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World AIDS Day: Rapid Tests at LGBTQ Center

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Earlier this year, Congresswoman Barbara Lee of Oakland released a statement of concerns regarding the rate of new Black infections, and new diagnoses. As of 2018, despite comprising just 13 percent of America’s population, African Americans represented 42 percent of all people living with HIV.
The post World AIDS Day: Rapid Tests at LGBTQ Center first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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3 years ago

December 4, 2022

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By Dianne Anderson | Precinct Reporter News Group

It’s one thing to be Black, Latinx or a woman trying to seek adequate healthcare for any problem, and it’s another to be any of those in addition to being gay and trying to get around biases built into the medical system.

Wiley Phillips, an epidemiologist at the LGBTQ center, finds it a bitter pill to take when she goes to the doctor, and they ask about her husband, but her partner is female.

She believes individuals end up delaying health care because they’re scared or uncomfortable going into providers’ offices.

“That’s more true for the already marginalized community of LGBTQ, the pockets or subpockets being blatantly discriminated against or feeling the impact of exclusion. It’s certainly a massive issue,” said Phillips, MPH and manager of health services at the center.

Another frequently ignored big issue is the impact of HIV/AIDS on straight women, who represent 19% of new diagnoses worldwide, mostly attributed to heterosexual sex.

But in America, Black women continue to experience the brunt of new cases among women.

“Black women are disproportionately affected by HIV as compared to women of other races/ethnicities. Although annual HIV infections remained stable overall among Black women from 2015 to 2019, the rate of new HIV infections among Black women is 11 times that of white women and four times that of Latina women,” the CDC reports.

In all for 2019, 26% of new HIV infections were among Black gay and bisexual men, 23% among Latino gay and bisexual men, and 45% among gay and bisexual men under the age of 35.

California Department of Public Health has some good news. From 2010 to 2020 the overall rate of new HIV diagnoses decreased by 37% among Black/African Americans 55% in the rate of new HIV diagnoses among Blacks 45-54 years old and a 15% decline in the rate of new HIV diagnoses among Black men 25-34 years old.

But the bad news is that for Black women, during that same time, it’s up 21% in the rate of new HIV diagnoses among Black women 13-24 years old.

Not helping matters, testing decreased through the pandemic as other diseases emerged. While the situation is better than even ten years ago, health providers stress that antiretroviral drugs only work when people actually take them.

Phillips said their clinic is pushing to get more people in the door. In conjunction with World AIDS Day, she is working with the Long Beach Health Department for a health fair. They are planning a walk at her clinic that day, shuttling people back and forth to resources.

To her understanding, the clinic also experienced a decrease in walk-ins during the pandemic, which primarily was testing with Rapid HIV tests. They implemented precautions at that time, but they also experienced staffing shortages.

“Ultimately, [it] led us to not having the capacity to have walk-in and regularly booked appointments, which is something we’re trying to get back to. The pandemic was a large barrier in getting people tested,” she said.

Rapid testing results are available within 60 seconds and she is trying to get the word out to the community that it is very accurate. They also have different options, including a more extensive panel, available for those who prefer more conventional tests.

Those tests would be great to have at home, but she said that approach could hinder accurate documentation. HIV/AIDS is an infectious disease, and the CDC and FDA want to monitor cases within communities to determine the rate of spread.

To determine an accurate representation of infection in the Long Beach community, she said one of their grants requires that they meet specific qualifications throughout the year, which is to report at least 1% of infectivity for HIV.

It’s not that they want to see 1% infections, but she said they must get as many rapid tests out into the community as possible to pull back real numbers.

“Some might think isn’t it good to have a lower HIV infectivity rate? We know that’s just not the reality with our population. We know with Long Beach there is a high population of people living with HIV,” she said, which lately includes a large population of Latinx men.

With the holidays coming up, testing is expected to be busier than usual, the same as the weeks following LGBT Pride. The center is located at 2017 East 4th Street in Long Beach.

“I would imagine that the holidays would be a time when people are more conscious of their status, and hope that it’s an initiative to get people in the door,” she said. “We want to help everybody and provide any service we can to provide prevention treatment, education, or everything in between.”

Earlier this year, Congresswoman Barbara Lee of Oakland released a statement of concerns regarding the rate of new Black infections, and new diagnoses. As of 2018, despite comprising just 13 percent of America’s population, African Americans represented 42 percent of all people living with HIV.

“After 40 years of combating this disease, we know that we cannot end this epidemic without addressing the racial injustice that prevents Black communities from receiving the medical care they deserve. I am proud to reintroduce this important resolution to increase awareness, spark conversations, highlight the work to reduce HIV in Black or African American communities, and show support for people with and vulnerable to HIV in these communities,” she said.

For more information on services and testing, see https://www.centerlb.org/ or call (562) 434-4455

https://www.longbeach.gov/health/services/clinics/hiv-aids-clinic/

To see the Jama study of Black Women and HIV Prevention, http://bit.ly/3UfGqim.

This article originally appeared in The Precinct Reporter News Group.

The post World AIDS Day: Rapid Tests at LGBTQ Center first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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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.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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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.

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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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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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