By Marian Wright Edelman   Six years ago last week, December 14 started off like an ordinary morning in classrooms across our country. Children rushed in to school bundled against the cold, chatting and laughing and trying to contain all of their extra energy and excitement from the bright holiday season. Concerts were scheduled, classroom parties were planned, and teachers were squeezing in their last few lessons before winter break. It was the same in Newtown, Connecticut—but that was the unforgettably horrible day 20 first graders and six adults walked into Sandy Hook...

Dr. James L. Snyder   Once again, it is the Christmas season, which means I have to put up with people offended by everything, particularly that pertains to Christmas. When I was young, we had a little saying, “Sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt you.” And as far as I understand, we stood by that saying. Most people today have never heard that saying and maybe somebody ought to educate them on some of the realities of life. If words are hurting you, something is wrong with “you.” Everybody is offended by...

By Jake Coyle   NEW YORK (AP)—Peter Jackson has used digital wizardry to conjure J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth and King Kong's 1930s New York, but he has now—in perhaps his most acclaimed film—employed all his technical powers to bring to life the Western Front of the first World War. Jackson's “They Shall Not Grow Old” is the 57-year-old filmmaker's first documentary. Commissioned by Britain's Imperial War Museum to coincide with the centenary of the Armistice, Jackson assembled the film from more than 100 hours of footage...

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com   Oxnard— Music, dancing, games, snowball fights and sledding highlighted the Annual Oxnard Police Department’s Santa at the Station celebration, Dec. 15. The gang enjoyed a lot of holiday cheer while listening to the beats of DJ G-Cut who kept the station parking lot jumping, while others enjoyed playing cornhole and Jenga on a chilly December day. Police Chief Scott Whitney said the party was canceled in 2017 because of the Thomas Fire, but there are approximately 1,000 kids with wristbands so that they can try...

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com   Oxnard— The spirit of Christmas was alive and well at the Oxnard Public Library, Dec. 17, as the venue hosted a large group of kids and parents for a fun celebration that made everyone happy. Children snacked on cookies, took part in crafts, heard stories and enjoyed a special visit from the star of the day, Santa Claus, who led the children in songs and brought the kids presents. Children’s Librarian Vanesa Chua said the party is fulfilling because it brings community and family together and provides a safe...

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com   Oxnard— The City of Oxnard Council heard the latest information about the gang injunction, Dec. 18, which invoked passionate, emotional comments from council members and people in the crowd. The city obtained its first civil gang injunction against the Colonia Chiques gang in June of 2005 and got a second gang injunction against the Southside Chiques gang in October of 2006. A gang injunction declares its members a public nuisance and can address the problem before it reaches a felony level. “We worked...

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com   The temporary homeless shelter will not happen until the city hires staff and that situation has fueled concerns about budget cuts. Clinicas Health Center Manager Patty Andrade brought up the item during public comments at the Dec. 18, meeting and said she runs the office at the corner of Meta and Seventh streets. Clinicas has been a Ventura County employer for over 40 years, and more than 800 employees work at 14 locations. “We are a non-profit health center serving the underserved population with medical, dental,...

By Stacy M. Brown   When one speaks of freedom fighters, Harriet Tubman’s name should always be among the first—if not highlighted as a primary justice crusader. For it was on this date 169 years ago—Dec. 6, 1849—that Tubman escaped slavery. The brave African American who became known as the “Moses” of her people, didn’t stop with her own freedom but went back—repeatedly—to help others and over the course of a decade, led countless slaves along the Underground Railroad so that they too could taste...

By Hollywood Hernandez Live   The Green Book was a travel guide for African Americans that was written by an African American mail carrier named Victor Green. "The Negro Motorist Green Book" started out in the late 40's and it was a travel guide of places in The Jim Crow South. It listed places that were safe havens for African Americans to stay, grab a bite to eat, or even get a haircut. The book was put into publication throughout the 1960's. GREEN BOOK is based on a true story about classically-trained black jazz pianist, Don Shirley...

By Rev. Jesse Jackson   In 2019, we will commemorate 400 years since the first 20 slaves were transported by ship from Africa by white slave traders and landed in Jamestown, Va. Now four centuries later, race remains a central dividing line. Today, for example, the racial wealth gap exposes a stark difference. The median wealth of a white household (median means half are above and half below) is 12 times greater than that of a black household. The median wealth of a white household is $134,430, of blacks it is $11,030. This is virtually all about equity in a home, the...