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AMERICAN
“A Man In Debt is So Far A Slave” -R.W. Emerson
NEWSPAPER A Community Newspaper Serving San Bernardino, Riverside & Los Angeles Counties
August 4, 2022 Thursday Edition
Volume 53 No. 16 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)
Inflation Slamming Black America Hard as Families Struggle with Necessities
Study Finds Nearly 90 Percent of Black Homicide Victims Were Killed with Guns By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Black families, especially those without an employed college graduate, are affected the most by inflation compared with all the other demographics,” said Ellie Walters, the CEO of Findpeoplefaster.com. “Necessities like groceries, accommodation, gas, electricity bills, and phone bills eat up most of their income, leaving them with fewer savings since most of them fall within the low-income groups,” Walters stated. By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The authors said individuals living in communities where violence is prevalent are at higher risk for a broad range of negative health and behavior outcomes.
According to the Brookings Institute, the median wealth of a white household is $188,200, which is 7.8 times more than the average Black household at $24,100. Black households are more exposed to inflation fluctuations than their white peers, according to a study published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. The differences, while not overwhelming, are not trivial either, the study authors wrote. For example, if prices paid by white households increase by 7 percent over a year, calculations by researchers suggest that one may expect them to increase by 7.5 percent for Black families. “In our research, we examine how this informs the tradeoff between inflation and unemployment stabilization for White and Black households,” the study authors explained. “The result implies that when evaluating trade-offs between inflation and unemployment, one ought to keep in mind that the costs of inflation may be borne disproportionately by the more disadvantaged group.” With gas, food, and other prices rising, the authors concluded that necessities such as groceries, electricity, and wireless phone service make up a larger share of Black families’ budgets. The study said that Black households are also spending a more significant portion of their income on goods and services with prices that change more often. The result, according to
researchers, isn’t a mystery: “Black families will suffer the worst effects of rising inflation because they lag behind their White counterparts in income, wealth, financial savings and home ownership.” “Black families, especially those without an employed college graduate, are affected the most by inflation compared with all the other demographics,” said Ellie Walters, the CEO of Findpeoplefaster.com. “Necessities like groceries, accommodation, gas, electricity bills, and phone bills eat up most of their income, leaving them with fewer savings since most of them fall within the lowincome groups,” Walters stated. She said Black families are affected by even the slightest increase in price, and with the rising recession, many might have to live without most of these necessities. “A large number of Black families live paycheck to paycheck and cannot easily escape the constantly increasing wealth gap between them and the other demographics, especially the white,” Walters remarked. “Inflation often makes this dilemma worse, since during inflation, wages are cut, and workers are laid off. These lowincome earners, largely made up of Black community members, are trapped by an economic cycle that seems rigged against them.”
Ronda Brunson, an expert in financial planning and credit restoration at Project Restore Bmore, agreed that Black households would continue to feel the impact of rising inflation. “Most Black homes with car notes are paying double-digit interest rates, same for credit cards. Yet, we are not conditioned to go for better but to be grateful for whatever approval without contesting,” Brunson asserted. “If I am already paying three times more than you for the same vehicle, then of course, when inflation occurs, I’m going to feel it first.” According to the Brookings Institute, the median wealth of a white household is $188,200, which is 7.8 times more than the average Black household at $24,100. Two years ago, the homeownership rate for white Americans was about 73% compared to 42% for Black Americans. William Thomas of Butler Associates said money problems remain a concern for all, although Black and Brown communities feel the pain more acutely. Thomas offered what he said were four simple things people can do to navigate tough inflationary times. “Make a budget, reduce any unnecessary expenses for the time
being, which means assessing needs versus wants,” Thomas asserted. “[Also], identify a Community Development Financial Institution in your area and seek financial advice from a professional. This action may support better financial choices while navigating through uncertain financial times. Finally, stick to the plan created.” Thomas advised that when it comes to reducing expenses, evaluate every item you purchase and ask, “Is this a need or want to have item?” He said sacrificing is essential to achieving success. This may mean brand switching for groceries and planning to switch on your phones. “The ultimate budgeting goal is to save the savings from your plan so you can stock your bank account with a healthy cushion for important occasions like birthdays, holidays, starting a business, or a rainy-day fund,” Thomas continued. “The best approach is to work with a trusted financial advisor, especially loan officers at your local community bank. Your local lender understands how important it is to access capital. “Leverage their expertise to help craft a strong plan using accessible, affordable financial products to assist the effort to save while building credit and deflating the impact of inflation.”
According to a new and comprehensive study on gun violence, Black men, women, boys, and girls remain the most impacted victims of homicide in America, yet year after year this shocking and unacceptable toll is allowed to continue. The study published by the Washington, D.C.-based Violence Policy Center, revealed that in 2019, the United States recorded 7,441 Black homicide victims. African Americans represent 14 percent of the U.S. population, but accounted for 52 percent of all homicide victims, the study authors found. The annual study, Black Homicide Victimization in the United States: An Analysis of 2019 Homicide Data, also ranks the states according to their Black homicide victimization rates. Officials said it’s based on unpublished data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Supplementary Homicide Report. The study details homicide rates for 2019, the most recent year for which comprehensive national data is available. For homicides in which authorities could identify the weapon used, 88 percent of Black victims (6,190 out of 7,056) were shot and killed with guns. Of those, 64 percent (3,935 victims) were killed with handguns. On average, more than 20 Black Americans died each day from homicide – 17 were known to have died from gunshots. “These deaths almost always involve a gun, and the resulting devastation ravages families, friends, and community members,” Violence Policy Center Executive Director Josh Sugarmann stated in a news release. “The goal of our research is to help support advocates and organizations working on the ground to stop this lethal violence while, at the same time, continuing to educate and engage the public and policymakers on the need to address this ongoing national crisis,” Sugarmann said.
The study also revealed that the Black homicide victimization rate in the United States was nearly four times the overall national victimization rate and nearly seven times the white homicide victimization rate. In 2019, the Black homicide victimization rate was 18.08 per 100,000. In comparison, the overall national homicide victimization rate was 4.79 per 100,000. For whites, the national homicide victimization rate was 2.69 per 100,000. Further, 87 percent of Black homicide victims were male (6,454 of 7,441) and 13 percent were female (986 of 7,441). The sex of one victim wasn’t unknown. The authors noted that Black male homicide victimization rate in the United States was “more than four times the overall male victimization rate and more than eight times the white male homicide victimization rate.” In 2019, the homicide victimization rate for Black male victims was 32.49 per 100,000. In comparison, the overall rate for male homicide victims was 7.68 per 100,000 and the rate for white male homicide victims was 3.88 per 100,000. Meanwhile, the Black female homicide victimization rate in the United States was more than twice the overall female victimization rate and three times the white female homicide victimization rate. In 2019, the homicide victimization rate for Black female victims was 4.60 per 100,000. In comparison, the overall rate for female homicide victims was 1.95 per 100,000 and the rate for white female homicide victims was 1.52 per 100,000. For homicides in which the victim to offender relationship could be identified, 77 percent of Black victims (2,282 out of 2,954) were killed by someone they knew. The number of victims killed by strangers was 672. continued on page 2
Thursday, August 4, 2022
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COMMUNITY/EDUCATION/ADVERTISING
New School Year Brings New Principals To San Bernardino City Schools Community/Education News
Anton Principal Melanie McGrath Six San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) campuses will begin the 2022–2023 school year on Monday, August 1 with new principals who are eager to work with families to foster collaborative relationships that put students on a path to success. SBCUSD invests in growing its own crop of qualified educators and leaders, especially those who were educated in our schools, like Anton Elementary School’s new principal, Melanie McGrath, who attended Barton Elementary, Del Vallejo Middle School, and graduated from Pacific High School. McGrath, formerly a coordinator in the District’s Multilingual Programs Department, is excited about leading Anton Elementary. “It’s extra special to me because when I stand in Anton’s
playground I can see my high school, and it renews my commitment to bettering my local community,” McGrath said. “I was born and raised in San Bernardino, and it made me who I am today. A lot of people underestimate San Bernardino and the people who come from here, but we have so much potential.” McGrath is looking forward to forging strong, collaborative relationships with Anton Elementary families. Anton is one of several SBCUSD schools starting the school year with new principals. Others are: Heather Bjornberg, North Park Elementary Tamara Brown, Davidson Elementary School Khaleelah Lewis, Parkside Elementary School continued in next 2 columns
New School Year Brings New Principals To San Bernardino City Schools...continued Dr. Christine Ramirez-Shows, Brown Elementary School Anna Sosa, San Bernardino High School Raul Pedraza, Inland Career Education Center Gomez and Hunt Elementary Schools will also have new principals, who have previously led other District schools. Assigned to Gomez is Maria Martinez, and Breanna York will lead Hunt Elementary. Ana M. Applegate, the District’s Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, who is serving as the District’s administrator in charge in August, recommends that families find opportunities to engage in the
school community as soon as possible, making sure to make connections at Back-to-School Night or Open House events. Parents and guardians have many reasons why they should meet the staff at their children’s schools, especially because establishing a personal relationship makes it easier to be connected to a host of school resources, Applegate said. “Maybe a parent is nervous because they have a little one starting kindergarten and they still have questions,” Applegate said. “Or a parent may want to know more about program options being offered at the school. Open communication with the school is important and highly encouraged.”
Study Finds Nearly 90 Percent of Black Homicide Victims Were Killed with Guns...continued from page 1 For homicides in which the circumstances could be identified, 70 percent (2,856 out of 4,102) were not related to the commission of any other felony. Of these, 56 percent (1,591 homicides) involved arguments between the victim and the offender. With a homicide rate of 50.64 per 100,000 residents, Missouri ranked the highest. Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, Michigan, and Oklahoma rounded out the top 10. The authors said individuals living in communities where violence is prevalent are at higher risk for a broad range of negative health and behavior outcomes. An increased understanding
of how trauma resulting from community violence influences development, health, and behavior can lead to improvements in the way many social services are delivered as well as policy changes at the local and federal levels. “At the same time, the firearms industry, looking to expand beyond its shrinking base of white male gun owners, has launched an organized marketing campaign focusing on Black and Latino Americans,” the study authors wrote. “If successful, such efforts can only increase gun death and injury in these communities.” The full study is available at http://vpc.org/studies/ blackhomicide22.pdf.
Disney Grants 126K lbs. of Fresh Produce to Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino Community /Education News
(Riverside, CA – July 29, 2022) – The Walt Disney Company granted Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) funding to source and distribute 126,000 pounds of fresh, healthy produce to Inland Empire families in need. “With rising grocery and gas prices, access to fresh fruits and vegetables has not been easily attainable by many families, children, and seniors within the Inland Empire,” said Carolyn Solar, CEO of FARSB. “We are incredibly grateful to Disney as they continuously give hope to our community.” As part of their commitment to
help create healthier generations by providing access to nutritious foods, including fresh produce, Disney has served as a long-term benefactor for the Feeding America network as they have consistently awarded grants to food banks such as FARSB for the past ten years. As the largest regional food bank of the Inland Empire, FARSB served over 30 million pounds of nutritious food in 2021 to families in need throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties. To find a local food distribution site near you or make a donation, visit feedingIE.org.
Padilla Urges Biden Administration to Extend Student Loan Payment Pause Resuming student loan payments would force millions of borrowers to choose between paying their loans or putting a roof over their heads, food on the table, or paying for childcare and health care Community/ Education News WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of the federal student loan payment pause set to expire at the end of next month, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), alongside Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.-14), Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.-29), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), in a bicameral group of 100 colleagues in the Senate and House
urging the Biden administration to extend the student loan payment pause beyond August 31, 2022. This effort comes on the heels of several news reports that the Biden administration has not made a final decision about whether to extend the student loan payment pause—a decision that will affect millions of student loan borrowers. In California, student loan debt prevents 3.5 million borrowers from fully contributing to our economy. continued on page 3
“Outdoor Afro” Promotes Experiences in Nature for Black Adventurers Edward Henderson | California Black Media As much as Black people are defined by the contributions they’ve made to American culture, society also defines Black women and men by stereotypes that have evolved over time. From the music we don’t listen to, the jobs we don’t take, to even the outdoor activities we don’t participate in, these stereotypes paint a picture that grossly underestimates the scope of the true Black Mosaic. Sometimes Black people buy into these depictions and the limitations associated with them and it takes people like Rue Mapp, founder of Outdoor Afro, to remind and educate Black people of their heritage, which includes a special connection to nature. Outdoor Afro is a non-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black participation and leadership in nature. It’s a national network with volunteer leaders reaching thousands of people. Outdoor Afro connects Black people with open spaces and parks, on-the-water experiences, and wildlife through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Examples of Outdoor Afro’s year-round activities include fishing, hiking, biking, kayaking, gardening, and skiing. “I really set out to try and shift the visual representation of who we imagine recreates outside, is empowered outside and lives a full life connected to nature,” Mapp explains to people interested in learning about the organization. “These last few years, it's been so important for us to have ways to find our healing and find our connection and find our community. When we get out into places of nature,
(Courtesy Photos) Rue Mapp
we can let that stress go,” she said, speaking in a conversation with the Weather Channel for a Black History Month feature. Outdoor Afro achieves this vision by providing a yearly outdoor leadership training weekend. Over 100 volunteer leaders receive training from Outdoor Afro staff and experienced volunteers as they share the organization’s history, values, best practices, and industry knowledge. Volunteers learn trip planning basics, health impacts of nature, conservation ethics, risk management, and effective social media storytelling. After training, volunteer leaders create and guide monthly trips that foster local program collaborations and help strengthen community relationships with the outdoors nationwide. Outdoor Afro’s additional programs include ‘Making Waves’, a national initiative to teach Black children how to swim and an annual Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California. Mapp’s journey with Outdoor Afro began as a kitchen table blog where she would often write about her experiences in
nature growing up in Oakland. In 2009, Mapp converted the blog into Outdoor Afro. “It’s pretty incredible how we’ve grown from a few volunteer leaders. We have over 100 Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders who are in 33 states in 56 cities. 60,000 people who are getting out with us hiking, biking, camping, you name it. In the outdoors, in community learning new things, overcoming fears and anxieties that transform into a love of both nature and community.” Mapp is chairperson of the California State Park and Recreation Commission and vicechair of the governing council of the Wilderness Society. She is a board member of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. Next on Mapp’s agenda is publishing her first book “Nature Swagger” which will be released in November. It is a combination of photos featuring outdoor adventures and compelling stories of Black joy in nature. “When I’m out in nature, the trees don’t know that I’m Black. The birds are going to sing no matter how much money is in my account. Flowers are going to bloom no matter who I voted for. I think we can learn a lot from nature about how to BE.” See a list of cities where Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders are hosting adventures in nature near you.
Thursday, August 4, 2022
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GOVERNMENT/BUSINESS/FINANCIAL NEWS
As Gun Violence Rise, Congressional Committee Plans Hearing with Gun Manufacturers By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The Biden Administration promised to continue to use “all of the tools at its disposal” to address the epidemic of gun violence. (Pictured: Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D-NY]) A congressional oversight committee has planned a hearing to examine the role of the firearms industry in America’s gun violence epidemic. Hosted by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the July 27 hearing also will seek steps Congress can take to hold manufacturers accountable. In June, President Joe Biden celebrated the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which he called the most significant gun violence reduction legislation to pass Congress in 30 years. “Make no mistake about it, this legislation is real progress, but more has to be done,” Biden declared. The bill enhances background checks for gun buyers under 21, provides billions of dollars for mental health services, and gives $750 million to states to incentivize crisis intervention programs. It also ensures that individuals convicted of domestic violence can’t buy a weapon for at least five years. After most mass shootings, social media fills up with posts about thoughts and prayers from lawmakers and others. Biden appeared to recognize that in his speech Monday. “Will we match thoughts and prayers with action? I say yes, and that’s what we’re doing here today,” Biden declared. The Biden Administration promised to continue to use “all of the tools at its disposal” to address the epidemic of gun violence. Biden’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget proposes $32 billion in additional funding to fight crime, including $20.6 billion in discretionary funding for federal law enforcement and state and local law enforcement and crime prevention programs, an increase of 11 percent over FY22 enacted ($18.6 billion) and 18 percent over
FY21 enacted ($17.5 billion). “With more than 300 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, and gun violence now the leading cause of death of children in America, it is clear that we are in a public health epidemic,” Maloney stated. On May 26, following the mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, the committee sent letters to gun manufacturers Daniel Defense, LLC, Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., and other manufacturers. The letters requested information on the sale and marketing of AR15-style semiautomatic rifles and similar firearms, including revenue and profit information, internal data on deaths or injuries caused by weapons they manufacture, and marketing and promotional materials. On June 8, 2022, the committee held a hearing with survivors and affected family members from the mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York. On July 7, following the Independence Day shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, Maloney sent letters to the CEOs of several gun manufacturers requesting their appearance at a committee hearing on gun violence. “Our hearing will examine the role of gun manufacturers in flooding our communities with weapons of war and fueling America’s gun violence crisis,” Maloney continued. “It is long past time for the gun industry to be held accountable for the carnage they enable and profit from.” The committee will livestream the hearing on YouTube and the Committee on Oversight and Reform website.
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Padilla Urges Biden Administration to Extend Student Loan Payment Pause...continued from page 2
Scholars and Experts Make Case to Expand Supreme Court; Abolish Electoral College...continued
“For over two years, the Department has provided critical flexibility to millions of federal student loan borrowers by pausing payments, as many have struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic. This much needed pause has helped many borrowers to keep a roof over their heads, secure childcare, and purchase food, health care, and medicine during the course of a pandemic responsible for the deaths of more than 1 million people in the U.S.,” wrote more than 100 lawmakers to President Joe Biden and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “For the first time, many borrowers have had the opportunity to pay down debt, open a savings account, purchase a home, and save for retirement—none of which would have been possible without the payment pause.” The lawmakers emphasized how resuming student loan payments would force millions of borrowers to choose between paying their loans or putting a roof over their heads, food on the table, or paying for childcare and health care—while costs continue to rise and while yet another COVID-19 variant increases hospitalizations nationwide. “Despite significant decreases over the last month, gas prices are still high, and many borrowers still have to pay exorbitant amounts each week in order to commute to their jobs. Food prices remain high, as suppliers contend with ongoing supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine. We still
College, and Democrats, while in the majority, should act. “Republicans use every weapon at their disposal against Democrats, but Democrats tend to behave like someone bringing a tennis racket to a knife fight,” stated Bike, the author of Winning Political Campaigns, a how-to guide on political campaigning. “So, Democrats expanding the Supreme Court would be a weapon seldom used before in American history, but without it, the extreme right will continue taking away Americans’ rights,” Bike asserted. “They’re coming after Miranda, birth control, gay marriage, homosexuality, and possibly interracial marriage and racial equality. “The negative to expanding the Supreme Court is that once the Democrats do it, the next Republican president will do it, then the next Democratic president. Eventually, the Supreme Court would become as big as a legislature. But it’s a chance Democrats must take if they want to protect basic rights.” Georgetown University graduate Tim Rosenberger Jr., who’s completing a JD/MBA at Stanford University, said expanding the high court can improve America. H o w e v e r, e l i m i n a t i n g the Electoral College could hamper the country’s ability to preserve minority rights and ensure ongoing dynamism. “Americans benefit from having smaller states that can be laboratories for innovation,” Rosenberger stated. “Justice Antonin Scalia once noted the oddity of how nonrepresentative the Supreme Court is,” Rosenberger noted. “Every New York borough but Staten Island had a seat on the
have a significant childcare crisis throughout the country, which has caused already-high costs to spike to 40% of their prepandemic levels,” the lawmakers added. “Low-income borrowers, Black and Brown borrowers, and women borrowers still face severe financial hardships as COVID-19 continues to infect individuals throughout the country and exacerbate existing inequities.” The lawmakers concluded by pointing out how resuming student loan payments at this moment would further complicate administrative actions already underway at the U.S. Department of Education. All federal student loan borrowers are in limbo as they await upcoming actions from the Department of Education or their federal student loan servicer. Padilla has consistently called on the Biden administration to extend the student loan payment pause and to deliver relief to student borrowers. He co-led a letter urging the Biden administration to extend the payment pause and cancel student debt and introduced the Student Debt Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, which would honor the sacrifices of frontline workers during the pandemic by forgiving their student and professional training loan debt. In April, he also joined Senator Menendez and other colleagues in calling on the Departments of Education and Justice to follow through on their pledge to improve the handling of student debt bankruptcy claims.
Scholars and Experts Make Case to Expand Supreme Court; Abolish Electoral College By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Historians noted that officials created the Electoral College to give slave states more power and to keep an agent of England’s King George from becoming president. The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has raised concerns from women regarding bodily autonomy and palpable fear that other long-held rights may also be in jeopardy. And with the ongoing hearings surrounding the January 6 insurrection and the attempt by former President Donald Trump to change the outcome of the 2020 election, momentum has increased in favor of abolishing the long-standing Electoral College. A growing number of Americans reportedly believe that expanding the court and ridding elections of the Electoral College are keys to preserving democracy in America. This month, a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced the Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022 (ECRA) to ensure that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state’s public vote for president. “Adding more justices to Supreme Court and abolishing the Electoral College both help to give the majority of Americans the ability to have a say in what’s going on in their country,” said H.R. Bellicosa, the author of The Punishings, a novel about a world without abortion rights.
“We are headed toward minority rule if we’re not there already. Overturning Roe is a deeply unpopular opinion, but with a conservative majority on the court, the justices were able to further their theocratic agenda,” Bellicosa stated. “More justices would combat that. The Electoral College has given us two recent presidents who did not win the popular vote – [George W. Bush and Trump]. America is under threat of being ruled by a deeply unpopular minority, and steps must be taken to mitigate that.” A change.org petition has garnered more than 103,000 signatures from individuals desiring to abolish the Electoral College, a system established in the 1800s and resulted in the infamous “three-fifths compromise” in which threefifths of an enslaved Black person would count toward allocating electors and representatives. The U.S. Constitution holds that whoever wins the electoral vote claims the presidency during presidential elections even if the candidate fails to win the popular vote. Further, historians noted that officials created the Electoral College to give slave states more power and to keep an agent of England’s King George from becoming president. Neither situation rises as pertinent in the 21st Century, said historian and political scientist William S. Bike. Bike said he believes it’s time to get rid of the Electoral continued in last 2 columns
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court for a time. At the same time, not one protestant, the prevailing American religion, sat on the court. Both the Supreme Court and the D.C. Circuit should start having geographically assigned seats with seats traditionally, if not explicitly, aligning with one person from each of the larger geographic circuits.” Rosenberger continued: “Eliminating the electoral college would overly concentrate political power in large urban centers and move America away from a diverse and complicated social and political tapestry.” Content Writer Elena Zimmerman added that the benefits of expanding the Supreme Court in its current state are impossible to miss. “Whatever the intentions were with the decision to appoint 9 judges, it would be difficult for anyone to argue the idea in mind was for one political party to appoint 66 percent of the justices of the most powerful judicial body in the country while systematically excluding the choices of elected presidents in the opposing party while in office,” Zimmerman stated. “It would also be difficult for anyone to argue that it should be acceptable for new potential justices to lie during their confirmation hearings about their intentions to rule if appointed. “Expanding the court during a democratic president’s tenure and with an evenly divided Senate could potentially balance this inequality of partisan power.” Zimmerman further concluded that there’s “no longer a benefit to the Electoral College.” “Particularly when it can be used exclusively to the benefit of only one party to override the popular vote,” she insisted.
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FTC Takes Action to Stop Online Home Buying Firm Opendoor Labs, Inc. from Cheating Potential Sellers with Misleading Claims about its Home-Buying Service Company Will Have to Pay $62 Million and Stop Deceiving Consumers about the Supposed Benefits of its Service Business/Financial News The Federal Trade Commission today took action against online home buying firm Opendoor Labs Inc., for cheating potential home sellers by tricking them into thinking that they could make more money selling their home to Opendoor than on the open market using the traditional sales process. The FTC alleged that Opendoor pitched potential sellers using misleading and deceptive information, and in reality, most people who sold to Opendoor made thousands of dollars less than they would have made selling their homes using the traditional process. Under a proposed administrative order, Opendoor will have to pay $62 million and stop its deceptive tactics. “Opendoor promised to revolutionize the real estate market but built its business using old-fashioned deception about how much consumers could earn from selling their homes
on the platform,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “There is nothing innovative about cheating consumers.” Opendoor, headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, operates an online real estate business that, among other things, buys homes directly from consumers as an alternative to consumers selling their homes on the open market. Advertised as an “iBuyer,” Opendoor claimed to use cutting-edge technology to save consumers money by providing “market-value” offers and reducing transaction costs compared with the traditional home sales process. Opendoor’s marketing materials included charts comparing their consumers’ net proceeds from selling to Opendoor versus on the market. Those charts almost always showed that consumers would make thousands of dollars continued on page 8
Thursday, August 4, 2022
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LOCAL NEWS/ ENTERTAINMENT
Domestic Violence Group Honors COMMENTARY: New Las Vegas Raiders President is Female, Community Advocates From Around Black, AND Asian The State By Emil Guillermo Edward Henderson | California Black Media
Colsaria Henderson Dr. Amber Gray
Cat Brooks
LaRae Cantley
As the ink dries on the California state budget recently signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, many special interest organizations are deep into planning for how they could use funds allocated towards their respective causes. While some have been left frustrated by the omission of their initiatives from the state spending plan, their important work in California communities continues. The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV), a coalition representing over 1,000 survivors, advocates, organizations, and allied individuals, was one of the organizations whose proposal for funding was omitted from the budget. Nonetheless, they remain dedicated to seeking recognition for individuals and organizations that are creating safe havens and
providing services for individuals affected by domestic violence, the group’s leadership says. At their annual membership meeting, they presented the ‘2022 Partnership Awards’, a ceremony honoring seven women who have challenged root causes of domestic violence and infused equity into the ways they’ve engaged survivors and communities. LaRae Cantley (recipient of the Bravery Award) advises the nation’s largest U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD Continuum of Care, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), on the creation of their lived experience boards. With deep roots in Los Angeles, Cantley’s voice has been heard continued in last 2 columns
I confess to being a Raiders fan from a very early age. Even though I was born and raised in San Francisco, as a young boy I cheered Clem Daniels at Frank Youell Field. Old School. Then Daryl Lamonica. Then Kenny Stabler. Warren Wells. Gene Upshaw. Hewritt Dixon. George Atkinson. George Blanda. I loved them all. When they left Oakland the first time, they broke my heart. When they came back, I bought season tickets and broke my bank. And then they left again and broke my heart for good. I started rooting for the 49ers. I know, blasphemy. But I always keep an eye on the Las Vegas Raiders. And on July 7, 2022, when they announced a new president, I took a double take. She looked like a Filipina. To me, she clearly had some Asian blood. But then they announced her, Sandra Douglas Morgan, and all the stories had some variation of this line: “Morgan becomes the first Black woman in NFL history to ascend to the title of team president.” Almost every story I found heralded her Blackness. Hooray.
Only it was partially true. From what I found, only NBC News with California homeboy Lester Holt had the story with all the facts. Morgan was Black. But as my Asian radar suggested, she was also Asian. Not Filipino, but Korean. NBC showed a picture of her mother. We’ve been here before. When something great happens to a mixed-race person, why do we ignore the mix? The Raiders in Las Vegas are trying so hard to be modern and “progressive” (for the NFL). You’ll recall the team gave Colin Kaepernick a tryout. So why doesn’t a forwardthinking team in Las Vegas, one of the most diverse cities in the nation, just come out and announce that Morgan is both Black and Asian? Is it because we don’t want to see the Asian parts? Is it the wrong suit in a game where Black trumps? As I’ve said, we’ve been here before. Kamala Harris is from the East Bay. Her Black father was mostly absent from her life, and her mother, an Asian-Indian UC cancer researcher, was dominant in her
REVIEW: ‘Nope’ is a Yes! — Peele Delivers with Follow-Up NNPANEWSWIRE — Jordan Peele delivers with Nope, a film set on the margins of Hollywood, focusing on the family of the Black jockey captured in the early films of trailblazing photographer and filmmaker Eadweard Muybridge. By incorporating Muybridge’s short film, “The Horse in Motion,” Peele elevates the importance of Black jockeys in the many aspects of American culture and the significance of the Black presence and influence at the beginning of Hollywood. By Nsenga K. Burton Ph.D
Jordan Peele does it again, making a must-see film that will be talked about in film classes, the barbershop, dinner tables, Hollywood, and the like for many years to come. Jordan Peele has been compared to horror and psychological thriller giant Alfred Hitchcock and science-fiction legend Steven Spielberg, but Peele is in a league of his own. Peele’s masterful ability to merge two beloved film genres, with social commentary on issues of race, gender, class, and sexuality is unparallel in the current filmic landscape. Initially celebrated for his comedic chops, Peele burst onto the horror scene with his cult-classic horror Get Out (2017) and followed-up with the scary and often meandering Us (2019). Both films used symbolism brilliantly and succeeded as horror films because the monsters were familiar characters, symbolic of society and played by characters who look and feel like us. There is an otherworldliness about Peele’s films that traffic in the mundane, to highlight the complexity of the precariousness of a world driven by a perverse
need for power, influence, and capital. Peele humanizes those who live on the margins or the underbelly of the society and brilliantly recasts their lives into the horror show that is often America and what it means to live on the margins of society while the tokenism and appropriation of your culture is center stage. Peele delivers with Nope, a film set on the margins of Hollywood, focusing on the family of the Black jockey captured in the early films of trailblazing photographer and filmmaker Eadweard Muybridge. By incorporating Muybridge’s short film, “The Horse in Motion,” Peele elevates the importance of Black jockeys in the many aspects of American culture and the significance of the Black presence and influence at the beginning of Hollywood. The Haywood family is a Black family that has worked as horse wranglers for Hollywood for over
a century. They are the descendants of the Black jockey showcased in the Muybridge film and are still stuck in the same position as their ancestors despite the change in time and ostensibly space. Keith David plays Otis Haywood, Sr., the patriarch of the Haywood clan who is hell bent on maintaining his ancestor’s greatest dream. Daniel Kaluuya stars as Otis, Jr. (OJ), who works with his father and is unimpressed by the movie business or the jackasses who permeate filmmaking culture. Although OJ, who is Black, is the expert on the movie set, he is belittled and demeaned by all of the White folks on set from the director to the production assistants. Keke Palmer stars as Emerald, the free-spirited daughter who plays to the hostile audience, literally listing all of her skills and abilities as she performs servitude. The audience knows if Emerald was white, the offspring of Hollywood royalty, and working with all of those skills, Emerald would be the star or director of the film and calling the shots. Such is not the case with the Haywood clan, who is relegated and reminded of their position on the lower rungs of society and Hollywood throughout the film. Desperate for money and fame after being kicked off set, the Haywood family decides to capture the greatest spectacle ever – unidentified flying objects (UFOs), now called unidentified
aerial phenomena (UAPs). OJ and Emerald set out to photograph and record the alien life that is omnipresent yet largely ignored by those who live with them on the outskirts of Hollywood. Instead of engaging scientists or the government, the Haywoods set out to do it themselves so they can reap the financial rewards and adoration of an industry and public that has little to no use for them otherwise. The Haywoods embody the “find a way or make one,” spirit of Black independent cinema and literally create and capture the story that was always worth telling but undervalued by Hollywood and society. Along the way, they pick up Angel (Brandon Perea), a techie with an obsession with outer space and Antlers (Michael Wincott), a maverick cinematographer who is still chasing cinematic glory in spite of his elite status in the industry. Antlers, who insists he captures images, but is not part of the story, disposes of his philosophy, deciding to be part of the spectacle and jeopardizes the entire shoot and lives in a harrowing scene. One of the most interesting parts of the film is the number of Easter Eggs (intertextual references) strewn throughout the narrative. In fact, it is an intertextual reference to 1980s sitcoms that is most harrowing and provides the context and strongest symbolism of tokenism continued in next 2 columns
upbringing. Still, Harris publicly identified as Black most of her life. Through her time as a politico in San Francisco, to her rise as attorney general for the state, to her announcement in Oakland seeking the nomination for president, Harris was always Black first. I always noticed. And wrote about it in the Asian American media. When did things change? When she was selected as the vicepresidential running mate of Joe Biden. And then, of course, when they won and were inaugurated. How many times did you see the phrase, “First African American, first Asian American, first woman to be vice president of the United States.” It was American diversity history. Reporters stumbled over how to get it right. And now, because human nature is what it is, most people have stumbled back to convention. Kamala? Oh, she’s Black. But it’s not just Kamala. Tiger Woods has always had this problem. When he came on the scene with his first Masters victory in 1997, stories hailed him as the “Black man in a green jacket,” or “the Black man in a white man’s game.” The column I wrote, published later in my book “Amok,” pointed out calling Tiger “Black” is once again, just half right. His mom is from Thailand. Tiger described his mix as “Cablanasian.” That made people smile but never stuck. And now as he slumps back from missing the cut at the British Open, Tiger is back to Black.
Why is this all important? There’s accuracy of course, but it shows we have never been comfortable with mixed-race kids and what to call them. But since 2010, the multiracial population has grown from 9 million to 33.8 million people, a 276% increase according to the 2020 Census. I know mixed-race kids. I made a few of them. I prefer they say they are Asian because they are. But their mom is white. But that doesn’t show. They get passed over and face both subtle and not so subtle discrimination all the time. The Jewish faith offers a guide. It believes that what defines you passes by way of your mother. Hence Kamala, Tiger, and yes Saundra Douglas Morgan would be Asian. But in America, the Census uses a “you are what you say you are” basis. Is it just easier to say Black and leave it at that? And ignore Asian? Maybe until someone points it out. Here’s a vote for being accurate and fair. When Saundra Douglas Morgan made history, we all should honor our diverse America where we can be Black and Asian and anything else. Proudly. Especially when we make history together. Emil Guillermo is a veteran journalist and commentator. His work is on http://www.amok.com The post COMMENTARY: New Las Vegas Raiders President is Female, Black, AND Asian first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.
Domestic Violence Group Honors Community Advocates From Around The State...continued across the state and nationwide in her systems change work. “I’m living proof of how the truth will bring a change about you,” Cantley reflected upon hearing the news of her award. “The organization I’m working with, the Full Frame Initiative, continues to pursue brave efforts as we partner to build a world where everyone has a fair shot at wellbeing.” Dr. Amber Gray (recipient of the Equity Award), of Lake Elsinore started the Volunteer Services Unit at Gray's Trauma-Informed Care Services Corp, which allows individuals to earn volunteer hours while resourcing domestic violence agencies with the staffing they need. Her organization focuses on educating providers with the
R E V I E W: Delivers
latest evidence-based research for trauma-informed care. She has worked in violence prevention and intervention for 26, years. Cat Brooks (recipient of the Partnership Award), of Oakland leads the Anti Police-Terror Project and Justice Teams Network, providing survivor-centered interventions designed to decrease criminalization and focused on ending cycles of violence. Colsaria Henderson (recipient of the Karen Cooper Beloved Community Award), of Newark is a leader in local, statewide, and national anti-violence, anti-poverty, and racial justice advocacy efforts. As Board President of CPEDV, she helps ensure that a diverse continued on page 8
‘ N o p e ’ i s a Ye s ! — P e e l e with Follow-Up...continued
and what that means for people of color pursuing the Hollywood dream. Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun) is a former child star who survived a merciless attack by a chimpanzee named Gordy during the taping of a hit 1980s sitcom. Jupe now runs Jupiter’s Claim, a Western-themed amusement park, pulling in an audience that would probably be at Disneyland if they could afford it. Instead, Jupiter’s Claim fits the bill, and Jupe who survived the brutality of the attack and the tokenism of Hollywood, clings to his desire to be the star of the show. While he appears to work with OJ in taking horses off of his hands to keep the horse farm going until OJ can afford to buy them back, Jupe actually works
against his closest ally in order to create a spectacle for attendees at the expense of all involved. Nope is a commentary on so many things – the environment, animal cruelty, racism, sexism, heterosexism, the entertainment industry – and shows how all of those things are interconnected in shaping who we are as a society. It’s the intersectionality for me. With a storyline told through a historical lens that interrogates society and the people who make up this world and the next, strong performances and a brilliant use of camp and other comedic tools, Peele does it again, making a mustsee film that will be talked about in film classes, the barbershop, dinner tables, Hollywood, and the like for many years to come.
Thursday, August 4, 2022
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LEGALS/CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN20220006700 Date Filed 07/18/2022 Filing Expires On: 07/18/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): TIRE KINGS LLC County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 1180 E BASELINE ST SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92410 Name of Individual Registrant: Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.:TIRE KINGS LLC State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./ Org./Reg. No.: 202250713079 Residence Street Address: 1180 E BASELINE ST SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92410 This business is/was conducted by: A Limited Liability Company Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Not Applicable Craig King, Managing Partner, 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 July 28, August 4, 11, 18, 2022. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20220006432 Date Filed 07/06/2022 Filing Expires On: 07/06/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): CUSTOM TEEZ County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 14400 BEAR VALLEY RD K14 VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Mailing Address: 3801 E PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY APT 210 LONG BEACH, CA 90804 # of Employees: 1 Name of Individual Registrant: Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: FK TRADING INC State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./ Org./Reg. No.: 3978880 Residence Street Address: 1555 MESA VERDE DRIVE E APT 38 C COSTA MESA, CA 92626 This business is/was conducted by: A Corporation Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Apr 01, 2022 Fady Khalifa. CEO, 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 July 28, August 4, 11, 18, 2022. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN20220006466 Date Filed 07/07/2022 Filing Expires On: 07/07/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): OAK HILLS KENNELS County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 7184 YOSEMITE RD OAK HILLS, CA 92344 Mailing Address: 13312 RANCHERO RD #674 OAK HILLS, CA 92344 Number of Employees: 2 Name of Individual Registrant: LISA M. SHOOTS 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: 7184 YOSEMITE RD OAK HILLS, CA 92344 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 29, 2021 Lisa M. Shoots, President, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct. NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper July 14,21, 28, August 4, 2022. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20220006315 Date Filed 06/30/2022 Filing Expires On: 06/30/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): TRUSTED GUIDANCE County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 14393 PARK AVE SUITE 200 VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Mailing Address: 12266 FARNDON AVE CHINO, CA 91710 Name of Individual Registrant: MIA G TORRES 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: 12266 FARNDON AVE CHINO, CA 91710 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 Mia G Torres, 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 July 21, 28, August 4, 11, 2022. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN20220006360 Date Filed 07/01/2022 Filing Expires On: 07/01/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): PROFESSIONAL TEMP County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business:
20786 BEAR VALLEY RD., UNIT F APPLE VALLEY, CA 92308 Mailing Address: 4204 SANTO TOMAS DR., APT C LOS ANGELES, CA 90008 Name of Individual Registrant: SHAPRI F. HAWES 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: 4204 SANTO TOMAS DR APT C LOS ANGELES, CA 90008 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Jun 26, 2022 Shapri F. Hawes, 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 July 14, 21, 28, August 4, 2022. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FBN20220006634 Date Filed 07/13/2022 Filing Expires On: 07/13/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): KME FIRE APPARATUS County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 14562 MANZANITA DRIVE FONTANA, CA 92335 Name of Individual Registrant: Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: KOVATCH MOBILE EQUIPMENT CORP. State of Inc./Org./Reg.: PA Inc./Org./Reg. No.: 2882686 Residence Street Address: 245 S. EXECUTIVE DRIVE, SUITE 100 BROOKFIELD, WI 53005 This business is/was conducted by: A Corporation Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Jun 01, 2022 Stephen W. Boettinger, Secretary /SVP/ General Counsel, 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 July 21, 28, August 4, 11, 2022. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT ABANDONMENT FBN20220006622 County of Current Filing SAN BERNARDINO Date of Current Filing 05/16/2019 File No. FBN20190006036 Date Filed 07/13/2022 Filing Expires On: 07/13/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): CAT 14 TRUCKING County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 13768 FOXFIRE RD. VICTORVILLE, CA 92392 Mailing Address: 12272 ROSWELL AVE CHINO, CA 91710 Name of Individual Registrant: DEMAR E RIVERA 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: 13768 FOXFIRE RD 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: Not Applicable Demar E Rivera, 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 July 21, 28, August 4, 11, 2022. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20220006798 Date Filed 07/20/2022 Filing Expires On: 07/20/2027 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): ENHANCING MINDS COACHING SERVICES County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 12482 SILKLEAF AVE CHINO, CA 91710 Number of Employees: 1 Name of Individual Registrant: DJUAN 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: 12482 SILKLEAF AVE CHINO, CA 91710 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Jul 25, 2017 Djuan 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 July 28, August 4, 11, 18, 2022. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVBA 2200236 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: LETICIA ULLOA filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. KAITLYN ULLOA RAMIREZ to Proposed name: KAITLYN ULLOA 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: 8/15/22 Time 1:30 p.m. Dept.: B2 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 235 East Mountain View St. 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 July 14, 21, 28, August 4, 2022. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CIVSB 2214485 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: MAKAILA MARIE HESS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: a. MAKAILA MARIE HESS to Proposed name: HARPER LEE MCCURDY 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: 9/07/22 Time 8:30 a.m. Dept.: S17 The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 Court-Civil Division 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: June 27, 2022 John M. Pacheco Judge Of The Superior Court Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper August 4, 11, 18, 25, 2022.
PETITION/PROBATE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ROBERT T. CASTILLO aka ROBERTO T. CASTILLO CASE NO: PROSB 2200878
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: ROBERT
T. CASTILLO aka ROBERTO T. CASTILLO
A Petition For Probate has been filed by: MARIA REYES and in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO. The Petition For Probate requests that: MARIA REYES 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: August 24, 2022 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept: S37 Superior Court Of California, County Of San Bernardino 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415 San Bernardino 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: Andy Epstein, Esq. 15615 Alton Parkway, Suite 450 Irvine, CA 92618 (619)846-7369 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper July 28, August 4, 11, 2022.
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: PAULETTE ROBINSON CASE NO: PROSB 2200129
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: PAULETTE
ROBINSON
A Petition For Probate has been filed by: RUTH L. HENRICKS and in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO. The Petition For Probate requests that: RUTH L. HENRICKS 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: September 28, 2022 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept: S37 Superior Court Of California, County Of San Bernardino 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415 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 25757 Redlands Blvd. Redlands, CA 92373-8453 (909)796-6881 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper August 4, 11, 18, 2022.
SUMMONS SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER(Número del Caso): CIVSB2122449 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): MI A KO, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online 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 SAN BERNARDINO, 247 WEST THIRD STREET, SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92415-0210 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): CLAUDIA GAVRILESCU, ESQ. (CA BAR NO.: 333030), REESE LAW GROUP, 3168 Lionshead Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010; 760/842-5850 (File No. 565037) DATE (Fecha): 8/20/2021 Clerk (Secretario), by FELIX GARZA, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL) 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11/22 CNS-3605437# THE SAN BERNARDINO AMERICAN
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Thursday, August 4, 2022
Page 6
LIFESTYLE/RELIGION/NATIONAL
Crossing the line: So goes the head; so goes the tail by Larry Buford
Don’t you hate it when people cheat? How does it make you feel when somebody cuts ahead in line as you patiently wait your turn? How do you feel when someone cheats in a card or board game? I once attended a company picnic and participated in the sack race. It came down to the company director and another employee in the final stretch. When the director saw that he was about to lose, he crossed over and bumped the employee causing him to stumble. Yes, the director crossed the finish line first, but there was no honor nor glory in the feat. As we watched, some laughed it off as all in fun, but what signal was the director sending out? We hear it a lot these days that “rules are made to be broken” and in some situations, that may very well be; but in general, rules are set in place for the overall good. When it comes to the threat of innocent people losing life or limb, that’s another matter. Take for instance a reckless driver who ignores the lines, the traffic signals, and guardrails. That driver is not only jeopardizing their own safety, but also the safety of others. Corporate or company rules
serve as the guidelines to frame an expectation of behavior and conduct. When we sign a contract, an agreement, or take an oath, it is a legal binder that holds us accountable to abide by a certain set of governing rules and procedures; and any violation thereof is called an infraction. Usually in business, depending on the severity of the infraction, management may engage an employee in what’s known as progressive discipline which allows the employee a chance to correct their ways. If the employee fails to do so within an established period of time (30, 60, 90 days), they can justifiably be terminated. Seems these days, lack of integrity is abounding in the highest places, and trickling down to the lowest. How difficult it is to maintain personal integrity, when everyone around you is not. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV) reads: [“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”] If leadership is openly committing infractions, what can be expected of the rank and file? So goes the head; so goes the tail. Larry S. Buford
WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #1110
Do Mean to Interrupt Thaddaeus Elliott My advocacy for criminal justice reform is driven by my 24-year-old cousin, Matthew. He’s the youngest and the most loving of my grandparents’ five grandchildren. He’s incarcerated, serving a ten-year sentence in an Ohio state prison (after three years in juvenile detention) for an assault he participated in as a teenager who had barely started high school. It wasn’t a unique set of circumstances that brought him to where he is today. Matthew— like thousands of people living in communities lacking access to food, housing, healthcare, education, employment, and physical safety—got caught up in a gang because it was the only path he could see for himself at the time. But Matthew is no longer that misguided 14-yearold. He’s older, wiser, repentant, and already serving as a positive influence on his fellow prisoners. I believe Matthew is suited to become a violence interrupter. What is a violence interrupter? Violence interrupters are outreach workers paid and trained in the public health approach to violence intervention. They are most often formerly incarcerated individuals who have engaged in the violence damaging their community. This lived experience and their standing ties to the neighborhoods they work in lends them credibility and trust. Interrupters detect and intervene in potentially violent conflicts through mediation and de-escalation. Interrupters do more than mediate conflicts. They build relationships with high-risk individuals to steer them
away from violence by speaking to them in their language and discussing the costs. Interrupters can also function as caseworkers, connecting the people they work with to support and social services. They also engage and organize the wider community to change norms that promote violence. All these strategies together can stop the spread of violence by providing alternatives to entering the drug trade and preventing retaliation. Research suggests that programs like Cure Violence are effective in reducing violent incidents like shootings and can serve as a community-based violence intervention alternative to increased policing. These programs are usually nonprofits primarily funded by the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention through the CommunityBased Violence Intervention Demonstration Program, but they can also receive funding from local and state governments. However, the potential to expand the use of violence interrupters is limited, because funds usually come out of a larger budget line dedicated to many different antiviolence approaches. The amount of money that goes toward these programs can fluctuate as interest waxes and wanes, which can be an impediment to their effectiveness. Interrupters themselves are at high risk of falling victim to the violence they are trying to prevent, as they enter hotspots unarmed. They require proper training as well as continued in next 2 columns
Do Mean to Interrupt...continued technical and mental health support in carrying out their work, and they also need to earn a living wage. We can cover these costs and expand these programs by advocating that violence interrupters be given their own budget line and dedicated funding in the federal budget. Violence interruption is a model of violence prevention that
embodies God’s ways of restorative justice. It is an approach that does not only offer repair to harmed communities, but also opportunity for the redemption of those who have inflicted harm and their reintegration into the community. Thaddaeus Elliott is the Justice and Peace Fellow for the United Church of Christ.
“Soon and Very Soon Change is Coming!” By: Lou Yeboah
Lou Yeboah For, Thus Saith the Lord: “Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. “I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. [Malachi 4:1-3, 5]. Listen and take heed. “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because your salvation is nearer now than when you first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. Put aside the deeds of darkness and put
on the armor of light.” [Romans 13:11-12] Because I tell you, soon and very soon change is coming! Just imagine what it will be like when the hand of God will begin to plague the ungodly, when He will pour out all the vials of His wrath upon you and crush you with His power. What will happen to you when God says, “I will remove my adversaries and severely punish my enemies.” I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue” [Psalm 50:22]. Do not trifle with it, repent while it is still daybreak. Because the longer God’s arm is uplifted, the more terrible will be the blow when He finally strikes. I tell you, it is in great love that He restrains His wrath, for He is “slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. But, just like a torrent that is dammed up for a while, gathers force and strength, and every hour in which it is kept back it gets to be more irresistible, so it is with “the coming wrath” when it finally comes upon you. Do not take God’s forbearance for granted, because even though the wrath is delayed for a while, it will surely come. Consider this, you who forget God.
IN MEMORIAM: Basketball Legend Bill Russell Dies at 88 NNPA NEWSWIRE — Russell, who won 11 NBA titles as a player and two as a player-coach, died “peacefully” with his wife, Jeannine, at his side, a statement on social media said: “…Bill’s wife, Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Perhaps you’ll relive one or two of the golden moments he gave us or recall his trademark laugh as he delighted in explaining the real story behind how those moments unfolded.” By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Bill Russell wearing a Boston Celtics jacket in 1957 (Photo: John G. Zimmerman for Sports Illustrated / Wikimedia Commons) Boston Celtics Legend Bill Russell, one of professional basketball’s greatest players and the sport’s most crowned champion, has died at the age of 88. Russell, who won 11 NBA titles as a player and two as a playercoach, died “peacefully” with his wife, Jeannine, at his side, a statement on social media said. Jeannine said funeral arrangements are pending. “But for all the winning, Bill’s understanding of the struggle is what illuminated his life. From boycotting a 1961 exhibition game to unmask toolong-tolerated discrimination, to leading Mississippi’s first integrated basketball camp in the combustible wake of Medgar Evans’ assassination, to decades of activism ultimately recognized
by his receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Bill called out injustice with an unforgiving candor that he intended would disrupt the status quo, and with a powerful example that, though never his humble intention, will forever inspire teamwork, selflessness, and thoughtful change,” the statement read. It continued: “Bill’s wife, Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Perhaps you’ll relive one or two of the golden moments he gave us or recall his trademark laugh as he delighted in explaining the real story behind how those moments unfolded. “And we hope each of us can find a new way to act or speak continued in next 2 columns
IN MEMORIAM: Basketball Legend Bill Russell Dies at 88...continued up with Bill’s uncompromising, dignified, and always constructive commitment to principle. That would be one last and lasting win for our beloved #6.” President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Freedom in 2011, and Russell won five NBA Most Valuable Player awards. He made the All-Star team in 12 of the 13 years he played in the league. The prolific big man finished his career in 1969 with 21,620 career rebounds, an average of 22.5 per game, and led the league in rebounding four times. He grabbed 51 rebounds in one game, 49 in two others, and a dozen consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds. Many viewed Russell as the greatest player in history until Michael Jordan arrived in the 1980s and 1990s and Lebron James in the 2000s. Born in Monroe, Louisiana, in 1934, Russell’s family moved to the San Francisco area, where he attended McClymonds High School in Oakland. He earned a scholarship to play at the University of San Francisco and helped lead the basketball school to an astounding 56 straight wins and back-to-back NCAA titles. As noted by ESPN, Russell was most visible as a color commentator on televised basketball games
for CBS with Rick Barry. Russell later explained in a newspaper article that he never found a comfort zone behind the microphone. “The most successful television is done in eight-second thoughts, and the things I know about basketball, motivation, and people go deeper than that,” Russell told the Sacramento Bee. In 1974, Russell earned election to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1980, he was voted Greatest Player in the History of the NBA by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America. He was part of the 75th Anniversary Team announced by the NBA in October 2021. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, shared the following in a statement releases after learning of Russell’s passing: “The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) salutes the memory and outstanding legacy of Bill Russell. He was the greatest on the NBA basketball court and he was also one of the strongest voices across the nation and world who advocated for freedom justice and equality. The NNPA extends our condolences to the Russell family.”
Think About It: A Commentary By James A. Madison Editor & Publisher, Florida Sun For those who call themselves Christian or a believer of any other religion that believes in the God spoken of in Genesis of the Bible, why would THIS God give so much power to women regarding the birth of a child, if He intended others to exercise control over the woman’s choice to either abort or allow a birth to be completed. It’s not a matter of sanctity of life; rather, a belief in the God of creation, the God of the universe who created everything with a purpose and controls all facets of human endeavor. Society is not responsible for abortion, only the individual woman who finds herself pregnant and wishes to terminate that pregnancy is responsible for the abortion. Some believe abortion is murder, but they do not wish to prosecute the woman; rather, go after medical providers or others who assist in the abortion. Jeremiah 1:5 is often used to justify their objection to a woman choosing to terminate a pregnancy. “ Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” What about Job 3:10-11, when he cried out to God: 10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? And King David, a man after God’s own heart: 2 Samuel 12: 9, 12-18: 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion
to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. 15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. 16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: ,” Church members: Which is the greater sin? Pregnancy only happen to women of a certain age. It’s biological, and can affect the woman’s health. I find it ironic that many who call themselves Christian stand so strongly against abortion when they make no effort to speak out against some of the root causes that would necessitate a woman to seek an abortion. For example, adultery is a sin according to the Bible, even if you just think about. Former President Jimmy Carter admitted he had committed adultery “in his heart” because he had lusted after a woman who was not his wife. In actual physical adultery cases, many seek abortion to avoid embarrassment or to save a marriage. Another example is sexual impropriety which is rampant in society today. According to the Bible any sex outside of marriage is wrong, it is a sin. Should there be a law banning adultery or sex outside of marriage? At one time in this country the government sought to ban alcohol, but soon realized that America’s appetite for alcoholic beverages were too strong for a law prohibiting the use thereof. continued on page 7
Thursday, August 4, 2022
Page 7
WORLD/HEALTH/ADVERTISING
The Unforgettables Foundation in 12 million Californians skip meals or eat less due to unaffordable food prices, Southern California seek to help with reveals study funeral funds sent for Kentucky flood *40% of California adults have skipped or missed meals this year. *This equates to 12,097,375 people. victims *Interactive map showing data in each state. World/Health News
World/Health News
Left to Right: Dr. Moliterno, Tim Evans and Dr. Schell. Drs. Randy Schell and David Moliterno of Lexington, Kentucky’s University of Kentucky Medical School rode from the Canadian border near Bellingham, Washington to San Diego on the Mexico line – 2,400 miles to raise funds for burials assisted by The Unforgettables Foundation (www.unforgettables.org). The Unforgettables Foundation (“TUF”) has a chapter in a few states across the United States, as well as in the province of Ontario in Canada. Based in Redlands, California, of the Inland Empire and Inland Southern California region, the 22-year-old 501 (c) (3) non-profit is unique in its mission to aid and support at-risk, grief-stricken, and cash-strapped parents who are struggling with a child’s funeral costs. The Unforgettables has existing extension affiliates in Ohio, Nevada, Tennessee, as well as, soon in Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, the generation group cares about families. Last summer, Drs. Randy Schell and David Moliterno of Lexington, Kentucky’s University of Kentucky Medical School rode from the Canadian border near Bellingham, Washington to San Diego on the Mexico line – 2,400 miles to raise funds for burials assisted by The Unforgettables Foundation (www.unforgettables.org). It was called Dr. Randy’s Unforgettable Ride 2.0. About a year after Randy’s Ride through the mountains and coast of Washington, Oregon & California during about 30 days in August and September 2021, Kentucky experienced some terrible natural disaster flooding and some children drowned and died. TUF will be doing what it can to help defray the burial
costs for the pending funerals in Kentucky. Volunteers, including Lois Schell, RN and Brooke Pernice, country western/gospel recording artist and chaplain in Kentucky, will be working with the Board of TUF in the headquarter office in California to step up. Says TUF CEO and Founder, a former children’s hospital chaplain in Loma Linda, California, Tim Evans, “We care about families who have lost children and try to help cover some of the funeral costs in order to show that the community cares about the concerns of the parents on a spiritual, emotional, social and financial level. All can donate at www.unforgettables.org”. Drs. Randy Schell and David Moliterno who rode together all the over 2,400 miles of last summer/fall’s Dr. Randy’s Unforgettable Ride 2.0 will be doing an international version in 2022 on the Bamboo Road through Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia called Drs. David & Randy’s Unforgettable Global Ride 1.0. Some of the funds raised will go to setting up the new Kentucky chapter of TUF and in specific to the special Kentucky for Kids special flood crisis fund. Donate at the website at www. unforgettables.org. All donations go to the mission of assisting cash-strapped, at risk and griefstricken parents struggling with the child’s funeral costs.
Think About It: A Commentary...continued from page 6 Likewise, pregnancy is the vehicle in which the human species propagate. Some pregnancies are intended, some are not. Trying to ban abortion is like saying we are banning pregnancy. Sexual intercourse is the process that produces pregnancies. People are not going to stop having sex and if a pregnancy ensues unintentionally, a decision must be made. The child by God’s direction is formed in the woman’ s womb, not the man, Why? Now, the question is who gets to decide. Abortion cannot be banned because, as the woman has control, she can self-abort at any time. The law, at least here in the United States, does not seek to prosecute a woman for terminating a pregnancy. It just baffles me how socalled Christian claim they believe in the God of the Bible, yet, consider Him sleep on the job when it comes to abortion Has it donned on these people that God knew men and women would run amok when it came to sexual behavior which invariably can lead to pregnancy. yet, inspite
of this, He still gave women of the species the power of life or death as it relates to a completed birth. There is a “talking point” that “We”, meaning society as a whole has killed 64 millions babies. First of all, I’m not accepting blame for someone else’s decision What I fail to understand is, if abortion is so egregious, why does God allow this process to continue. Some species lay eggs to produce offsprings. In that case others can exercise control if desired. There are many religions observed in the world today that believe in the God of the Bible, Koran, etc Although religions may vary somewhat in their beliefs, there is one constant, they all agree that each individual will have to answer to their God for their behavior here on earth, whether it be good or bad. There are perhaps many theories as to why women of the human species were given this task, And, society cannot control what God of the universe has uniquely ordained as a woman’s choice, whether good or bad. Think about it.
Inflation has peaked to a 40year high, leading to an overall 12% surge in the cost of groceries in the food-at-home sector, as compared to May last year. From May 2021 to May 2022, this includes a 32.2% increase in the price of eggs; a 14.2% increase in meat, poultry, and fish; and an 11.8% increase in dairy products. Alongside an escalating inflation rate and consumer price increases at the fastest pace since 1981, many people’s salaries are not keeping pace with rising costs of living. When it comes to emergency savings and ‘rainy
day’ funds, many Americans have found that ‘rainy day’ to be right now, instead of a future financial foresight, due to having to keep households fed, afloat, and secure in a time of economic uncertainty. CouponBirds conducted a survey of 3,500 adults (ages 18+) to find out how many have skipped meals entirely or cut down on their food portions due to unaffordable food prices. It was found that overall, 40% of adults in California said they have eaten less food as a result of inflated, unaffordable food prices in 2022 (compared to a national average of
42%). This equates to 12,097,375 people across The Golden State. When these figures were compared across states, West Virginia had the greatest percentage (75%) of respondents who said they have eaten less due to unaffordable food costs (1,074,435 people when compared against population data). Comparatively, this figure was lowest in South Dakota and Wyoming (22% of respondents respectively). A recent study found that with rising inflation, The Aloha State has been hit the hardest, topping the chart at #1 of the top ten
most expensive states in which to live. The CPI was up by 7% here and a half-gallon on milk costs $3.92. The average price of a home in Honolulu, Hawaii is $1,399,439.00 and the average monthly energy bill cost is $369.53. Comparatively, The Green Mountain State placed in position #10 of the top ten most expensive states in which to live, with the CPI up by 7.9% and a half-gallon of milk costing $3.34. The average cost of a home (based on Burlington) is $546,522.00 and the average monthly energy bill costs $233.39.
Therapists Flee Kaiser as Mental Health Patients Languish With the health giant again under scrutiny by California regulators for alleged denial of care, many therapists are leaving for private practice. By Jack Ross and Kristy Hutchings
Credit: Shutterstock When Susan Whitney was a therapist at Kaiser Permanente, her colleagues missed working in prison. Whitney’s co-workers first practiced mental health care in the region’s penitentiaries before joining the state’s largest health care provider. Working conditions for therapists at Kaiser were so deplorable, Whitney says, that her colleagues wanted to go back. “They can provide better care,” says Whitney, who retired from Kaiser in late 2021. “It’s a better work environment.” Mental health practitioners at Kaiser are so overburdened with patients that waiting periods between appointments can be six weeks or more, according to therapists who spoke with Capital & Main. (Industry standards mean therapists outside Kaiser generally see patients on a weekly or biweekly basis, though cases vary.) Now California’s Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) has launched a “nonroutine survey” to determine whether Kaiser is offering adequate behavioral health care. When asked about its access issues, Kaiser points to a nationwide shortage of mental health care practitioners. “The need for mental health care in America has never been greater and at the same time harder to deliver,” Kaiser representatives said in May. “Across the United States, mental health experts have reported the demand for mental health services has increased as much as 30% since the beginning of the pandemic.” “The challenge we face is that all mental health providers are drawing from the same,
limited pool of talent.” ~ Yener Balan, vice president of behavioral health and specialty services, Kaiser Permanente Kaiser says it has prioritized filling hundreds of therapist vacancies in California. “We recently launched a $500,000 recruiting initiative to source and hire clinicians to fill more than 1,000 open mental health clinician positions across Kaiser Permanente, more than 400 of which are in California,” Yener Balan, Kaiser’s vice president of behavioral health and specialty services, told Capital & Main in a March 29 statement. “The challenge we face is that all mental health providers are drawing from the same, limited pool of talent.” Kaiser, whose mental health care deficiencies have been well documented, turned an $8.1 billion profit in 2021, a company record. In 2021, the Fitch credit ratings agency rated Kaiser bonds AA- for the company’s “track record of sound and consistent profitability.” Susan Whitney attributes Kaiser’s staffing shortage to “a combination of greed and the lingering stigma over treating mental health the same as physical health.” “I cannot believe that they would treat physical health issues in the same way,” she says. * * * Emily Ryan, a licensed clinical social worker, began working at Kaiser in Sacramento in 2005. Her caseload at Kaiser was “horrendous,” she says. “I could believe that there is difficulty for them [hiring today], that there’s a shortage of every kind of worker right
now,” she says. “In 2005 there was not. In 2008, when we had the economic crisis, there most certainly was not, and we were having the same exact problems.” Therapist Mickey Fitzpatrick, who worked in the Bay Area town of Pleasanton, says he had caseloads into the hundreds at Kaiser before he left for private practice. “If even a fraction of those new clients wanted to meet as frequently as is recommended, I didn’t have the availability to see folks for multiple weeks to months at a time,” he says. “Ever since mental health started being covered by insurance in the ’60s and ’70s, the incentives have been to avoid enrolling people with mental illness in your plan.” ~ Richard G. Frank, senior fellow, Brookings Institution In rural Kern County, Kaiser employs 35 mental health workers to serve approximately 100,000 Kaiser members, according to data from the National Union of Healthcare Workers. There is no cap on the number of cases therapists can take on, and they face a regular onslaught of new patients. “I have co-workers who’ve worked when they were very ill, but they felt like if they canceled one day, their patients would have to wait another six to eight weeks,” says Whitney. “People are waking up in the middle of the night worrying about patients.” * * * American health plans limit access to mental health care to keep expenses down, according to Richard G. Frank, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and director of the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy. Other health care
organizations have been accused of undermining their mental health care by not hiring enough therapists — or insufficiently reimbursing the ones they do have for counseling sessions — driving an exodus to more lucrative private practice. This is by design, says Frank. Mental health patients are more expensive than physical health patients — not because the cost of care is higher, but because mental health patients tend to come with substantial physical health needs, too. A 2020 study by the consulting company Milliman Inc. reviewed 21 million insurance holders and found that behavioral health patients cost plans 3.5 times more than patients without behavioral health needs. “Ever since mental health started being covered by insurance in the ’60s and ’70s, the incentives have been to avoid enrolling people with mental illness in your plan,” says Frank. Over time, parity laws mandating that health plans offer mental health care on par with their physical health care have grown increasingly strict. On Oct. 8, 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 221, which requires that follow-up appointments for mental health sessions be scheduled within 10 days of the previous session. When asked about proceeding against Kaiser under the new law, the California Attorney General’s Office declined to comment, citing “a potential or ongoing investigation.” Regulation and enforcement of health plans in California falls to the Department of Managed Health Care, which fined Kaiser $4 million in 2013 for overbooking its therapists. Kaiser settled with the DMHC in 2017 following millions of dollars in fines and a litany of enforcement actions imposed against the company. The settlement established a six-point plan to address mental health access issues and forced Kaiser to hire a consultant to oversee the process. A 2021 lawsuit filed against Kaiser by the San Diego City Attorney’s Office alleged that more than 30% of the therapists listed in Kaiser’s directory were not actually available to patients. Following the settlement, Kaiser continued on page 8
Thursday, August 4, 2022
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STATE/COUNTY/POLITICAL NEWS/ADVERTISING
Padilla Introduces Legislation to Protect Doctors from Republicans’ Anti-Abortion Attacks
FTC Takes Action to Stop Online Home Buying Firm Opendoor Labs, Inc. from Cheating Potential Sellers with Misleading Claims about its Home-Buying Service... continued from page 3
State/County News
more by selling to Opendoor. In fact, the complaint states, the vast majority of consumers who sold to Opendoor actually lost thousands of dollars compared with selling on the traditional market, because the company’s offers have been below market value on average and its costs have been higher than what consumers typically pay when using a traditional realtor. The agency’s investigation found that Opendoor also violated the law by misrepresenting that: Opendoor used projected market value prices when making offers to buy homes, when in fact those prices included downward adjustments to the market values; Opendoor made money from disclosed fees, when in reality it made money by buying low and selling high; consumers likely would have paid the same amount in repair costs whether they sold their home through Opendoor or in traditional sales; and consumers likely would have paid less in costs by selling to Opendoor than they would pay in traditional sales. Enforcement Action
Senator Padilla announces legislation to protect abortion care providers from GOP attacks WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) held a press conference to announce the introduction of the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act to protect doctors against Republicans’ non-stop attacks and ensure they can safely provide abortion care in states where it is still legal. The introduction follows Senator Padilla’s visit to Planned Parenthood Los Angeles last week. Republicans’ nonstop-attacks against women’s reproductive freedom have long targeted doctors with state laws like Texas’ SB8, which allows for anyone to bring a lawsuit against an abortion provider. But in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, these attacks have ramped up—with Republican state legislators drafting legislation that would make it a crime to perform an abortion on a state resident even in another state where abortion is legal. And already, Republican politicians are launching non-stop attacks against abortion providers, including Dr. Caitlin Bernard— who is facing legal threats after providing legal abortion care to a 10-year-old rape victim who was forced to cross state lines to seek medical care. Dr. Bernard’s case is emblematic of what abortion providers across the country are facing. The Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act will help protect against these attacks, ensuring that providers in states where abortion remains legal are protected from any efforts to restrict their practice or create uncertainty about their legal liability. “Abortion access is a fundamental right—and California will proudly remain a safe place for people to receive the care they need,” said Senator Padilla. “As Republicans continue to pass cruel legislation rolling back reproductive rights, we must protect health care providers from overreach by anti-abortion states. I urge my colleagues to pass the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act to protect the courageous women and men delivering essential medical care to those who need it.” “Doctors shouldn’t be punished for providing their patients with legal abortion care—full stop. The legal threats, the intimidation, and the non-stop attacks from Republicans against abortion providers are unacceptable, and Democrats are fighting back,” said Senator Murray. “This bill is simple: it protects doctors providing legal abortion care, and ensures they can practice medicine and save lives without threat. It’s urgent that we protect the doctors so many women depend on, so this week we’re calling for unanimous consent to get this done—and Republicans will either stand aside so we can pass this bill, or show once and for all that their
messaging that they ‘don’t want to punish doctors’ is hollow.” “Overturning Roe v. Wade not only jeopardizes the health and wellbeing of women, but it now can throw medical professionals in legal jeopardy even in states that continue to honor a woman’s right to choose,” said Senator Luján. “Having medical professionals subjected to constant fear, persecution, and legal prosecution is wrong and does not create safe environments for patients or caregivers. The Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act is a critical bill to help protect those who are protecting women and their personal medical decisions.” “As MAGA Republicans in Congress continue their efforts to ban abortion nationwide, we’re introducing legislation to protect doctors in states where abortion remains legal from facing prosecution by anti-choice states,” said Senator Rosen. “Nevada is a strongly pro-choice state, and no Nevada doctor should be punished by another state’s restrictive abortion laws simply for doing their jobs and providing health care to women in our state.” “As a full-spectrum OBGYN and abortion provider, I wholeheartedly appreciate the Senate’s effort to create legislation that protects our ability to provide important reproductive healthcare for our patients. I have experienced personal and professional harassment for simply doing my job, including inflammatory and intimidating statements from the highest levels of my home state government and threats of violence from people I have never met. This behavior cannot continue,” said Dr. Caitlin Bernard, who has endorsed the legislation. “Living in a state with one of the highest maternal mortality risks and with a severe shortage of OBGYN specialists, I can say firsthand how much people in my state need the care I and other OBGYNs provide. If we do not stop this statesanctioned harassment, we will lose OBGYNs and health risks will increase substantially. I stand with our Senators to promote the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act to preserve our ability provide important health services in my home state, including abortion care.” “Being an abortion provider means being for our communities, supporting them and providing care in the way they want or need. It also means living with the threat of surveillance, harassment, intimidation and violence from those that seek to eliminate abortion access and harm providers of this care. This is our reality,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, an OBGYN and President & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health. “Considering the long history of harm against abortion providers, I am glad to see Congress introducing the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act. Every person - abortion providers, supporters, staff, every person in our community deserves support and protection. We deserve to what we are trained to do: provide comprehensive reproductive health care that patients need without bias, shame, or stigma. We deserve to provide this essential health care without violence or harassment.”
Opendoor has agreed to a proposed order that requires the company to: Pay $62 million: The order requires Opendoor to pay the
Commission $62 million, which is expected to be used for consumer redress. Stop deceiving potential home sellers: The order prohibits Opendoor from making the deceptive, false, and unsubstantiated claims it made to consumers about how much money they will receive or the costs they will have to pay to use its service. Stop making baseless claims: The order requires Opendoor to have competent and reliable evidence to support any representations made about the costs, savings, or financial benefits associated with using its service, and any claims about the costs associated with traditional home sales. The Commission vote to accept the consent agreement was 5-0. The FTC will publish a description of the consent agreement package in the Federal Register soon. The agreement will be subject to public comment for 30 days, after which the Commission will decide whether to make the proposed consent order final. Instructions for filing comments appear in the published notice. Once processed, comments will be posted on Regulations.gov. NOTE: When the Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force of law with respect to future actions. Each continued in last 2 columns
FTC Takes Action to Stop Online Home Buying Firm Opendoor Labs, Inc. from Cheating Potential Sellers with Misleading Claims about its Home-Buying Service...continued violation of such an order may result in a civil penalty of up to $46,517. The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report
fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.
Domestic Violence Group Honors Community Advocates From Around The State...continued from page 4 coalition strategically unites to promote the shared goal of ending domestic violence in California. Yojo Kim (recipient of the Cultural Responsiveness Award), of San Francisco has provided consistent case management, emotional support and survivor centered advocacy for queer and transgender survivors of domestic violence at the Asian Women's Shelter Lidia Salazar (recipient of the Equity Award) co-facilitates organizing work to end criminalization at Community United Against Violence, as well as programming and communitybased training in Healing Justice that raises consciousness and allyship across the broader San Francisco Bay Area. Her work as an advocate for survivors of violence began 12 years ago in Los Angeles and includes leading a non-profit organization, managing programs, providing counseling to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and hate violence, facilitating support
groups, providing trainings for community members and service providers, and supporting the leadership of LGBT Black and Latinx survivors of violence. Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (recipient of the Bravery Award) was one of the founders of Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County in 1977. Jackson, who served in the California State Senate from 2012 to 2020 representing the 19th District in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, was a steadfast champion for survivors and a range of issues impacting women and girls while in government. “I am most honored to receive this award from you today, thank you so much”. Jackson said as she received her award. “I hope that someday as a result of the work you’re doing, we can end domestic violence” Learn more about The Partnership and the work they are doing in California to fight Domestic Violence.
Therapists Flee Kaiser as Mental Health Patients Languish...continued from page 7 established Connect 2 Care, a system of call centers, to shorten wait times for new mental health patients. Therapists interviewed by Capital & Main said Kaiser created its call centers merely to satisfy regulators, and Connect 2 Care has been criticized by the American Psychological Association. In May of 2022, the agency informed Kaiser of its investigation into the health care giant’s mental health services. “We appreciate the DMHC’s interest and accountability in understanding how we are working to deliver clinically appropriate care to those who rely on us for their mental health services,” Kaiser wrote in a statement. “Kaiser Permanente is meeting California’s regulatory standard for initial appointments for mental health and wellness on average more than 90% of the time. We encourage therapists to document treatment recommendations, including both initial appointments and followup appointment frequency, and to escalate any challenges in scheduling to their manager, per the established process.” Kaiser’s network of mental health practitioners may be even less robust than the numbers it touts. A 2021 lawsuit filed against Kaiser by the San Diego City Attorney’s Office alleged that more than 30% of the therapists listed in Kaiser’s directory were not actually available to patients: Some were listed with the wrong contact information, some had retired, some were not practicing within Kaiser’s network, and some were not practicing altogether. “Kaiser’s grossly inaccurate provider directories harm their own customers’ personal health, as well as their pocketbooks, while unlawfully and unfairly enabling the company to shed more costly enrollees to the detriment of its
market competitors,” the city of San Diego asserted in its lawsuit. San Diego also filed lawsuits against two other major providers, Molina Healthcare of California and Health Net, for maintaining inaccurate directories of mental health care practitioners. * * * Data from the National Union of Healthcare Workers, which represents Kaiser therapists, found practitioners have left Kaiser in steadily increasing numbers over the last three years: From June 2019 to November 2020, 469 practitioners left Kaiser, with annual turnover rates hovering around 8% per year in Northern California and 5% per year in Southern California. From December 2020 through May 2022, 850 practitioners left Kaiser, and the average annual turnover rate was more than 12% in Northern California and 10% in Southern California. (Disclosure: NUHW is a financial supporter of this website.) Kaiser mental health practitioners and experts told Capital & Main that working conditions are to blame for the exodus of therapists from the company. Ex-Kaiser therapist Mickey Fitzpatrick handily beats his old hourly rate, he says, which was $73.73 in April of 2021, after 10 years at the plan. In the Bay Area, therapists regularly charge $250 or more for 50 minute sessions. “My graduates want to go to Kaiser for work, and they do,” says Dr. Gilbert Newman, vice president for academic affairs at the Wright Institute, a private graduate school for psychology in California. “They often leave Kaiser because they don’t like the work they do. They don’t like being told you can’t see people enough to help them.” Kaiser therapists can get in trouble with their managers when
they recommend clients for regular follow-up appointments. In November of 2021, marriage and family therapist Tanya Veluz was summoned into a meeting with three of her superiors after she recommended patients for return sessions. The managers went through a list of those clients, questioning their need for care. “They went through each case,” Veluz recalls, “and for a couple where the distress was really high they said, ‘Makes sense, we understand why you would want more support for this case.’ Every other case they challenged my clinical decisions. ‘Well … the questionnaire doesn’t indicate the level of distress you’re asking for.’” “When you would ask, ‘Why are we selling a product we can’t really provide?’ you would get no answers.” ~ Ken H a r l a n d e r, former Kaiser therapist The managers also questioned her estimates for the duration of her patients’ treatment, Veluz says. Trauma patients, Veluz felt, would need sessions for two to six months. According to Veluz, her manager told her it was impossible to know for how long a patient would need treatment. Veluz disagreed, citing her clinical experience as well as “plenty of research” supporting her diagnoses. She says one manager threatened her license. When asked about the incident, Kaiser representatives did not directly comment. On July 19, the company said it is on a “multiyear journey to improve the way mental health care is delivered in America today” and has been expanding its virtual care and placing mental health professionals in medical settings. The company has “escalation procedures to support our therapists if they are unable to schedule a needed follow up appointment” and a “dedicated phone line.”
Ken Harlander, a licensed marriage and family therapist, practiced at Kaiser’s Bakersfield clinic with Susan Whitney, and left for private practice last year. Harlander avoided delays between appointments at Kaiser by booking returning clients in spots reserved for new patients, which got him summoned to “the principal’s office,” he says. “That was what happened if you tried to push back,” he says. “When you would ask, ‘Why are we selling a product we can’t really provide?’ you would get no answers.” * * * Richard G. Frank agrees that post-pandemic demand bolsters Kaiser’s shortage argument, but says insurance plans’ refusal to compete with private practice is the real culprit behind practitioner shortages. “I think there’s a kernel of truth there, but I think it’s exaggerated,” he says. “What health plans typically claim is that they can’t hire all the people they would like to hire at the current rate of pay. That’s not the same thing as saying, ‘Gee, there are none available.’” But for Ken Harlander, it wasn’t the pay that drove him to private practice — the company’s excellent benefits made up for lower hourly wages. Harlander says he left because Kaiser overbooked him and prevented him from doing his job effectively. “It’s just been so good to not work there anymore,” he says. “I actually practice good therapy.” Because of its benefits, Kaiser always has willing applicants, according to Harlander. “People would rather work at Kaiser than the county or Medi-Cal work,” he says. “They could open slots and hire people away if they wanted to. They wouldn’t even have to change their pay structure. If they said we’re hiring five therapists, they’d get five candidates right now.”