Happily Divorced And After

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

From Los Angeles to Oakland, Black voters gathered at watch parties in living rooms, community centers, and restaurants across California to witness Vice President Kamala Harris face off against former President Donald Trump in a much-anticipated debate. For many, this was more than just a political event — it was a moment to witness Harris, the first Black woman vice president, go toe-to-toe with Trump, whose bombastic debate style has dominated headlines in previous election cycles.

Trump’s decision to rule out another debate against Harris has left the upcoming election more contentious than ever. With both candidates presenting starkly different visions for the future, voters will have to weigh their options before November’s election.

When Harris took the debate stage, she approached Trump, extended her hand, and said firmly “Kamala Harris,” setting a deliberate tone for the evening. Moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis of ABC News, the debate provided a clear contrast in vision, temperament, and leadership style as the candidates addressed key issues.

The debate opened with discussions on the economy. Harris focused on the Biden administration’s achievements and outlined plans to support small businesses, reduce costs for working families, and create what she called an “opportunity economy.” She proposed down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and tax deductions to help young families. “I intend to create an opportunity economy, investing in small businesses, in new families, and in what we can do around protecting seniors,” Harris said.

Trump, in contrast, offered a more apocalyptic view of the country’s state, repeatedly claiming that the nation was in decline under the Biden-Harris administration. He said the country was being “laughed at” on the world stage and criticized Harris for not accomplishing more during her time as vice president. However, his criticisms lacked concrete solutions. At one point, Trump claimed that 21 million people had crossed the border illegally. Harris quickly rebutted, reminding viewers that Trump had blocked a bipartisan immigration reform bill during his presidency.

As the debate shifted to healthcare, Harris, speaking passionately emphasized the administration’s work to lower prescription drug costs and cap insulin prices. “We have allowed, for the first time, Medicare to negotiate drug prices on behalf of you, the American people,” she said.

Trump struggled to provide specific details about his healthcare plan, despite having promised for years to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). When pressed, he said that he was “working on concepts of a plan,” a vague response that mirrored similar statements from his previous campaigns.

On the issue of abortion, the contrast between the candidates became even sharper. Harris strongly condemned the “Trump abortion bans” in more than 20 states, which she said criminalized healthcare providers and offered no exceptions for rape or incest. “It is immoral for a survivor of a crime, a violation to their body, to not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next,” Harris said.

Trump defended his role in appointing Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade and repeated false claims about late-term abortions, which Harris dismissed as “lies.”

As the debate moved into foreign policy, the conversation turned to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump claimed that the war “would have been over within 24 hours” had he been president, suggesting that his relationship with Vladimir Putin would have prevented the conflict altogether.

Harris countered by emphasizing the work she and the Biden administration have done to support Ukraine and build a coalition of allies to defend democracy. Harris said that world leaders are “laughing at Donald Trump” and that she has talked with military leaders who have worked with Trump, and they say, “You’re a disgrace.” She accused Trump of favoring dictators like Putin, reminding viewers that Trump had attempted to negotiate directly with the Taliban in Afghanistan, bypassing the Afghan government entirely. Harris’s sharp rebuttal – “If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now” —seemed to visibly unsettle Trump, whose demeanor shifted as he interrupted her multiple times despite the muted microphone rule.

Throughout the debate, Harris adhered to the rules, delivering focused, policy-driven responses. In contrast, Trump frequently interrupted and avoided direct responses, visibly frustrated by the format and Harris’s composure. At one point when he found himself backed into a corner, he went off the rails and made a bizarre claim that illegal immigrants in Ohio were eating pets, which Muir swiftly refuted, noting there was no evidence to support the assertion.

The debate concluded with the candidates delivering a closing statement. Harris’s remarks focused on unity and optimism, reflecting her belief in what America could achieve with the right leadership. “We all have so much more in common than what separates us, and we can chart a new way forward,” she said. Trump, in contrast, offered a grim vision of a nation in decline, recycling many of the same talking points from earlier in the night about economic failure and foreign policy missteps.

After watching the debate, pop star Taylor Swift endorsed Harris on social media, writing, “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.” Swift’s endorsement, which quickly gained over a million likes, added a cultural moment to the post-debate discussions, particularly among younger voters. She signed her post “Childless Cat Lady.”

Despite the attention the debate received, Trump announced that there would be no third debate. Posting on Truth Social, he wrote, “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!” He referred to the first debate as his June encounter with President Joe Biden and the second as the debate with Harris. Trump argued that Harris only wanted a rematch because he “clearly won” the first debate.

However, in a rally in North Carolina just minutes after Trump’s announcement, Harris said, “We owe it to the voters to have another debate.” Several instant polls taken after the debate indicated that voters felt Harris had outperformed her opponent.

While Trump called his performance in Philadelphia “my best debate”, some Republicans and allies expressed disappointment with his performance. Sen. Lindsey Graham called it “a missed opportunity.”

Sunrise: 07/04/1952

Sunset: 08/26/2024

“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body,  and to be present with the Lord.” – II Corinthians 5:8

Home Going Celebration

Friday, October 4, 2024

11:00am-1:00pm

Green Acres Memorial Park & Mortuary

11715 Cedar Avenue

Bloomington, California

Officiating: Dr. Jason Welsh Amazing Church, Lake Elsinore

Launched in 2018, the Medically Tailored Meals pilot program was designed to help Medi-Cal patients with congestive heart failure by reducing hospital readmissions and emergency department visits by providing tailored meals meeting specific dietary needs.

The program’s success in improving health outcomes and reducing costly emergency room visits encouraged the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to expand the Medically Tailored Meals program to all 58 counties through Medi-Cal transformation and a new set of services called Community Supports.

Medically Tailored Meals are one of 14 new services offered through Medi-Cal that provide members with access to new and improved services to get well-rounded care that goes beyond the doctor’s office or hospital.

Medically Tailored Meals: Overview

Malnutrition and poor nutrition can lead to severe health outcomes, especially among Medi-Cal patients with chronic health conditions. Medically Tailored Meals aim to improve health outcomes, reduce hospital readmissions, and enhance patient satisfaction by providing essential nutrition.

Key Features:

1. Post-Discharge Delivery: Meals are delivered to patients’ homes immediately following discharge from a hospital or nursing home.
2. Customized Nutrition: Meals are tailored to meet the dietary needs of those with chronic diseases, designed by registered dietitians (RD) or certified nutrition professionals based on evidence-based guidelines.
3. Comprehensive Services: Includes medically tailored groceries, healthy food vouchers, and food pharmacies.
4. Educational Support: Behavioral, cooking, and nutrition education is included when paired with direct food assistance.

Key Benefits:

• Address Food Insecurity: Mitigates poor health outcomes linked to food insecurity.
• Support Complex Care Needs: Tailored to individuals with chronic conditions.
• Improve Health Outcomes: Studies show improvements in diabetes control, fall prevention, and medication adherence.

Patient Testimonial:

“Three days a week, I come home from dialysis tired and hungry. In less than five minutes from fridge to plate, I have a great tasting meal ready to eat. My husband has diabetic needs and I have renal diet needs, so we order our meals and put them in the fridge separately. Mom’s Meals makes mealtime a lot easier in our household.”

Eligibility:

• Eligible Populations: Eligible Medi-Cal members include those with chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, congestive heart failure, stroke, chronic lung disorders, HIV, cancer, gestational diabetes, and chronic mental or behavioral health disorders. Also, those being discharged from a hospital or skilled nursing facility or at high risk of hospitalization or nursing facility placement are also eligible.
• Service Limitations: Up to two meals per day for up to 12 weeks, extendable if medically necessary. Meals eligible for reimbursement by alternate programs are not covered.

Cost Savings and Improved Health Outcomes:

• Health Outcomes: Research indicates a 22% to 58% decrease in emergency department visits and a 27% to 63% decrease in inpatient admissions among Medically Tailored Meals recipients, translating to significant health care cost savings.

Mom’s Meals: A Success Story

Mom’s Meals has partnered with Medi-Cal to deliver medically tailored meals to patients in the Inland Empire, focusing on individuals with severe and chronic illnesses such as diabetes and kidney disease. These meals, aligned with Medi-Cal’s mission to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs, provide nutritious, balanced meals directly to patients’ homes. The goal is to help patients develop healthier eating habits, reduce hospital admissions, and lessen the strain on the healthcare system.

Inland Empire Health Plan, one of the Medi-Cal managed-care insurers, has contracted with Mom’s Meals to provide these services. Patients receive weekly deliveries of meals that are customized to their dietary needs. The meals are convenient, microwave-ready, and delivered within 48 hours of processing.

The program aims to empower patients to sustain a healthy diet long after the meal deliveries end. By making medically tailored nutrition accessible, Mom’s Meals is helping Medi-Cal to support some of its sickest and costliest patients in the Inland Empire, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes and advancing Medi-Cal’s mission to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care.

Join Us in Our Mission

You can experience the profound impact of Medically Tailored Meals by joining the Medi-Cal Community Supports services initiative. Your involvement can make a difference in promoting your health through nutrition.

Learn More

For more information about Medically Tailored Meals and how to get involved, call the state’s Medi-Cal Health Care options at 800-430-4263 or contact your local managed care plan.

In Riverside County and San Bernardino County, Medi-Cal recipients can contact the following managed care plans:
*   Inland Empire Health Plan: 800-440-4347

*   Kaiser Permanente: 855-839-7613

*   Molina HealthCare of California Partner Plan, Inc.: 888-665-4621

Your health and well-being are your health care provider’s top priority. Medically Tailored Meals are designed to enhance quality of life by advancing health care through the power of nutrition. Experience the benefits today and take the first step toward a healthier you.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Social Lites Inc., have served in helping provide scholarships for African American young men for the past 60 years. This past year with the communities support they were able to award $70,000 in scholarship and awards to their 2024 Knights for their education. This year marks the 58th year of the Social Lites Inc. being in existence in the Inland Empire area. The new season is quickly approaching, and their target population is African American high school seniors in the Inland Empire area who are planning on attending secondary education.

The program provides mentoring, leadership, networking, and guidance our young men to ensure that they are college bound and equipped to succeed in life and to realize their full potential as young men, career professionals, entrepreneurs, and productive outstanding citizens.

Please reach out to the Beautillion Chair, Tina Darling, at (909) 644-5816 or Elsie Paulino (VP/Beautillion Chair) at (951) 205-8823 or Sheri Lewis our Social Lites, Inc., President at (909) 320-0799 or you can email ad_4beauknight@yahoo.com and we will respond within 48 hours upon receipt of your inquiry.  They meet at 468 West 5th Street Room #102 in San Bernardino, 92410 every Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ETB Host Wallace Allen interviews Areva Martin, the attorney representing the Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors Group, and joining the discussion is the organization’s founder, Pearl Devers. The Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors are victims of what the 1968 report from the California Attorney General’s Office describes as “A city engineered holocaust”, as an estimated 200 African American homes were burned, bulldozed. Demolished in the city of Palm Springs by the Palm Springs Fire Department.  As community organizations and government entities across the state participate in “Unite Against the Hate” activities, beginning September 21, we think that it is important to point out that as we voice our distain for hate, our government institutions are in some places still defending it!

What are the City of Palm Springs, the Attorney General and the Department of Social Services doing about the plight of the Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors of the “City engineered Holocaust”?

By Bo Tefu and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media??

On September. 3, community leaders and civil rights advocates joined lawmakers at the State Capitol to raise awareness about Proposition (Prop) 6, a ballot initiative that aims to ban forced labor in California’s prisons.

California voters will decide the ballot initiative in this year’s November election. The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) introduced Prop 6 as part of the 14-bill reparations package. The State Legislature passed the measure in June with a bipartisan vote, placing it on the November ballot. The Black Caucus proposed Prop 6 as the “Remove Involuntary Servitude as Punishment for Crime Amendment,” under the Assembly Constitutional Amendment 8 (ACA8) to promote justice and equality in California.

Community groups organized a press conference including members of the Black Caucus, The Anti-Recidivism Coalition, The Abolish Slavery National Network, Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, the ABC Coalition, and the American Civil Liberties Union

Assemblymember and Legislative Black Caucus Chair Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) is the author of the ballot measure and has been supportive of community groups in their efforts to abolish slave labor.

Carmen-Nicole Cox of the ACLU led the rally and condemned forced labor stating that it prevents people from building the necessary skills after they leave prison.

“Slavery never has and never will promote rehabilitation,” said Cox.

Supporters of the reparations bills challenged Republican and Democratic legislators to back the ballot measures and help voters understand the harmful impact of forced labor statewide.

By Bo Tefu and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media??

Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS), announced September 7 that he is resigning from the post- he has held since March 2019 when he was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom.

“Dr. Ghaly’s heroic service to the people of our state and his profound contribution to reshaping California’s health and social services cannot be overstated,” Newsom stated. “For more than five years at the helm of CalHHS, his visionary and compassionate leadership and unwavering focus on protecting the most vulnerable among us has seen our state through unprecedented challenges and historic victories that improve the lives of Californians.”

On June 8, Newsom appointed Director Kim Johnson as the next CalHHS Secretary effective October 1.

Ghaly will stay on at CalHHS through the end of September to facilitate the leadership transition. During Dr. Ghaly’s tenure, which spanned California’s nation-leading response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CalHHS moved forward with many initiatives that focused on providing more stability and opportunity to Californians. These initiatives covered a range of the agency’s functions, including addressing affordability and access to health care and deepening the connection between housing, homelessness and health, including behavioral health.

“I am grateful to Secretary Ghaly for his steadfast leadership and partnership during one of the greatest public health crises of our lifetime. However, it was his unceasing dedication to caring for the needs of all Californians, especially our most vulnerable, that will be his enduring legacy. It is my great privilege to call him a colleague and friend. I wish him the very best as he embarks on his next chapter,” stated Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, who served as California’s first Surgeon General.

Johnson, CalHHS’ incoming Secretary, has served as Director of the California Department of Social Services since 2019 and she has worn a number of hats 2015 to 2019, including Deputy Director of the Family Engagement and Empowerment Division at the agency and Branch Chief of CalWORKs.

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ (SFBFS) campus, located on Bell Avenue in the state capital, is set to get a $131,583 security facelift.

The funding is courtesy of the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which has awarded nonprofit community and faith-based groups across the Golden State with financial support to prevent hate-motivated violence since 2015.

SFBFS is home to the largest hunger relief group in Sacramento County and a food bank that distributed 31.6 million meals nutritious meals to people in need in 2023.

SFBFS Director of Communications Kevin Buffalino said the grant money will enhance the safety and security of the food bank site.

“We’ll be adding security lighting, security cameras, access control systems to ensure we continue providing food assistance to over 305,000 people every month safely and without interruption,” he said.

SFBFS was one of 193 community organizations across the Golden State to receive $39 million in awards from the grant program in April to enhance their security. In late July, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state’s Office of Emergency Funding is accepting applications from community-based nonprofits to apply for $76 million in expedited funding from the security grant program.

According to a 2023 hate crimes report compiled by the California Department of Justice, Black Californians remain the most affected group by hate crimes. Hate incidents and hate crimes targeting Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ people are also increasing.

Newsom said an attack against any community is an attack against all of California and its values.

“Every Californian deserves the ability to worship, love, gather safety, without fear or hate,” he said in a news release. “This new round of funding is aimed at helping high-risk organizations protect themselves against violent attacks and hate crimes.”

Funds are awarded through a competitive grant process in which groups, particularly those targeted on the basis of race, religious affiliation, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, immigration status or similar criteria may apply.

The monies allow organizations such as Black and LGBTQ+ groups, churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship to implement security equipment upgrades such has access control systems, doors, gates, high-intensity lighting, and inspection and screening systems.

Requests for proposals are on the Office of Emergency Services website. Groups eligible include ones exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 23.

Because anti-Black hate crimes continue to be the most prevalent in the Golden State and last year there was an increase in bias activity against Jewish. Muslim, and LGBTQ+ communities, Newsom increased funding for the grant program, which added an additional $20 million for nonprofits to use.

The initiative awarded $39 million to nonprofits and faith-based organizations in the spring, following Newsom funneling an additional $20 million into the program in October 2023. The state received 1,254 applications from groups.

The program has awarded $152,750,000 in state funding to 924 community groups since the grant program’s beginning.

Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D- Los Angeles) and Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said in a statement that the California Legislature will stand firm in its commitment to support vulnerable communities targeted by hate despite budget difficulties. They also thanked Newsom for expediting the deployment of the security funds.

“We have no doubt that this funding will continue to make a major difference in protecting the Jewish community and all communities targeted by hate,” Gabriel and Wiener said.

REDLANDS, CA –– The City of Redlands is canceling this Saturday’s Downtown’s Morning Market, Movies in the Park and all other organized outdoor activities through Sunday, Sept. 15, due to unhealthful air quality as a result of the Line Fire and other fires.

Other events and activities that have been canceled include all outdoor athletic field permits and rentals, organized pickleball programs at the Gonzales Center courts and tennis lessons at Ford Park. City staff will reassess air quality on Monday, Sept. 16, to determine if activities may be safely resumed.

Smoke and ash from the Line Fire and other fires in the region has affected air quality over much of Southern California. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued an air quality advisory, with conditions reaching Very Unhealthy and even Hazardous in areas. Conditions may change quickly due to fire activity and weather. Download https://www.aqmd.gov/mobileapp or visit www.aqmd.gov/AQImap to view current air quality in your neighborhood.

More information regarding the Line Fire is available from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection at https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/9/5/line-fire.

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

In less than two months, Californians will vote on Proposition (Prop) 32. This voter guide is one in a series of articles that will help you understand what supporters and opponents of California’s 10 ballot initiatives are saying about each one.

Prop 32 would increase California’s minimum wage to $18 per hour. It is currently $16 per hour for most people and $20 per hour for fast food workers. Health care workers will eventually see their minimum wage reach $25 per hour, according to a law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last year.

Supporters of the proposition argue that with the cost of living rising, wages need to increase as well for families to survive. California Black Media (CBM) spoke with Saru Jayaraman, director of the Food Labor Research Center at UC Berkeley, on why she supports a Yes vote for Prop 32.

“I’ve been organizing restaurant workers for 20 years. I’ve never seen a period in which I’ve seen so many restaurant workers working full-time and living in their cars. The cost of living has become an extreme crisis for people at all income levels in California,” says Jayaraman. “When you raise the floor, it lifts all boats. You raise the floor to $18 an hour, people just above $18 get a raise. It’s critical for people to be able to survive here in California.”

Jayaraman also mentioned that while Modoc County has the lowest cost of living in California, the MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates a wage of $20 an hour is needed to cover basic expenses. Closer to $25 an hour would be needed for a family with a child. In large cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, $40 an hour is the estimated minimum living wage.

Opponents of the Proposition argue that small business owners would struggle to adjust to the wage increases resulting in cutting jobs and raising prices for their services. CBM spoke with John Kabateck, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), who is opposed to Prop 32.

The NFIB represents 13,000 small business owners in California and 300,000 nationwide. Kabateck says that a survey of their network reported only 8% of small business owners believe they expect their profits to improve over the next six months.

“I think every employer ought to do the right thing by showing their employees a pathway to economic success,” says Kabateck, adding that a standard minimum wage increase might hurt the bottom lines of those small business owners.

“We don’t believe that a one-size-fits-all kind of a cookie cutter mandated wage on especially on small business owners is going to be the pathway to their success,” said Kabatack. “Frankly, we are witnessing — just in the past several months with some particular industries — the opposite happening. We are seeing the very individuals that minimum wage proponents want to help being harmed. They are not getting the entry-level jobs and not finding that growth opportunities that they should.”

Jayaraman has heard this argument before and does not believe it is a factor when considering how raising the minimum wage can help small businesses.

“The minimum wage has gone up multiple times. It went up to $15. Small business continued to grow in California. It went up to $16.50. Small business continued to grow in California. And that’s because, guess what? When you pay people more, guess what they do? They go spend it. And the small businesses actually benefit from people in their communities having enough to eat out and to buy things.”

Kabateck highlighted that Californian fast-food restaurants have laid off an aggerate of 9,500 workers since April. Pizza Hut and Round Table have laid off approximately 1,300 delivery drivers, citing rising wages as the reason for the issue.

“At the end of the day, they’re sealing the fate of the people that they’re trying to help. And it’s not chicken little, this is not doom and gloom. And this is also not an angry guy saying we shouldn’t help people in the workplace. We got to help them, and we want to help retain them, but this is the wrong avenue.”

A YES vote supports increasing the state minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026 for all employers and thereafter adjusting the rate annually by increases to the cost of living.

A NO vote opposes this ballot initiative, maintaining the existing law which was designed to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour for all employers by January 2023 and increasing it annually according to inflation.