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NAACP holds teleconference to reach out to community

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “The truth is, there are so many within this nation who are disenfranchised from receiving adequate and affordable care due to socio-economic circumstances,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO. “This virus will have dire consequences on so many, but specifically African-Americans, who suffer from higher rates of chronic illness.”

Published

6 years ago

March 23, 2020

Oakland Post

“We have to approach this from a community preparedness standpoint to work together and engage our community,” said Nicolette Louissant, PhD., is the executive director of Healthcare Ready, an organization established after Hurricane Katrina.

Residents urged to look out for one another

By Lisa Fitch, Editor in Chief, Our Weekly News

The NAACP hosted an Emergency Tele Town Hall about coronavirus, COVID-19 and its potential impact on communities of color.

“The truth is, there are so many within this nation who are disenfranchised from receiving adequate and affordable care due to socio-economic circumstances,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO. “This virus will have dire consequences on so many, but specifically African-Americans, who suffer from higher rates of chronic illness.”

Johnson prefaced his comments by sharing his experiences as someone who lived through Hurricane Katrina.

“When the administration is not working for communities, those communities can suffer,” he said. “We want to make sure to get the information out to our communities as much as possible.”

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) agreed.

“We want to make sure we’re not looking at another Katrina-like response from the government,” she said, adding her support for the Coronavirus Response Act passed by the U.S. House of Representatives over the weekend.

The House worked late last Friday and into early Saturday to pass—with bipartisan support—a relief bill designed to dull the societal impact of the coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump endorsed the bill, first on Twitter Friday night, and again in his press conference on Saturday.

H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, includes the priority of paid sick leave, as well as enhanced unemployment insurance, increased funds for Medicaid, and provisions to ensure food security for those affected by the global public health crisis.

The act is designed to assist U.S. low-income workers who do not have paid sick leave, should their business owners close shop. Harris said that 40 percent of those persons are either Black or Latino.

“We will be pushing this in the Senate and working with our friends in the House to make sure as many people get paid sick leave as possible,” Harris said. “We need to make sure that the Senate does its job and brings this to a vote without delay.”

The senator also emphasized that residents need to look out for one another.

“We also have to check on our elders. Try giving them a call to brighten their day,” Harris suggested. “Offer to get them groceries.”

Harris alluded to the violence that has arisen from some panicked residents toward “our Asian brothers and sisters.”

“We have to push back against any racism wherever it exists,” she said. “Kindness and patience will be required a lot from us.”

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams agreed.

“People need to make attempts to connect more deeply and more often,” Adams said, suggesting a buddy system. “People want to still feel like someone out there still cares about them.”

Adams said that (then) current coronavirus numbers in the U.S. matched numbers Italy saw two weeks ago.

“The next few weeks are going to be critical,” Adams said, adding that he realizes the African American community does not have a lot of trust in the current administration. “I know what it’s like growing up poor, Black and with limited healthcare. I will keep fighting for people of color and I hope I can earn your trust.”

Adams has held the surgeon general post since 2017 and stressed that he is not a politician. The former anesthesiologist and Indiana State Health Commissioner began a campaign in September 2018 along with other public health officials to promote seasonal flu vaccinations because the previous year’s flu epidemic resulted in the deaths of an estimated 80,000 Americans.

“Testing has not gone the way we would have liked it to have gone so far,” Adams said regarding the coronavirus. He noted that the country is at a turning point now, as over 83 state and local labs are now working on developing and providing tests. “We’re prioritizing testing for healthcare workers and those most vulnerable, those over 65 with medical conditions.”

In addition to the CDC guidelines for limiting the impact of the disease, which include social distancing and hand washing, Adams also mentioned that the President had authorized more than $50 billion in funding for states and localities to work against the spread of coronavirus.

“I promise you I’m in there fighting for your priorities,” Adams said. “It’s going to be a tough several weeks ahead. We need to lean into it now and we’ll see the positive effects down the line.”

Nicolette Louissant, PhD., is the executive director of Healthcare Ready, an organization established after Hurricane Katrina. It works with the public and private sectors to strengthen healthcare systems before, during, and after disasters.

“We have to approach this from a community preparedness standpoint to work together and engage our community,” said Louissaint, who also suggested one-on-one support like making “old-school phone calls” and delivering prescription medications to those who need them.

“This is a sustained event,” she said. “Over the long haul, we’re going to radically change our lifestyles. Equity issues are at play here. Eighty-five percent of people of color have to rely on more prescription drugs. They have medical needs. Access is incredibly important.”

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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