• Breaking News:
CDPH: Super Flu Cases on the Rise in California California health officials have confirmed the spread of a mutated influenza strain known as the “super flu,” as flu-related hospitalizations across the state reach their highest level of the season. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said Jan.15 that the strain, a mutated form of seasonal influenza A known as H3N2 subclade K, is present in the state. The announcement comes as the department confirmed a second pediatric death linked to the flu since the start of the current respiratory virus season. State data show flu activity has eased slightly from a late-December peak. As of Jan. 3, about 15% of flu tests statewide were positive, down from 17% recorded through Dec. 27. Despite the modest decline, hospitalizations have continued to rise. Flu-related hospital admissions reached a season high of approximately 3.8 per 100,000 people statewide as of Jan. 3, according to CDPH figures. Public health officials continue to emphasize vaccination as the most effective way to reduce the risk of severe illness, even when circulating strains differ from those targeted by the vaccine. “Current seasonal flu vaccines remain effective at reducing severe illness and hospitalization, including the currently circulating viruses,” said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH director and state public health officer, said in a statement. Pan added that “it is important for families to know that flu vaccines, tests, and treatments remain widely available for all Californians and that it is not too late to get a flu vaccine.” Health officials urge residents to seek medical care if flu symptoms worsen and to take preventive measures as flu season continues across California. Track statewide and regional weekly respiratory virus data
Black Caucus Chair Akilah Weber Pierson Applauds California Ban on Police Officers Wearing Face MasksSen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) last week praised California’s new law limiting when law enforcement officers may wear face coverings, calling it a critical step toward accountability and public trust in policing. The measure, SB 627 -- also known as the No Secret Police Act -- was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year and took effect on Jan. 1. It restricts law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while performing public duties, except under limited operational circumstances. The law applies to local, state, and federal agencies operating in California and requires departments to adopt and publicly post mask-use policies by July 1, 2026. Weber Pierson, a co-author of the legislation, said the law affirms the public’s right to transparency. “The public has a right to know who is enforcing the law in our communities,” Weber Pierson posted on Facebook on Jan. 14. Framing the issue as more than administrative oversight, Weber Pierson stated that visibility and accountability are essential to community well-being. “Transparency in policing is a public health issue,” she added, noting that communities cannot heal from historical trauma when officers wield authority anonymously. Despite support from civil rights advocates, the law is facing a federal court challenge. The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking to pause its application to federal agents, arguing that the measure interferes with federal law enforcement operations, particularly immigration enforcement. Federal attorneys told the court on Jan. 14 that the law improperly regulates federal officers and exposes them to increased safety risks. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said officers are increasingly targeted through facial recognition and AI tools, claiming an “8,000% increase in threats” against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. He also cited instances of agents being tracked to their homes and harassed. During the hearing, the judge raised concerns about potential unequal treatment if exemptions apply differently to state and federal officers. A decision on the request to pause enforcement is expected soon. Supporters of SB 627 argue the law advances civil rights by ensuring officers are identifiable during public interactions, while opponents contend it endangers officer safety and undermines federal enforcement authority -- setting the stage for a legal battle with broader implications for policing and oversight in California.
New Ballot Push: Initiative Would End Prop 50 Temporary Congressional Maps After 2026
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State of the Dream 2026 Finds Black America Facing a Recession Across Jobs, Housing, and Technology
Black Author Announces Forthcoming Book “Overqualified. Overworked. Overlooked.”
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San Bernardino County Board Honors Community Leaders, Votes on ADU Rules and Storm Recovery at Jan. 13 Meeting
Black History Month Events to Span Inland Valley Through February
Thursday, 22 Jan 2026
Thursday, 22 January 2026
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Super Genes? One Sibling is an Olympian, the Other is Hoping to Win the Super Bowl

By Amira Castilla | The Root

South Carolina natives Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Robert Quinn are the ultimate sibling goals with one being an Olympic gold medalist and the other hoping to add a Super Bowl win to his resume.

Running track is in Jasmine Camacho- Quinn’s veins as both of her parents, María Milagros Camacho and James Quinn were track and field stars at Charleston Southern University. However, their daughter took her talent to the next level.

In 2021, Jasmine represented Puerto Rico, her mother’s home country, at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo (held in 2021 due to Covid), walking or rather sprinting away with the coveted gold medal in the 100m hurdle race. This achievement was a breakthrough moment for Quinn as five years earlier at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics she was disqualified from the 100m hurdles semi-final due to hitting two hurdles.

In an interview with Olympics.com , she spoke out about the nerves leading up to her Tokyo run saying, “Going into the Tokyo Olympics, I didn’t want that same thing happening. It was stressful for me just because I didn’t want to hit another hurdle. Even before my semis race in Tokyo, I just broke down crying because I was scared.”

As Jasmine was taking the track world by storm, her older brother was in the NFL as a Defensive end. Robert Quinn was drafted by the St. Louis Rams as the 14th pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. He spent five seasons with the Rams and has since been traded to the Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and in 2022 the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2021 Quinn had 18.5 sacks the second-highest number of sacks in the NFL.

Robert was drafted to the Eagles in October 2022 but was unfortunately put on injury reserve in order to get arthroscopic knee surgery. The football veteran missed four games in that period but rejoined the team on the field on January 7, 2023, in time to complete the regular season. Now, he’s headed to this year’s Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Not only will Robert be representing his sporty family, but he’ll also be competing to be the top representative of his former high school Fort Dorchester in South Carolina. He will be playing against former high school classmate, Carlos Dunlap of the Kansas City Chiefs. According to South Carolina’s WCSC, the two come back to the school to host a kid’s football and cheerleading camp during their NFL offseason. 


We will have to wait and see if Jasmine returns for the next Olympic games in a couple of years, but for now, she is cheering on her big brother. Jasmine shared her excitement in a tweet on January 29, 2023, writing, “My parents witness me in Olympics & now my brother in the Super Bowl in a couple weeks! LFG !!!” Amazing genes, right? Congratulations to the Quinn family!

The Inland Valley News coverage of local news in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties is supported by the Ethnic Media Sustainability Initiative, a program created by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services to support minority-owned-and-operated community newspapers across California.

The Most Read

CDPH: Super Flu Cases on the Rise in California California health officials have confirmed the spread of a mutated influenza strain known as the “super flu,” as flu-related hospitalizations across the state reach their highest level of the season. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said Jan.15 that the strain, a mutated form of seasonal influenza A known as H3N2 subclade K, is present in the state. The announcement comes as the department confirmed a second pediatric death linked to the flu since the start of the current respiratory virus season. State data show flu activity has eased slightly from a late-December peak. As of Jan. 3, about 15% of flu tests statewide were positive, down from 17% recorded through Dec. 27. Despite the modest decline, hospitalizations have continued to rise. Flu-related hospital admissions reached a season high of approximately 3.8 per 100,000 people statewide as of Jan. 3, according to CDPH figures. Public health officials continue to emphasize vaccination as the most effective way to reduce the risk of severe illness, even when circulating strains differ from those targeted by the vaccine. “Current seasonal flu vaccines remain effective at reducing severe illness and hospitalization, including the currently circulating viruses,” said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH director and state public health officer, said in a statement. Pan added that “it is important for families to know that flu vaccines, tests, and treatments remain widely available for all Californians and that it is not too late to get a flu vaccine.” Health officials urge residents to seek medical care if flu symptoms worsen and to take preventive measures as flu season continues across California. Track statewide and regional weekly respiratory virus data

January 22, 2026

Black Caucus Chair Akilah Weber Pierson Applauds California Ban on Police Officers Wearing Face MasksSen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) last week praised California’s new law limiting when law enforcement officers may wear face coverings, calling it a critical step toward accountability and public trust in policing. The measure, SB 627 -- also known as the No Secret Police Act -- was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year and took effect on Jan. 1. It restricts law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while performing public duties, except under limited operational circumstances. The law applies to local, state, and federal agencies operating in California and requires departments to adopt and publicly post mask-use policies by July 1, 2026. Weber Pierson, a co-author of the legislation, said the law affirms the public’s right to transparency. “The public has a right to know who is enforcing the law in our communities,” Weber Pierson posted on Facebook on Jan. 14. Framing the issue as more than administrative oversight, Weber Pierson stated that visibility and accountability are essential to community well-being. “Transparency in policing is a public health issue,” she added, noting that communities cannot heal from historical trauma when officers wield authority anonymously. Despite support from civil rights advocates, the law is facing a federal court challenge. The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking to pause its application to federal agents, arguing that the measure interferes with federal law enforcement operations, particularly immigration enforcement. Federal attorneys told the court on Jan. 14 that the law improperly regulates federal officers and exposes them to increased safety risks. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said officers are increasingly targeted through facial recognition and AI tools, claiming an “8,000% increase in threats” against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. He also cited instances of agents being tracked to their homes and harassed. During the hearing, the judge raised concerns about potential unequal treatment if exemptions apply differently to state and federal officers. A decision on the request to pause enforcement is expected soon. Supporters of SB 627 argue the law advances civil rights by ensuring officers are identifiable during public interactions, while opponents contend it endangers officer safety and undermines federal enforcement authority -- setting the stage for a legal battle with broader implications for policing and oversight in California.

January 22, 2026

New Ballot Push: Initiative Would End Prop 50 Temporary Congressional Maps After 2026

January 22, 2026

Victory Community Church Invites Inland Valley Residents to Worship Service in Ontario

January 22, 2026

Commentary: How CalMatters Turned a Handbag Into a Political Firestorm and Exposed a Journalism Blind Spot

January 22, 2026
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