What it do with Lue

53rd Annual Calico Days Brings Excitement to an Old-West Town

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Back in the 1880’s California experienced its largest silver strike in the high desert of San Bernardino County, and Calico became the place to be!  Businesses bustled, the presses hummed, and the town was alive with commerce and trade.

The glory days of Calico will be relived as Calico Ghost Town presents the 53rd annual Calico Days Celebration, September 28th & 29th, 2019.

The town will come alive with music, shows, and games for every age that will recall the days when silver mining was king.  Returning to Calico Days this year is the Pico Pistolero Old West Card Room. Learn how to play the table games of the old west like The Earps, Bat Masterson and Doc Holiday. Even join in a “Q & A” session with Mr. Doc Holiday himself.

Between the music and games, make sure to take a stroll through the Old West encampment on Main Street.  Guests are invited to wander through this living historical display, interact with the “towns people,” and see how life was lived during that era. Enjoy hands on activities, such as, Arrowhead Making, Adobe Brick Making, Rope Making and more. 

Favorite features of past Calico Days events will also return, including the Old West Character Costume Contest, The Miner’s Triathlon, old west gunfight shows, and the crowd favorite — Burro Run.

Calico Ghost Town shops and attractions will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  Admission to the event is $10 for adults, $5 for youth (4-11), and free for children 3 and under.

There are still camping accommodations available, and reservations include admission to the event for up to four people per site.  Camping reservations may be booked by calling 800-86-CALICO.  Calico also offers cabins and bunkhouses.

Please visit www.calicotown.com for up-to-date information on Calico Days and Calico Ghost Town. All activities subject to change without notice.

Torres Launches Monthly Veteran Identification Card Assistance Program

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- ONTARIO, CA – U.S. Representative Norma J. Torres (D-Pomona) recently launched a Veteran Identification Card (VIC) Assistance Program. The VIC allows veterans to access discounts at many restaurants, hotels, stores, and other businesses across the nation without having to carry sensitive documents to prove their veteran status. During the 30-minute appointments, Torres’ staff outline the required documents, eligibility requirements, and the application process.

“Veterans have made countless sacrifices for our nation’s safety and well-being. It’s a shame that red tape can sometimes make accessing their benefits confusing and daunting,” said Torres. “The Veteran ID Card Assistance Program seeks to simplify that process and make it easier for veterans to access the resources they’ve worked so hard to earn.”

Rep. Norma Torres’ staff help Inland Empire veterans obtain their Veteran ID Cards.

Torres’ office helped Raul Arteaga, an Army veteran from Chino, to obtain his VIC. According to the Daily Bulletin, Arteaga had been trying to obtain his VIC for years before he finally reached out to Torres’ office. In less than two weeks, her staff secured Mr. Arteaga’s VIC. Since the launch of the VIC Assistance Program earlier this month, Torres’ office has served nearly 25 veterans.

Torres is the mother of an Air Force veteran and a member of the House Appropriations and Rules Committees. Her office will host the VIC Assistance Program on a monthly basis at her office located at 3200 Inland Empire Blvd. Suite 200B, Ontario, CA 91764. For upcoming dates and to reserve an appointment, please click here.

University of Redlands football team visits pediatric patients

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— REDLANDS, CA—- Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital patients were treated to a visit from members of the University of Redlands football team on Thursday, August 29.

Gearing up for their first game on September 7, the players and team coaches took time away from the field to spend time in the playrooms on the hematology/oncology and cardiac units, and were even able to visit some patients at the bedside.

Dante Hollins, 13, of Victorville, found common ground with the players in their love of video games, spending their time battling it out with their controllers.

University of Redlands football head coach, Mike Maynard, said on behalf of the team, he appreciated the opportunity to visit the hospital.

“We teach our young men that when it is within our power to act, we should,” Maynard said. “We hope we were able to give the children some moments of optimism and joy to strengthen their recovery.”

The athletes also toured areas of the hospital and looked in awe at the new hospital towers currently under construction.

The Pay Gap is the Tip of the Iceberg for Black Women

On Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, New Research from LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey Shows Many Americans Remain Unaware of the Pay Gap, Major Inequalities That Hurt Black Women’s Career Advancement

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— PALO ALTO, CA— On, August 22, is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, which marks how far Black women had to work into 2019 to make what white men earned in 2018 alone. For a second year, LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey have partnered to conduct new research to measure Americans’ awareness of this pay gap and better understand the experiences of Black women in the workplace, using SurveyMonkey Audience. The results are clear and troubling: Black women face far more barriers to advancement, and only half of Americans think these obstacles still exist.

On average, Black women are paid 39 percent less than white men and 21 percent less than white women. Even when you control for industry, occupation and education, Black women on average are paid less than white men. According to the National Partnership for Women and Families, if the pay gap were closed, in a single year, a Black woman working full-time would be able to afford over three years’ worth of groceries, nearly two years of rent, or two and a half years’ worth of childcare.

The new research from LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey shows that many people don’t know Black women are paid less or don’t understand the magnitude of this pay gap. A third of Americans don’t know there’s a pay gap between Black women and white men—and 42 percent of people who are aware of this pay gap underestimate its size. Moreover, half of Americans don’t know there’s a pay gap between Black women and white women.

“While many Americans don’t realize the pay gap for Black women exists, Black women and their families certainly feel the effects. If the pay gap were closed, the average Black woman would earn almost $950,000 more over the course of her career—a staggering figure, especially when you consider nearly 4 in 10 Americans say they’d struggle to cover an unexpected $400 expense,” said Rachel Thomas, co-founder and CEO of LeanIn.Org.

“Just like last year, our research shows that awareness about the pay gap for Black women remains too low,” said Sarah Cho, Director of Research at SurveyMonkey. “We’re also seeing that Black women have far less access to opportunity in the form of job training and interactions with senior leaders. We hope this research encourages companies to dig deeper into the interconnected factors that contribute to this disparity so we can all make progress in narrowing the gap.”

The pay gap Black women face is only one piece of the story. This new research highlights that Black women also experience a lack of access to opportunity:

  • Less access to senior leaders: White men report having access to senior leaders at three times the rate of Black women—and white women at twice the rate of Black women.
  • Less mentorship and sponsorship: Fewer Black women have had a mentor or sponsor at some point in their career: 19 percent, compared to 27 percent of white women and 31 percent of white men.
  • Less access to training: Fewer Black women have ever received job or executive leadership training in their career: 19 percent, compared to 30 percent of white women and 33 percent of white men.

These findings are also supported by research from LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company’s Women in the Workplace study, which shows that Black women face more barriers to advancement and get less support:

  • Less likely to be promoted: Despite doing their part and asking for raises as often as men and white women, Black women are less likely to be promoted. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 60 Black women are promoted.
  • Less support from managers: Only 25 percent of Black women report that their manager helps them navigate organizational politics, compared to 39 percent of white women and 41 percent of men. Black women are also less likely to get help balancing their work and personal lives (39 percent of Black women, compared to 48 percent of white women and 44 percent of men). 
  • Less likely for managers to promote their accomplishments: 35 percent of Black women say that their managers promote their contributions to others, compared to 46 percent of white women and 46 percent of men. Black women are also less likely to get opportunities to showcase their work.
  • Experience everyday discrimination/microaggressions: 40 percent of Black women report having their judgment questioned in their area of expertise, compared to 36 percent of white women and 27 percent of men. And 42 percent of Black women are asked to provide evidence of their competence, compared to 29 percent of white women and 16 percent of men.

In this year’s SurveyMonkey and LeanIn.Org study, over a third of Americans said they believe offering leadership training, increasing wage transparency, and creating flexible workplace policies are effective ways to provide opportunities to help women and men advance equally. To address obstacles that can contribute to the pay gap and prevent Black women from advancing, LeanIn.Org is issuing a series of recommendations for companies based on findings from Women in the Workplace:

Put processes in place to ensure that employees doing the same work are being paid the same

  • Don’t ask job candidates about their current compensation, which is illegal in some states and can perpetuate pay disparities
  • Be transparent about the pay ranges for different roles so all employees know what to expect
  • Audit compensation data regularly to maintain fairness—and review the data by gender and race to ensure Black women are being paid fairly

Ensure the performance review process is fair

  • Require diverse slates of candidates for promotions (only 26% of companies currently do this)
  • Set clear performance evaluation criteria before the review process begins—and put safeguards in place to make sure they’re applied consistently
  • Track outcomes of promotions by gender and race to make sure Black women are being treated fairly (only 18% of companies currently do this)

Train employees to identify and challenge bias

  • Less than a third of employees say managers often challenge biased language and behavior when they see or hear it. Unconscious bias training can equip managers to be part of the solution (less than 50% of managers currently receive it) 
  • Employees involved in hiring and promotions should receive unconscious bias training to help them make more objective decisions (less than 20% of companies require unconscious bias training for employees involved in hiring and promotions) 
  • Lean In’s 50 Ways to Fight Bias program highlights 50 specific examples of workplace bias and offers research-backed recommendations for what to do (available at no cost to companies)

Double down on mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership training

  • Ensure formal mentorship and sponsorship programs are opening doors for Black women
  • Encourage informal interactions between Black women and more senior colleagues—these types of personal connections can be more effective than formal programs and propel careers
  • Track participation in leadership training by gender and race to make sure Black women are fairly represented

At leanin.org/bwepd, visitors can find the full findings, as well as resources to combat gender bias in the workplace. To learn more about the study, visit the SurveyMonkey blog.

KEY FINDINGS FROM 2019 BLACK WOMEN’S EQUAL PAY SURVEY CONDUCTED BY LEANIN.ORG AND SURVEYMONKEY:

Many people don’t realize that Black women are paid less for similar work. A third of Americans (34%) don’t know that Black women, on average, are paid less than white men—and half of Americans (53%) don’t know that Black women, on average, are paid less than white women.

Even when people know there’s a pay gap, it’s bigger than they realize. A Black woman makes 61 cents for every dollar a white man makes. Even when people know the pay gap exists, 42% of them underestimate its size.

Black women’s awareness of the pay gap is higher, and many see wage transparency as key to workplace equity. 69% of Black women are aware that white men, on average, are paid more than them. When asked what companies can do to provide equal opportunities for advancement for men and women alike, 40% of Black women selected wage transparency as their top solution..

The pay gap is only part of the problem. Black women get far less support at work. Compared to white men, Black women are significantly less likely to have ever received job or executive leadership training (white men: 33%, Black women: 19%) and to have had a mentor or sponsor at some point in their career (white men: 31%, Black women: 19% ). Most notably, Black women are almost three times less likely to have ever had access to senior leaders (white men: 44%, Black women: 16%). A similar disparity holds when you compare Black women to white women—in all cases, Black women get less support.

Most people are overly optimistic about the state of Black women. Only half of Americans (51%) think there are still obstacles that make it harder for Black women to advance. Not surprisingly, more than two-thirds of Black women (71%) say significant obstacles still exist.  

SOURCE LeanIn.Org

“Court Approves Historic Class Action Settlement for South African Gold Mine Workers” — what does this headline mean?

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- The applicants – up to 500,000 gold mine workers who suffered from diseases contracted from working in the mines – settled the class action lawsuit to receive R5 billion (over $350 million USD) on 3 May 2018 as compensation for the harm caused them. The news is that the court has now approved that settlement making it final and binding.

The silicosis and tuberculosis class action is unprecedented in its scope and ambition. 

The aim is to compensate former and current mineworkers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, eSwatini, Mozambique, Lesotho and Malawi who contracted silicosis or tuberculosis on a gold mine owned or operated by Anglo America South Africa, Goldfields, Harmony, African Rainbow Minerals, AngloGold Ashanti and Sibanye Stillwater from 1965 to date. If the parties had continued with litigation as opposed to settling, it could easily take another ten years to finalise the litigation. The LRC has lost five of its thirteen class representatives – these people passed away.   Two of them passed away in the past six months. The settlement shows an acknowledgement from both sides that achieving an outcome beneficial to the mine workers was urgently required. 

Both sides came to the negotiating table with utmost good faith and achieved a settlement that will likely benefit hundreds of thousands of former and current gold mine workers and their dependents.

Why is this important?

Judge Vally perhaps puts it best when he states that: “This case encapsulates the tragic and sad aspect of gold mining in South Africa. Gold mining has a long history in this country. At one level it has produced great wealth for a few and … as allowed for the development of the country in general (by virtue of, amongst others, the foreign exchange and taxes earned through this industry) and of its richest province in particular. Yet, at the same time, it has produced untold pain, suffering, physical harm and death for hundreds of thousands of people who worked in these mines.”

In short, this is a step towards compensating those who paid for the wealth of this country with their bodies and their dignity.

Give us an example of how the victims were impacted by silicosis?

Silicosis is an irreversible, incurable and painful lung disease. Silicosis is caused by breathing in silica dust and is particularly associated with dust exposure in gold mines. It is an incurable occupational lung disease caused by prolonged and/or intensive inhalation of tiny respirable particles of crystalline silica dust. It is marked by inflammation and scarring in forms of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. In the most serious cases, silicosis may lead to heart failure, lung cancer or progressive massive fibrosis.

Silicosis is a latent and progressive disease. Mineworkers that contract silicosis are generally unable to continue working on a mine. They may find further employment depending on the progression of their disease, mostly if a person is only suffering from radiological silicosis. Most mineworkers suffer a loss of earnings and income which has wider implications for the children and families of mineworkers. There is also a specific gender perspective in that most silicotic mineworkers will have to be cared for by their wives or daughters who bear the brunt of caring and breadwinning. 

How much money will the average victim receive?

The benefit depends on the degree of disease. In respect of silicosis the awards are as follows:

(1) Silicosis Class 1. Sufferers have mild lung function impairment i.e. less than 10% lung function impairment. The Trust benefit for this category of silicosis is R70,000 (about $5,000 USD).

(2) Silicosis Class 2. Sufferers have moderate lung function impairment i.e. more than 10% and less than 40% lung impairment. The Trust benefit for this category of silicosis is R 150 000 (about $11,000 USD).

(3) Silicosis Class 3. Sufferers have serious lung function impairment –  i.e. more than 40% lung impairment. The Trust benefit for this category of silicosis is R250,000 (about $18,000 USD).

(4) The trust deed also provides for a special award of up to R500,000 (about $36,000 USD), payable at the discretion of the trustees, to any person who is certified as having Silicosis Class 3. Such a person must have at least 10 years cumulative employment; must have undertaken risk work on one or more qualifying mine(s) during the qualifying period; and must have at least one of the following disease processes: progressive massive fibrosis for mineworkers aged less than 50 years; lung cancer; cor pulmonale; or massive fibrosis involving the lungs or oesophagus. 

(5) For dependents of deceased mineworkers who died as a result of silicosis or tuberculosis between 1965 and today, the award is between R50,000 – R100,000 (about $3,500 – $7,000 USD).

What does this mean for other groups of South African citizens who have been harmed through mining or other industrial activity?

This matter sets a precedent on several levels. The mining companies who have settled accepted historical responsibility for companies that it owns or operates. In addition, the nature of the joint process between the mining companies to achieve a settlement between them is an extraordinary achievement. Six massive companies, each with their own executive management, boards and shareholders came together to arrange how they would divide liability between them and then sought to negotiate with the claimants in good faith. The model used in the negotiation of this settlement may well set the standard for future litigation in this area. Certainly the advancement of the law in parent company liability will benefit future litigation.

How does this award relate to similar awards in the US and other parts of the world?

The awards to beneficiaries are comparable to other settlements. It is difficult to compare the settlement to others due to the broad scope of this settlement, including several African countries and an unknown number of claimants. The companies have provided security in the amount of R5 billion. However, the actual liability is open ended. The trust will run for 12 years with a further year to close out payment of claims. As long as eligible claimants enter the trust, they will be paid and the companies will be liable even if the final amount exceeds R5 billion. The settlement is unprecedented in its scope and ambition. 

Are other African countries likely to follow suit in compensating victims of silicosis or other health problems created through industrial activities?

As indicated above, the settlement included mineworkers from other African countries that contracted silicosis or tuberculosis while working on a South African goldmine. I am hesitant to comment on what may happen in other countries but certainly the litigation and settlement process in this litigation will assist those matter should they be instituted.

What role did the LRC play in getting justice for the workers?

The LRC was intricately involved in the silicosis litigation and did all the groundwork that lay the foundation for the class action. LRC  dedicated significant time and resources over the course of more than 15 years, pursuing litigation on behalf of mineworkers who contracted silicosis at mines owned or operated by Anglo American South Africa Ltd (AASA).

The LRC, Legal Aid South Africa (Legal Aid) and the London based law firm, Leigh Day, collaborated with a view to formulating a legal strategy designed to secure silicosis compensation for South African gold miners generally.

In order to resolve overarching issues relating to negligence, wrongfulness and causation, the LRC, Leigh Day and Legal Aid pursued a series of individual actions that could be run as “test cases.” The cases selected were all linked to the President Steyn Mine owned by AASA, and is referred to as the President Steyn litigation or Blom litigation.

The President Steyn litigation proceeded to arbitration during September 2012 and was finally settled during September 2013. During this time, several applications for certification of an industry-wide silicosis class action were instituted by RSI and AK. Following extensive negotiations between the LRC on the one hand and RSI and AK on the other, and in order to pursue the goal of developing a scheme that would compensate all persons who contracted silicosis working at an AASA goldmine, the LRC agreed to consolidate its class certification application against AASA with the industry-wide applications of RSI and AK. The LRC therefore became an integral part of the plaintiffs’ team. The LRC contributed extensive scientific and industry related research and information, which it obtained during the course of the President Steyn litigation, for purposes of the certification application and the negotiations.

In addition, the LRC dedicated staff to the class action including in-house counsel, attorneys, paralegals and researchers. The LRC team was integral to the litigation arguing that parent companies should be liable for mines that were owned in part, even a small share, operated or controlled by a larger company, with a particular focus on Anglo America South Africa. The LRC also argued for the development of the common law to allow for damages for pain and suffering to fall in the deceased mineworker’s estate to benefit the dependents. As a general rule, specific damages, i.e. damages that can be quantified, such as medical expenses, loss of earnings etc. are transmissible to a deceased estate. However, impairment of dignity, pain and suffering etc. do not fall in a deceased estate. The LRC lead the case to achieve justice for dependents of mineworkers who died as a result of silicosis and argued that the law should be developed to allow dependents to get the full benefit they would have been entitled to had the mineworker not died. We won this point in the High Court and continued to argue this point during negotiations.

Are there other cases that the LRC is working on to benefit large numbers of South Africans?

We have several applications in the pipeline which, if we are successful, will benefit all South Africans. I have two main areas of litigation going with counsel in the Constitutional Litigation Unit, banking and mass surveillance. We have two ongoing matters against all the major banks in South Africa. The first relates to the practice of set-off by which debts are recovered by using another account held by the debtor at the same financial institution to which a debt is owed. The National Credit Act does not allow set-off except in terms of an agreement and subject to strict regulation such as consent and notification. The banks have taken mention of set-off out of all agreements and claim they are entitled to set-off debts in terms of the common law without an agreement with the debtor and without notification. This often leaves distressed debtors and mostly likely the lowest income consumer without any money to provide basic necessities during the month and exacerbates the cycle of debt. We won this matter in the High Court which found banks may not use set off except in terms of the National Credit Act. We are waiting to see if the banks appeal.

In respect of mass surveillance, we are working on three cases that strategically fit together to declare mass surveillance and storage of metadata unconstitutional as it violates the right to privacy. In addition, we are challenging the law that permits interception of communication to the extent that it does not require notification to the subject of surveillance after the need for surveillance concludes. We are asking the court to order parliament to include post-surveillance notification.

How should we think about this case in the bigger context?

The settlement is important first and foremost for the mineworkers suffering from an incurable and progressive disease or their dependents that cared for them during their illness. The settlement aims to bring an end to litigation surrounding silicosis in particular and also tuberculosis contracted while working on a goldmine. The settlement has been crafted in such a way that any former or current mineworker that contracted silicosis on a settling mine will be compensated, irrespective of which country they are from. At heart, the agreement is aimed at compensating the class members who suffered harm over many decades while in the employ of one or more of the settling companies.

The settlement and the judgment also sets a precedent providing guidance for future class actions. Class actions are novel in South Africa. There have been only about five applications for certification of a class action and this is the first class action settlement. In addition, it is extremely important to set a precedent for redress and compensation of mineworkers who were harmed while working on the various mines in South Africa.

Aguilar Works “Job for a Day” at Anita’s Snack Foods in San Bernardino

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Last week, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-San Bernardino) took his Job for a Day tour of the Inland Empire to Anita’s Snack Foods in San Bernardino. Aguilar spent the day packing and preparing Anita’s products for shipments, providing him an opportunity to learn more about the business and hear from Inland Empire residents who work there.

“Companies like Anita’s are creating good jobs in our community by focusing on quality and innovation, and I wanted to see up close what’s made their business a success. My Job for a Day tour is all about spending time with working people and learning how I can better serve Inland Empire businesses and families, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to do that at a business with such deep roots in Southern California,” said Aguilar.

“It was a great pleasure to have Congressman Aguilar visit and work in the facility. It was great to hear that we all shared the same passion and point of view on the need to develop our workforce. The Congressman’s willingness to meet the team and jump into some of our daily jobs shows his commitment and dedication to the people of San Bernardino County,” said Mauro Gomez, Vice President of Sales at Anita’s Snack Foods.

Aguilar began his Job for a Day in 2017 to work side by side with the employees and small businesses who drive the Inland Empire economy. This is the tour’s fourth stop in 2019, and twelfth stop overall.

“I Tell You … There’s Just Some People You Can’t Tell Anything!”

By Lou Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—They have their mind made up and they’re not going to change for you, or me… or even God. They are just like the people in [Jeremiah 44]. Although, Jeremiah warned the people that God was upset with their behavior, it didn’t make a difference at all. They responded: “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD!”  They had made up their minds. They like what they were doing, and they had no intention of stopping for Jeremiah or God… or anyone. I want you to know as  [Deuteronmy 32:35] says, such behavior shall cause, “Your foot to slide in due time.” I beseech you, therefore, to recognize the nature of such foolishness and fear the consequences.

As [Proverbs 14:12] says, “There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but in the end thereof it leads to death.” Don’t be a fool! Haggai message was simple. It was a message of priority: “Put first things first!” His message was blunt. He pulled no punches and wasted no words. Haggai said stop making excuses, cease being selfish! God sought to warn the people to heed His words. Twice Haggai instructed the people, ‘Consider your ways [Haggai 1:5-7]. Which they did not. Therefore they were rebuked of the Lord because they were selfish and self-centered…  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get rebuked by the Lord. I don’t want God to call for a drought for me as he did for the Jews. He called for a drought upon the land, the mountains, the corn, the new wine, the oil, and upon that which the ground would bring forth. Upon men, upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands. The Lord did that. Why? Because of a stiff-necked, selfish, self-centered people. He caused the heaven to be stayed from dew and the earth to be stayed from her fruit [Haggai 1:10]. All because they wanted to do things their way and not God’s way. I tell you, we must put aside the things we desire, put aside our self-centered ways, and put the work of the Lord first. The psalmist declared: “I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to your testimonies” [Psalms 119:59].

Out of God’s love and mercy, He sends His prophets and preaches to remind us of His faithfulness – and in turn, to remind us as His people to be faithful and obedient as well. He has given us His Word to sound the alarm. Not only did God warn them, but He also offered promises through His servant Haggai to motivate them to follow Him. We are not free to do as we please! We belong to God [Ezekiel 18:4]. Our lives belong to the Lord [Romans 14:7-8]. For the whole duty of man is to serve God [Ecclesiastes 12:13]. It’s not about you, but God…  Oh, that you would consider it!

For He said to me; “I will not tolerate this stubborn, hardhead stiff-necked spirit any longer.” He wants us to be warned that there is an end to his patience. There is a resistance to the Holy Spirit that goes so long and so far. Rid yourself of self!  Because I tell you, your life will be Hell before going to Hell!

Listen, I don’t make this stuff up. [Isaiah 30:1] says, “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of Me.” “Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites…” [Matthew 23:14]. “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how shall ye escape the damnation of Hell?” [Matthew 23:33]… Know that the end has come upon you, and I will send My anger against you saith the Lord; I will judge you according to your ways, and I will repay you for all your abominations.  My eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity; but I will repay your ways, and your abominations will be in your midst, then you shall know that I am the LORD [Ezekiel 7:3-8]. Therefore, consider how far you have fallen and repent. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place [Revelation2:5].

“So, this I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God…” [Ephesians 4: 17-21]

 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” [Deuteronomy 30:19-20]

Our Community Rallied to Help Homeless Senior

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—-ENN)—- SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Addressing California’s homeless crisis is the responsibility of the community at large. San Bernardino County has identified over 2,600 homeless individuals during the San Bernardino County 2019 Point-in-Time Homeless Count. 

Shelia, who has been homeless for 5 years, called our office for help and my staff immediately connected organizations throughout the region to find housing for Shelia. This model of collaboration should be replicated both state and nation-wide to address the issue. The entire community must work together to return dignity, support, and respect for our homeless neighbors.

Equifax May Owe You a $125 Payment, but, Let’s Be Real, You’ll Get Much, Much Less

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- On June 22, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the outcome of a settlement with Equifax, one of the three major credit monitoring firms in the United States. 

The settlement requires Equifax to pay somewhere between $500 and $700 million in restitution for a 2017 data breach that affected about 147 million people across the United States, according to Jacqueline Connor, a privacy attorney with the FTC. The amount of the settlement is the highest in U.S. history for a data breach and the number of people impacted represents almost half the United States’ population.  That’s nearly every adult in the country who has credit. 

In California alone, Hackers were able to access and expose the personal information of about 15 million people.

 “Our credit status impacts nearly every aspect of our lives – from purchasing a home or a car to finding a job,” said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. “The same Americans who had to immediately protect themselves from fraudsters or identify thieves will have to be vigilant for the rest of their lives. We encourage every eligible person to apply for the relief they are entitled to as part of our settlement.”

About $300 million of the settlement amount will go to making payments to Americans affected by the breach. Equifax will pay another $275 million in fines to close the investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and to end legal action by states who filed lawsuits against the company.

The hackers, who have not yet been identified, penetrated Equifax’s data files and were able to steal social security numbers, credit card numbers, addresses and other personal data. The breach affected all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. 

To compensate victims, Equifax has set up a website (EquifaxBreachSettlement.com) where you can first check to see if you were affected by the breach. Then, you can apply for a check payment of “up to” $125, or you can choose free credit monitoring with all three major credit bureaus for up to four years, a value of a little over $950. When that period is over, you can choose to opt in for free credit monitoring by Equifax for another six years. 

Because “millions of people” affected have filed claims for the $125 payment option since the settlement announcement, the FTC, which is responsible for consumer protection across the country, says applying for a cash payment is not the best way to go. So, as an alternative, Equifax is primarily now offering free credit monitoring to its customers affected by the data breach. If you’re already signed up for a free credit monitoring service and intend to keep it for the next six months, then you can apply for the $125 payment.

“The pot of money that pays for that part of the settlement is $31 million,” the FTC said in a statement. “A large number of claims for cash instead of credit monitoring means only one thing: Each person who takes the money option will wind up only getting a small amount of money. Nowhere near the $125 they could have gotten if there hadn’t been such an enormous number of claims filed.”

For Equifax to have paid out the full $125 to each person affected, a number of no more than 248,000 people would have needed to apply. If all 147 million  people end up filing a claim, individual payouts would shrivel down to around .22 cents per person.

The cost for Equifax’s  credit monitoring service is $19.99 a month, according to the company’s website. If every victim of the breach signs up, it could cost Equifax up to $2 billion to cover the costs.

Victims of identity theft or other fraud resulting directly from the breach who have documentation to back up their claim, will receive compensation of $25 an hour (for up to 20 hours) of the time they took to resolve the problem. They will be eligible for up to another 10 hours of $25-an-hour payments for the time they took to research or purchase protection services, including freezing their credit, after the fraud happened. 

Those who incurred legal expenses or spent money on credit monitoring, notaries and other approved fines as a result of the hack, are eligible for up to $20,000 per person in reimbursements. They will also be required to show proof that their claims are valid. 

The deadline to file all claims is Jan. 22, 2020.

For people who have already requested a $125 payment and would now like to opt for free credit monitoring instead, look out for an email from Equifax. The company will allow you to change your choice. 

Some consumer advocates and legislators around the country say the settlement didn’t go far enough. 

“Equifax’s data breach put over 100 million Americans at risk by exposing their Social Security numbers and other personal information,” said Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), chair of the House Energy and Commerce committee, in a press release. “This settlement does not come close to making consumers whole and, once again, shows the limitations on the FTC’s ability to seek strong penalties and effective redress for consumers.”

News of data breaches of financial institutions and credit monitoring agencies is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. 

Paige Thompson, a Seattle-based hacker, was arrested by the FBI last Monday after she bragged on social media about hacking Capital One and leaking 100 million consumers’ data. 

Thompson, who previously worked for Amazon Web Services, bragged about her hacking exploits on Twitter under the username “Erratic.” 

Music Changing Lives Host 4th Annual Celebrity Basketball Game to Benefit Music, Art Programs for Youth

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— REDLANDS, CA – Music Changing Lives, (MCL) will host their 4th annual “Ball 4 A Cause,” a celebrity basketball game to support their music and arts program for local youth. The game will take place at the Redlands Community Center, located at 111 W. Lugonia Ave. Redlands, CA 92374 on Saturday, September 14, 2019 from 12pm-1pm.

This exciting event will include an incredible half-time show with live performances, special guests, studio tours, raffles and activities for the entire family. Red carpet festivities and media interviews take place from 12pm-1pm and guests are encouraged to arrive early.

CEO of Music Changing Lives, Josiah Bruny, explains that, “Access to music and art programs are so critical for youth, as we have seen first-hand the impact and changes made within our student’s lives time and time again.  This fundraiser helps us to continue to change lives through the arts and we hope to have the entire community show up and show out again this year.”  

Tickets for this event are only $10, and can be purchased at the door or online at  https://ball4acause2019.eventbrite.com.  Admission for children 12 years old and younger is free.  Tickets will sell out, so purchase yours soon! Celebrity artists and special guests, to be announced.

Proceeds from this event will directly benefit programs that keep music and art alive and accessible for the children in the community.

Sponsorship and vendor opportunities are available. For more information on sponsorship, media or general event information, please contact 951-992-0721 or email MusicChangingLives@gmail.com.


Music Changing Lives is an innovative after-school program whose mission is,to offer the highest quality music and art enrichment programs to underprivileged and at-risk youth, between the ages of 5-19 years old, helping them improve their chances of achieving a positive and successful future.”