Antelope Valley

Apr 5 2012

In some cases, they may move ahead of seniors

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a plan to allow homeless probationers and parolees to qualify for government-subsidized housing.

“We believe that this will help increase public safety while decreasing taxpayers’ expenditures,” said Alisa Orduna of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.

The change is just one element of the Housing Authority’s annual plan, which updates program goals and policies as  required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Cynthia E. Griffin  |   OW Managing Editor
Feb 9 2012

Lancaster is lone holdout

PALMDALE—An agreement reached in a discrimination lawsuit between city officials and representatives of Antelope Valley residents who are part of the Section 8 Choice Voucher program is now in the hands of the federal judge overseeing the suit. 
 
The agreement was reached last week, a week after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a similar agreement.

The judge will now have an opportunity to vet the settlements, and when approved, they will go into effect immediately. 

Feb 2 2012

Open to business owners

The South Valley WorkSource Center (SVWSC), in partnership with Jewish Vocational Services, will host a Valentine’s Day Mixer on Thursday, Feb. 9, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the center at 38510 Sierra Hwy. in Palmdale.
 

Cynthia E. Griffin  |   OW Managing Editor
Feb 2 2012

‘Go Ask Alice’ and ‘The Crucible’

A trio of African American actors are sharing their theatrical talents with Antelope Valley audiences as cast members in several plays.

Leandra Marshall and Mahlea Smith are currently appearing in the It’s Only Tuesday Production of “Go Ask Alice,” which continues on stage through Saturday at the Arbor Court Community Theatre.

The play is the true story of a teenager who inadvertently gets involved in taking drugs, runs away and never makes it back.

Nov 18 2011

427 reported hate crimes countywide

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Reported hate crimes in Los Angeles County fell by 28 percent in 2010 to the lowest level in 21 years, according to the county Commission on Human Relations’ annual report released.

The commission defines a hate crime as one where hatred or prejudice toward a victim’s race or ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, or sexual orientation was a substantial factor in the crime.
According to the 2010 Hate Crime Report, there were 427 reported hate crimes countywide last year, a decline of 166 from the previous year.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
Allied Integrated Marketing recently announced it is launching a new African American marketing division, Allied Moxy. The new division will create innovative campaigns that integrate publicity, promotions, digital and grassroots outreach to speak directly to the full diversity of African American consumers. Spearheading Allied Moxy are industry veterans Kim Walters and Gloria Jones. Walters will oversee national strategy from Los Angeles, while Jones will oversee regional/local strategy from Washington, D.C. Walters brings more than a decade of marketing experience working with entertainment companies such as Codeblack Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and A&E Lifetime Television, as well as consumer brands such as KIA and L.A. Gear and awards programs such as NAACP Image Awards and Soul Train Music Awards. Jones has been with Allied for five years running publicity and promotional campaigns for clients, including Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Relativity Media, and previously worked for WBDC-TV in D.C. and MTV Networks’ Nick @ Nite and TV Land.

 

Representing Los Angeles and Center Theatre Group, Tyler Edwards, a senior at the Orange County High School of the Arts, placed third at the national finals of the fifth annual August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre in New York City. “I am thrilled . . . I’m so glad that I took it for L.A. the first time we got up . . . that’s what we’re talking about!” said an elated Edwards following the competition. Edwards, an aspiring actor, describes the soaring, lyrical monologues found in the plays by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson as “very inspirational,” and said prior to the Los Angeles Regional Finals of the August Wilson competition, “I would love to share a bit of that inspiration with any audience, in hopes that they leave with more appreciation than they walked in with.”

 

Georgia
Bounce TV, the nation’s first-ever over-the-air broadcast television network for African Americans, will launch a second new original comedy series, “Uptown Comic,” on June 18, immediately after the series premiere of the just-announced sitcom “Family Time.” “Uptown Comic” is a half-hour series featuring stage and skit performances by some of the hottest up-and-coming comics in the country. The show is currently in production in front of a live studio audience at the longest-running African American comedy club in the U.S.—Uptown Comedy Corner in Atlanta. Actor and comedian Joe Torry (Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam) hosts. “Family Time,” a half hour situation comedy created by Bentley Kyle Evans ( “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “Martin,” “Love That Girl”) and produced by Evans and partner Trenten Gumbs is set to launch Monday, June 18, at 8 p.m. The series premiere of “Uptown Comic” will follow and be seen weekly at 8:30 p.m. (All Times Eastern.)