Local

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order that temporarily suspended some of the requirements of the California’s public meeting law, the Bagley Keene Act.

Newsom’s executive order allowed elected boards, commissions and other state “bodies” to hold remote meetings via teleconference without posting each official’s teleconference location (which in some cases were private homes); posting agendas at each location; or making those locations accessible to the public, as required by law.

A bill is currently being considered by the California legislature that would extend some of the changes to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act until Jan. 1, 2026.

Senate Bill (SB) 544, which was amended Aug. 14 and is currently being reviewed by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, was introduced by Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) in February.

Supporters of the legislation argue that the bill saves taxpayer money by driving down the costs associated with in-person meetings by up to 90%, and that virtual meetings give access to vulnerable populations who may not be able to attend meetings in person.

One of those vulnerable populations is aging Californians.

“For many citizens, this was a way to stay active in the community,” says former Assemblymember Cheryl Brown, who is now the chair of the California Commission on Aging.

“Once we got them trained, they fall in love with it. They become engaged with their government,” said Brown.

“They want more communication, and they don’t want to be isolated,” Brown says referring to the changes SB 544 is proposing. She wants people to have permanent access to public meetings. During the pandemic, there was record participation in meetings because they were broadcast online, and people could access them by teleconference.

However, SB 544 has its share of opponents. Groups such as the First Amendment Coalition (FAC), the California Newspaper Publishers Association, California Common Cause, The Society of Professional Journalists, and other groups committed to holding government accountable have spoken out against the bill. They believe that if SB 544 passed, it would lead to more government secrecy and turn state government boards and commissions into “faceless bureaucracies.”

The FAC was one of several civic groups that co-signed a letter critical of SB 544.

“This rewriting would ensure that a state body would never again have to meet in person. This would fundamentally undermine one of the law’s key protections for public access and participation — the guarantee that the press and public can be physically present in the same room as those sitting on the dais and making decisions. Such physical presence has been a constant hallmark of democratic institutions,” according to the letter.

David Loy, legal director at the FAC, told California Black Media (CBM) he is concerned SB 544 would allow more online meetings and it would diminish elected officials’ face-to-face contact with their constituents.

He added that the governor’s executive orders about online meetings were established during the COVID pandemic – and that the health crisis is over.

According to Loy, elected officials decide public policy in these meetings. And he feels that needs to be done in-person.

“Public officials should be meeting face-to-face with the people they serve,” he said.

Sedalia Sanders, former mayor of El Centro who is currently active with her city’s local agency on aging and is active with the California Commission on Aging, disagrees with Loy.

Sanders told CBM since many of the Commission’s meetings are held in Sacramento, she participates through video conferencing.

“I don’t think anything is lost,” she said.

Sanders says participants can still see and interact with their representatives through video cameras.

“For an elected official to participate in a meeting online, the majority of the board members still have to meet in person to form a quorum,” she added.

Although born during World War II, Sanders has embraced modern technology. She has a cell phone and navigates the Internet. However, she said that not all senior citizens are as tech savvy as she is.

Many of them don’t know you have to pay for the Internet. And this can be a problem, especially if you’re on a fixed income.

Brown says that the bill’s opponents are conflating the issues, boards, and commissions are different than elected leaders voting on public policy matters, and seniors and disabled communities support this bill because it’s about inclusion, not exclusion.

“Seniors don’t want to sit back and just play pickleball,” she said. “They want to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives and remote access allows them to do that.”

Lights, wires, action! Young adults in California Conservation Corps (CCC) Energy Corps are training for careers in the clean energy sector through a year of hands on, paid service to California.

“I came into the CCC not knowing anything besides flipping on a light switch,” said CCC Norwalk Corpsmember Ole Jimenez. “Now, I know how to put things together to make electricity run.”

Corpsmembers receive industry level training during their year of paid training, including in energy surveys, lighting retrofits, and installing solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.

CCC collaborates with California’s community colleges on the training that covers a range of topics, such as: OSHA-10, scissor/aerial lift operations, energy efficiency basics, data collection, wiring, and more.

“I wanted to do work where I can give back to the community, and that is rewarding,” said Corpsmember Janiyah Graham-Howze. “My favorite class in the CCC is on retrofit surveying. I’ve been getting more experience in it. I am getting hand-on training, so I can further my career in energy.”

Opportunities are available in the greater Los Angeles, Fresno, and Sacramento areas. The crews are currently completing energy surveys and retrofits at schools and government buildings. In the coming months, Corpsmembers will complete solar and EV installation training, as the CCC looks to meet the growing demand for these clean energy solutions and ready-to-work employees.

If you are looking to energize your career or know a young adult who could benefit from the CCC’s paid training opportunities, encourage them to apply at ccc.ca.gov today.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

What teachers think and experience in the public education system is explored in a new report by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS).

The report, named “Listen to Your Teacher: An Analysis of Teacher Sentiment on the State of Public Education,” was authored by NAPCS’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing, Debbie Veney.

The Harris Poll, a market research and consulting firm, carried out the survey of over 1,200 public schoolteachers from both charter and district schools for the report.

“I think the results of The Harris Poll raises the important point that teacher voice is critical in determining the challenges we face in education, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic,” said Leona Matthews, Senior Director of Literacy Programs for Green Dot Public Schools California.

Green Dot Public Schools is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help transform public education so all students graduate prepared for college, leadership and life. The U.S. Department of Education has featured Green Dot as a national leader in school turnarounds.

“It makes it clear that charter schools provide the kind of small school, values driven environment that empowers teachers to meet the diverse needs of the students we serve.”

The NAPCS commissioned the survey to gain more insight into the teachers’ experiences, opinions and motivations for entering, staying in, or leaving the profession.

The research was conducted online from May 10 to May 30, 2023.

“Next to parents, teachers are the backbone of education. It is valuable to have insight into how they feel in today’s climate and find out how we can better support their heroic work in and outside the classroom. Although we certainly have a special interest in charter schoolteachers, we care deeply about the experience of all public schoolteachers,” stated Nina Rees, President and CEO of the NAPCS.

Based on the study, 10 Los Angeles-based Green Dot Public Schools helped students increase proficiency rates in both math and English during the 2022-2023 year. Four schools exceeded their pre-pandemic proficiency rates.

Charter schools are publicly funded independent schools established by teachers, parents, or community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority.

They are governed under a legislative contract – a charter – with the state, school district, or another entity, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).

In April 2020, the NCES and Institute of Education Sciences released a 71-page report that Black educators were 11% of the teachers in the country’s charter schools during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Overall, Black educators make up 11% percent of the teachers in city schools but only 5.5% of the teachers in suburban schools and 3.6 percent in rural schools. The nation’s average of Black educators in the classroom is 6.3%, according to the report.

Veney, participated in a podcast focused on the study. She said that the importance of the survey was to get the 1,211 teachers to provide their perspectives (811 school district teachers and 400 charter school educators).

“This is the most important topic right now facing public education. We’re hearing all the headlines about teacher shortages, teacher resignations, and teacher dissatisfaction,” Veney said. “It really felt like we were not listening enough to what teachers were actually saying about this (or) if there was a lot of talk about teachers but not enough talk to teachers.”

The key data from the survey indicate the following trends:

Teachers Agree Families and Students Should Have Education Choice – About 4 out of 5 teachers agree that regardless of its politicized nature, public school choice is important for both families and teachers (79% of all public schoolteachers; 87% of charter schoolteachers and 78% of district schoolteachers).

Something Has to Change – Public school teachers cite student behavior and discipline issues (74%) as the top challenge they believe teachers currently face, followed by pay (65%.).

There’s Something Special About the Experience of Charter Schoolteachers – Eighty percent of charter schoolteachers say they are as or more motivated than when they initially entered the profession (vs. 34% among district teachers).

Aligning with Culture — Ninety-six percent of charter schoolteachers report feeling aligned with their current school’s culture in terms of values and beliefs about education. Only 75% of district schoolteachers feel this way.

Keep Politics Out of the Classroom – Teachers say they just want to teach (94%) and report feeling like they are caught in the crossfire of a culture war (91%).

“It amplifies a needed conversation about our educational system, how we can best support teachers, and ultimately our students.” Matthews said of the report.

Charter schools historically serve proportionately more students of color and more students from low-income communities than district schools. For a stretch of 16 years (2005-06 to 2020-21 school years), charter schools have consistently had a higher portion of students of color compared to district schools, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS).

During the 2005-2006 school year, a total of 196,851 students were enrolled in California charter schools, according to data provided by NAPCS. The movement continued each year as enrollment reached 692,783 pupils by the end of the 2020-2021 calendar year.

As of the beginning of the 2022–23 school year, more than 1,300 charter schools and seven all-charter districts are operating in California, according to the California Department of Education (CDE).

San Bernardino County has 52 charter schools, 275 in Los Angeles County has 275, 124 in San Diego County, 56 in Sacramento County, 80 in Alameda County, and 16 public charter schools in San Francisco County, according to CDE.

“I am really delighted to say that a lot of what we found is consistent and similar across both types of school settings,” said Veney referring to the charter schools and district schools.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

As the rate of hate crimes continues to increase in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced additional funding, resources and guidance designed to protect impacted residents.

Allocations include $91.4 million to 173 local organizations across the state to support victims, provide resources, and facilitate anti-hate prevention measures. The first major statewide media campaign entitled “CA vs Hate” with print, radio, and digital ads will run in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, Tongan, Mixtec, and Hmong. The campaign will focus on traditionally hard-to-reach communities. And a letter to all public-school leaders in California highlighting the legal responsibilities to ensure ethnic studies curricula are appropriate and do not reflect or promote bias, bigotry or discrimination.

“An attack on any of our communities is an attack on everything we stand for as Californians,” said Newsom in a press release. “As hate-fueled rhetoric drives increasing acts of bigotry and violence, California is taking action to protect those who are targeted just for being who they are. We’re bolstering our support for victims and anti-hate programs and tackling ignorance and intolerance through education to prevent hate from taking hold in our communities.”

The announcements come on the heels of a Southern California shop owner being shot and killed because a rainbow pride flag hung outside her clothing store. In the first month since the Governor launched the “CA vs Hate” hotline, there have been 180 reports of hate acts across California.

By Gina Browne, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Educational Services and Support, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

SACRAMENTO, CA—This time of year when the fall semester is beginning, I often hear students and parents say, “It’s too late to enroll in college and get the money I need to pay for tuition, books, supplies, and living expenses.” But it’s not too late.

Students can still enroll now for the fall semester at one of the 116 California community colleges, and they still have time to apply for financial aid to help cover their costs for the 2023-24 academic year.

Due to the typical Cal Grant September 2 deadline falling on a Saturday during the Labor Day holiday weekend, the deadline to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) for students attending a California community college has been extended to Tuesday, September 5. This extension ensures that students have time to apply for the Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award, which offers funds that do not have to be paid back.

More students are getting the message and taking advantage of the financial aid available to them. As of August 27, 2023, the California Student Aid Commission has seen an increase of 4.6% in completions of the FAFSA compared to the same time last year. Still, too often students disqualify themselves from financial aid before they have a chance to benefit, leaving millions of dollars in financial aid unused every year. That’s why we must urge everyone considering attending a community college to submit their FAFSA and CADAA applications by September 5. Financial aid is for all students, especially students from historically underrepresented populations, who may not know these funds are available to help them to go to college and achieve their higher educational goals.

It’s important to note that by completing the FAFSA or CADAA by the deadline, students can qualify to receive the most financial aid possible. What’s more, students awarded a Cal Grant may transfer their remaining eligibility to a University of California (UC) or a California State University (CSU) upon transfer from a community college.

Having the money to pay for college is a major determining factor in whether individuals pursue higher education. Not only is there still time to apply for financial aid for this school year, but help is available. Students can get directly connected to their local financial aid office to get one-on-one assistance with completing their financial aid form. The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office encourages interested students to visit icangotocollege.com to enroll, find links to the financial aid forms, and use the college locator tool to get contact information for their local financial aid office.

For more information about financial aid including special scholarships and to enroll today visit icangotocollege.com.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

California lawmakers are scrambling to find ways to alleviate the housing crisis occurring in the state. Programs and subsidies are in constant development; however, under an obscure tax rule called possessory interest, individuals may be responsible for getting hit with an unexpected tax bill as a result.

In a move to aid the middle class, government agencies (known as joint power authorities) are buying luxury buildings and lowering rent for possible tenants. The discount is possible because these agencies do not need to pay property taxes. Instead of pocketing the extra cash, programs are being implemented to place middle income workers like police officers, teachers and construction workers in these buildings at a discounted rent price.

But, under the tax rule, tenants may need to pay some of the lost revenue in individual tax bills upwards of $1,000 a year. The rule states that if a government owned property leases to a private entity, then that entity can have a “possessory” interest that must be taxed.

Joint Power Authorities involved in these programs do not want to tax tenants. However, unless the Legislature gets involved, they are afraid they will have to abide by the rule. If taxes go unpaid, residents could face liens that would make it more difficult to quality for mortgages and other loans.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

The 20th Annual Gardena Jazz Festival, one of the largest events for the city, took place at Rowley Memorial Park in Gardena on Sunday, August 27.

Sen. Bradford (D-Gardena) founded the Gardena Jazz Festival in 2003 and serves as Chair of the Gardena Jazz Festival Committee, which is responsible for putting this event together.

According to Bradford, “This festival began as a free event at a time when the city was struggling financially. As the city faced difficult cuts, the Gardena Jazz Festival signaled new hope. The festival brought Gardena together to enjoy great music and celebrate community pride; all at no cost to the city. Over the years, more than 100,000 people have attended.”

This year, about 7,500 people enjoyed the performances of Boney James, Damien Escobar, Family Stone Band, Brandee Younger, Ragan Whiteside, and The Fernando Pullum Community Arts Band.

On site, there were vendors selling a range of items, including food, clothing, hats, jewelry, and skin care products.

Joining the jazz lovers and local community members at the popular festival were Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and U.S Congress women representing the Los Angeles area, Maxine Waters and Sydney Kamlager.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Last week, the California Department of Justice’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP) released their August data report of gun violence in the state. According to the report, California’s gun death rate is 43% below the national average. If the gun death rate in the nation matched California’s over the last ten years, nearly 140,000 gun deaths could have been avoided.

Attorney General Rob Bonta credits this lower percentage to California’s gun laws and prevention policies.

“The time for thoughts and prayers alone has come and gone. Enough became enough so long ago that it’s now merely a faint memory. The time for action is now,” said Bonta in a letter featured in the report. “The progress we’ve made is undeniable, but it’s hardly finished.”

In recent years, the nation has lost an average of 45,000 people to gun violence per year. Additionally, people in the United States have a 25 times higher chance of being killed by a gun than people living in other high-income countries.

In California, “from 2016-2021, there were 69,136 gunshot wound incidents in California that resulted in death or required urgent medical attention in the form of hospitalization or emergency department care,” according to the report.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

After making landfall in Mexico, and crossing the border into Southern California Sunday night, Hurricane Hillary was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.

The storm veered from its expected path in the Inland Empire with its “eye” hovering above Compton and Dodger stadium around 8 p.m. before making its way to Owen valley.

The storm brought record rainfall to the region, including downtown L.A. and the desserts in San Bernardino County, where there were reports of washed-out roads. At press time, all coastal storm warnings had been cancelled but storm watches remain in place for most of Southern California. California Department of Transportation crews are working overtime in areas with affected roads cleaning up the damage.

On Saturday before the storm landed, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for parts of Southern California ahead of Hurricane Hilary’s landfall Sunday.

“Now, therefore, I, Gavin Newsom, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, Government Code section 8625, hereby proclaim a State of Emergency to exist in Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tulare, and Ventura Counties,” read the governor’s proclamation.

At a news briefing held at the Governor’s Office for Emergency Services in Mather, near Sacramento, state and federal officials updated Californians on the state’s emergency preparedness plan.

On Sunday, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass signed a local emergency declaration in response to the coming storm and held a press briefing.

During the briefing in her prepared remarks Bass reiterated to those listening, “Stay safe, stay home, and stay informed.”

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Five percent of the 225,231 Californians who lost their Medi-Cal coverage in June were African American.

According to numbers from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), around 14,000 Black Californians lost health insurance with the state’s safety net health care exchange because they didn’t turn in the required renewal paperwork to continue their Medi-Cal enrollment or their coverage was switched to the state’s insurance provider, Covered California.

Mayra Alvarez, President of The Children’s Partnership, a Los Angeles-based organization that advocates for affordable health care service for families, said it is important for minorities to have health insurance.

“Especially, as we come out of this public health emergency that has disproportionately hit communities of color, we know health coverage is important to our families and livelihoods,” Alvarez said referencing the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Medi-Cal is California’s version of the Medicaid program, which offers free or low-cost health care access to low-income people across the nation.

Alvarez and other California officials and advocates were speaking during an online video news conference last week organized by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services.

The eligibility of 18 million Californians who are enrolled in Medi-Cal will be reviewed by the DHCS for the first time since 2020. As a result, between this summer and next spring, state officials estimate that 1.8 million to 2.8 million people could lose their Medi-Cal coverage.

To help Californians keep their insurance, DCHS has created a number of easy-to-navigate resources that state residents can access online. The state is also partnering with Community Based Organizations (CBOs) already connected to people in cities and town across California to help educate the public through a bilingual campaign informing people about how they can prevent losing their health care coverage.

The Medi-Cal eligibility redetermination process, which officials call the “great unwinding,” is part of a massive undertaking taking place in every state to find out who qualifies for Medicaid.

A single Californian making $20,121 or less annually is eligible for Medi-Cal. In the past, participants had to prove their eligibility each year, but in March 2020 Congress suspended the income-verification requirement for Medicaid to make sure people had health insurance during the pandemic. Those protections expired in March. The federal government has projected that 15 million Americans will lose their health insurance during the nationwide renewal process due to procedural reasons or excess income.

California’s DHCS began verifying the eligibility of Medi-Cal enrollees two months ago.

DHCS Assistant Deputy Director of Health Care Benefits and Eligibility Yingjia Huang said over one million Medi-Cal users had their eligibility reviewed in June. She expects that trend to continue monthly as batches of people come up for renewal until the end of the redetermination process in May 2024.

DHCS has an automatic renewal system for Medi-Cal users whose income the state can confirm on its own. The department is notifying people that they will receive a renewal packet in the mail via text, phone calls, and email.

Huang said individuals lost their Medi-Cal service either because they didn’t complete the renewal paperwork and return it to a county DHCS office by the June 30 deadline or they had an increase in income that allowed DHCS to move their coverage to an affordable health plan with Covered California.

Residents whose coverage was transitioned to Covered California are notified and able to review their new health plan, according to Covered California CEO Jessica Altman.

“California is well-positioned to help consumers through this process and help them keep coverage,” she noted.

Participants who were removed from Medi-Cal’s rolls but are still eligible for the service have until Sept. 30 to get their insurance reinstated. To do so, they must complete the renewal packet and return it to a DHCS office

DCHS is advising all Californians to take the following steps: update their contact information online; check for mail from their county health office; create or check their online accounts; and complete their renewal forms (if they receive one in the mail).

DHCS and its partners, Huang stated, are committed to helping people maintain health insurance.

“Please be sure you are looking out for the yellow envelope and renewal packet,” she said. “We really hope we continue to keep our members on coverage.”

Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County CEO and President Louise McCarthy said 64% of the 1.9 million Los Angeles County residents that visit CCALAC locations for health services are Medi-Cal enrollees. They can receive help completing the renewal forms at any of the 113 centers, McCarthy explained.

“A number of folks are letting that yellow packet slide,” she said. “If you haven’t seen the packet, reach out, and we will help you navigate the system.”

There were also 53,836 newly enrolled Medi-Cal participants in June, according to DHCS figures.

Alvarez, the president of The Children’s Partnership, said no one needs to lose their access to health care during the redetermination process.

“People are falling through the cracks,” she said. Keeping people enrolled, Alvarez added is “an all hands-on-deck effort.”

For more information on renewing your health insurance, visit DCHS online.

For individuals who receive Social Security Insurance benefits and don’t have online access, call, 1-800-772-1213 or contact your local Social Security office.