August 3, 2023

1st an n i v e r yras

City of Champions

What’s Up with Anuolu

50 years for the Drew League

Written by Anuoluwapo Bamiro, columnist.

The League began in 1973 it was founded by Alvin Willis, who turned the then popular “Homeroom Basketball” program at Charles Drew Middle School into the Drew League. The games ran at the school up until 2005, during the beginning stages he added the original voice for the games Bill Crawford. Dino Smiley became the commissioner. Alvin always made sure to be wherever he was needed to keep the games going. He would sometimes be the voice of the game as well as, he would referee and scorekeeper. The slogan for the league is “No Excuse, Just Produce” which can be seen on everything and everywhere in the gyms, merchandise, and uniforms has been the motto since Dino Smiley came up with it. In 2017 Chaniel Smiley took over as commissioner and has been proudly keeping up the momentum and keeping it in the family.

The League has been a part of so many historical moments and has witnessed the good, bad, and ugly of the city. In South Central, there are really no malls, no hangouts (bowling alleys), or things that could keep

people occupied and out of trouble. They knew the importance and how much the community loves and cherishes basketball, so they made that the event of the year. They have always remained a positive staple for the community and provided a safe space for people to watch and participate in the sport. During the 1992 riots, they remained open and provided a safe

space for the community, and in 2012 when the league made its move to King Drew High School, they also expanded now having 28 teams. The league has brought out big names like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, James Harden, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan, Paul Pierce, Chris Paul, and many more. It is really a high-energy community event that makes you realize the fun

and momentum in our backyards.

This year was very special not only was the league celebrating its 50th year anniversary but Robert Kennedy Jr. was also there in attendance. Now call me ignorant but when you hear of people in the Kennedy family you always hear about how many of them have passed away. So, I was shocked and confused about who he was, what his campaign was about, and honestly why he was at the game.

They introduced him and I was immediately stunned by the few boos he received from the teens there. It prompted me to do some quick research into what he and his campaign was about. It shocked me to see how much work Robert put in against the fight for environmental safety, and its connections to disadvantaged communities. He was a lawyer for the NAACP when the city was trying to build a trash transfer in the poor neighborhood of Ossining New York. It made me think how many people that booed him took the time to see what his campaign and wording were about. This seems like a candidate that would advocate for our community and not just use it as the token area he chooses to parade us on his campaign. I know politics can be a game of just compromise but it seems that he would be someone who cared for us.

All in all, the games were amazing, and may the Drew League continue way past the time we will be here. May our kids’ kids’ kids still be going to the games and leaving just excited as we do.

Inglewood resident Brandon Spencer petitions 40 year sentence

By Francis Taylor, Executive Editor

In April 2014, Inglewood resident Brandon Spencer, 19, was sentenced 40 years to life in prison for a 2012 shooting that wounded four people on the campus of the University of Southern California at a Halloween party. Immediately after this tragic shooting and following his ultimate arrest and conviction, Spencer denied his involvement in the shooting and vowed to prove his innocence and secure his release from prison.

Long before Spencer’s conviction I knew his family and had met the young man on several occasions in his home, when he was in elementary school. Later, as an aspiring college student, Spencer told me about his plans to enter college in Arizona, while he was working as a security guard in Los Angeles. I was among a legion of others who were prepared to vouch for his character.

However, with an overzealous prosecutor, and the coerced testimony of a defendant in an unrelated case

that pointed the finger at Spencer, and without any hard evidence, he was found guilty in only three hours, late on a Friday afternoon.

But with new sentencing laws and the reversal of testimony from the coerced witness against spencer, his Petition for Resentencing is pending, a new court date may be assigned, and he is hopeful that the result will be the dismissal of all charges.

As of January 1, 2019, SB 1437 ended the practice of sentencing a person for first-degree murder if they

did not commit homicide or even have knowledge that the homicide occurred. According to the language of this new law, a person can only be guilty of “felony murder” if: the person is the actual killer, the person acted with the intent to kill, such as assisting the actual person who committed the murder or encouraging the actual person who committed the murder, the person was a major participant in the crime and acted with “reckless indifference to human

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California Lawmakers: Smarter Policy Can End Poverty

By Lila Brown | California Black Media

A group of progressive California lawmakers – including three members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) -- have pledged to end poverty in California by advancing more effective policy during the next legislative session – and beyond.

Newly appointed Assembly Majority Leader Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) announced the formation of the End Poverty in California Caucus last month at a Los Angeles screening of the documentary “Poverty and Power.” The film features former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, an anti-poverty advocate who founded a non-profit that shares a name with the caucus, End Poverty in California (EPIC).

“We’re headed towards the end of the legislative session, but we’re in the process of recruiting members to the poverty caucus,” Bryan, who is the chair of the new caucus, told California Black Media.

“We’ve got about a half dozen members already,” Bryan continued. “As we continue to do outreach in the legislature, I expect that number to grow. By the time we come back together in January to introduce new legislation we should have everything ready to go, to focusing on criminal justice reform and the housing crisis’ systemic nexus to poverty in the state.”

Bryan is the treasurer of the CLBC.

around key votes and issues and build power in order to advance bold policy change.”

Other CLBC lawmakers who are members of the newly formed poverty caucus are Sen. Lola SmallwoodCuevas (D-Ladera Heights) and Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda).

“Part of the reason over a quarter of our state’s residents live at or below the poverty level is because of California’s failed public policies,” said Smallwood-Cuevas in a statement. “Our State Legislature must fight for California’s working families by creating equitable access to quality jobs and doubling down on what Californians earn across the board, particularly for residents from marginalized communities of color.”

Bonta said bills she introduced this year have prioritized the needs of children and families, but she looks forward to working with her colleagues to take bolder and broader action to address those problems.

It’s clear that we need to advance stronger policies that will coordinate effective, place-based delivery of wrap-around services for people most in need to make significant progress in the fight against poverty,” Bonta said.

“I look forward to joining forces with our End Poverty Caucus to ensure that we strengthen our safety net and tackle the racial and economic inequities in our communities.”

Other members of the Caucus are Senators Nancy Skinner (D-Oakland) and Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco)

The End Poverty Caucus says it will aim to “help lawmakers organize life.”

There are a few possibilities of relief that can be granted by the court under SB 1437. This includes vacating the conviction or resentencing. Spencer is praying that his conviction is vacated, and he will be released from prison. SB 775 is also related to this matter.

The recanted testimony from the witness against Spencer is extraordinary. In the declaration, that will be presented in Spencer’s pending court appearance, and has been delivered to INGLEWOOD TODAY, the statements include:

“Because of me, Brandon Sencer received a sentence that was 40 years to life for a crime he didn’t do. Because of me, the district attorney convicted a man who did not do what they say he did. For my part in that conviction, I am sorry, but I must now set the record straight.”

“I did not see Mr. Spencer leave the party and come back later with a gun. I did not see Mr. Sencer shoot a gun into the crowd or at Mr. Hall. I only said that I saw Mr. Spencer come back with the

and Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), Ash Kalra (D-Fresno), Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Luz Rivas (D-Arleta).

Some critics have cautioned, however, that creating a caucus focused on poverty is political showmanship by Democrats that will have little impact on actual poverty reduction.

Tim Anaya, vice president of the conservative leaning Pacific Research Institute, says “The new End Poverty in California legislative caucus is not going to foster a serious discussion about helping Californians climb the economic ladder. Rather, EPIC promotes policies that don’t work and would trap more Californians perpetually in poverty.”

Instead, Anaya proposes, lawmakers should support free market reform to support entrepreneurship and small business growth.

In an op-ed titled “Ending poverty in California Requires Good Policy, Not Platitudes,” that several California news outlets published last week, the author, Steven Greenhut, Western Region Director for the R Street Institute, compared the California Legislature to a high school student council setting unrealistic goals they cannot achieve.

“Ending poverty is a large promise – and the Legislature is much better at passing laws that exacerbate poverty (minimum wage, anti-competitive union work rules, onerous licensing requirements) rather than reduce it,” Greenhut writes.

Although poverty, overall, in California has decreased over the last four years, the numbers are still dire. About 28 % of state residents (4.5 million people) are poor or nearpoor, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The state’s homeless and housing affordability crises also compound problems poor and low-income families face in the state, according to policymakers.

Bryan says he looks forward to working with leaders like Tubbs, who has been a leading proponent of progressive economic policies like Guaranteed Basic Income and Baby Bonds.

“The best policy solutions come from listening to the people who are the most affected. I am proud to lead a caucus that is dedicated to doing exactly that,” said Bryan.

gun because the DA prosecuting the case told me that she needed me to say those things or else she could not make her case for premeditation. “

“I did what the DA said because I was threatened by the detectives investigating the case, and by the DA prosecuting the case that if I did not say what they needed me to say that the DA would intervene in my own pending criminal case and cause me to be harmed or sentenced more severely”.

In addition, the witness indicates that

the Detective involved in the matter showed him three, six pack lineup pictures where Spencer’s picture was twice the size of the others. He states when he was brought to court, he was told that he would be held in contempt if he did not testify as a witness, even though what the prosecution wanted him to say was not true, and he would receive a violation of his probation. Finally, he also stated that he lied to Spencer’s attorney when asked on the stand if he had received any special deals from the prosecution in exchange for his testimony.

The witness had been charged with stealing $26,000 in merchandise from his employer and would have otherwise been sentenced for that crime. He ended his declaration by stating, “I feel horrible for what I did and it was wrong. But now is the time for the truth to come out. I only ask for Mr. Spencer’s forgiveness and for the opportunity for the complete story to be told, so that Mr. Spencer can receive the justice that we all deserve.

Continued from page 1: Inglewood...

City Council Meeting- August 1, 2023

By Francis Taylor, Executive Editor

The council conducted a public Hearing to consider assessment levies for the Inglewood Street Lighting Assessment District 1980-1. And after receiving public input adopted a resolution modifying and/ or approving the Engineer’s Report and ordering improvements and the levy and collection of assessments within the City of Inglewood Street Lighting Assessment District No. 1980-1.

Another public Hearing was conducted to consider assessment levies for the Morningside Park Maintenance Assessment District

1974-2. The council adopted a resolution declining to levy the Fiscal Year 20232024 Assessment on the Morningside Park Maintenance Assessment District

the permanent record.

A public Hearing was conducted to consider assessment levies for the In-Town Maintenance Assessment

Town Maintenance Assessment District 1975-1 and accepted the Engineer’s Report; and directed the City Clerk to file said Engineer’s Report as part of the permanent record.

A final public hearing was conducted to consider assessment levies for the Darby-Dixon Maintenance Assessment District 19871. The council adopted a resolution declining to levy the Fiscal Year 20232024 Assessment on the Darby-Dixon Maintenance Assessment District 19871, accepted the Engineer’s Report; and directed the City Clerk to file said Engineer’s Report as part of the permanent record.

1974-2 and accepted the Engineer’s Report; and directed the City Clerk to file said Engineer’s Report as part of

District 1975-1. The council adopted a resolution declining to levy the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Assessment on the In-

The council recognized Mayor Butts birthday and he before closing the weekly meeting he reflected on his many years of public service.

Inglewood Seniors: Five Principles Reversing the Aging Process

By Francis Taylor, Executive Editor

Once you hit 40 years of age, your body starts aging FASTER than normal? Studies have shown that without the proper nutrients and exercise, your body will age about six months extra for every year that passes. If you are 40, that means by the time you hit 44 you will look and feel 48. And by the time you reach 60, you will look and feel 70 years old.

90% of people over the age of 35 lose enough muscle every year to burn off an additional four 4 pounds of body fat? That means you not only lose the only thing on your body that creates shape, tone, and strength—you also gain more fat every year, even if your calories stay the same.

All of this is reversible at any age. There are specific ways to move, eat, and think that tell your brain to stop this rapid aging process... and even slow it down to the point where you’re aging less than a year for every year? That means you can look younger at 40 than you do at 35!

This does not require a plethora of anti-aging drugs, supplements, or gimmicks. And this works for anyone, male or female, and works at any age. 35, 45, 55, 65, 75... you name it. The biology is exactly the same.

The reversible plan involves five key principles, that if they are followed, you are on the way to reversing the aging process.

Principle one: forget low-tat diets. Fats do not make you fat; rather, they help your body regenerate your power hormones. Testosterone, the ‘strength’ hormone, for example, is the direct result of cholesterol and dietary fat intake. That’s right: “Cholesterol” isn’t a dirty word! Your body needs dietary fat and cholesterol in order to produce any and all vital hormones.

Principle two: forget the treadmill.

Treadmills, and any form of endurance training do very little to help the age reversal process. Many times, these long-duration exercise bouts accelerate the aging process by increasing free radicals.

Principle three: don’t use your age as an excuse. Your body doesn’t own a clock. Studies have shown that men and women in their 90s were able to gain muscle tone in just a matter of weeks of

simple weight training.

Principle four: stay hydrated. Water burns fat and suppresses hunger. Water renews your skin. Just drinking 12 ounces of pure water every day can take a few years off your face in a matter of weeks. You’ll also drop fat, have more energy, and save your kidneys and liver from chronic overwork. Grab a glass of water and watch the mirror. Within a few weeks, the change to your face and

body will be noticeable.

Principle five: Identify low-impact resistance exercises. If you don’t work out at all, you’re going to lose muscle tissue every year. That means you’ll get fatter and flabbier each year with less shape and more sag. Old school resistance training is the secret to exercising less and benefitting more.

Area Communities

Serving Ladera, Hawthorne, Westchester, Lawndale, Gardena, Carson

California’s First Partner: Gender Pay Gap Is “More Obvious” With Black Women

By Jaya Padmanabhan

California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom says, “gender discrimination is the oldest form of oppression,” and America must act urgently to fix it.

| California Black Media across the board, and to solve problems effectively and authentically, we have to focus on those most impacted. Together, we will work to close this gap,” the mayor of California’s largest city continued.

Although California has some of the strongest pay laws in the nation and the smallest gender pay gap, Siebel Newsom says the Golden State still has work to do to close the wage gap for all women.

For Black women, the first partner says, closing the wage gap is “most obvious.”

“Black women live at the intersection of racial and gender discrimination leaving them doubly impacted by the wage gap,” said Siebel Newsom. “Pay inequities and gaps in wealth and economic opportunity are deeply rooted in our country’s long-standing history of racism and misogyny.

To mark Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Siebel Newsom released a video on July 27 along with Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and PolicyLink Founder in Residence, Angela Glover Blackwell.

“Today is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day – a day set aside each year to shine a light on the disparity in pay for Black women in this country and the far-reaching impacts for families, communities, and our economy,” said Bass in the video.

“Economic injustice is a problem

On average, women earn 84 cents for every dollar a non-Hispanic White man does. That breaks down to Black women earning 67 cents; Latinas and Native Americans 57 cents; mothers 74 cents; LGBTQIA women 87 cents and women in leadership positions 72 cents for every dollar a non-Hispanic White man earns. Women are hired into lower paying roles at lower starting salaries and take longer to move into leadership roles.

Black women are overrepresented in industries that experience significant downturns. A report by the Department of Labor found that in 2020, 12% of Black women were employed in education and health services but a disproportionate number of them (14.9%) experienced job losses. Also, in wholesale and trade, the majority of losses were Black women. In that sector, Black women comprised 5.6% of the workforce but 14.6 % of the job losses

According to the report, Black women lost out on $39.3 billion in potential wages due to differences in industry and occupations relative to White men.

Racism and sexism are two of the obstacles that Black women face in

the workplace. More than half of Black women surveyed for a 2021 National Women Law Center reported facing gender and racial hurdles to opportunity at work.

In 2019, Siebel Newsom launched the California for ALL Women, an initiative to address gender equity at the state level. Through the initiative, she has been an outspoken champion and thought leader on pay equity, working to close the race and gender wage gaps.

That same year, Siebel Newsom announced the California Equal Pay Pledge under California for all Women to build upon California policies such as the Fair Pay Act.

In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law the Pay Transparency for Pay Equity Act, introduced by Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara). This law requires employers to disclose salary ranges on all job postings and to allow public access to pay data broken down by race, ethnicity and sex for direct employees and those hired through third-party staffing agencies.

“As there is more transparency in the hiring and promotion process there will be outcome in closing the pay gap across companies,” said Siebel Newsom.

Mitchell says she is proud to stand with the first partner and other women and allies around California and the United States to end racial and gender pay discrimination.

“Intentional and bold action on

closing the wage gap among Black women and women of color is needed across every sector and will put us on a path to truly ensuring all women, their families and communities are no longer shortchanged from economic prosperity,” said Mitchell.

Recently, Siebel Newsom convened and moderated a panel on pay equity at Genentech in South San Francisco. Genentech was an early signatory of the Equal Pay Pledge. The panel included Genentech CEO Alexander Hardy, Interim Chief Diversity Officer Cari DeLoa, and representatives from other parts of the business.

In addition to Genentech, there are 130 other companies and municipalities in California that have signed the Equal Pay Pledge. While acknowledging that this is not a significant number, Siebel Newsom said that there are several major global companies, like Apple, Intel, Twitter, Airbnb, Salesforce and Gap, that “are committing to equity and fairness in their policies.”

“Closing the pay gap for Black women is an essential step for economic justice,” said Glover Blackwell. “When Black women and other women of color are paid equally, we’ll see the benefits cascade throughout society.”

Jaya Padmanabhan is a freelance journalist and a consulting editor for Ethnic Media Services.

More Californians Should Know About Lifesaving COVID Meds

By Doug Moore | California Black Media

While I would like nothing more than to put the pandemic in the rearview mirror, I’ve accepted the fact that COVID-19 is still a part of our lives. We’re a far cry from where we were in the summer of 2020 – we now know what works to keep us safe and how to mitigate the worst of the virus. Tools like COVID-19 medications can help us keep the worst of the virus at bay, if only more people knew about them.

In my role as the Executive Director of UDW Homecare Providers Union/ AFSCME Local 3930, a union fighting for the rights of domestic care workers, I’ve seen COVID-19 have a disproportionate impact on our members. Many come from vulnerable communities, and the fact that they were often given little

to no protection and did not qualify as essential workers heightened the impact of the pandemic on them. Vaccines were essential in establishing safe homecare environments as the pandemic raged on. But domestic workers were (and still are) entering potentially dangerous settings every day, often without access

to vital PPE, and we needed to find ways to keep themselves safe, even when they did test positive. COVID-19 medications have helped bridge that gap.

It can be hard to dodge COVID-19 even when we take precautions to stay

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Sports & Entertainment Why Rashawn Slater Welcomes Daily Challenge from Khalil Mack & Joey Bosa

By Omar Navarro, Chargers.com

Rashawn Slater has reminded plenty early in camp why he can’t be overlooked as one of the best left tackles in football.

The third-year left tackle has been competing at a high level thus far, especially since the pads came on Monday. And Tuesday was no different, as Slater faced off against some of the Bolts’ best pass rushers in team drills and in 1-on-1 drills during another intense practice.

Slater’s 2022 season that was cut short by a torn biceps was a tough blow for a Chargers team that battled injuries. His return this year remains one of the team’s top storylines as he looks to pick off where he left off both last season and as a rookie.

But even with the accolades and success he saw as a rookie, Slater believes his improvement is far from over and playing at an All-Pro caliber level was just the beginning.

“I definitely want to be like the best version of myself,” Slater said. “I think I’ve improved as a player since then, just in the way that I see the game and in my technique. I definitely think there was a lot to improve upon that year.

“I don’t anticipate taking any steps back, that’s for sure,” Slater added. “The nice thing about this is that it healed up really well, so it shouldn’t be an issue.”

And in terms of the injury he suffered last season?

Slater says there are no mental hurdles to get over. It’s all been in the rearview mirror for a while now.

“No,” Slater said. “Very early on, I was thinking about it. But by the time it started feeling better, I’ve shaken all that a long time ago.”

Take a look back at the first week of Chargers Training Camp 2023 in monochrome

As Slater looks to build on his game and improve, he’s been able to do so with some of the league’s best in outside linebackers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa.

The tackle has battled both during 1-on-1 sessions with pads, as the results have gone back and forth.

But that’s what you expect when you face some of the league’s best, and Slater spoke about his appreciation for being able to face two players of the caliber of Bosa and Mack.

“I take away a lot from those like. Joey and Khalil, they’re so smart in the way they play off of O-linemen,” Slater said about the duo. “Every training camp it’s like, if you have just one little mistake in your technique here, they’re going to find a way to exploit that. They really keep you honest.

“The margin for error is so small, I

think it really teaches you quickly what you’re doing wrong and what you need to fix because once they see something, it’s over,” Slater added. “They take advantage of it so well.”

The training camp battles between Slater and the pass rushing duo will

area where the team was inconsistent at in 2022.

Even though padded practices doesn’t mean full tackling like you would see in games, the defensive line can take a lot out of it according to defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day — including

the enemy, space being closed. That is the enemy of run defense, space. Closing it down. Closing it down fast and being able to react fast and play fast.”

These aspects will continue to be important through the rest of camp and during the season, as the team has emphasized the importance of improving in the run defense.

How the Chargers are practicing so far is how Joseph-Day wants the team to play as well, as he believes these practices are helping everyone improve their game.

“Just play rugged,” Joseph-Day said. “That’s what I feel like we’re harping on this camp. It’s been very physical. It’s been very fun. We’re getting better. We’re getting better.

“Jamaree [Salyer], Zion [Johnson] are competing their butts off,” Joseph-Day added. “They’re doing a great job. It’s fun going against them every single day. “I tell them every practice, I shake their hand [and say], ‘Brother, thank you for making me better.’”

The term “energy” has been a word that has been used a lot to describe the Bolts’ training camp practices so far — and it’s for good reason.

The examples appear in each practice, as every phase of the game has seen high-level competition.

Chargers Defensive Coordinator Derrick Ansley tends to agree as well on the defensive side of the football, as he assessed the defense and how they have performed so far.

“I think that the energy has been really good,” Ansley said. “The fundamentals has been good. The toughness has been good.

“We’re working through some schematics there, but I thought the guys had a really good pace,” Ansley added. “I think they have digested the first two days of pads very well.”

The defensive side of the football has been flying around, making hard for the offense and vice versa. The back and forth is something that has been praised by both sides.

continue to ramp up as camp moves along — and so will the picking of brains between some of the league’s best that continue to look and improve.

“We spend a lot of time, especially in the afternoon walkthrough when we have a little more time in between plays, we’ll have little conversations about hand placement, timing, stuff like that,” Slater said. “I think we get a lot out of it on the field and in our conversations.”

The padded practices have taken the competition level up a notch.

And for the defensive line, this has been the start to what are important practices to improve in run defense, an

valuable aspects that will be needed come game day.

“I think, this was something that I was taught. The enemy of run defense is space, right? So I think the biggest thing is closing down that space,” Joseph-Day said. “It truly takes everyone. The run defense takes everyone from the corners to the safeties, to the linebackers, to the D-Line. It takes everyone.

“Just being able to minimize that space, closing that space down in areas where they’re trying to run it and make it really hard by shrinking those areas, right? That is the enemy of offense running,” Joseph-Day added. “That’s

But still, Ansley emphasized the importance of making sure that energy continues to be used to produce the competition and improve.

“From a defensive perspective, there’s a fine line between being too animated and being a professional, as well,” Ansley said. “We want to make sure that we have total respect for each other, which we do.”

“We’re all teammates, we’re all in this thing together. Everybody loves each other,” Ansley later added. “That’s just competitive football. But you always want to make sure that you keep the professional brand intact and move on to the next point.”

BUPPIE | BUSINESS

California Black Media Political Playback: News You Might Have Missed

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Your roundup of stories you might have missed last week.

Four Black Leaders Join Diverse Group of Appointees on Gov. Newsom’s New Racial Equity Commission

On July 27, Gov. Newsom announced the appointment of an Executive Director and seven appointees to serve on the state’s first Racial Equity Commission, which is supported by an initial state investment of $3.8 million over the next fiscal year and $3.1 million each year following, through 2030.

Created by a 2022 executive order the commission will recommend actions the state can take to “advance racial equity and address structural racism,” according to the governor’s office.

The four Black appointees are:

Larissa Estes of Walnut Creek has been appointed Executive Director of the Racial Equity Commission. Dr. Estes has been Director of ALL IN Alameda County since 2019.

Commission member Yolanda R. Richardson of Roseville is Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Health Plan. Before that, Richardson was Secretary of the California Government Operations Agency.

Commission member Traco Matthews of Bakersfield is Chief Health Equity Officer at Kern Health Systems.

Commission member Simboa Wright of Fontana is Vice President of SEIU Local 721 labor union.

“I’m proud to appoint these diverse leaders to advise our ongoing work to ensure that all our communities have a fair shot at achieving the California dream,” said Newsom.

Other appointees are Virginia Hedrick of Carmichael; Gabriel Maldonado of Los Angeles; Julie Onodera of Sacramento; and Manuel Pastor of Pasadena.

Blacks and Latinos Account for Nearly 80% of Arrests in Los Angeles Blacks and Latinos make up about 56% of Los Angeles’ population, but they account for about 80% of all arrests in California’s largest city, according to an analysis of about 300,000 arrests between 2019 and 2022 conducted by L.A. Controller Keith Meija’s office.

According to the report released last week, for almost every year of the study, Council District 14 led all other districts for the total number of arrests. In 2021, it came in second to Council District 8 by a difference of only three arrests.

Lawmakers Spar Over $5 Billion Bond to Fight Fentanyl

California Democrats and Republicans are at loggerheads over approaches to combat the state’s growing fentanyl crisis. New bi-partisan proposed legislation aims to bridge the

ideological and tactical gap between the two parties.

Assembly Public Safety Committee Chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Public Safety Committee Vice Chair Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) co-authored Assembly Bill AB1510, which would allocate $2 billion for Substance Use Disorder treatment and $400 million for harm reduction programs. Another $200 million would go to preventing overdoses. The bond would also provide $2 billion to expand programs that teach young people about recreational drug use risks.

Jones-Sawyer has called the bond act a comprehensive approach instead of a “bill by bill” approach to combating the crisis.

However, some Republicans believe that the proposal would take too long to be implemented and immediate action is necessary.

“We’re asked to watch the long game,” Assemblymember Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach) Dixon told the Sacramento Bee. “So. I’m interested in seeing the benefits and accountability of a long game. But right now, we have a fentanyl crisis here today.”

Once AB 1510 passes in the Legislature and is signed by Gov. Newsom it will go before voters as a ballot measure during the March 2024 primary and November 2024 elections.

Under Pressure to Resign, Alameda County’s First Black Woman D.A. Fires Back at NAACP

Concerned by a sharp rise in crimes, the Oakland branch of the NAACP is blaming Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price for “failed leadership.”

Price, the first Black female District Attorney in the history of Alameda County, is the target of a recall effort staged by groups that say the city is

in the grip of a “public safety crisis,” according to Oakland NAACP branch president Cynthia Adams and Acts Full Gospel Church’s Bishop Bob Jackson stated.

“Oakland residents are sick and tired of our intolerable public safety crisis that overwhelmingly impacts minority communities. Murders, shootings, violent armed robberies, home invasions, car break-ins, sideshows, and highway shootouts have become a pervasive fixture of life in Oakland,” Adams and Jackson stated in a letter to city residents urging them to demand improved public safety in their communities.

“African Americans are disproportionately hit the hardest by crime in East Oakland and other parts of the city. But residents from all parts of the city report that they do not feel safe. Everyone is in danger,” the letter continued.

Price’s office released a statement pushing back on claims made by Adam and Jackson in the letter.

“We are disappointed that a great African American pastor and a great African American organization would take a false narrative on such an important matter. We would expect more from Bishop Bob Jackson and the Oakland Chapter of the NAACP,” said a spokesperson from the District Attorney’s office.

Calif. Dept of Finance Releases June “Finance Bulletin Report”

Last week, the California Department of Finance released its July edition of the Finance Bulletin Report. The bulletin recaps economic changes during the previous month.

California’s unemployment rate rose to 4.6 % in June. The labor force increased by 13,600 while civilian household employment rose by 7,900, and the number of unemployed workers increased by 5,700.

California added 11,600 nonfarm payroll jobs, driven by gains in private education and health services (7,000), leisure and hospitality (6,800) and construction (6,000). The largest job loss was in trade, transportation, and utilities (-7,600).

California’s personal income increased by 0.7% (SAAR) in the first quarter of 2023. Gains were driven by increases in wages and salaries and property income, offsetting declines in transfer payments.

“While June is historically an

important month for personal income and corporation tax, cash results from these two revenue sources -- with the exception of withholding -- are not reliable due to this year’s delayed tax deadlines,” stated the report.

Attorney Gen. Robert Bonta Announces Support for Federal Bill Benefitting Black WWII Veterans and Their Families

California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined a bipartisan coalition of 24 state attorneys general in submitting a letter to Congress in support of H.R. 1255, the “Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2023.’

The bill was named after two Black World War II veterans who were denied benefits under the GI Bill.

Authored by Congressmembers Seth Moulton (D-MA-6) and James Clyburn (D-SC-6), the legislation would extend eligibility for certain housing and educational benefits to Black World War II veterans and their families.

“Exactly 75 years ago, President Harry S. Truman mandated the desegregation of our Armed Forces. Today, we cannot lose sight of a harsh reality: Black World War II veterans and their families were systematically denied the GI benefits they had rightfully earned,” said Bonta. “H.R. 1255 would fix that terrible injustice.”

If passed, H.R. 1255 would also extend access to the VA Loan Guaranty Program to surviving spouses and certain direct descendants of Black World War II veterans and to the Post911 GI Bill educational assistance benefits to surviving spouses and certain direct descendants of Black World War II veterans.

Additionally, it would establish a panel of experts to make recommendations on addressing inequitable access to benefits for female and minority members of the Armed Forces.

Measure Expanding Local Gov’t Power to Enact Rent Control Makes It on November Ballot

On July 26, California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber announced that initiative 1942 became eligible for the November 5, 2024, general election ballot. The initiative would expand local government’s authority to enact rent control on residential property.

Current state law (the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995) generally prevents cities and counties from limiting the initial rental rate that landlords may charge to new tenants in all types of housing. It also prevents cities from limiting rent increases for existing tenants in, residential properties that were first occupied after February 1, 1995, single-family homes and condominiums.

safe, especially for workers whose workplaces are other people’s homes. Fortunately, medications that treat COVID-19 became available in 2021. They are safe and effective at stopping the virus from multiplying in the body and scientific evidence shows that taking COVID-19 medications within the first week of testing positive can lower the rate of serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 by half or more.

COVID-19 medications can mean the difference between life and death. That’s why I’ve been advocating tirelessly to make sure that domestic workers are getting vaccinated and tested, and that they’re aware of and can easily access COVID-19 medications if they test positive. Even though medications have been free and available, regardless of insurance or citizenship status, for over a year. Many people are surprised when they find out that they’re actually eligible for these medications, when in fact, they’re recommended for most adults.

At UDW Homecare Providers Union/ AFSCME Local 3930, we’ve launched initiatives to educate and empower our workers – including resource fairs, clinics, and food drives – that provide information about and access to these medications. Our meetings have been vital times for us to spend time with the community and spread relevant treatment information. These member-centered, community-driven initiatives have created a united front against COVID-19 among the domestic worker community – allowing the people I represent to stay safe, protect their families, and continue their work helping others.

The public at large can benefit from COVID-19 medications, not just our union’s domestic workers, especially as life returns to a new normal. As we enjoy summer by traveling, attending events, and spending time with friends and family, it’s inevitable that people will continue to test positive for COVID-19. But the key is understanding how to move forward when you test positive. So, let’s continue doing the things that we love, worry-free, by normalizing testing and treating COVID-19.

About the Author

Doug Moore is Executive Director of UDW Homecare Providers Union/ AFSCME Local 3930, a union that advocates for domestic care workers and their communities.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Fictitious Business Name Statement

File No. 2023147521

The following Person is doing business as:

Satiated For Life, LLC

1407 Foothill Blvd. La Verne, CA 91750

Registered Owner(s): Satiated For Life, LLC, 1407 Foothill Blvd., La Verne, CA 91750

This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on July 7, 2023

I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Satiated For Life, LLC, Owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk on July 7, 2023

NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.)

Original

July 13, 20, 27; August 3, 2023

IT0042230120020376

Inglewood Today

PUBLIC NOTICE

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case # 23TRCP00282

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS

Petitioner: Enrico Fulton Cottle, 13813 Spinning Ave., Gardena, CA 90249, has filed a petition with the Superior Court Of California, County Of Los Angeles, 1 E. Regent St., Inglewood, CA 90301, to change his name.

FROM: Enrico Fulton Cottle-TO: Enrico Abdishakur Fulton Bilal-Cottle

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing on, August 25, 2023, 9:30 AM, Dept. 8, Room 504, to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name change described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the 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.

Publication Dates: July 27; August 3, 10, 17, 2023.

PUBLIC NOTICE