April 23, 2020 

By Corey Williams and  David Eggert 

Associated Press 

A husband and wife who have jointly devoted decades to fighting crime and saving lives in Detroit lost their 5-year-old daughter to COVID-19 — Michigan’s youngest victim in the coronavirus pandemic.

Skylar Herbert died Sunday from complications due to the virus.

Even in Detroit, where more than 600 people have died from the virus, Skylar’s death brought an especially biting pain.

Mayor Mike Duggan called her “a real daughter of the city of Detroit” and told reporters that Monday was one of the “saddest” of many sad days during the crisis.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer opened her daily briefing with a tribute to Skylar’s mother, LaVondria Herbert, who has been a Detroit police officer for 25 years, and Skylar’s father, Ebbie, a firefighter of 18 years.

“They’ve been on the front line and they’ve served with honor and integrity,” Whitmer said. “They did not deserve to lose their child to this virus. Nobody does.”

Skylar was one of 47 Detroit residents to die due to the virus over the past three days. The city on Monday had 7,736 confirmed coronavirus cases and 629 deaths.

She’s the youngest in Michigan to die due to the virus, according to data collected by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.

The other victims in Michigan ranged from 20 to 107 years old.

Whitmer and Duggan both said Skylar’s death underlines the need to continue to exercise strict social distancing.

“I know that there are many prices that are being paid right now,” Whitmer said. “But the price of losing your child or your father or mother — any loved one — that’s what’s really at stake here.”

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. But it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, for some people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

Coronavirus infections leading to death are unusual among children.

“The loss of a child, at any time, under any circumstances, is a tragedy,” Beaumont Hospital said in a statement.

Skylar died in the Royal Oak hospital.

“We are heartbroken that COVID-19 has taken the life of a child,” Beaumont’s statement continued. “We extend our deepest sympathy to Skylar’s family and all others who have lost a loved one to this virus.”

Condolences from around the Detroit area also were posted on social media.

“There are no words to express how deeply saddened we are by the passing of our beloved member Skylar Herbert. Skylar touched our hearts with her cheerful spirit and brightened our Sundays with her smile,” Metropolitan Church of God said on Facebook.

April 23, 2020 

By Aldon Thomas Stiles 

California Black Media 

This week, Marijuana enthusiasts across the state of California — and around the world are — observing 4/20/2020.

But, this year, the famous pot smoking celebration in California, where the weed industry has been struggling to take off, has taken another twist. Like every other activity and public function, it will be happening, if it does at all, privately, away from public spaces, as the global COVID-19 pandemic that has now killed more than 1,000 Californians continues to rage.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed  issued a statement urging people to continue practicing social distancing on 4/20.

“I want to be clear with people who come to San Francisco on 4/20 to Robin Williams Meadow to celebrate 4/20, do not come to San Francisco," warned Breed, the city’s first Black woman mayor. She was elected in 2018.

“We will not allow this unsanctioned event to occur this year especially in the height of a pandemic,” she added.

The unofficial “holiday” honoring the consumption of cannabis has become almost synonymous with California. Five high school students first coined the term “4:20” in 1971 at San Rafael High School in Marin County near San Francisco. Hippie Hill, the largest annual public pot smoking celebration in the world is held in San Francisco every year. Several more large festivals rivaling the Bay Area’s are held downstate around Los Angeles. 

In pop culture, California rappers like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Nipsey Hussle – and 1990s urban movie classics like “Friday” —  have popularized weed smoking and created a laidback, dazed-out hip hop weed aesthetic straight out of the stereos of tricked-out whips and against the backdrop of the hazy Southern California sunshine.

In 1996, California became the first state in the United States to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. Then in 2016, by a ballot measure, Prop 64, voters approved the use of recreational marijuana, prompting big investments in the state’s weed industry. But the retail business has been slow to pick up — some say because of high state and local taxes, protests from NIMBYs, and stiff competition from a thriving untaxed illegal market that is more rooted and widespread than the legal one. 

Prop 64 included in it a provision to establish the California Community Reinvestment Grant (CalCRG) program funded by excise and cultivation taxes on cannabis. The program funds programs that assist Californians disproportionately affected by federal and state War-on-Drug policies. Among its programs, the grant helps formerly incarcerated people reintegrate into society with “trauma-informed” care. The majority of those impacted were Black and Hispanic men, women and children.

Even though the state has deemed weed an essential commodity during the COVID-19 crisis, the state’s weed industry is sputtering.

Some weed smokers have been excited that the unofficial observance of weed smoking is unique this year because the date has four twenties in it. Some putting forth the suggestion that entire month of April, which is technically 4/20, like the date, be celebrated this year.

“At 4:20 on 4/20/2020, there will be four twenties,” are the words on a sign rapper Snoop Dogg is holding on a meme making its way around the internet.

But the excitement that was building up to this year’s celebration has been cooled by strict social distancing measures issued by the state during the current pandemic. Organizers of San Francisco’s “Hippie Hill” 4/20 celebration have cancelled the event.

“We take the health and safety of the public, our staff, vendors, and sponsors very seriously. We feel it’s all of our responsibility to do our part to minimize social gathering and potential spread of this virus in the community," reads a message on Hippie Hill’s official website.

The 4/20 celebration usually takes place in Golden Gate Park, but this year organizers are urging people to stay home and smoke.

“While this event is cancelled in person, it is not cancelled in spirit! We want everyone to celebrate this historic day by staying in and supporting your local delivery services and dispensaries," it says on the Hippie Hill website.

April 23, 2020 

LAWT News Service 

Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharp­ton is blasting the social media post made by President Trump on Mon­day that tweeted an altered video made into a meme showing former President Barack Obama and other men watching a video of Joe Biden.

According to Rev. Al Sharpton: “In the middle of a pandemic, when the nation grieves and mourns the lives of thousands gone too soon, Trump continues his dereliction of duty and posts a racist mocking video of Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama.

While Blacks are dying at disproportionate numbers, to be mocked by the President, is pouring salt on open wombs. This is intolerable and disgraceful. The President should immediately remove this post and apologize to the nation.”

April 23, 2020 

LAWT News Service 

In light of the alarming reports of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the African American community, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urging the release of all demographic and resource allocation data regarding COVID-19 testing supplies, PPE, ventilators, and other medical equipment and supplies.

“I write to convey my grave concerns regarding the apparent disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the African American community and other racial minorities,” wrote Congresswoman Waters.

“While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) did release this week limited data adding to preliminary state findings that there appear to be higher rates of COVID-19 deaths within the African American community relative to their representation in the population, there must be a coordinated effort to collect complete information leading to a response to ensure that the hardest hit racial groups are given sufficient federal support and resources.”

In the letter, Congresswoman Waters outlined the devastating impact of COVID-19 on African American communities, according to preliminary data from various locations across the United States, including Los Angeles County, California where African Americans make up 9 percent of the population and 17 percent of coronavirus deaths, and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin where African Americans make up 27 percent of the population and 70 percent of deaths. She also highlighted the “lack of transparency by FEMA, and a lack of a coordinated strategy between the Administration and the states, whether demographic data on COVID-19 is being properly used in the allocation of medical supplies.”

As a result, Congresswoman Waters requested that HHS and FEMA release the following information to Congress and the American people:

“The comprehensive demographic data on the racial and ethnic characteristics of those treated, tested, and demonstrating symptoms for COVID-19, as collected by HHS, especially the CDC”; and

“A complete and comprehensive explanation as to how FEMA has incorporated any and all data collected by HHS pursuant to request (1) into its medical supply distribution operation.”