By Mark Haynes | OBSERVER Correspondent The Sacramento Kings put on a show while eliminating the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2024 NBA Play-In tournament. The 118-94 victory set Golden 1 Center ablaze with the roars of the sold-out crowd, leaving the Warriors shocked and contemplating their future. Keegan Murray scored 32 points and grabbed nine rebounds. After struggling against the Warriors last postseason, Murray was determined not to let it happen again this year. “I just wanted to step up,” Murray said. “I just wanted to step up offensively and defensively.” Murray’s de ..read more

(US MEDIA GROUP) – Steph Curry, the six-time NBA All-Star and two-time MVP, has been named to his first Olympic team for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The 33-year-old point guard for the Golden State Warriors will join a star-studded roster filled with veteran players, including his longtime on-court rival LeBron James and two-time Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant. The team, announced on Monday by USA Basketball, is a mix of Olympic veterans and first-time Olympians. Along with Durant and James, who have multiple Olympic appearances, the roster includes newcomers such as LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Ha ..read more

By Marisa Kendall | CALMATTERS (CALMATTERS) – For the second year in a row, Democrats today voted down a bill that sought to ban homeless encampments near schools, transit stops and other areas throughout California. Despite the fact that cities up and down the state are grappling with a proliferation of homeless camps, legislators said they oppose penalizing down-and-out residents who sleep on public property. “Just because individuals that are unhoused make people uncomfortable does not mean that it should be criminalized. And this bill does that,” said Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Democrat from Frem ..read more

Edward Henderson | California Black Media (CBM) – Jewish families across California are preparing to celebrate Passover (also known as Pesach), one of Judaism’s most significant holidays, from sundown on April 22, to sundown on April 30.   The holiday stands as a testament to the resilience of the Jewish people and their journey from bondage to freedom. Passover is a time of reflection, celebration, and unity, according to adherents and religious scholars. In anticipation of the holy season, last week, Gov. Newsom announced $40 million round in continual state funding to harden security a ..read more

By Keith Boykin | Word In Black (WIB) – Years ago, when I worked for President Clinton, activists would often call me to complain about the administration’s policies. But when the same activists were invited to meet the President at the White House, the tone of their objections inevitably changed when they spoke to him in person.  There’s something about proximity to power and celebrity that makes people much more polite when they’re in the presence of powerful people than when they’re not.  We need to stop grading Donald Trump on a curve. That’s the best possible explanation I can ..read more

By Ali Hickerson | Stacker Canva (Stacker) – In 2024, nearly half (48%) of American adults made a New Year’s resolution to improve their fitness, according to a Forbes Health/OnePoll survey. It’s a good goal—because Americans aren’t doing it nearly enough. Nearly 1 in 4 American adults are not getting the suggested two days of muscle training and 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends. According to a study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, part of the problem could be that only 1 in 10 adults know how muc ..read more

By Stacy M. Brown | NNPA (NNPA) – A new study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), commissioned by Congressman Bobby Scott (D-Virginia), has unveiled concerning trends regarding the representation of Black and Hispanic faculty members in higher education institutions. Despite modest increases in their numbers over the past two decades, Black and Hispanic individuals remain significantly underrepresented among college faculty. The study, which examined data spanning from fiscal years 2003 to 2021, found that while the proportions of Black and Hispanic faculty members ha ..read more

By Jimmy Golen | The Associated Press Sisay Lemma, of Ethiopia, celebrates while lying down after winning the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) BOSTON (AP) — Sisay Lemma scorched the first half of the Boston Marathon course on Monday, setting a record pace to build a lead of more than half of a mile. Then the weather heated up, and the 34-year-old Ethiopian slowed down. After running alone for most of the morning, Lemma held on down Boylston Street to finish in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 17 seconds — the 10th fastest time in the race’s 128-year history. Lemma ..read more

By Sunita Sohrabji | Special To The OBSERVER FRESNO, California — An increasing number of hate crimes are being reported in California, but convictions continue to remain low, said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Speaking to Ethnic Media Services here on the sidelines of the United Against Hate summit at Fresno City College, Bonta noted that hate crimes are notoriously difficult to prosecute. “They require a proof of intent. By design, a hate crime must originate with the hate element, which is often difficult to establish,” he said. “Hate crimes are an augmentation of sentencing: it is ..read more

By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer Family, friends, coaches and teammates wore black and orange in tribute to a little boy gone too soon. One by one, they made their way to the front of Liberty Towers Church to say goodbye. Among them, a toddler who had to be lifted up by his mother as he was too small to see inside the casket.     Keith “KJ” Frierson’s loved ones spoke of his kind and generous nature and vowed to never forget him or his ever-present smile. The 10-year-old was fatally shot by another 10-year-old boy on December 30. The killing reportedly happene ..read more