By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
Atty Gen. Bonta Praises Court for Blocking Federal Funding Freeze
On Jan. 28, California Attorney General Rob Bonta led a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration after it announced a federal funding freeze amounting to an estimated $3 trillion.
On Jan. 31, U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island’s issued a decision granting a temporary restraining order that prevented the freeze from going into effect.
“Today’s court order ensures our communities are able to continue to access necessary federal funding for disaster recovery, including for California’s wildfire recovery efforts; education; public health and safety; and infrastructure projects. While the OMB directive was rescinded, the Administration has made clear that it intends to proceed with its plans to freeze federal funding – that’s why we went to court to get this emergency pause,” said Bonta in a statement.
“The Trump Administration is intentionally creating chaos through its public actions and statements, attempting to sow fear and confusion in our communities. We will not fall for this bait and switch. California has too much at stake,” Bonta’s statement continued.
According to Bonta’s office, the Trump Administration is required to give written notice of this order to all agencies and their employees, contractors, and grantees by Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, at 9 a.m. ET.
Sen. Padilla Introduces Bill to Compensate Artists for Radio Airplay
U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the bipartisan “American Music Fairness Act” on Jan. 31 to ensure artists and music creators are paid for the use of their songs on AM and FM radio.
This legislation is expected to align corporate radio broadcasters with other music streaming platforms, which already pay artists for their music. The bill’s announcement arrives on the heels of the 67th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony over the weekend in Los Angeles where a number of Black artists won awards, including Beyonce (Album of the Year, Best Country Album, and Best Country Duo featuring Miley Cyrus ) and Kendrick Lamar (Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Music Video and Best Rap Performance).
“California’s artists enrich our country’s music scene, but our laws unfairly deny them the pay they deserve for their work on AM/FM radio broadcasts,” Padilla stated. “As we celebrate the accomplishments of our musical artists at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, we must also commit to treating them with the dignity and respect they deserve for the music they produce, and we enjoy every day.”
The American Music Fairness Act would also provide protection for small and local stations who qualify for exemptions — specifically those that fall under $1.5 million in annual revenue and whose parent companies fall under less than $10 million in annual revenue overall. The bill proposes that exempted stations play unlimited music for less than $500 annually.
In addition, the bill creates a fair global market that makes way for foreign countries to pay U.S. artists for the use of their songs overseas.
Jay King, the CEO and President of the California Black Chamber of Commerce said news of radio stations paying the artists is welcoming news. King is the founder of the R&B New Jack Swing band Club Nouveau, that put out a series of hits in the 1980s.
Radio stations do not pay royalties to performers or copyright owners for songs played on the air but as songwriter and publisher of the Club Nouveau’s music, King does receive royalties from his sound played over the airwaves, though not as an artist. He added that songwriters and publishers by law have been receiving royalties from radio stations since 1930.
“This is wonderful. What they are doing is getting legislation to catch up with technology in the 21st Century,” King told California Black Media (CBM). “Artists should get paid every time a record plays on the radio the same way as the writer and publisher. So, now I want to know how much the record companies are getting and how we are going to split this money.”
Apple Celebrates Black History Month With Unity Collection
While some large U.S. multi-national corporations are stepping away from their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, others like Apple are doubling down on their commitment to supporting balanced and equitable representation and the full participation of people of all backgrounds in all spheres of American life.
To that end, Apple has unveiled its 2025 Black Unity Collection to honor Black History Month and celebrate Black culture and community. The collection features a special-edition Apple Watch Black Unity Sport Loop, a matching Unity Rhythm watch face, and Unity Rhythm wallpapers for iPhone and iPad.
The Black Unity Sport Loop is designed with a custom pattern of raised and recessed loops, creating a lenticular effect that reveals green on one side and red on the other. As the wearer moves their wrist, the colors dynamically shift, with yellow appearing during the transition.
The Unity Rhythm watch face features numerals formed by intertwined threads of red, green, and yellow.
In conjunction with the collection’s launch, Apple is supporting several global organizations that focus on rhythm, creativity, and community. These include the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans, Battersea Arts Centre in London, Music Forward Foundation in Los Angeles, Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, and The National Museum of African American Music in Nashville.
Companies winding down their DEI efforts include Meta, Target, McDonalds, Lowe’s, Walmart, Harley Davidson, Boeing, John Deere and Disney.
Besides Apple, corporations stepping up their DEI efforts or renewing their commitments include Costco, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Nordstrom, Ben & Jerry’s, Ancestry, Ulta, Walgreens, Cisco, Mitre, and e.l.f. Cosmetics, among others.
Gov. Newsom Teams Up With Magic Johnson, LA28 and Others to Launch $100 Million Campaign to Rebuild L.A. County
In the aftermath of the devastating January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles County, Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced the launch of “LA Rises,” a public-private initiative aimed at accelerating the region’s recovery and rebuilding efforts. The initiative is led by Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter, basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman.
To initiate the effort, the Mark Walter Family Foundation, and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation have committed up to $100 million. LA Rises plans to raise additional funds through private donations to support communities most affected by the fires, including Altadena, Pasadena, and the Pacific Palisades.
The initiative aims to complement city, county, and state efforts by:
- Fundraising and expanding access to philanthropic and private capital.
- Formulating financing strategies to bridge the gap between available resources and rebuilding costs.
- Collaborating with other philanthropic and community organizations to maximize the impact of ongoing recovery efforts.
- Providing unified communication to keep Angelenos informed about rebuilding timelines and available resources.
“Los Angeles will rise again—stronger, more united, and more resilient than ever. Just as California came together to fight the fires, we’ll work together to rebuild,” said Newsom emphasizing the collaborative nature of the initiative.
Johnson underscored the need for bold action, expressing a commitment to ensuring that every victim, regardless of background, has the opportunity to rebuild and thrive.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger expressed support, particularly for marginalized populations in Altadena who have lost everything. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass highlighted the importance of the partnership in developing solutions to support the city’s recovery efforts.
L.A. Rises will also receive financial support from California Rises, a statewide recovery initiative founded by the Governor and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom after the 2018 Camp Fire. This partnership is dedicated to supporting communities impacted by fires, as well as firefighters and first responders.
Sen. Padilla Questions Pres. Trump’s Claim That U.S. Military “Entered California” to “Turn on” Water
On Jan. 28, 2025, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth seeking clarification on President Trump’s recent claim that the U.S. military intervened to “turn on the water” in California. In a Jan. 27 post on Truth Social, President Trump stated that the military had “entered” California and, under “Emergency Powers,” restored water flow from the Pacific Northwest.
Padilla expressed concern over the accuracy and legality of the President’s assertion, emphasizing the need for transparency to ensure public awareness and compliance with federal laws governing domestic military deployment. He noted that California is currently delivering as much water to farms and cities as during the previous Trump Administration, and that Southern California has record water storage on hand. Padilla has previously countered misinformation about the state’s water supply, which he believes Trump is attempting to leverage to withhold disaster aid.
In his letter, Padilla posed five specific questions to Secretary Hegseth:
- Which units of the U.S. Armed Forces have been assigned to this mission?
- Specifically, where in California were they deployed? Please name the specific cities that were “entered” by U.S. Armed Forces, and the names and ownership of any facilities where troops were assigned.
- When the President says members of the military “TURNED ON THE WATER,” what specific actions did U.S. service members undertake to accomplish this mission?
- To which specific “Emergency Powers” is the President referring to justify this mission?
- Compared to the week of January 13, 2025, how much more water is now flowing through the federal pumps?
Padilla underscored the importance of clarity and transparency in to ensure public awareness and adherence to federal laws governing the use of the U.S. military within the United States.
As of now, there has been no public response from Hegseth or the Department of Defense regarding Padilla’s inquiry.
LAO Releases Report on Wildfire FAQ
California’s climate, characterized by seasonal rainfall and warm, dry conditions from spring through fall, naturally predisposes the state to wildfires, according to a report the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released last week.
The report covers six areas of focus: Wildfire Resilience and Prevention; Wildfire Response; Wildfire Recovery; Funding for schools; and Insurance.
According to the report, the risk varies across regions due to factors like vegetation type, local weather patterns, and topography. Areas where human development intersects with undeveloped wildlands, known as the wildland-urban interface
(WUI), are particularly vulnerable. The federal government estimates that California has a higher-than-average wildfire likelihood than any other state.
In recent decades, California has experienced an increase in the size and destructiveness of wildfires. Notably, eight of the most destructive fires occurred between August 2020 and January 2025. While the total acreage burned in recent decades is less than the historical average, the severity of these fires has intensified. High-severity wildfires can denude landscapes, leaving large areas with mostly charred remnants, posing significant challenges for forest recovery.
Several factors contribute to the heightened wildfire risk:
- Increased Development in Fire-Prone Areas: Between 1990 and 2020, housing units in California’s WUI grew by 42%, placing more people and property in areas prone to wildfires.
- Climate Change: Studies indicate that climate change has increased the likelihood and intensity of fire-prone weather conditions by 35% and 6%, respectively.
- Utility Infrastructure Management: While only about 10% of wildfires are started by utility equipment, some of these fires can cause significant damage, as has occurred in recent years.
- Unhealthy Forests: Many of the state’s forestlands are unhealthy, tending to be dense with small trees ander fuels” to carry wildfires into tree canopies, increasing their spread.
Regarding forestland ownership, nearly 60%, approximately 19 million acres, is owned by the federal government, including the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service. Private nonindustrial entities own about 8 million acres, and industrial owners, primarily timber companies, own 14% which is 4.5 million acres. State and local governments own a comparatively small share, only 3%, adding up to 1 million acres combined.
In response to the escalating wildfire threat, California has significantly increased funding for wildfire resilience activities. Between 2020-21 and 2028-29, the state committed $3.6 billion to wildfire resilience, with $2.6 billion allocated through specific budget packages and an additional $1 billion outside of those packages. As of the 2024-25 fiscal year, $2.7 billion has been appropriated, with an additional $900 million planned for forthcoming annual state budgets through 2028-29.
