By Lou Yeboah

“I’ve been telling you for a long time now to repent. But you have not heeded to a word I said. Well I got news for you. If you think this year was bad, next year, will be a Tsunami, Hurricane, and Storm, all in one. Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.” [Luke 10:13–15]. I’ve warned you in January 2020 that the New Year would not be what you expected. Did you listen? No.  I am alerting you once more, come 2021, the New Year will not be what you may expect! 

Man has never experienced anything like what will occur during the Great Tribulation. And it is prophesied to come upon us suddenly—and unexpectedly! In [Luke 21:34-35] Jesus said it would be like a snare—catching us completely off guard. Isaiah compared it to the collapse of a high, swelling wall “whose breaking comes suddenly at an instant.” [Isaiah 30:13].

Sudden destruction—that’s what Christ associates with the events leading to His return. And it all unfolds at the very time most people least expect it. “For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” [1 Thessalonians 5:3]. It will be so bad that even ambassadors of peace will weep bitterly according to [Isaiah 33:7].

When we look at the four seals of [Revelation 6], we have to understand them in the context of God’s age long message to mankind. When these horsemen make their rides, it will be after repeated warning and pleading from God to turn from sin and live righteously based on His eternal law of love toward God and man.

I’m convinced that all the fearful things we see coming upon the earth right now — all have to do with the coming of Christ. Beyond all the war clouds gathering, beyond the gross darkness covering the earth, a cloud is being formed in heaven. And one day soon Christ is going to enter that cloud and reveal himself to the whole world. [Luke 21:31].

Man’s world faces an inevitable death. Every dimension of our culture, every dimension of our society is escalating on the down slide, being devastated by depravity, more and more given over to lust and pride and self-indulgence, immorality and rejection of God and Christ, and the truth of Scripture. And thus man is sentenced; his whole world is sentenced to divine wrath. [Revelation 14:10].

Listen, when God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He told them: “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you” [Exodus 15:26]. However, if they disobeyed and broke the covenant, they could expect disease to afflict them, their families and their nation.

Notice: “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God.?.?. the Lord will make the pestilence cling to you until He has consumed you from the land into which you go to possess. The Lord will smite you with consumption, with fever and inflammation.?.?. and the tumors, the scurvy and the itch, from which you cannot be healed. The Lord will smite you with madness and blindness and dismay of [mind and] heart” [Deuteronomy 28:15, 21-22, 27-28].

[2 Samuel 16] says there is wrath gone out from the Lord.  [Isaiah 13:9] said, “Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, cruel with fury and burning anger and He will exterminate sinners.” Amos cried in chapter 4 verse 12, “Prepare to meet your God.”

LORD HAVE MERCY ON OUR SOUL!

God instructed Jeremiah to give his people this warning: “Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee. But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.” [Jeremiah 7:27-28].

By Charles Ellison, the b|e note

Surveys have documented disproportionate disinclination among Black people in the United States to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus – a cause of substantial concern for public health professionals given the Black population’s high rates of infection, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. This study delves deeply into these compunctions, relying on an unusually large, random national sample of Black Americans, a review of the literature on vaccine uptake and consultation with experts in the field.  

Confirming previous findings, fewer than half of Black adults, 48 percent, say they probably or definitely would get a coronavirus vaccine if it were available for free – including just 18 percent who definitely would get vaccinated. Among Latinx adults, interviewed for comparison, far more likely would get vaccinated, 66 percent, including 31 percent definitely.

Safety and trust concerns are pervasive in both groups – but their higher levels among Black people are key in these differing vaccination uptake intentions. 

“Student Loans Weigh the Heaviest on Black and Hispanic Students” 

READ more …

Student loan debt weighs more heavily on students of color than on their white counterparts.

For example, if you look only at four-year public colleges, an estimated 86.8 percent of Black students borrow federal student loans to attend, but just 59.9 percent of White students do the same, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

With rising tuition costs outpacing inflation and wage growth, many students are struggling to afford college. In fact, about 44 million Americans owe over $1.48 trillion in student loan debt.

But according to our in-depth analysis of data from Demos and NCES, Black and Hispanic students are paying more when it comes to student loans than White students.

“Increased Winter Drownings in Ice-Covered Regions with Warmer Winters” 

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Winter activities on ice are culturally important for many countries, yet they constitute a high safety risk depending upon the stability of the ice. Because consistently cold periods are required to form stable and thick ice, warmer winters could degrade ice conditions and increase the likelihood of falling through the ice. This study provides the first large-scale assessment of winter drowning from 10 Northern Hemisphere countries. We documented over 4000 winter drowning events. Winter drownings increased exponentially in regions with warmer winters when air temperatures neared 0°C. The largest number of drownings occurred when winter air temperatures were between -5°C and 0°C, when ice is less stable, and also in regions where indigenous traditions and livelihood require extended time on ice. Rates of drowning were greatest late in the winter season when ice stability declines. Children and adults up to the age of 39 were at the highest risk of winter drownings. Beyond temperature, differences in cultures, regulations, and human behaviors can be important additional risk factors. Our findings indicate the potential for increased human mortality with warmer winter air temperatures. Incorporating drowning prevention plans would improve adaptation strategies to a changing climate.

Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that California will provide temporary tax relief for eligible businesses impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. The temporary tax relief entails an automatic three-month income tax extension for taxpayers filing less than $1 million in sales tax, extends the availability of existing interest and penalty-free payment agreements to companies with up to $5 million in taxable sales and provides expanded interest free payment options for larger businesses particularly affected by significant restrictions on operations based on COVID-19 transmissions. The total tax relief, if fully utilized, is estimated to have billions in impact.

Additional information on the tax credit program and applications can be found here.

The state will build on its ongoing support for businesses impacted by COVID-19 with a new $500 million COVID Relief Grant program. The Governor also announced that the state would expand the California Rebuilding Fund by $12.5 million, bringing the total investment to $37.5 million. These efforts are informed by recommendations made by the Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery. 

CalOSBA is establishing the COVID Relief Grant program and will make it available to small businesses as soon as possible – for updates on availability visit here.

Earlier this week, Governor Newsom discussed the potential for a new Stay at Home Order for counties in purple, this would include San Bernardino county. It is imperative that businesses prepare for the chance that the response to the pandemic would be a new stay at home order.

In addition, the governor discussed the expected hospitalization rates that could mean that ICU beds could exceed capacity 107 percent in southern California by mid to late December.

The news prompted the governor to reiterate the actions the state has taken to make available billions of dollars for small businesses relief. These relief funds and programs for small businesses can be found at covid-19.ca.gov website or https://covid19.ca.gov/business-and-employers.

STATE BUSINESS PROGRAMS

Emergency relief packages. For more information, please visit the websites included here to read all regulatory and grant application information.

California and the federal government are providing tax assistance and benefits to small businesses. https://covid19.ca.gov/taxes/ This includes:

• Interest-free deferral of sales/use tax up to $50,000 for businesses with less than $5 million in taxable sales

• A $1,000 tax credit for new employees hired by small businesses (up to $100,000 per business)

• Excluding forgiven Paycheck Protection Program loans from state gross income

• Federal tax credits to small businesses for COVID-19 employee paid leave 

• $25,000 for small businesses and nonprofits also included in this package.

• Tomorrow, December 1, the state is implementing a main street hiring tax credit for hiring qualified employees.

• The state has a tax relief program of $100 million to waive franchise tax fees for new businesses.

• SBA and the state are offering numerous programs for disaster relief loans for businesses that would not otherwise qualify for loans.

ALSO, restaurants, please review the great plates program providing you reimbursement for meals provided to seniors. The state will provide after 75% reimbursement for these cost and allow you to maintain your employees. The great bites program what’s discussed today by the governor and can be found at https://covid19.ca.gov/restaurants-deliver-home-meals-for-seniors/ For the next 6 to 9 weeks our small businesses might be even more severely impacted, some would say more the impact may be harder than all of 2020. It is important that you look into these programs in order to maintain your businesses.

By Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media

Nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic, three vaccine trials have yielded promising results, and the first round of Americans could begin to receive shots as early as mid-December.

Last week, the California Department of Public Health announced that California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris will chair the state’s Community Vaccine Advisory Committee. The group Burke-Harris leads will help guide the state’s decision making about vaccine distribution.

“While the COVID-19 vaccine is new, we are not starting our planning process from scratch. This is an area of expertise we have strong partnerships in, building on lessons learned from previous vaccination campaigns, including H1N1 and the seasonal flu,” said Gov. Newsom.

But as the anticipated end of the global pandemic finally comes into our line of sight, some Black activists are raising concerns shared and echoed by skeptical African Americans across the country.

Earlier this month, San Diego civil rights organization People’s Alliance for Justice (PAFJ) sent letters to the four companies developing COVID-19 vaccines, asking them to release data regarding the diversity of vaccine trial participants.

“We need a break down of race and ethnicity to analyze data regarding whether communities of color are overrepresented in these trials or underrepresented or equally represented and how our communities are responding to the call for volunteering,” wrote Shane Harris, PAFJ’s president in the letter.

According to Harris, Pfizer, the global pharmaceutical company, has responded to his inquiry. He shared the letter with California Black Media.

“With regard to your data request, the demographic data collected to date shows that approximately 30% of trial participants in the United States have racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds,” the letter from the CEO of Pfizer reads. “More specifically, 10.1% of U.S. participants are Black, and 13.1% of U.S. participants are of Hispanic/Latinx origin.  Please find additional demographic information at the global and U.S. levels here.”

Pfizer says it also plans to present subgroup analyses by age, race and ethnicity and may also do an evaluation by country. 

Dr. Oliver Brooks, who is the immediate past president of the National Medical Association (NMA), said during a California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC) press conference last week that he has also met with the companies developing vaccines and verified that African Americans are included in the trials.

The CLBC organized the virtual press conference to highlight work Black elected officials and healthcare professionals are doing to address the pandemic in California’s African American communities.

Asked whether the vaccine will be prioritized in communities that have been COVID-19 hot spots, which are primarily Black and Brown communities, Burke-Harris says she is taking steps to make sure that process is inclusive.

“We will be reviewing the distribution plan and ensuring that we are having an equitable framework for vaccine distribution,” said Burke-Harris.

Two of the companies developing a COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer, in partnership with BioNTech, and Moderna, announced Nov. 9 and 16, respectively, that their vaccines are producing promising vaccine trial results. The Pfizer vaccine is estimated to be more than 90 % effective, with 94 trial participants out of nearly 44,000 contracting COVID-19. The Moderna vaccine was found to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection by 94.5 %.

A third company, AstraZeneca, which is developing a vaccine with Oxford University announced that its vaccine, from separate clinical trials is up to 90% effective.

Pfizer announced Nov. 20 that it has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant an emergency use authorization for its vaccine. On Nov. 22, Moncef Siaoui, the head of Operation Warp Speed — the federal government’s program to produce and deliver 300 million doses of the vaccine by January 2021– told CNN that the group plans to begin administering the vaccine immediately.

“Our plan is to be able to ship vaccines to the immunization sites within 24 hours from the approval, so I would expect maybe on day two after approval, on the 11th or on the 12th of December, hopefully, the first people will be immunized across the United States, across all states,” Slaoui told CNN.

The FDA committee in charge of the emergency use authorization is scheduled to meet Dec. 10. According to reports, Pfizer and U.S. government officials expect to have 30 to 40 million doses of the vaccine before the end of the year, enough for 20 million people.

Officials have yet to decide which groups of people will qualify for the first round of vaccinations, but they are expected to start with groups vulnerable to infection first, including health care workers, older adults, and people who have risk factors such as obesity or diabetes. According to Slaoui, herd immunity is expected by around May 2021.

During a Nov. 13 press conference, medical officials spoke about the progress of various vaccine trials.

One challenge they discussed was the distribution logistics of the Pfizer vaccine, which must be kept frozen while stored and transported.

“This means this vaccine can only be given at distinctive locations where the personnel are very well-trained to do this. This is not a vaccine that will be available at the local pharmacy or in a physician’s office,” said Dr. Willam Schaffner of Vanderbilt University.

The doctors also discussed the possible side effects of the vaccines. Pfizer executive William Gruber told Stat News that their vaccine’s side effects include aches and fevers, and that he believed its side effect profile was “comparable to standard adult vaccines, but probably worse than Pfizer’s pneumonia vaccine or a flu shot.”

“Those side effects, that’s your immune system working to start with the vaccine, to develop your protection. You’re not getting COVID. You can’t get COVID from the vaccine,” said Schaffner.

Black doctors have also emphasized the importance of informing their communities about the vaccine.

“We look at our role as being messengers to African American physicians who then can be messengers to the African American community,” said Brooks.

FREE Tickets Available Now

NATIONAL—- Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Jennifer Holliday will join the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) as the featured performer for its 2020 Virtual Awards, streaming December 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Celebrity DJ Andre Mack will also join NABJ as the host of the awards show live afterparty.

Holliday is best known for her role in the smash Broadway musical, “Dreamgirls,” with her show-stopping performance as Effie “Melody” White. This iconic role garnered her a Tony Award for best actress in a musical. 

With over 30 years of experience on Broadway, Holliday got her start at age 17 while singing in her church choir in Houston, Texas. Holliday’s passion didn’t stop on the Broadway stage. She has appeared on television as Lisa Knowles on the Fox TV dramedy, “Ally McBeal.” She has also enjoyed a successful recording career, winning Grammy® Awards for her mesmerizing performances of “And I Am Telling You, I’m Not Going” (1982) and Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday” (1985). Holliday has also received rave reviews for her first album in two decades – “The Song Is You” (2014).

Back by popular demand, DJ Andre Mack is no stranger to NABJ. After performing at the 2020 Convention Opening Ceremony and Reception, co-produced and presented by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, members and attendees raved about Mack’s skills on the turntables. He is frequently called upon to spin classic and soulful House, Old School R&B, Hip Hop, and Reggae music.

NABJ’s first-ever virtual awards will recognize the winners of its 2020 Salute to Excellence Awards and pay tribute to 2020 Special Honors recipients and Hall of Fame inductees. The hosts for the evening will be Lynn Whitfield, Emmy Award-winning actress; Craig Melvin, anchor of NBC News’ “TODAY”; Tichina Arnold, NAACP Image Award-winning actress; Michelle Miller, co-host of “CBS This Morning: Saturday”; and Kenneth Moton, co-anchor of “ABC World News Now” and “America This Morning.”

The awards ceremony, presented by FedEx, will kick off at 8 p.m. ET. It will be preceded by a pre-event reception at 7:30 p.m. ET. The post-event afterparty will be held from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Tickets provide access to all three activities. 

“In such a critical time in America and in journalism, it is important that we take time to celebrate and applaud our members and industry colleagues,” said NABJ President Dorothy Tucker. “We are honored to have iconic artists and actresses like Jennifer Holliday, Lynn Whitfield and Tichina Arnold celebrating with us. We are also grateful to have our award-winning hosts and journalists Craig Melvin, Michelle Miller and Kenneth Moton. And, of course, we can’t wait to unwind with the talented DJ Andre Mack. Congratulations to our 2020 honorees and finalists. We are proud of all you’ve accomplished.”

The 2020 NABJ Hall of Fame inductees are:

• Fred Sweets
• Pam Johnson
• Pam Oliver
• Mary Mitchell
• John McCaa
• Cathy Hughes
• Clarice Tinsley  

The 2020 NABJ Special Honors recipients are:

• Journalist of the Year: Yamiche Alcindor
• Michael J. Feeney Emerging Journalist of the Year: Rachel V. Scott
• Legacy Award: Rehema Ellis
• Chuck Stone Lifetime Achievement Award: Kevin Merida
• Journalist of Distinction: Elaine Houston
• Ida B. Wells Award: Kimberly Godwin
• Journalism Educators of the Year: Susan Mango Curtis and James McJunkins Sr.
• Angelo B. Henderson Community Service Award: Chelle Luper Wilson
• Patricia L. Tobin Media Professional Award: Ramona Logan
• Student Journalist of the Year: Arthur Cribbs
• Best Practices Award: The Trace
• Percy Qoboza Foreign Journalist Award: Mahmoud Hussein
• Student Chapter of the Year Finalists: University of North Texas-NABJ, Michigan State University Association of Black Journalists and University of South Carolina – NABJ
• Professional Chapter of the Year Finalists: Greater Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists, Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Black Journalists – Los Angeles, and NABJ-South Florida

Salute to Excellence nominees can be found here.

Free tickets are available at https://nabj.digitalvirtualspaces.com/register.

By Lou Yeboah

“I will not put up with sin forever.  I am going to open Hell to you, and show you what it is like, maybe that will help you get some get right. You see, I am about to destroy the city, and I’m telling you, if you don’t change your ways, you will perish under the wrath which is SOON TO COME. So, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell…And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.” [Matthew 5:20-30; Mark 9:43-48]. “I warn you, as I warned you before!”

Having heard all your life about the grace and mercy of God, you have taken His grace for granted. Woe unto you! Exhibiting the spirit of Esau, in which unfortunately you may well discover his end too.  You see, Esau’s life is the story of a man who traded his soul for fleeting pleasure. He sold his birthright, which included not only material benefits and family privileges, but spiritual blessings as well, for a bowl of soup. It says that “he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way” 25:34]. He didn’t have a second thought about what he had done. He did it, it felt good, and only much later did he come to regret it.  Esau wanted to repent of his actions, but it was too late. “He found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.”[Hebrews 12:17]. Esau sought to reverse the catastrophic outcome of his mistake/decision, but was rejected because he had no further opportunity to repent. The damage was done and there was no turning back.

May each of us learn from Esau, and not wait until it is too late to consider the cost of our decisions and actions. God is good to allow time for us to repent of our sins by delaying His judgment. But don’t think that we have all the time in the world, to repent. Because according to Genesis 6:3-5, it reminds us that the “Lord spirit shall not strive-with man always.” A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” [Proverbs 22:3]. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. [Isaiah 55:6]. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. [Romans 11:22].

“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?… Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. [Ezekiel 18:21, 30]. “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” [Isaiah 1:18].

“The great day of the Lord is near – near and coming quickly. See, the Lord is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish… In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth.”  [Isaiah 66:15-16; Zephaniah 1:14-18]. “The great day of the Lord is near ? near and coming quickly.

May the God of heaven give you understanding in all things which concern his glory, and your eternal good.

By Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media 

As COVID-19 case numbers climb, California has imposed tighter restrictions and ordered a ordered a statewide mask mandate, while advising residents to stay home. Out of the 58 California counties, 41 are now at the state’s most restrictive, or purple, tier, including Alameda, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties. 

On Friday, the governor announced a curfew between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. in 41 counties. It will affect more than 90 % of Californians, but he stopped short of reissuing a statewide shelter-in-place order. 

“The virus is spreading at a pace we haven’t seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge. We are sounding the alarm,” Gov. Newsom said in a statement. “It is crucial that we act to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations before the death count surges.” 

Earlier in the week, Gov. Newsom announced a stricter mandate that requires mask wearing “statewide at all times when outside of the home” by everyone over age two. The new restrictions are in response to the recent COVID-19 case surge, the “fastest increase we’ve seen since the start of the pandemic,” according to Newsom. 

Nationwide, COVID-19 cases hit 12 million on Nov. 21, an increase of nearly 1 million over the previous week. More than 250,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 so far. 

“Every age group, every racial demographic, in every part of the state we are seeing case rates increase and positivity rates increase as well. It is no longer concentrated in just a handful of counties. We are seeing community spread broadly throughout the state of California,” Newsom said during a news briefing Monday. 

Public health and government officials have recently shifted their messaging to warning the public about the spread of COVID-19 in the winter months, as families consider whether to gather for the holidays. On Nov. 13, Newsom issued a travel advisory warning to California residents discouraging travel out of the state for any nonessential reason, including the Thanksgiving holiday, and recommending a 14-day quarantine for anyone who does travel. 

Newsom also shared the number of current COVID-19 hospitalizations in California, which has climbed 48 % over the past two weeks to reach 3,800 as of Nov. 15. Of those, more than 1,000 people were in intensive care. 

Black and Brown communities including East Oakland and East Los Angeles are still hotspots – and the case numbers are climbing. 

Dr. Beverly Tambe is a primary doctor at Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital in East Los Angeles who recently appeared in a USA Facts Ad to talk about the realities of treating patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a conversation with California Black Media, Tambe spoke about the struggles of treating a virus whose full impact healthcare professionals have yet to determine. 

Over the past nine months of treating COVID-19 patients, Tambe has seen a variety of situations with her patients. They range from those who recover in a couple of days, to those who were previously admitted to the hospital at the beginning of the pandemic and still come in for outpatient treatment for decreased lung or heart function. She emphasizes that the effects of COVID-19 vary from patient to patient. 

“We have a standardized treatment regimen for patients that come into the hospital, depending on the severity. We’ve got a whole algorithm that we follow, but even with the algorithm and these treatments, some patients get better and some just don’t. We have patients that we’re doing everything for and they’re not getting better,” she said. 

Tambe also shared her concerns about the upcoming winter and whether case numbers will continue to increase. She recommended against gathering in large groups. She also emphasized that people at least take the basic safety precautions, including wearing a mask and washing their hands regularly, to protect themselves and those around them. 

“There’s a 14-day incubation period with the disease. So even though you feel fine, one day you could travel or meet in a large group, and still be carrying the disease. So, you carry the disease, spread it to everybody and eventually your symptoms might come up, but you’ve already gotten others sick. That’s why it’s so important to take care, to be cautious,” she warned.