By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
President Biden on Wednesday, Aug. 9, highlighted the significant strides achieved on the anniversary of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act which aimed to rejuvenate America’s semiconductor leadership, fortify supply chains, bolster national security, and enhance competitiveness on the global stage.
“One year ago today, I signed into law the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to revitalize American leadership in semiconductors, strengthen our supply chains, protect our national security, and advance American competitiveness,” Biden emphasized.
Semiconductors, the bedrock of modern technology, were conceived in the United States. Yet, the White House said that America’s share in global production has dwindled from nearly 40% to just over 10%, rendering its economy vulnerable to international disruptions.
According to a White House Fact Sheet, the President’s comments resonated with his pledge to reinvent the landscape.
“The CHIPS and Science Act aims to change that,” Biden declared in a separate statement.
Administration officials said a pivotal facet of the “Bidenomics” agenda, the CHIPS and Science Act, has elicited tangible responses.
Corporations have pledged over $166 billion in investments toward domestic semiconductor manufacturing, spawning job opportunities across diverse communities.
Administration officials said that the heart of the Act, a $53 billion infusion into U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research, development, and workforce initiatives, is pivotal in propelling the nation’s technological progress.
Further, the legislation mandated a 25% tax credit for capital investments in semiconductor manufacturing, which officials said has been instrumental in maintaining America’s position at the forefront of innovation.
“Semiconductors power everything from cell phones to cars to refrigerators,” Biden stated.
“But over time, the United States went from producing nearly 40% of the world’s chips to just over 10%, making our economy vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions.”
He continued:
“Over the coming months, my Administration will continue to implement this historic law, make sure American union workers, small businesses, and families benefit from investments spurred by the CHIPS and Science Act, and make America once again a leader in semiconductor manufacturing and less dependent on other countries for our electronics or clean energy supply chains.”
Administration officials reiterated that the White House’s unwavering dedication to revitalize the job market has been palpable.
Already, officials have established a set of five Workforce Hubs to foster pipelines for Americans to access well-compensated positions in the semiconductor industry and other sectors witnessing an upsurge due to Biden’s Investing in America agenda – a comprehensive strategy encompassing the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Additionally, the White House unveiled a nationwide Workforce Sprint, which is laser-focused on cultivating avenues into advanced manufacturing roles, including within the semiconductor realm.
Further, more than 50 community colleges have proactively introduced new or expanded semiconductor workforce programs.
The National Science Foundation also invested in the American semiconductor workforce through groundbreaking initiatives, encompassing the manufacturing workforce, backing researchers, and advancing curriculum development.
Strategic partnerships with major semiconductor and technology companies also have reinforced the endeavor, solidifying the nation’s position as a crucible of innovation and knowledge exchange.
The White House noted that applications by students for full-time jobs posted by semiconductor companies soared by an impressive 79% during the 2022–2023 academic year, in stark contrast to the 19% growth witnessed in other industries.
“Over the past year, agencies across the federal government have been developing and executing on programs established under CHIPS to encourage domestic semiconductor manufacturing, invest in research and development, and support supply chain resilience and workforce development,” the White House said.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
In an unprecedented show of global cooperation, more than a dozen international law enforcement agencies, spearheaded by the United States, have executed an operation hailed as a milestone in the fight against child sexual exploitation.
Under the banner of “Operation Renewed Hope,” an intensive three-week effort launched on July 17th, helped identify and locate victims of child sexual exploitation.
The FBI confirmed that 311 child victims were identified and rescued.
The heart of Operation Renewed Hope included an intensive investigation into sexually explicit content involving minors, often lurking on the dark web, with some cases dating back decades.
During the operation, investigators said they made significant progress in identifying and rescuing 311 child victims.
Homeland Security Investigations, a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with support from the Justice Department, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals, Interpol, Europol, and 13 other international law enforcement organizations from countries like Australia, Canada, and various nations across Europe and South America, were involved in the probe.
Officials said central to the achievements of Operation Renewed Hope was the application of cutting-edge technology like facial recognition and artificial intelligence.
Further, in a parallel initiative, the FBI touted “Operation Cross County,” which resulted in the location of 59 victims of child sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation, as well as 59 missing children in the United States.
Collaborating with state and local agencies, the FBI said it apprehended 126 suspects involved in child sexual exploitation and human trafficking, along with 68 suspected traffickers.
Numerous law enforcement agencies joined forces to break up an international pedophile ring that spanned borders.
Triggered by the tragic shooting deaths of two FBI agents during a search operation in Sunrise, Florida, the joint investigation involving the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the FBI.
The mission led to the arrest of nearly 100 individuals in the United States and Australia, and it found a network of individuals who shared child abuse material.
The operation, “Operation Bakis,” revealed a peer-to-peer network operating on the dark web that arrested individuals aged 32 to 81.
“The success of Operation Bakis demonstrates the importance of partnerships for law enforcement, not only at a national level here in Australia but also at an international level,” said Commander Helen Schneider of the Australian Federal Police.
FBI legal attaché Nitiana Mann emphasized the necessity of collaboration in tackling the complex and anonymous platforms that facilitate these crimes.
“As we continue to build bridges through collaboration and teamwork, we can ensure the good guys win, and the bad guys lose,” Mann stated.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
After a series of delays, legal maneuvers, and tumultuous proceedings that have stirred controversy within and beyond hip-hop, a California judge has sentenced rapper Tory Lanez to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.
The sentencing comes after a Los Angeles jury, in December, found Lanez guilty of all three charges linked to the July 2020 shooting in Hollywood Hills.
Lanez, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, possession of a loaded unregistered firearm within a vehicle, and reckless discharge of a firearm.
Megan Thee Stallion, whose real name is Megan Pete, had accused Lanez of shooting her in after they exited an SUV they’d been traveling in.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said since the shooting, Lanez had repeatedly tried to intimidate Megan.
“Through the past three years, [Lanez] engaged in a consistent pattern of behavior aimed at intimidating [Stallion], muzzling her, and obstructing her from defending herself and sharing her version of events,” Gascón said.
“Despite enduring physical violence, verbal assaults, and endeavors to publicly disgrace her, she exhibited remarkable strength by recounting the events of that pivotal night to both the jury and the world.”
The district attorney added that he’s hopeful Megan’s courage would inspire others who confront violence and hesitate to come forward.
“Numerous individuals in our community confront acts of violence from those in close proximity every day, often feeling powerless to come forward,” he stated.
“I trust that [Stallion’s] bravery will kindle a sense of optimism for those grappling with helplessness.”
He also read a statement issued by Megan.
“Every day I think of others across the world who are victims of violence and survive,” the multiple Grammy award-winning artist stated.
“It is truly the most powerless feeling, especially when you question whether the justice system can truly protect you.
“Fortunately, the district attorney’s office fought for me. I’m incredibly grateful to them and the jury for the attention to the evidence and siding with the truth. But if it can happen to me, imagine those who lack the resources and support systems to help them.”
Lanez has vowed to appeal his conviction.
Trini Jahyde’ Harvey, Jr., affectionately known as “PNUTT”, was born January 26,
1988 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Sonia (Hebreard) Cobb and Trini Harvey, Sr.,
and step-father Cleveland Cobb III.
As a child, Trini played Pop Warner Football for the Balboa Raiders of San Diego, CA.
Throughout his life, he was known for being full of energy and entertaining. You were guaranteed to have a good laugh when you were with him.
Trini graduated from Garfield High School in 2006.
On Friday, July 28, 2023, at the age of thirty-five, Trini entered into the Gates of
Heaven.
Trini was preceded in death by his grandparents; Serial and Mary Hebreard, Sr.
Left to celebrate his life and cherish his wonderful memories are his parents and
step-father, grandmother Anna Harvey, brother Travis (Aleya) Harvey, sisters; Janita Jefferson, Jasmine Harvey, and Tamika Hamilton, son Trini Sipho Harvey III, godson Jahyde’ Williams, aunts and uncles; John Gilbert, Sheryl (Donald) Brown, Danny (Arlene) Hebreard, Stephanie Thaggard, Serial (Donna) Hebreard, Keith (Lisa) Hebreard, Mary Hebreard, Darryl Williams, Patrick Thaggard, Sr., Charity (George) Ridgley, Trevor (Clarissa) Harvey, Quandra Harvey, and Nneka Harvey, godparents Sheryl Brown and Darryl Williams, along with a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Glen Lee Green was born a twin on November 9, 1985 in San Diego, CA to Ellen Biggs (Walker) and Glen L Green, Sr.
Glen accepted Jesus Christ into his heart at an early age. He faithfully attended True Faith Missionary Baptist Church, where he attended vacation bible school. Glen was God fearing and always had a word from the Lord to share with others.
Glen started his formal education at Knox & Horton Elementary Schools and continued at Gompers Preparatory Academy & Logan Memorial Educational Campus. Glen then went on to successfully obtain his GED, which was a major accomplishment for him and his family.
Glen was the owner and operator of Green’s Environmental Cleaning Services.
Glen and his twin sister Cericy had an unbreakable connection. During his lifetime, he formed lifelong bonds with friends, spanning well over 30 years.
Glen had a huge personality that exuded light and love wherever he went. His outgoing and confident nature allowed him to be a chameleon, adapting in any environment with people from all walks of life. He loved to laugh and had a playful nature. He referred to his mom as “Heavy”, and he shared the love of chess with his father.
Glen was a very proud father who bragged on his children’s accomplishments, and spending time with them was the highlight of his life.
Glen was also a supportive uncle. Showing up for his nieces and nephews was a high priority for him.
On July 3, 2023, God ushered Glen back into His arms to take his rest amongst the angels in Heaven.
Glen is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents; Cericy and Cleveland Walker, paternal grandparents; Mattie Lee and William T. Green and baby sister; Lasheda Humphrey.
Glen is survived by his father; Glen Green, Sr., mother Ellen Biggs (Walker), his sisters; twin Cericy (Ce Ce), Jean Green, Nicole Green, Ushana Ramsey (Atiyyah), Enjoli Humphrey, and Glenda Green, brothers; Joevon Walker (Tamera), Glen Green Jr., Demetric Green, Ryan Green, and Joseph Green, first cousins; Shalonda Reed and Tatiana and Cleveland Doreahn Walker, his children; Ke’Niyah Green, DeAndre Towers, Kaliyah Green, Kamden Green, and Kyran Green, god-children; RManiee and DaFonte Belcher Jr., uncles; Earl Reed, Cleveland Walker (Doreen), Alvin Wilson, and Rose Walker, and a host of nieces, nephews, special friends, best friends, and acquaintances.
By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint
Next week, the 700,000 residents of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Fourth District will go to the polls to elect a new representative who will serve the remaining almost three years of former Supervisor Nathan Fletcher’s term. Once again, it is expected that voter turnout will be no more than 5 percent of the registered voters in the District. With 12 communities making up the District including the San Diego City Council Fourth District, the vote is expected to be very political for what is supposed to be a non-political seat.
The Five Member Board is currently evenly divided, two Democrats and two Republicans. But in the midst of these statistics, there is only one real issue and that is, how will you vote if you live in the Fourth Supervisorial District.
If you are registered with an address on file, a ballot was mailed to you at your last address. If you did not get a ballot, then you can go to any of the locations identified elsewhere in this issue and cast what will probably be a “Provisional vote”, which means it would be counted after verification.
The Voice & Viewpoint has endorsed City Council Pro Tem Monica Montgomery Steppe to fill the vacant seat, but that means nothing unless each person who is eligible uses their vote. The issues at stake are healthcare, housing, and every County service you can think of. If you don’t vote, you have no voice and therefore there should be no complaints from you for the next three years. Tuesday, August 15th, is the day of decision. Where will you stand?
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge sentenced rapper Tory Lanez to 10 years in prison Tuesday for shooting and wounding hip-hop superstar Megan Thee Stallion in the feet, bringing a conclusion to a three-year legal and cultural saga that saw two careers, and lives, thrown into turmoil.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford handed down the sentence to the 31-year-old Lanez, who was convicted in December of three felonies: assault with a semiautomatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
From the initial incident in the Hollywood Hills in July of 2020, to the marathon two-day sentencing hearing, the case created a firestorm in the hip-hop community, churning up issues including the reluctance of Black victims to speak to police, gender politics in hip-hop, online toxicity, protecting Black women and the ramifications of misogynoir, a particular brand of misogyny Black women experience.
Herriford said it was “difficult to reconcile” the portrait Lanez’s friends and family painted during the hearing of a kind, charitable person and good father to a 6-year-old son with the person who fired the gun at Megan.
“Sometimes good people do bad things,” Herriford said. “Actions have consequences, and there are no winners in this case.”
Megan testified during the trial that Lanez fired the gun at the back of her feet and shouted for her to dance as she walked away from an SUV in which they had been riding, after leaving a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s home. She had to have surgery to remove bullet fragments. She revealed who had fired the gun only months later.
“Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,” Megan said in a statement read in court by a prosecutor on Monday. “Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.”
Lanez asked Herriford for mercy just before the judge delivered his sentence, requesting either probation or a minimal prison sentence.
“If I could turn back the series of events that night and change them,” I would, Lanez continued. “The victim was my friend. The victim is someone I still care for to this day.”
He added, “Everything I did wrong that night, I take full responsibility for.”
Lanez appeared stunned while the sentence was read, but had no audible reaction. His family and fans in the courtroom also remained quiet after the sentence.
The rapper was given about 10 months of credit for time he’s served, most of it spent in jail since his conviction in December.
“We’re extremely disappointed,” Lanez’s lead attorney Jose Baez said outside the courthouse. “I have seen vehicular homicide and other cases where there’s death, and the defendant still gets less than 10 years.”
Baez called the sentence “really just another example of someone being punished for their celebrity status and someone being utilized to set an example. And he’s not an example. He’s a human being.”
Lanez’s lawyers plan to appeal the verdict, and to attempt to have him released on bail while they do.
Megan, whose legal name is Megan Pete, was repeatedly praised by prosecutors for her courage in testifying during the case and enduring online campaigns of hatred directed at her.
“I hope that Miss Pete’s bravery gives hope to those who feel helpless,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón of Megan at a news conference after the sentencing.
Prosecutors had sought a 13-year prison sentence. Legally, Lanez had been eligible for up to 22.
During Monday’s session, Lanez’s father, Sonstar Peterson, choked back tears as he talked about how the rapper’s mother died when he was 11, just days after she first showed symptoms of the rare blood disorder that would lead to her death.
“I don’t think anybody ever gets over that,” he said of their youngest child, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson. “But his music became his outlet.”
Lanez began releasing mixtapes in 2009 and saw a steady rise in popularity, moving on to major-label albums. His last two reached the top 10 on Billboard’s charts.
Megan Thee Stallion, now 28, was already a major rising star at the time of the shooting, and her prominence has surged since. She won a Grammy for best new artist in 2021, and she had No. 1 singles with “Savage,” featuring Beyoncé, and as a guest on Cardi B’s “WAP.”
The elder Peterson, who is a Christian minister, was one of several people who gave statements on Lanez’s character and charitable giving — as did the mother of Lanez’s son. Dozens more wrote letters to Herriford, including rapper Iggy Azalea, who asked the judge to hand down a sentence that was “transformative, not life-destroying.”
Herriford said Lanez’s 6-year-old also sent in a handwritten letter, but the judge did not describe it further.
Lanez’s family and supporters have packed the courtroom; during the trial, they contended his prosecution was unjustly brought on by Megan and powerful figures in music. After the verdict was read in December, Lanez’s father denounced the “wicked system” that led to his son’s conviction; on Monday, Sonstar Peterson apologized to Herriford for the outburst.
The judge had handed several small victories to each side during the sentencing hearing.
He found that Megan, who was in an isolated area wearing only a bathing suit with no shoes, was an especially vulnerable victim when she was shot, but that Lanez was not overly cruel or callous in firing at her.
The judge found that Lanez posed no threat to public safety and that his lack of a criminal record should work in his favor.
Lanez’s lawyers argued that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from his mother’s death and other childhood difficulties. That stress led to serious alcohol abuse as an adult, they said.
But the judge agreed with prosecutors that those mental illnesses should not be considered in the sentencing, and in the end gave prosecutors most of what they wanted.
Under California law, Lanez was only allowed probation in the case if the judge found unusual circumstances.
The judge found that the case was only unusual because of the two famous people involved, which he said was not a factor.
“He should not be treated severely because he’s a celebrity,” Hereford said, “nor should he be treated with leniency because he’s a celebrity.”
On July 21, 2023, the Chaplain Commissioning Service for Navy Officer Mohammed M. Lawal took place. Chaplain Lawal is currently a Chaplain at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility. Although Chaplain Lawal’s official commissioning took place on July 5th, 2023, by Lieutenant Omar Bailey in Santee, his ceremony occurred on the 21st at Masjidul Taqwa in Logan Heights. Formerly known as Temple Number 8, Masjidul Taqwa is the oldest Mosque in San Diego.
Chief Olu Alfara, USN was the Master of Ceremony, USN and Imam Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad, Retired Army, conducted Chaplain Lawal’s Oath of Office. Imam Muhammad is our Nation’s first Muslim Chaplain in the United States Armed Services.
In attendance were Chaplain Lawal’s wife, Katrina, and daughter, Rakiyah, along with members of the Armed Services, active US Navy, including Lt. Commander Devon Cobbs, and Retired Veterans. Close family friends, community members, and community leaders were in the audience. Executive committee members of the San Diego Chapter Jack and Jill organization were also in attendance.
Chaplain Lawal received recognition from Senator Alex Padilla’s Office and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber’s office sent Sam Gonzalez as a representative to present since Dr. Weber was in Sacramento for the Legislative Black Caucus. Director of Appointments/Boards and Commissions, Ms. Chida Warren-Darby graciously presented a letter of recognition on behalf of Mayor Todd Gloria who was on vacation.
San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera recognized Chaplain Lawal for his accomplishments, including his journey from Ghana, West Africa as a former journalist and immigrant who has overcome great hurdles to be where he is today. Council President’s Deputy Chief of Staff & Director of Community Empowerment, Maryam Osman attended the event as well. Lastly, Sister Tazheen Nizam, Executive Director of CAIR San Diego presented Chaplain Lawal with a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the organization and her late husband, Brother Mustafa.
Last Saturday morning and afternoon, Dennis V. Allen Park off Market Street and Gateway was transformed into a Youth Summer Party for everyone. The San Diego Police Department and the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department provided a coordinated effort with just about everyone in San Diego County.
The day’s activities featured rock climbing, free hot dogs, health screenings provided by San Ysidro Health with multiple tent locations, all the city and county organizations and nonprofits one could think of, a stage for music and entertainment as well as speeches from local officials such as the Mayor of San Diego. The exhibitors were service organizations rather than usual vendors for such an event.
And, of course there were backpack giveaways and back-to-school supplies for the kids. Although the event was scheduled from 10 AM until 2 PM, parents and children were there in line by 9 AM. Parking was a nightmare with street parking mostly taken by participants and residential space was at a premium. It was a user-friendly set up for kids with a jumper blow up in the center of the park space.
The San Diego Police said this whole idea was based upon a need to take back a community park from drugs and other crimes that had claimed the space. It appears that the turnout made a powerful statement in support of this idea.
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (AP) — Simone Biles spent two years trying to distance herself from those strange days in Tokyo and all the outside noise that came along with it.
She dove into therapy and slowly — very slowly — returned to training even though she wavered on whether she was really up for a third Olympics and all of the pressure and expectations that come with it when you’re considered the greatest of all time.
It wasn’t until mid-spring that she committed to training seriously after talking about it over margaritas with her coaches. It wasn’t until late June that she committed to Saturday night’s U.S. Classic. And it wasn’t until she stepped onto the podium and heard the shrieks of support and the sea of handmade signs that the noise she’d been grappling with for 732 days finally fell silent.
She was back in her safe space. Back in front of a crowd. Back in control. Back to being the Simone Biles — albeit a more mature, married, 26-year-old version — who has spent a decade redefining her sport.
Confidence growing with every rotation, Biles soared to victory in her first meet since the Tokyo Games. Her all-around score of 59.100 was five points better than runner-up Leanne Wong. And made all the more remarkable by the fact she didn’t really pour herself into preparing until after her wedding to Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens in late April.
“I feel really good about where I am right now, mentally and physically,” Biles said. “I still think there are some things to work on in my routines, but for the first meet back, I would say it went pretty well. I’m very shocked. Surprised.”
She posted the best score on three of four events, turning what is typically a tune-up meet for the U.S. Championships into a showcase that she remains — when she’s at or near her best — a singular force in her sport.
The only time she seemed out of place at the NOW Arena was when she was introduced. She scrambled from one side of the floor to the other, unsure of where she was supposed to go.
The moment passed. Minutes later she raised her hands and saluted the judges. Then it was the same as it ever was for the most decorated female gymnast in history.
Rocking a black-and-white bedazzled leotard and a silicone wedding band she bought from Amazon to wear while she competes, Biles electrified a packed house that roared with every spin, every flip, and yes, twist.
While she admitted she is still a little nervous while doing the twisting elements in her routines, she certainly looked comfortable during two hours that offered a taste of what could come in the run-up to Paris next summer.
Wearing No. 231 and sporting — at least before she began competing — a necklace bearing “Owens” in tribute to her husband, she seemed equal parts relaxed and energized.
She began on uneven bars, not far from a sign featuring a goat (a symbol for “Greatest of All Time”) that read “Simone Freaking Biles.” She wasn’t perfect, nearly stalling near the end of her routine. She muscled up and stayed on and when she hit her dismount, she cut her eyes off to the side as if to say “sheesh.”
Her score of 14.000 was the third best of the competition and a signal of things to come. She was as solid and steady as ever on balance beam, where she won a bronze in Tokyo after a week of uncertainty, a medal she’s described as one of the sweetest of her career.
While never officially closing the door on Paris, at one point she was convinced her career was over. She’s spent most of the last 24 months preparing for her wedding and planning the rest of her life.
Still, the lure of the gym tugged at her, though she’s taking a more muted approach to her comeback than in 2018 or in the run-up to Tokyo in 2021.
At the moment, she’s letting her gymnastics do most of the talking. And it spoke loud and clear.
She was dynamic on floor exercise, where her tumbling passes have long been showstoppers. While she and her coaches have tweaked her routines a bit to better take advantage of the sport’s updated Code of Points, she still does some of the most challenging gymnastics in the sport typically with seemingly effortless ease.
Biles kept all three of her tumbling passes on the floor inbounds, something that was a problem at times in 2021. Her score of 14.900 included a start value of 6.8, a massive amount of difficulty. No other athlete, many of whom grew up idolizing her, had a start value higher than 5.9.
She finished with a Yurchenko double-pike vault, a roundoff onto the table followed by two back flips with her hands clasped behind her knees. It’s a vault she toyed with in 2021 hoping to pull off in Tokyo.
It never happened. It still might in Paris. She hopped a little bit after landing as the arena exploded, her 15.400 more than a full point better than any of the other 30-plus athletes managed.
The Classic is considered a warm-up of sorts. The U.S. Championships are later this month, with the world championships coming in October and the Olympics less than a year out.
She’s trying not to get too far ahead. Making it a point to enjoy what she called the “little wins.”
“I knew I could come back and hopefully have a shot,” she said. “It’s just about really taking care of my body right now. So that’s what we’re to. It’s working.”
There is plenty of time to refine things. To expand. To build. Biles’ all-around score Saturday was higher than what she posted at the same meet in 2018. What followed back then was two years of historic dominance.
By AMANCAI BIRABEN and CHRISTOPHER WEBER, Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thousands of Los Angeles city employees including sanitation workers, lifeguards and traffic officers walked off the job Tuesday for a 24-hour strike demanding higher wages and alleging unfair labor practices.
Picket lines went up before dawn at Los Angeles International Airport and other locations, and a large rally was held later in the morning downtown at City Hall. SEIU Local 721 said mechanics, engineers and airport custodians are among the more than 11,000 LA city workers who are striking.
The union said its members voted to authorize the one-day walkout because the city has failed to bargain in good faith and engaged in labor practices that restricted employee and union rights.
“City workers are vital to the function of services for millions of Angelenos every day and to our local economy,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “They deserve fair contracts and we have been bargaining in good faith with SEIU 721 since January. The city will always be available to make progress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
Strikers said some employees earn so little they can’t afford to live near their jobs, sometimes making 100-mile (160-kilometer) commutes.
“You can’t work for the city and live in LA,” said Marce Dethouars, 54, a sanitation worker who resides east of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley.
Destiny Webb, a college student who manages a city pool, said she and her fellow marchers downtown were calling for a 40% to 50% raise and more resources at LA facilities that are poorly staffed.
“A lot of us are students, and what we get paid does not help us at all,” said Webb, 21. “So with inflation and everything, it’s not working.”
A pay increase would give younger, part-time employees like her an incentive to stay with the city for a career after graduating, Webb said.
It’s the latest strike to overtake the nation’s second largest city in recent months. Hollywood writers have been striking since May, and actors joined them last month. Los Angeles hotel workers have staged staggered walkouts all summer, and earlier this year school staff walked picket lines. There was also a contract dispute at Southern California ports.
“The City of Los Angeles is not going to shut down,” Bass insisted. But her office said some services would be affected, including parking enforcement and traffic operations. This week’s trash pickup will be staggered by one day citywide until normal service resumes Monday, officials said.
Los Angeles International Airport officials urged travelers to allow for extra time for travel to and from LAX during the strike. Some shuttles were operating on a reduced schedule, but no major disruptions were reported.
“LAX is working diligently with our airport partners to ensure that our operations will continue as close to normal as possible and to mitigate the impacts of the work action to our guests,” airport spokesperson Dae Levine said in an email.
The union said it expects about 300 lifeguards working at dozens of city swimming pools would strike. The Department of Recreation and Parks said some pools were closed Tuesday.
Michael Mitchell, a 33-year-old port worker, said many workers were struggling with basic living costs and are simply seeking a fair wage.
“We just want to be able to survive and feed our families out here,” he said. “Everything is high — groceries, gas. In a minute we’re going to be drowning.”
About 300 Port of Los Angeles employees are union members, but it wasn’t immediately known how many were striking. “The Port of Los Angeles respects the bargaining rights of all employees. On Tuesday, some Harbor Department employees are participating in a job action. Port terminals remain open and operational,” port spokesperson Phillip Sanfield said in an email.
The union approved a one-year deal with the city in November 2022 with the understanding that they would return to the bargaining table in January, SEIU Local 721 Chief of Staff Gilda Valdez said. With the broader agreement in place for the next year, the city and the union would then negotiate over a number of “specials,” or smaller specific proposals, Valdez told The Associated Press.
But the city reneged on the promise to negotiate on those issues and “only gave us some small agreements that basically amount to peanuts,” Valdez said. The union filed an unfair labor practice claim with the City of Los Angeles Employee Relations Board over this issue, along with previous claims filed over several other issues.
“This strike is a very strong message: ‘Come to the table,’ ” Valdez said, noting that the union’s members had worked throughout the coronavirus pandemic to keep the city running.
Eddie Flores said he and his fellow sanitation workers “were up there on the front lines during Covid” and they were striking Tuesday to demand a fair pension and retirement plan.
Flores, 64, said city officials “didn’t fulfill their end of the bargain.”
The union plans to return to negotiations with the city the week of Aug. 14 to resume talks, Valdez said.
Television writer Mike Royce walked the picket lines Tuesday, returning the favor for SEIU members who have supported striking members of the Writers Guild of America West.
“Maybe in the past, the idea of a Hollywood writer and a city employee wouldn’t seem to have much in common,” said Royce, 59. “Right now we’re in a place where we’re not getting paid enough to make a living at the thing we do.”
In Northern California, two unions that represent nearly 4,500 San Jose city employees voted Monday to authorize a three-day strike for next week.
By Latanya West, Voice & Viewpoint Managing Editor
On January 6th, spoken word artist and Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact at the Kennedy Center happened to be living in D.C., not far from the U.S. Capitol. As for many of us, it was an inflection point for Bamuthi. Notes were furiously written down, poems emerged.
The pieces eventually found their way into the spoken word portion of Carnival of the Animals, a music-infused hybrid of spoken word and dance set against the backdrop of the U.S. Capitol rotunda on January 6th. Carnival of the Animals will be performed during La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest at The Baker-Baum Concert Hall at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Faye Avenue in La Jolla on Friday, August 18 at 7:30 p.m.
“This piece is whimsical. It’s reflective. I think it’s patriotic, it’s provocative and it is interdisciplinary in the true sense of the word. The composers take on these different animals. There’s a cuckoo and there’s a donkey, the swan, all these different animals. I decided to think about the animals in the political jungle. And more specifically, I imagined that the Capitol Building where Congress does its business, on January 6th, 2021 was a zoo,” Bamuthi, 47, said during a phone interview this week.
“I asked myself, who are the animals in that zoo? Who were the animals in that carnival? What happened that day? What [are] the repercussions for who we want to be as a country?”
Ahead of his first appearance here in San Diego, the Morehouse graduate discussed the fresh new take on an iconic classic. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
Carnival of the Animals. It sounds vaguely familiar.
If you’ve watched Home Alone or your average commercial around Christmas time, you’ve heard selections from the Carnival of the Animals. It’s a 100-year-old composition by iconic French composer, Saint-Saëns. [It] has a lot of familiar music.
How did you get involved?
[Around] 2018, I was asked by a chamber orchestra to play the role of the narrator. I had taken all these notes on January 6th. I still live in DC. I was very, very close and still am, as we all are, to the shadow of those events and it hit me, ‘Oh, this is how to take this work and these disconnected poems [and] vignettes and bring them together in a cohesive way that lands us all in the same place in time.
What does this new production bring to the discussion?
The first inkling was to throw a political lens on the Carnival of the Animals. It has been a very eventful four years In American history. A pandemic and an insurrection and the murder of George Floyd and disruption of the last presidential administration which, I think no matter where you fall on the political spectrum , [it] was disruptive in terms of norms.
Traditionally, when the Carnival of the Animals is performed, a chamber orchestra will perform the first 3 to 5 movements. Then a narrator will drop a few limericks, these tongue-in-cheek lines about the animals, almost like a ringmaster. So the first thing was, well, let’s take this trope of the narrator and let’s give it a little bit of edge.
[It’s a] take on this iconic composition and this iconic dancer. My partner on stage, Wendy Whelan, is one of the greatest dancers in the world, and [we] played with these conventions by using spoken word as a throughline through the piece.
World famous dancer, Wendy Whelan. PHOTO: Nisian Hughes, Courtesy of La Jolla Music Society
What can we look forward to experiencing in this new production?
Really high caliber musicianship. Beautiful music, classically arranged that also integrates modern sound design. The composer is Sugar Vendil, a Filipina woman who has made the original compositions new and specific. There’s myself, a first generation American of Haitian descent. There’s Wendy Whelan, who’s from Louisville, Kentucky and there’s the African American choreographer, Francesca Harper [who is] now the artistic director of the Ailey II.
And, there’s this animal that I made up called the Louisville Freebird, inspired by Breonna Taylor.
Choreographer, Francesca Harper. PHOTO: Nina Wurtzel Photography, Courtesy of La Jolla Music Society
The Goat is a new animal, right?
In our version, the last animal in the carnival is The Goat. Normally, you’d think about Muhammad Ali or Serena Williams. The Greatest of all Time. In my conception, it’s the Greatest of all Theories. because that’s what the constitution is. It names a form of government that had yet to exist. It’s me literally running into a goat at a crossroads halfway between the United States Capitol Building and my apartment in DC. That’s where we are, we’re at a crossroads. At our most optimized, we can be transformational, but it’s a choice. Democracy itself is not inevitable.
Where do we go from here? Who do we want to be? As it is, the piece is still pretty funny. I think it’s provocative but it’s not polemical, at least not overtly. What we cheer for, ultimately, is democracy.
That’s what’s dope about being in a theater. It’s one of the few times where you’re not watching the Ravens [or] the Chargers play and there are 50,000 people yelling about one team or another. When we’re at a [play or a concert] together, we are all inspired together.
How does your background and love of Hip Hop inform your work?
I would say I engage the questions of our moment and maybe form questions that intersect with. both survival and yearning for what I refer to as the American Promise.
I was growing up as hip hop was growing. Hip hop turns 50 on Friday. I’ll turn 48 in November. Hip hop and hip hop culture was alive for me. The politics of direct engagement from NWA to Boogie Down Productions to Public Enemy and, outside of the music, … Spike Lee’s first films, [art] that directly addressed colorism, police brutality…People were making these cultural moments, they weren’t just culture makers themselves, they were also children of the Black arts movement.
My art comes out of that genealogy and I feel like it’s my responsibility to keep the questions moving because we haven’t arrived at the equitable horizon yet.
What are your thoughts on hip hop today, and its global influence?
Mos Def on his first album, talks about folks [asking] him, where is hip hop going? Like it’s a giant in the hills somewhere. You’re hip hop. I’m hip hop. So if you want to know where hip hop is going, ask yourself, where am I going? What am I doing? The same is true for anybody in this country, documented or not, citizen or not. What are we reading? What are we banning? What are we embracing? What are we creating?
Hip hop is a signifier for many things: hyper capitalism, hyper sexuality, the outsider. At its worst it is deployed as a signpost for some of our collective worst pathologies. But at its best, it is a culture that brings people together with joy at the center and serves as a conduit for intellectual depth, for literary greatness and for freedom in the body.
I try to use hip hop in what I think of as its most optimal forms. I find freedom in my body through the culture. I love being with my people inside the culture.
What’s your favorite part in this new version of Carnival of the Animals?
The Cuckoo, part of the original [production], and the Bull. The Bull is a remembrance of my time in Atlanta.
While you were in school?
While I was in school. Anybody who was at Freaknik in 1994 will appreciate The Bull.
Any advice for artists on a similar journey as yours?
The contemporary artist has a responsibility that is newly urgent. Listen to your inner voice, make work that feels right for you, practice, read the book, but if this is what you’re choosing and now is when you’re choosing it? Then there’s a particular tax that our country is asking of us.
How do you make a living as a creative being or a free thinker, or [as] someone who holds on to [their] integrity? These are valid and deeply intimate concerns. You have to pay your bills. But there’s also a larger calling.
There is an undeniable movement towards cultural erasure in our country right now. It’s not just that we preserve cultural output, it’s that we make culture. Maybe that also comes from the idea of hip hop. The idea that the MC is someone who “MCs”: who makes culture.
Who in America is producing grace right now? Who in America is producing beauty? Who among us right now is fearless? I would like to think that that is the role of the artist.
Tickets and information about Carnival of the Animals are available at the La Jolla Music Society box office, by phone at 858.459.3728, and online at TheConrad.org.
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