid a stroke. Click here to review the CDC’s fact sheet designed specifically to help lower the risk of stroke in African American men. You can also find it on the website along with more information at www.cdc.gov/stroke/docs/ AA_Men_Stroke_Factsheet.pdf This article originally appeared in Rollingout.com.

Public Health Investigates Outbreak...continued from page 1 outbreaks is anticipated. All other persons should locate written verification they have received 2 doses of measles immunization in their life. The second dose recommendation was not made until 1989, so many adults have received only 1 dose. Those who are unable to locate written verification of 2 doses of measles immunization should receive 1 dose right away and a second dose in 4 weeks. When Public Health identifies contacts of a person confirmed to have measles during an investigation and that contact does not have written verification of 2 measles immunization doses, they will be subject to quarantine of up to 21 days from date of exposure. This will be enforced by a Health Officer Order for quarantine. A blood test may be done to check for immunity and possible removal of the order for quarantine. Public Health is disclosing information below on locations where measles exposure may have occurred. This disclosure is necessary to reach individuals who may have been exposed because they were present at these locations during the dates and times noted below. In situations where all persons who have been exposed can be identified, Public Health works with organizations, case contacts, and family members to directly notify everyone involved. The following locations have been currently identified as potential measles exposures: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Tom Bradley International Terminal, arrived at Gate 218 on April 1 from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Franz Hall on April 2, 4, and 9 and Boelter Hall on April 2 and 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 6 :00 p.m. California State University, Los Angeles, Main Library, on April 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. El Pollo Loco Restaurant, 1939 Verdugo Blvd, La Cañada

Measles

Flintridge, on April 11 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. El Sauz Tacos, 4432 San Fernando Rd, Glendale, on April 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is no known current risk related to measles that exists at any of these venues at this time. Public Health investigates all cases in the county and identifies potential contacts to try to prevent additional spread of measles. Public Health will continue to monitor for measles cases and identify others who may have come in contact with persons with measles. Public Health will communicate with health care providers, health plans, local governments, schools, and elected officials to provide updates on the measles outbreak and actions they can take to help prevent the spread of measles and support the countywide response. About Measles Common symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and a rash which usually appears 10 to 21 days after the exposure. Individuals should contact their healthcare provider by phone before going in if they develop measles symptoms, so measures can be taken to prevent possible spread to others in the provider’s waiting room. They should also tell their doctor or other healthcare provider if they traveled internationally or had international visitors in the last 21 days or had exposure to another person with measles. Measles immunizations are available at healthcare providers, local pharmacy or health clinic. Public Health clinics offer no or low-cost immunizations for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured. To find a nearby Public Health clinic, call 2-1-1 or visit http:// www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/ chs/phcenters.htm. For more information about measles, visit: http:// publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/measles or call 2-1-1.

(STD) awareness month. It is essential to know about STDs and how prevention and testing is critical to overall health. However, STD Awareness Month is not just about awareness but also about action. Bay Area health officials, including those in Marin County, are urging everyone who is sexually active, especially young people, to take charge of their sexual health. Young people and men who have sex with men are at particular risk and should get tested more often. STD testing is now more crucial than ever because rates are continuing to rise, increasing steadily in Marin and statewide since 2013. Rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis continue to grow, and syphilis has re-emerged as a significant public health concern. In California, 283 infants were born with syphilis in 2017. Chlamydia, the most common STD in California, is easily preventable and treatable but can cause serious health problems such as infertility if left untreated. In Marin, between 2013 and 2017, chlamydia rates almost doubled, going from 405 cases to 757 annual cases. Most of these cases are in young women. National statistics estimate that one out of every two young people will have an STD before age 25. “Quite often, someone can have an STD and not show any symptoms. The only way to stop the ongoing spread of STDs is for more people to get checked regularly and encourage their partners to get checked as well,” said Dr. Lisa Santora, Marin’s Deputy Public Health Officer. “Young women get tested routinely when they seek reproductive health care and birth control, but not enough young men seek the preventative care that they need.” In Marin, there are many partners taking action to make sure everyone in the community has access to health

Advertising at bus stations help convey the importance of STD testing. care. The Marin Community Clinics (MCC) recently launched a drop-in STD clinic on Mondays and Thursday evenings from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 3260 Kerner Ave. in San Rafael. Additionally, it partners with local agencies such as Huckleberry Youth Programs, North Bay Community Services in Novato, and the School Wellness Centers in the Tamalpais Union High School District to bring health services to teens. In an ideal world, everyone who needs STD checks would be routinely engaged in care, have insurance, and be able to approach the subject of sexual health with ease. However, there are many barriers to people obtaining health care and seeking preventative care including racial inequity, poverty, and stigma. In the case of an untreated STD, there can be some severe consequences. Fortunately, there are many tools besides testing to prevent STDs, including HIV. Young people can get vaccinated for human papillomavirus virus (HPV), which is the most common STD and can cause cervical cancer. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), consisting of taking one pill a day, effectively prevents HIV. Additionally, practicing safe sex, using condoms and talking to partners about sexual health, are tried and accurate methods of STD and HIV prevention. In Marin County, the Family Pact Program provides STD services free of charge. More information about health care services are at the HHS website. This article originally appeared in the Oakland Post.

Testosterone For Women, Estrogen For Men? Wrong Levels Bring Problems By Don Colbert, M.D. You don’t normally think of women needing testosterone and men needing estrogen. But when those levels drop for women and men, respectively, or are way out of balance, a wide range of symptoms may be suffered. Fortunately, there are ways to correct those levels and restore health. Ladies first. Testosterone is considered the manly hormone, yet few women know that they have quite a bit of it in their bodies, primarily when they are young. In their 20s and 30s, their testosterone is in the normal range, but after 40 is when we start to see the decline in levels. There are numerous factors that push testosterone levels lower – menopause, medications, stress, aging, removal of ovaries, and more. And with that drop, myriad problems can occur. Blood work is needed to confirm suspicions, but persistent symptoms of low testosterone in women are hard to argue away. Among those symptoms are aching joints, depression, inability to sleep, lack of sex drive, migraines, and weight gain.

no testosterone whatsoever. In fact, doctors usually choose not to address hormone issues at all. They will tell you “normal ranges,” and if you happen to be low, they will usually prescribe you a medication for the symptoms. But that will never get your health back. What your body needs is bioidentical hormone therapy. You may need to find another doctor, someone who will treat your low-testosterone symptoms with bioidentical testosterone. I have found boosting testosterone levels with pellets to be effective and efficient. They raise levels quickly, and you don’t need to come back for another treatment for three to four months, and sometimes six months. Testosterone injections are the next-best method if pellets are too pricey, followed by testosterone creams. I suggest women in their 40s start monitoring their testosterone levels. The time to start optimizing them is when the hormone levels go below 50-60 percent of upper range or when symptoms develop. When your testosterone levels are optimized, life is great! Now for you men

But the great news is, it’s fixable. The hormone health zone for testosterone in women The first hormone women need to optimize is testosterone. It may sound a little strange to recommend testosterone therapy for women, but with it they can benefit enormously. Depression and anxiety usually lift. They can slow or sometimes reverse cellulite, lose weight (especially belly fat), tighten skin, restore libido, improve memory, strengthen the heart, and boost energy levels and stamina. The benefits of boosting testosterone go further; low testosterone is linked to an increased risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, hardening of the arteries, and weak bones. Low testosterone levels give women many of the symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, which serves as another strong motivator for women to keep their testosterone levels up. Sadly, most doctors are taught to prescribe only low doses of estradiol (in pill format, which is not good) and

Yes guys, it’s true: Even men need estrogen. There’s just a delicate balance that needs to be understood. Estrogen is one of those things that is good for you in the proper amounts but bad if you have too much or too little of it. Just the right amount of estradiol is good for bone strength, sperm count, cholesterol metabolism, healthy libido, and clear thinking, just to name a few of the known values of estrogen in men. Usually, however, it is too much estrogen in men that is much more common. This occurs when testosterone levels decrease due to aging, obesity, lifestyle, a lack of exercise, stress, endocrine disruptors, and so on. Too much estrogen has been found to promote abnormal clot formation or blood clots, and excessive estrogen levels may also increase the risk of stroke. A healthy man usually needs to maintain at least a 10-to-1 ratio of testosterone to estrogen. When the ratio is far below 10-to-1, estrogen levels are too high, and that brings with it a (continued in next 2 columns)

Testosterone For Women, Estrogen For Men? Wrong Levels Bring Problems...continued host of ailments. Among the symptoms I’ve seen in men who have too much estrogen in their bodies are brain fog, blood clots, gynecomastia (man boobs), lack of erections, lack of sex drive, and low sperm counts. There’s also a higher risk for prostate cancer and heart disease when estrogen (estradiol) levels in men are too high. Too little estrogen, and you also have a lack of sexual interest, few erections, and no libido. It’s also not healthy for the brain to have super-low estrogen levels, nor is brain fog a symptom that anyone enjoys. The hormone health zone for estrogen in men Optimizing estrogen levels in men usually coincides with their testosterone levels. They are linked; raise testosterone, and estrogen usually rises; lower testosterone, and estrogen usually lowers. Remember, the goal is for at least a 10-to-1 ratio. When men start using testosterone cream, shots, or pellets, some of the testosterone aromatizes, or converts, to estrogen. Some men have excessive aromatization, especially older men and men who are obese. To stay in the estradiol hormone health zone, men will need to take a hormone-regulating supplement called DIM (Diindolylmethane), 150 mg twice a day. It is the safest way to lower estro-

gen without the fear of going too low. For men who have never had their estrogen levels checked and believe they might have the symptoms of high or low estrogen, ask for blood work that gives you your estradiol level. Then you and your doctor will know what to do to treat it. Estrogen levels are usually pretty easy to treat in men. It may be surprising that men need to watch their estrogen levels, but it’s one of those things that they must be aware of. When we were learning to drive, we were all taught to watch for the “blind spots.” Those spots aren’t dangerous in and of themselves. But when you need to take action, the blind spots are suddenly very important. Don Colbert, M.D. (www.drcolbert.com), is the author of Dr. Colbert's Hormone Health Zone. He has been a board-certified family practice doctor for more than 25 years and has offices in Orlando, Fla., and Dallas. The author of over 40 books, he wrote two New York Times bestsellers – The Seven Pillars of Health and Dr. Colbert’s “I Can Do This” Diet – has sold more than 10 million books and treated 50,000-plus patients. Dr. Colbert is a frequent show guest of Christian leaders Joyce Meyer, John Hagee, and Kenneth Copeland and has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show, Fox News, ABC World News Tonight, and in periodicals such as Newsweek and Reader’s Digest.

Black Women’s Health Imperative Announces Strategic Partnership By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

Photo: From L-R: Angela Marshall, Chair, Board of Directors, BWHI, Linda Goler Blount, President & CEO, BWHI, Virginia Harris, President, NCBW, Seretha Tinsley, 1st Vice President of Programs, NCBW, Stacey D. Stewart, President, March of Dimes, and Mia Keeys, Health Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL)/Courtesy of The Black Women’s Health Imperative The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) has announced a strategic partnership with the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. (NCBW) at the NCBW Day of Action and Advocacy in Washington, DC. The multi-year partnership was established to raise awareness of health disparities and solutions, and to provide access to vital healthcare and wellness information that promotes behavioral changes and healthier lifestyles in Black communities, according to a news release. The Black Women’s Health Imperative is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing health equity and social justice for Black women, across the lifespan, through policy, advocacy, education, research and leadership development. The organization identifies the most pressing health issues that affect the nation’s 22 million Black women and girls and invests in the best of the best strategies and organizations that accomplish its goals. The shared common priorities of BWHI and NCBW to reach the community and other key stakeholders about the health and wellness of Black women created an opportunity to partner nationally, officials said in the news release. “Our strategic partnerships with progressive and powerful organizations like the National Coalition of 100 Black Women are vital to achieving our mission because they provide the amplification needed to reach more Black women with lifesaving information and resources,” said Linda Goler Blount, President & CEO, The Black Women’s Health Imperative. “Together, we will advance conversation and action around critical health issues, like maternal mortality and the impact of stress, with full confidence that our partnership will in-

crease awareness and strengthen our efforts to improve Black women’s health and impact policy at the state and federal level,” Blount said. The National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) was launched in 1981 with the mission to advocate on behalf of women of color through national and local actions and strategic alliances that promote the its agenda on leadership development and gender equality in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment. The national movement has garnered thousands of members who represent 60 chapters across 28 states. Several of NCBW’s national health and wellness initiatives, including addressing heart disease, diabetes, strokes and obesity among Black women, created an opportunity for BWHI to provide solutions through evidenced-based programming and research-driven policy recommendations. “I am very excited about NCBW’s and BWHI partnership” said NCBW President Virginia W. Harris. “Together our goal will be to improve the African American health status and reduce health care costs and, this partnership will leverage and maximize resources by pooling talent, expertise, and resources,” Harris said. She added that the partnership will “also improve outreach to stakeholders and enhance visibility, messaging and minimize duplication of efforts.” Elements of the partnership will include hosting community health forums in cities across the country, collaborating on advocacy opportunities related to maternal mortality, diabetes, breast cancer and the Affordable Care Act, creating health tool kits for local NCBW chapters, and more. For more information about The Black Women’s Health Imperative, please visit www.bwhi.org.

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LEGALS/CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190004398 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 4/09/2019 Began Transacting Business: N/A Filing Expires On: 4/09/2024 Business is Conducted By: A Corporation Fictitious Business Name(s): CALIFORNIA CLEANING SERVICE Business Address: 1505 1/2 WEST 9TH STREET SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92411 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Registrant(s)Address: DFFM, INC. P.O. BOX 1153 SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92402 A1#: 3748377 State: CA Signature/Officer Title: Dan’l Mhana, Ceo BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of 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 FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. 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 April 25, May 2, 9, 16, 2019. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190004400 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 4/09/2019 Began Transacting Business: N.A Filing Expires On: 4/09/2024 Business is Conducted By: A Corporation Fictitious Business Name(s): STOP 5 MARKET Business Address: 1505 WEST 9TH STREET SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92411 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Registrant(s)Address: DFFM, INC. P.O. BOX 1153 SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92402 A1#:3748377 State: CA Signature/Officer Title: Dan’l Mhana, Ceo BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of 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 FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. 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 April 25, May 2, 9, 16, 2019. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190004319 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 4/08/2019 Began Transacting Business: N/A Filing Expires On: 4/08/2024 Business is Conducted By: An Individual Fictitious Business Name(s): MS AUTO SALES Business Address: 517 N. MOUNTAIN AVE. UPLAND, CA 91786 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Mailing Address: 1838 W. 146TH ST. APT. #C GARDENA, CA 90249 Registrant(s)Address: DAVID E. CARDENAS 517 N. MOUNTAIN AVE. UPLAND, CA 91786 Signature/Officer Title: David Cardenas BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of 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 FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. 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 April 18, 25, May 2, 9, 2019. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20190004487 Date Filed: 4/10/19 Filing Expires On: 4/10/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): ONT LOGISTICS & WAREHOUSING County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 739 E. FRANCIS ST. ONTARIO, CA 91761 Name of Individual Registrant: Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: AFFORDABLE PLASTICS & PACKAGING, INC. State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No.: 45-5235967 Residence Street Address: 739 E. FRANCIS ST. ONTARIO, CA 91761 This business is/was conducted by: A Corporation Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: February 1, 2019 Rene Villalpando, President, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct. 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 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. 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 April 18, 25, May 2, 9, 2019. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190004278 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 4/05/2019 Began Transacting Business: N/A Filing Expires On: 4/05/2024 Business is Conducted By: An Individual Fictitious Business Name(s): GDL SHIRTS Business Address: 15572 NAPLES LN. VICTORVILLE, CA 92394 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Registrant(s)Address: JORGE A. VEGA 15572 NAPLES LN. VICTORVILLE, CA 92394 Signature/Officer Title: Jorge A. Vega, Owner BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913

of 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 FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. 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 April 18, 25, May 2, 9, 2019. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190003504 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 3/21/2019 Began Transacting Business: N/A Filing Expires On: 3/21/2024 Business is Conducted By: A Married Couple Fictitious Business Name(s): EL MONTECITO MEXICAN AMERICAN RESTAURANT Business Address: 11720 BARTLETT AVE. #C & D ADELANTO, CA 92301 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Mailing Address: 15794 DESERT ROCK ST. ADELANTO, CA 92301 Registrant(s)Address: MOISES A. MONTES ROBLES 15794 DESERT ROCK ST. ADELANTO, CA 92301 MARIA DEL ROSARIO BECERRA PELAYO 15794 DESERT ROCK ST. ADELANTO, CA 92301 Signature/Officer Title: Moises A. Montes Robles, Husband BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of 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 FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. 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 April 4, 11, 18, 25, 2019.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190003574 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 3/22/2019 Began Transacting Business: N/A Filing Expires On: 3/22/2024 Business is Conducted By: An Individual Fictitious Business Name(s): DIVINITY WIGS Business Address: 14779 SENECA RD. APT 207 VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Registrant(s)Address: TAMARAH J. MYLES 14779 SENECA RD. APT. 207 VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Signature/Officer Title: Tamarah J. Myles BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of 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 FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. 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 April 4, 11, 18, 25, 2019. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20190004543 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 4/11/2019 Began Transacting Business: N/A Filing Expires On: 4/11/2024 Business is Conducted By: A Limited Liability Company Fictitious Business Name(s): RANCHO PHARMACY Business Address: 8237 ROCHESTER AVE., STE. 140 RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91730 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Registrant(s)Address: AHCS RANCHO PHARMACY, LLC 14039 SAN SEGUNDO DR. RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91739 A1#: 201907910088 State: CA Signature/Officer Title: Rajnis V. Jasani, Vice President BY SIGNING, I DECLARE THAT ALL INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of 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 FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. 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 April 25, May 2, 9, 16, 2019.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVDS 1902449 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ISAIAH EDWARD BARNESCISNEROS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. ISAIAH EDWARD BARNES-CISNEROS to Proposed name: ISAIAH EDWARD ABREGO 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: 6/11/19 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: S17 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, San Bernardino District-Civil Division 247 West Third Street 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: January 24, 2019 Michael A. Sachs Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper April 18, 25, May 2, 9, 2019. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVVS 1900180 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: YUREM N. RAMIREZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. LERI HERNANDEZ to Proposed name: LERI FRANCISCO RAMIREZ 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: 6/19/19 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: V15 SUPERIOR COURT VICTORVILLE DISTRICT 14455 Civic Drive Ste. 100 Victorville, CA 92392 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: April 12, 2019 Judge Lisa Rogan Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper April 25, May 2, 9, 16, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVDS 1908546 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: EVELYN THERESA PEREDA VILLANUEVA filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. EVELYN THERESA PEREDA VILLANUEVA to Proposed name: ELLA CROSS 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: 5/28/19 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: S17 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA County of San Bernardino San Bernardino District-Civil Division 247 West Third Street 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: Michael A. Sachs Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper April 25, May 2, 9, 16, 2019

PETITION/PROBATE

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE (Probate-Decedents’ Estates) Notice Of Petition to Administer Estate Of: GWENDOLYN M. HUGHES Case Number: PROPS 1900257 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: GWENDOLYN

M. HUGHES A Petition for Probate has been filed by: PETER J. HUGHES in the Superior Court of California, County of: SAN BERNARDINO The Petition for Probate requests that PETER J. HUGHES 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: May 9, 2019 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept:: S37 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 WEST THIRD STREET San Bernardino Justice Center -Probate Division SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92415-0212 Main/ Central 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: Guay P. Wilson 14 N. Eighth St. (P.O.Box 166) Redlands, CA 92373 Telephone: (909)793-2044 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper April 18, 25, May 2, 2019.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE (Probate-Decedents’ Estates) Notice Of Petition to Administer Estate Of: GERALD A. NIELSEN aka

GERALD ANDERS NIELSEN aka GERALD NIELSEN Case Number: PROPS 1900283 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: GERALD A.

NIELSEN aka GERALD ANDERS NIELSEN aka GERALD NIELSEN A Petition for Probate has been filed by: RANDY L. NIELSEN in the Superior Court of California, County of: SAN BERNARDINO The Petition for Probate requests that RANDY L. NIELSEN 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: May 16, 2019 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept:: S-35 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 WEST THIRD STREET SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92415 SAN BERNARDINO JUSTICE CENTER-PROBATE DEPT. 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: Bryan C. Hartnell, Esq., HARTNELL LAW GROUP, A Professional Corporation 25757 Redlands Boulevard, Redlands,CA 92373-8453 Telephone: (909)796-6881 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper April 11, Correction 18, 25, 2019.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE (Probate-Decedents’ Estates) Notice Of Petition to Administer Estate Of: LELAND J. LUTZ Case Number: PROPS 1900281 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: LELAND J.

LUTZ A Petition for Probate has been filed by: KAREN BENBROOK in the Superior Court of California, County of: SAN BERNARDINO The Petition for Probate requests that KAREN BENBROOK 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: May 14, 2019 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept:: S35 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 WEST THIRD STREET San Bernardino Justice Center - Probate Division SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92415-0212 Main/ Central 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: Guay P. Wilson 14 N. Eighth St. , P.O. Box 166 Redlands, CA 92373 Telephone: (909)793-2044 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper April 18, 25, May 2, 2019.

SUMMONS SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): CIVDS1824472 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): ANTOLINO DORADO JR YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación. Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso. The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 West Third St, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): REESE LAW GROUP, Shiv Samtani, Esq., (Bar #320822), 3168 Lionshead Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010; 760/8425850 (File No. 558049) DATE (Fecha): SEP 14 2018 Clerk (Secretario), by Danielle Paris, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served 1. as an individual defendant. 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2/19 CNS-3240831# THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN

April 25, 2019 SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): CIVDS1827756 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): AMY A AMICO AKA AMY ANN MCKENZIE, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación. Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso. The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 West Third St., San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): REESE LAW GROUP, Harlan M. Reese, Esq., (Bar# 118226), 3168 Lionshead Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010; 760/8425850 (File No. 558407) DATE (Fecha): OCT 23 2018 Clerk (Secretario), by Karina Venegas, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served 1. as an individual defendant. 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16/19 CNS-3245199# THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN

California State Parks Now Accepting Applications for Ranger and Lifeguard Cadet Academy Deadline to apply is June 3, 2019 SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California State Parks invites outdoor enthusiasts to “Live the Parks Life” by becoming a ranger or lifeguard in the nation’s largest state park system. The 2019 State Park Peace Officer (SPPO) Cadet application period is now open. Career opportunities are available throughout the entire state. All applicants must submit an application by Monday, June 3, 2019, to be considered for the 2020 SPPO Cadet Academy. For over 150 years, rangers and lifeguards have worked closely with the state's network of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to protect visitors to California's parks. In addition to protecting the safety of our visitors, rangers and lifeguards also protect the natural, cultural and historic resources preserved for future generations. Whether patrolling in desert landscapes, lakes, among wildlife and wildflowers, museums, or in historic landmarks, it is truly a unique experience to work for California State Parks. “My time in the cadet academy taught me to be part of something bigger than myself, said California State Parks Ranger Sabrina Buis. “I graduated as something more than a peace officer – I am an ambassador and protector to California’s amazing natural and cultural resources and the visitors enjoying them.” Successful applicants will attend a six- to eight-month Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified law enforcement training academy. Their training will include lessons on how to make physical arrests, conduct investigations, perform emergency medical aid and use defensive tactics and firearms. Cadets will also learn how to assist visitors, run public education and interpretive programs and actively protect park resources. The academy instruction prepares the students mentally, morally, emotionally and physically to enter and successfully complete the Field Training Program, which is composed of 13 more weeks of on-the-job training. The selection process for becoming a ranger or lifeguard takes approximately 15 to 18 months. The first step in the selection/examination process is submitting an application. The application is used to determine if the candidate meets the minimum qualifications for admission into the examination. It may subsequently be used to admit the candidate into the next phases of the selection process (background investigation, oral interview, medical and psychological evaluation). California State Parks is excited for the opportunity to reach potential candidates who are reflective of California’s diverse population. For more information on the academy and minimum requirements, including Frequently Asked Questions and a general timeline of the recruitment cycle, please visit www.LiveTheParksLife.com and click on the “State Park Peace Officer Cadets” link. With more than 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites and 4,500 miles of trails, State Parks provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Offhighway motor vehicle recreation, boating activities, horseback riding, on- and off-road cycling, hiking, camping and rock climbing are some of the recreational activities enjoyed in 280 state parks.

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April 25, 2019

LOCAL/NATIONAL NEWS

Survivors Speak Out in Support of Legislation to Assist Victims of Sexual Assault Local/National News

Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-San Bernardino) held a press conference to highlight Assembly Bill 1510 which will give victims of sexual assault occurring at a student health center an additional year to file their civil claims. Last year, a series of articles revealed the 30-year history of gynecologist, Dr. George Tyndall’s acts of sexual assaults and mistreatment of patients at the University of Southern California’s student health center. The pattern of behavior revealed in the media coverage and the subsequent witness testimonies provided shocking details of sexual assault and harassment inflicted on patients while he served as USC’s sole gynecologist at its student health center. AB 1510 will give victims of his conscious-shocking behavior an additional year to file their claims in court. “As women, we are keenly aware of the pervasive culture that fails to value and protect women -- a culture that lives in the shadows and thrives off fear,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “This culture was unfortunately extended to the most intimate part of our lives -- at student health centers -- where the sacred patient-doctor relationship was violated.” It is estimated that over 14,000 female students were impacted by Tyndall since the start of his tenure in 1989. More than 30 women joined Assemblymember Reyes in solidarity, including speakers such as Nicole Haynes, a Tyndall survivor and broadcast journalist, and Aly Raisman, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and survi-

USC Justice For Survivors vor of former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. “The system is broken when the university seems more intent on putting out propaganda against the women who suffered the abuses of Dr. Tyndall than fully accepting institutional responsibility,” said Nicole Haynes. “The systemic failure continues when we try to bring our case in a California court of law, and are met with antiquated deadlines and a statute of limitations law that

threatens to extinguish our rights and voices. AB 1510 will give survivors like me a chance to hold those who harmed us accountable.” It gives us a choice. We can choose our own path to justice” said Haynes. Before the story was revealed in the media, USC had found in an internal investigation that Tyndall’s behavior during medical exams amounted to sexual harassment of students. The out-

come of the investigation allowed Tyndall to quietly resign with a payout and keep his medical license. Recently, USC agreed to a tentative settlement to pay $215 million to former patients. The settlement calls for a minimum $2,500 payment to any USC students treated by Dr. Tyndall and up to $250,000 to those who were sexually assaulted or harassed. The settlement would only apply to a federal class action lawsuit and not hundreds of other pa-

States Hunt for Evidence to Underpin School Turnaround Efforts...continued from page 2 evidence-based interventions later this spring, said Kirsten Baesler, the state superintendent of public instruction. The state planned to build on that part of its plan from the beginning because "we knew we needed more information before we could really do something impactful and of substance," Baesler said. State officials overwhelmingly told the Center on School Turnaround that they want assistance in helping districts and schools with evidencebased interventions. In fact, it showed up as a top ESSA need in back-toback surveys, conducted in 2017 and 2018 by the Center For now, implementation of the requirement is likely to be uneven across the country, said Sara Kerr, the vice president of education policy implementation at Results for America, which works with states on ESSA implementation. "I'm confident that a subset of states are using the leverage that they have in ESSA to regularly and more rigorously evaluate and oversee their districts and schools in making evidence-based decisions," she said. "Do I think that there are equally, if not more, states that are probably still sort of doing a check-the-box compliance version of this? I think yes, that's probably true as well, but there are a subset of states that are being much more thoughtful." Here's a look how four states are approaching ESSA's school improvement requirement: Louisiana In Louisiana, the effort to turn around schools is sweeping: 400 of Louisiana's roughly 1,300 schools have been flagged in some way, or about a third of schools. "We're getting everybody involved," said Kunjan Narechania, the state's assistant superintendent of school improvement. "This feels like a statewide effort to districts. It's the most important thing the department is working on with them." The state is emphasizing things like: What curriculum is in front of the student? How well is the teacher trained on that curriculum? What tests are being used to measure student progress? Where can teachers seek support? The state gives out all $30 million of its school improvement money com-

petitively, and if districts don't have strong answers to questions like these, they could miss out on funding. To make life easier for districts— and to help ensure that their federal funds are helping to support similar priorities—the state has a single application for federal funds, instead of requiring districts to fill out separate forms for each. Louisiana is encouraging low-performing schools to identify "content leaders" who other educators can go to for help with curriculum. And the state has teams that visit classrooms to see where a district's plan is working and where it might need to be tweaked. "We're not playing a gotcha game with teachers," Narechania said. "It's a way to understand what is the teacher thinking in instructing this group of students" in order to help the district support educators. Massachusetts Massachusetts has long been held up as an example in supporting districts in turning around schools and in closely studying those efforts to figure out what works and what doesn't. But the state took on an extra challenge under ESSA, essentially doubling the number of schools that it is working with, from around 75 in the past to 155 this school year. Massachusetts is asking all districts with schools flagged for "comprehensive support and improvement" (the lowest performing) to submit an evidence-based plan for improvement. But it is going a step beyond what's required and asking for schools identified for "targeted support and improvement" (those where vulnerable groups of students are falling behind) to do the same. The Bay State is also adding an extra category not required by ESSA: schools in the 10th percentile. And each of the district and school plans must include an element that is backed by "promising" evidence, at a minimum—which for many schools is more than ESSA requires. The state makes regular site visits to turnaround schools to give them an outside perspective on how their implementation is progressing. And it pores over data, including in schools where students are improving rapidly. "We're looking at all that information

and trying to be clear with the field about what is working in successful schools and showcasing what that looks like in those schools," said Erica Champagne, the director of the state education department's office of effective practices in turnaround. Nevada Nevada has gone all in on evidence-based interventions, requiring districts looking for both federal and some state funding to meet ESSA's evidence requirements. Districts that want money for curriculum and professional development must meet one of the top three levels of evidence. The state held a "speed dating" event to connect districts with partners offering strategies that fit the bill. It created a list of suggested interventions for schools, but districts can also pitch their own strategy, if they can show that their proposal also meets ESSA's evidence bar. The student-achievement results aren't in yet. But the state thinks the new strategies are promising. What's more, 100 percent of the strategies funded using federal school improvement dollars meet those higher levels of evidence, up from just 15 percent a few years ago. Districts in some of the most remote parts of the state as well as larger districts are beginning to see a cultural shift when it comes to school improvement. But there's been some pushback from other districts that feel that the state is being too restrictive. "I think the perception is you guys are forcing us to partner with people on the list," even though that's not the case, said Seng-Dao Yang Keo, the director of the office of student and school support at the Nevada education department. And some districts have had difficulty understanding the state's latest push: rigorously evaluating whether the strategies schools selected are nudging student achievement. For instance, two large districts have been reluctant to bring in outside evaluators to study the interventions they've chosen, including intensive coaching, even though the state offered to fund an evaluation. "Education leaders stop at, 'We are spending money on things that have a research base' or 'There's evidence around this intervention.' They

stop there," as opposed to looking closely at the impact on student achievement, Yang Keo said. "So that's where we are pushing forward. I think ESSA has given us the leverage," she said. "It gets to the heart of, are we spending money on things [that really] work, does it improve student outcomes?" South Carolina Even before ESSA passed in late 2015, South Carolina had been pushing on a new initiative for its lowestperforming schools, centered around its "transformation coaches." The state connects every school flagged for comprehensive support with an in-house turnaround expert, typically a former principal, assistant superintendent, or other instructional leader. The coach helps the school come up with an improvement plan that's backed in part by strong research as verified by the state or district—and more importantly, sticks around to help with implementation of the plan. (The Palmetto State was inspired by a similar program that's been operating for years in Kentucky.) Coaches, principals, district officials, and even teacher leaders get regular training from the state and meet in small, regional cohorts where they can examine the research and swap ideas. The results so far are encouraging: After two years of the program, only six of the 38 schools that started out in the state's bottom 5 percent are still there. The state is putting a lot of emphasis not on what gets put in place but how it plays out, said Latoya Dixon, who directs the state's office of school transformation. "Schools will abandon an evidencebased strategy," Dixon said, but the reason it may not have worked may have to do with implementation, she said. And when it comes to perennially struggling schools, South Carolina is looking beyond the school itself. If the district's finances are shaky, or if a lot of its other schools have been in academic need, the state may look for broader, systemic problems. "We recognize that district problems trickle down to schools," Dixon said. "If the system is broken, then there is a ceiling to how much improvement they can make."

tients suing in Los Angeles Superior Court. Raisman stated “When a physician abuses that power and trust, it is the worst sort of betrayal. When authorities who could put a halt to the abuse instead turn a blind eye, the betrayal grows even larger still. But we are not victims. We are survivors. And part of survival means seeking justice and accountability. It means that we as a society

put aside antiquated time limits that would mute the voices of survivors in these worst kinds of cases. What we saw with USA gymnastics and Larry Nassar we are seeing with USC and George Tyndall: A sexual predator hiding behind a medical coat, and a powerful institution that for too long tried to hide the truth – and that now deserves to be held to account. Full accountability will only come if our justice system is allowed to work.” AB 1510 creates a one-year window to revive time-barred civil actions, but only for claims for damages “arising out of sexual assault or misconduct by a physician occurring at a student health center.” Specifically, victims whose claims had expired prior to January 1, 2020, would have until January 1, 2021, to file their lapsed claim for damages. This one-year revival window would not apply to any claim litigated to finality in court, or to any case settled to finality, before January 1, 2020. Assemblymember Reyes concluded the press conference by reiterating the much needed cultural shift society must take to create a safe, transparent, and accountable environment. AB 1510 passed out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee by a vote of 9 to 0. It will next be considered by the full Assembly. Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes represents Assembly District 47 which includes the cities of Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, San Bernardino and the unincorporated areas of Muscoy and Bloomington.

Digital Amenities in the Black Community By Stephanie Zarriello

Photo by: rawpixel | Pexels.com

A lot of us use technology to communicate these days. The days of face-to-face communication, in person, are minuscule to the time we spend in digital contact. We used to come home and, if we were lucky, we would listen to see if we have messages on the answering machine at home. Most of us just waited until the phone rang to catch up with the person on the other end. We sent letters and we visited one another. That was the communication before cell phones and the internet. A double edged bittersweet sword of technology development I suppose. We all do not have access to all these types of communication options. Most are considerable amenities with in our

underserved communities as it is. The importance of you holding this paper or reading online is supporting the free black press and we are grateful for your readership. Your readership allows us to be the free weekly source of news for our community and city who are in need of a free platform to obtain it from. No subscriptions, no paywalls, no obstacles to get the news that affects you. 2020 is a big year for the Black Community in San Antonio. Our Black Free Press- The San Antonio Observer (yes, this newspaper:) will celebrate it’s 25th anniversary. We celebrate this community, we celebrate our history, and we celebrate others. This article originally appeared in the San Antonio Observer.

Visit Us Online: www.SB-American.com

Page 7

April 25, 2019

LIFESTYLE NEWS/ADVERTISING/RELIGION

The 25th Anniversary ESSENCE Festival Brings the 90’s Heat with Special Performances of the Hottest Albums Celebrating 25 Years By Black PR Wire

The ESSENCE Festival, the world’s largest cultural, entertainment and empowerment experience and largest celebration of global Black culture, is set to bring the 90’s heat with special performances that celebrate the 25th anniversary of some of the top albums of the decade. The Festival also just announced the official night-by-night performance line up for its concert series taking place July 5th, 6th and 7th at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. With hits that remain timeless, the 90’s era of R&B and hip-hop music significantly impacted our global culture – setting musical trends and a standard of excellence that made space for artists to thrive as creators, visionaries and entrepreneurs. By spotlighting some of the era’s most forward-looking, game-changing albums that are also celebrating their 25th anniversaries, the celebration will reach beyond nostalgia to new school—with special performances to elevate the groundbreaking sounds that continue to influence the most popular, chart-topping artists of today. “We are celebrating our 25th anniversary with an extraordinary, multigenerational, cultural celebration featuring nearly 100 Black artists who know that the ESSENCE Festival is ‘home,’” said Michelle Ebanks, CEO of ESSENCE Communications. “Through an imaginative slate of 25th anniversary curations and a fresh take on our night-by-night line-up, this year’s milestone Festival will creatively represent some of our culture’s most important and influential bodies of work – past, present and future. We are excited to place the spotlight on the music that captivated and inspired our global communities— all reimagined exclusively for the ‘only-at-ESSENCE’ Festival stages.” Each “25th” set will be curated and performed by the original artists, including Mary J. Blige’s My

Life, Nas’ Illmatic, Brandy’s Brandy, Scarface’s Diary, Big Daddy Kane’s Daddy’s Home, Da Brat’s Funkdafied, Slick Rick’s Behind Bars and Brownstone’s From the Bottom Up. Kicking off Friday night are marquee performances from some of music’s biggest acts including Missy Elliott, RBRM (Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike) and more; opening night will also include a 25th anniversary set presented by Doug E. Fresh that will feature Brandy, Ledisi and Sheila E., MC Lyte, Morris Day, Former Members of New Power Generation, among others. Saturday night is anchored by Mary J. Blige, Nas, H.E.R. and more, with 25th anniversary celebrations by some of the most influential names in hip-hop, including Big Daddy Kane, Scarface, Slick Rick and more. Closing night on Sunday will feature a performance by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly with a special tribute to Frankie Beverly delivered by Anthony Hamilton; Jermaine Dupri’s Atlanta-focused curation with performances by Musiq Soulchild, Da Brat, Lil Jon and Dem Franchize Boyz; Teddy Riley’s Legends of Music curation that includes Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, Teyana Taylor, MAJOR., Ro James and more; as well as a NOLA-style bounce performance with Mannie Fresh and Big Freedia. Each night will be hosted by Loni Love and will feature music by DJ D-Nice. The ESSENCE Festival takes place July 4-7, 2019 in New Orleans, LA. You can view the official night-by-night lineup here. Single night ticket are on sale now. For information about ticket sales, accommodations and the latest news about the ESSENCE Festival® visit Essence.com/festival. This article originally appeared in the Charleston Chronicle.

April’s Highly Anticipated Power Lunch Spotlight Mixer...continued cial Events” tab. For additional information, contact Joelle Passerello at 909-8901242 or email jpasserello@iewbc.org. The Inland Empire Women’s Business Center has made a $16 million economic impact in the Inland Empire since their founding in 2003. The IEWBC offers training, mentoring events, and business counseling for both the emerging and the experienced woman business owner, with the goal of empowering women through entrepreneurship. The Inland Empire Women’s Business Center hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends by appointment only. For more information, visit the IEWBC website at www.iewbc.org or (909) 8901242. The Inland Empire Women’s Business Center is a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino. Housed in the College of Business and Public Administration, IECE, which admin-

isters the program in collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration, is inland Southern California’s leading organization dedicated to supporting and promoting entrepreneurship. The IEWBC provides business counseling, training and mentoring designed for women business owners. Set in the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, CSUSB is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in inland Southern California. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, CSUSB serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually. CSUSB is listed among the best colleges and universities in the western United States, according to The Princeton Review, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report and Money Magazine. For more information on Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.

Inglewood council extends emergency rent control measure...continued from page 3 plex development makes Inglewood’s rising rent situation unique. “I think [the stadium] is bringing a lot of investment dollars into the city, but … when there’s more investment into a typically and historically disinvested communities, you’re going to see large amounts of displacement and what people refer to as gentrification,” he said. “We need to keep people in their homes because we believe that these type of policies like rent control [are] not just stabilizing communities, but [they’re] also a form of homeless prevention,” he added. “Rent control is not a silver bullet but it’s a step in the right direction.”

Butts said officials ultimately will adopt legislation that balances the interests of local residents with the rights of property owners who want the ability to provide market-rate housing. District 3 Councilman Eloy Morales agreed, adding: “Nobody is going to be 100% happy when this over.” In the end, the city’s long-term interests must be protected and advanced, added District 2 Inglewood City Councilman Alex Padilla. “We’re going to continue to look at this and make the right decision for the city of Inglewood,” he said. This article originally appeared in the Wave Newspapers.

Faith is Not Religion Never Was Never Has Been By James A. Washington, Publisher of the Dallas Weekly, NNPA Newswire Contributor

Lifestyle/Entertainment News

COLTON, Calif. – The next in the IEWBC’s highly anticipated networking event is occurring in less than one week! Instead of spending your hard-earned money to eat alone, come and spend time with like-minded business people to make the most out of your lunch hour! Build your business network while enjoying good food and great people! Come, be inspired and jazzed up with CEO and Chief Content Developer of Jazzy Pen Communications: Joan Burke Stanford.

The Power Lunch Spotlight Mixer will be held on Friday, April 26th, 2019 at 1003 E. Cooley Drive, Unit 109, Colton, CA 92324. Networking will begin at 11:30 am, lunch will begin at 12 pm and our spotlight presentation will begin at 1pm. Price for the mixer and lunch is only $10! Price to attend just the mixer, no lunch included, is only $5! Parking is free. Don’t wait! Secure your spot today at www.iewbc.org under the “Spe(continued in next 2 columns)

mercy of God and His love for us. Once you step to Him, then life and death become pretty clear. Faith dictates that we know all of us are not worthy. We are all sinners. We all belong in the Lord’s house as often as possible, because we all do things in our own best interest as opposed to God’s. Hypocrites are hypocrites. I can’t do anything about that. I can however, recognize, how important it is to acknowledge that I’m a long way from being perfect. So is everyone else.

One of the things a faith walk will do is to give you the strength necessary to admit and then submit. Being with others who know this is as important as knowing it for yourself. At that point theology becomes obvious and faith becomes tangible, so tangible in fact that you can see it, touch it and subsequently act on it. It doesn’t make you perfect but it sure does show, or at least it’s supposed to. May God bless and keep you always.

“Lip Service, That’s All It Is, Says the Lord…. Don’t Mean Doodly Squat…!” By: Lou Yeboah

Lou Yeboah

“...You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “ These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. You worship Me in vain; your teachings are but rules taught by men” [Matthew 15:8-9]. You hypocrites! I’m going to chew you up and spit you out! You profess that you love Me, but in works you deny Me, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good works reprobate. [Titus 1:16]. I am Spirit, and those who worship Me must worship Me in Spirit and Truth... Worshipping in church every Sunday, yet living a lifestyle completely different than the one you proclaim as a believer. Worship is a lifestyle. You must become living sacrifices ALL the time. Lip service, that’s all it is…don’t mean doodly squat!”

Under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, John says clearly that it is not enough just to “talk the talk.” The true believer must also “walk the walk.” As the modern saying goes, “Talk is cheap.” It’s one thing, an easy thing, to say you love the Lord. It’s a whole other thing, and a biblical one, to be doers of His Word by keeping His commands and instructions. You must know that God knows our hearts, intentions, thoughts and motives. And that He has indicated that those who practiced hypocrisy would be sent to hell! From my heart I encourage everyone who has read this far to determine that you will be a doer of God’s Word and not a hearer only. It’s easy just to talk about our faith and about the Lord. But God expects more than that. He expects us to obey His commands, to do the things that He says. “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be his worshipers.” [John 4:23]

Witness For Justice #941

Hatred, the new mantra of democratic politics Deenabandhu Manchala Area Executive for Southern Asia James A. Washington is a father, husband, Christian, writer, entrepreneur and the owner/publisher of the Dallas Weekly.

April’s Highly Anticipated Power Lunch Spotlight Mixer

COMMENTARY: Faith is Not Religion Never Was Never Has Been...continued

A minister friend of mine once told me that a person can have theology but no faith. He told me this because at one time I was considering going to school to study the bible. My friend, recognizing that I was a rookie trying to crack the starting lineup for Christ, suggested maybe a different course of action would be better for me and I now know he was correct. You see most of my life I could intellectualize myself out of or into any situation. Therefore, as you can imagine, my brain was easily corrupted by Satan so much so that I never really accepted Christ into my life, although I considered myself a good and decent person. That was the point according to my minister friend. Many people can quote scripture and are experts in what the bible says, but clearly, they have little to no faith. So instead of surrounding yourself with academicians, surround yourself with people who are believers first. I have since found his words prophetic, because one of my blind spots dealing with faith was the hypocritical nature of scripture quoting Christians, who obviously demonstrated little faith from Sunday to Sunday. From the pulpit to the pew, it was enough to keep me out of church. That mindset you see made a winner out of the devil and a loser out of me. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6. Now for people of faith, that makes a lot of sense. I hear all the time that God is not a God of confusion. He has in fact made this thing rather simple. I believe James when he says faith by itself if not accompanied by some display of works is dead. I now also believe that faith, real faith in the Almighty, demands a change in us. Faith demands that we do something, act in such a manner that those who know us best, see an attempt to walk in the ways of Christ. There is nothing intellectual about this and I’m glad to have been hungry enough for the Word, that it led me to others’ hunger just like mine. Now when I go to church and see what I deem hypocrisy, I cannot respond intellectually or even emotionally anymore. I am not now nor have I ever been in a position to cast the first stone. Isn’t that the point? “Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16. Human beings sin and make mistakes against God. It is in our nature. Faith enters the picture as we come to realize the mystery of the gospel. Jesus died to save us from us. Hence, God’s grace gives us insight that in Christ, salvation is still ours if we only give all things up to the indisputable (continued in next 2 columns)

This month Rwanda remembers the genocide that tore it apart 25 years ago when 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred by Hutu extremists. Even as memories haunt and scars remain, Rwanda as one nation seems committed to heal itself by remembering the past for 100 days this year—the time it lasted from April 6, 1994. Genocide is considered to be “a deliberate and systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ethnicity, nationality, religion or race,” per Britannica. There have been many such, even deadlier genocides before and after Rwanda: the massacre of millions through conquests and colonization, the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, and similar pogroms in almost every continent of the world. The ongoing insidious destruction of certain communities through war and conflict, occupation, displacement, and systematic marginalization also needs to be cited as demonstration of collective hatred. But what is now alarming is that hatred is no longer confined to the domain of social dynamics nor explained as mere xenophobia. Hatred seems to have become a pervasive feature of our political culture and a decisive factor in electoral politics. This month alone, Israel, Indonesia, and India are holding democratic processes of elections. Results from Israel already confirm the triumph of this divisive culture. Indonesia, the country with largest Muslim population in the world, will have its polls on April 17 with 190 million voters. Forecasts indicate that the majority religion and its adherents are likely to influence

the outcome. India, the world’s largest democracy with over 900 million voters, has started the long-drawn phase of polling on April 11 to last for 40 days. Unabashed hate speeches have already become prominent feature of poll campaigns, and hatred seems to sell more than plans, policies and performance. The fact that hatred has become a global phenomenon, affecting democratic processes and institutions, indicates grave dangers. In the guise of national pride, growth and security and through propaganda, exaggeration and misinformation, the interests of the powerful groups are turning democracy into majoritarian politics.As the world gets more diverse, this culture of hatred will corrupt the ways in which communities negotiate common goals and well-being while living with differences, thus turning every space into a battleground. Religious traditions, institutions and identities seem to have become high priests of this culture of hatred. These demonic perversions of religious resources to sanctify hatred in order to assist the ruthless pursuits of the powerful and the privileged need to be exposed, resisted, and confronted before the world plunges back into the era of religious wars. Hatred is lethal. God holds up Cain: “What have you done? Your brother’s blood is crying unto me from the ground” (Gen. 4.10). The earth cries when blood is spilt, and her cry becomes the reason for God’s intervention. The people of Rwanda warn us that there are no winners and losers in such dynamics of hatred, and that we all suffer—the earth and all her children.

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April 25, 2019

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First Infant Pertussis Death of 2019 Help spread the word about prenatal vaccination for all pregnant women Tragically, California has experienced its first infant death of 2019 from pertussis. An Orange County baby has died after contracting whooping cough, marking the first infant death from the disease this year in California, health officials said Thursday. The California Department of Public Health has issued a clinical health advisory with guidance on immunizing all pregnant women against pertussis to protect their babies. We urge you to review it and share it with health care providers in your networks. For additional resources: · Visit the prenatal Tdap toolkit page on the CDPH Immunization Branch, EZIZ website. · See the CDPH webpage on pertussis · Thank you in advance for passing along this important message and helping protect infants from the dangers of pertussis. https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif Encourage Providers to Think Measles and Be Alert So far in 2019, two outbreaks linked to patients with international travel have been reported in California. As of April 17, 2019, 23 confirmed measles cases, including 13 outbreak-associated cases, have been reported. CDPH updates case counts weekly every Thursdays if new cases are reported. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from January 1 to April 19, 2019, 626** individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 22 states. This is an increase of 71 cases from the previous week. This is the second-greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since measles was eliminated in 2000, second only to the 667 cases reported during all of 2014. In the coming weeks, 2019 confirmed case numbers will likely surpass 2014 levels. The states that have reported cases to CDC are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, and Washington. https://files.constantcontact.com/9d04821c001/3951efc7-2cfb-4db3-b6ed-bc7d34d7f3fe.jpg https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif SB276 (Pan) Child Safety and Disease Prevention Act In 2015, California's legislature passed SB 277 (Pan/Allen) which removed the personal belief exemption for children attending daycare or public school. SB 277 had an immediate positive impact with school immunization rates rising to their highest levels in history - 95.6%. However, since 2015 the number of kindergartners with medical exemptions has more than tripled, rising from 0.2 percent of students in the 2014-15 school year to 0.7 percent of students in 2017-18. This represents over 4,000 children that are either unvaccinated or undervaccinated against one, some or all preventable diseases—and this is just in Kindergarten. A small number of physicians in California and elsewhere have developed a sideline business that promotes and sells counseling services and letters of medical exemption for a fee to parents who wish to avoid vaccinations for their children and cannot get an exemption through their regular physician because it is not justifiable based on medical guidelines. This increase in medical exemptions, combined with new outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps and pertussis has led to growing concern that our state’s community immunity may be threatened, putting us at risk for deadly outbreaks. As of April 19, 2019, 626 cases of measles have been reported in the United States, 23 of these in California. High vaccine coverage, particularly at the community level, is extremely important for people who cannot be vaccinated, including people who have medical contraindications to vaccination and those who are too young to be vaccinated. The California Immunization Coalition is in strong support of SB276 and sample letters and other background information are available upon request. Important information here: · Text of Bill · Bill Analysis · Frequently Asked Questions Please contact us at info@immunizeca.org for more details. NIIW 2019 is April 27- May 4 National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and to celebrate the achievements of immunization programs and their partners in promoting healthy communities. In 2019, we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of NIIW. Since 1994, hundreds of communities across the United States have joined to celebrate the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our children, communities, and public health. NIIW 2019 is April 27-May 4, 2019. Learn more about NIIW here https://files.constantcontact.com/9d04821c001/f16ec1e7-1e64-43a2-b136-582c03067c77.jpg UNICEF launches #VaccinesWork campaign to inspire support for vaccines UNICEF is launching a new global campaign on April 24th to emphasize the power and safety of vaccines among parents and wider social media users. The campaign will run alongside World Immunization Week from April 24th to the 30th to spread the message that together communities, including parents, can protect everyone through vaccines. #VaccinesWork has long been used to bring together immunization advocates online. This year, UNICEF is partnering with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to encourage even greater reach. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will contribute USD$ 1 to UNICEF for every like or share of social media posts using the hashtag #VaccinesWork in April, up to USD$1 million, to ensure all children get the life-saving vaccines they need. “We want the awareness that #VaccinesWork to go viral,” said Robin Nandy, UNICEF’s Chief of Immunization. “Vaccines are safe, and they save lives. This campaign is an opportunity to show the world that social media can be a powerful force for change and provide parents with trustworthy information on vaccines.”