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SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Thirty-five Reading Heroes who raise the bar for literacy throughout San Bernardino County were recognized by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday as part of the Countywide Vision project’s Vision2Read initiative.

In February, the Vision2Read campaign asked the public to identify people in the community who go above and beyond the call of duty to motivate others to read and improve literacy skills and nominate them as Reading Heroes.

“I’m pleased to learn that so many sectors in our community are collaborating to improve literacy in this county,” said James Ramos, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “These Reading Heroes come from private business, public schools, libraries, and community organizations. Several of these Reading Heroes are spending their own personal time to make sure our children and adults are learning what they need to succeed in life.”

Claire Smith

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) congratulates member Claire Smith for being named the recipient of the 2017 J.G. Taylor Spink Award. The award is given out annually by the Baseball Hall of Fame to a journalist for “meritorious contributions to baseball writing.” Smith will be the first woman in the award’s 55-year history to receive this top honor.

“On behalf of the entire NABJ family, I congratulate my dear friend Claire for this tremendous honor. She is such an inspiration as she continues to knock down doors for women in sports journalism. She is to be commended not only for being a talented reporter, but also for being steadfast in fighting for equality and paving a way for those who will follow in her footsteps,” said NABJ President Sarah Glover.

Smith, 62, has written about sports for more than 30 years, for publications including the Philadelphia Bulletin, Hartford Courant, New York Times, and Philadelphia Inquirer. For more than 20 years, her beat was Major League Baseball. In July 2007, she went in a new direction and new industry when she joined ESPN as a news editor, working with the production teams on MLB game broadcasts. She is the author of the autobiography “Don Baylor – Nothing But The Truth: A Baseball Life.”

A trailblazer for women in sports media, Smith has fought for equal access during her entire career. She often refers to a defining moment that came in the 1984 National League Championship Series between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres. She was physically removed by players from the Padres clubhouse after Game One. While the situation was eventually resolved, thanks to then-Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth, it left scars for a number of years.

For sensational singer and actress Vanessa Williams and her gorgeous daughter, Lion Babe’s Jillian Hervey, fierceness runs in the family—but so does staying true to who you are at any age. In the cover story, Vanessa + Jillian, the stunning duo chat with Essence about being in the business, the sacredness of family and loving the skin you’re in. Plus, visit Essence.com to see a bonus solo cover for each star! Essence’s January 2017 issue hits newsstands this Friday.

“You have to go through the fire. Avoiding the pain is why most people never resolve it. You have to dig deep, sit in it and ugly-cry. Pretending it’s not there and keeping busy are a way of avoiding it,” Williams states.

“I never saw myself as always having that hair. Ever. That wasn’t the plan,” Hervey stated. “That was the label. They were like, ‘You need the hair, you need the hair, you need the hair!…” When the duo signed to Interscope Records, the label loved her video look so much that it insisted she wear it everywhere, even to radio interviews. Hervey, a self-described people pleaser didn’t have the heart to say no. “My hair was supposed to represent this freedom, and then it almost became a trap. You can’t even see my face sometimes because the wig is so big.” These days Hervey was found the strength to put her foot down and has the freedom to ‘transform,’ she says. That might mean donning braids or wearing her hair free and natural…”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- For the first time, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians lit up The Arrowhead in memory and tribute to the 14 lives lost in the December 2 terrorist attack in San Bernardino one year ago. The iconic Arrowhead is a natural formation on the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains that can be seen for miles throughout the valley. The brilliant lighting of the Arrowhead formation will stand as a memorial to each life lost on December 2 and a symbol of solidarity and hope for this proud and strong community. 

“Even as we struggle to make sense of those events from a year ago, we remain strong in our commitment to the values that make us a strong community,” said Lynn Valbuena, Chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. “We are proud to join with the San Bernardino and our community partners to shine a new light in memory of those we lost.” 

The Arrowhead was lit on Thursday, December 1 and will remain lit until December 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Arrowhead formation is located in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, just north of San Bernardino’s Wildwood Park (40th Street and Waterman Avenue). Lit up with over a dozen 120,000-lumen arc lights, it can be seen from nearly anywhere in the cities of San Bernardino or Highland. 

By Lue Dowdy

Artist’s WORK ethic is what it do!! Trying to get something without puttin’ in work will leave you so far behind in the entertainment game. Understanding the value of pouring into yourself financially, along with networking, shows, recording, and self promoting on a consistent basis can only get you one step closer to your DREAM.

This week I would like to highlight RnB singer Yung Muusik for his non-stop hustle. This sexy and talented Cali artist understands in order to be relevant and make it in the music industry you GOTTA WERK. YUNG MUUSIK will be performing live on Saturday, December 9 in the City of Colton. Come check him out on stage. The night will be lit with dope performances by other talented artist as well, and red carpet interviews will be in full effect. The event will be hosted by the funnyman Kyru of EverythangNycce PRODUCTIONS. Until next week. L’zzz!

Publishers Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

Greetings and Merry Christmas! As we enter this season of holidays and goodwill, I encourage you to remember the importance and impact of where you spend and invest your money. Please, all of you, regardless of your race ethnicity or political persuasion, help balance America’s economic opportunity by supporting Black Owned Businesses (BOB) whenever possible. There are jobs that follow your spending and being that the Black unemployment rates are the highest, spending with BOB creates potential employment opportunities that otherwise do not exist for some Black males. There are several Directories of Black Owned businesses on the web. Google, “Black Owned Business Directory” and you will find a variety of directories.

As we ask your participation in supporting the economic wellness of America via supporting BOB, we will make it easier for you by highlighting businesses in the Inland Empire.

This week we are highlighting a familiar face and place. Most of us can find the time and appetite to patronize McDonalds. Yes you can support BOB by eating at certain McDonalds restaurants! The following list of McDonalds restaurants is owned and managed by Webb Family Enterprises.

Reginald Webb, the founder and patriarch of Webb family Enterprises will be my guest on this Sunday’s “Empire Talks Back” (ETB) radio show. Listen to the program at 10: 00 AM via 1050 AM in San Bernardino/Loma Linda, 102.3 FM in Riverside/Moreno Valley and 106.5 FM in Redlands/Yucaipa.

The program streams live video via www.kcaaradio.com

FONTANA, CA- The Ephesians New Testament Church and the City Of Fontana cordially invites you to participate in the 29th Annual Birthday Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Nobel Peace Prize Winner) and slain Civil-Rights leader. The celebration will encompass two (2) days, January 13th and 14th, 2017

On January 13, 2017 the Annual Worship Service will be hosted by the Mountain View Community Church, 8833 Palmetto Avenue, Fontana, California at 7:30pm. This year’s annual speaker will be the Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr., Sr. Pastor Emeritus of Riverside Church of New York.  A renowned speaker and much sought after lecturer ranked and noted by Newsweek Magazine as one of the top “10’” preachers the country. He has written several books his most recent books “Who’s Gospel”, “The Holy Spirit and Preaching” to name a couple of his works.

Special music guest that evening The Grammy Nominated Los Angeles Gospel Messengers under the direction of Rev. Quincy Fielding Jr. and also the renowned Psalmist, Ms. Betty Griffin Keller. This worship service is free to the community and open to all faiths.

In a tribute to culture, a Jazz Concert will be hosted January 14, 2017 at the Fontana Steelworkers Auditorium 8427 Sierra Avenue, Fontana, California at 7:30pm; featuring the following artist:  

Kirk Whalum, Smooth Jazz Artist and Grammy Award Winner, he  has worked with artists such as Whitney Houston, Willie Norwood, Babyface, Nancy Wilson, Yolanda Adams, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Barbara Streisand, Kirk Franklin, Quincy Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Al Green and Luther Vandross just to name a few. He has also worked on film scores including those for The Prince of Tides, The Bodyguard and Grand Canyon. Kirk Whalum is known for his gospel hit, Falling In Love With Jesus.

Ms. Jeanette Harris and the Jeanette Harris Band, Whom have served as the  opening act for artist such as the late BB King, Kirk Whalum, Grammy Award winner Denise Williams, Eric Marienthal, and Paul Jackson to name a few.

Ticket prices are: You & Me tickets $100, VIP tickets $95, and General Admission tickets $60. Show will begin at 7:30pm. Doors will open at 6:30pm. For ticket information: www.ephesianschurch.com or call the church office (909)823-2310; there are also hotel packages available through the Fontana Hilton Garden Inn.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Sherman Garnett was elected as the new president of the San Bernardino County Board of Education during its meeting on December 5.

Garnett, who was the vice president of the Board, takes over the presidency from Alen Ritchie, who held the position for the past year. In addition, Hardy Brown II was elected vice president of the Board.

Garnett has served on the Board since 2014. He represents Trustee Area B, which includes the districts of Alta Loma, Central, parts of Chaffey Joint Union High, Etiwanda, Mt. Baldy, Ontario-Montclair and Upland.

Brown represents Trustee Area D, which includes the districts of Rialto, San Bernardino and Snowline.

In addition to the reorganization of the Board, members Laura Mancha and Ritchie took the oath of office from County Superintendent Ted Alejandre, after they were elected to new four-year terms in November.

The Board establishes policy, adopts an annual budget, approves building plans and hears

student expulsion, inter-district transfer and charter school appeals. The Board meets monthly, regularly the first Monday of the month.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Settling for “good enough” instead of for God’s best. What’s wrong with you? You got to know that sometimes ‘good enough’ just ain’t good enough.  There are sometimes and some situations when you should demand excellence and perfection. Considering all that God has done for you, in giving you life, creation, salvation, and forgiveness, “good enough” just doesn’t seem appropriate.  God gave you His best: His only begotten Son to die on the cross for you, so why would you settle for “good enough?”  

I tell you the Lord really impressed on me that the main reason we aren’t receiving His best is because we are willing to settle for less. Very few are committed to God’s best. Why? We have been influenced more by the world than by God and because of it Malcolm X said, “We’ve been bamboozled, hoodwinked, led astray.” Accepting far less than what God has provided. Slap yourself! The problem is you ain’t sick and tired of being sick and tired. Because when you sick and tired of being sick and tired you will aggressively pursue God’s best. You will have a holy dissatisfaction with mediocrity so you can experience all that God has for you. But I tell you, if you don’t pursue it, you won’t get it because it doesn’t happen accidentally or automatically. You have to reach a point where you won’t live with anything less than God’s best; an attitude that is missing in the lives of far too many Christians. The bar of expectations, even within the church, has been lowered. There is such a fear that someone might be disappointed and, therefore, condemned that many ministers have been teaching people to settle for less and avoid the disappointment. But I tell you, as Christians we ought to be walking in supernatural healing. We ought to be walking in financial prosperity. But most of us, however, are just as sick and broke as our unsaved neighbors. You will never receive God’s best until you become completely dissatisfied with second best—mediocrity. You may not initially consider it second best; but as time goes by you will begin to realize the blessings you threw away, and you will live with regret and inner turmoil. It has been said the minute you settle for less, you get even less than you settled for. Do not settle for a submission that has exceptions and a consecration that has holes in it.

Know that one of these days, you are going to stand before God. And when you do, you will know all things even as you are known [1 Cor. 13:12]. In an instant, you are going to know what you could have had while on this earth. You will understand that the same power that raised Christ from the dead was resident within you all along [Eph. 1:18-2]). You will discover that you didn’t have to be sick, that you didn’t have to live broke, and that you didn’t have to be depressed and discouraged. You will realize that love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance were living inside you the whole time [Gal. 5:22-23]. What you settling for less for? Good enough ain’t good enough!

NORCO, CA- Several thousand young female soccer players descended on SilverLakes, the newly minted 130-acre soccer facility in Norco, California, for the three day SilverLakes’ College Soccer Showcase, November 25-27, 2016. The young athletes participating in this signature event hoped to seize the rare opportunity to have their athletic prowess assessed by college coaches from around the United States. The annual College Soccer Showcase is focused on welcoming college coaches as well as U.S. Soccer youth national team scouts, to evaluate the skills and abilities of aspiring young female soccer players as they look to earn scholarship offers and invitations to attend U.S. youth National Team camps. More than 2,500 players from more than 140 teams, including some of the top clubs from the Western Region, were on-hand for this unique event.  A highlight of the showcase was an All Star Game between the Canadian Whitecaps and USA All Stars.

“We are incredibly excited to host this first-of-its-kind showcase event for young women at SilverLakes. The participation by high-level coaches throughout the country, including among others, Stanford, Texas A&M, Cornell, North Western, UCLA, Cal Berkeley and the thousands of young women was incredible to see. It is often difficult for youth players looking to take their game to the next level to gain access to key coaches who will enable them to fully realize their abilities and play at the collegiate level. Our first annual College Soccer Showcase has already succeeded in providing this access and it is our hope that this experience will be a ‘game changer’ for these young people,” said R.J. Brandes, President, SilverLakes.

As SilverLakes continues to build a full offering of programs and events to fulfill its mission to empower young athletes to reach their full plans to add an event for men’s soccer in the near future.  The competition for more than $2.7 billion in athletics scholarships granted annually by the NCAA Divisions I and II schools is extremely competitive and often comes down to demonstrating an athlete’s skill to a select few, and hard to access, coaches and recruiters. SilverLakes hopes to tear down the barriers for student athletes by convening showcase events, such as the November 25-27, 2016 opportunity.