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HABD announces public safety measures at Marks Village

THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES — Michael Lundy, CEO of The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD), last week announced the closure of 12 of 19 entry points into Marks Village Public Housing Community to reduce ways for perpetrators to escape the site as well as help better monitor who is going in and out of the community.

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By Ameera Steward

Michael Lundy, CEO of The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD), last week announced the closure of 12 of 19 entry points into Marks Village Public Housing Community to reduce ways for perpetrators to escape the site as well as help better monitor who is going in and out of the community.

Lundy was joined at a public safety forum by Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway, Birmingham Chief of Police Patrick Smith, Presiding Judge of Birmingham Municipal Court Andra Sparks and other elected officials such as Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales.

Lundy spoke a week after Birmingham city councilors asked tough questions about what the housing authority was doing to protect residents at Marks Village in the Gate City Community after two people were hurt in a recent shooting. Councilor Steven Hoyt criticized the housing authority for not acting on the council’s request to close roads more than a year ago.

“Putting the barriers at these 12 streets will not eliminate all the crime, it’s a good first step,” said Lundy, who added that his team has been working with the Birmingham police department and Mayor Woodfin to develop safety measures at Marks Village.

HABD is prepared to close some of those entry points as soon as this month. The barricades will not be a continuous fence but still give residents the ability to walk freely back and forth from the site. The barriers will be approximately three feet tall and will have shrubbery that will make it more aesthetically pleasing.

HABD anticipates the installation will take approximately two weeks.

The Alabama Department of Transportation has provided HABD with 60 concrete barriers which will be placed in various locations around the housing community.

Lundy said the barriers aren’t meant to “fence in” residents and he’s heard support for the safety measures.

When housing officials asked how many supported the closing of the streets during a previous meeting, “every hand in the house went up,” he said, “the thing that touched me most, there was a kid who was about 8 or 9 years of age….and he didn’t only raise his left hand, he raised his right hand, he raised both of his hands.”

Cory Stallworth, Vice President of Real Estate Development & Capital Improvement at HABD, said (a) third-party security company provided advice on some roads that could be closed to make the site more [accessible] but also limit unwanted vehicles and activities.

“We developed this plan in consultation with the residents…and the surrounding stakeholders, and so we met with Birmingham Police Department to get advice on our road closures as well as Birmingham Fire & Rescue to make sure that the site is still accessible for emergency responders,” said Stallworth.

Most of the closed entryways will consist of alleyways that are owned by HABD and are typically not high traffic roads “and so they don’t need to be open to [the] larger community. They’re very narrow and you can’t get two cars down there at the same time in the opposite direction,” Stallworth said.

Additionally, the HABD met with the Birmingham City Schools to talk about the bus route throughout the site.

“We wanted to make sure they still had accessibility to get the buses in and out of the site. We met with the MAX transportation system, they actually relocated their bus routes from the interior of the site to the exterior of the site along Kimberly,” said Stallworth.

The next steps include putting out signs to let the larger community know that some streets will be closing.

“Once we place those barriers in place, we’ll have signs that will probably read ‘no outlet’ on each one of the road closures as well as the barriers will be highly reflective so that they can be seen at night,” Stallworth said.

Law Enforcement Support

Pettway said there will be no obstacles between the different agencies working to protect residents.

“If something happens, we will respond and we will take care of it on the spot,” he said. “I have a captain who is ready to take any call from anybody…in Marks Village. I have a sergeant who’s ready to make sure that you get top notch service right here.”

Smith said his department is working to stem violence and take guns off the streets but wants residents to help as well.  “And I need everyone to stand up. So, if you see something be sure to say something, let us know what’s happening because we can’t do it alone,” he said.

Sparks said he believes the municipal court can also find ways to help. “The remedy is not jail, the remedy is in supporting people when they make bad choices and helping them make better choices,” he said.

Christine Wynn, a resident of Marks Village for 10 years, said she was pleased to see the safety measures.

“I’m thinking we all [are going to] come together as a family,” she said. “We’re going to bridge that gap…and start working together like neighborhood watch.”

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times

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Community

Gov. Newsom Signs Election Security Bill; Asm. Bryan Praises Move

OAKLAND POST — “California will not allow our elections to be commandeered by political intimidation, abuse of power, or chaotic interference from extremists chasing conspiracy theories. This law protects voters, election workers, and the integrity of the democratic process from election-deniers who want to undermine democracy,” Newsom said.

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on May 29 aimed at strengthening protections for California elections, arguing that the measure is necessary to guard against voter intimidation, election interference and unauthorized access to voting systems.

The new law, Senate Bill (SB) 73, authored by state Sens. Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) and Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana), expands existing safeguards for election workers, ballots, voter rolls and election infrastructure. The legislation comes amid ongoing national debates over election administration and voting security.

“California will not allow our elections to be commandeered by political intimidation, abuse of power, or chaotic interference from extremists chasing conspiracy theories. This law protects voters, election workers, and the integrity of the democratic process from election-deniers who want to undermine democracy,” Newsom said.

Under SB 73, unauthorized access to voter rolls, voter lists and certified voting technology by law enforcement agencies — including federal authorities — is prohibited unless authorized by a court order or tied to a specific investigation under California election law. The measure also restricts peace officers from interfering with election administration, except during public safety emergencies, and requires the California Department of Justice to issue guidance to county election officials on responding to law enforcement requests regarding ballot-processing locations.

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), vice chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), praised Newsom for signing into law legislation that protects state elections, ballots, and election workers from political and federal interference.

“We have seen Republicans steal ballots and intimidate voters. Here in California, we believe in the power of the people, and voter suppression efforts will not work here. We will fight to protect Democracy at all costs,” Bryan told California Black Media (CBM).

The law further increases penalties for the unlawful removal or seizure of voted ballots. Individuals who knowingly take voted ballots from election officials can face fines, imprisonment, or both.

“Senate Bill 73 is a direct response to efforts by officials in the Trump Administration and local elected leaders to undermine our democracy piece by piece,” Cervantes said. “The enactment of SB 73 protects Californians’ sacred right to vote free from fear of intimidation or interference, and safeguards the essential integrity of elections in California.”

Supporters, including the League of Women Voters of California, praised the measure as a safeguard against federal interference in election administration. 

“This landmark law erects essential barriers against unauthorized federal access to voting systems, voter rolls, and polling places – protections that are more vital now than ever,” said Dora Rose, deputy director of the organization.

The legislation builds on a series of election-related measures California has enacted since 2019, including universal vote-by-mail, expanded protections against voter intimidation, and cybersecurity investments designed to protect election infrastructure.

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Commentary

Doctors Seeing More Cases of Preventable Childhood Illnesses

OAKLAND POST — Physicians have said vaccine skepticism has expanded beyond childhood immunizations. Doctors also reported growing resistance to other preventive treatments.

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By Stacy M. Brown

Doctors across the United States say they are treating children for illnesses that routine vaccinations once made increasingly uncommon, raising concerns that years of declining immunization rates are beginning to reverse decades of public health progress.

Pediatricians have described seeing more cases of whooping cough, rotavirus infections, bacterial pneumonia and other potentially life-threatening illnesses that vaccines have long helped suppress. Some physicians reported treating conditions they had rarely encountered during their careers, while others said that growing vaccine hesitancy is changing how emergency rooms and hospitals care for children.

The reports come as measles outbreaks continue to spread across multiple states and vaccination coverage remains below federal public health targets.

Johns Hopkins University’s International Vaccine Access Center reported 2,077 confirmed measles cases nationwide as of May 29. Researchers warned that outbreaks reported across the country have raised concerns about continued transmission, additional hospitalizations and deaths, and the possible loss of the nation’s measles elimination status.

Public health experts have long viewed measles as a warning sign because of its ability to spread rapidly through communities with lower vaccination coverage. The New York Times reported that physicians increasingly fear the resurgence of measles may be followed by the return of other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Doctors say that is already happening.

Dr. Meghan Hofto, a pediatric hospitalist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said she has already treated roughly as many children with rotavirus this year as she saw during the previous decade. Rotavirus once caused tens of thousands of hospitalizations annually before vaccines sharply reduced its spread. None of the children she treated this year had been vaccinated.

Hofto also described caring for infants with pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough.

“It’s hard to know when they’re safe to go home,” Hofto told The Times.

The rise in whooping cough cases has been particularly striking. More than 28,000 cases were reported nationwide last year, compared with approximately 7,000 in 2023, according to figures cited by The Times. Many of the affected infants were too young to receive vaccinations themselves and relied on broader community protection to reduce their exposure.

Other doctors described similarly troubling cases.

Dr. Jessica Kirk, a pediatric hospitalist in Alabama, recently treated an unvaccinated toddler hospitalized with pneumonia caused by simultaneous infections of Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Vaccines exist to protect against both illnesses. The child required oxygen and antibiotics to recover.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have been tracking vaccination trends nationwide and found continuing signs of vulnerability.

At the same time, vaccine policy has become increasingly contentious in state legislatures.

Johns Hopkins researchers reported that lawmakers across the country continue to introduce bills affecting childhood vaccination requirements, vaccine access and non-medical exemptions. Researchers also noted that state policies governing exemptions remain a significant factor in vaccination coverage and disease transmission risks.

Physicians have said vaccine skepticism has expanded beyond childhood immunizations. Doctors also reported growing resistance to other preventive treatments.

For doctors confronting the return of illnesses that vaccines once pushed to the margins of American medicine, the challenge is becoming increasingly personal.

“It just feels like you’re a tiny little boat with a giant tidal wave coming at you,” Dr. Erin Charles, a regional pediatric hospitalist at Seattle Children’s Hospital, told reporters. “And you might convince one family here and there.”

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Bay Area

IN MEMORIAM: Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73

Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73 Caption: Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo. Special to The Post Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love i

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Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo.
Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo.

Special to The Post

Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love in the comfort of her home. To her children, she was royalty, grace, strength, and unconditional love embodied.

Debra Diane Edgar was born on May 28, 1952, in San Francisco, California, to Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar. She was raised alongside her younger brother, Charles Edgar Jr., affectionately known as “Little Brother” or “Lil Bruh.” She also shared close bonds with her older siblings Carol Edgar-Lang, Maryann Edgar Calloway, and Lonnie Lewis Sr.

A proud product of San Francisco’s historic Fillmore District, Debra attended Andrew Jackson Elementary School, where she met her lifelong best friend and adopted sister, Lynn Green, in the fifth grade. She later attended Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High School and Thomas Jefferson High School.

Debra’s mother transitioned when she was only 17 years old, and her father transitioned when she was 23. Despite these profound losses, Debra remained grounded through the love and support of extended family and lifelong family friends,

In 1971, she married Harold King. On Sept. 24, 1972, they welcomed their first son, Dajuan Artese King, affectionately called “Pop” or “Poppa.” On Aug. 5, 1976, they welcomed their second son, Dante Dupree King, affectionately called “Tay” or “Taboocoo the Baby.”

After her divorce in 1982, Debra assumed full responsibility for raising her sons.

She supported Dajuan’s passion for football by purchasing sports equipment and attending games faithfully. She supported Dante’s love of music by enrolling him in the San Francisco Boys Choir, Oakland Boys Choir, and the Castlemont Castleers.

Professionally, Debra built an exceptional career. She worked at Blue Shield of California from 1973 until 1994, earning multiple promotions.

She later joined the Oakland Unified School District, initially in a temporary role before being promoted into management within the Labor Relations Department. She retired from OUSD in 2015 after years of distinguished service. During her years at OUSD, she built meaningful friendships with her colleagues.

Faith was central to Debra’s life. During the 1980s, following personal hardship, she joined Love Center Church under the leadership of Bishop Walter Hawkins, where she brought her children regularly. She later became a member of Triumphant: A Church Without Walls Ministries under Pastor Dr. Larry Short, who became a beloved spiritual mentor.

After Triumphant closed in 1992, Debra joined Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in Oakland under the leadership of Pastor Larry Ashley, where she remained for the rest of her life.

At Cosmopolitan, she worked in numerous ministries. She served on the usher board, sang in the choir, participated in the AIDS ministry during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, helped feed and support unhoused community members, and mentored and supported a group of young girls.

After retirement, she cared for older adults in her church community, driving them to appointments, cleaning their homes, managing finances, preparing meals, and helping families navigate funeral arrangements after loved ones transitioned.

Even while battling Stage 4 cancer herself, she continued caring for others.

Debra was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar; her brothers, Lonnie Lewis Sr. and Charles Edgar Jr.; her sisters, Maryann Edgar Calloway and Victoria Stephenson Knight; and her adopted mother, Clara Oliver.

She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved sons, Dajuan King and Dante King; grandson, Tiyler Dajuan Artese King; sister, Carol Edgar-Lang; goddaughters Monique Belle and Ricketa Matthews Jones (Leonard); daughter-in-love Quiona Sullivan; son-in-love Marcel Walker; sister-in-law Delores Lewis; adopted sisters and lifelong friends Lynn Green, Barbara Stephenson Hill, and Sarah Fine; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, extended family members, her church family and dear friends.

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