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June 30, 2022 Thursday Edition

Volume 53 No. 11 Mailing: P.O. Box 837, Victorville, CA 92393

Office: (909) 889-7677

Email: Mary @Sb-American.com

Website: www.SB-American.com

Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance those of whom they suppress. —Fredrick Douglass (1849)

Protests, Outrage Follow Supreme Court Roe v. Wade Ruling Tanu T. Henry | California Black Media

The Supreme Court ruling that overtunrd Roe v. Wade, a 51 year old decision has sparked protests around the country and united opponents determined to use their political power to push back against it.

La st week’s Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, the 51-year-old decision that guaranteed a woman’s right to an abortion, continues to draw outrage. It has sparked protests around the country and united opponents determined to use their political power to push back against it. Critics say the decision disregards decades of legal precedent and opens the door for nearly half of U.S. states who have stated their desire -- or instituted proceedings -- to ban the procedure. Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom released a statement showing his displeasure with the ruling and spoke out against anti-abortion policies in Texas, which is among the 11 states that have banned or enacted restrictions on abortion. “I am outraged by yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing Texas’s ban on most abortion services to remain in place, and largely endorsing Texas’s scheme to insulate its law from the fundamental protections of Roe v. Wade,” the governor’s statement read. “But if states can now shield their laws from review by the federal courts that compare assault weapons to Swiss Army knives, then California will use that authority to protect people’s lives, where Texas used it to put women in harm’s way,” the statement continued. Newsom followed with a

tweet reiterating California’s commitment to providing abortion care and protections for women. “Abortion is legal in California. It will remain that way. I just signed a bill that makes our state a safe haven for women across the nation. We will not cooperate with any states that attempt to prosecute women or doctors for receiving or providing reproductive care,” he wrote. To hold gun manufacturers accountable, Newsom says he plans to use tactics similar to the ones Texas employed to target, attack and box in abortion providers. “I have directed my staff to work with the Legislature and the Attorney General on a bill that would create a right of action allowing private citizens to seek injunctive relief, and statutory damages of at least $10,000 per violation plus costs and attorney’s fees, against anyone who manufactures, distributes, or sells an assault weapon or ghost gun kit or parts in the State of California. If the most efficient way to keep these devastating weapons off our streets is to add the threat of private lawsuits, we should do just that,” Newsom said. Congresswoman Barbara Lee District 13 (Oakland) released a statement listing steps individuals outraged by the Supreme Court’s decision can take to fight back. In it, she also blasted lawmakers responsible for taking away citizens’ rights to make their

own healthcare decisions. “Now, we must support local clinics, health providers, abortion funds and nonprofits doing the groundwork to connect those in states with draconian abortion bans to safe-haven states like California or provide access to medication abortion. We must ensure safe abortions are still accessible to the most vulnerable,” Lee said. “This is NOT over. We must fight this in state legislatures. We must organize and elect a prochoice Senate in the midterms and every election thereafter. Rep. Karen Bass District 37(Los Angeles), who is running for mayor of Los Angeles, said biases related to race and class are factors that influence access to health care. “Today is a devastating day in the history of this country, especially for the most vulnerable communities. The reality is that affluent women will always have the right to choose even in states that establish bans on abortion,” she said. “Today's decision is an attack on low-income women and women of color by the same people who don't believe in accessible childcare or affordable food programs in schools. The idea that we are still fighting in 2022 for our right to access to reproductive health care -- a battle that was resolved fifty years ago—is an absolute tragedy and sets a potentially unconscionable precedent of decisions impacting

equal rights under the law.” Alexis McGill Johnson, President of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, warned that the Supreme Court’s decision may be a precursor to other protections being overturned in the future. “Knowing this moment would come does not make it any less devastating. The Supreme Court has now officially given politicians permission to control what we do with our bodies, deciding that we can no longer be trusted to determine the course for our own lives,” she said. W h i le t he SCOT US’ decision saddens Johnson, she is hopeful that the ruling will mobilize people to make their voices heard and exercise their power to create change. “But in stripping away our rights, the Supreme Court and anti-abortion politicians have also unleashed a movement. We are a movement that will not compromise on our bodies, our dignity, or our freedom,” she said. “We are a movement that will show up at every town hall, every legislative session, and every ballot box to demand we are treated like equal citizens. We are a movement that will do what we can to get abortion care to people and people to abortion care.” D e s pit e t he Supre me Court’s r uling, abortions remain legal in California.

California Police Killing Shows Need for Mental Health 911, But 988 Hurdles Remain By: Radiah Jamil and Julianne Hill Four officers from the Walnut Creek Police Department in California arrived at Taun Hall’s home just minutes after she called 911, seeking help for her son Miles who was experiencing a mental health crisis. For years, Hall had been developing a relationship with police in preparation for an emergency call like this, hoping it would be met with compassion. Miles was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, and during the previous year, his hallucinations and delusions came and went. During that time, Miles’s mom learned as much as possible about the disease and made sure police knew of her son’s condition. But on June 2, 2019, 23-year-old Miles broke a sliding glass door with a crowbar, thinking that it was a staff, or stick, from God. When the officers arrived, they saw Miles as a threat and the tool as a weapon, and two officers fired their guns at him, killing Miles. Communities around the country are reimagining their responses to mental health emergencies. Congress has mandated a new three digit hotline – 988 — an alternative to 911 designed to handle mental health emergencies, ranging from people with suicidal thoughts to those with hallucinations. It will launch this July. With the change, many communities aim to shift the response to mental health emergencies from the hands of law enforcement to mobile crisis teams staffed with trained mental health professionals. In 2021, more than 20% of 911 calls involved either a mental health or substance use crisis, according to the American Psychological Association. “We hear endless stories about

Miles Hall with his mother, Taun Hall families who call (911) in distress because their kid is having a psychotic episode or some other kind of a mental health condition that's frightening,” says Vincent Atchity, Mental Health Colorado president and CEO. That typically summons police. “Somebody who's experiencing a psychotic episode, or is in some kind of altered state based on their mental health condition, does not necessarily respond well to scary-looking individuals coming into their homes, and barking commands at them,” he adds. “And when police orders are not readily complied with, they apply the tools that are most familiar to them–and that is asserting control over a situation by laying on hands, or using other implements of control like tasers, sticks, or guns.” Advocates say they hope the implementation of 988 will include providing around-the-clock access to mental health professionals for those in crisis, integrating a care system to prevent suicides, and offering mental health care rather than jail cells. Despite the federal mandate, each state must hammer out legislation and funding and continued on page 3

MISSION STATEMENT Clifton Harris /Editor in Chief Investigative Reporter sbamericannews@gmail.com Mary Martin-Harris / Editor Legal /Display Advertising (909) 889-7677 Clifton B. Harris / Audio Engineering Editor Digital Online Banner Advertising (909) 889-7677 The San Bernardino American News was established May 6, 1969. A legally adjudicated newspaper of general circulation on September 30, 1971, case number 15313 by the Superior Court of San Bernardino County. The San Bernardino AMERICAN News subscription rate is $59.00 per year. The San Bernardino AMERICAN News 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.

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Page 2

COMMUNITY/EDUCATION/ADVERTISING

The tobacco industry is a top global plastic polluter San Bernardino City Unified Board Of Education Establishes Byline: Scott Coffin, Research Scientist, California State Water Resources Control Board

Leadership Transition Plan Community /Education News

You may not know that cigarette butts are a major source of plastic pollution that may endanger marine life and harm humans. Each year, cigarette butts top the list of most littered items across California beaches and waterways. In 2017, an astounding 203,474 butts were collected on California beaches as a part of an international coastal clean-up. You probably see one of the most common sources of microplastics everyday – on the ground, in parking lots, gutters or at the beach – cigarette butts. Discarded cigarettes contain filters made of plastic, which can break down into microplastics that then contaminate our soil and water sources and harm our health. In fact, each cigarette filter contains at least 15,000 strands of microplastic fibers. So, what exactly are microplastics, and why should we care? Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic measuring less than five millimeters long, about the size of a sesame seed or smaller. Most microplastics take a long time to degrade in the environment, which means that when they enter our environment, they may eventually get mistaken for food by marine life or other animals, which over time may go on to harm entire ecosystems. Due to their tiny size, microplastics are challenging to remove from our food and water sources. Microplastics have been found in sea water, tap water and urban water runoff. It may come as a surprise that Americans ingest an estimated hundreds of thousands of microplastic particles a year. Toxic microplastics pollute the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. According to recent studies, microplastics have been found in human lungs, placenta, and blood; they've been linked to fertility issues, intestinal damage, and even mutations in DNA. The tobacco industry remains one of the world's top plastic polluters. Each year, the tobacco industry produces six trillion cigarettes, and most have plastic filters. It’s estimated that more than 4.5 trillion cigarette butts end up in the environment. There’s no denying that tobacco product waste produces massive plastic pollution causing irreparable damage to our environment, our food supply, and our bodies. Learn more about the environmental harms of tobacco products at www.undo.org.

African Methodist Church And Alzheimer's Association Renew Strategic Partnership To Raise Awareness Of Alzheimer's Disease In Black American Communities Community /Education News

Nationwide -- The African Methodist Episcopal Church (A ME Church) and the Alzheimer’s Association recently announced it is renewing their nationwide partnership, aimed at educating and engaging more than 2 million U.S.-based AME Church members in the fight against Alzheimer’s, for five more years. Since the partnership began in 2019, more than 1,600 AME Church members have attended dementia education programs. In addition, more than 5,000 AME Church members have participated in Connectional Purple Sunday events, which provide AME members with disease-related information and care and support resources available through the Alzheimer’s Association. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental to the pursuit of our mission,” said Dr. Carl V. Hill, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Alzheimer’s Association. “Our work with the AME Church and other organizations that represent and advocate for underserved communities enables us to expand our outreach, providing more people with resources and support to address the Alzheimer’s and other dementia crises.” According to the Alzheimer’s Association, older Black Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than White Americans. Black Americans are also less likely to receive a timely diagnosis, with many receiving a diagnosis

much later in the disease, when their medical needs are greater. “It is our desire to create forums that educate while shining a light on the abundance of AME professionals who are trained and qualified to lead, guide and direct us on a wide variety of (holistic) health topics,” said Dr. Miriam Burnett, Medical Director, AME Church International Health Commission. “We are grateful that we are positioned and excel in providing health education and promotion activities as well as potential services. As a result of this collaboration there would be expanded community outreach efforts; expanded awareness of support services for families affected by Alzheimer's; expanded opportunities to promote and influence dementia related public policy; expanded awareness to increase knowledge of Alzheimer's risks and symptoms; and expanded support for Alzheimer's programming and research.” About the Alzheimer’s A s s o c i a t i o n ® The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia – by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. Visit ALZ.org or call (800) 272-3900.

Members of the Executive Cabinet will temporarily run District after superintendent’s retirement Starting July 1, the daily operations of the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD), the state’s seventh largest, will be the responsibility of four members of the executive leadership team. Collectively, those four leaders have vast experience in public education, have worked in SBCUSD for decades, and two of them attended District schools as children. They will alternate monthly to serve in the District’s top spot while the Board of Education conducts a thorough search for a new superintendent following the June 30 retirement of Doc Ervin. That search will continue after the November election when four seats on the governing board are filled. The Board of Education will resume discussion about the recruitment process for a new superintendent next month with a goal of interviewing candidates in January and appointing a permanent leader to take over no later than July 2023. Board President Dr. Scott Wyatt, a local educator, is conf ident the day-to-day operations of SBCUSD will be

taken care of and teaching and learning will continue under this leadership plan, which starts with Associate Superintendent Harold Sullins, who runs the Business Services Division and will be the District’s administrator in charge in July. Sullins currently leads all of the business, maintenance, and information technology programs for SBCUSD. His leadership is especially important as the District prepares to open schools on August 1 for a new school year. “As a Board, we have the utmost confidence in our executive cabinet, that is why we believe in this rotation,” Wyatt said at the June 21 Board meeting. “We have outstanding talent here in our own District and we trust our executive cabinet to lead us in the interim as we continue our search. Our schools, students, staff, and families will be in the same good hands that currently serve them.” Also serving monthly stints in charge until a permanent leader is named will be Ana Applegate, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. She will guide the District in August as schools welcome 46,000 students back to classrooms across San Bernardino and Highland. Applegate is a product of San Bernardino City Schools, still lives

in the community, and has earned accolades for her leadership of the District’s multilingual programs. In September Dr. Sandra Rodriguez will take the leadership post. Dr. Rodriguez is now the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services. A graduate of Cajon High School, Dr. Rodriguez is the former principal of San Bernardino High, grew up in the community, and still lives in San Bernardino. In October, Dr. Marcus Fu nchess, the Assist ant Superintendent of Human Resources, will serve as the administrator in charge. Dr. Funchess has previously served as a teacher, principal, and director in the District. He was recently recognized as Administrator of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators. Once the Board of Education resumes the search for a permanent superintendent following Ervin’s retirement at the end of June, a new leader is slated to be appointed in January. “I have been exceptionally impressed with the strong leadership of our cabinet team,” Ervin said. “The Board’s decision to rely on a rotation of leadership is a validation of the talent and dedication we already have.”

Submission Deadline MONDAYS by 5pm Press Releases can be emailed to: mary@sb-american

PPOSBC: Supreme Court Ruling on Abortion Will Have Drastic Ripple Effects in California Community/ Education News June 24, 2022 – Upon learning of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC) president and CEO Jon Dunn released the following statement: “Today’s verdict is an outrage, and rolls back decades of progress for women’s health and financial independence. The gains women have made financially and socially over the past several decades are a direct result of the Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973, and allowing states to ban abortion is an unconscionable attack on every American’s liberty and bodily autonomy. There is no sugarcoating this: people will die and have their lives upended by today’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. It will negatively impact more than 36 million Americans. While we are fortunate that lawmakers in California are committed to protecting and expanding abortion rights, at least 26 states, including Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and many others have already enacted cruel, draconian laws that severely restrict or ban access to abortion. We know that these states will use today’s Supreme Court precedent to outlaw abortion entirely. And these laws that force patients to travel out of state for abortion care have the most destructive impact, particularly low income women and women

of color. It has become necessary for reproductive freedom states including California to strengthen abortion protections because we are providing care to more outof-state patients. At Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, we are committed to serving every patient that walks through our doors, and have increased our capacity so that no one is turned away from needed care, regardless of what state they live in. But our capacity is not unlimited, and we need our supporters’ help to ensure that we do not need to turn away California patients because our health centers are overwhelmed. Even though we are devastated by the Supreme Court’s decision today to overturn Roe v. Wade, we are not backing down in our battle to keep abortion safe, legal and accessible for every person in the nation—and we need collective action now. At Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, we will not quit until we have ensured that every person can access a safe, legal abortion. We urge our supporters to donate and lend their time to our efforts that ensure California remains a reproductive freedom state while fighting abortion restrictions nationwide.” At this time, supporters are encouraged to donate directly to Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties at pposbc.org, in order to help expand its medical services and

absorb the impact of out-of-state abortion patients. If you would like to get involved with Planned Parenthood politically, learn more at www. CommunityActionFund.org. ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation d e cla r i ng C a l i for n ia a Reproductive Freedom state. In 2021, more than 106 abortion restrictions were introduced across 19 states, including 12 abortion bans. In 2022, more than 500 abortion restrictions have been introduced across more than 40 states. Texas’ six week abortion ban (known as Senate Bill 8) has been in effect since September 1, 2021 – forcing Texans to seek essential health care out-of-state for more than seven months. Earlier this year, Idaho became the first state to sign into law a copy-cat of Texas’ “sue thy neighbor” six-week abortion ban. In April, neighboring Arizona signed into law a 15-week abortion ban, following in Mississippi and Florida’s footsteps. Oklahoma and Kentucky have each passed total abortion bans, eliminating this essential health care entirely from their state.

California leaders have taken significant recent to protect and expand access to abortion, and actualize its commitment to being a Reproductive Freedom state. In 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills into law. Assembly Bill 1356 increased security; and Assembly Bill 1184 increased privacy protections In 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 245 into law, which eliminates copays and co-insurance – making abortion services free for people with private insurance. The California Future of Abortion Council, which Planned Parenthood affiliates across California are a leading member of, has sponsored 13 bills stemming from their comprehensive report issued in December to further protect and expand abortion access across California for all who seek care here. On May 2, Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced they would be introducing a constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to an abortion in the California constitution. The bill, SCA 10, was introduced on June 8, passed the CA Senate on June 19, and must be passed by the Legislature by June 30 to appear on the November 2022 ballot.

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STATE/GOVERNMENT/CONSUMER /BUSINESS NEWS

California Senate Gets Second Chance to Pass Prison Slavery Bill This Week Black Activists Celebrate Supreme Court's Protection of Religious Freedom

Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

State/Government News

Samuel Nathaniel Brown, at a Reparations Rally at the state capitol in Sacrament, helped author ACA 3 while he was in prison. He was released in December 2021 after serving a 24-year sentence. 6.12.2022 (CBM photo by Antonio R. Harvey).

Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), center, has been fighting to get the Involuntary Servitude language removed from the California Constitution through ACA 3. She is shown here holding the Task Force For Reparations' Interim Report with Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), left, and L.A. civil rights attorney Lisa Holder, right. Bradford and Holder serve on the task force. 6.16.2022 (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey). On June 23, the California Senate rejected a constitutional amendment to remove language in the state Constitution that allows i nvolu nt a r y servitude as punishment to a crime with a 21-6 vote. A day later, the legislation’s sponsors went back to the drawing board to redraft the legislation for reconsideration. The number of votes casted in favor of Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 3, the California Abolition Act, fell short of the two-thirds vote requirement needed to move the bill to the ballot for Californians to decide its fate in the November General Election. The Senate is expected to hold another f loor vote on the legislation this week. Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), who authored ACA 3 in 2021 while serving in the Assembly, said she focused the

language in the bill on the slavery ban and vowed to bring it back for a vote when Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, asked her about it June 23. “The CA State Senate just reaffirmed its commitment to keeping slavery and involuntary ser vit ude in the state's constitution,” Kamlager tweeted. Jamilia Land, a member of the Anti-Violence Safety, and Accountability Project (ASAP), an organization that advocates for prisoners’ rights, said she remains committed to making sure slavery is struck out of the California constitution. “All we needed was 26 votes,” Land said. “But we have made amendments to ACA 3 on (June 24). Now it could either go back to the Senate on (June 27) or Thursday, June 30.” Five Republica ns a nd

ACA Vote - The Senate vote tally of ACA 3 on June 23. one Democr at, Steve Glazer (D-Orinda), voted no against the amendment. He stated that the issue is “cer tainly a question worthy of debate” and “can be addressed without a constitutional amendment.” “Slavery was an evil that will forever be a stain on the history of our great country. We eliminated it through the Civil War and the adoption of the 13th Amendment,” Glazer said in a June 23 statement. “Involuntary servitude – though lesser known – also had a shameful past. ACA 3 is not even about involuntary servitude – at least of the kind that was practiced 150 years ago. The question this measure raises is whether or not California should require felons in state or local jails prisons to work.”

Glazer said that the Legislative Counsel’s office gave him a “simple amendment” that involuntary servitude would “not include any rehabilitative activity required of an incarcerated person,” including education, vocational training, or behavioral or substance abuse counseling. The Counsel also suggested that the amendment does not include any work tasks required of an incarcerated person that “generally benefit the residents of the facility in which the person is incarcerated, such as cooking, cleaning, grounds keeping, and laundry.” “Let’s adopt that amendment and then get back to work on the difficult challenge of making sure our prisons are run humanely, efficiently and in a way that leads continued on page 4

California Police Killing Shows Need for Mental Health 911, But 988 Hurdles Remain... continued from page 1 communities must develop their own 988 system. As of March 8, California is one of 12 states with pending 988 legislation. Four states – Colorado, Nevada, Virginia and Washington – enacted 988 infrastructure bills with a fee. Four states–Illinois, Indiana, Oregon and Utah – passed 988 legislation without fees. In two states – Idaho and Montana – 988 bills failed to pass. With the July deadline looming, even states with enacted legislation are falling behind. The new hotline faces many hurdles, including coordination of crisis responders, shortages of qualified mental health professionals and sustainable financing. Without the funding and infrastructure, calls to 988 could still be funneled to police departments. Since early 2021, The Miles Hall Foundation has been advocating to enact California Assembly Bill 988: The Miles Hall Lifeline Act—988 Suicide and Mental Health Crisis Hotline. The bill would provide live-saving services in the state to those experiencing mental health emergencies and thoughts of harming themselves or others through the implementation of 24/7 crisis counseling, access to stabilization and recovery resources, and the deployment of trained health professionals instead of law enforcement. A lo n g w it h s h i f t i n g responsibilit y of mental

health emergencies to trained professionals, the foundation is “aggressively advocating for officers to have more de-escalation training,” said Alexis Hall, Miles’s sister and co-founder of the foundation. “California police officers generally have about eight hours of required mental health training,” she said. “They barely scratch the surface of what is needed to de-escalate and care for those in altered and heightened mental states. Yet with their minimal training, they also have the power to determine if someone is in need of psychiatric hospitalization.” If a situation doesn't require law enforcement response because of a criminal concern or because of the level of danger, most officers feel that their service is not needed because they cannot offer clinical support, said Ron Bruno, Salt Lake City-based executive director of CIT International, a first responder training for police to help people with mental disorders or addiction access medical treatment rather than the criminal justice system. The officer has three choices, Bruno said. One is to make a determination whether that person meets statutory criteria to take them into protective custody and transport them someplace for further evaluation and stabilization. The second is to arrest the person on a criminal charge and take them to jail. The third is “ leave the person there

without any true clinical support or assistance.” To fund the “mobile crisis infrastructure,” that could include outreach teams including mental health professionals and peer support, the California state budget allocated $150 million dollars in 2021. Of that larger budget, the $20 million dollars was set aside to go specifically toward supporting the 988 network. Funding would come from a proposed telecom fee of up to 80 cents per phone line. A monthly fee of 30 cents per customer would generate $195 million annually, according to The Steinberg Institute. But these types of fees around the country are controversial as the telecom industry pushes back hard, insisting that the lowest possible charge be levied. In an April 14, 2021, letter of concern from CTIA, a telecom industry group told California legislators that “the 988 fee should be limited to funding equipment, communications services, and direct costs for crisis hotline center personnel for 988 call taking and appropriate call routing.” Just as 911 surcharges on phone bills “do not fund police, fire, or EMS,” the 988 fee shouldn’t pay for mobile crisis teams, stabilization and other follow-up services, the industry group said. In July 2021, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, including

senators from Oregon and Connecticut, fired back with a letter expressing concern over reports that telecommunication lobbyists were aiming to suppress “efficient implementation of 988, both at the federal level and in states and local communities across the country,” for the sake of lowering 988’s service fees. “If successful, these efforts would limit the ability of states to establish and maintain the call centers staffed by trained individuals, mobile crisis teams, and crisis stabilization services that are all fundamental to breaking the cycle of suicide,” the senators said. Despite the challenges for California and other states, the promise of the new national call line offers hope to families, who want care and not jail cells – or drawn guns – for their loved ones in crisis. “If we had 988, the new federally mandated mental health crisis phone number to call, Miles would most likely be alive today,” said his mother, Taun Hall. “We need a preventative approach that doesn't criminalize our loved ones with police response.” Radiah Jamil is a incoming freshman at St. John’s University in New York and a student-reporter with Youthcast Media Group (YMG). Julianne Hill, an awardwinning mental health reporter, is YMG’s managing editor.

Washington, D.C. - Members of the Project 21 black leadership network praised a landmark win for religious freedom and free speech, as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that a school district wrongly fired a high school football coach who prayed at the conclusion of a game. "This decision marks a return to America's true history, and its foundation based on the values and the principles of God," said Project 21 member Reverend David Lowery, Jr. In the case of Joseph A. Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, Coach Kennedy, a high school football coach, was fired because he prayed at the 50-yard line of the public school's field after games. The reason for his dismissal by the school system was for "engaging in demonstrative religious activity" while "on duty." "As an ex-football player, I remember we always had prayer before and after the games. We prayed for safety and strength while out on the field. We asked God to protect us from serious injuries," Lowery added. "It is our right as American citizens under the First Amendment to exercise our religious beliefs. The justices today honored what has been written in the law." In the majority opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that the Constitution's Establishment Clause prevents government from being able to "single out private religious speech for special disfavor." He continued: "The

Constitution and the best of our traditions counsel mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike." Project 21 helped get Coach Kennedy's case over the goal line and in front of the justices with an amici curiae ("friend of the court") legal brief that asked the Court to consider the case. Project 21 was a co-amici on a brief filed by Advancing American Freedom an organization founded by former Vice President Mike Pence - and Young America's Foundation. The brief called the lower court ruling against Coach Kennedy "flat wrong." It further noted that it was "absurd to label an act of obvious personal gratitude and humility governmental speech that is prohibited by the Constitution" and that Americans' expressions of personal speech cannot violate the Constitution's Establishment Clause "simply because the public can see them." "The First Amendment protects every American's right to freely exercise their faith. Today we confirmed that everyone includes public school coaches," said Project 21 Steven Mosley. "Prayer is essential to the Christian faith, as we are called to pray without ceasing. Coach Kennedy's practice of praying after football games should have been celebrated as a picture of religious diversity. Instead, he was discriminated against and fired for simply continued on page 6

Blueprint Capital Advisors Embarks On Growth Plan And Expands Into Commercial Real Estate Lending Partners With Real Estate Investment And Operations Firm T30 Capital Business/Consumer News

NEW YORK, June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- T30 Capital LLC ("T30") today announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with Blueprint Capital Advisors LLC ("Blueprint") to scale its commercial real estate

lending activities and increase its social impact. Blueprint is a $1.4 billion registered investment advisor focused on fund and direct investments in alternative continued on page 7

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Thursday, June 30, 2022

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ENTERTAINMENT/ LOCAL/ADVERTISING

LA Entrepreneur debuts new Black- Save time, skip the line! The DMV now offers online driver’s license testing options owned wine this July Richardson’s Braymar Wines is distilled by her very own wine distillery Top Drawer Distillery. Entertainment News

Marlo Richardson is a serial entrepreneur. She is the founder of Business Bullish, a website, and resource that seeks to train people in the areas of financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Marlo is the owner of STAGE 21 bar in Culver City, CA, formally known as the Tattletale Room Tavern. She is also the president of Marlo Productions and produced two theatrical films and hosts a podcast that mentors people looking to start investing in cryptocurrency and the stock market. LOS ANGELES, CA- More and more Black women are venturing into the wine industry. This summer, Marlo Richardson will join the less than 1 percent of black-owned wineries when she launches her California-based winery, Braymar Wines The California mother of two named the wine after her daughters, Bradley, and Marli. The concept of Braymar Wines was developed during the pandemic in 2020. But the Los Angeles native has been a fan of wine since she opened her first restaurant in 2010 in Playa Del Rel, Ca. The wine is produced by Top Drawer distillery, also owned by Richardson, and will include a North Coast Proprietor’s Red Blend, Sonoma Brut, California Sparkling Rosé and a Chardonnay. Its contents and grapes are sourced from a highly-rated winery in Napa and its blends are a combination of various grapes from different coasts in California. As a restaurant and bar owner

operator of Stage 21 Sports & Entertainment Lounge in Culver City, Ca. ,Richardson said she has had the opportunity to listen to her customers, when they repeatedly asked for certain varietals. She took their requests as an opportunity to make sure Braymar represented their trendy tastes. “Braymar was inspired by my desire to create memories with people I care about,” Marlo says. “Many of those lasting memories have occurred during a conversation that took place over a glass of wine or another cocktail.” Richardson will also be debuting a pre-made margarita line under Top Drawer this summer. The margarita flavors will include premium, watermelon, pineapple and sour apple. Braymar Wines will make its official debut July 2022. For more information on Braymar Wines go to the website, braymarwines. com.

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New Booklet Developed to Train Youth Leaders to Become COVID-19 Activists Entertainment /Local News A new booklet, designed to assist youth when talking to other youth about the COVID-19 vaccine, was recently released at a leadership conference for high school students, held on the campus of UC Santa Cruz. Entitled, “Leaders to the Front: A Guide for Student Activists in the Fight Against COVID-19,” the guide was produced by the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) and funded by the Vaccinate All 58 campaign (vaccinateall58. com) of the Califor nia Department of Public Health. “We wanted to provide youth with a framework from which to engage other youth about the benefits of obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine,” said. Al Bonds, CAAASA’s COVID-19 COVID Manager.” Additionally, we wanted to educate students about how to dispel myths and rumors and how to refer their peers to sources from which to obtain accurate information, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Public Health Departments throughout the state.”

Public health data shows that African Americans and Hispanics lag behind other populations in obtaining the vaccine. Some of the reasons for not receiving the vaccine have to do with misinformation. “Some members of the African American community, for instance, are under the assumption that the COVID-19 vaccine gives the recipient the actual disease, once injected,” said Bonds. “This is inaccurate. One of the reasons for the widely-held belief has to do with a study, conducted from 1932 to 1972, in Tuskegee, Alabama, by the United States Public Health Service, in which study victims were denied treatment for syphilis. For decades, many African Americans believed (and some still believe) that study participants were injected with syphilis. This is completely untrue. This type of misinformation does not help our community become as safe as we can in the battle against COVID-19.” The booklet is available for dow n loa d , f ree of ch a r ge , a t c a a a s a .o r g.

Entertainment/Local News Did you know that most DMV transactions are currently being handled online? The newest options available may allow you to complete the driver’s license knowledge test from the comfort of your home before visiting a DMV office. If you’re renewing your license with a knowledge test requirement, or are an adult taking it for the first time, the DMV offers two resources – a remote version of the traditional knowledge test, and an interactive eLearning course. Eligible customers are prompted to choose the remote knowledge test or eLearning course after filling out the online driver’s license application and paying the fee. Cu r rently, the remote knowledge test is available for the nearly 2 million tests taken by Californians renewing their license each year, the more than 1.3 million tests taken by adults getting their license for the first time who also don’t have a California identification card and Californians getting a REAL ID or motorcycle license for the first time. The eLearning course is available for Californians renew i ng t hei r license. The newly offered eLearning course can be taken on a computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile device and is available 24/7. There are seven interactive modules that must be completed, including quizzes, after each module. The eLearning course takes approximately 45 minutes and is currently only available in English. When you choose to use an online testing resource, it

significantly saves time by eliminating the need to wait in line and take your test in a DMV office. Customers with a testing requirement for their license are still required to go to a DMV office after completing one of the online options to provide the required identity and residency documents, take a photo, provide a thumbprint, complete a vision screening, and be issued a licensing document. The online knowledge test is available in 35 languages to customers who have an internetenabled computer or laptop with a webcam. The test cannot be taken on a tablet or mobile device. Customers can begin the online exam between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays. For identity verification and as a fraud prevention measure, online test participants are required to verify their identity and agree to be monitored throughout the exam. The test can be attempted online twice. If a customer fails to pass the test after two tries, they will be prompted to go to a DMV office to take the test a third time. This is just one more example of how the DMV is modernizing to add more convenient services online that used to be only available in an office. Checking things off your DMV to-do list is now a lot faster . It all starts here: dmv.ca.gov.

Grammy Award-Winning Musician, Composer, Songwriter/Producer Bernard Belle, Brother of Regina Belle, Dead at 57 Entertainment/Local News (Atlanta, GA – June 24, 2022) – Multiple Grammy Awardwinning musician, composer, and songwriter/producer Bernard Belle died yesterday, Thursday, June 23, at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital in Georgia, at the age of 57. Belle’s official cause of death was due to congestive heart failure, according to his sister and primary caretaker, Regina Belle, a Grammy Award-winning recording artist, who posted on her Facebook Page, “The smartest part of me has passed on. My brother, Bernard Belle was brilliant. Bernie, please help me to shine from heaven. I love you.” Born November 12, 1964, to the late Judge Belle and his mother, Lois Belle, who now resides in Atlanta, Bernard Belle was born and raised in his hometown of Englewood, and the neighboring town of Teaneck, New Jersey. During the past seven years, Bernard had suffered from two strokes, and was later moved from Englewood, New Jersey to Signature HealthCARE of Buckhead, where he could be close to his parents, daughter Asia Milner, and sister, Regina. A world-class musician and songwriter/producer for multiple award-winning pop, R&B and gospel recording artists, including the late Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, Bernard received his first career break in the 1980s, when

Regina, who was performing as a background vocalist for the legendary R&B group, The Manhattans, recommended him to join the group as the bassist. A multi-instrumentalist (pianist, bassist, guitarist, drummer and vocalist), Bernard later became one of Black Music’s most gifted and prolific creators; penning hits for Michael Jackson such as “Remember the Time” “Privacy,” and “Why You Wanna Trip on Me.” He also produced records for Whitney Houston, Aaron Hall, Keith Sweat, and Al B. Sure! and Today, among numerous others. During his nearly 40-year career, Bernard partnered with producer Teddy Riley, and together they established footprints and became pioneers of the New Jack Swing era and produced songs for Guy and others. Some of Bernard Belle’s other credits include Boy George’s “You Found Another Guy” (composer); continued in next 2 columns

Grammy Award-Winning Musician, Composer, Songwriter/Producer Bernard Belle, Brother of Regina Belle, Dead at 57...continued Regina Belle’s “Baby Come To Me” (composer); “I Gotch U” (composer), “Johnny’s Back,” (composer and producer); along with Regina Belle’s gospel hits “God Is Good,” and “Good to Be Loved” (composer); Guy’s “Let’s Chill,” and “Long Gone” (composer and producer); Hi-Five’s “I Just Can’t Handle It,” and “I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)”; The Winans’ “It’s Time” and “A Friend” (producer and composer); Bobby Brown’s “Get Away,” “Two Can Play That Game,” “One More Night,” and “Something in Common,” a duet with Whitney Houston” (composer and backing vocalist); Patti LaBelle’s “If By Chance” (composer); Glenn Jones’ “I’ve Been Searchin’,” and “In You” (composer and producer); Jaheim’s “The Chosen One” and “Everytime I Think About Her” (writer and producer) and many more. Bernard has received multiple Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Awards, Stellar Gospel Music Awards, and ASCAP and BMI Awards for his music as a songwriter and producer. In 1994, he re-dedicated his life to Christ. He was also one of the most sought-after musicians and producers in Gospel Music. Under the musical direction of

Ray Chew, he was a recurring bassist on BET’s Gospel shows, Sunday Best and the Celebration of Gospel. He also performed with Gospel legends Donnie McClurkin, Shirley Caesar, Richard Smallwood, John P. Kee, Marvin Sapp, Fred Hammond, Yolanda Adams, Tye Tribbett, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Donald Lawrence, Smokie Norful, Hezekiah Walker, and BeBe & CeCe Winans. While at the rehabilitation center, Bernard finished a series of online seminary courses and received his certification from Bradley Bible College. He was also honored by the facility for being a model patient. The Belle family would like to thank the caregivers of Signature HealthCARE for their service and commitment to Bernard during his time of need. Bernard Belle has five children Asia Milner of Atlanta, GA; Jahmel Belle of Charlotte, NC; and his identical twin sons Tyrone Belle of Houston, TX, and Tyrell Belle of Englewood, NJ; and Ny’Jeana Belle of Charleston, SC; and his mother, Lois Belle of Atlanta, GA; his sister Regina Belle; and brotherin law, Bishop John Battle, and a host of grandchildren.

California Senate Gets Second Chance to Pass Prison Slavery Bill This Week...continued from page 3 to the rehabilitation of as many felons as possible,” Glazer added. The 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution, ratified in 1865, prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude with one exception: if involuntary servitude was imposed as punishment for a crime. The state of California is one of nine states in the country that permits involuntary servitude as a criminal punishment. Article I, section 6, of the California Constitution, describes the same prohibitions on slavery and involuntary servitude and the same exception for involuntary servitude as punishment for crime. Certain members of the Senate raised concerns about the financial impact ACA 3 would have on the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (C D C R). I n m a t e s e a r n approximately eight cents to 37 cents per hour while incarcerated. Kamlager says “involuntary servitude is a euphemism for forced labor” and the language should be stricken from the constitution. The state’s Depar tment of Finance (DOF) estimated that the amendment would burden California taxpayers with $1.5 billion annually in wages to prisoners, DOF analyst Aaron Edwards told Senate the Appropriations Com mit tee on Ju ne 16. “These are facts that we think would ultimately determine the outcome of future litigation and court decisions,” Edwards said. “The largest potential impact is to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which currently employs around 65,000 incarcerated persons to support central prison operations such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry services.” Right before the Juneteenth holid ay weekend , t he appropriations committee sent ACA 3 to the Senate floor with a 5-0 majority vote after Kamlager refuted Edwards’ financial data. This country has been having

“economic discussions for hundreds of years around slavery, involuntary servitude, and indentured servants” and enslavement still exists in the prison system, Kamlager said. She also added that a conflict was fought over the moral issue of slavery. “This bill does not talk about economics. It’s a constitutional amendment,” Kamlager said. “The (DOF) is not talking about any of this in this grotesque analysis about why it makes more sense for the state of California to advocate for and allow involuntary servitude in prisons. I think (this conversation) is what led to the Civil War.” Three states have voted to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude — Colorado, Utah, and Nebraska — and in all three cases, the initiative was bipartisan and placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of legislators, according to Max Parthas, the co-director of the Abolish Slavery National Network (ASNN). ACA 3 is already attached to a report that addresses the harms of slavery. The Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans issued its interim report to the California Legislature on June 1. The report included a set of preliminary recommendations for policies that the California Legislature could adopt to remedy those harms, including its support for ACA 3. It examines the ongoing and compounding harms experienced by African Americans as a result of slavery and its lingering effects on American society today. “One of the preliminary recommendations in our report was to support ACA 3,” said Los Angeles attorney Kamilah V. Moore, chairperson of Task Force. “The Task Force saw how that type of legislation aligns perfectly with the idea of reparations for African Americans.”

Thursday, June 30, 2022

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LEGALS/CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20220005763 Date Filed 06/13/2022 Filing Expires On: 06/13/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): SOAPS OF EVE & CO County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 12778 TRENT PL VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Number of Employees: 1 Name of Individual Registrant: EVELYN L. WILLIAMS Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 12778 TRENT PL VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Oct 01, 2018 Evelyn L. Williams, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct. NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper June 23, 30, July 7, 14, 2022.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20220005825 Date Filed 06/15/2022 Filing Expires On: 06/15/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): IRISH INNOVATIONS County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 929 S MOUNTAIN AVE ONTARIO, CA 91762 Number of Employees: 0 Name of Individual Registrant: GRACE J. WOLLARD Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 929 S MOUNTAIN AVE ONTARIO, CA 91762 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: May 01, 2003 Grace J. Wollard, Owner, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct. NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper June 23, 30, July 7, 14, 2022. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20220005829 Date Filed 06/16/2022 Filing Expires On: 06/16/2027 ABANDONMENT County of Current Filing: SAN BERNARDINO Date of Current Filing: 02/28/2019 File No.: FBN20190002508 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): GOWNS BY MARLA County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 889 N D ST SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92401 Name of Individual Registrant: YVETTE WRIGHT Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 6184 MANDY LN SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Not Applicable Yvette Wright, Owner, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct. NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper June 23, 30, July 7, 14, 2022. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20220005830 Date Filed 06/16/2022 Filing Expires On: 06/16/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): GOWNS BY MARLA County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 889 NORTH D ST UNIT A SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92401 Name of Individual Registrant: DAVID L. ACKERMAN Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 6184 MANDY LANE SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Not Applicable David L. Ackerman, Owner, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct. NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper June 23, 30, July 7, 14, 2022. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVBA 2200235 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS Petitioner: LAURA LEA SULLIVAN filed

a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. LAURA LEA SULLIVAN Proposed name: to: LAURA LEA ZIMMERMAN 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: July 25, 2022 Time 1:30 p.m. Dept.: B2 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 235 E. Mountain View Street Barstow, CA 92311 Barstow District A Copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: The San Bernardino American Newspaper P.O. Box 837 Victorville, CA 92393 Date: May 27, 2022 James R. Baxter Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper June 9, 16, 23, 30, 2022

PETITION/PROBATE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ROBERT V. BRUCATO aka ROBERT VITO BRUCATO aka ROBERT BRUCATO CASE NO: PROSB 2200859 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of ROBERT V. BRUCATO aka ROBERT VITO BRUCATO aka ROBERT BRUCATO A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: ROSANNA LOPEZ in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that: ROSANNA LOPEZ be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: Jul 11, 2022 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept: S37 SUPERIO R COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0212 Central Justice Center IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: Bryan C. Hartnell, Esq. HARTNELL LAW GROUP, A Professional Corporation 25757 Redlands Boulevard Redlands, CA 92373-8453 (909)796-6881 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper June 16, Correction 23, 30, 2022.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JOSEPH MARTIN RINAURO CASE NO: PROSB 2200848 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: JOSEPH MARTIN RINAURO A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: THERESA M. MILLER in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that: THERESA M. MILLER be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: July 20, 2022 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept: S37 SUPERIO R COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 247 West 3rd Street San Bernardino, CA 92415 San Bernardino District-Probate Division IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: Don M. Ross II, Esq. 57382 29 Palms Hwy Yucca Valley, CA 92284 (760)999-2095 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper June 30, July 7, 14, 2022. SUMMONS SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): CVPS 2105843 NOTICE TO DEFENDANTS (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): DARRELL S. GEIER, Deceased, and All of His Testate and Intestate Successors and All Persons Claiming By, or Through, or Under Such Decedent; ROBERT J. GEIER, an individual; MARJORIE A. MARTIN, an individual; ALL PERSONS UNKNOWN CLAIMING ANY LEGAL OR EQUITABLE RIGHT, TITLE, ESTATE, LIEN OR INTEREST IN THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT ADVERSE TO PLAINTIFF’S TITLE, OR ANY CLOUD UPON PLAINTIFF’S TITLE THERETO and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive FURTHER NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO COMPLAINT (FICTITIOUS NAME) IDENTIFYING DOE 1 AND ADDING DEFENDANT: ORPHA GEIER AKA ORPHA BELL GEIER, AND ALL OF HER TESTATE AND INTESTATE SUCCESSORS AND ALL PERSONS CLAIMING BY, OR THROUGH, OR UNDER SUCH DECEDENT The action affects that certain real property described as follows: THE EAST 70 FEET OF THE WEST 210 FEET OF THE EAST HALF OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 11, TOWNSHIP 3 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, SAN BERNARDINO BASE AND MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL PLAT THEREOF, EXCEPTING THEREFROM THE

NORTH 330 FEET. APN: 666-280008 YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): ANGEL VIEW, INC., a California NonProfit Corporation NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación. Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www. sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso. The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE 3255 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): DIANE C. BLASDEL, ESQ., SBN 157211 PO BOX 1747 PALM SPRINGS, CA 92263 760-320-0111 760-320-0211 DATE (Fecha):11/4/2021 Clerk of Court (Secretario), by V. Lopez, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served Published In The San Bernardino American Newspaper June 30, July 7,14, 21, 2022.

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LIFESTYLE/RELIGION/FINANCIAL/NATIONAL/ADVERTISING

Black Women will Suffer the Harshest Consequences After the Overturn of Roe by Glynda Carr

Glynda Carr The Supreme Court just dealt a devastating blow to reproductive rights. With its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, five Republicanappointed Justices on the U.S. Supreme Court swept away half a century of progress and eviscerated women’s rights and equality. After last month’s leaked opinion, we knew this moment could come, but that doesn’t make today’s news any easier to digest. For Black women in this country, today’s decision is especially devastating. Thirteen percent of American women are Black, but 38% of people receiving abortion care are Black. Abortion is necessary healthcare – and a lack of access can quite literally mean life or death for many Black women. This is especially true for Black women who have lower-incomes, live in rural areas, and do not have access to health care because of systemic racism and discrimination. According to CDC data, Black women are nearly three times more likely to die during childbirth than white women and are more likely to face maternal health issues. With new abortion restrictions and bans, these health outcomes are expected to get even worse: a 2021 Duke University study estimated the potential death toll following a total abortion ban and found a 33 percent increase in Black women who died due to pregnancy-related complications. The states that are already moving to ban abortion are among those with the largest Black populations in the country. Consider Mississippi, the state with the highest percentage of Black residents in the nation, and one of the 13 states with a “trigger law” that ensured today’s decision would result in a near-immediate ban on abortion access. Three other states with the highest proportion of Black residents – Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arkansas – have these trigger laws in place, and many other states, especially in the South, are moving to severely restrict or outright ban abortion. The impact of new abortion bans and restrictions will be felt most acutely by poor and working-class Black women – Black women are significantly

more likely to live in poverty compared to white women. For these women, the overturning of Roe won’t mean that abortions will end; it will mean that access to critical, potentially life-saving healthcare will move hundreds of miles out of reach. It will mean time off of work (likely unpaid) and travel and childcare costs – expenses that may not be possible for women living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to simply put meals on the table. At a time like this, when daughters suddenly have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers, it is challenging to imagine a way forward. But the answer is to do everything we can to restore our rights and ensure every woman has access to the healthcare they need and deserve, a right afforded to them under our nation’s Constitution. To do that, we need to elect and elevate more Black women. Black women have been at the forefront of the fight to protect and expand reproductive rights – from members of Congress like Reps. Cori Bush, Ayanna Pressley, and Lauren Underwood, to our first Black woman Vice President Kamala Harris, to soon-to-be-seated Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. We must elect Stacey Abrams to lead the state of Georgia – one of the states that is now positioned to severely restrict, or overturn the right to access abortion care under the leadership of their current Governor, Brian Kemp. And finally, we need to not only encourage, but throw our unwavering support behind more Black women from all across the country to run for office – women who personally understand the deep impact that a lack of healthcare and abortion restrictions have on communities thathave lacked fair representation for far too long. Today and every day, I stands with my partners and allies ready to continue the critical fight for access to affordable, safe, legal abortions for all women, no matter where they live, how they identify, or how much money they have. We will not back down. Glynda Carr is president and CEO of Higher Heights for America, the only national organization providing Black women with a political home exclusively dedicated to harnessing their power to expand Black women's elected representation and voting participation, and advance progressive policies. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own. ‌

“Living on the Edge!” By: Lou Yeboah

Lou Yeboah Boasting in your arrogance! Deceived by your comfort! ‘Now hear this, O foolish a n d s e n s el e s s p e o pl e , Who have eyes but do not see; Who have ears but do not hear [Jeremiah 5:21]? Be mindful, of

the height from which you have fallen. Repent at once, and act as you did at first, or else I will surely come and remove your lampstand out of its place” [Revelation 2:45]. “What is your life, but a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” [James 4:14]. Repent while it is still daybreak! For, “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and destroy the sinners thereof out of it. [Isaiah 13:9]. For Thus saith the Lord, “I will punish the world for their evil, continued in next 2 columns

“Living on the Edge!”...continued and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.” [Isaiah 13:9-11]. Living on the Edge! Boasting in your arrogance! Deceived by your comfort! Repent while you still have a chance! And when He, [Jesus] drew near and saw the city, He, wept over it, saying, ““If you, even you, had only known on this day the things that make for peace ̶ ̶ ̶ but now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you, and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” [Luke 19:41-44]. I tell you; God is about to turn up the heat. Repent now before it is too late! “And the fifth angel blew his

trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. [Revelation 9]. The results of Living on the Edge!

WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #1105

Channeling Rage Jessica Quinn On June 11, staff from the Washington, D.C. Office joined with thousands on the National Mall for yet another gathering organized by March for Our Lives. The tone of this rally was different from that in 2018. There were no celebrities making appearances—just speaker after speaker of students, parents, and community members all directly impacted by gun violence. The common thread in the voices of the speakers was rage. Rage that we were here yet again, that children were still dying, that Congress continued to absolutely fail to pass any sort of gun laws. Standing in the crowd, I felt that rage. Rage towards a country and a government that lauds its claimed democracy and freedom while simultaneously stripping women and pregnant people of the rights to their own bodies, while prioritizing profit over human life, and while continuing to defend policies and procedures that uphold and reinforce white supremacy. I could see a similar rage in others, emphasized by signs that read statements like, “women’s bodies are more regulated than guns,” “I can’t believe we’re still debating this sh*t,” and “our children can’t be replaced, Congress can.” There was also hope in the crowd that this time, things might be different. At the podium, David Hogg, survivor of the 2018 shooting in Parkland, Florida, insisted that the NRA didn’t nearly have the power or resources they did before, and that their influence on Congress is growing weaker. This message felt true when news came out the next day that a bipartisan group of senators had reached a compromise on a framework for gun safety legislation. The framework includes crucial components like helping states implement reg flag laws, closing the so-called boyfriend loophole, and an enhanced review process for those under 21 looking to purchase a gun. All common sense, key measures in the fight to end gun violence. At a point during the event, a voice over the speakers informed those gathered that the program had reached its seventy-eighth

minute: the amount of time it took for first responders to enter Robb Elementary School in Uvalde to stop the gunman. Gasps could be heard across the crowd. For seventy-eight minutes, parents in Uvalde were fighting to get to their children. Children were hiding, scared for their lives, and children were dying, waiting for medical attention that would not come in time. The crowd quieted for a moment of silence to honor the victims when a counter protester shouted what some thought sounded like “I have a gun” and attempted to charge the stage. What followed was mass panic. Some squatted with arms over head and neck, others jumped the barricade at the front looking for a faster escape, while most began to run. The incident was over in a moment. Organizers at the front urged everyone to be still and communicated that there was no immediate danger, but at that point the damage had been done. The crowd was a mix of weeping and consoling, shaking and nervous laughter. Some ran and did not turn back. Those that stayed looked to one another, nodding and checking in. I read later that gun violence survivors who had been asked to attend the event to speak and bear witness struggled, got sick, and shook, as they tried to settle their bodies from an all too real reminder of their past. The moment reminded us all that there is another feeling below the rage and hope, one of collective trauma and grief. Those that stayed were lucky to hear from gun control activist X González, another survivor of the shooting in Parkland. “My PTSD has me feeling suicidal thoughts that I manage to very positively turn towards anger instead, and that’s what I’m doing here today,” they said. González’s anger was infectious—we were all eager for a way to channel the nervous energy still buzzing in our bodies. They wrapped up their speech speaking directly to Congress, “You want to be helpful, you want to make this world a better place, Congress? There’s one thing that you in office can take from this speech, its PASS THE F*CK$NG GUN LAWS!”

Three Lawn Replacement Myths Debunked Active changes to save water have a direct impact on ongoing drought Lifestyle/National News

Sacramento, Calif. – California is experiencing its third consecutive dry year, and while dry spells aren't new, the current severe drought conditions call for an increase in water conservation efforts inside and outside of homes. Replacing the lawn with water smart plants is one way to take immediate water saving action and have a direct impact on the state’s ongoing drought. The Save Our Water program is debunking three lawn replacement myths to help encourage homeowners to prepare their landscape for California's ongoing drought. Most water waste happens in the yard, and removing grass lawns and landscaping with native plants is one of the best ways to reduce water use. "By transforming your lawn to a drought-tolerant landscape, you'll save time and money while doing what's best for our environment,"

said Margaret Mohr, deputy director of communications of the California Department of Water Resources. "Updating the outside of your home and landscaping with native plants while also implementing indoor watersaving habits are some of the most effective ways to significantly save Califor nia's water." MYTH 1: Drought tolerant plants need a lot of care and are hard to grow. FACT: Drought tolerant plants require little to no water or attention! Replacing grass lawns with native plants can reduce the amount of time and energy it takes to upkeep the yard. Droughttolerant landscaping also decreases outdoor watering and removes the need for a lawn mower. continued on page 7

Black Activists Celebrate Supreme Court's Protection of Religious Freedom...continued from page 3 practicing his right under the First Amendment. It is great to see the Supreme Court rule that Christians - and all people of faith - have the right to pray where they live, work, worship and play." The brief further stated: Respe ct for rel ig iou s expressions is indispensable to life in a free and diverse Republic - whether those expressions take place in a sanctuary or on a field, and whether they manifest through the spoken word or a bowed head. Here, a government entity sought to punish an individual for engaging in a brief, quiet, personal religious observance doubly protected by the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment. And the only meaningful justification the government offered for its reprisal rested on a mistaken view that it had a duty to ferret out and suppress religious observances even as it allows comparable secular speech. The Constitution neither mandates nor tolerates that kind of discrimination. "A football coach praying by himself on the 50-yard line of the field outside of official gameplay and apart from his official coaching duties is an obvious exercise of a personally held religious belief. We shouldn't even be here," said Project 21 member Joe Mobley. "If students, athletes, players from other teams or even a casual bystander wanted to join in, they could. If not, they wouldn't. The fact that Coach Kennedy's right to pray was even in question is a sign that America is way off track." "The Constitution is clear

that 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,'" Mobley added. "This means no state-sponsored religions, or state-mandated religious activity 'or prohibiting the free exercise thereof' - meaning no government restrictions on religious activities. None. Zero. Even the most casual observer must take notice of the obvious double-standard that has been applied to religions deemed as oppressive - namely Christianity." To schedule an interview with a member of Project 21 on this or other issues, contact Judy Kent at (703) 477-7476. Project 21, a leading voice of black conservatives for over 25 years, is sponsored by the National Center for Public Policy Research. Its members have been quoted, interviewed or published over 40,000 times since the program was created in 1992. Contributions to the National Center are taxdeductible and greatly appreciated, and may be earmarked exclusively for the use of Project 21. Founded in 1982, the National Center for Public Policy Research is a non-partisan, free-market, independent conservative thinktank. Ninety-four percent of its support comes from some 60,000 individuals, less than four percent from foundations and less than two percent from corporations. Sign up for email updates here. Follow Project 21 on Twitter at @Project21News for general announcements. To be alerted to upcoming media appearances by Project 21 members, follow our media appearances Twitter account at @NCPPRMedia.

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Page 7

WORLD/HEALTH/ADVERTISING

Monkeypox Can Be Contained: Experts Urge Testing And Vaccination By Jenny Manrique

Lawsuit charges that grant-writing services firm bilked minority-owned businesses By Seena Gressin

Although the monkeypox virus does not spread as widely and rapidly as COVID-19, medical experts stress that the only way to avoid a new epidemic is through an early response from health authorities and the public. Key steps are getting tested, vaccinated and sharing information through public health campaigns. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 4,000 cases of monkeypox have been detected in 44 countries around the world, including 200 in 25 states in the U.S. California, New York, Florida, and Illinois are the most affected. No one has died of monkeypox in the country, according to the CDC, but in Africa, the virus has claimed the lives of 73 people. The virus’ most recognizable symptom is a rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the mouth, appendages, and the genital area. Other symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches and backaches, and swollen lymph nodes. “98% of the cases have occurred in men and that’s a striking epidemiologic feature,” said Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, during a media briefing (Watch complete coverage) hosted by Ethnic Media Services on June 24th. The virus was spread initially

among gay and bisexual men at gay pride events in Europe, particularly in the Canary Islands, Berlin, and France. “At the moment it is a viral infection rather confined to a distinctive group of people (who) should be very careful about their current sexual practices, avoiding anonymous sex, and being personally clean, inspecting themselves and their partners to see whether they have lesions,” said Schaffner. “This is a virus which is spread through close personal contact, usually skin to skin contact among humans”, explained Shaffner. “It can be spread via droplet transmission, if people are very close within three feet, usually over a long period of time, or through contaminated towels and perhaps bedding or sex toys… The incubation period could take up to two weeks.” Even though it found an epidemiological opportunity to spread among men who have sex with men, “monkeypox is not a gay disease,” stressed Dr. Gregg Gonsalves, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Yale Institute for Global Health and Co-Director of the Global Health Justice Partnership. Gonsalves, an expert on gay men’s health, warned that “stigmatization and discrimination” will make it harder to confine and contain the virus. “If you clamp down on LGBTQ Pride parades across the world over the next few

Cautious Parents Weigh Decision to Give Children Under Five COVID Vaccine Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Antonio and Tenaja Kizzie, a San Diego area couple, are parents of a three-year-old daughter. Although both parents are vaccinated and boosted, the Kizzies have reservations about giving their toddler the COVID-19 vaccine the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended last week for children younger than five years old. “It’s one thing to feel like her body is still developing and growing. She’s been vaccinated for everything else for things that have been around for years. It’s a little scary thinking about something that’s new. We don’t want to jump in right now,” Tenaja told California Black Media. “We just want to wait a little bit and see the side effects for other kids in her age group and reassess from there.” Her husband chimed in. “We believe in the science, we believe vaccines works, but when it comes to the under-

fives, just being a parent we’re a bit more hesitant to give her the vaccine so far. We’re waiting to see how it goes with other under 5 kids that get the vaccine. Even though science and logic say yes, as a new parent you’re extra cautious,” Antonio said. The Kizzies are not alone. Numbers the CDC released at the end of May indicate that hesitancy about vaccinating their children is high among parents across the country. Although the U.S. Food and Drug administration approved COVID vaccines for children between the ages of 5 and 11 last October, only about 30% of kids in that age range have received the shot. “For those families that are hesitant and questioning, I try to understand what their fears and questions are. I try to remind them that we are in this together. I care continued in last 2 columns

months or use police or other law enforcement, you’re likely to drive people away from care and away from public health officials who don’t want to let it spread.” The new CDC guidance on monkeypox, includes key information on symptoms, vaccines, prevention, contact tracing, and resources for health care providers and the general public as well. “In the US context many of the people who are in charge of our public health institutions right now are old HIV doctors… so there’s been ongoing communication between the LGBT and HIV community and the federal and state governments, unlike what we saw 40 years ago with AIDS in the very beginning,” said Gonsalvez. Fr o m W i l d A n i m a l s The monkeypox is a member of the larger family of orthopox viruses, which include the mousepox, the camelpox, the cowpox, and the smallpox already eradicated from the face of the earth, explained Ben Neuman, Professor of Biology and Chief Virologist of the Global Health Research Complex at Texas A&M. It was first identified in primate species in Nigeria, West Africa, a strain that produces milder infections in comparison with a second major strain detected in Central Africa, which is more severe. “The virus has been associated with two kinds of wild animals: the Congo rope squirrel, and the Gambian giant pouched rat,” Neuman added. “As with other viruses that come from rodents, you tend to see increases when there has been a particularly rainy year.” Given its characteristics of transmission, Neuman warned that monkeypox “could spread easily inside a crowded dance club or at a concert or any other venue where you have lots of

people together and they’re having a good time… It’s not something that is scary right now, but could get out of hand.” Other places where there is close physical contact are homeless shelters, refugee camps, gyms and health clubs. The only thing that is keeping that virus from getting out to the rest of the world, Neuman argued, is the “relative geographic and economic isolation of the area.. I do not believe that we can count on that as an effective stop gap in the future.” The virus has been growing in places with less access to testing and fewer hospitals that can actually confirm the numbers, which are almost certainly underreported. The recommendation from experts is to get tested through a PCR, a similar test to the one used to diagnose COVID. The CDC is working on expanding the number of locations where testing can take place. There is also a vaccine available for the prevention of monkeypox in people ages 18 and older – the Jynneos vaccine – approved in 2019 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It requires two doses, four weeks apart, but doctors noted that the supply worldwide is not robust. The medication tecovirimat (TPOXX) has also proven to have some effect in protecting people. “Infectious diseases are always going to be with us but epidemics are a human creation, which means we can stop them,” Dr. Gregg Gonsalves, Global Health Justice Partnership “(In the US) we spend 3 cents on every health care dollar on public health. It’s a people problem and an infrastructure problem. Hopefully with COVID, monkeypox, HIV we would learn the lesson of making a real investment and avoiding this blooming cycle,” he concluded.

Cautious Parents Weigh Decision to Give Children Under Five COVID Vaccine...continued about the health and wellbeing of their children, and I will always suggest the best possible course for them,” said Dr. Jennifer Miller, a pediatrician with East Bay Pediatrics, a medical practice with offices in Berkeley and Orinda. Miller was speaking during a medical panel co-hosted by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Ethnic Media

Services (EMS). The discussion was held to offer information about vaccinating children 6 moths to 4 years old against COVID-19 to parents, caregivers and the media. “I let them know that ultimately it is their decision to make, and I am here as a resource,” Millar added. “It is normal to be afraid of the unknown and continued on page 8

Three Lawn Replacement Myths Debunked... continued from page 6 MYTH 2: It costs more money to redo a lawn with native plants than it does to water grass.

grass. Creativity and uniqueness can be reflected with the wide range of water-wise plants.

FACT: Planting California native drought-tolerant plants can save 30 to 60 gallons of water for 1,000 square feet each time the lawn is watered, which provides water bill reductions. Local water agencies may also offer rebates to residents who replace their grass with water-efficient landscaping.

California's drought condition will worsen if steps are not implemented to save as much water as possible. Transforming lawns and applying other watersaving tips, such as taking shorter showers and turning off the faucet while brushing teeth can help California’s water last. For more water conservation resources and tips, visit saveourwater.com.

MYTH 3: Drought tolerant plants won't be as appealing as a grass lawn. FACT: There are a variety of beautiful, drought-tolerant plants that come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. Native plants can be incorporated into any design and are much more diverse than

About Save Our Water Save Our Water is a statewide, water conservation program created in 2009 by the Department of Water Resources. The program aims to make water conservation a daily habit among all Californians.

For small businesses trying to stay afloat during the pandemic, a company that sold grant-writing services seemed to offer a lifeline. In a lawsuit, the FTC and State of Florida say the company promised to get businesses “guaranteed” grants of $25,000 to $250,000, depending on how much they paid for its services. But, the lawsuit says, those promises were false and businesses lost thousands of dollars each. The lawsuit alleges that the company, Grant Bae, and its owner targeted minority-owned small businesses using social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Clubhouse. The complaint says they falsely claimed that any minorityowned business that paid Grant Bae would get at least $25,000 in grant funding; promised that most Grant Bae clients would get funds within seven days of a grant’s “closing” date; and claimed they would apply for funds on behalf of business owners through the federal government’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan prog ram. But in most instances the

defendants didn’t deliver on their promises, the complaint says. What’s more, according to the complaint, by the time business owners learned that Grant Bae wasn’t producing the promised grants and wasn’t honoring its “money-back guarantee,” it was often too late for them to dispute charges for thousands of dollars in fees that they had paid by credit card or other means. The case is a reminder that honest businesses will never guarantee that your business will get a grant or loan. Any company making that promise is a scam. Learn more about scams that target small businesses at our Protecting Small Businesses website. For small businesses seeking advice on financing, business planning, human resources, and more, the SBA’s SCORE Business Mentoring Program has free consulting services. Free and lowcost counseling and training for minority-owned businesses also is available directly through the SBA or through its partnership with historically Black colleges and universities across the country.

Blueprint Capital Advisors Embarks On Growth Plan And Expands Into Commercial Real Estate Lending...continued from page 3 credit. T30 is a vertically integrated, multi-strategy institutional real estate investment and operations platfor m. T30 and Blueprint will identify and execute $5-50 million senior bridge and construction loans for a range of property types – including multifamily, mixed-use, hotel and industrial – along the Northeast Corridor and commit to "open door sourcing" to increase lending to minority- and women-owned business enterprise ("MWBE") sponsors. T30 and Blueprint will leverage their collective investment experience and deep network of industry relationships to scale T30's lending capacity and provide borrowing opportunities for MWBE sponsors, who have traditionally faced funding challenges in the commercial real estate industry. Together, they will seek to expand the pipeline of loan opportunities from $750 million to $2.5 billion. Margaret Grossman, Managing Partner and President of T30, said, "Blueprint is well-recognized for supporting capital access to and growth of MWBE sponsors, and we are pleased to join forces with a team whose values align with our own. We expect that the net result of our combined efforts will be access to a significant volume of niche and differentiated deal flow that delivers attractive yield and solid downside protection." Jacob Walthour Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Blueprint, added, "We are excited to establish this relationship with T30 at this pivotal point in their evolution. Together, we will create

compelling opportunities for investors while providing MWBEled real estate projects with access to capital and accelerating the growth of T30's lending platform. There is a triple-bottom line to this endeavor, and we look forward to a long-term partnership." A woman-led firm, T30 is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of real estate underwriting, law, and structured finance professionals that boasts 50 years of combined experience developing creative loan structures and adding value through operational and strategic assistance for borrowers. T30's debt platform, formerly known as Fort Amsterdam Capital ("FAC"), is led by the firm's Managing Partners Ms. Grossman, David Schwartz, and Jeremy Salzberg, who, through FAC and the firm's predecessor affiliate, have deployed approximately $1.5 billion of capital through more than 250 real estate transactions across debt and equity, including 40 credit deals through the previous FAC Funds I and II. Mr. Schwartz concluded, "We have worked thoughtfully and strategically to grow our team, expertise and platform so that we are best positioned to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves in the market. We see a compelling opportunity to build on our core competencies in middle market CRE direct lending, particularly today, in light of recent volatility in equity and fixed income markets, and are pleased to partner with Blueprint to increase our footprint."

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Page 8

COUNTY/POLITICAL NEWS/ADVERTISING

State of the Youth Conference 2022 County/Political News

African Methodist Church And Alzheimer's Association Renew Strategic Partnership To Raise Awareness Of Alzzheimer's Disease In Black American Communities BlackNews.com

Johna Rivers, Founder - Real to Reel Global Youth Film Festival: addresses youth on resilience

Frecia Gonzalez, Director - Institute for Public Strategies: leads a photo essay workshop San Bernardino, CA — More than 100 youth from the Inland Empire discussed ideas to address the racial, economic, and social issues prevalent in their communities at the first annual State of the Youth Conference. Joh na R ivers_ State of the Youth Conference 6 Johna Rivers, Founder - Real to Reel Global Youth Film Festival: addresses youth on resilience Music Changing Lives, the Changing Lives Association and the Institute for Public Strategies hosted and facilitated the free conference on June 23-25, 2022 at the San Bernardino Valley College in San Bernardino, California. The conference featured workshops and team-building exercises on a variety of topics including civic engagement, policy change, etiquette, career readiness, college pathways, financial literacy, family dynamics, selfsufficiency, nutrition, physical and mental health awareness along with preventing drug and alcohol use among youth. Josiah Bruny, founder, and CEO of Music Changing Lives created the conference to inspire civically-engaged youth through artivism, a practice that combines activism with creative expression to foster diverse thinking while

creating real change and impact. “We’re teaching young adults how to go out and change the narrative themselves. We already know the data. We know what our action items are. Now we just have to go out and do the work. The key is to have the youth go back and lead the message and not just to talk at them, but talk with them,” said Bruny. 18-year-old Sheherbano Bano, a junior at the University of California, Berkeley said she decided to attend the conference to learn more about how she can raise mental health awareness, especially in communities that are often marginalized and lack resources. “I have always wanted to help amplify the voices of those who are silenced. I hope to become more civically- involved in decisionmaking on both local and federal levels,” said Bano. “We need more unification in this community and other communities around us, but it starts with ourselves.” 19-year-old Angel Martin, a senior at Alta Vista Innovation High School in San Bernardino said he is focused on making elected officials, agencies, and corporations more accountable to their constituents and customers. “Silence is violence, if I don’t

Jessica Bruny, Music Changing Lives: leads a workshop on mindfulness speak up about these issues they are going to continue to perpetuate and it’s going to come to a point where it’s unbearable,” said Martin. A panel featuring elected officials, CEOs, artists, and activists also offered words of wisdom to challenge the young attendees to make a difference in their neighborhoods and beyond. Johna Rivers, founder of the Real to Reel Global Youth Film festival, shared her experience overcoming adversity as a foster youth living in Watts, and as a survivor of sexual abuse. “Remember that pain becomes your power. The things that we go through can become power or it can be something that hinders us and prevents us from living out our whole potential. Don’t be ashamed of your trauma and where you come from,” said Rivers. Fifth District San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. shared ways the youth can make their voices heard beyond just writing letters to their elected officials. “To move government it’s not easy. You’ve got to be very focused, very diligent and you have to learn how to execute,” said Baca. “Educate yourself and understand how the community works, learn about policy change and how things happen. You can have this pie in the sky idea but you have to understand who’s going to pay for it, who’s going to fund it, who’s going to support it.” Ronnie Miller, co-founder, and CEO of Sista’s Making a Difference urged the attendees to give back to their communities by forming alliances with other nonprofits and social service agencies. “If you want to make an impact, you have to get those partnerships. You have to get those organizations involved in what you do,” said Miller, who has organized several successful toy and food drives in the Inland Empire. “You have to network. You can’t be shy about it if you want to make a difference in your community.”

At the completion of the conference, all of the participants received a $1,000 scholarship to cover the cost of daily transportation to the event, lunches, and a complimentary makeover that provided each attendee with one business-ready outfit that can be worn to job interviews. Josiah Bruny said he is committed to expanding the conference statewide. Even though the three-day event has come to a conclusion, he said he is committed to providing each attendee with the support of an advisor for ongoing growth and development through a mentorship program. Frecia Gon zalez _ St ate of the Youth Conference 2 Frecia Gonzalez, Director Institute for Public Strategies: leads a photo essay workshop “I want them to see that we truly believe in them,” said Bruny. “We’re not going to leave their side. We’re actually going to walk them through this, hold their hand and provide them a hand up and not a handout.” Youth that attended the conference were encouraged to apply for the mentorship program. 25-year-old Habiba Naqvi just finished graduate school at Cal State Northridge. She said she’s excited about the mentorship program and believes it will help land her first job out of college. “I now have connections with people who understand where I am coming from, people who can guide me and help me get involved,” said Naqvi. “I have people I can really rely on and that’s not something you can find at other conferences. I am making connections that are more personal.” Jessica Br u ny _ State of the Youth Conference Jessica Br u ny, Mu sic Changing Lives: leads a workshop on mindfulness Youth interested in applying for the mentorship program can visit: musicchanginglives.org/soty.

Police Department Accused of Using Only Black Men for Target Practice A Cub Scout troop leader made the allegation after taking a tour of the department. By Kalyn Womack A Michigan police department is under fire for allegedly using only Black people as targets for shooting practice. A Cub Scout troop leader led a group of kids to the Farmington Hills police department for a tour which included a lineup of only Black shooting targets in the basement, according to Fox 2 Detroit.

supposed to be consistent with the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and the city’s demographics.

the request show that Farmington Hills police is not using all the materials they ordered for target practice.

However, Attorney Dionne Webster-Cox found this wasn’t first time the department was confronted about their choice of targets.

“They ordered this target - they had lots of groups, Caucasians, it was very diverse,” Cox said. “Now how is it that you ordered these, but the only ones you are actually using is the Black men?”

The Farmington Hills police responded to the outrage in a press release claiming the allegation was false. The police chief, Jeff King, ordered a “comprehensive” review of the accusation which found the department uses 11 white targets and two Black ones. Police said number of targets is

“In July 2021 the ACLU had sent a (Freedom of Information Act) Request over to The Farmington Hills Police Department requesting how much money has been spent regarding, I guess, target practice,” she said. The attorney says the results of

Another department was accused of doing the exact same nonsense. North Miami Beach Police used mugshots of Black people as targets for police training which the police chief called “facial recognition drills,” per MSNBC News. The use of

human images as targets alone rose alarm and concern among critics. This reminds me of that racism test they give to students to see if they can find a specific face among a group of Asian or Black people. If cops are practicing with Black targets, how do we know they won’t racially profile the next Black person they see? According to ABC 7 Detroit, residents are calling for an independent review of the department and hope other departments learn from this situation.

Nationwide -- The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church) and the Alzheimer’s Association recently announced it is renewing their nationwide partnership, aimed at educating and engaging more than 2 million U.S.-based AME Church members in the fight against Alzheimer’s, for five more years. Since the partnership began in 2019, more than 1,600 AME Church members have attended dementia education programs. In addition, more than 5,000 AME Church members have participated in Connectional Purple Sunday events, which provide AME members with disease-related information and care and support resources available through the Alzheimer’s Association. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental to the pursuit of our mission,” said Dr. Carl V. Hill, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Alzheimer’s Association. “Our work with the AME Church and other organizations that represent and advocate for underserved communities enables us to expand our outreach, providing more people with resources and support to address the Alzheimer’s and other dementia crises.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, older Black Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than White Americans. Black Americans are also less likely to receive a timely diagnosis, with many receiving a diagnosis much later in the disease, when their medical needs are greater. “It is our desire to create forums that educate while shining a light on the abundance of AME professionals who are trained and qualified to lead, guide and direct us on a wide variety of (holistic) health topics,” said Dr. Miriam Burnett, Medical Director, AME Church International Health Commission. “We are grateful that we are positioned and excel in providing health education and promotion activities as well as potential services. As a result of this collaboration there would be expanded community outreach efforts; expanded awareness of support services for families affected by Alzheimer's; expanded opportunities to promote and influence dementia related public policy; expanded awareness to increase knowledge of Alzheimer's risks and symptoms; and expanded support for Alzheimer's programming and research.”

Cautious Parents Weigh Decision to Give Children Under Five COVID Vaccine...continued from page 7 to want to protect your child. With that in mind, vaccination is the best protection around.” The US Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines made by Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech earlier this month. The agency’s approval came on the heels of news that COVID-19 is now the fifth leading cause of death in children 1-4 years old and the fourth leading cause of death for children younger than one. “These are sobering statistics for all of us,” said Sandy Close, EMS director and moderator of the news briefing. “Vaccination is an important tool to protect their longterm health against COVID-19 and helps achieve full family protection against this deadly virus.” Panelists said it is a myth that COVID does not affect children. The CDC reports that one in five hospitalized children end up in the ICU. And during the omicron surge, children were hospitalized five times more than in the Delta surge. “There is definitely still a need for vaccinations for the whole population,” said Dr. Lucia Abascal, a physician and researcher at CDPH. “There is this idea that omicron is milder, but if we look at children’s data in this age group, we can actually see that hospitalizations peaked as well as deaths. We have more and more evidence that kids are at an acute risk of COVID.” Abascal detailed the steps of the vaccine approval process at the state and federal levels. An independent expert panel reviewed the data that Moderna and Pfizer provided and unanimously voted that the FDA approve the vaccine. The CDC was the final step of approval for the vaccine at the federal level. Before California recommends any COVID vaccine, it is reviewed by The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, a commission comprised of medical

professionals and scientists convened by Washington, Oregon, Nevada and California. Children three years old and above will be eligible to receive vaccines at pharmacies. However, children under three will need to get vaccinated at a pediatrician’s office or a community clinic. California has purchased enough vaccinations for every child in the state. The first shipment of 500,000 doses will arrive next week. About 2.2 million children are eligible for vaccination in California. The Moderna vaccine is a two-dose regimen like the adult shot, with a one-month wait between doses. The Pfizer vaccine requires three doses. The first dose is followed by the second 21 days later and the final dose comes 60 days after that. Authorities familiar with the vaccine trials say the side effects of minor fever and pain at the injection site may be stronger for children who receive the Moderna shot. Dr. Sarah Takekawa, an Obstetrician-Gynecologist, who is currently raising three children under age five was also a panelist. Ta k e k a w a s p o k e t o some of t he conce r n s pregnant woman may have. Takekawa said she was fully vaccinated before conceiving her third child. She received her booster while pregnant. “I have seen firsthand what COVID-19 infection can do to otherwise extremely healthy young women during their pregnancies. Watching adults who are otherwise healthy succumb to the disease, it seems easy to us to make this decision about wanting to get vaccinated and encouraging other parents to have their children vaccinated. Visit Vaccinate All 58 to learn more about the safe and effective vaccines available for all children in California aged 6 months and older