San Bernardino American Newspaper Mar 8-14

Vol. 48 No. 46

March 8, 2018 - March 14, 2018

This publication is a Certified DBE/ SBE / MBE in the State of California CUCP #43264 Metro File #7074 & State of Texas File #802505971 “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you -President Lyndon B. Johnson

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OPINION: THE STUDENT LOAN DEBT CRISIS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE

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

Sacramento becomes latest city to allege mortgage discrimination by Wells Fargo By JAMES RUFUS KOREN

By Wade Henderson (Founding Board Member, Center for Responsible Lending)

Wade Henderson says that, for Black students, the increased risk of defaulting on student loans is the direct result of inequities in financial resources, as well as discrimination in hiring and salaries. From attacks on voting rights to police killings of unarmed civilians and growing inequities in earnings and wealth, the civil rights gains of the past six decades are facing threat after threat. But one front in the fight for full equality—meaningful access to higher education—is particularly urgent. With 65 percent of jobs soon requiring more than a high school diploma, the need is greater than ever, especially for African Americans and other communities of color. More than 50 years ago, Congress passed the Higher Education Act (HEA), intending to open the doors to higher education by

providing students with financial assistance and low-interest loans. Conventional wisdom has traditionally held two things: 1) Higher education is the great equalizer; 2) It is okay to take out debt for the tickets to upward mobility: a college education and a home mortgage. These life decisions— and the struggles and sacrifices that made them possible—helped to build and grow the Black middle class. Now, aspirations for advancement are colliding with the discriminatory legacy of the financial crisis. Our country’s student loan bill has skyrocketed. Student debt is now the second-largest

source of household debt after housing. Forty-four million Americans have $1.4 trillion in student loan debt. One reason: Since the 1990s, the average tuition and fees at our universities have jumped an average of 157– 237 percent depending on the type of institution. As with the Great Recession, people of color, poor people, and predatory institutions are at the center of this socioeconomic catastrophe. They must also be at the center of the solutions. We must face up to the fact that students of color are more likely to borrow for their education and, unfortunately, to default on these

loans. Even Black college graduates default on their loans at almost four times the rate of their White counterparts and are more likely to default than even White dropouts. This increased risk of defaulting on student loans is the direct result of inequities in financial resources, as well as discrimination in hiring, salaries and, all too often, social capital. In 2013, the median White family had 13 times more wealth than the median black family and 10 times more wealth than the median Latino family. African American students tend to take out more debt than their White counterparts, and both Blacks and Latinos are more likely to default than Whites. Since Blacks with bachelor’s degrees earn only 79 percent and Latinos only 83 percent of what their White counterparts earn, African American and Hispanic students have a harder time repaying their loans. Further contributing to the crisis, Blacks and Latinos comprise 41 percent of the students at the high-cost, low-quality, for-profit colleges. These institutions frequently fail to prepare students for high-salary jobs, instead saddling them with exorbitant debts that they can’t repay. (continued on page 8 )

Trump Targets Food Stamp Recipients with Cuts President proposes cuts and giving the needy boxes of food on their doorsteps By Jasmine Hardy, Howard University News ServiceOn February 28, 2018 WASHINGTON -- Angela Ford, Andre Hunter, La’Keshia TaylorTehrani, and Dwayne Gill. These four people are complete strangers, but they all have one thing in common: they depend on food stamps to feed their families, and Donald Trump wants to cut how much food they can receive.

Sacramento has joined Oakland, Philadelphia and other cities in suing Wells Fargo & Co. over allegations that the bank engaged in discriminatory mortgage lending practices, leading to a wave of foreclosures in minority neighborhoods. The city filed a suit in federal court, saying the San Francisco bank violated the federal Fair Housing Act by saddling minority borrowers with pricier loans and failing to notice or end the practice. The Feb. 23 lawsuit makes prominent mention of a recent Federal Reserve enforcement action against the bank, which found “widespread consumer abuses and other compliance breakdowns.” The Fed went after Wells Fargo for a raft of wrongdoing that has come to light over the past year and a half, from the creation of fake accounts to forcing auto loan customers to pay for unneeded insurance to charging extra fees on some mortgage borrowers. “It’s not just bank accounts and

suit. “We don’t believe those [allegations] reflect how we do business in the communities we serve,” he said. “We’ve been serving Sacramento for more than 160 years. We’re going to defend our history of responsible lending.” Sacramento, like the other cities, argues that Wells Fargo’s practices led to foreclosures, which hurt its budget by pushing down property values and resulting in lower property tax revenue. Similar cases have been filed by Oakland, Philadelphia, Miami and the nearby suburb of Miami Gardens. The Miami and Miami Gardens cases target several big banks, while Oakland, Philadelphia and Sacramento name only Wells Fargo. Those cases got a boost last year when the Supreme Court ruled that the Miami case could proceed. Sacramento is not the first city to mention Wells Fargo’s accounts scandal and subsequent admissions in its legal arguments

for the past few months. He receives $90 a month in food stamps, which he says is helpful since his social security is not a lot. He recalled how SNAP households would receive boxes of food when he was growing up, but is skeptical about how that

After promoting a $1 trillion tax cut that disproportionately aided the top 1 percent of income earners in America, President Trump has proposed cutting the budget that aids needy families who need food by nearly one quarter. Courtesy photo by Wikipedia

La'Keshia Taylor-Tehrani, 30, and her husband, Culen TaylorTehrani, have already experienced a decrease in money for their food stamps from $300 to $185, even beforeTrump's proposed cuts. Photo Courtesy In his most recent budget proposal, President Trump proposes cutting billions of dollars from several social welfare programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. This program, most commonly referred to as food stamps, provides an average of $125 per month to 42.2 million Americans, about eight percent of the population, to buy groceries. Under his plan, the food stamp program would be cut by $17.2 billion dollars, 22 percent of the

Wells Fargo & Co., already the target of mortgage discrimination lawsuits filed by the cities of Philadelphia, Oakland and Miami, is facing a similar lawsuit filed this week by Sacramento. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)

program’s total cost last year, by 2019, and over $213.5 billion over the next decade, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The proposal also includes a complete redesign of the program; instead of receiving their full benefits for the month, SNAP recipients would only receive a portion of those benefits in addition to being sent a box of U.S grown commodities from the Department of Agriculture, a provision that would save the government money by obtaining common foods at a lower cost. Craig Undersen, a professor of agricultural and consumer economics at the University of Illinois, who has been studying food stamp programs for the past 20 years, said the program is fine the way it is. The redesign “would be a di-

saster, he said. “These new proposals would only create harm to the program and to the individuals who depend on the program now and in the future,” he said. “The way it works is we give [food stamp recipients] the dignity and autonomy to make their own decisions. This would give them a basket of food every month. People might not want it and it’s stigmatizing. We’re telling them what they can and can’t consume. “A lot of people would leave the program because the food they would get through the program would not be as useful as the food they would get on their own, which would lead to increases in food insecurity.” Andre Hunter, 54, of Southeast Washington D.C., is on disability and has been using food stamps

Could Wells Fargo’s scandal boost mortgage discrimination lawsuits? L.A., other cities hope so

Culen Taylor-Tehrani and his 5year-old son suffer from Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation of the digestive tract. Trump's idea of delivering boxes of food to food stamp recipients' door would be an extreme hardship for him and others with food allergies because it would not accomodate their health restrictions. Photo Courtesy La'Keshia Taylor-Tehrani. would work today. "Growing up it was crazy,” Hunter said. “How would this work this day and age with all these allergies, which concerns me for other people, not just me. Not to mention obesity, it’s like opening Pandora’s box.” (continued on page 7)

credit cards. It’s all one set of conduct,” said Joel Liberson, a Los Angeles attorney who has worked with cities suing Wells Fargo and other banks over alleged mortgage discrimination. Wells Fargo spokesman Tom Goyda said the bank will fight the

against the bank. A similar suit brought by the city of Los Angeles was thrown out last year after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, agreeing with a lower court, said the city did not show evidence to back up its claims.

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

March 8, 2018

COMMUNITY/EDUCATION/ADVERTISING

State Grant To Fund Training For School Leaders Community/Education News

An SBCUSD administrator reviews materials during a training session. Every principal in the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD), as well as vice principals clearing their credential, will participate in professional training over the next three years thanks to a $1-million state grant designed to help them succeed. The California Center on Teaching Careers grant will equip school principals and vice principals with the leadership skills they need to thrive in their challenging positions and help more students succeed academically, said Mary Pierce, the District’s Director of Employee Development. “The research shows that school administrators play a crucial role in the success of students,” said Pierce, a former elementary school principal. “The additional training and support that we provide to our school leaders will result in more skillful teachers, and in turn that yields students who are prepared to succeed.” Of the 26 educational agencies that applied for $9.2 million in grant funding, SBCUSD received the largest share, edging out

other large school districts like Los Angeles Unified and the Alameda County Office of Education. A high-quality induction and mentoring program is an integral part of the training that principals and vice principals will receive. This program is aligned with Strategy 3 of the District’s Community Engagement Plan, which calls for coaching and mentoring to strengthen human capacity throughout the District. New principals are not the only ones who will benefit from professional development, Pierce said. Seasoned principals, including those who are excelling, will also expand their skills by becoming certified California administrative coaches and by participating in training offered over the summer by the Association of California School Administrators and UCLA. “The job of a principal is so very challenging and so impactful,” Pierce said “A high-caliber leader can always grow and be an even better principal.”

Three California institutions Tapped as Finalists for 2018 National Medal for Museum and Library Service Local community encouraged to ‘Share Your Story’ on IMLS social media in March, April Community Education News

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 5, 2018) – The Institute of Museum and Library Services today announced that California’s Pretend City Children’s Museum, LA County Library, and Sacramento Public Library are among the 29 finalists for the 2018 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to their communities. For 24 years, the award has celebrated institutions that demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service and are making a difference for individuals, families, and communities. “The 29 National Medal finalists showcase the tremendous ability of libraries and museums to serve as vital community resources,” said IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew. “The Institute of Museum and Library Services is honored to recognize these leading institutions. We congratulate them on the work they are doing across the United States.” Finalists are chosen because of their significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. IMLS is encouraging community members who have visited Pretend City Children’s Mu-

seum, LA County Library, or Sacramento Public Library to share their story on social media. To #ShareYourStory, please visit www.facebook.com/USIMLS or www.twitter.com/us_imls and use #IMLSmedals. National Medal winners will be announced later this spring. Representatives from winning institutions will be honored for their extraordinary contributions at the National Medal Ceremony on May 24 in Washington, D.C. To see the full list of finalists and learn more about the National Medal, visit the IMLS website. About the Institute of Museum and Library Services The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's approximately 120,000 libraries and 35,000 museums and related organizations. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson Reminds Schools about Updates in School Safety Plans Educational News SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the California Department of Education is taking a new step to help ensure student safety by auditing comprehensive school safety plans that are required of all schools by Education Code 32280-32288. The state compliance audit requirement will begin in the 2018-2019 school year. Local school districts must approve safety plans for all schools in its district by March 1 of each year. School safety plans are mandatory and help ensure that

schools are as prepared as possible for emergencies and also maintain safe and secure learning environments. “The safety of our children and education communities is our greatest responsibility,” Torlakson said. “When developing school safety plans, it is essential to reflect on lessons learned last year and to implement new and improved actions this year.” For example, school safety plans must present clear policies to address hate crimes, acts of (continued in next 2 columns)

Sixth Annual Pioneer Breakfast recognizes contributions, awards scholarships Educational News

The musical group Bijan & The Few performs at the sixth annual Pioneer Breakfast at CSUSB on Feb. 23. Photo: Robert A. Whitehead/CSUSB Local community members were honored for their service and student scholarship recipients were announced by the Cal State San Bernardino Black Faculty, Staff and Student Association at the sixth annual Pioneer Breakfast on Feb. 23. The event, which was held in the university’s Santos Manuel Student Events Center, coincides with the celebration of Black History Month. This year’s theme is “Our Legacy Defines Our Future” and binds with the university’s vision of defining the future. The scholarship recipients are:

Darnell Collins, Belva Holder Memorial Scholarship; Christopher Akwaja, Dr. Milton Clark Tenacity Scholarship; Malinda Hendrix, John Overton Memorial Scholarship; Chloe Patterson, Dr. Mildred Henry Scholarship; Austin Warren, Terrylin Monette Memorial Scholarship; and Breeona Bright, Dr. Jean Peacock and Walter Hawkins Memorial Scholarship. The 2018 Pioneer honorees are: Denise Benton, Staff Award recipient;

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson Reminds Schools about Updates in School Safety Plans...continued violence, and their perpetrators. Comprehensive school safety plans must include a discrimination and harassment policy. Last month Torlakson sent a letter to school district superintendents and charter school administrators about the audit requirement and other requirements and guidance for school safety planning. The California Department of Education (CDE) provides resources and information to assist in developing school safety plans. School site councils or desig-

nated safety committees work with educators, classified staff, parents, and community leaders and consult with law enforcement to make sure plans are effective and current. County offices of education must notify the CDE by October 15, 2018, if any schools in its jurisdiction have not complied with safety plan requirements. Torlakson’s letter is on the CDE Letters Web page.

Florida Middle School Teacher Outed as 'Unapologetic' White Supremacist By Anne Branigin

Crystal River Middle School social studies teacher Dayanna Volitich, 25, has been hosting a white nationalist podcast under a pseudonym, according to a report in HuffPost. Screenshot: Crystal River Middle School (Tamba Bay Times) In an exclusive report, the HuffPost has revealed evidence suggesting a 25-year-old Florida middle school teacher, Dayanna Volitich, has been secretly hosting a white nationalist podcast. In the “Unapologetic” podcast, which Volitich hosts under the alias, “Tiana Dalichov,” Volitich brags about bringing her racist beliefs into her Crystal River Middle School classroom. “I get to talk about topics that people don’t like to talk about,” Volitich says in one snippet from her podcast, which the HuffPost has embedded on its site. “They don’t want to be seen as a bigot, racist, whatever you want to call it. I honestly don’t care.” The screenshots (Volitich also posed as her “Tiana Dalichov” alias on Twitter. Her account has since been deleted, but as the HuffPost knows, screenshots are forever) and podcasts reveal that Volitich certainly didn’t care about being seen as a bigot—in fact, she reveled in wildly racist, debunked beliefs. From the HuffPost: In her most recent podcast on Feb. 26, a guest railed against diversity in schools, dismissing the idea that “a kid from Nigeria and a kid who came from Sweden are supposed to learn exactly the same” and have the “same IQ.” Volitich enthusiastically agreed with the guest, and went on to

argue that “science” has proven that certain races are smarter than others. Later in the episode, Volitich also agreed that white supremacists need to infiltrate schools. “They don’t have to be vocal about their views, but get in there!” her guest said. “Be more covert and just start taking over those places.” “Right,” Volitich said. “I’m absolutely one of them.” After the HuffPost story came out, WFTS-TV in Tampa Bay found another article published on the far-right news site, Halsey News under the headline “Tiana Dalichov: White Privilege Challenge.” In it, Dalichov prompted people to write in arguments proving “one single instance of white privilege,” for which she would give them $100. The HuffPost pieced together that Volitich was actually “Dalichov” by lining up a series of coincidences. “Dalichov” listed her home as Crystal River, which matches public records for Volitich’s home. “Dalichov” has shared on her podcast she’s a school teacher who has been teaching at her current school for one year. The same was true for Volitich and her position at Crystal River. “Dalichov” tweeted that she was 25-years-old, which is Volitich’s age. And after the HuffPost reached out to the Citrus County School District about Volitich, “Dalichov” mentioned on her Twitter account that she would be going dark for a while. But perhaps the clearest evidence is that Volitich, presumably part of the race that has higher IQs than others, posted an actual picture of herself as the avatar for her “Dalichov” Twitter account. As the HuffPost notes, not only does it appear to be the same person, Volitich is wearing the same earrings in her Twitter photo as she is in the Crystal River Middle School website. The most disturbing part of the HuffPost’s revelations is that Volitch was consciously indoctri(continued in next 2 columns)

Edward Harrison, Administration Award recipient; Charlotte Black, Faculty Award recipient; Dia Poole, Alumni Award recipient; and Olivia Rosas, Lorraine Frost Ally Award recipient. This year’s event distinguishes itself from past breakfasts, with a new branding, more scholarships and a change in the concept of the annual essay competition that CSUSB students compete in, said Anthony Roberson, the BFSSA Pioneer chair. “The Pioneer Breakfast is important to have here at CSUSB to

showcase our diversity and inclusiveness,” said Roberson. “This event bridges our CSUSB community with our local service communities and brings back our alumni.” The Pioneer Breakfast serves as a fundraiser for scholarships and also supports the annual African American Graduation recognition ceremony. Visit the CSUSB BFSSA website to learn more. For more information on Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit inside.csusb.edu.

Florida Middle School Teacher Outed as 'Unapologetic' White Supremacist...continued nating her students. As the article notes, the middle school social studies teacher says her students knew her political beliefs, and even helped “play along” with administrators to help hide them. From one of her podcasts (h/t WFTS-Tampa Bay): “I told the kids that. I said guys when they are in here I’m going to be different than I usually am. I just don’t want you to be shocked, I want you to play along and they’re like OK. OK,” she said in the podcast. Later in the podcast, after Volitich’s guest asks her if the kids ever told their parents what they learn in class, she confirms that the principal once followed up with her over an e-mail a parent had sent. “I had one at the beginning of this year who emailed the principal over my head and basically told her I’m worried that your teacher is injecting political bias into her teaching. And the principal came to me and she was like I’m not worried, should I be worried? And I was like no. And she believed me and she backed off.” Nearly 90 percent of Crystal

River Middle School is white. The town of Crystal River itself is over 80 percent white, according to the latest Census, with black people making up just over 7 percent of the population. Hispanic and Latinx residents account for another 5 percent. As the HuffPost story notes, this isn’t the first high-profile outing of a teacher’s white nationalist identity. Late last year, Splinter News revealed that Greg Conte, a white supremacist who worked for Richard Spencer’s think tank, the National Policy Institute, had gotten a job as an equal employment officer. He also worked as a substitute teacher at a private high school in Maryland. Since the story broke, people from around the country have taken to social media to demand the school district fire Volitich. Neither the Citrus County school district nor Volitich has confirmed the HuffPost story, though the school has told the site that it “will be looking into the statements she made, checking the validity to see if they violate our code of ethics and policy.”

Hesperia man sentenced to life for raping 14-year-old girl Community News

Julio Moncada SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - A Hesperia man who broke into a house and raped a 14-year-old girl was sentenced Thursday to 15 years to life in prison. Julio Moncada, now 24, confessed to raping the girl after breaking into the home in Hesperia at night. Moncada did not know the victim, but had a brief flirtatious relationship with her older sister before the sister broke up with him. "This was a terrible crime - a stranger broke into the victim's house, entered her room, beat her and raped her," said Deputy District Attorney David Foy, who prosecuted the case for the Victorville Division's Family Vio-

lence Unit. Moncada, who was 18 at the time of the Nov. 2011 offense, pleaded no contest on Jan. 12, 2018 to one count of forcible rape of a child, and admitted a special allegation that the crime was committed during a burglary. He was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Bryan Stodghill. According to evidence presented in a preliminary hearing, the victim never had previous contact with Moncada, but recognized him based on a Facebook photo as someone who knew her sister. The sister testified that after she broke up with Moncada earlier that year, he sent her threatening text messages. Moncada initially denied any involvement in the crime, but after questioning by San Bernardino County Sheriff's Detective Christine Kirby, now a sergeant, he confessed to the rape.

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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March 8, 2018

GOVERNMENT/BUSINESS/ADVERTISING

Racist Professor Who Calls Blacks, Hispanics More Violent Than Whites Appointed to Trump’s Sentencing Commission William Otis will fit right in with Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III. By Kaitlyn D'Onofrio / March 5, 2018

Bill Otis / SCREENSHOT VIA PBS NEWSHOUR A former federal prosecutor who once said Blacks and Hispanics are more violent than whites has been tapped to join President Donald Trump’s sentencing commission. William Otis, a Georgetown professor, writes on a blog called “Crime and Consequences.” He wrote in a 2013 post: “Thus, when Fifth Circuit Judge Edith Jones said at a University of Pennsylvania Law School talk that blacks and Hispanics are more violent than whites, a consortium of civil rights* organizations filed a complaint. The complaint calls for stern discipline, on the grounds that the remarks were ‘discriminatory and biased.’ “So far as I have been able to discover, it makes no mention of the fact that they’re true. “* I am old enough to remember that civil rights used to include the First Amendment.” Otis continued the conversation in the comments section of that same post and says racial disparities “are caused by making choices.” “Choices are indeed affected by social factors, but by far the main social factor is a stable, disciplined, employed, two-parent family life. The incidence of crime (or, more precisely, of avoiding crime) correlates with this factor more than with anything else — race, religion, income, you name it.” Studies have found a link between poverty and incarceration, some suggesting even a stronger link than race. And Eric Holder, former U.S. attorney general, acknowledged in an op-ed for the New York Times in 2016 that drug sentences do in fact carry a racial implication: “There is still a disparity in sentencing for offenses relating to crack and powder cocaine, chemically identical substances. Given the policy’s differential racial impact, which erodes confidence in the justice system, this disparity must go. In the light of recent events, we can’t afford criminal justice policies that reduce the already fragile trust between minority communities and law enforcement agencies.” As previously reported by DiversityInc, “Most offenders sentenced under the crack provisions are Black and Latino, whereas white offenders make up a much higher portion of those convicted for powder cocaine offenses.” But this information does not concern Otis, who also brings Asians into the discussion: “This is the reason that, for example, Orientals have less incidence of crime than whites. Orientals were unquestionably the victims of long and rancid racial bigotry; coolie labor was little

more than slave labor. And Yick Wo v. Hopkins is one of the most famous civil rights cases of all time. “The reason Orientals stay out of jail more than either whites or blacks is that family life, work, education and tradition are honored more in Oriental culture than in others.” “Coolie” is considered an offensive term referring to an unskilled laborer from the East who is paid low wages. Otis, like Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, does not support sentencing reform and rejects the idea of “low-level offenders.” In a 2014 blog post he compared a drug user to a child molester: “Last I looked, when you needle yourself with too much heroin, you’re still dead; when a thug belts you to grab your purse, you still have a knot on your head and no purse; and when Mr. Nicey rapes your eight year-old, you still have a defiled little girl to try to help.” And in a 2017 interview with NPR he said: “Low-level offenders seems to me to be an undefined phrase. You don’t know exactly what low level means. Often it’s used to mean a courier in a drug business. What people don’t realize as much as they should is that a courier in the drug business is just as essential as a car is in a pizza delivery business. The business – unless you can deliver your inventory, the business is going to fall apart. And just saying that they’re low level is too general and too undefined to make for good criminal justice policy.” During former President Barack Obama’s presidency, the Justice Department in 2013 took a “Smart on Crime” approach that saved longer prison sentences for more violent and repeat offenders, favoring shorter sentences for lowlevel, nonviolent offenders. In 2014, for the first time in three decades, there was a consecutive drop in the federal prison population — which saved taxpayers money. As noted by the Chicago Tribune, an approach similar to Sessions’ has already been tried and proven unsuccessful: “Sessions’ directive mirrors the tough-on-drug-crime policies of George W. Bush’s attorney general, John Ashcroft, who in 2003 also pushed federal prosecutors to pursue mandatory minimum cases, no matter the circumstance. With Ashcroft’s policy in place, the federal prison population shot up from 172,000 to 220,000. The policy disproportionately affected minorities: Today, 38 percent of federal inmates are black, and 33 percent are Hispanic.”

Statement on Resolution of Civil Rights Groups’ Claims Against Disbanded White House ‘Election Integrity Commission’ Government News

(WASHINGTON, DC) – A motion filed by a coalition of civil rights groups to voluntarily dismiss their claims against the discredited and now-disbanded “Election Integrity Commission” has been approved by a federal court judge. Last summer, MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) and LatinoJustice PRLDEF joined the NAACP Legal Defense and Edu-

cational Fund, Inc. (LDF) in challenging the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity on behalf of seven plaintiffs who sought to enjoin the Commission. The plaintiffs were #HealSTL, NAACP Pennsylvania State Conference, NAACP Florida State Conference, Hispanic Federation, Mi Familia Vota, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, and Labor Council for Latin (continued in next 2 columns)

Statement on Resolution of Civil Rights Groups’ Claims Against Disbanded White House ‘Election Integrity Commission’...continued American Advancement, which contended that the commission was created to discriminate against voters of color. The plaintiffs moved to voluntarily dismiss after the federal government made clear that no preliminary findings were issued by the Commission, and that state voter data it collected will not be used or shared with any agencies. The court approved the motion for dismissal without prejudice yesterday. Plaintiffs will continue to be vigilant in their work to protect voters against discriminatory action by the Trump administration. Please attribute the following statement to Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF: “While we are relieved that this ridiculous commission has been disbanded, we remain concerned and vigilant about voter data that should never have been collected. If the government or any commissioner ever attempt to misuse that data, MALDEF stands ready to

step in to protect voter's rights.” Please attribute the following statement to Antonio Gonzalez, president of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP): “SVREP is pleased that the Election Commission on Integrity was disbanded. The allegations that 3 million voted illegally in 2016 is a sham on democracy. We can continue to focus on protecting the vote and mobilizing the Latino vote.” Please attribute the following statement to Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota: “We are going to continue to be vigilant to ensure that our rights are being protected and that the ability of our community to vote is also being preserved. We are satisfied that the commission created by the Trump administration has been dismantled and that the data that was collected under the guise of resolving a fictitious issue has been secured.”

American Dream Business Pitch Competition Starts U.S. Tour with Black Expo America Business/Financial News Washington, DC (March 5, 2017) - Today, 'American Dream Business' announces the US tour with Black Expo America 'American Dream Business' pitch competition will travel across the U.S. hosting casting calls for business owners to pitch their business idea or concept to win $1,000, after the 2018 tour, American Dream Business Pitch Competition will award $20,000 at the finale in Washington, DC The Black Expo America tour kicks off in Washington DC on March 10, 2018 at the Renaissance Hotel 999 9th Street from 10 am - 6:00 pm. Contestants are invited to register to pitch their business to qualify to become one of the Top Ten to pitch on stage to win $1,000. Business icons serving as judges include Warren Brown, Celebrity Chef at CakeLove, Denise Rolark Barnes, Publisher of The Washington Informer Newspaper and others. 'American Dream Business' (ADB) is the brainchild of D. Yvonne Rivers, Principal of Phoebe Marketing Group and Creator and Producer of DC Shark Tank established in 2015. Business Pitch competitions are popping up across the globe. ADB beings a fresh and unique approach and perspective to pitching your business. Win or lose a pitch competition, business owners will be linked with business resources in all cities to grow and sustain a profitable business which is the 'American Dream

Business. ADB will be filmed on September 27th to produce a trailer to market to television networks. About Phoebe Marketing Group (PMG) www.phoebemarketing.com ceo@phoebemarketing.com D. Yvonne Rivers has been the Principal of The Phoebe Marketing Group since 1997, a business development, marketing and training company serving globally and headquartered in Washington, DC. She also provides motivational speaking to social entrepreneurs to grow globally with webinars, books, tapes and LIVE events. Yvonne is a graduate of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and studied graduate marketing at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. Yvonne has over twenty-five years of business experience and is the creator and producer of ' DC Shark Tank 'and 'Phoebe Pitch Tank' now, 'American Dream Business' which is a business pitch competition established in 2015 that has developed tremendous accolades including being featured 'Black Enterprise Magazine' and speaking and pitch competitions across the United States. Yvonne has expanded to Johannesburg, South Africa, London and Tamale, Ghana with her business ventures.

BOE Rejects Gas Tax Increase! Jerome E. Horton Member, 3rd District State Board of Equalization The Board of Equalization was poised to raise gasoline taxes through a process directed by the legislature in 2010, referred to as a "gas tax swap." Board of Equalization Member Jerome Horton said, “Enough is enough – Californians cannot bear another gas tax increase.” California Department of Tax and Administration (CDTFA) had recommended that the BOE raise the excise tax by 4 cents per gallon,which would have brought the total federal and state gasoline taxes and fees in California to 76.7 cents a gallon effective July 1, 2019. This takes into consideration that Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) enacted a 17.6 cent gas tax increase and a 20-cent diesel fuel tax increase and terminates the “gas tax swap” adjustment. The legislature, not the BOE, has sole authority to raise gas taxes. The role of the BOE is to adjust the excise and sales tax rates based on previous gas consumption and prices – to assure revenue neutrality based. This legislation resulted in a shift of transportation funds to the general fund to address the 2010 state

budget crisis. In April 2017, the legislature passed SB 1, the “Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017,” which raised the gasoline excise tax by12 cents effective November 1, 2017 with an additional 5.6 cent increase in the gasoline tax effective on July 1, 2019. Then beginning in 2020 the CDTFA will adjust the gas tax according to the fluctuations in the Consumer Price Index. Based on the consumer index over the past few years, according to Department of Finance (DOF) economic forecasts, this will result in endless increases in the gas tax. In addition, the legislation increased the vehicle registration by $25-$175, depending on the market value of the vehicle, and created the Road Improvement Fee of $100 for Zero-Emission Vehicles starting July 1, 2020. These increased taxes and fees are proposed to collect an additional 52 billion dollars in revenue for road repair and other services over a ten-year period. However, according to the law and confirmed by DOF economists, these tax increases never expire. (continued in next 2 columns)

BOE Rejects Gas Tax Increase!...continued Board Member Diane Harkey argued that the state has a budget surplus and this additional tax is not warranted. “I understand the state’s budget is in a surplus, so I don’t know how anyone can justify increasing gas taxes,” Harkey said. Opponents of the gas tax increase argue that the legislature deferred road maintenance, the purported reason for the taxes and fee increases, and that Californians should not have to pay for the legislature’s decisions to shift dollars to other purposes – they should shift the money back. Studies show that the gas tax is a regressive tax that disproportionately impacts poor to middleincome earners because they generally have a greater dependency on their vehicles for vacations, recreation, and work – and less income to offset the increase. As a general rule, any tax that requires the poor or seniors on fixed incomes to pay the same percentage or amount as a tax, is regressive, because it fails to take into consideration the disparate abilities to pay based on income. “Poor to middle-income Californians are pushed into the suburbs for affordable housing, have lower salaries, drive longer distances to work, and cannot afford the slightest increase in gas tax,” Horton said. Horton also argued that the proposed increase of 4 cents did not take into consideration the recent spike in gas taxes and fees as a result of the passage of SB 1 and there would be no opportunity to subsequently reduce the taxes as this was the last year the BOE would make the “gas tax swap.” In response to questions by the board members, the BOE staff confirmed that they did not take into consideration the recent spike in the gas tax, gas prices, and the Board’s inability to lower the gas tax if there is a change in market demand. Harkey and Horton argued that CDTFA’s failure to include these market variables in their computations was not fair to the public and casted the “no” votes that

resulted in a 2-2 tie and prevented the increase from passing. Board Member Fiona Ma and State Controller Betty Yee (represented at the meeting by Deputy Controller Yvette Stowers) voted for the increase and Board Member George Runner was not present. This is not the end of the gas tax debate. In response to SB 1, the public may have the final say in November 2018 as backers of an initiative to repeal the recent increase to the gas tax and vehicle registration fee seek to place a proposition on the ballot to allow the voters to decide if they want to pay the additional $52 billion in gas taxes and vehicle registration fees. Re-elected in 2014, Member Jerome E. Horton is the Third District Member of the California State Board of Equalization, representing more than 9.5 million residents in Los Angeles, a portion of San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties. He was first elected to the Board of Equalization in 2010. Member Horton also serves as the Board of Equalization's Property Tax Committee Chair. He is the first to serve on the Board of Equalization with more than 21 years of experience at the BOE. Horton previously served as an Assembly Member of the California State Assembly from 2000-2006. The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board that serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. Note: This news release may discuss complex tax laws and concepts. It may not address every situation, and is not considered written advice under Revenue and Taxation Code section 6596. Changes in law or regulations may have occurred since the time this news release was written. If there is a conflict between the text of this news release and the law, decisions will be based upon the law and not this news release. For specific help, please contact the BOE at 1-800-400-7115.

President Trump Plans To Make Drugs Affordable Again During his State of the Union address, President Trump pledged to drive down drug prices. Sally C. Pipes That's a worthy goal. Fortunately, the Trump administration is already pursuing it in ways that protect patients and encourage research and development. Many strategies that candidate Trump proposed on the campaign trail would have done more harm than good. Candidate Trump wanted to repeal Medicare Part D's "non-interference clause," which prevents the federal government from negotiating drug prices with manufacturers. Private insurers currently handle negotiations for Part D, a prescription drug program that benefits about 42 million Americans. Such interference wouldn't result in lower prices. Private insurers already extract discounts from drug companies. Giving federal bureaucrats the power to negotiate prices "would have a negligible effect on Medicare drug spending," according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Federal negotiators could only obtain lower prices by establishing a national formulary of preferred drugs. That would make many medications completely inaccessible for seniors. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs uses such a formulary. As a result, veterans don't have access to nearly 20 percent of the most commonly prescribed drugs under Medicare Part D. Candidate Trump also advocated for drug price controls. Imposing such caps would hinder efforts to develop breakthrough medications, as pharmaceutical companies would struggle to justify research expenditures. Nations that rely on price controls to artificially keep prices low are free riding on U.S. patients, who fund the bulk of medical research and development. The average new medicine costs about $2.6 billion to bring to market. The Trump administration jettisoned these counterproductive policy proposals. It's now pursuing measures that curb costs while improving the quality of American health care. Consider the president's reauthorization of PDUFA, a 1992 law allowing

the FDA to charge pharmaceutical companies for reviewing drug applications. This extra revenue enables the FDA to review applications faster. As a result, more medications make it to market sooner -- opening up options for consumers and lowering prices through competition. Another promising step is a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The rule would curb price gouging by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). These middlemen negotiate with drug manufacturers to obtain discounts for insurance companies. PBMs use their buying power to extract rebates from drug makers. From 2010 to 2015, the value of those rebates increased by more than 20 percent annually. But patients picking up their prescriptions often don't benefit from these rebates. The rule would require PBMs to pass along some of these rebates to Medicare patients. Beneficiaries could pocket more than $10 billion in total savings. The biggest reforms are taking place at the FDA. Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has endorsed "adaptive" clinical trials, which allow researchers to adjust experimental drug tests based on realworld evidence. This speeds up the R&D process and results in savings for drug companies, more drug applications for the FDA, and more options for patients. More drugs on the market force manufacturers to compete on price. On the campaign trail, candidate Trump promised he would deliver lower drug prices. One year into his presidency, he's on his way to achieving that goal -- thanks to his abandonment of statist price controls and embrace of free-market reforms. Sally C. Pipes is President, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy at the Pacific Research Institute. Her next book, The False Promise of Single-Payer Health Care (Encounter), will be published this spring. Follow her on Twitter @sallypipes.

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PAGE 4

March 8, 2018

HEALTH/FITNESS NEWS

How To Prevent Tooth Decay In Babies Health/Fitness News

New parents have a lot on their plates when heading home from the hospital for the first time. It can be overwhelming trying to remember everything that needs to be done. Do we have enough diapers? Are we feeding him or her enough? How much is enough sleep? All of these issues are important but don’t forget about their oral health, too. Young infants can get baby bottle tooth decay if their teeth are exposed to drinks with high sugar for extended periods of time. To prevent your little one from experiencing this type of tooth decay, the health experts at Envolve, an integrated healthcare solutions company, are pleased to share five practices to protect your child. 1. Wipe Gums. After each feeding, grab a piece of gauze or a wet washcloth and clean your little one’s gums to remove bacteria buildup. Avoid being too rough and just dab the material gently around their gums. 2. Don’t Dip. Never coat children’s pacifiers with honey or sugar to get them to use it. This creates an oral environment that encourages infection and promotes tooth decay. Instead, always give freshly washed pacifiers to protect gums and teeth.

3. Begin Brushing. Once the first tooth emerges, start with a child-sized soft toothbrush and use a tiny amount of kid-friendly toothpaste. Don’t forget to use non-fluoride toothpaste until they’re able to spit on their own. It’s also recommended to schedule the first dentist appointment when the first tooth emerges but no later than the first birthday.4. Limit Snacking. When your child is able to handle solid food, get in the habit of choosing snacks that are sugar-free or unsweetened. Read ingredient labels to find out if the items contain sugar or starches, which turn into sugar. Sugary snacks include candy, mints, cookies, soda, and juices. Healthier, teeth-friendly snack choices are fruits and vegetables, low-fat cheese and water. 5. Schedule Check-ups. It’s hard to spot tooth decay in infants without a full dental examination since specific equipment and technology is needed. Small, white spots can appear on their gums above the upper front teeth but they may not be visible to you. If you suspect your child has these symptoms, contact a pediatric dentist for medical attention for early treatment and prevent further damage.

Lupus Is an Urgent Matter Health News

Lupus Is an Urgent Matter..continued Though her primary care physician caught on that Davis was suffering from an autoimmunerelated disease, she didn’t see a rheumatologist until three or four months later. That’s when she learned she had lupus. Lupus comes in three main forms: Systemic lupus erythematosus is the most common form of the disease, and it involves the entire body. Cutaneous lupus causes a rash and lesions on the skin. Drug-induced lupus, which occurs when a doctor prescribes a medicine that causes lupus symptoms, usually goes away when the medication is stopped. Davis was diagnosed with SLE. “It was a devastating diagnosis,” she reveals. “And one I didn’t take as seriously as I should.” She takes prednisone, which has given her a moon face. She also suffers from joint problems, especially if it’s really cold or damp and humid. She jokes about buying stock in Aspercreme. And she has experienced hair loss. The fatigue that marks the disease has most severely cramped her lifestyle. “It’s the symptom that bothers us the most,” she says. “It stops us dead in our tracks. There were times it was truly a stretch to get up off the couch.” But perhaps her biggest lupus challenge came about a year after her initial diagnosis. “In 2010, I was diagnosed with kidney disease,” she says. At first she was able to manage the additional health threat, but by 2016, her kidney function had dipped to 4 percent. Her doctors said it was time to think about dialysis. She wanted to handle the new diagnosis with exercise and diet. “I said, ‘Let me get my green smoothie on,’ but sometimes we have to take the medicine, and my medicine was dialysis,” she says. Davis pulls up her shirt to reveal her catheter. “I do nine hours of dialysis with my boyfriend, Baxter,” she says jokingly. Then, serious, again, she adds: “This is my lifeline now.” Davis’ mission isn’t only to share her own story, though her real-world examples of how lupus has affected her are an engaging way to grab an audience’s attention. “I’m just one of many people living with lupus today. I’m able to hold down a full-time job still. Some can’t,” she says. Her bigger goal is to spread lu-

“Lupus is not some distant disease,” Gabrielle Davis, founder of Lupus Sistas, tells Black Health Matters just days before the Black Health Matters Summit. In fact, lupus is an urgent matter. “It is rampant in the black community. It is having devastating effects on women, specifically black women.” It is with this same passion that Davis, a lupus sufferer and advocate, addresses the crowd at Riverside Church in Harlem, New York. “Nine years ago, my life changed,” she says. “I was young, slim, cute. I was a newly-

wed. It was my first Valentine’s Day as a married woman. She goes on to explain how she was having pain that day, but she passed it off as stress. So she booked a massage, which only exacerbated the problem. “By the time I got off the table, I could barely walk,” she says. “We couldn’t do Valentine’s Day; we had to go to the ER.” The doctors said Davis’ white blood cell count was out of whack and she was severely dehydrated, but they had no idea what was wrong with the newlywed. (continued in next 2 columns)

pus awareness. And so she shares these facts: Nine out of 10 lupus patients are women. 40 percent to 50 percent of sufferers will have organ involvement. 1.5 million people in the United States are living with this disease. But that’s a conservative estimate, she explains. “Lupus isn’t tracked well and doesn’t appear on your death certificate.” Black women are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed than white women; men are diagnosed less often, but they tend to have more severe symptoms. Celebrities with lupus—Davis cites Toni Braxton, Nick Cannon, Selena Gomez and Lady Gaga— are doing their part, alongside organizations like the Lupus Foundation of America and the Lupus Research Alliance. But it’s not enough. “We are the foot soldiers spreading awareness about this disease,” Davis says, “asking for funding and more research. “The black community has been speaking up more lately. Now it’s time to make a difference in our health. Advocacy starts with health.” With that in mind, what can you do? Davis offers these tips: Educate yourself. Know the symptoms, which include malar rash, raised red patches, photosensitivity, mouth or nose ulcers, arthritis in two or more joints, inflammation, seizures and psychosis, kidney problems and blood disorders. Ask for a full blood workup. Your doctor should look for antibodies to double-stranded DNDA and antinuclear antibodies. Be a myth buster. “Lupus is not contagious,” Davis says. “And it’s not HIV.” Get involved in clinical trials. “I understand America has a past about testing and medication. I know about Tuskegee,” she says, “but we can no longer say we need a cure to a disease and we’re not a part of the research. We to be a part of the trials. Reach out to lupus organizations in your community and ask what you can do. Doing the most you can in your own circle is the most you can do.” Be informed. Even if you don’t have the disease, chances are you know someone who does. Learn how to support the people in your life who have lupus.

Trauma-informed care initiatives show promise for improving practice in the child welfare system By Berenice Rushovich, Kelly Murphy, Jessica Dym Bartlett The number of American children in foster care has increased for the fourth consecutive year, from approximately 397,000 in 2012 to 438,000 in 2016. While almost all children in foster care have a history of exposure to trauma (e.g., neglect, physical abuse, domestic violence, parental substance abuse), most child

welfare systems are not equipped to provide trauma-informed care (TIC) to children, families, or resource parents (foster parents and kinship caregivers). While there is little evidence about which trauma-informed approaches are most effective in child welfare systems, Child (continued in next 2 columns)

Trauma-informed care initiatives show promise for improving practice in the child welfare system...continued Trends recently evaluated two specific models, finding them to be promising approaches for improving outcomes. Resource parents and child welfare staff are often insufficiently prepared to manage challenging behaviors from children who have experienced trauma, putting caregivers and staff at increased risk for burnout, secondary traumatic stress, staff turnover, and foster home closures. To address this issue, several TIC models have been adapted for use in child welfare systems. Typically, such models train staff, resource parents, and other adults in children’s lives to recognize and respond effectively to traumatic stress reactions, to integrate screening and assessment into care, and to refer children who have been exposed to trauma to evidence-based and evidence-informed treatments. Few of these models had been evaluated until recently, when Child Trends evaluated the Trauma Systems Therapy and ARC Reflections models.* Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) provides children’s care teams with the tools and knowledge they need to better care for children, as well as a common language for addressing trauma. TST is a flexible, research-based, therapeutic model developed by Glenn Saxe to improve the functioning of children exposed to trauma. It enables programs like KVC Kansas (KVC) to integrate TIC throughout their systems by developing and delivering customized trainings to diverse members of children’s care teams (e.g., social workers, resource parents, and therapists). In an outcome evaluation of KVC, Child Trends found that children whose care teams had been trained in TST demonstrated significant improvements in well-being (behavioral and emotional regulation,

functioning) and placement stability. Child Trends’ five-year implementation evaluation indicates that the integration of TST across KVC’s system of care was complex, iterative, and demanding, but that staff and resource parents were well-trained and fidelity (or adherence to the model’s protocols for delivery) improved over time. Child Trends also evaluated Trauma Systems Therapy-Foster Care (TST-FC), which is based on the same principles as TST but modified for public child welfare agencies. Two states used TSTFC to integrate TIC into their child welfare systems; the evaluation in these states indicated that TSTFC increased resource parents’ and staff members’ knowledge and skills related to child trauma. Resource parents learned practical concepts and tools for working with children and developed a shared language about trauma that improved collaboration and reduced their feelings of isolation. An exploratory analysis showed that, compared to resource parents without TST-FC training, those trained were more likely to keep their homes open to foster children, and that children were less likely to experience a placement disruption. In a third example, Child Trends evaluated ARC Reflections, a manualized model that focuses on how trauma impacts youth, provides skills and tools for resource parents to manage stress related to caring for youth affected by trauma, and teaches parenting skills that enhance child well-being, stability, and permanency. ARC Reflections is based on the evidence-informed framework of Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency (ARC), developed by Margaret Blaustein and Kristine Kinniburgh. Five North Carolina child welfare

Hepatitis C in 2018

With effective hepatitis C treatment, why is this still such a prickly subject? It’s hard to believe that in 2018, with an effective treatment for hepatitis C on the books since late 2013, African Americans—who make up just 12 percent of the population—still account for 25 percent of people living with the virus. Yet this is the reality Gloria Searson, founder of the Coalition on Positive Health Empowerment, battles every day. Black folks are part of the roughly 3.5 million people in this country with HCV. That number is an estimate, Searson tells the audience gathered at Riverside Church on a chilly, cloudy morning in Harlem, New York, on a recent Saturday during the Black Health Matters Summit. “We’ve only confirmed about 50 percent of that number,” she explains. “Most of us were born before they were screening for hep C, which means we didn’t get tested.” We have a cure for this disease, but we do a lousy job of testing for the virus in this country. According to Searson, many locales skip screening people in homeless shelters and prison populations. And black folks are more than twice as likely not to be tested. Even when we are tested, we’re often not referred to hep C specialists. Some of the blame can be placed squarely on access to care barriers. Minorities are less likely to be tested, even when they have known risk factors for HCV. We are less likely to benefit from coverage options through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion, as we disproportionately live in non-expansion states. Bias and stigma also contribute to limited hep C testing. We know IV drug use increases the risk of contracting HCV. “Most people have been exposed to IV drug use even if they don’t know it,” Searson says. “But we don’t want this to be associated with something that comes from drug use. When we ask you to

Health News

test, we’re saying, ‘who did you sleep with in the past 6 months?’, and that’s personal; it’s something people don’t want to be judged by. So what can we do to reduce the 19,000 new infections of hep C in this country each year? Searson offers these suggestions: Start with the three Es: Engage, educate and empower. Expand Medicaid. Restrictive insurance practices limit access to HCV treatment. The ACA would help those states that didn’t expand Medicaid. Institute needle-exchange programs. Substance use is huge in HCV. Yet, there’s no syringe exchange in central Harlem. “If you live in the Bronx, 40 out of 100 will come up positive for hep C. In Harlem, it’s in 4 in 7 black men,” she says. “The data are real: Syringe exchange reduces chances of hep C.” Make the connection. “One in 5 HIV patients are never screened for HCV,” Season says. This is in spite of the fact that up to onethird of folks who test positive for HIV also have a hep C connection. Reduce stigma. “Bring leading thought leaders to meet my folks in my community,” Searson says. COPE, made up of a community of people who have HIV, hep C or were working in the field, has helped doctors stop thinking of hep c patients as “them” and “those people.” Take advantage of opportunities. There’s a shifting demographic among hep C patients. As the opioid epidemic spreads across the country, hep C is “increasingly affecting whites in non-urban areas,” Searson says. “Let’s use this as an opportunity. Instead of seeing addiction as a moral failing, Americans need to be more compassionate.” Effective treatment is a shared responsibility, Searson says. “We know where the majority of people who have hep C are—senior centers, the doctor’s office. Maybe they’re still drinking. Maybe they’re unstable. Our job is not to judge. Our job is to ask how can we help this person.”

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PAGE 5 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20180000541 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 1/16/2018 Began Transacting Business: N/A Filing Expires On: 1/16/2023 Business is Conducted By: An Individual Fictitious Business Name(s): DREW RIDES Business Address: 12453 DEL AMO WAY VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Registrant(s)Address: ANDRES A. MARTINEZ CARBAJAL 12453 DEL AMO WAY VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Signature/Officer Title: Andres A. Martinez Carbajal 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 February 15, 22, March 1, 8, 2018.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN Number: 20180001694 Filing Type: FBN Filing Date Filed: 2/12/2018 Began Transacting Business: 2/12/2017 Filing Expires On: 2/12/2023 Business is Conducted By: A Limited Liability Company Fictitious Business Name(s): M H SOHAL EXPRESS Business Address: 12891 COMET DRIVE VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO A1#: 201306710501 State: CA Registrant(s)Address: M H SOHAL LLC 12891 COMET DR. VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Signature/Officer Title: Maninder Singh, Managing Member 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 February 15, 22, March 1, 8, 2018.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVDS 1803272 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ELIVIA M. CERVANTES filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. ELIZABETH COS to Proposed name: LIZZY CERVANTES 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: 3/23/18 Time:8:30 a.m. Dept: S17 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 W. THIRD ST. SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92415 SAN BERNARDINO JUDICIAL DISTRICT A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: February 9, 2018 Michael A. Sachs Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper March 1, 8, 15, 22, 2018. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVVS 1800053 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: MICHELLE ELIZABETH COX filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. MICHELLE ELIZABETH COX to Proposed name: MICHELLE ELIZABETH MILAN b. AALIYAH MICHELLE JOHNSON to AALIYAH MICHELLE MILAN 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: 3/21/18 Time:8:30 a.m. Dept: V15 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 14455 Civic Center Drive Victorville, CA 92392 Victorville District A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: January 22,2018 Judge Lisa Rogan Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper March 1, 8, 15, 22, 2018.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVDS 1803200 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ELIVIA M. CERVANTES filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. ABRAHAM JAVIER COS to Proposed name:ABRAHAM CERVANTES 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: 3/23/18 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: S17 Superior Court of California, County Of San Bernardino, 247 W. 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92415 San Bernardino District A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: February 9, 2018 Michael A. Sachs Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper March 8, 15 , 22, 29, 2018. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVDS 1801412 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: JENNIFER PARISI filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. ALEXCIA MARIE REATIGA to Proposed name: ALEXCIA MARIE PARISI b. AVIANA BIANCA NIETO to AVIANA BIANCA PARISI NIETO c. JORDAN JAX NIETO to JORDAN JAX PARISI NIETO 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: 3/01/18 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: S17 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 W. THIRD ST. SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92415 SAN BERNARDINO JUDICIAL DISTRICT A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: January 19, 2018 Michael A. Sachs Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper February 15, 22, March 1, 8, 2018.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVDS 1803200 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ELIVIA M. CERVANTES filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. ABRAHAM JAVIER COS to Proposed name:ABRAHAM CERVANTES 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: 3/23/18 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: S17 Superior Court of California, County Of San Bernardino, 247 W. 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92415 San Bernardino District A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: February 9, 2018 Michael A. Sachs Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper March 8, 15 , 22, 29, 2018.

SUMMONS SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL. DEMANDADO): ROBBIE CLARK, AND DOES 1 TO 10 YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTA DEMANDADO EL DEMANDANTE): WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without you 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 dias, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su version. Lea la informacion a continuacion. Tiene 30 DIAS CALENDARIO despues de que le entreguen esta citacion 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 telefonica 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 mas informacion en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/ espanol/), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede mas cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentacion, pida al secretario de la corte que le de un formulario de exencion de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podra quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin mas 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 remision 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,

March 8, 2018

LEGALS/CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniendose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley la corte tiene derecho a reclamar los coutas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperacion de $10,000 o mas de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesion 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. CASE NUMBER: CIVDS 1701476 (Numero del Caso) The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y direccion 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 direccion y el numero de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): REESE LAW GROUP, Harlan M. Reese 118226, Joseph M. Pleasant, 179571, James E. Delaney, 292600, Dana N. Meyers, 272640, 3168 Lionshead Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010 760/842-5850 (File No. 551903 ) Date: January 25, 2018 (Fecha) (Secretario)Clerk, by James Mejia , Deputy (Adjunto) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper February 15, 22, March 1,8, 2018. SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL. DEMANDADO): CASHLINE ATM INC., a Nevada corporation; DOMINIC V. DeBELLIS, an individual; and DOES 1-10, inclusive YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTA DEMANDADO EL DEMANDANTE): CASE, IBRAHIM & CLAUSS, LLP, NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without you 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 dias, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su version. Lea la informacion a continuacion. Tiene 30 DIAS CALENDARIO despues de que le entreguen esta citacion 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 telefonica 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 mas informacion en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/ espanol/), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede mas cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentacion, pida al secretario de la corte que le de un formulario de exencion de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podra quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin mas 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 remision 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 poniendose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley la corte tiene derecho a reclamar los coutas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperacion de $10,000 o mas de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesion 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. CASE NUMBER: (Numero del Caso) 30-2017-00954527CU-BC-CJC Judge Glenn Salter The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y direccion de la corte es): Orange County Superior Court 700 Civic Center Drive West Santa Ana, CA 92701 CENTRAL JUSTICE CENTER The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is: (El nombre, la direccion y el numero de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): D. Michael Clauss, Esq. (SBN: 140313) Case. Ibrahim, & Clauss, LLP 15615 Alton Parkway, Suite 260 Irvine, CA 92618 T. 714.540.3636 F. 714.540.3680 Date: 11/08/2017 David H. Yamasaki, Clerk of the Court (Fecha) (Secretario)Clerk, by Isia Vazquez, Deputy (Adjunto) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2018.

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: March 19, 2018 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: S-36 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 247 WEST THIRD STREET SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92415-0212 SAN BERNARDINO JUSTICE CENTERPROBATE DIVISION 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: Bryan C. Hartnell Hartnell Law Group, APC 25757 Redlands Boulevard Redlands, CA 92373-8453 Telephone: (909)796-6881 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper March 1, 8, 15, 2018.

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A Health Savings Account Could Save Your Life By Marilyn M. Singleton, M.D., J.D Some pundits blamed algorithmic trading for the stock market’s recent wild ride. “Algo-trading” relies on computers programmed to follow defined instructions for placing trades. For example, the computer buys 50 shares of stock when its 50-day moving average goes above the 200-day moving average. Period. Algo-trading was popularized as a systematic approach that removes human emotion, intuition, or instinct from the transaction. Advanced medical algorithms are becoming the next best thing. Their intended purpose is to improve and standardize decisions made in the delivery of medical care, enabling multiple levels of health care practitioners to use the same “thought” process. A medical algorithm can be a list of risk factors for various conditions, such as heart disease, or a simple calculation such as BMI (body mass index) utilizing height and weight to determine ideal numbers. Many algorithms are flowcharts with a binary decision tree: if BMI is greater than 25, do this; if not, do that. Newer algorithms based on machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence that simulates how humans learn, can analyze and diagnose radiology images or pathology slides or predict the actual risk of developing certain conditions. Some of these advances are extraordinary and will likely add to our medical armamentarium. But they do not exist in a vacuum. Concomitant with the flow chart revolution, patients complain that when barely a nanosecond has passed since the physician’s first “hello,” they are handed a DNR form. Yes, it is a good thing for a physician to know about a patient’s desires at what could be the end of his life. But it is unsettling when the 35 year-old “provider” cheerfully encourages a patient to fill out the form, crowing that she signed her DNR form. The patient is thinking, “you’ll feel a lot different about it at 65 than you do now.” Unfortunately in today’s healthcare delivery factories, when illness strikes “your” doctor may be a previously unknownto-your hospitalist whose sole knowledge about you, the human being, is lab tests, x-rays, findings on physical exam, and a form you signed 10 years ago. Your family relationships, religious views, and the like are not his purview. When death is actually walking down your street you want to know and trust those in charge of your life.

PETITION/PROBATE

In a recent case, a toddler was declared brain dead by one hospital, but apparently showed signs of life. His mother sought but failed to stop the removal of her child from life support. After the plug was pulled, she challenged the constitutionality of California’s Determination of Death Act which effectively takes away life-and-death decisions from parents. The Act provides that a person is dead when, in accordance with accepted medical standards, either the body or the brain has irreversible cessation of all function. A federal court dismissed the case, reasoning that the State cannot be held responsible for its determination-of-death laws, because doctors have “broad and legitimate discretion” to end patients’ life support.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE (Probate-Decedents’ Estates)

Less obvious but nonetheless devastating, is the power Medicare, Medicaid, and insurers exercise over life and death through pre-authorizations and denials of claims. In a lawsuit against Aetna for denial of benefits which the patient alleges “almost killed him,” Aetna’s medical director admitted under oath that he never looked at patients’ medical records when deciding whether to approve or deny care.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: GERALD L. RUDENICK Case Number: PROPS 1800135 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: GERALD L. RUDENICK aka GERALD LUVERNE RUDENICK aka GERALD RUDENICK A Petition for Probate has been filed by: JERRI M. WHITTAKER in the Superior Court of California, County of: SAN BERNARDINO The Petition for Probate requests that: JERRI M. WHITTAKER 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.

If physicians have the power over life and death, “if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor” takes on added significance as more states adopt physician-assisted suicide laws. Even in Belgium where euthanasia is legal, its proponents are increasingly uncomfortable with the speedy approval of psychiatric patients’ requests to die. Discomfort turned to outrage when a dementia patient was euthanized when there was no evidence that the patient had asked to die. As independent physicians we want to use the best advances to help our patients but we do not want medicine to devolve into paint-by-the-numbers. We dread the day when “algo-medicine” devoid of human emotion, intuition, or instinct will say Sell! (to the mortician) when the patient hits 70? Buy! if the baby has no problems discerned on prenatal ultrasound? If you want to ensure that your doctor has your back, run – don’t walk to a direct primary care practice (DPC). Tell your congresspersons to add the 1page Primary Care Enhancement Act (HR 365 / S 1358) to upcoming “must pass” legislation. This will allow patients to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to pay for DPC. Your life could depend on it.

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March 8 , 2018

LIFESTYLE NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT/RELIGION

Kobe Bryant Wins Oscar, Takes Dig at Fox News Host Bryant addressed Laura Ingraham’s comments against LeBron James. By Sheryl Estrada / March 5, 2018

Kobe Bryant and Glen Keane accept the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film for "Dear Basketball." REUTERS Former NBA Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, along with animator Glen Keane, won the Oscar on Sunday night for best animated short film for “Dear Basketball.” The film is based on a poem Bryant wrote in 2015 announcing his impending retirement from his basketball career. During their acceptance speech, Keane said, “Whatever form your dream may take, it’s through passion and perseverance that the impossible is possible.” When Bryant, the executive producer of the film, stepped to the microphone, he took the opportunity to point out a comment Fox News host Laura Ingraham made about Cleveland Cavaliers

star LeBron James, telling him to “shut up and dribble.” “Well, I don’t know if it’s possible — as basketball players, we’re really supposed to just shut up and dribble,” Bryant said, “but I’m glad we do a little bit more than that.” Last month, Ingraham attempted to belittle James for talking about politics. In an interview released on “UNINTERRUPTED,” a multimedia platform for athletes (cofounded by James), the four-time NBA MVP and entrepreneur told host Cari Champion his thoughts on President Donald Trump. “The No. 1 job in America, the appointed person is someone who doesn’t understand the

Sandra Bullock Broke Down In Front Of The ‘Black Panther’ Cast For The Most Touching Reason The movie was extremely personal for her. Written by Moriba Cummings

people,” James said, sitting alongside the Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant. “And really don’t give a f**k about the people. When I was growing up, there was like three jobs that you looked [up to] for inspiration. It was the president of the United States, it was whoever was best in sports and it was the greatest musician. You never thought you could be them, but you can grab inspiration [from them]. “It’s not even a surprise when he says something,” James said of Trump’s rhetoric. “It’s like laughable. It’s laughable, and it’s scary.” On Feb. 15, during her Fox News

program “The Ingraham Angle,” Ingraham responded by insulting James, insinuating the only thing he can do is play basketball. “This is what happens when you attempt to leave high school a year early to join the NBA,” she said. “And it’s always unwise to seek political advice from someone who gets paid a hundred million dollars a year to bounce a ball. Keep the political comments to yourselves. … Shut up and dribble.” The following day, James issued a response in the form of a photo uploaded to his Instagram account that read, “I am more than an athlete” and included the hashtag“#wewillnotshutupanddribble.”

The Power of “Never Again”...continued we worked to pass the 1994 Assault Weapons ban. It expired ten years later, and efforts to reinstate the ban have been unsuccessful, despite subsequent gun violence tragedies. Over the years our nation has continued to experience the terrible toll of gun violence on a daily basis, in numbers almost too staggering to imagine. I remember reading an article in the November 1, 1993 Washington Post titled “Getting Ready to Die Young,” by DeNeen L. Brown. It began by telling the story of Jessica Bradford, who was at the time a sixth-grade student in Washington, DC. “Jessica Bradford knows five people who have been killed. …she has told her family that if she should get shot before her sixth-grade prom, she wants to be buried in her prom dress. Jessica is 11 years-old. She has known since she was in fifth grade what she wanted to wear at her funeral.” Our society continues to accept this as the norm. In 2000, the Million Mom March Against Gun Violence buoyed advocates for gun violence prevention. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the National Mall to call upon Congress to take meaningful steps to reduce gun violence. Mothers of all backgrounds held pictures of children and family members lost to gun violence. The toll of gun violence continued to mount. Then there was the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2013, which resulted in the death of 20 children and six teachers. I thought, surely

“So You Want to Flirt With Sin?” By: Lou Yeboah

OBITUARY

In Loving Memory of Wayne Bryant Edmonds JULY 27, 1950 – FEBRUARY 28, 2018

Lou Yeboah

(Photo: Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic) Black Panther's fans range beyond Marvel comic fanatics and, frankly, people within the African diaspora. In fact, the film has immensely impacted one of Hollywood's most cherished actresses, Sandra Bullock, who recently spoke out about the visceral reaction she had while speaking to the cast about the blockbuster smash. On the Oscar's red carpet, the Ocean's 8 star opened up about what the film meant to her, especially being the mother of a Black boy. "I started to cry backstage when I was telling [the Black Panther cast not only] how much the film meant to me as a woman, but how much it meant to me as a mother,"

she said. "That says a lot about where we are in this world, and in the world of superheroes." While Bullock said she believes her son is too young to see the action film, she explained that she has so much gratitude for what the film represents as her little one can now grow up seeing images of himself on grand platforms like this. "I'm so grateful to Marvel because about five years ago, my son asked me if there were any brown Legos," she said. "And I said, 'Yes, there are,' and I got a Sharpie and I turned Spider-Man brown, I turned the Legos brown, and I don't have to turn them brown anymore."

San Manuel Casino -- March Happenings Events/Entertainment News

Gaming · Win a 2018 Corvette Grand Sport Convertible or Your Share of $1 Million Dollars – San Manuel Casino once again leads the way in luxury car giveaways. Every Thursday in March, players can win one of up to 25 Corvette Grand Sport Convertibles. · Win an All Thrill Escape – March 25th is the last day to win a five-night stay at a five-star hotel, limo pick up, $5,000 spending money and two (2) First Class tickets to one of 15 destinations. ·Win a Pair of Freeway Series Spring Training Tickets – Baseball fans will rejoice! Win a pair of tickets to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during spring training on March 25th, 26th, or 27th. Entries start March 1st- 7th, and drawings will be held March 5th7th at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. · Win Your Share of $180,000 in Thrill’inko Xtra Credit Drawings – Play

Thrill’inko in the Rockin’ Casino area to win a share of $180,000 in Xtra Credit. Drawings are held every Tuesday in March at 7 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9 p.m. Food & Beverage Irish Bull – Celebrate the luck of the Irish with March’s cocktail of the month. Sunday’s at San Manuel – Feast around the world or rock out with your favorite brew at one of our three premier restaurants featuring the freshest and tastiest ingredients in an All-YouCan-Eat Sunday Brunch spread. Entertainment · George Lopez: The Wall EventGeorge Lopez, one of the world’s most recognizable stars and comedian, is performing live at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Friday, May 4th. Tickets start at $50 and can be purchased at the San Manuel Casino and Citizens Business Bank Arena box offices, or online at Ticketmaster.

we would see some movement on meaningful gun violence legislation then, whether through strengthening background checks, closing the gun show loophole, or banning assault weapons and high capacity weapon magazines. Congress failed to act. Lately, people have been asking me, “well, you’ve worked on gun violence prevention all these years, do you think the response to the February 14th school shooting in Parkland, FL, will be different? Is there something different about the current movement on gun violence prevention that will lead to meaningful change? There is plenty of “inside the Beltway” analysis and prediction going on, but here’s what I know: The students who are currently mobilizing around the country for sensible gun violence prevention truly believe it when they say “Never Again” will there be another mass school shooting. In this they are united with generations of advocates who dare to believe another world is possible. I am reminded of the words of activist Rebecca Solnit: “Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. Hope is an ax you break down doors with in an emergency.” What I know is that believing another world is possible, and living that out day in and day out, is a powerful thing. That power isn’t unique to any one-generation or movement; it is available to any of us who dare to use it.

Wayne Bryant Edmonds Wayne Bryant Edmonds, age 67, of Riverside, California passed away on Wednesday February 28, 2018. Wayne was born July 27, 1950. Wayne is survived by; sisters Shirley Edmonds, Lorean Williamson(Carl), brothers Booker T. Edmonds, Jr., and John S. Edmonds(Gina). Visitation for Wayne will be held Sunday, March 11, 2018 , 5-9 p.m., and Funeral Service on Monday, March 12, 2018, 1 p.m., both at Montecito Valley View Chapel, 3520 E. Washington St., Colton, CA 92324. Graveside Service will be held on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 11 a.m., at Pioneer Memorial Cemetery, 211 9th St., San Bernardino, CA 92423. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at w w w . m o n t e c i t o memorialparkandmortuary.com for the Edmonds family. FAMILY Shirley Edmonds, Sister Booker T Edmonds, Jr., Brother Lorean Williamson, Sister Carl Williamson, Brother-in-law John S. Edmonds, Brother

Gina Edmonds, Sister-in-law Numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Services 11 MARCH Visitation 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm MONTECITO VALLEY VIEW CHAPEL 3520 E. Washington St. Colton, CA 92324 12 MARCH Funeral Service 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm MONTECITO VALLEY VIEW CHAPEL 3520 E. Washington St. Colton, CA 92324 13 MARCH Graveside Service 11:00 am PIONEER MEMORIAL CEMETERY 211 9th St. San Bernardino, California 92423

Witness For Justice #883

The Power of “Never Again” Sandy Sorensen Director, UCC Washington Office

When I began serving in the United Church of Christ Washington office, gun violence prevention was one of my areas of

policy focus. It was the early 1990s and, together with other faith-based and secular partners, (continued in next 2 columns)

Is that right? Are you sure that’s what you want to do? Because flirting with sin is flirting with death. That’s right! You flirt with sin, you flirt with death. [Romans 6:23]. The rule is simple: If you play with fire, you will get burned. If you think you can sin to your heart ’s content without repercussions, and if you think you can go out and break the commandments of God over and over because you’re an exception to the rule, then you are deceiving yourself. God will not be mocked! If you compromise His rules, you will suffer horribly for it. Be forewarned reader! Sin kills and destroys everything it touches. [Romans 6:13]. This is the purpose behind everything Satan does. Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” [John 10:10]. Be not deceived! You can’t dabble in sin without being swept away. You can’t gargle with toxins without ingesting poison. Sin will cause you to hook, line, and sinker. Do not underestimate the seriousness of sin! Sin is divisive, deceptive, destructive and deadly. Sin Thrills…then it Kills. Sin Fascinates…then it Assassinates. Sin always destroys lives, both for time and eternity. Do not flirt with it, and do not dabble in it! [Matthew 5: 29-30] says, “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” I tell you Satan always tries to minimize the serious nature of sin, so that we excuse it as no big deal, tolerate it as normal, or even re-package it as a good thing. The Devil is a liar! Sin is SINFUL and EXCEEDLING so! Sin appears attractive, but is hideously ugly. Sin appears to

be right when it is wrong. Sin appears to bring life when it brings death. Sin appears to be so insignificant when it is so major. Do not be deceived! The wages of sin is death! Listen, you get one chance to live your life; and then the judgment. If you do not make some radical decisions now, and set your face like flint to walk another way. If you go on yielding to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life as your way of life, you will get just what sin warrant ¯ Death! Do not be misled – you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. [Galatians 6:7-8]. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God! Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortions, shall inherit the kingdom of God...” [1Corinthians 6: 9-10]. God’s warning is clear. If you compromise His rules, you will suffer horribly for it. Be like Joseph who when Potiphar’s wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, “Make love to me!” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving his coat there in her hands. He ran as far and as fast as he could. He knew that there would be hell to pay with God and men. He knew he would be burned if he stayed, so he ran from the fire [Genesis 39:12]. He evacuated the building as fast as he could, closing doors and windows behind him as he left... I tell you, the wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way...” [Proverbs 14:8]. As long as it is called ‘today,’ [be sure] that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin… for was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? [Hebrews 3:13-18]. “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1].

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Page 7

March 8, 2018

LOCAL/NATIONAL NEWS/ADVERTISING

OPINION: How My Grandparents Taught Me to Love Myself By Lynette Monroe (Program Assistant, NNPA/ ESSA Public Awareness Campaign)

Red Cross Says Test Smoke Alarms and Turn Clocks Ahead for Daylight Saving Time...continued campaign partners have helped save many lives through the effort, as well as installing 1.1 million smoke alarms in homes all across the country. Here in the Desert to the Sea region, which encompasses Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, the Red Cross has installed more than 8,000 smoke alarms in fiscal year 2018. WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO People can visit redcross.org/ homefires to find out more about how to protect themselves and their loved homes from fire. They can become a Red Cross volunteer by visiting redcross.org/volunteer. They can also help by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to

Lynette Monroe says that parents, churches, and communities bear the brunt of the responsibility for socializing children. I don’t remember my grandparents assisting me with homework beyond holding up flash cards for me to recite. They could have, I just don’t remember. I do remember Lil’ Bow Wow’s release of “Beware of Dog” in 2000 followed by my incessant pleading to hang his poster on my bedroom wall. I also remember hearing my mother’s inevitable “no” as she repeated her “no posters on these walls” policy. In a fast-paced, tech-obsessed world, assisting your child with homework can prove a daunting task. New teaching methods are adopted every day. Even professionals with advanced degrees are not necessarily equipped to help children with homework. However, all parents should feel empowered to teach their children social and emotional development. Social and emotional competence yields similar academic gains as strictly educational interventions. Parents, churches, and communities bear the brunt of the responsibility for socializing children. This is where we, as a community, have an opportunity to shine. A report from the Brookings Institution, published in May 2015, called for the prioritization of social and emotional development as the U.S. Congress worked on the bill that would become the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), that was signed into law by Barack Obama in December 2015. The report, titled “Social and Emotional Development: The Next School Reform Frontier,” claims social and emotional com-

petence directly correlates to a child’s ability to learn and achieve in school. The report cited the findings of a study of more than 200,000 students from kindergarten to high school who participated in social and emotional development learning (SEL) programs at school. The study found that students who completed SEL programs demonstrated greater social skills, less emotional stress, better attitudes, fewer conduct problems, and more frequent positive behaviors, such as cooperation and help for other students—benefits that translate to the workplace. In November 2017, after all 50 states and the District of Columbia submitted their state ESSA plans, Lauren Poteat reported that states were ignoring opportunities to address social competency in the new national education law. Social and emotional development is a child’s ability to understand and control his/her feelings, acknowledge and respect the feelings of others, and to form meaningful relationships. In layman’s terms, social/emotional development is the authoritative, waving finger of your mother, father, grandma, grandpa, aunt or uncle saying: “Remember who you representin’, when you walk out this door.” Or, for those of us familiar with Christianity, social and emotional development echoes Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” So, what can Black parents do to supplement the lack of schoolbased SEL programs? Here are a

Inland Empire NCNW Celebrates It;s 50th Anniversary With Legacy Gala Featuring Keynote Speaker, Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds

1. Respect Your Child’s Voice If there was a rule I didn’t agree with, my grandma always took the time to hear my perspective. She didn’t listen just waiting to reply; she listened intently, to understand. Most times I didn’t change her mind, but a few times I did. Those experiences taught me that my voice was valid, that you didn’t’ have to agree with someone to understand their perspective, and that simply acknowledging someone else’s perspective can create an environment for enlightenment. 2. Give Your Child Tangible Heroes There was a ‘no posters on these walls’ policy in my house. I am almost certain my grandma didn’t want posters of celebrities on her wall for respectability devotions. However, the unintended outcome was an elevated perception of self-worth. Since, my grandma never provided me the opportunity to idolize my favorite pop stars, I learned to look to the people around me for role models and guidance. Ultimately, I learned that whatever tools I needed to succeed were already within me. I learned how to control my behavior. I held the sole responsibility for my choices and whenever I felt confused, the first people I looked to for help were in my immediate support system. 3. Encourage Your Children I never received a reward for expected behavior. I didn’t get taken out for pizza or ice cream

for good grades or behavior. Nevertheless, my grandpa never missed an opportunity to show his appreciation for a job well done, either through a big bear hug or a cheesy smile. My grandpa showed his love for me regardless of any accolades I obtained. He made it clear that he loved me; just for me. He told me I was beautiful before anyone else ever got the chance to. On bad days, I still here his voice saying, “That’s a pretty dress there. Twirl around, let me see it all the way around.” In that moment I would feel as if I was the only girl in the world. I felt we had similar interest in pretty dresses and that made him more than just my father figure; that made him my confidant. I credit this experience for my ability to form meaningful relationships. Neither of my grandparents graduated high school, however they were able to have a profound impact on my academic progress by simply validating my voice, providing a strong support system, and encouraging me regardless of accolades from the outside world. Learn more about social and emotional development and the Every Student Succeeds Act at nnpa.org/essa. Lynette is the program assistant for the NNPA’s Every Student Succeeds Act Public Awareness Campaign and a master’s student at Howard University. Her research areas are public policy and national development. Follow Lynette on Twitter @_monroedoctrine.

Red Cross Says Test Smoke Alarms and Turn Clocks Ahead for Daylight Saving Time Working Smoke Alarms Cut the Risk of Dying from a Home Fire in Half

Local News

Rialto (March 2018) - In late 1967 a group of women gathered in the City of Rialto to learn more about a national service organization founded by Dr. Mary Mcleod Bethune. Inspired by the organization’s call to serve these women, a few months later, organized to form the Inland Empire Section of National Council of Negro Women, Inc., (IE NCNW). Fifty years later, the IE NCNW remains active, with its service focused on supporting and empowering youth, women, and families. Founding members Laura Goodly and Lois Carson still participate. On Saturday, May 5, 2018, the IE NCNW will celebrate its 50th Anniversary, themed “Legacy,” at the Sierra Lakes Golf Club in Fontana, CA. The evening affair, starting at 5:30 PM, will feature Keynote Speaker Paulette BrownHinds, Ph.D., publisher of the Black Voice News and founder of Voice Media Ventures, a strategic media and content creation firm. Wearing many hats in service to our communities, Dr. Brown-Hinds recently was appointed to the Board of Directors for the James Irvine Foundation that, since 1937, has awarded grant dollars exceeding $1.76 billion to nonprofits working throughout California. During the gala the President’s Awards will be presented IE

few things my grandparents did.

NCNW Associate Life Members: Alton Garrett, Jr., founder of Garrett Management Group, LLC.; Artist Gilbert, founder of A. Gilbert & Associates; and Reginald Webb, founder and CEO of Webb Family Enterprises, Inc. Three dynamic female youth leaders also will be recognized during the evening’s program. IE NCNW is accepting nominations now through March 19th. Nominees must be between the ages of 16 and 30 and reside within the Inland Empire. Tickets are on sale for $60.00 until March 15, 2018, and $65.00 after the promotional deadline. To purchase your tickets go to Eventbrite.com. Sponsorships, table reservations, and program ad space are available. For more information about sponsorship, ad, and ticket sales, as well as to receive a Young Leader nomination form, contact Event Chair Kimberly Clark at 951-515-4549 or via email at info@askkimberlylifestyle.com. The Inland Empire Section of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., is an organization that assists, empowers, and educates youth, women and families within its community. To learn more about the IE NCNW, call 909874-6000 or visit us on Facebook at @NCNWIESection.

Local /National News

SANTA ANA, Calif. March 5, 2018 –Daylight Saving Time is this weekend and the American Red Cross reminds remind everyone to TEST the batteries in their smoke alarms as they TURN their clocks ahead an hour. “It’s important for everyone to make sure their household is ready,” said Linda E. Voss, CEO, American Red Cross Desert to the Sea Region. “A disaster like a home fire can happen anywhere, at any time. We urge people to take these steps now and know what they should do if an emergency occurs.” Check smoke alarm batteries. Test smoke alarms once a month. Change the batteries at least once a year – if your model requires it. Place smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms. Install smoke alarms. If someone doesn’t have smoke alarms, install them. At a minimum, put one on every level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Check local building codes for additional requirements. Practice an escape plan. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to get out of every room and how to get out of the home in less than two minutes. Get a kit. Keep disaster supplies

in an easy-to-carry bag to use at home or carry in case ordered to evacuate. Make a plan. Have all household members plan what steps they should take if an emergency occurs. Be informed. Learn what emergencies can occur in the area and how officials notify residents should a disaster occur. RED CROSS APPS People can download the all-inclusive Red Cross Emergency app which combines more than 35 emergency alerts to help keep the user safe. And there is a special mobile app - Monster Guard - designed for kids, teaching them to prepare for emergencies at home by playing an engaging game. Users can find the apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps. HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN Seven times a day someone in this country dies in a fire. The Red Cross has been working to reduce that number through its Home Fire Campaign, a multi-year effort to reduce the number of home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent. Launched in October of 2014, the Red Cross and thousands of

90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a notfor-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

CTA Ad Campaign Highlights Value of Public Schools Keeping Our Communities Strong Local/National News

BURLINGAME – “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” That inspiring quote from South African leader Nelson Mandela is one of several used in a new, statewide CTA television and radio ad campaign launched today that underscores how neighborhood public schools create opportunities for students, for society, and to “make a better California for all of us.” In this 16-day campaign in all major media markets, the TV and radio ads include diverse speak-

ers reading three other education quotes: ---From the Greek philosopher Plato: “The direction in which education starts a person will determine their future in life.” ---Author Helen Keller: “The highest result of education is tolerance.” ---Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Education is the road to equality and citizenship.” (continued on page 8)

Trump Targets Food Stamp Recipients with Cuts...continued from page 1 Lakeshia Taylor-Tehrani, 30, her husband, Culen Taylor-Tehrani, and their two sons are an example of how these cuts could affect a family. Taylor-Tehrani and her husband, Culen Taylor-Tehrani are disabled U.S. Army veterans. They live in Parkville, Md., near of Baltimore. Their food stamps recently decreased from $300 a month to $158 a month. Because of these cuts, La’Keishia TaylorTehrani said she believes she will be forced to decide which bills will be getting paid on time to keep her family fed. “Paying big bills like car, rent, phone, and electric on time will be almost impossible,” she said. Taylor-Tehrani works as a healthcare administrator in Baltimore and her husband is currently unemployed and suffering from Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation of the digestive tract. This disease, along with his severe post-traumatic stress disorder, a disorder in which a person has difficulty recovering from experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event, keeps him from working. Because of his Crohn’s disease, her husband requires a very particular diet, she said, one that she is extremely mindful of whenever she shops for her family. In addition, her youngest son, Austin Taylor Tehrani, 5, has shown signs of the same disease. So, she must be even more careful when grocery shopping. “Our 5-year-old child is too young to be diagnosed, but he has the same symptoms,” she said. “They can’t have regular milk, so I have to buy almond milk. They can’t eat red meat. So, I buy turkey. They can’t have cheese.” “They need stuff that the average person doesn’t pay attention to that I have to be very mindful of when I shop. The government is not going to take into account that some people have dietary restrictions.” Some SNAP recipients are already experiencing small cuts to their benefits, and they said they don’t know why. Angela Ford, who was sitting in the lobby of a D.C. facility to have her food stamps renewed, had her food stamps reduced from $200 per month to $190. Ford lost her job 12 months ago and has been on food stamps ever since. She is struggling to get by on the little money she receives each month, she said, so these potential cuts

make matters more difficult. “[The budget cuts] would really hurt me because it’s the only supplement I have,” Ford said. “It’s the only government assistant I have where I can eat. I lost my housing (subsidy) and all I have is food stamps. They already cut them down from $200 a month to $190. We’re living on $6.40 a day. $6.40 is not a lot, so we’re already in trouble.” Hunger advocacy groups are fighting for funding the SNAP program and for its design to remain the same. Shannon Maynard, executive director of the Congressional Hunger Center, said many other provisions in Trump’s proposal could be just as harmful to the program. “These are all fine print proposals that are getting less coverage in the media that we should be just as concerned about than the boxed meal plans.” Some of these provisions include restricting states’ ability to issue food stamps to unemployed adults, eliminating SNAP nutrition education programs, raising the age limit for SNAP recipients no longer required to work, and capping the benefit amount for large families of six or more. Maynard is concerned that the lawmakers are more focused on saving money than helping the citizens. “The big question is what are they solving for?” she said. “They look like they’re trying to solve for the amount of dollars in the SNAP program instead of trying to help the people in the program to become more food secure.” Maynard said that these smaller proposals that go unnoticed pose a major threat to the elderly, poor communities, and the disabled. Dwayne Gill, 48, is disabled and on food stamps. He receives $125 each month. Gill worked as a pool operator in Oxon Hills, Md., until he got into an accident where he was hit by a truck and broke his leg in several places. He had to undergo four surgeries and was hospitalized for three weeks. He says that he is just now getting to the point where he can start working. “It’s a long healing process,” he said. Gill said cuts would force him back to work before he’s ready. “I would have to speed up my recovery so that I could go somewhere to work full time,” he said.

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PAGE 8

March 8, 2018

NEWS/ AD VER TISING ADVER VERTISING

Royalty, Royalty, Royalty: Adorable Little Girl Entranced by Michelle Obama Portrait Thought the First Lady Was a 'Queen' By Anne Branigin

Former U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama participate in the unveiling of their official portraits during a ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, on February 12, 2018 in Washington, DC. The portraits were commissioned by the Gallery, for Kehinde Wiley to create President Obama’s portrait, and Amy Sherald that of Michelle Obama. Photo: Mark Wilson (Getty Images) By now you’ve likely seen the image of a 2-year-old black girl in a pink and red parka, her hair separated into two precise puffs, looking up in awe at a portrait of Michelle Obama at the National Portrait Gallery. That girl was little Parker Curry. And her mother, Jessica Curry, told CNN on Saturday, Parker be-

lieved she was in the presence of royalty, and she was awestruck and inspired by it. After talking with her daughter over the last two days, Curry told the news outlet that she realized Parker “believes Michelle Obama is a queen, and she wants to be a queen as well.” Curry also described the mo-

Escort Says Audio Recordings Show Russian Meddling in U.S. Election By RICHARD C. PADDOCKMARCH 5, 2018

Alexander Kirillov, left, the organizer of a sex seminar in Thailand, and Anastasia Vashukevich, center, a Belarusian escort, spoke to journalists from a detention center in Bangkok. Ms. Vashukevich claims to have recordings that prove Russian meddling in the American election. Credit Sakchai Lalit/Associated Press BANGKOK — A Belarusian escort with close ties to a powerful Russian oligarch said from behind bars in Bangkok on Monday that she had more than 16 hours of audio recordings that could help shed light on Russian meddling in United States elections. The escort, Anastasia Vashukevich, said she would hand over the recordings if the United States granted her asylum. She faces criminal charges and deportation to Belarus after coming under suspicion of working in Thailand without a visa at a sex-training seminar in the city of Pattaya. Ms. Vashukevich, who described herself as close to the Russian aluminum tycoon Oleg V. Deripaska, said that audio recordings she made in August 2016 included discussions he had about the United States presidential election with people she declined to identify. Mr. Deripaska, a billionaire with close ties to Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, also has business ties to Paul J. Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman. Mr. Manafort is under investigation by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel looking into the campaign’s connections to Russia. “If America gives me protection, I will tell everything I know,” Ms. Vashukevich said on Monday. “I am afraid to go back to Russia.

Some strange things can happen.” Her assertion could be easy to disregard were it not for a 25minute video investigation posted last month on YouTube by the Russian opposition figure Aleksei A. Navalny, which relies heavily on videos and photographs from Ms. Vashukevich. She and nine people from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus were arrested late last month in Pattaya, a city about 70 miles south of Bangkok known for its adult entertainment scene. Most of those arrested, including Ms. Vashukevich, 21, who also goes by the name Nastya Rybka, are accused of working without a permit. Some are also accused of not having a valid Thai visa. Ms. Vashukevich and Alexander Kirillov, the organizer of the sex seminar, spoke to three reporters while standing behind bars and a mesh screen during visiting hours at the Immigration Detention Center in Bangkok. Immigration officials stopped the interviews midway and told the reporters to leave the facility. In a letter addressed to the American consul, Mr. Kirillov requested political asylum for all those arrested in connection with the sex workshop. Credit via Paulo Yunko Ms. Vashukevich, wearing a bright green T-shirt with the word “detainee” in Thai, is a long way (continued in next 2 columns)

ment captured on camera by a fellow museum attendee, Ben Hinds. Hinds, who is from North Carolina and was touring the National Portrait Gallery with his mother, snapped the photo and posted it on his Facebook page, where it quickly went viral. “Parker was in front of the portrait, and I really wanted her to

turn around so I could get a picture with her, and she genuinely, honestly would not turn around,”Curry told CNN. “She was uncooperative with me because she was just so focused on the portrait and studying it, and she was just so fascinated.” Parker’s strong reaction to the

Escort Says Audio Recordings Show Russian Meddling in U.S. Election...continued from the days she spent sailing on a yacht with Mr. Deripaska and his friends, including Sergei E. Prikhodko, a deputy prime minister. According to her version of events, she was working for a modeling agency when she and several other models were sent to spend time on Mr. Deripaska’s yacht. She later posted photographs and videos on social media showing Mr. Deripaska and Mr. Prikhodko together on the yacht. Financial records show that companies controlled by Mr. Manafort owed millions of dollars to Mr. Deripaska. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Mr. Manafort offered to give Mr. Deripaska private briefings on the campaign. Mr. Navalny charged in his video that Mr. Deripaska’s yacht trip was an attempt to bribe Mr. Prikhodko, and that Ms. Vashukevich was one of “several” prostitutes aboard the vessel. In the video, the tycoon and Mr. Prikhodko can be heard discussing Russian-American relations. The video also highlights a book Ms. Vashukevich wrote titled “Who Wants to Seduce a Billionaire.” Russia has tried to block Mr. Navalny’s video, which had nearly 6.4 million views on YouTube as of Monday. A spokesman for Mr. Deripaska has said the allegations of bribery and prostitutes on the yacht were a “hot story that appears far from being the truth.” In the interview at the immigration center on Monday, Ms. Vashukevich said that she had often recorded conversations between Mr. Deripaska and his associates, and that she had 16 to 18 hours of recordings, including conversations about the United States presidential election. “They were discussing elections,” she said. “Deripaska had a plan about elections.” But, she added, “I can’t tell you everything.” Some of the conversations were with three people who spoke English fluently and who she thought were Americans, she

said. “It is not only about me,” she said. “It concerns a lot of people in America and other countries.” Ms. Vashukevich and Mr. Kirillov, who also goes by the name Alex Lesley, are prominent on social media and are considered by some to be publicity seekers. Ms. Vashukevich took part in a small protest in Moscow last year defending Harvey Weinstein after he faced numerous accusations of sexual abuse. Standing mostly naked near the American Embassy, she and four other women held signs with slogans such as “Hands Off Harvey” and “Harvey Weinstein Welcome to Russia.” Ms. Vashukevich said she arrived in Thailand on Feb. 16, and that she was only an observer at the sex seminar but did not work at the event. Several attendees said that no sex had been involved, and that the multiday training had focused on improving communication and on perfecting the art of seduction. Those who are taken to the immigration detention center are often on the verge of being deported. But an immigration official said that Ms. Vashukevich and five others taken to the center still faced criminal charges for their part in the seminar. They will be sent back to Pattaya for court proceedings. Ms. Vashukevich described being held in a crowded cell with more than 100 women and only three toilets. She said a Thai official had asked her to sign a paper saying that she believed she would be safe in Russia, but that she had refused. In general, people seeking asylum must apply in the country where they hope to take refuge. A spokeswoman for the American Embassy in Bangkok said she was aware of the arrests but declined to discuss the case or any asylum request. Mr. Kirillov said that he believed publicity would help protect them. “I think the press makes us a little bit safer because if they killed us in the prison, everyone would know,” he said.

former First Lady’s portrait both at the gallery and afterward, spoke to the impact of seeing such positive, impactful images. New studies published recently have supported this idea, finding that black girls black girls with a positive, “strong racial identity” are more likely to be academically

engaged, curious and persistent. It’s something her mother is fully aware of. “As a female and as a girl of color, It’s really important that I show her people who look like her that are doing amazing things and are making history so that she knows she can do it,” Curry said.

CTA Ad Campaign Highlights Value of Public Schools Keeping Our Communities Strong...continued from page 7 To contrast the progress and diversity of our schools, the TV spot uses older, historic images of California classrooms and students, and ends with modern-day schools. Watch the 30-second TV ad in English and Spanish, and listen to the 60-second radio ad in English and Spanish. The radio ads include a narrator saying at one point: “For centuries, our greatest minds have reminded us that educators make a powerful difference for a lifetime.” To which California Teach-

ers Association President Eric C. Heins responds in the ad that CTA is doing this campaign “because we are educators who know quality public schools build stronger local communities and make a better California for all of us.” The print and digital ads in several languages reinforce the themes of the other ads. The TV spots will air during numerous network news and cable programs, while the radio ads will air on 89 radio stations.

Visit Our New Website: SB-American.com OPINION: THE STUDENT LOAN DEBT CRISIS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE...continued from page 1 How then can we address these challenges? Education Secretary Betsy DeVos wants to ease regulations on the loan servicers and for-profit colleges that have gotten us into this mess. U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) of the House Education and Workforce Committee would take this effort even further. Her proposal for reauthorizing the HEA, the “PROSPER Act,” would ensure that students will have to borrow more to get a postsecondary education with the very real likelihood that they will never pay off the debt. This would all but guarantee that predatory, for-profit programs would continue to rise exponentially right alongside our national student debt bill. Efforts to make student aid more costly for students rather than hold institutions accountable for what they do with the aid reflects either a catastrophic misunderstanding of the root causes of this issue or something more disturbing: the blatant effort to recreate the system we had before the HEA was enacted. In this system, traditional college was by and large only accessible

to the wealthy, who were usually White. Fixing our broken student debt system should not mean un-doing years of progress since the HEA or saddling marginalized groups with a lifetime of debt. Instead, we need to hold student loan servicers, debt collectors, and institutions of all kinds accountable for their practices. African Americans, Latinos and lowincome students from all backgrounds need more income-based grants, loans, financial assistance, and admissions policies that tear down barriers of color, culture, and class, not support them. Helping college graduates to repay their loans isn’t the only challenge. The challenge is enabling and empowering all our young people to make their fullest contribution to our country. This is, in the last analysis, a debt that all Americans owe to ourselves and our nation’s future. Wade Henderson is a founding board member of the Center for Responsible Lending. You can follow Wade on Twitter @Wade4Justice.