By McKenzie Jackson, California Black Media

The harsh drought that has dried up the Golden State over the past three years has severly hit one California community particularly hard. Allensworth, the historic and only town founded, financed and governed by African Americans in Tulare County knows all too well the impacts of no rain,  coupled with the contamination of city’s ground water supply by arsenic, the shortage of the water crisis is a blunt one-two punch for the town of a little more than 60,000 people.

Residents of the rural, mostly migrant community began receiving drought relief food early last summer and in January the state began delivering 48 gallons of drought relief water to households each month.

Denise Kadara, one of Allensworth’s few black residents, said the situation is dire but it could be worse.

“I know you have heard of East Porterville where a lot of the wells have gone dry,” she said. “We aren’t experiencing that yet. Our water systems are so old that they break. We just had a break in our system about six weeks ago, but luckily we had bottle water. Otherwise, we would have been 12 hours without water.”

Kadara’s East Porterville reference compares her city to the other Tulare County town where more than 1,000 private wells residents depended on for their water supply have completely dried up.

In response to the state’s record-breaking drought – the worst in more than 60 years according to experts – Governor Jerry Brown issued the first-ever statewide restrictions on water use on April 1. What effect the water reduction mandate will have on African-American communities is still yet to be determined.

Kadara, a member of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board stresses that even without all the details of the Governor’s plan, communities need to be mindful of the ongoing dry spell, which has been sapping California’s water supply since 2012.

“If it is affecting us – any of the communities where African Americans live and are disadvantaged,” she said.

According to Brown, the goal of the restrictions is to reduce water use in the state by 25 percent or 1.5 million acre-feet. The restrictions call for school campuses, golf courses and cemeteries to make significant cuts in water use; prohibit new homes and developments from irrigating with potable water unless water-efficient drip irrigation systems are used; create a temporary, statewide consumer rebate program for residents who replace older appliances with water-saving and energy-efficient models; and ban watering of ornamental grass on public street medians.

In order to carry out the governor’s initiative, the California Water Resources Control Board has begun putting together a “Drought Emergency Water Conservation” plan that dictates communities’ water conservation targets based on an area’s track record of saving water and levels of usage.

A recent draft of the water board’s plan given to California Black Media by board spokesperson Andrew DiLuccia said water suppliers that recorded the lowest residential per-capita water use in July, August and September of last year will have to cut by only eight percent. Communities with the highest per-capita numbers during that period have to lower consumption by 36 percent.

According to the board’s 11-page, provisional chart titled “Urban Water Suppliers and Proposed Regulatory Framework Tiers to Achieve 25% Use Reduction”, some areas with a strong African-American presence in terms of population are in the low-end and middle tier of the water reduction plan. Compton in Southern California, for example, has to cut water usage by eight percent and nearbyInglewood by 12 percent.

San Diego, Vallejo and Long Beach have to slim their usage by 16 percent. The East Bay area, which includes Oakland and Richmond, has to trim its consumption down to 18 percent. The city of Los Angeles has to cut its water use by 20 percent and Sacramento’s goal is  set at 28 percent.

The proposal could change before the board formally adopts it early next month, insiders say,  but the tracking compliance will begin in July when the June numbers are reported. After that, it will perform monthly checks on the more than 400 urban water suppliers that have to comply with the order. A fact sheet from the State Water Resources Control Board said all water suppliers will need to do more to meet the 25 percent conservation standard.

“Conserving water more seriously now will forestall even more catastrophic impacts if it does not rain next year,” that document reads.

On April 23, a bill authored by Assembly member Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino), a member of the California Black Caucus, passed  by a vote of 78-0. In an effort to support Californians who choose to preserve water, Assembly Bill 1 protects property owners who do not water their lawns from being fined by municipalities.

Brown said since California is in a drought, it is irresponsible for cities to penalize residents for conserving water.

“If California is going to manage its water resources efficiently,” she said, “then we cannot fine individuals for doing their part.”

Aubrey Bettencourt, executive director of the California Water Alliance in Hanford, said the water reductions present an opportunity for California  to set the bar for the rest of the country on how to manage important natural resources.

“It’s a wake-up call to what water provides us,” she said. “Whether the governor can achieve his goal, I don’t know. But at the very least he has woken up the California public to the benefits of what water provides.”

Bettencourt said water talks need to center on how to bounce back from the drought and how to take steps to  make sure it never happens again. Not on the restrictions.

“How are we going to upgrade our infrastructure to meet 21st century demand and 21st century social priorities?” she said. “And how do we get our policies up to date so that is does two things. One is recovering our existing supply. Also, how are we going to update our policies to manage our water?”

As the details of the governor’s plan firm-up, its business as usual for companies in African-American populated areas although they  seem prepared to adapt to the realities of the water cuts.

Larry Tabeling, the owner of Live Art Plantscape, a commercial landscape contract company in the Los Angeles area said outside of reduced water mandates instructed by Brown there has been no finalization of how each city will reduce its water consumption to a certain percentage.

“We don’t even know what days we can water yet, if it is going to be restricted more from where we are at currently or what” he said. “So, a lot of stuff is still up in the air.”

McDonald’s 365Black Awards launched in 2003 as an extension of the company’s 365Black platform, which celebrates the pride, heritage and achievements of African-Americans year-round. Join them in celebrating today’s exceptional youth by nominating someone between the ages of 13 and 18 within your community to receive a $10,000 scholarship.

They’re looking to honor exceptional youth who make a difference within their community through their vision, compassion, relentless courage and daily diligence which have resulted in significant local, national or global impact. Two recipients, one male and one female, will be recognized during the star-studded event which will be held Friday, July 3 during the 21st annual ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans.

The purpose of the CCYA Scholarship is to assist the honoree to obtain a higher education or vocational skill at the school of his or her choice. If the recipient does not attend college or has sufficient alternate funding to attend college, then the $10,000 must be transferred to the honoree at the legal age of majority without the condition of a college attendance. However, at the honorees discretion, the scholarship can be applied against graduate or trade school tuition, fees and direct education expenses. All applicable taxes will be responsibility of the honoree.

All students nominated for this Program must meet the minimum criteria set by McDonald’s to qualify for the scholarship. The Scholarship will be applied to pay tuition and fees at any college or vocational school that the honoree is enrolled based on enrollment criteria recommended by Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Funds will be held until the recipient provides official proof of enrollment and then paid directly to the college, post-secondary school or any trade, vocational, technical school of choice for tuition and fees on behalf of the student.

Download the nomination form at www.365Black.com, starting April 21, 2015. Submit nomination materials to 365BlackYouthAwards@365Black.com until May 31, 11:59 p.m. CST.

Nominee must be able to travel on Wednesday, July 1st and must attend the 365Black Awards, Friday, July 3.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Sometimes, God seems inattentive, like He can’t hear us, like He’s not listening, like He doesn’t care. Sometimes, God seems uncooperative. Sometimes, it seems He is actually fighting against us and making it impossible for us to do what we think He is calling us to do. Sometimes, we feel helpless in grief, struggles and failures. Sometimes, we feel that God has abandoned us. So what do we do in times like these? What do we do in our lonely moments? Should we give up on God and go our own way? Should we let our emotions take over? Should we plunge into despair? Well, in Scripture, God gives us some directions for the waiting room. (1) Trust the one who is in charge! “Though the Lord slay me, still will I trust him. (2) Stay close… Don’t desert the waiting room. That is where you are most likely to hear from God. (3) Pray…  Get alone with God for a time of reflection, evaluation, correction, and dedication. (4) Be still… and wait!  (5) Anticipate God’s response, Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

I tell you everybody goes through something and at times feel like God has abandoned them. John’s Gospel tells the story of Jesus and three of his friends: Lazarus, his sisters Mary and Martha. There came a time when this family had a need. Lazarus was sick. He was so sick, in fact, that his sisters sent messengers to Jesus and asked him to come right away to help Lazarus. Lazarus was dying. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, He stayed, where he was, to begin with, for two days {John 11:5-6}. What a curious statement – Jesus loved them, so He decided NOT to go help them right away. When Jesus finally did arrive, both Martha and Mary confronted him. “Lord, if only You had been here! You could have saved our brother!” What they were saying was, “Jesus, why did you delay? Why didn’t you come on time? Why are you late? Why didn’t you come when you could have done something to save our family? “If only you had been here!”

Sometimes I struggle to remember that it’s good to wait for the Lord. It isn’t easy. It goes against the grain of our quick-fix society. From our perspective, we have everything figured out and we want God to move within our timeframe. But can I tell you that God rarely does things according to our timeframe; matter of fact, in Isaiah 55:8, God lets us know that “His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways.” So with that in mind, let us be persuaded that God is in control of the timing and intensity of our trials. Let us realize that He has a specific purpose for each trial in life. Let us understand that each trial is designed to meet a specific need that God sees in our lives. Let us accept that our waiting period is going to result in our own good if we respond in faith. Let us discover how each trial can strengthen our faith by proving that we can depend on the Lord for all of our needs. We must be convinced that God will walk us through every step of our trial. We must have faith that by His grace and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, we will not only survive, but we will also conquer in our trials.

Trust that God has a reason for your waiting, and submits yourself to whatever He desires to teach you.”  For in the waiting room, God gave Job a new perspective, one he would never have had if he had abandoned the waiting room. The waiting room drove Job to the very feet of God where he discovered a new nearness, a new intimacy, a new dimension of his relationship with God he would have never known otherwise.  So if you find yourself in God’s waiting room… Trust Him, Stay Close, Pray, Be Still, and get ready for some wonderful discoveries. Start declaring: what a God! For right around the corner is another day. A day when you’ll be surprised! A day when you’ll be awe-struck… A day when you’ll realize – when you’ll know, that you know, that you know that God’s waiting room is a means of experiencing His peace, His prosperity, and His power. Keep hoping, trusting, believing in God and wait for that appointed time in faith patiently. There‘s a hidden benefit in waiting. The soul is revived and the Spirit is renewed. (Is. 40:31) “I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the lookout tower. I will watch to see what He will say to me and what I should reply about my complaint. The Lord answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it testifies bout the end and will not lie. Though it delays, wait for it, since it will certainly come and not be late.” {Habakkuk 2:1-3}

May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him are the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen!

Some Bible Verses about God’s Timing: Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 27:14; Ecclesiastes 3:1; Galatians 6:9; Psalm 37:3-4; Lamentations 3:25-26; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Genesis 18:14; Psalm 46:10; Micah 7:7; Acts 1:7; Isaiah 64:4; Isaiah 55:8-9; John 14:18; Psalm 121:7-8; Phil 4:19…

Ashly Broussard

By Ashly Broussard

God is raising up prophets to boldly declare “enough is enough.” (Ezekiel 34:1-10 ). I urgently warn those that use the pulpit to display their position of power instead of declaring the Word of God to “ REPENT”. The Bible warns the leaders that take this role that our punishment will be far more severe (James 3:1). Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. Are the leaders in your church operating in The Way of Love? Well lets take the  “ Love examine” to examine ourselves, starting with: 1 Corinthians 13:4, “Love is PATIENT.”

In 2 Peter 3:9, the Bible tells us about God not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. His patience isn’t the same patience I see exercised within the body of Christ. Its more a slap on the back. I heard one pastor bragging about how his congregation is consistently changing. Not because it was evolving, but because the sheep were leaving. What happened to us going after that sheep as Jesus told us through the parable in Luke 15:1-7? Souls are out there perishing because we don’t want to take the time to tarry anymore. But who cares, as long as its not us that’s lost right? I agree with this statement I heard one preacher say: Pastors are sending more people to hell than all the drug pushers, crips and bloods. Secondly love is KIND. How kind is it of God not to have forfeited His covenant with our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is so easy for a brother/sister to renege on a promise within the body of Christ, and act nonchalant like the past is the past. STOP making promises to the congregation when your not even for certain of that being God‘s providence. That’s what’s so awesome about Our God, He’s not a man that He should lie.  (Psalm 33:9  For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded and it stood firm.)

Thirdly, It does NOT ENVY. This is something I can write about all day long, but I have to be careful that I don’t fall into a trap. Elders in the church, when you see younger men/women come into the knowledge of God, and their hit by the fire of The Holy Ghost, why hate on them? Did you forget what brought you into the church? If God has taken someone from the back of the pasture, to place them in front in such a short amount of time, this is something to rejoice in, not to be intimidated by. He said In the last days His Spirit would be poured out on all flesh. Stop telling the young people that they don’t have the Holy Spirit because they don’t fluently speak in tongues. They may not be able to sing like and Angel, but they might be able to discern the spirit of a  false prophet. And besides that I’ve sat around elders who “professionally” spoke in tongues in church, but outside the building had potty mouths. Fourth, it does NOT BOAST. It seems seeking Gods hand is better than His face. If you don’t have a jet, a mansion, $2 million in the bank, or your not on a TV reality show, then you don’t have the Holy Spirit. One leader on a church committee board that I’ve attended ,was so spiritually proud that when I corrected her in love with a scripture, she began insulting me about my age. But one thing I’ve learned early on in trusting God is that, if I walk in humility, I will not be humiliated.

So if you are offended by this article please do not respond with hate letters because I will not read them. This also can cover the Fifth in showing Gods Love, it is NOT PROUD. Sixth is NOT RUDE. To use something someone sat down and told you in secret about something they may have been wrestling with, in your Sundays sermon, shows a lack of respect for that person trusting you, and it shows the lack of respect you have for The Father in His House. Honestly, we don’t have to wait for Sister So-In-So or ( the church gossipers ) to sit beside us and slander a brother/sister in the church, the pastor will be doing it for them in their next sermon. Why? Because they are superior to those in the pews, and they can do whatever they want because of their positions. But The Bible says in Psalm 105:15 and 1 Chronicles 16:22 touch not my anointed ones. Those that preach from pulpits, aren’t Gods only anointed ones. There are those that are seated in the pews ( in training ) suppose to be getting fed, but were being starved, polluted and infected. Why? Because of custom. Something that has been practiced for thousand of years by formalist or hypocrites. Jesus said in John 21:15-17 FEED MY SHEEP. If we claim to be that house built on a rock, then we shouldn’t be wavering around what the word says, but doing exactly what is in it. Next, it is NOT SELF–SEEKING.

I recall sitting down with a pastor to tell Him where I felt the Lord was calling me for my ministry, and I felt as if I had been auditioning him on a talk show. What started off as a mutual conversation easily shifted to me, me, me, and my, my, my. I remember leaving their feeling what a waste of time. Following that, it is NOT EASILY ANGERED. Everywhere I look I see shepherds killing His sheep.  I cannot be the only one who has seen or heard about leaders getting ready to fist fight in the parking lot at the church. Then we try and justify our actions by saying that we are not to the point of turning the other cheek. ( Luke 6:29 ) Come on Saints of God! Jesus didn’t swing back or insult anyone when He was getting beat for us.( Isaiah 53:7 ) Instead He said “ Father forgive them, because they don’t know what they’re doing. ( Luke 23:34 ) We wrestle not against flesh and blood , but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of this dark world. STOP KILLING HIS SHEEP. How can we claim to love God but hate each other? God is LOVE! Love does NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL. We don’t have to repay evil with evil just because we may feel hurt by the way someone may have responded to us or even may have looked at us. So what if they didn’t acknowledge you in front of the congregation. Since when did we become man pleasers? Forgive them brothers and sisters, and “ REPENT”. Do we really want to have to stand before God and explain to Him why unforgiveness shouldn’t be a reason for us to get cast into Hell? Lets stay away from the things God clearly hates and turn our minds to what pertains to Him and His Kingdom. In Addition to all of thee above, Love rejoices with the truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The Truth is The Living Word of God. Everything we need to know about God’s love is in His Word. A reason to fear God is for the things we understand about the Bible. Not what we don’t understand. Everyone’s role is important. From the greeters, ushers, tithers, and worshipers. Lets stop despising one another and enter His courts with praise, and His gates with Thanksgiving!  God cannot be mocked. Lets stop being the New Age Pharisees and live as Christians! REAL CHRISTIANS! Stop putting The Sovereign God in a Sunday and Wednesday box and live each day as if He were returning.” REPENT” for The Kingdom of Heaven is near.  May God bless the readers.

Ashly Broussard 24, has been writing since 2007. Only possessing a High School diploma, she depended on her gift as a writer to pursue a rap career in the music industry. After the lose of one of her sisters she gave up the lifestyle of prostituting, exotic dancing, drugs, and alcohol to find the Lord. Now she uses the gift of writing to inspire children and adults alike to honor God and to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.

Dr. Joy DeGruy
Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome The Continuation

Workshop Be the Healing

Saturday April 25, From 11am through 1pm
Regency West
339 West 43 Street, Los Angeles, CA 90008

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Man, I love that song… The songwriter said, “I’m gonna make a change for once in my life, it’s gonna feel real good, gonna make a difference, gonna make it right…..I see the kids in the street with not enough to eat, who am I to be blind? Pretending not to see their needs… they got nowhere to go, that’s why I want you to know I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways, and no message could have been any clearer, if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and then make a change. I’ve been a victim of a selfish kind of love…. I’m asking him to change his ways … you gotta get it right; while you got the time, you can’t close your mind… you’ve got to stop it, yourself! Yeah! The man in the mirror I’m asking him to make that change…!”

I think it would be safe to say that the reason Michael Jackson decided to sing this song was because he “Understood it!” He understood the purpose of life. The exact purpose that you and I were created for…to be our Brother’s Keeper! Jesus says, by our love for our brothers and sisters – a love that forgets self to think of others – All will know that we are His disciples. Support Brother Keeper Mission Project. The testimony of Scripture affirms that helping hurting people is the right thing to do. In Deuteronomy 15:11; 6 we are COMMANDED by God to be openhanded toward our fellow man that is poor and needy. David declares, “Blessed are those who have regard for the weak.” {Psalm 41:1}. Proverbs teachers, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord.” {Proverbs 19:17}. Jesus fed the hungry. He ministered to the sick. He comforted the bereaved. He welcomed the marginalized. We are to do the same. It is what we were created for. It is our intended purpose. And the good thing is there is no shortage of opportunities for us to help the hurting because there are so many of them. It is imperative that we understand the seriousness of what God has COMMANDED us to do… “To love our neighbor as He has loved us.”

Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all your getting get understanding. James 1:5 says “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him….I tell you the most important thing for us as Christians is to have Spiritual Understanding. When we want to evaluate something, we should ask the Lord to help us understand whatever it is that we are evaluating. Unless we can fully understand it, we might disregard it when we should take its message to heart, or we might take something to heart that we should disregard. Ephesians 5:17 tell us, Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Do yourself a favor: Get Understanding! And when you understand, understand that in the beginning when God made the world there were no needy people. Everyone had sufficiency. But then sin entered the world and it brought ignorance, injustice and inequity. Ever since then there have been people who don’t have enough to eat, who don’t have a place to live, and who don’t have clean water. I cannot emphasize enough that God’s people are called to change that lack by addressing their spiritual, emotional and physical needs. Yes, one day Jesus will return and all injustice and poverty and homelessness and illness will be removed. But until that time the church of Christ should be working tirelessly to help those who are in need. This is the outworking of the Cross.

The message is clear. Giving to the needy is right. It pleases God, it helps others, and it is an integral part of the Christian faith. God has charged us with taking care of them. If we don’t, then our discipleship is unbalanced. Support Brother’s Keeper Mission Project,” and remember, nothing matters except that which we do for the Lord. And God says, “The least we do for one of them, we do unto Him.” So in all your getting, get understanding, please! Because when we stand before the Lord to be judged we will be commended or chastised for a series of six (6) activities, those we did or did not perform. One, providing food for one who is hungry. Two, giving drink to a person who is thirsty. Three, providing shelter for another who is a stranger. Four, giving clothes to the person who is naked. Five, looking after the sick and Six, comforting those in prison {Matt: 25:31-46}.  You must know that the determining factor in determining our final destiny will be; was we are Brother’s Keeper.

My prayer and plea is for each of us to become the Good Samaritan who was willing to walk the walk and was not willing to just talk the talk. Support “Brother’s Keeper Mission Project” by visiting www.gofundme.com/99b30w and making a donation or send a check payable to: Brother’s Keeper Mission Project, 390 West 5^th Street, #408, San Bernardino, CA 92402.  The simplest of acts can have impacts far beyond our wildest dreams.

If you would like to join Ministry of Declaration/Truth; The Beautiful Gate Church/Ghana, Africa; Church of the Living God, Temple 208; 2 God Be All The Glory Community; Conduit of Grace Church; Ultimate Worship Church International, and Youth Hope, Inc., as we continue doing the work of Jesus and Greater works, please call (909) 649-8148 or send a message via email to colemanlou@hotmail.com.  We are a community sent on a mission together: to keep on doing the ministry of Jesus so that all people and all creation might experience the reconciliation of God. Brother’s Keeper Mission Project – Called and empowered t

What It Do Beautiful People! It’s no secret how much I love talent, especially unique talent. Last year I had a chance to see an amazing artist that they call, “NoFace The Shadowmen”. When I first met him I was like “Ooookkkaaaay!” I was a little unsure and didn’t know what to expect until he began to play. This man is a genius when it comes to rocking on the keys. His music puts you in the mind of Jimi Hendrix. His funky sound will take into a trance and get you dancing all night long. Growing up an orphan not knowing his parents, he was able to use that hurt and pain to make feel good music for all to enjoy and love.
Performing all over Southern California and beyond he has truly left his musical mark.

“Noface” is the shadow who came to life. His magic is music. Calling himself a “Citizen of the world”, he possesses a style and vibe from both past and future. We don’t know where he came from, but we do know where he is going, everywhere! His bold, unique sound turns air molecules into keys. These keys unlock the hearts, minds and souls of the beautiful listener, allowing them to meet him in a sound. “Born of the dark, I create in the dark. I listen in the dark. There, sounds glow like birds on fire in stormy skies. Orphaned. Without a mask, I am beautiful!” states Noface Shadowmen.

Never judge a book by its cover. Make sure to check him out. Until next week, L’s!
For all Booking and Interviews contact Amy Simpson  at bookingnoface@gmail.com, or call her at (951) 722-2677. You may also contact Bigg A – DPG Budeboy Ent RMM LLC at (714) 273-0341.

NOFACE SHADOWMEN VIDEOS:

LIVE PERFORMANCES:
NofacE @ BXB San Diego

NofacE @ CR15 San Diego

NofacE @ Happier Together Perview

BOTTOMLINE… Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors ordered the Sheriff’s Department to create a pilot program to determine the effectiveness of using Body Cameras. The recent NBC video of County Sheriff’s Deputies’ violent capture of a “since-released-with-no-charges-filed-against-him” suspect prompts the BOS concern.

Deputies, and all police should wear body cameras. The concern regarding the effect of police wearing body cameras is a mystery to me. Police serving the city of Rialto have been celebrated across America for their effective crime and violence reducing Body Camera Policy.

The Guardian Newspaper published a statement back in November 2013 regarding the Rialto Body Camera Policy entitled, “The College of Policing”, which recently announced plans for large-scale trials of body-worn video in England and Wales, saying Rialto’s experiment showed big drops in the use of force and in public complaints against officers.”

The New York Daily News published a story in August of 2013, written by Nancy Dillion that quoted the Rialto Police Chief regarding the effectiveness of using Body Cameras.

Rialto Police Chief Tony Farrar said he had worried the cameras would have a chilling effect, but found that wasn’t the case:

“The thinking was that some officers wearing cameras might try to hide and not really do their job. We found the opposite,” Farrar said. “We actually had 3,000 more officer-citizen contacts during the year (of the experiment).”

At the same time, formal complaints against his officers plunged 88 percent during the year, he said. And officer “use of force” incidents dropped by 59 percent.

“When you put a camera on a police officer or anyone, the natural human reaction is that you behave a little more professional. You follow the rules a little more,” he said. “On the other side, if a citizen knows the officer has a camera, that person acts and behaves a little bit more professional, too.”

He said the program cost about $150,000 for the initial 54 cameras, the batteries and the software — all supplied by Taser and Evidence.com.

The local proof of positive results coming from the police use of Body Cameras is in! There is little need for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department to continue dragging feet regarding Body Cameras. They need to simply call Rialto for advice and consultation!

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Every now and then God challenges individuals, institutions, churches, communities and nations to take a Big Step. The baby step will not do the job; only the Big Step will appropriately address the issue. For Martin Luther King Jr., other leaders, Black Churches and many Jewish Synagogues it was a Big Step to take on the movement of Civil Rights in America. The movement itself challenged and changed the world. I submit that even today God is challenging somebody – a whole lot of somebodies to take a Big Step. He is calling us to, “Prove Him” … if He doesn’t open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings we can’t contain”… Uh, uh, I just lost somebody right there, I just know it!

But the “Brother’s Keeper Mission Project,” which God has entrusted to me and the Beautiful Gate Church in Ghana Africa, under the leadership of Pastor Richard Yeboah, believe as Scriptures says, “That we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world” {Matt: 5-13}. We believe that God does not extend his generosity to us, you and me, with the intent that we would hoard blessings for our sole benefit; as we are conduits and not repositories of His blessings. What does it matter if you get involved or not? It matters greatly – it matters to your character as a “Christian.” Yes, it’s true that God has other ways to accomplish His objectives. He has other people He can use. He isn’t frustrated or restrained because you and I may be indifferent. But when we have been called “for such a time as this,” how tragic if we are not there to stand in that hour.  Numerous needs and issues surround us. They summon us to stand up and be counted. Numerous jobs around us need to be done. Numerous ministries need to be started. While we will not be able to respond to all of them, the solution is certainly not to respond to any of them! What seems crazy to most of us I know is to give anything when we are so deeply in debt! We can’t pay our own bills. We owe everybody and their brother and everybody and their brother is calling us.  So why would God require this at this time? Because this is the Challenge of Faith!

Can I tell you a story? Paul was traveling around and was raising a collection for the church in Jerusalem who was experiencing extreme suffering and persecution. The churches in Macedonia were also going through extreme poverty, but Paul was amazed with what they did when they heard of the needs in Jerusalem. “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” {2 Corin. 8:1-5). When these saints heard of the need of their brothers, two things happened in their hearts. First, they felt a severe test of affliction, because they had such difficulty imagining giving when they themselves were in so much need. But secondly, they felt an abundance of joy, because here was an opportunity for them to give and reflect on the generosity of God. I tell you when God calls us to give it will be both the hardest thing in the world and the easiest thing to do. It will always be hard because it means we will have to sacrifice and do without something. However, it will also be easy because ultimately we are giving to the One who has given us everything. In verse 3, we see they gave according to their means, but also went beyond their means. They didn’t just give what they could afford; they gave to the point where it truly cost them something. Verse 4 says they were begging earnestly for the favor in taking part in the relief of the saints. This wasn’t what Paul expected. They knew they were poor, but they were begging to give generously. They wanted to show how much they loved them and how much Jesus had given to them. Why did they act this way, so utterly desperate to give?  Because giving to the point where we actually do without, where it hurts, that’s the Cross. Giving to the point where we’re actually sacrificing something, that’s the Cross. The righteous; the folks who are doing the will of God are those who take care of the poor, the widow, the child, and the afflicted. We are to care for the least of these simply out of obedience to God’s Word and the Spirit living inside of us. Once a true need arises, it is a part of every believer’s responsibility to help. And I want you to know, Poverty does not exempt a believer from giving. As revealed by the poor widow who gave her two “insignificant” coins.

Listen; when we give, we honor God, we advance His Kingdom, we demonstrate faith in His promises, we expose ourselves to His blessings, and the Lord is given the wonderful opportunity of proving His power to provide for His people. But when God is denied this opportunity, then the child of God has forfeited a great blessing and has entered into a state of unrepentant sin before the Lord. Don’t underestimate the importance of Jesus “love-your-neighbor” addition from Jesus. Support “Brother’s Keeper Mission Project… It matters!  We are blessed to be a blessing to others; we are privileged to serve others. Jesus said, that’s were true wisdom lies – in helping those in need.  So let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” In (Mark 8:2) Jesus said, “I have compassion on these people, they—have nothing to eat.” The persistent challenge poverty presents to Christ’s followers is to move beyond speaking the truth about love, compassion, and concern, to living the truth in deeds of compassion and acts of kindness. We must find concrete ways to relieve the burdens of the poor and needy. We must see them as people with whom we are all one in God. For we cannot truly “praise God from whom all blessings flow” and ignore the reality of a world of human suffering and misery. God’s blessings must flow through us in ways that will make a difference in the life of those in need. As a covenant people, we not only share the gospel but our lives as well. For the Gospel, is the power of Christ that empowers us to live not for ourselves, but to live first for Christ and then for others. We do this by employing our gifts and resources for the need of others. Support “Brother’s Keeper Mission Project” by going to http://www.gofundme.com/99630w and making a donation or send a check payable to: Brother’s Keeper Mission Project, 390 West 5^th Street, #408, San Bernardino, CA 92402. If you would like to be a part of “Brother’s Keeper Mission Project, please call (909) 649-8148 or you may send a message via email to colemanlou@hotmail.com.  Our mission is to glorify God by serving others! This is our highest motivator and all-encompassing purpose. Planting, strengthening and partnering with churches around the world as we minister to human need.

Attention! Attention! Attention! This week the Album Release Party of LUE Productions artist Mack Pepperboy and recording artist Jet Tanner is WHAT IT DO! Two talented forces have united together to bring forth a powerful project!

This Sunday, April 12, is the album release party for their project titled, A.B.S., which stands for “ALL BOUT SALES”. The project features songs such as, “All I know”, “Backpack and Shades”, and “Birthday”. I think the name of the project is perfect for these two artists due to their nonstop hustle. When I say hustle, I’m referring to their push of their album sales. It is no secret how often they go back and forth out of state promoting and networking. They understand the importance of being relevant and staying before the people.

Mack Pepperboy is an artist with that Cali sound and New Orleans flavor. His bars and performance will leave you wanting more while Jet Tanner is an artist that brings that swag through his lyrics and his beats. Are they the modern day Batman and Robin but musically?  Well, I say yes! The chemistry just works. So, with that being said please come out this Sunday and support these two talented artists. Make sure to check out their music links on all media sites under Mack Pepperboy and Jet Tanner. Until next week L’s!

Come Support Please! LUE Productions Presents (The Album Release Party of Mack Pepperboy & Jet Tanner), Sunday, April 12 at the Office Saloon in San Bernardino at 123 N. “E” Street. The night will also include other Performances, live music from DJ Money on the 1z and 2z. There is a $5 cover charge, and a $3 cover for affiliates only. For more information please call (909) 567-1000.