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Clarkston Roylee Huffman

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Jan 26, 2023

Arrangements by Preferred Cremation & Burial

Clarkston Roylee Huffman was born on August 11, 1958, in Kansas City, Missouri. As a young boy with his father in the Navy, he lived in Kansas City for a few years, Brunswick, GA, Puerto Rico, Jacksonville, FL, and lastly, San Diego, CA, where he grew up.

Clark went to Kennedy Elementary School, Coronado Junior High School, and graduated from Morse High School in 1977. He did a tour in the U.S. Navy and went to culinary school after. Clark also worked in a glass and aluminum factory in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Clark received a degree in Tax Property Management. He started out as manager of an apartment complex and was hired by a property management company to manage a multitude of tax credit apartment complexes and rose to General Manager within the company.

Clark was well-liked and loved by many. He was the first to offer a helping hand to anyone in need and would sacrifice his own time for the betterment of others.

Clark transitioned from this world on January 1, 2023. He is predeceased by his father, William Huffman; brother Edward Huffman; and his beloved grandmother Adeline Tucker. He is survived by his mother Gertrude Huffman; son Clark Ingram (son Anthony); sister Diana Peter; niece Leandra Peter; nephews Derrick Rayford (son Liam); special mention of his aunts and uncles, Bobby & Willa Bryant, William & Pat Tucker, and Pat Rodgers; and a host of cousins from Kansas City, Missouri.

The Other Side of Homelessness

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Jan 26, 2023

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By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper

As more and more people are making homelessness a priority with discussions on how to address the problem, there is one topic connected to the conversation that just doesn’t get discussed. That topic is the role of landlords, rents, evictions, security deposits and the real number of vacant units as opposed to “affordable” units.

It should be clear now that not every homeless person is mentally ill or the victim of some kind of addiction. It should be clear that not all homeless persons are the same. Many today are the victims of landlord greed with uncontrolled rent increases. Recent data from the Regional Task Force on Homelessness is showing that many people are short term homeless: that they are able to secure unsubsidized housing; some move in with friends and relatives short term or, according to the Task Force CEO, just need short term stays in a shelter.

The real elephant in the room is the landlords, and the owners of the many vacant units sitting empty because people either can’t qualify because of low income or the lack of what can be as much as a $5,000.00 security deposit with first and last month rents required. With 49 percent of the county residents being renters and that number growing due to foreclosures and loss of property ownership, when do we address those many landlords who are not participating in Section 8 subsidized rentals while still evicting people. There must be a serious look at available housing as well as affordable housing with an idea toward moving more available housing into the marketplace of affordable housing.

It has already been reported by the Task Force that 6,755 people countywide who were once homeless, found homes without assistance; that 1,373 homeless individuals reported move-ins with family. These numbers are an improvement over past years. Over past years, 4,113 San Diegans needed assistance that the above group didn’t need.

Once again we are saying that the homeless need to get involved in the political process. You don’t count only if you treat yourself as if you don’t count.

Just as you are allowed to vote while homeless, one can come to the table and get off the menu. The minimum wage and the cost of living in San Diego must line up to eradicate homelessness. The very meaningful ACTION PLAN: Addressing Homelessness Among Black San Diegans, from last year, must not be put on a shelf. We must monitor the degree to which inclusion, based on the report’s focus groups and recommendations, is heading toward becoming a reality.

What do you think? Let us hear from you.

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Biden-Harris Announces New Actions to Protect Renters and Promote Affordability

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Jan 25, 2023

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Biden-Harris Announces New Actions to Protect Renters and Promote Affordability

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The pressure on the government to do something about rising housing costs has resulted in the Biden administration announcing major new initiatives to safeguard tenants and make renting more affordable.

Now, several federal agencies announced they would collaborate to compile data on discriminatory housing practices.
A non-binding “Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights” is also included to provide clear instructions for tenants to continue living in moderately priced rentals.

In addition, the White House is issuing a rallying cry called the “Resident-Centered Housing Challenge,” with the goal of encouraging housing providers and state and local governments to bolster policy in their respective markets.
“Since taking office, the president has taken substantial steps to promote fairness in the rental market and ease the burden of rental costs for millions of American renters,” administration officials wrote in a Fact Sheet.

Officials said the administration kept the national eviction moratorium in place until August 2021, which helped to prevent over 1.5 million eviction filings nationwide.
Further, the administration has delivered over 8 million rental or utility assistance payments to reduce renters’ risk of eviction or housing instability.
The White House said more than $769 million has been provided for housing stability services by the Administration.

In 2022, the administration released a Housing Supply Action Plan, which set the goal of closing America’s housing supply shortfall in five years.
The administration has been making progress advancing a long-term goal of providing housing vouchers to all eligible households: through the 2022 and 2023 president’s Budgets, the administration has secured rental assistance to more than 100,000 households through the 2022 and 2033 appropriations bills and the American Rescue Plan.
And, recently, HUD published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on its efforts to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing.

As the housing market remains a major issue for renters, administration officials pointed out that inflation has reduced, but rental prices have continued to rise.
The actions are the latest by the Biden administration to curtail evictions and to help make housing more affordable.

Reportedly, tenant unions, community organizations, and legal advocacy groups have called for an all-out strategy, preparing an executive order for the Biden administration, advocating for a housing emergency declaration, and investigating rent control options.
Those plans, which involved several departments, were made to encourage federal authorities to look into alternative methods of lowering rental prices, the Washington Post reported.

Many ideas were dismissed as unrealistic by White House advisors and administration officials, and some questioned the legitimacy of such drastic measure, the newspaper stated.

The “Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights” emphasizes the importance of eviction prevention and diversion, the right to organize, and clear and fair contracts.
Over a third of the American population – 44 million households – rent their homes.
Before the pandemic, well over 2 million eviction fillings and roughly 900,000 evictions occurred annually – disproportionately affecting Black women and their children, administration officials stated.
Since then, rental housing has become less affordable with some landlords taking advantage of market conditions to pursue egregious rent increases.

“These announcements recognize there are responsible housing providers – large and small, national and local – willing to treat renters fairly, but it also holds accountable those who exploit market realities at the cost of renters’ housing access and stability,” officials stated.

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Related articles: Affordable housing for marginalized people

Dr. Shavon Arline-Bradley Named First President and CEO at NCNW

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Jan 25, 2023

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Dr. Shavon Arline-Bradley Named First President and CEO at NCNW

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) said that Shavon Arline-Bradley would be the first president and CEO of the organization.
After 88 years, the organization said it has changed its governance structure to work more efficiently.

Dr. A. Lois Keith, the new board chair of NCNW, said, “We’re excited to have Shavon as our new president and CEO.”
“She is an extraordinary communicator, and her expertise in the areas of public health and social justice is impressive.”

Keith predicted that Arline-Bradley would do better than expected because “these are the areas in which NCNW would like to continue, as we bridge the generational gap.”
Arline-Bradley is an ordained minister with 21 years of experience in healthcare, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), government affairs, and executive leadership.

She’s the founder and CEO of R.E.A.C.H. Beyond Solutions, a public health, advocacy, and executive leadership firm that promotes EDI, political and organizational strategy, risk management, government affairs, and technical assistance.

Under her direction, the firm’s gross profit grew exponentially in 5 years by broadening its client base to include federal government, foundation, corporate, non-profit, and political candidate entities in the United States and Netherlands.

Before she started her firm, she worked as a senior advisor and director of external engagement in the Obama Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services for the 19th U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy.

In a press release, the organization said that Arline-Bradley co-founded The Health Equity Cypher Group because she wanted to advance EDI and improve the health and social outcomes of the most vulnerable people.
That group is made up of health leaders who work to advance EDI and executive leadership in all sectors, officials stated.

As president and chairman of Delta for Women in Action, a 501(c)4 organization, Arline-Bradley works as a community advocate.
Arline-Bradley is also a member of the advisory board for the Oprah Winfrey Network initiative “OWN Your Health.”

She is also a member of the American Public Health Association, Links, Inc., and Jack & Jill of America, Inc., all of which she remains involved with.

A southern New Jersey native, Arline-Bradley attended Tulane University where she received a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public health.
Later, she earned a Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University’s Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology and became a minister.

Additionally, Arline-Bradley obtained an Executive Certificate in Business Management from Howard University and an Executive Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. “This is an exciting time for NCNW. Shavon is a person of vision, with tremendous ideas, a broad outreach, and a flawless work record that will be recognized for years to come,” said Dr. Thelma T. Daley, NCNW immediate past president and chair, the last individuals to hold the combined position in the organization’s history.

At the 60th Biennial National Convention of the NCNW, which was held in December 2022, officials said that Daley “skillfully led the assembled delegates in passing the bylaws to allow the organization founded in 1935 to be restructured.”
In a news release, officials said, “This is the first time NCNW has designated separate leadership roles electing a board chair and hiring a president/CEO serving in a salaried position.”

Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole suggested a new structure for NCNW where the chair would oversee bringing the board together to do its work, which will be focused on governance and making big decisions “to set a tone for carrying out the vision and mission of NCNW.”
“With this structure, NCNW will be an even better civil rights and women’s rights group,” Cole said in the press release.
“We are in an intensely difficult time in our country. A time when there are constant challenges to the fundamental rights of women, people of color, and all marginalized communities.”

She went on to say, “At such a time as this, a deeply challenging time such as this, NCNW is so fortunate to have Shavon Arline-Bradley as our president and CEO; for she is a deeply admired and an effective leader in our on-going struggle for justice and equity.”
Arline-Bradley is scheduled to begin her new job in March.
“It is just very exciting, very exciting that a person under 50 is coming in to lead the organization, communicating to the public that NCNW is moving into the 21st century,” Daley added.

“NCNW is vital. NCNW is up to date. No one is cast aside. All will work together as a unit for justice the way Dr. Bethune and Dr. Height would have like to bring us together. The idea of leaving no one behind.”

Following More Mass Shootings Democrats Introduce Assault Weapons Ban

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Jan 25, 2023

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Following More Mass Shootings Democrats Introduce Assault Weapons Ban

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Two proposals aimed at curbing the spread of assault rifles were submitted today by Democratic senators Dianne Feinstein of California, and Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

The Assault Weapons Ban seeks to prohibit the commercialization, distribution, production, and importation of assault rifles and other firearms designed for use in military operations, as well as high-capacity magazines and similar devices.

On January 22, a gunman opened fire on a crowd celebrating the Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, California, killing 11 and wounding 9.
The Democrats’ proposed Age 21 Act would make it illegal to sell or buy an assault weapon to anybody under 21, bringing it in line with the legal age for purchasing handguns.
President Joe Biden has publicly stated his support for the legislation.
Biden said that the number of mass shootings declined during the decade that the Assault Weapons Ban was in effect.

“In the 10 years that the Assault Weapons Ban was on the books, mass shootings went down,” Biden remarked.
“After Republicans let the law expire in 2004 and those weapons were allowed to be sold again, mass shootings tripled,” he declared.
Both houses of Congress were urged to take quick action by the president.
According to Biden, “the majority of American people agree with this rational measure.”

“There can be no greater responsibility than to do all we can to ensure the safety of our children, our communities and our nation,” he insisted.
In the House of Representatives, Rhode Island Democrat David Cicilline said he plans to introduce a companion bill to the Senate’s Assault Weapons Ban.

Feinstein said assault rifles “seem to be the unifying denominator in the seemingly endless number of horrific shootings.”
“Because these firearms were created for maximum efficiency in mass murder,” the senator noted.

“They have no place in our society or educational institutions. It’s time to take a stand against the gun lobby and do something about getting these lethal weapons off the streets, or at the absolute least, out of the hands of our youth.”
Blumenthal added, as the gunman at the Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park demonstrated just days ago, assault weapons are designed for one and one purpose only: to murder or hurt human beings.

“These military-style combat weapons – built for the battlefield and designed to maximize death and destruction – have brought bloodshed and carnage to our streets and continue to be the weapon of choice in countless mass shootings,” Blumenthal said.
“Guns don’t respect state boundaries, which is why we need a national solution to restricting the ownership and use of assault weapons. Now is the time to honor gun violence victims and survivors with this commonsense action.”

Rep. Ciciline argued that it is long past due to reinstate an assault weapon ban and remove these “weapons of war” from civilian areas.
The assault weapons prohibition “passed the House last year with bipartisan backing, but was blocked by Senate Republicans,” Ciciline noted.

“We need to come together to enact this commonsense, effective, and proven policy to reduce gun violence and save lives. I thank Senator Feinstein for her partnership in this fight and look forward to introducing the House companion bill in the coming weeks.”

IN MEMORIAM: Charlene Mitchell, Civil Rights Activist and 1st Black Woman to Run for President, Dies at 92

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Jan 25, 2023

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IN MEMORIAM: Charlene Mitchell, Civil Rights Activist and 1st Black Woman to Run for President, Dies at 92

By Brandon Patterson, Black Press USA

Civil rights activist Charlene Mitchell, a long-time Communist Party leader and freedom fighter, passed away in Manhattan, New York, on Dec. 14, 2022. She was 92.

As the Communist Party’s nominee in 1968, Mitchell was the first Black woman to run for president, ahead of Shirley Chisolm who became the first Black woman to seek the nomination for a major party —the Democratic Party — in 1972.

Mitchell was also known for her leadership in the campaign to free Angela Davis when Davis was arrested in 1969.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1930, Mitchell moved to Chicago with her family at age 9, where they settled down in the Cabrini Green housing project, then a mix-raced housing complex and “a center of left-wing politics,” according to the New York Times.

Her father worked as a Pullman porter and was active in the labor movement, so she was exposed to the Black civil rights struggle from a young age. At 13, Mitchell joined the local youth branch of the Communist Party, helping to lead a student protest against segregated seating at a local theater.

In the 1960s, she moved to Los Angeles, where she founded an all-Black chapter of the Communist Party. Mitchell stressed the need for solidarity with oppressed people around the world, and traveled the world meeting with leftists in Europe, South America, and South Africa, the Grio reported. Notably, she was among the first Americans to speak out against the incarceration of Nelson Mandela and anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.

“Having known Charlene Mitchell through political victories and defeats, through personal tragedies and triumphs, I can say with confidence that she is the person to whom I am most grateful for showing me a life path,” activist Angela Davis, a professor at UC Santa Cruz, told the New York Times. Davis continued: “I don’t think I have ever known someone as consistent in her values, as collective in her outlook on life, as firm in her trajectory as a freedom fighter.”

In her 1968 run for president, Mitchell’s slogan was “Black and White Unite to Fight Racism, Poverty, and War!” She and her running mate made it to the ballot in only four states and won just over 1,000 votes, the New York Times reports, but her candidacy put a new face on the Communist Party, which was struggling under the weight of repression from the federal government.

Mitchell would eventually split from the Communist Party in the 1980s but would support several other anti-racist political organizations, including the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism and the National Alliance Against Racial and Political Repression.

“Black Lives Matter and modern Black feminism stand on the shoulders of Charlene Mitchell,” Erik S. McDuffie, a professor of African American studies at the University of Illinois, told the New York Times.

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The post IN MEMORIAM: Charlene Mitchell, Civil Rights Activist and 1st Black Woman to Run for President, Dies at 92 first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.

Record 16.3 million seek health coverage through ‘Obamacare’

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Jan 25, 2023

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Record 16.3 million seek health coverage through ‘Obamacare’

By AMANDA SEITZ, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A record 16.3 million people sought health insurance through the Affordable Care Act this year, double the number covered when the marketplaces first launched nearly a decade ago, the Biden administration announced Wednesday.

More than 3 million new members joined the marketplace, also known as “Obamacare,” according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The government worked with nonprofit groups and invested in program specialists who helped to sign people up in low-income, immigrant, Black and Latino communities to enroll more people, said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“We made unprecedented investments to expand our enrollment organization footprint into nearly every county in the country and targeted the hardest to reach communities,” she said.

The boost in enrollment comes as the number of uninsured people is at an all-time low — just 8% of those in the United States remain without coverage.

President Joe Biden and a Democratic-led Congress have committed millions of dollars over the past two years into unlocking low-cost insurance plans for more people and prohibiting states from kicking people off Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic. The marketplace itself has also evolved in recent years, with more insurers joining, giving an overwhelming majority of Americans at least three plans to consider during enrollment.

Those breaks on coverages were extended through 2025 under a major climate and health care bill championed by Democrats last year.

The low-cost plans, which offer zero dollar-premiums for some entering the marketplace, have reversed what was a flat market for the Obama-era health law, said Massey Whorley, a principal at health consulting firm Avalere.

“To have this level of continued increase is really interesting,” Whorley said. “We were in a position several years ago where overall exchange enrollment was flat and declining so many people thought the exchanges were this stable but dwindling environment.”

The significant progress on lowering the uninsured rate across the country, however, is threatened this year. Millions of people expected to lose their Medicaid coverage starting this spring when states will begin the process of removing people who are no longer eligible, in many cases because their income is now too high to qualify.

A portion of those people are expected to transition from Medicaid to the marketplace, and the administration said it is spending $12 million to keep information specialists on the job in the coming months to help people enroll in the health law’s marketplace if they lose Medicaid coverage.

Some who have had Medicaid coverage over the past few years will decide they can spare a few dollars every month to keep coverage through the health law’s marketplace, Whorley said. Others might decide they cannot afford coverage that often has higher co-payments, deductibles and monthly premiums than Medicaid.

“They will have to make real choices,” Whorley said. “If you’re already struggling to make rent and pay your utilities, put gas in your car, put food on the table, you may just not be in a position.”

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Related Articles: Obamacare During 2022

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Lawsuit Dropped After Officials Clean up Mississippi’s Parchman Prison

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Jan 25, 2023

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Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Lawsuit Dropped After Officials Clean up Mississippi’s Parchman Prison

By Stacy M. Brown, WI Senior Writer

Conditions at the notorious Parchman Prison in Mississippi have “substantially improved” since Jay-Z, a hip-hop star and business mogul, filed a lawsuit demanding better conditions for the thousands of people who are locked up there.

The superstar’s management company, Roc Nation, said that it would drop its lawsuit against the state Department of Corrections now that the maximum-security prison for men has been greatly improved.

In a statement, attorney Jordan Siev, a partner at Reed Smith LLP in New York who works with Roc Nation, said, “We are happy with the changes that have been made so far and the improvements in the day-to-day lives of the guys inside.”

“But we’re also aware that Parchman has a long history of lawsuits, improvements, and then conditions that get worse again,” Siev added.

The Jackson, Mississippi, newspaper Clarion Ledger says that the Justice Department started looking into Parchman in 2020 after watchdog groups said there was more violent crime, less control over gangs, and living conditions that were less than human.
Built on an old slave plantation, Parchman is said to have broken numerous constitutional statutes.

Leaked cell phone footage from inside the prison at the start of the coronavirus pandemic showed that inmates were living in places that were flooded, full of bugs, and full of rats.
Mold was everywhere in the building, and the food was often rotten or, at the very least, unhealthy.

In 2020, Daniele Selby wrote for The Innocence Project that slavery, racist Jim Crow laws, and hateful lynchings have left a legacy of mass incarceration and a disproportionate number of Black people in jail.
“Nowhere is that more clear than in prisons like the Mississippi State Penitentiary, also known as Parchman Farm, and Louisiana’s Angola Prison, which were built on and modeled after slave plantations and where several Innocence Project clients have been locked up,” Selby determined.

She went on to say, “Racial bias and discrimination have always been a part of the criminal justice and law enforcement system, and they still are at every level of the system today. With your help, the Innocence Project is determined to fix these problems.”

As a result of Roc Nation’s lawsuit and a subsequent – and ongoing – DOJ investigation, prison officials said they would make changes like giving the medical center at Parchman two working ambulances instead of an old van; installing new stainless-steel showers, toilets, and sinks; upgrading the heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and plumbing systems; adding basketball, flag football, and boxing as recreational activities; replacing broken tiles and getting rid of mold; and putting up a new fence around the property.

“We are pleased that improvements have been made inside,” Siev asserted, noting that Roc Nation may revisit the suit if officials allow the prison to deteriorate again. “But we’re also not going to take our foot off the gas.”

Official: Australia Could Deny Ye Entry over Antisemitism

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Jan 25, 2023

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Official: Australia Could Deny Ye Entry over Antisemitism

By ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A senior Australian government minister said Wednesday that rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, could be refused a visa due to antisemitic comments if he attempts to visit Australia.

Education Minister Jason Clare was responding to media reports that the U.S. celebrity intends to visit the family of new Australian partner Bianca Censori in Melbourne next week.

Clare said he did not know if Ye had applied for a visa but that Australia has previously refused them to people with antisemitic views.

“I expect that if he does apply, he would have to go through the same process and answer the same questions” as others who’ve aired such views, Clare told Nine Network television.

Last month, Ye praised Hitler in an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Twitter later suspended Ye after he tweeted a picture of a swastika merged with the Star of David.

Australia’s Migration Act sets security and character requirements for non-citizens to enter the country. Any decision on whether Ye gets an Australian visa would be made by Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, whose office said he could not comment on individual cases due to privacy reasons.

Peter Wertheim, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, met government officials on Tuesday to argue for an entry ban.

“We had a sympathetic hearing,” Wertheim said on Sky News. “We’ve made the case that this particular individual does not meet the character test and that it would be in the national interest not to grant him a visa and we set out our reasons in some detail.”

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said if he were in government, he would be inclined to bar Ye on character grounds.

“My inclination would be not to allow him in,” Dutton told Melbourne’s Radio 3AW on Tuesday.

“His antisemitic comments are disgraceful, his conduct and his behavior is appalling, and he’s not a person of good character,” Dutton added.

Ye and Censori intend to visit her family who live in the northeast Melbourne suburb of Ivanhoe next week, Seven Network News reported.

Ye and Censori recently married less than two months after he finalized his divorce from Kim Kardashian, entertainment news website TMZ reported two weeks ago.

The AP asked Ye’s representative whether he had married Censori and planned to visit Melbourne, but did not get an immediate response.

“A Culture of Preparedness”: Get Need-to-Know Storm Safety and Insurance Advice

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Jan 25, 2023

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“A Culture of Preparedness”: Get Need-to-Know Storm Safety and Insurance Advice

By Maxim Elramsisy, California Black Media

At least 20 people lost their lives due to the “Parade of atmospheric rivers” drenching California landscapes. The historic storm system, which has caused flooding, mudslides, levee breaches, heavy snow, hurricane force winds, and even a tornado, began late last year and has continued into the new year.

On Jan. 12, Gov. Gavin Newsom requested an expedited major disaster declaration for California, which was approved by President Biden on Jan. 14, in Merced, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz counties. On Jan. 18, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties were also approved.

A Major Disaster declaration means damage is beyond the combined capabilities of local and state governments to respond. As a result, affected areas will be eligible for a range of federal assistance programs.

“The big storm event, the big weather system that’s been creating what has been called atmospheric rivers is coming to an end,” said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Assistant Director of Crisis Communications and Public Affairs at the California Office of Emergency Services. “It’s not too late to be prepared for the next emergency. It really is incumbent on us all to talk as loved ones, family and friends about emergency plans, should another storm happen. Have an emergency kit read if you need to leave your house quickly. Communicating and checking in with loved ones will help be part of this overall culture of preparedness and resilience.”

Returning Home After a Flood

When returning home following a flood “the best advice is really to avoid flood water,” says Jason Wilken, Career Epidemiology Field Officer at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

“It can contain toilet waste and bad germs. It can have hazardous chemicals, including things like gasoline, and it can contain hidden heavy or sharp objects,” he warned.

Floodwater can also be in contact with downed power lines and floods can also cause the migration of animals. So, you there may be living or dead animals in floodwater,” he added. “If you must come in contact with floodwater, wear rubber gloves and rubber boots. If you have children, do not allow them to play in or near floodwaters,” said Wilken. “Don’t let them play with toys or anything that flood water has gotten wet until those things can be disinfected.”

Wilken said consuming contaminated food or water can make you very sick. “Other than undamaged cans or metal pouches, you should throw out any fresh or packaged food that was touched by flood water.” The outside of the containers should still be disinfected. He recommends using one tablespoon of bleach into one gallon of water for cleaning surfaces and utensils. Importantly, he notes, “NEVER MIX CLEANERS,” as it may cause dangerous chemical reactions.

If the hard surfaces in your home are wet for over 48 hours, mold may be present. Drying your home and removing items that have been water damaged is your best route for preventing the growth of mold.

Be careful and know the source of the water that you consume. Sealed bottled water can be safe, but if the surface of the bottle has been contaminated, boil it for one minute. If you get municipal tap water, listen to your local authorities regarding safety. If you get your water from a well, get in touch with local environmental health, or your water department for advice on how to test and disinfect your water source.

Navigate California’s Social Safety Net

Go to www.cdss.ca.gov for state disaster assistance and additional resources. Apply for federal help through FEMA Disaster Assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1(800) 621-3362. To learn more about help, local resources, or for app “For the over 5 million individuals that are currently participating in Calfresh, [including] those who have had power outages related to these storm events and have lost the food resources that they have purchased, can get those replaced within 10 days of their loss by just contacting their county social service agency,” says Kim Johnson, Director of California Department of Social Services.

A telephone number, “The Hope Line” 1(833)317-HOPE (4673), was created “for individuals who are impacted to simply navigate this change,” she says.

Seniors facing isolation can call “The Friendship Line” at 1(888)670-1360.

Be Prepared. Help The Vulnerable

The importance of timely information cannot be understated. Be aware of your surroundings. Sign up for free emergency alerts at www.CalAlerts.org, authorities say.

“Anytime there are these types of disasters, there are individuals who are disproportionately impacted by those disasters,” said Vance Taylor, Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the Office of Emergency Services. “We’re talking about older adults, people with disabilities, people who are economically disadvantaged, or transportation disadvantaged, people with access or functional needs, and so to ensure that our emergency management systems, programs and services are being rolled out in way that is equitable and accessible to everyone is a top priority,” said Taylor.

Insurance Quick Tips

Comprehensive auto insurance covers damage to your automobile – and “loss of use” coverage could reimburse a rental car if you need one.

Home and renters’ insurance covers damage from fallen trees and wind. Mudslides and debris flow caused by landscape scarring from a previous wildfire is also covered by home and renters’ insurance.

Flood insurance is sold separately through the National Flood Insurance Program and takes effect 30 days after purchase in most cases.

Tips for Filing Insurance Claims:

Make sure you have a copy of your policy
Contact your insurance agent
Log conversations with your insurance company in a “claims diary,” including who you talked to, what you talked about, what agreements were made
Track all expenses while living away from home (hotel bills, restaurant expenses)
Take pictures/video of the damages, but don’t start the remediation/cleaning until the adjuster conducts an inspection
Don’t get scammed. Use licensed contractors

For more information contact the Department of Insurance for help at 1(800)927-4357 or visit www.insurance.ca.gov.

Sharpe Apologizes for Actions during Grizzlies-Lakers Game

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Jan 25, 2023

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Sharpe Apologizes for Actions during Grizzlies-Lakers Game

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hall of Fame football player Shannon Sharpe apologized Monday after getting into a heated courtside conversation with Memphis Grizzlies players Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks and Morant’s father during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Fox Sports personality issued the apology during the “Undisputed” show with Skip Bayless.

“I’ve preached for the last six and a half years responsibility and accountability, and I take full responsibility for what transpired,” Sharpe said. “I’m never gonna say that wasn’t Shannon Sharpe because that was me. That was just me getting out of character. And I’m sorry for all those that saw my actions and took offense to my actions.”

Sharpe exchanged words with Brooks throughout the first half Friday and then yelled at Morant on the final possession of the second quarter. After the halftime buzzer sounded, Brooks yelled at Sharpe and Sharpe motioned toward Brooks.

Morant walked toward Sharpe at his courtside seat before center Steven Adams stepped in front of him.

Tee Morant, Ja Morant’s father, also got involved in the conversation before security at Crypto.com Arena separated everyone.

Sharpe, 54, yelled “I bet you won’t!” at Tee Morant as security guards tried to break things up.

“It does not matter what Dillon Brooks said or how many times he said it. Me being the responsible person, having the platform that I have, and having so many people look up to me, I was wrong,” Sharpe said. “I should have lowered the temperature in the arena. Instead, I turned the temperature up, and I let it get out of hand.”

Sharpe and Tee Morant talked to security in the tunnels at the arena before returning to their seats when the second half started. They hugged at the end of the third quarter.

Brooks was asked after the Lakers’ 122-121 victory whether Sharpe or any fans should be allowed to return to their seats after getting into an argument with a player?

“A regular pedestrian like him? No. He should have never come back into the game, but it’s LA,” Brooks said.

Colorado Officials Plead not Guilty in Elijah McClain Case

Digital Editor

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Jan 24, 2023

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Colorado Officials Plead not Guilty in Elijah McClain Case

By COLLEEN SLEVIN, Associated Press

BRIGHTON, Colo. (AP) — A group of police officers and paramedics pleaded not guilty Friday to charges stemming from the role they are accused of playing in the death of a 23-year-old Black man who was forcibly restrained and injected with a powerful sedative called ketamine.

They were indicted by a state grand jury on manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and other charges in 2021. Two years earlier, Elijah McClain died after being stopped while walking down the street in the Denver suburb of Aurora. A 911 caller had reported a man who seemed “sketchy.”

An amended autopsy report released last year concluded that McClain would have most likely survived but for the administration of a dose of ketamine that was higher than recommended for someone his size. However, the manner of McClain’s death was still listed as undetermined, not a homicide.

McClain’s death fueled renewed scrutiny about the use of the ketamine and led Colorado’s health department to issue a rule limiting when emergency workers can use it.

Experts in emergency medicine say prosecutions of paramedics are rare. However, in Illinois, two paramedics who strapped a Black man facedown on a stretcher after police requested an ambulance last month have been charged with murder.

Police officers Randy Roedema, Nathan Woodyard and Jason Rosenblatt, and fire department paramedic Jeremy Cooper and Lt. Peter Cichuniec all pleaded not guilty during a hearing in the Denver suburb of Brighton. They did not speak during the hearing except to acknowledge that they understood their rights.

Family members and other supporters packed the small courtroom during a hearing that mainly consisted of setting dates for trials and discussing motions hearings. A judge decided to schedule three separate trials, the first of which is set to begin in July for officers Roedema and Rosenblatt. Another trial for Cooper and Cichuniec is scheduled for August. Woodyard’s trial is set for September.

A lawyer representing Woodyard, Megan Downing, declined to comment on the allegations, saying any defense she would offer would get into grand jury material, which remains sealed. Attorneys for the other defendants left court without making any comment.

A grand jury indicted them after Democratic Gov. Jared Polis ordered Attorney General Phil Weiser to open a criminal investigation into the case. There had been renewed national interest in McClain’s death as protesters rallied over the killing of George Floyd in 2020. In 2021, the city of Aurora agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by McClain’s parents for $15 million.

McClain, a massage therapist, was unarmed and had not been accused of committing any crime. According to the indictment, he was walking home from a grocery store in 2019 after buying iced tea wearing a ski mask, months before the pandemic made face coverings common. The encounter quickly escalated, with McClain initially losing consciousness after a chokehold was applied by police. McClain, whom relatives say wore the mask because anemia made him cold, complained he couldn’t breathe as three officers held him handcuffed on the ground, and he vomited several times.

Polis ordered the state investigation after a former district attorney said he could not file charges because an autopsy could not determine how McClain died. His death helped inspire a sweeping police accountability law in Colorado, a ban on chokeholds and restrictions on the use of the sedative ketamine.

The amended autopsy report released in September said McClain died as the result of complications of ketamine administration after being forcibly restrained. In it, Dr. Stephen Cina, a pathologist, said he could not rule out that changes in McClain’s blood chemistry, like an increase in lactic acid, due to his exertion while being restrained by police contributed to his death but concluded there was no evidence that injuries inflicted by police caused his death. The indictment said McClain had low oxygen and too much acid in his blood.

Family and friends described McClain as a gentle and kind introvert who volunteered to play his violin to comfort cats at an animal shelter. His pleading words captured on police body camera video — “I’m just different” — painfully underscored his apparent confusion at what was happening.