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Category: Features

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

How States Can Make It Easier for Parents and Families to Make Early Childhood Care and Education Decisions

If you’ve ever tried to find childcare or a preschool for your child (or know someone who has), you know it’s a full-time job. Where do you even start? What programs are near you? Do they have slots open for your child’s age group? What kind of skills or training do the caregivers have? Does the program accept the payment voucher you may have from your state? Do the program’s hours match your work schedule? Can the program provide occupational therapy or other supports your child might need? Do children leave the program ready to be successful and happy in kindergarten? And is there any way to find the answer to these questions that doesn’t rely on hours of Googling or word of mouth?

Stefi Mar July 29, 2025
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

From Eggs to Hotels, Prices Soar as Inflation Redefines Daily Life

Prices across the United States are about 26% higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing everything from a weekend hotel stay to a simple cup of coffee out of reach for many families. A budget hotel room in Nashville can now cost $500 for the weekend—without breakfast—and a single cup of coffee can cost $7. Rental cars are also commanding premium rates, with four days in a midsize Toyota Camry easily topping $670.

Stefi Mar July 29, 2025
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Beyoncé’s Tour Spurs Black Western Fashion Revival

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour isn’t just making musical headlines—it’s transforming the way Black communities express themselves through fashion. With each city stop, the tour has reignited interest in Western style, with Black fans reclaiming and redefining a genre long associated with whiteness.

Stefi Mar July 29, 2025
Features
Stefi Mar

Even Grave Errors at Rehab Hospitals Go Unpenalized and Undisclosed

Rehab hospitals that help people recover from major surgeries and injuries have become a highly lucrative slice of the health care business. But federal data and inspection reports show that some run by the dominant company, Encompass Health Corp., and other for-profit corporations have had rare but serious incidents of patient harm and perform below average on two key safety measures tracked by Medicare.

Stefi Mar July 22, 2025
Features
Stefi Mar

Exercise and Young Children: An Expert Educator’s Advice and Ideas

We interviewed Michelle Carter, the Director of Educational Content and Programs at the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America). The nonprofit serves as the voice for over 200,000 health and physical education professionals across the United States.

Stefi Mar July 22, 2025
African Americans
Stefi Mar

Black Americans Hit Hard as Medical Debt Rule Tossed

A Trump-appointed federal judge has blocked a key rule that would have removed medical debt from the credit reports of roughly 15 million Americans, dealing a harsh blow to struggling families already burdened by the high cost of health care, particularly Black Americans who carry a disproportionate share of that debt.

Stefi Mar July 22, 2025
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Obesity Tied to Diet More Than Declining Activity

An extensive study spanning 34 populations worldwide has found that increased calorie intake—not decreased energy expenditure—is the primary factor fueling rising obesity rates in economically developed societies. Researchers analyzed data from 4,213 adults in communities ranging from hunter-gatherers and pastoralists to industrialized nations.

Stefi Mar July 22, 2025
African Americans
Stefi Mar

Black Lives Matter Marks 12 Years with Global Expansion and Renewed Calls for Accountability

Black Lives Matter has reached its 12th anniversary, and the organization’s co-founder and prominent scholar-activist, Dr. Melina Abdullah, says the movement is not only growing internationally but also confronting what she described as an unprecedented wave of “fascism and unmasked racism.” During an appearance on Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known News, Dr. Abdullah detailed the recent summit in Los Angeles, where organizers from 51 chapters—including the newly established Black Lives Matter Stockholm—gathered for workshops, tours, an action, and a celebration at the Center for Black Power on Crenshaw Boulevard. “This is the largest that Black Lives Matter has ever been,” Abdullah said. “We are now 51 chapters in 2025 and thousands of boots-on-the-ground organizers.”

Stefi Mar July 22, 2025
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Vested Interests. Influence Muscle. At RFK Jr.’s HHS, It’s Not Pharma. It’s Wellness.

On his way to an Ultimate Fighting Championship event, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stopped by the home of podcaster Gary Brecka. The two spent time in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and tried some intravenous nutrition drips that Brecka, a self-avowed longevity and wellness maven, sells and promotes on his show, “The Ultimate Human.”

Stefi Mar July 22, 2025
African Americans
Stefi Mar

The first African American 6 year old kid to win a PGA Golf Tournament Meet Yaqub Ibrahim

Yaqub’s story began at just three years old, when he first held a golf club. Today, at age six, he’s heading to compete against the world’s best young junior golfers—but the financial demands are great and increasing daily. His GoFundMe campaign supports airfare, accommodations, meals, transportation, and tournament fees. Yaqub and his family were welcomed to center stage at the 5th Annual Legacy Ladies Golf Tournament, held at Porter Valley Country Club, June 30, 2025. Mrs. Jackie Castillo, Executive Director of Legacy Ladies, praised the young athlete’s extraordinary talent, perseverance, and humility. She said. “Yaqub is more than a young golfer—he’s a symbol of what happens when talent meets opportunity and is wrapped in love.”

Stefi Mar July 15, 2025
Features
Stefi Mar

Impact LA to Host 6th Annual Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway in South Los Angeles

It’s great seeing school kids out and about enjoying all that summer has to offer. Many local cities host engaging, interactive activities for kids of all ages in local parks and community centers. City and county libraries also host events. Eventually, parents are going to have to sit down with their kids to start one of the most important conversations—Back to School!!!

Stefi Mar July 15, 2025
Features
Stefi Mar

Workplace Mental Health at Risk as Key Federal Agency Faces Cuts

In Connecticut, construction workers in the Local 478 union who complete addiction treatment are connected with a recovery coach who checks in daily, attends recovery meetings with them, and helps them navigate the return to work for a year.

Stefi Mar July 8, 2025