By Alton Thomas Stiles | California Black Media Partners

As the costs of goods surge nationwide along with gas prices, Gov. Gavin Newsom is committing $18.1 billion in “inflation relief” to Californians through the California Blueprint, his mid-year revised budget proposal.

The White House is also taking steps to ease the pinch from inflation Americans across the country are experiencing.

“Global inflation, the war in Ukraine driving up costs, climate change impacts – everyone is feeling the weight. So, we’re putting $18.1 billion on the table to help lower costs for Californians – tax refunds, [money] for healthcare, rent, utility bills, public transit [and] more,” Newsom tweeted.

California’s economy is the largest in the United States and is currently experiencing a budget surplus of close to $100 billion, according to the governor’s office.

“Backed by a robust surplus and grounded in our unshakable values, we’re paving the California Way forward to prosperity and progress for all,” said Newsom recently, referring to investments the state is making in financial relief efforts, including an increase to the minimum wage, rental and utility bill assistance, tax refunds, health care subsidies, and more.

As Newsom and federal government officials announce relief packages to tackle inflation, they are taking the opportunity to criticize their colleagues across the aisle.

“While gridlock persists in Congress and Right-wing fanatics turn statehouses across the country into laboratories of hate and oppression, here in California, we’re putting in the work to grow our economy and implement real, inclusive policy change to create a brighter future for all,” said Newsom.

President Joe Biden also urged Republicans in Congress to cooperate with Democrats on their inflation efforts.

“I encourage Congressional Republicans to join us in our efforts to lower prices for families across the country, by making more in America, strengthening our supply chains, and cutting energy and prescription drug costs,” Biden tweeted recently.

The federal government’s plan for offsetting the impact of inflation includes giving Medicare the power to negotiate prices for prescription drugs and bringing food prices down in grocery stores by “bringing more competition to those markets,” according to Sameera Fazili, Director of the White House National Economic Council.

Fazili told California Black Media (CBM) about some of the unique challenges facing communities of color as the prices of goods and services skyrocket nationwide.

One such challenge is childcare, which is essential for many parents of color as they are less likely to work remotely.

“Often times, the amount that you spend on childcare may be as much as what you bring in from going to work,” said Fazili.

The White House has also received commitments from large internet providers to lower the cost of internet access for lower income households. such as Verizon, for example, has committed to dropping monthly payments for highspeed service by $10.

Housing is another challenge for Black Americans, Fazili told CBM.

“We don’t have enough affordable housing in this country,” said Fazili.

Fazili said the federal government cannot directly lower or raise the price of gas because gas is traded on the global market.

United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm told CBM that the increases in gas prices are due, in part, to U.S. sanctions on Russian oil because of the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Granholm says since the European Union is following the U.S. with sanctions on Russia, there might be additional challenges around the corner.

“We’re going to see more volatility, more increase,” said Granholm.

To combat this, the federal government plans to tap into the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve in the Gulf of Mexico, which Granholm called the “biggest tool we have” against rising gas prices.

On the state level, Granholm praised California’s approach to combating these prices.

“Some states are providing direct payments to people — I know Gov. Newsom has looked at that – to try to alleviate this huge impact on people’s wallets,” said Granholm.

Fazili says she is optimistic. When the economy begins to recover from hardships it is currently experiencing, the financial outlook for Blacks will begin to improve as the equity and relief programs the Biden administration is implementing take effect.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The City of San Bernardino has brought back its Military Street Banner Program to salute its hometown heroes. It is seeking the names of military personnel currently serving in the armed forces to honor with a banner to be installed on streetlights near the civic plaza, and then spreading throughout the city. There is no cost to participate in the program.

In addition to active-duty service members, reservists and veterans who reside in San Bernardino may also be honored with banners. Special Gold Star banners will be produced in memory of service members who died while serving.

“There is no amount of thanks that we can give San Bernardino’s military men and women to match our appreciation for their service to our country and community,” said Parks and Recreation Director Lydie Gutfeld. “This recognition let’s everyone know who among us has made the commitment to serve.”

All military street banner participants or living family members will be invited to a City Council meeting as part of a formal presentation and recognition by the Mayor and Council.
Service members or their families must submit an application along with Verification of Military Status (DD-214) and a color 5×7 image of the service person. An online application is available at City of San Bernardino – Military Banner Program Application (sbcity.org). Funding for this program is being provided by sponsorships, community donations, and city funds.

For more information, contact the City of San Bernardino Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department at 909-384-5233.

BOULDER, CO — Evo Hemp is thrilled to announce “Dirty Words,” a new podcast produced in conjunction with the 40 Acre Cooperative that provides a platform for diverse voices and stories from the frontlines of our food and plant medicine systems. The mission is to show what is possible and what is necessary to create equitable access to food and plant medicine. Evo Hemp has also launched a campaign to connect BIPOC farmers with manufacturers and consumers to create solutions toward agricultural equity. If a BIPOC farmer would like to be included on the BIPOC FARMS MAP or a manufacturer looking to source from BIPOC farms, please reach out to customerservice@evohemp.com or visit https://evohemp.com/bipoc-farms-map.

“Our goal is to bring about change,” said Evo Hemp Co-Founder Ari Sherman. “The pandemic has brought the many racial inequities in our healthcare and food systems to the forefront, and this is a moment to ignite a cultural conversation around this public health crisis.”

Over the past 100 years BIPOC farmers in the United States have lost roughly $326 billion worth of acreage. In 1910, Black farmers owned more than 16 million acres of land. In 2017, that figure was just 4.7 million acres, about 0.5% of all farmland. According to experts, the land loss was due to discriminatory USDA lending policies and forced sales of co-owned land called heirs’ property.

“By bringing Black farmers to parity on a per-farm revenue and profit basis, there is $5 billion in economic value that can be created,” said Jourdan Samel, Co-Founder of Evo Hemp. “Increasing business participation for Black farmers could create ladders of opportunity for the 66,000 Black workers employed in the agriculture sector and beyond.”

Public and private programs exist today to support Black farmers, but they vary in maturity and reach. For example, many private programs are in pilot stages and have yet to achieve their full potential scale and scope. Further, many public programs have faced challenges to scale due to historical distrust of farming support and lack of awareness among the Black farming community.

“We want people to be aware that because of the color of your skin, there are disparities in your ability to cultivate and access food and plant medicine,” said Sherman. “We hope that our podcast and the BIPOC Farms Map will positively affect people, impact communities, and make change that will help us become a better society.”
About 40-Acre Cooperative: 40-Acre Cooperative is an agricultural company focused on addressing equity gaps within agriculture. The co-op provides technical assistance, and marketing support that supports Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized communities. https://www.fortyacre.coop/

About Evo Hemp: Evo Hemp has established a supply chain of USA-grown hemp in order to rebuild America’s agricultural system. With the help of retail partners, Evo Hemp has been able to create countless opportunities for small family farmers, while providing consumers with organic, USA-grown hemp products. https://evohemp.com/

RIALTO, CA– Mayor Deborah Robertson welcomes the community to join the City of Rialto and American Legion Post 422 in honoring our American heroes on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30th, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at Rialto Park Cemetery, 200 N. Willow Ave., Rialto. This event is emceed by Mayor Pro Tem Ed Scott, Council Member Rafael Trujillo and Post Commander Armando Chavez. Council Member Andy Carrizales and Council Member Karla Perez will also be in attendance to greet and welcome our veterans.

The city is honored to have Keynote Speaker, Lieutenant Colonel Robert K. Furtick from Fort Irwin, CA. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Kennerly Furtick is a native of Springfield, SC. In December of 2001, he was commissioned an Armor Officer through the ROTC program at Newberry College in Newberry, SC. He has served in various leadership and staff positions within both Cavalry and Armor Formations.

LTC Furtick’s first assignment as a Major was as the Squadron Operations Officer and Executive Officer for 3-16 CAV, 316th CAV BDE. Upon completion of this assignment in 2013, he was reassigned to Fort Irwin, CA where he was assigned to 1st Squadron 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Here he served as the Senior O/CT for the Regiment and later as the Squadron Executive Officer. He was then reassigned as the Chief of Protocol for the National Training Center. LTC Furtick completed his duties at NTC and in 2015, was reassigned to the Office of Program Management – Saudi Arabia National Guard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as a Battalion Advisor. In 2016, he was then assigned to the Department of the Army G-3/5/7 as an Operations Officer in the Army Operations Center. In August of 2018, LTC Furtick was reassigned to 8th US Army, Camp Humphreys, Korea as the Aide De Camp to the Commanding General.

Following his 8th US Army assignment, LTC Furtick assumed command of the 1st Squadron of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin, CA on 24 June 2020, and he is currently serving as the Squadron Commander.

The city is also honored to have Veteran Speaker, Colonel Gilbert Roldan (Retired). Colonel Gilbert Roldan served 38 years of Honorable Service in both the United States Marine Corps (Active Duty) and the United States Army (Reservist). He entered the service in 1982 as a Private in the Marine Corps where he served as an Infantryman. He retired from the service as a Colonel in 2021 where his last assignment was Chief of Staff for the 40th Infantry Division. His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. Colonel Roldan also served as a Law Enforcement Officer for both San Diego and Los Angeles County. He retired with 30 years of law enforcement service.

The San Bernardino Valley Young Marines will conduct the Flag Folding Ceremony, Color Guard by the NJRTOC from Rialto High School, 21 Gun Salute by the Riverside Army Recruiting Company, poem readings by Rialto residents Nancy Burch and Joseph Raden, “Taps” by echo buglers, “Amazing Grace” by Bagpiper Stephen, Bomber Airplane flyover and after the program, attendees are invited to a picnic lunch at Margaret Todd Park across from the Cemetery. Military Vehicles displayed by the Inland Empire Military Vehicles Preservation Association.

Please come out to honor, salute and remember all those who served this great nation.

SACRAMENTO, CA— In a historic event, Governor Gavin Newsom gathered with legislators, patients, the California Medical Association, watchdog groups, Consumer Attorneys, and patient advocate groups to sign AB 35, which represents the long-awaited modernization of California’s Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act, known as MICRA.

For almost 50 years, Californians who have been victims of medical negligence or medical malpractice have been limited on their recourse because of the MICRA law, which was signed into law in 1975 by then Governor Jerry Brown. The intent of the law was to stop the rising costs of medical malpractice insurance and increased complaints of physicians leaving the profession. It limited a victim’s non-economic recovery to $250,000 without regard to the egregiousness of the injury even if it resulted in death.

“Advocates and stakeholders have been fighting for years to update the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act. This year they have succeeded. For almost five decades, families and patients have complained that they are not equitably compensated for their pain and suffering because of a limit put in place 47 years ago – without adjustment for inflation, that changes today,” said Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes. “Today is a historic day, the signing of AB 35 into law signals to all Californians that our state will continue to put equity and justice first.”

“For decades, medically injured patients suffered from both the pain of being wrongfully injured and the unfairness of a system that severely restricted their access to justice. With Governor Newsom’s signature on AB 35, a 50-year battle, led by injured patients and their families to restore justice to California’s MICRA law, is finally resulting in a better outcome. This historic agreement will ensure patients are more fairly compensated when their rights have been violated,” said Craig M. Peters, President of CAOC.

Families and patients have not given up and have continued the fight to increase these limits. With success, AB 35, authored by Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Reyes along with Senator Tom Umberg was passed by both houses with bipartisan support and signed by Governor Newsom. Beginning on January 1, 2023, AB 35 will usher in a new period of increased recovery for pain and suffering for the next 10 years with a cost-of-living adjustment thereafter.

By Lou Yeboah

You see, God began human history with a warning. He told Adam and Eve that if they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would surely die. [Genesis 2:17]. The soul that sins shall die [Ezekiel 18:20]. There are consequences to pay when one does not heed the warnings of God. If you continue to disobey and live in sin, God’s anger will descend on you like King Manasseh. Don’t take God’s grace for granted. Repent before it is too late!

“A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” [Proverbs 22:3]. How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?” [Proverbs 1:22]. “How long will you keep ignoring the warning signs and live for your own ways and desires as if there are no consequences for doing so?” Proverbs 14:12; 16:25 reminds us that, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” God’s warnings always precede God’s judgment!

Case in point, before the tragedy that befell the house of Eli, the death of his two sons and his own death, God had warned about the sin of Eli’s sons and his failure to discipline them. He warned of the impending judgment. “Then the LORD said to Samuel, ‘I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family. I have warned him continually that judgment is coming for his family, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. So, I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings” [1 Samuel 3:11-14]. Why? Because they had squandered the opportunities, to repent. God’s warnings always precedes His judgment.

The angels who came to execute God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah told Lot, “‘Run for your lives!’ the angels warned. ‘Do not stop anywhere in the valley. And don’t look back! Escape to the mountains, or you will die.’” [Genesis 19:17]. But Lot’s wife didn’t heed their warning. She looked back. Therefore, God’s judgment came upon her. She became a pillar of salt [Genesis 19:26]. I tell you, there are consequences to pay when one does not heed the warnings of God!

Be like the people of Nineveh who repented and believe that God will do what He said he would do. Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes”

The king took Jonah’s message very seriously and caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?” [Jonah 3:5-9].

“When God saw that they had put a stop to their evil ways, he had mercy on them and didn’t carry out the destruction he had threatened” [Jonah 3:10]. God’s warning always comes before His judgment. Your response to His warnings determines what happens to you. As Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar [Daniel 4:27] please listen to me. Stop sinning and do what is right. God’s warning comes before His Judgment. [Ezekiel 18:20].

God did not just let them go into sin. He sent messenger after messenger, prophet after prophet, judge after judge, king after king—and they never listened. Even though God had compassion on them and wanted to save them from this, they were not willing. [2 Chronicles 36:15].
“Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” [Amos 4:12].

SAN BERNARDINO, CA — As the Apostle Peter warned, for 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; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly [2 Peter 2:4-5] killing every man, woman and child who spurned and ignored his warning, what do you think will happen if we continue to ignore His warnings? We too will experience the utter wrath of God. [Romans 11:21]. Isaiah warned the people that they must be in tune with God’s timing and not presume that they would always have the ear of the Lord. His words, “Seek the Lord while he may be found,” stressed the urgency of the time of decision. [Isaiah 55:6-9]

“We’ve Been Warned” encourages its reader to repent while it is still daybreak. Get your copy today online $10.00 for Book; $5.00 for eBook at:

Dorrance Publishing Bookstore- https://bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com

ISBN: 978-1-6393-7282-9

Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/books

Publisher – Dorrance Publishing Company

Author: Lou K Coleman-Yeboah

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday and other education advocates around the state are encouraging college students to apply for financial assistance through the Californians for All College Corps program.

Over the next two year, 6,500 California students who qualify will receive stipends of $10,000 each year to pay for college expenses. In return, the students will be required to participate in community service projects tackling issues related to climate change, education, food insecurity and more.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in January that the state was investing $146 million in the work service effort that his office says would help low-income students graduate on time and with less debt. Selected students will also receive academic credit for the work they do in their communities.

“Students are graduating with crippling debt. This service and career development program helps create a debt-free college pathway while promoting service. If you are willing to serve your community and give back in a meaningful way, we are going to help you pay for college,” said Fryday.

Fryday, who Newsom appointed in 2019 to oversee volunteering, civic engagement and service initiatives in California, was speaking at the launch of the “College Corps” program in Merced earlier this month.

Officials from the University of California Merced, California State University Stanislaus, and California State University Fresno joined Fryday at the kickoff event.

“This is a win-win-win: Helping to pay for college, gaining valuable work experience, and having a meaningful impact on your community,” Fryday continued.

Universities across the state will collaborate with local government, community service organizations and non-profits to assign students to projects that are priorities in their region.

The College Corps program is being launched at a time Newsom is initiating several programs organized to address skyrocketing inflation as Californians recover from economic challenges brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

On May 12, Newsom announced an $18.1 billion package with relief funding in tax refunds, childcare assistance, a minimum wage increase, help with utility bills, health insurance subsidies, stimulus payments for health care workers, and more.

“We enacted the most comprehensive economic stimulus program in the nation last year, getting billions in immediate relief to millions of Californians. But many folks are still struggling, especially with high costs due to inflation, so we’re leveraging this historic surplus to get money back into the pockets of Californians,” said Newsom when he announced the relief package.

“This inflation relief package will help offset the higher costs that Californians are facing right now and provide support to those still recovering from the pandemic,” the governor continued.

The College Corps program requires students to complete 450 hours of community service over the course of the school year to receive the funding.

“The College Corps initiative is not only an important way for California to show that it values the efforts of our students, but also another significant advancement in helping more students complete college without financial stressors that can follow them into their early careers,” said Juan Sánchez Muñoz, University of California Merced Chancellor.

Here is the link to apply.

PACIFIC OCEAN— Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Ryan Barnes, from Chino Hills, Calif., performs maintenance on an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

June 7, 2022, is Primary Election Day in California.

On the ballot are candidates for U.S. Senate, Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, State Board of Equalization, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, U.S. House of Representatives, State Senate and State Assembly, as well as candidates for local elected positions.

There are two contests for U.S. Senate on the ballot. One is for a full six-year term ending Jan. 3, 2029. The other is for the remainder of the term that Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) has been serving in place of V.P. Kamala Harris that ends Jan. 3, 2023.

Mail-in ballot voting has been underway since the second week in May. Assembly Bill 37, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021, requires the state to send vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots to every registered voter in the state. The law applies to all elections held after Jan. 1, 2022.

Ballots are sent 29 days before the election, which was May 9 for the primary. For the November General Election, voters will start receiving ballots Oct. 10.

A majority of California voters live in counties that have adopted the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) system. In 2016, Senate Bill 450 created the VCA, an election model that expands voters’ options for how, when and where they can cast their ballots in an attempt to provide more accessible voting options. VBM ballots are provided with a postage paid return envelope. For a ballot to count in the upcoming primary election, it must be postmarked on or before election day and received by June 14, 2022. It can also be dropped off in-person to a secure ballot drop box, a voting location or county elections office by 8:00 p.m. on June 7, 2022.

The VCA is an optional law. Counties elect if they want to adopt it. In 2018, five counties adopted the new law: Madera, Napa, Nevada, Sacramento and San Mateo. In 2020, nine additional counties changed their election models to the VCA: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Orange, Santa Clara, and Tuolumne. In 2022, the number of counties that have transitioned to the VCA grew to 28 with the addition of Alameda, Kings, Marin, Merced, Riverside, San Benito, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Ventura, and Yolo counties.

In VCA counties, early in-person voting begins as early as May 28. Voters can vote at any county vote center instead of being assigned to a neighborhood polling place. The vote centers are open four to ten days prior to the election, including weekends. They serve as one-stop shops with accessible voting machines – venues where voters can drop off their VBM ballot, receive a replacement ballot, register to vote, and get help with voting material in multiple languages.

Unregistered voters who miss the close of registration on May 23 will be able to conditionally register to vote at any vote center and cast a provisional ballot through the end of Election Day.

When California policymakers and election officials proposed the Voter’s Choice Act most proponents applauded its benefits, including lowering election administration costs, providing greater convenience and flexibility for voters, and the potential to improve voter turnout.

Recently, California Secretary of State (SOS) Shirley Weber released a report on the implementation of VCA during the 2020 Primary and General Elections.

Key findings of the report include:

VCA counties had higher voter registration rates in the state. The 15 VCA counties accounted for about half of the state’s registered voters in both elections.

Many VCA counties experienced a higher voter turnout compared to their non-VCA counterparts. Turnout in the 2020 General Election across racial groups showed White voters had a higher overall turnout than their non-White counterparts. The voter turnout gap for Black voters was 5.2 points, and AAPI voters had a turnout gap of 4.3 points.

Black and AAPI voters turned out at similar rates as the VCA counties’ average, and Latino voters used in-person voting most among all races and ethnicities.

Use of vote-by-mail ballots was the primary choice of voting in the 2020 elections. More voters chose to return their ballot by drop box than by mail. Use of drop boxes decreased after the age of 45 in the Primary Election and age 35 in the General Election.

Voters in VCA counties cast a ballot in-person at a higher rate than voters in non-VCA counties in the General Election (55.1%). For the Primary Election, that number was 46.6%.

In the General Election, voters aged 46-55 voted in person most compared to all other age groups. In both the Primary and General Elections, voters aged 66+ voted in-person least.

VBM ballot rejection rates in VCA counties were similar to VBM ballot rejections statewide. Voters aged 18-25 had the highest ballot rejection rate. Ballot rejection rates decreased as voter age increased in VCA counties.

VBM ballots were rejected (69.3%) mainly due to not being received on time during the Primary Election. But General Election VBM ballots were mainly rejected due to non-matching signatures (56.09%).

Provisional ballot use decreased significantly between the Primary and General Elections.

There were no confirmed instances of voter fraud in both the Primary and General elections in 2020.

SOS’s Recommendations based on the report findings:

Share best practices from counties that have high voter registration rates with counties that have lower registration rates.

Reduce ballot rejection rates through increased voter education.

Continue to work with counties to ensure drop box locations are accessible and convenient to the public.

Increase outreach and education about early in-person voting and other voting options available in VCA counties.

Increase targeted outreach efforts to engage young voters (18-25).

“We have taken away every excuse a person can possibly have as to why they won’t vote,” SOS Weber said recently. “People realize this is going to be easy and it’s comfortable.”