By Shirley Hawkins Contributing Writer LOS ANGELES — Entertainers Tiffany Haddish and Kerry Washington were among the many guests appearing at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC April 20 and 21. Haddish was promoting her third book, a compilation of humorous essays entitled “I Curse You With Joy,” which chronicles the trials and tribulations Haddish experienced as a foster child growing up in Los Angeles, her personal struggles as well as the challenges of being a Black woman in the entertainment industry.  As a youth, Haddish, 44, harbored a secret she hid from everyone: she ..read more

By Antonio Ray Harvey Contributing Writer SACRAMENTO — Although California will have to make significant budget cuts to balance its budget as required by state law, Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, D-Culver City, said there are still ways to achieve reparations for Black Californians. Currently, the budget deficit for the 2024-25 fiscal year has been projected to be as high as $73 billion. Bryan said it will be “absolutely difficult,” but the state is still investing in other priority programs, various essential industries, oil companies and prisons.  The 32-year-old lawmaker made these observati ..read more

By Manny Otiko   Contributing Writer SACRAMENTO — California is often admired for its beautiful weather. But the Golden State is also susceptible to natural disasters because of the frequency of earthquakes, landslides, forest fires, super storms, flooding and intense heat, particularly in its desert regions. According to Gov. Gavin Newsom, severe flooding resulted in more than 200,000 California homes and businesses being left without power in 2023. To help families prepare for disasters, the California Office of Emergency Services has launched the Listas program, an informational campaign fe ..read more

By Earl Ofari Hutchinson Contributing Columnist Every president who ever sat in the Oval Office and aspired for a second term says the same thing.  If they are re-elected for a second term, they will finish the job they started the first go round.  President Joe Biden is no different. Anywhere and everywhere he goes on the 2024 campaign trail he implores voters to re-elect him. He promises he will finish what he started in his first term.  This is the second in a two-part series on the Trump-Biden presidential rematch based on an excerpt from Earl Ofari Hutchinson’s latest work ..read more

By Jim Clingman Guest Columnist In March 2018, after 25 years of doing so, I submitted my final Blackonomics column to the members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. The article was titled, “The Last Dance,” and I wrote it because I could no longer use my computer. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, had made its way to my arms and hands, preventing me from doing something else I loved doing. Since that time, I have gotten back to writing, only now with my eyes on my eye gaze computer. You can check out my work on ALS News Today online. But this is not a ..read more

Wave Wire Services LOS ANGELES — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has reported a 9.4% increase in ridership on its bus and rail services in March compared to the same time last year with nearly 26 million boardings. Average weekday rail ridership grew to 205,320 from 193,025 in March 2023, representing a 6.4% increase while average weekday bus ridership grew to 750,598 from 642,468 from the same period last year, or a 16.8% increase. The agency noted that combined the total bus and rail average weekday ridership has grown more than 14% since March 2023. March 2024 marked the 16th cons ..read more

By Emilie St. John Contributing Writer COMPTON — U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters and other members of the House of Representatives continue to press President Joe Biden to make two appointments to the Postal Service’s Board of Governors to address issues within post offices across the nation. It is not uncommon for residents to experience delays in mail delivery and irregular postal office hours due to staffing across the 43rd Congressional District, which Waters represents. Waters, who represents Compton, Inglewood and portions of South Los Angeles has placed the blame squarely on the shoulders Postm ..read more

By Emilie St. John Contributing Writer INGLEWOOD — A local restaurant will be featured in a new eight-part series on the streaming platform Hulu starting April 24. Pepsi announced the premiere date for its first-ever streaming series, “Talking Sabor,” a food-focused collaboration with restaurateur and award-winning celebrity chef, Aarón Sánchez and Cocina, which he co-founded. “‘Talking Sabor’ is a journey to the heart of what makes Latin cuisine so special — its ability to bring people together through rich flavors and stories,” Sanchez said. “Collaborating with Pepsi and Disney has allowed u ..read more

By Darlene Donloe Contributing Writer LOS ANGELES — Rosie Milligan doesn’t have time to sit still. She said it’s because “There is too much work to do.” Best known as the founder of the popular Black Writers On Tour conference, Milligan is a multi-hyphenate who has put on the hat of entrepreneur, nurse, author, financial guru, estate planner, business and credit consultant and/or conference speaker — sometimes all in the same day. “It’s a lot but I love what I do,” said Milligan, a shoot-from-the-hip straight talker. “We have to stop begging others. Our people need to focus on business. Jobs ..read more

By Marissa Wells Contributing Writer “Red, White, and Blue,” by Larry, Paris and Langston Rodgers, is an engaging children’s picture book that educates kids with images in three of the most influential and recognizable colors that stand for liberty, justice and freedom for all. The book is intended for families with children in preschool through fifth grade. Each page bursts with vibrant imagery, like the red dodgeball and juicy apple to the blue dolphin, delicious blueberries, majestic blue whale and the white snowman, fluffy clouds and a polar bear. “The featured images are very recognizable ..read more