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Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Is that right? If I didn’t know a fool, I know one now. How you gonna know more than your Maker fool? God knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb [Jeremiah 1:5]. I tell you only a fool would deign to say, “I know what is best for me.” In fact, that would be downright rude, and would showcase how arrogance begets stupidity. This is the most basic message of Wisdom: Never “backseat drive” someone who clearly knows you better than you know yourself, and wants to help you. I should just end this message right here!  You know nothing! It is only in God that you live and have your being!

The nerve of the self-serving and foolish thinking of prevailing culture today sending a loud and audacious message to God: “I know better. Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll take it from here.” You know nothing! God knows best!

People today tend to think that they are the ones in charge of their lives. They call the shots. They make the decisions. And God is left out of the picture.  Let no one deceive himself. God is the Lord of your life. He is the one who gives your life. He is the one who directs your life. And He is the one who determines when your life is over. Don’t get it twisted!  You would do good to remember what [1 Corinthians 3:18] says, “if any man among you think that he is wise in this age let him become foolish that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God.

You know, there are two contrasts in life – the foolish man and the wise man.  The foolish man is someone who thinks they know everything. You can’t tell them nothing!  They will not listen to reason. Just “unteachable.”  Try to show them their waywardness only creates an enemy!  But the wise man – while the fool persists in his foolishness, the wise man will listen when he is confronted with the truth and he will adjust his life accordingly. He has a “teachable” spirit! He realizes his own limitations and shortcoming and grasps every opportunity to develop his life into one that is more pleasing to the Lord.

What a difference! The fool says, “I can take care of myself; I can figure out my own life. I don’t need others telling me what to do.” By contrast, the attitude of the wise man is: “I’m always open to the input and advice of those older/wiser/more experienced than I am.” And that is why, as another proverb says, the wise become even wiser. Don’t be a self-centered fool by ignoring wise and helpful input from others. Don’t be a fool, taking pride in what you perceive as your intelligence and wisdom. Such wisdom “is foolishness in God’s sight”. By contrast, trust the Lord, learn His wisdom from the Scriptures of the Bible, acknowledge Him and His ways, and you will be a truly wise man or woman. You think you know better than God…. You know nothing!

By Mildred Henry

I read the headlines in total disbelief!

A professed leader in the Black Lives Matter  (BLM) movement reportedly said,  “I ain’t voting until Black Lives Matter“.  I cannot believe that any informed,  self-respecting African American will openly proclaim that he or she will not vote! This is a gross indignity because of the sacrifices and lives lost by our predecessors in order to gain the right to vote.  This misguided individual tramples on the graves of Sojourner Truth; Fannie Lou Hamer; the Mississippi Freedom Riders; Barbara Jordan, Dr. Martin Luther King, and the sacred graveyard list goes on and on.

Supporters of the “I ain’t voting” cognitive dissonance trample on the grave of my mother who was told she would lose her teaching job if she joined the NAACP and conducted a voter registration drive. She joined, became a lifetime NAACP member, and the family survived. 

We survived in spite of the racists who burned our family cotton gin (3 times) and general store to the ground.  Our family provided merchandise, and rides for neighbors to go to town, to register, to vote, to shop, and to conduct business. Comradery existed whereby you picked up and provided a ride to someone walking by the side of the road.   

 We survived in spite of the fact that schools for Black children were closed 3 and 4 months of the school year to work in the cotton fields. We survived  in spite of having to walk 10 miles to school while school buses for white children threw dust up in our faces.  We survived many adversities in order to be where we are today.  I WILL vote.  

Black people were castigated, tortured, lynched and suffered terrible deaths for just expressing the desire to vote.  It was through the power of the vote that we defeated segregationists George Wallace of Alabama, and Governors Lester Maddox and Orville Faubus of Arkansas.  If one of the reported leaders of the BLM is an attorney, as reported, he should be well aware of the court battles of Attorney and Chief Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall. As an Arkansan, I watched Attorney Thurgood Marshall and local attorneys like Attorney George Howard, engage in battle on behalf of the Little Rock Nine students’ effort to get an education at Central High School.  Mrs. Daisy Bates and the State Press Newspaper (distributed by my mother) espoused the power of the vote to change the segregationist structure in Arkansas. These students (and many others)  endured insults, life threats, personal danger, and loss of life to get a competitive education and learn that using the word “Ain’t” was not acceptable in the competitive corporate world.  We fought for a competitive education and the right to vote in order to right the wrongs.  I WILL vote!

Rhetoric is cheap. BLM threatens to give the presidency to Donald Trump. Why? I am amazed at how gullible some people are to the unfounded promises uttered by this individual. He promises jobs but he makes products abroad and sells them to consumers in America. How will providing jobs abroad “make America great”?  He can begin by bringing those jobs to America, and assure that ”Made in America” is on all of his products.  As a businessman, carefully scrutinize his business record and his tax return (which he refuses to release).

He speaks of diversity but uses the terminology “my African-American“ which to me equates to the slogan, “My Nigger,” so frequently used in my youth. 

Donald Trump uses negative slogans, personal insults, and exhibits totally unprofessional, crass behavior, unrepresentative of the values taught us as children.  How could any self-respecting African-American, knowledgeable of our ancestral history, threaten to vote for a self-aggrandizement individual who exhibits such unethical behavior?  We should not jump from the frying pan into the fire.  This is not a game of marbles between children. This is a serious world event which will impact the future of every human being on this earth, especially those of minority ethnic background.

I ask those who thought the Democratic inclusion of mothers of slain Black men was just “political theater”, what did the Republicans do to indicate the importance of this issue?  How did they show the seriousness of the Black Lives Matter movement?  News reports indicate “BLM Threatens to Hand Trump the Presidency”.   Why?  What has he done to earn it? This is not a TV show. This is survival.   I sincerely hope that self-grandiose individuals will not be successful in spewing their venom and preying on the sensibilities of the uninformed.

I WILL vote, and I urge every eligible voter to become adequately informed, VOTE, and Don’t Forget The Bridges That Brought Us Over!

By Luis Vasquez-Ajmac, Urban News Service

While the national conversation on police and race seems like a black-and-white issue, many Latinos say they also feel mistreated by cops.

“I grew up in East L.A., in an economically depressed neighborhood,” said Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna, the first Latino to lead the Los Angeles area’s second largest law-enforcement agency. “I did not have the most positive contact with the police or the people around me. I very much understand the concerns.”

Many Latinos report abusive experiences and negative opinions toward police, similar to those that numerous African-Americans have expressed nationwide, according to a survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. 

“Excessive police use was a huge issue for the Hispanic-American community,” said Jennifer Benz, AP-NORC’s deputy director. Beyond answering this study’s specific questions, some respondents volunteered that “they or someone in their family was harshly treated by the police at far higher levels than whites,” Benz said.

This is not just a white-and-black issue, according to Benz. “Across the country, roughly four in 10 Americans believe the reason for police violence is overall problems with race relations in our society,” she said. “Three-quarters of Americans think it would be more effective to have diverse police forces nationwide.”

AP-NORC polled 1,200 white, black and Latino Americans on these topics in July 2015.
Law enforcement “has a lot of work to do, to continue the dialogue and talk about the excessive use of force,” said LAPD Captain Tina Nieto, incoming president of the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association.

The L.A. native echoes those who advocate closing racial disparities by recruiting and hiring more people of color. “It’s very important to make an attempt to have a police force that reflects the community that you are servicing,” Nieto said. “I believe when your police force reflects the community, there are better outcomes.” 
Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, said that where officers reside affects these matters. “We need officers to live in the communities where they police,” he said. “When they live outside the cities that employ them and commute in from neighborhoods that have very different, less diverse demographics, problems are aggravated.”  

The Manhattan Institute’s Heather McDonald disagrees.

“This is an irrelevant consideration. It’s the classic Black Lives narrative that embraces the white cop/black victim line-up,” said the author of the new book, “The War on Cops.”

“The Justice Department came out with a report last year in Philadelphia. It found that black and Hispanic officers were far more likely than white officers to shoot an unarmed black suspect. I think the inquiry of an officer’s skin color is largely a side show,” she said.

Rene Galindo, a telecom network engineer for 2talk, grew up as a Mexican-American in South Central L.A. He said there are two systems of law: one for whites and another for people of color.

“You thought it was normal for cops to stop you for no reason, check your personal property under no suspicion at all,” Galindo said. “I’ve been held for no apparent reason, just for walking home from a friend’s place at night.”  Nieto, however, said police do not confront people willy-nilly. “I know we are not just stopping you because we want to stop you,” she said. “We are way too busy in the city of L.A. Citizens can always request a supervisor to the scene if you believe officers are doing something they are not supposed to do.” 

“Many people of color do not see cops as protectors, but we see the opposite,” said Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers union, which represents thousands of Mexican-American agricultural laborers. “They harass, intimidate and brutalize people of color and kill.” 

White Americans have it different, some say.

“In most situations, white people are not presumed dangerous or guilty,” said the Equal Justice Initiative’s Stevenson. “Because most police officers are white, this means that white people face a different level of threat and risk when they encounter the police.” 

Despite racial gaps in perceptions of law enforcement, most Americans say they want more diverse police forces to ease ethnic tensions.

“It’s not surprising for those of us aware of how the Latino community across the country has been treated by police,” said Thomas A. Saenz, president of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. “We need to recruit a more diverse police force.”

LOS ANGELES, CA- Powerhouse and best-selling author/publisher Zane will headline the Leimert Park Village Book Fair (LPVBF)! Zane is a New York Times best-selling author of 32 titles, and considered one of, if not the most, powerful African-American female in the publishing industry. She is the publisher of Strebor Books International — an imprint of ATRIA Books/Simon and Schuster, and the third largest publishing corporation in America. Interestingly, until 2006, Zane, Toni Morrison and Terri McMillan were the only three African-American females to make the print list of the New York Times Best Seller List in this century.

“Voted One of LA’s Five Best Annual Book Festivals,” the LPVBF will be held on Saturday, August 20, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the outdoor promenade of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza (BHCP), located at 3650 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in LA.  Thousands are expected to flock once again to this family-oriented festival held in the heart of Leimert Park, the epicenter of the Los Angeles area African American arts, intellectual and literary scene. The Leimert Park Village Book Fair’s tribute to the love of reading cleverly merges the worlds of literary, entertainment and the culinary arts, offering an eclectic mix of literature, art, music and food.

The Wait

The book fair’s lineup includes headliners, crowd pleasers and fan favorites, offering an intellectually engaging day, promoting literacy. Along with Zane, who will be signing her latest tome, “Vengeance;” celebrity power couple Meagan Good and DeVon Franklin will share bits about their courtship and love affair from their best-selling novel, “The Wait.” White House correspondent and political commentator April Ryan, author of  “The Presidency in Black and White,” and economist and political analyst Dr. Julianne Malveaux  author of “Are We Better Off” will take time away from the Capitol to talk about the topic of “Are We Better Off?” AND Grammy Award-winning recording artist Bobby Brown will spill the dish in his new biography, “Every Little Step,” on his life and love, Whitney Houston.  

Bobbly Brown

Crowd pleasers like media personalities Rolonda Watts and Flo Anthony will share excerpts from their new books, “Destiny Lingers” and “One Last Deadly Play,” respectively.  There will be an iconoclast conversation between pioneering director-turned-author Matty Rich (“Straight Out of Brooklyn and the “Inkwell) and legendary musician Charles Wright (writer of the hit song, “Express Yourself”). Rich will discuss “Bev,” a gripping novel that centers on the real-life story of a little-known figure in the Civil Rights movement – a white social worker by the name of Beverly Luther. Rich has also secured the movie rights to the book for a film adaptation.  And Wright will talk about his new book, “Up: From Where We’ve Come,” which highlights historical accounts of his past long before he gained status as a musical legend.

For readers who like thrillers and mysteries, they’ll love meeting fan favorites like Pamela Samuels Young, winner of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction for “Anybody’s Daughter” and Gary Phillips, author of “Cowboys” and “The Cocaine Chronicles.” Best-selling husband-and-wife writing duo  Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes will be signing their latest releases, including “Ghost Summer” and the “Seacape Tattoo.” An award-winning novelist and screenwriter who teaches creative writing at UCLA, Due also nabbed an NAACP Image Award literary nomination for the short story collection “Ghost Summer” this year.  Directing the main stage’s incredible line-up will be known inspirational speaker, award-winning executive life coach, and author of “Betrayal”, Barbara Perkins, joins us as the Mistress of Ceremony.

The culinary stage will also be heating up with reality star Miss Robbie of OWN’s “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” serving up something special – like her famous mac ‘n cheese — and signing her new cookbook. Titled “Sweetie Pie’s Cookbook: Soulful Southern Recipes, from My Family to Yours” the celebrity chef welcomes you into her kitchen to experience more than 150 tasty foods as she shows what it means to put heart and “foot” into a dish. And celebrity Chef Rome Brown – who has cooked for former Secretary of State General Colin Powell, NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal, and NFL player Cam Newton – will share his passion for cuisine and sign his new cookbook, “Eat Like a Celebrity: Southern Cuisine With a

ZANE

Gourmet Twist.” Foodies may be familiar with Chef Brown from competing on season one of the Food Network’s reality show, “Extreme Chef.” And while Miss Robbie and Chef Rome will be serving up some serious soul food, Chefs Jaime Martin Del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu of Mexicano Restaurant at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza will bring an authentic taste of Mexican fare to the book fair’s culinary stage. Affectionately known together as Jaime and Ramiro, the chefs are two of the biggest stars in the Mexican cooking world.  In 2008, the two nabbed a nomination for Best Chef from the James Beard Foundation, and continue to earn recognition for their exemplary Mexican cuisine. 

And for the sports lover, former NBA player A.C. Green  (LA Lakers) and journeyman NBA/CBA player Juanquin “Hawk” Hawkins (Houston Rockets), who is the author of “Stroke of Grace,” will grace the sports pavilion, and offer words of inspiration for both on an off the court.

The day will culminate with a closing keynote speech by motivational speaker, Ramsey Jay Jr., author of “Empower Dreamers to Become Achievers.” Jay is a Wall Street- trained, Ivy League-educated finance professional with more than a decade of global investment management experience.  Named by Ebony magazine as one of the top “30 Young Leaders Under 30,” he recently delivered opening remarks at the White House where President Obama and the First Lady hosted an event, honoring Ray Charles. His message and enriching inspiration has touched many lives, encouraging all people to live their best lives without fear and limitations. 

For more information about the LPVBF, including an electronic press kit with downloadable talent photos for promotional use, visit  www.leimertparkbookfair.com. 

For the extended lineup with blurbs about headliners, crowd pleasers and fan favorites, visit http://bit.ly/2ab0KNU  For more information about the LPVBF TURNING 10! visit  http://bit.ly/23kqbkr

By Lue Dowdy

It’s here, “My, Music, My Mic -2015 Indie Artist’s Award Show” presented by LUE Productions. The show will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2016. It is a night of honor, recognition, and love for music! Come Out Celebrate With Us!

This year’s event activities consist of raffles, lLive performances, and a mini fashion show. In addition to the festivities, the following artists will be blessing the stage:  Annyett Royale, Bernard Holmes, D’yzil, Eugene Jones, Fitz Taylor, Gwaap Fam, Mack Pepperboy, Noface The Shadowmen, Nya Banxxx, Socal Street Team, Staxx Huges, and Tipse Smashgan. Red carepet performances include: Yung Muusik featuring Jamie Lopez, Shanita Williams –Poet, Bernice Celeste, Yungan, Sirr Jones, Mac Stardo, LA Duce, and Kei Lani Royalty.

If you want to become a sponsor for the event, we have affordable packages available. Vendor slots start at $100. There is limited space so get your spots in. You can pay via PayPal under Lue.Info@yahoo.com.

Tickets for the award show are $20 before October 1 and $25 after and at the door. The after part tickets are also $25. Tickets can be purchased via BrownPaperBag under Lue.Info@yahoo.com or by calling (909) 567-1000, (714) 833-3196, or (909) 556-7637. The show is from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Robert Carl Hill, Jr.

Robert Carl Hill, Jr. of Highland passed away on Tuesday, August 2, 2016.  He was employed by the County of San Bernardino for many years.  His next career was spent at Fedco as supervisor of the maintenance crew, something he did while he worked as owner/CEO of Red-Leg Building Maintenance Company.  He retired in 1999.

Robert is survived by his wife, Margaret Hill; children, Jacqueline D. Hill, Anner Minette Hinds and Robert C. Hill, III; sisters Beverly McCabe and Linda Austin; brother Michael Austin; six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, Uncle Jimmy Jimmerson, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Cornelius & Alma Ruth Austin; brothers John Hill, Cornelius Austin, Jr. & Darrell Austin; and granddaughter Najah Hill.

A Night of Reflection will be Friday, August 12, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Community Hospital of San Bernardino, Henderson Auditorium.  A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, August 13, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Norman Feldheym Library.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Robert Carl Hill, Jr. Diabetic Scholarship Fund, c/o Maggie’s Kids Foundation, P.O. Box 705, Patton, CA   92369-0705.

By McKenzie Jackson, California Black Media

Recent college grads and job seekers under the age of 31 have a week to fly into a job applicant pool for a well-paying gig with the country’s national aviation authority.

The Federal Aviation Administration is accepting applications from entry-level candidates across the U.S. for air traffic controller positions until August 15.

And at least two Congressmen are looking to increase African-American outreach for the jobs. In the spring Reps. Carlos Curbelo of Florida and Sean Patrick Maloney of New York introduced House Resolution 5292, the Air Traffic Controller Hiring Improvement Act of 2016.

Among other things, the bipartisan legislation, which is currently making the rounds in the nation’s capital, aims at improving hiring and staffing of air traffic controllers at the FAA by directly notifying air traffic controller vacancies to Historically Black Colleges and other minority institutions.

Curbelo said in a May statement, “I am very pleased that this bill will also encourage the hiring of students graduating from minority-serving institutions.”

In a statement, the FAA said applicants for the position of Air Traffic Control Specialist-Trainee need to set-up an account on www.USAJobs.gov as soon as possible in order to apply for the highly competitive position.

“The agency expects more than 25,000 applications for approximately 1,400 positions during the seven-day job opening,” the statement read.

Good jobs are something black college grads across the nation are in short supply of. A 2014 study by the Center for Economic Policy Research revealed 12.4 percent of black college graduates between ages 22 – 27 are unemployed. For all college grads in the same age range the rate was 5.6 percent.

Over 20,000 FAA jobs will be open within the next three to five years across the country. Some of the positions including the air traffic controller role, pay upwards to $70,000 to $100,000 a year.

Air traffic controllers guide pilots, their planes and 2.2 million daily passengers from taxi to takeoff, through the air and back safely on the ground again. The FAA statement said air traffic controllers receive a wide range of training in controlling and separating live air traffic within designated airspace at and around an air traffic control tower, radar approach control facility, or air route traffic control center. 

“As a new ATCS, you will spend your first several months of employment in an intensive training program at the FAA Academy located in Oklahoma City,” the statement reads.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in the newsletter the aviation authority “provides the safest, most efficient airspace system in the world and we need exceptional people to support our mission.”

Requirements for the job include being a U.S. citizen, being 31 or younger on Aug. 15, passing a medical examination, security investigation and the FAA air traffic pre-employment tests. Candidates must speak English clear enough to be understood over communications equipment and have three years of progressively responsible work experience or a Bachelor’s degree or a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals three years. Job inquirers must also be ready to move to an FAA facility based on agency staffing needs.

More Stability

In fact, air traffic controller is a career in the in-demand fields of accounting, business, computer science and engineering, which have lower unemployment rates. Glassdoor, a jobs and recruiting website, said plenty of top-notch jobs are appearing in the technology, finance and professional services industries.

Glassdoor and UC San Diego Extension recently conducted surveys that determined what the hottest jobs are based on career opportunities, base salary and open positions. The jobs listed included accountants, data scientist, human resource manager, marketing manager, nurse practitioner, software developers, market research analysts, and computer network architects.

Mary Walshok, associate vice chancellor of public programs and dean of UC San Diego Extension, said in a statement that the careers show both the value of a college degree and also the need for specialized training as technology is continuously reshaping the job market and the economy.

 “As Marc Andreessen recently opined, ‘Software is eating the world,'” Walshok said. “That fact is true in almost every top emerging career whether it be health care or marketing or financial analysis. It’s not enough to just know the fundamentals; you have to use technology to provide new insights.”

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Short-term pleasure; long-term misery and pain. SIN… a moment of pleasure, but leads to death!  Jesus said that your soul is worth more than the rest of the world put together. He asked, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” [Mark 8:36]. The value of your soul… It is the most valuable possession you have. All the wealth and power you might gain is not worth the price of your soul!  It is a lesson you will do well to remember. If you don’t believe me just ask the rich man who pleaded,” I beg you, father, ‘send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them so they will not also end up in this place of torment [Luke 16:28]. The rich man in hell lifted up his eyes, being in torment and said please; send someone to warn my brothers, for Hell is no joke. It’s a very real place and there is no place like Hell.  How long will you allow the devil to lie to you? I tell you, you cannot afford to lose your soul for if you lose it, you lose all. So wake up! Enough of this foolishness!  It’s time to take a stand, to fight back – to take control!

Listen, if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment [2 Peter 2:4] what do you think he will do to you if you keep on sinning.  The best advice is to put as much distance as you can between yourself and the sources of sin and temptation in your life, because Satan will not stop until he has ruined your life. He will not back down until sin has taken everything of value from you. He will not stop until you are broken, your life wasted and you are of no use to God! Stop being a puppet for Satan! His only purpose is to kill, steal and destroy you!  

And never try to cover up your sin. Because the moment you do, it will raise it ugly head. Let me give you an example.  Have you ever watched an opossum escape from a predator? They use a defense mechanism distinct to only a few animals—playing dead. When faced with a threat, an opossum will often fall on the ground, close his eyes, extend his limbs, and lie very still. He appears lifeless—and harmless. But when the danger passes, he revives and scurries away. You can almost hear laughter as he makes his escape.

Playing dead seems to be an effective means of survival, but opossums aren’t the sole practitioners of that strategy. Our sins often “play dead” too, especially when faced with the threat of execution. They fake death in order to escape it. While you may think you’ve slain a particular sin, sometimes life still pulses within your enemy and it secretly takes its leave, stays quiet, and waits on danger to pass.

We’ve all been tricked by sin’s craftiness, haven’t we? How many times have you sheathed your sword, convinced sin was finished, only to suffer a violent retaliation a few hours later? How does that happen, and what can you do to stop it? Rather than conceal your sins, confess and forsake them. That’s how you kill sin (1 John 1:9). Merely covering up your sin obscures the problem from plain sight, which keeps it secret. You can’t hit a target you can’t see. Sin doesn’t die in those conditions—it thrives.

Don’t be deceived like Achan who hid his sin and silenced his conscience until it was too late. He even brought sin’s treachery into his own home (Joshua 7:21). His deception cost him his life—and the life of his entire family (Joshua7:24-25). Don’t cover up your sin, kill it.  So the next time your sin drops to the ground before you, closes its eyes, and appears dead, don’t sheathe your sword. Kill your sins God’s way, or die sin’s way.

I pray that the Holy Ghost will use this message to grip your soul – and to put some fight back in you. God wants you to stand up against the devil – to reclaim all the territory you’ve given up to him! You see the battle on Mount Carmel never was between Elijah and Jezebel – it was between God and the devil! Elijah was full of God’s Spirit, and Jezebel was possessed by Satan. It was a battle between the powers of hell and God’s corporate body on earth!

If you do not stop sinning, one of the greatest torments in Hell for you will be every sermon you heard will be repeated in your mind over and over throughout eternity. Every plea which you ignored will be heard over and over again in Hell. My advice to you is that you should flee the wrath to come. Run to Jesus and be saved! For the loss of the soul is an ETERNAL loss. Once the soul is lost, it is lost forever [Isaiah 33:14]. It’s Not Worth It!

CaSonya Thomas, director of the Department of Behavioral Health

A director with 25 years of experience in meeting the social service and mental health needs of San Bernardino County residents was appointed on Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors to lead County Human Services.

CaSonya Thomas, director of the Department of Behavioral Health, will succeed Linda Haugan, who is retiring as Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services on Oct. 15 after more than 35 years of service to the County.

Haugan has spent the past 11 years as head of Human Services, a County agency that includes eight departments, more than 6,000 employees, and a $1.9 billion annual budget. Both Haugan and Thomas began their careers in what is now known as the Transitional Assistance Department as eligibility workers, an entry-level position in County Government. Thomas began her career in 1991.

Their careers illustrate the County’s successful efforts – mandated by the Board of Supervisors – to identify and develop talent from within the County organization, and ensure the County maintains a bench of qualified managers and executives to promote when vacancies occur. This practice will allow a nearly three-month transition for Thomas to work closely with Haugan before assuming her new role.

“It is an honor to receive this appointment, which comes with a tremendous responsibility to the people of San Bernardino County,” Thomas said. “Each day, Human Services changes lives through a number of programs and services, and we will remain committed to our Countywide Vision to build healthier communities by strengthening individuals and families, enhancing quality of life and valuing people.”

Thomas has held a number of positions within Human Services over the course of her 25-year County career, including Director of Behavioral Health and executive and management positions within Human Services. Under Thomas’ leadership, Behavioral Health played a key role in the County’s efforts to assist the survivors of the Dec. 2, 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino and the families of those who died.

“CaSonya Thomas is an outstanding employee and an asset to the county. As the newly appointed Assistant Executive Officer for Human Services, Ms. Thomas will bring professionalism and expertise that will continue to strengthen the County of San Bernardino,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman and Third District Supervisor James Ramos.

“CaSonya has proven herself as a successful and well-qualified leader for this position. Her experience, hard work and professionalism will serve our residents and the County well,” said Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman and First District Supervisor Robert Lovingood.

“It was a privilege to appoint Ms. Thomas as the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health in 2012, and I am thrilled to now support her appointment as the Assistant Executive Officer for Human Services,” said Fifth District Supervisor Josie Gonzales. “I am so pleased to see her succeed and I have no doubt she’ll continue to do a remarkable job.”

“CaSonya has consistently demonstrated her commitment to the well-being of all county residents,” said Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford. “Her intelligence, compassion and creativity are perfectly suited to the challenges we face.”

Haugan assumed the reins of Human Services in July 2005 after an already-notable career that included the implementation of the landmark C-IV Statewide Automated Welfare System. Her first order of business as Humans Services chief was to successfully and dramatically reduce the County’s food stamp error rate.

Throughout her tenure, Haugan has fostered collaboration between Human Services departments to improve services to the public, a practice that has made the County a consistent leader in winning national and state awards for innovative and effective programs.

“I have had the good fortune of working with many talented people who carry out their public service mission with passion and intelligence. That’s why I feel I am leaving Human Services in a very good state and in very good hands,” Haugan said.

Thomas has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a post-graduate degree in public administration, both from California State University, San Bernardino. She is also certified in healthcare compliance by the national Health Care Compliance Association.

Thomas serves as president-elect to the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California (CBHDA), whose goals include advocating and developing public policy agendas that support access to necessary quality services that promote behavioral health and wellness, and resiliency and recovery in communities. She also is co-chair of the CBHDA Cultural Competence, Equity and Social Justice Committee.

Human Services departments, divisions and offices include Aging and Adult Services, Animal Care and Control, Behavioral Health, Child Support Services, Children and Family Services, Children’s Network, Environmental Health Services, Homeless Services, Preschool Services, Public Health, Transitional Assistance and Veterans Affairs.

RIVERSIDE, CA- On Saturday night, July 30, 2016, twenty-eight year old professional boxer Mikey Garcia returned to the ring at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, after a two and a half year layoff due to a contract dispute with his former promotional company, Top Rank. On the Showtime televised broadcast, Garcia knocked down former WBC World Featherweight Champion Elio Rojas four times, before referee Eddie Claudio called an end to the fight at 2:02 of Round 5. Following Saturday’s TKO win, Garcia’s record improved to 35-0, with 29 KOs, while Rojas’ record dropped to 24-3, with 14 KOs. Garcia-Rojas was scheduled for ten rounds in the junior welterweight division as the co-main event on the fight card promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Cyclone Promotions, and presented by Premier Boxing Champions. In the main event, Carl Frampton won the WBA Super World Featherweight Title by defeating Leon Santa Cruz by majority decision.

Garcia, a former two-time WBO world champion in the featherweight and super featherweight divisions, last fought on January 25, 2014, when he successfully defended his WBO World Super Featherweight Title in a unanimous decision win against Juan Carlos Burgos on HBO. In October 2014, he vacated the WBO World Super Featherweight Title because he had plans to move up in weight. Mikey grew up in Oxnard, California, trains in Riverside at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy, and resides in Moreno Valley.

He shared his thoughts about his winning performance against his opponent, Elio Rojas. “It took me a round or two to get my rhythm going. I had to find that right distance and range to connect my punches. I didn’t feel any ring rust. My defense and footwork were fine, my punches felt sharp and fast, and I felt good with my jab. My opponent used the ring well and demonstrated solid footwork. The plan was always to keep my distance and measure him. It was difficult to land that one big shot, because he kept moving and using his legs. He was smart and he wanted to win. Rojas had good reflexes, and he was able to see me coming in. He kept moving out of the way before I could land a big punch. I worked hard to close the distance, and when it happened, I let my hands go. Once I started landing hard shots, I knew that I hurt him, and eventually he went down.

After the first two knockdowns, Rojas didn’t look like he wanted to be in the ring anymore. The last time that I dropped him, the referee asked him if he wanted to continue. He kept looking down and finally said no. I made a statement by stopping Rojas in my return fight. Everybody at the Barclays Center was cheering, and it was great to get a victory in that manner. I easily made 138 lbs for this fight, and the contracted weight had been set previously at 140 lbs. I felt real comfortable on fight night, so making 135 lbs for my next fight won’t be any problem.”

Mikey discussed his career going forward. “During the past two years, I never went away from boxing. I’ve stayed busy helping other fighters get ready for their fights, and continued making improvements in the gym. I had good sparring prior to this fight, and I had adequate time to prepare. It’s very important that I get right back in the ring again soon. I didn’t have any cuts or abrasions, and my hands feel good. I’m ready for a world title fight right away at 135 lbs. I would love to fight for the WBO World Super Featherweight Title, which is currently held by Terry Flanagan of the UK. If the world title opportunity isn’t available, then I want to be back in the ring as soon as possible so that I can stay active. My next objective is to challenge for a title at 135 lbs, then perhaps unify titles in that division if the opportunity presents itself. After that, a move to 140 lbs would be likely, and I’ll seek world title opportunities there. I’ll target big names and the big fights that fans want to see. There are plenty of big challenges ahead of me. Because of the time away, it’s important to me that I’m moved on the fast track, so that I can face champion after champion. Now that the Rojas fight is over, I plan to resume conversations with boxing promoters. I’m still a free agent and am willing to negotiate a deal if it is in my best interest to do so.

I want to thank Stephen Espinoza, Al Haymon, and Lou DiBella for giving me the opportunity to fight on Saturday night. I also want to thank my sponsors: B&B Plastics Inc., Asanti Wheels, and Everlast. It feels great to be back, but there’s so much more I want to accomplish. This is just the beginning, and I will do my best to give everyone memorable fights. The time off helped me regain that fire, and it motivated me to come back stronger. I’m thankful for all the fan support I’ve received. My performance on Saturday night hopefully reminded everyone what I’m capable of doing inside the ring, and it’s a great way to begin this next stage of my career.

Mikey Garcia Fight Night Recap Video: