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RIVERSIDE, CA- If you’re a woman who wants to start a business, or if you know a woman longing to be an entrepreneur, you can start to make those dreams a reality. Applications are now being accepted for an intensive program of education, business planning, and business counseling for women who want to start their own businesses.

The program is offered by the Inland Empire Women’s Business Center, a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and sponsored by Citibank.

“It’s Your Time: Entrepreneurial Training Series for Women,” offers women education, business counseling, and individual support to help them develop a workable business idea. Participants selected for the program must attend a minimum of 12 workshops, work individually with a business counselor for at least two hours, and write a business plan. The cost to participate is based on income, and ranges from a minimum of $25 to a maximum of $130 for all program services. The program is open to women living in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Three graduating participants will be selected to receive an award to help launch their new ventures.

“We know there are women in the Inland Empire who have great business ideas,” said IEWBC director Nicole Kinney. “This program will help them evaluate those ideas and learn how to turn them into a viable business through education, focus, and accountability.  Business counselors and mentors help participants focus on the essential elements of business planning and offer real-world experience to guide them through the start-up process.”

Applications for “It’s Your Time” are available at the IEWBC website at www.iewbc.org, and must be completed and submitted by Friday, July 22, 2016 at 5 p.m. Late applications will not be accepted. Program orientation for qualified participants will be held on August 15. Participants will have until early December to complete the program requirements.

The Inland Empire Women’s Business Center, 3780 Market St. in Riverside, is a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino.  Housed in the College of Business and Public Administration, IECE, which administers the program in collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration, is inland Southern California’s leading organization dedicated to supporting and promoting entrepreneurship. The IEWBC provides business counseling, training and mentoring designed for women business owners.

The Inland Empire Women’s Business Center hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment only. For more information, visit the IEWBC website at www.iewbc.org or contact Nicole Kinney at (909) 890-1242.

Set in the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, CSUSB is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in inland Southern California. CSUSB serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually. CSUSB is listed among the best colleges and universities in the western United States, according to The Princeton Review, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report and Money Magazine.

For more information on Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.

 LOS ANGELES, CA – In observance of Independence Day, Metrolink will not operate service on Monday, July 4, with the exception of two round-trip trains on the Antelope Valley Line between Lancaster and Los Angeles Union Station.

Antelope Valley Line train 262 will depart Lancaster at 8:55 a.m. and arrive in Los Angeles at 11 a.m., while Antelope Valley Line train 268 will depart Lancaster at 2:25 p.m. and arrive in Los Angeles at 4:30 p.m.

Making the return to trip to the Antelope Valley will be train 263 departing Los Angeles Union Station at 11:40 a.m., while train 269 will depart LAUS at 5:25 p.m. The trains will reach Lancaster at 1:50 p.m. and 7:25 p.m.

The four trains will make stops at all 11 stations along the Antelope Valley Line. Regular service will operate system-wide on Saturday and Sunday, July 2 to July 33, and resume on Tuesday, July 5.

July 1 is an important date for students and families: it’s when most changes to federal student aid – both loans and grants – go into effect. For the year starting July 1, 2016, new federal loans for undergraduates, graduate students, and parents will have lower fixed interest rates than loans taken out the year before, and the maximum Pell Grant will be higher. To help inform college borrowing decisions, there is a new easy-to-read chart with 2016-17 interest rates, loan amounts, and other useful information for the most common types of federal loans.

The coming changes include:

• On July 1, the maximum Pell Grant will be adjusted for inflation to $5,815, up from $5,775. Pell Grants help nearly eight million lower income students pay for college and limit how much they need to borrow.
• The new maximum grant for will cover less than 30% of the cost of attending a public four-year college, the smallest share in over 40 years. And under current law, the maximum Pell Grant will no longer be tied to inflation after 2017-18.
• On July 1, the fixed rates for new federal loans will be lower than the rates for loans issued last year.

• Stafford loans for undergraduates, subsidized and unsubsidized: 3.76% for loans issued in 2016-17 (down from 4.29% for loans issued in 2015-16).
• Stafford loans for graduate students: 5.31% for loans issued in 2016-17 (down from 5.84% for loans issued in 2015-16).
• Parent and Graduate PLUS loans: 6.31% for loans issued in 2016-17 (down from 6.84% for loans issued in 2015-16).
• On October 1, origination fees will increase slightly for new federal loans.
• For loans issued October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017, fees will be 1.069% of principal for all Stafford loans (up from 1.068%), and 4.276% for all PLUS loans (up from 4.272%).

For more information about federal student loans for the coming school year, see the summary chart, Federal Student Loan Terms for 2016-17 below:

This chart summarizes the interest rates, loan limits, and other terms for federal student loans issued from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.

Basic Eligibility Requirements

Stafford Loans

PLUS Loans

How Interest Rates are Determined

During Repayment

By Lue Dowdy

Aspiring Rap Artists, Sirr Jones is WHAT IT DO WITH THE LUE! OMG! So I met this dude via Facebook and it was all over from there.

The versatile Sirr Jones’ passion for all forms of music created his belief that, “Music is the soul of man.”  He practices this belief through his conglomeration of catchy and insightful tunes and at times hilarious freestyles. Hailing from California’s Inland Empire it was 2007 in the Tucson Desert where Sirr’s epic crusade began with small town hits such as “Light it Up.”

During his time in Tucson his stage presence and freestyle earned him the moniker “Sirr,” meaning all would have to address him with respect. Jones true strength is his ability to change with the mercurial world of Hip Hop and R&B, while maintaining his own distinct style. His high energy changeups and freestyles has also gotten the attention of many reputable artists, such as Lil Wayne, Kurupt, and Bone Thugs and Harmony, who invited Jones to be a part of different shows and acts. Sirr Jones’ passion and versatility only grows as he crusades to drop hits.

Not only does this talented recording artist make magic in the studio, he also has his own clothing line titled, “Multiple hustles,” because as we all know you gotta’ have multiple hustles these days in order to make it. Make sure to follow Sirr Jones on all media sites. Until next week folks, L’z!

VICTORVILLE, CA – Earlier this month on June 16, recording artist and community raptivist Justified (JM) and Men of Faith in Action (MOFIA) brought a blessing to the high desert once again. Prior to JM’s Event “Compton In The House Concert” starring Legendary Rap Group 2^ND II NONE and Leader of the new wave, AV LMKR, Justified and his rap friends distributed free diapers to families in Victorville. With the help of Terry Boykins of Street Positive and Community Action Partnership (CAP), over 300 packs of diapers were given away to young families with new born babies.

This awesome event was used as a fundraiser for Men of Faith in Action’s Annual Heal the Ville Event, where Justified and his MOFIA bring blessings to the community with a huge diaper give away, along with other resources and supplies to benefit the less fortunate.

On August 13, Men of Faith in Action, will be going all out and doing it again for the High Desert. Partnering with Who’s Next Barbershop, MOFIA will be hosting a free community event in the parking lot of the Barber Shop located at 15770 Mojave Drive in Victorville (Suite J), and they will also be giving away back to school supplies, along with diapers and other necessities that will leave a multitude of families blessed, accompanied by a free concert from Justified and a special Celebrity Guest.

Justified is very passionate about fatherhood, being that he is a single father raising two young girls after losing his wife and their mother to a vicious battle with cancer. Justified is currently involved with the National Daughters Lives Matter campaign and has devoted his time to being a light in the dark and extending a helping hand to others in need in the midst of his own trials and tribulations.

Join your faith with Justified and Men of Faith in Action by partnering via a donation and helping them draw nearer to the ultimate goal of Healing the Ville. Visit Gofundme.com/healtheville and join the MOFIA as they strive to HEAL THE VILLE!

By Naomi K. Bonman

The Tea Rose Garden in Pasadena, California was filled with such positive energy of women, young and seasoned, uplifting one another and supporting each other on their journey to greatness at the 3rd Annual Phenomenal Women Tea presented by LyLuLs Mentoring.

LyLuLs Mentoring, which stands for ‘Love Yourself Like You Love Shoes,’ was founded by Charmel Sanders has a mentoring group dedicated to the empowerment of young women ages 14 to 18. LyLuLs was launched two years ago as an event to provide young women with a safe shopping environment at Sanders’ shoe boutique called, “The Shoe Lounge.”

“As the event grew, I added guest speakers and partnered with the Art Institute of Riverside Fashion Club to provide the girls with life skills and self-esteem tools for success,” Sanders stated. “My Motto is, ‘Stepping up to help others Step out into Success.”

Saturday’s tea was MC’ed by Matumaini “Matu” Taylor who did an excellent job of keeping the afternoon flowing as she introduced each guest speaker and activity of the day. The guest speaker of this year’s event was Danielle Holloway. Holloway poured motivation and knowledge to the graduating seniors on how to succeed on the next step in their journey.

Spelman graduate, Sabra Marie, also gave the girls inspiring words through a spoken word piece that she wrote about the journey that we go through in life as girls coming up to womanhood. In keeping the creative energy flowing, the Epifani Dancers gave a dance tribute to the tunes of “I Rise Up” and Jimmy Soul Smooth serenaded to the young ladies with a neo-soul piece to show them how they are appreciated and to always know their worth. That wasn’t the only singing though, Jackie Coco-Ford did an inspiring acapella piece for the girls.

The afternoon ended with a raffle and an award ceremony for the mentors and mentees who have assisted in making LyLuLs Mentoring a success, and those who have shown great community service. Mentors of LyLuLs presented Sanders with flowers for her dedicated work to the community and said a prayer over her vision for the organization as it continues to move forward.

Again, congratulations to the graduates, Destinie Wortham, Taylor Evans and Christine Jackson.

Blacks in the United States continue to lag far behind whites in key areas of economic well-being like wealth, income and homeownership, a new report from the Pew Research Center finds. While these trends have been consistent for decades, what’s particularly notable is that these disparities between blacks and whites persist regardless of the level of education they attain, said Juliana Horowitz, an associate director of research at Pew. “Even when we only look at people with bachelor’s degrees, we still see these gaps,” Horowitz said. Take income. In 2014, the median household income for whites was $71,300 compared to $43,300 for blacks. But for college-educated whites, the median household income was $106,600, significantly higher than the $82,300 for households headed by college-educated blacks.

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Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Our age is characterized by pathetic preachers and pitiful churches. Christ Himself gave this evaluation of the Laodicea church: “Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, blind, and naked.” [Revelation 3:15-17]. The Head of the church [Jesus] was nauseated and said, “You make me sick!” You are a spectacle in the pulpit and a dis­grace in the community and need to be exposed for what you are. This was a church filled with self-deceived hypocrites. As a result of their ambivalence to spiritual things, Jesus would have nothing to do with them. He would “spit them out.” How did they get this way? [Jeremiah 14:3] says, “They came to the pits [cisterns], and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty.” The weeping prophet, Jeremiah, lamented, “They are not valiant for the truth… they know not me” [9:3].

Listen, you can’t put live chickens under a dead hen. There are too many preachers standing behind a sacred podium who have never been born again. They are spiritually dead. Their messages and manner of living reveal their inner condi­tion. Christ warned, “By their fruits ye shall know them” [Matt. 7:20]. Paul admonished, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things” [I Cor. 2:15]. Don’t hate the messenger! I just deliver the mail….You cannot have the life of the kingdom of God until you have entered the kingdom of God. What you need is a conversion experience like that of Saul of Tarsus. You need a trip to Calvary. Let’s face it! Nehemiah was frank when he declared, “And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him” [6:12]. Preaching is a calling. It is not enough to like to preach or merely feel that one ought to preach. There must be a holy compulsion that says, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” The spiritual plight of many ministers is found in the parable of the persistent friend [Luke 11:6]: “And I have nothing to set before him.” Job complained, “Miserable comforters are ye all” [6:2]. The Apostle Paul warned, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradi­tion of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” [CoI. 2:3]. Don’t get stuck on stupid! The religious world is full of un­sent preachers. “Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?” [2Sam.18-22]

I tell you, there are a lot of windbags in the pulpit. Isaiah expressed the same opin­ion: “We have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth” [26:18]. Jeremiah deplored, “And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them” [5:13]. The writer of Proverbs states, “Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain” [25:14]. Job declares, [13:4] “But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.”  Shall I remind you that the Laodicea church is head­ed for judgment? “God says in [Jeremiah 12:10] you have destroyed my vineyard.” The Head of the Church, Jesus Himself, is nauseated with a flabby, flaccid, halfhearted church. It is dope ad­diction of the spirit, alcoholism of the heart, cancer of the soul, and blindness of the mind and pover­ty of vision from which the peo­ple perish.

How did you get this way? The Prophet Haggai put it thus, “Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came too little” (1:9). Isaiah gives the reason: “This day is a day of trouble, and of re­buke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth” (37:3). I tell you, the early church turned the world upside down. Today the world is turning our churches up­side down! Almost a generation ago A. W.Tozer wrote: “The preaching that once an­gered the atheists and brought them charging out against God and the Bible has pretty much disappeared. Hellfire, miracles, and the necessity that men please Almighty God are no longer a serious part of current Christian teaching. Christianity has been watered down until it is little more than “cheer-’em-up stuff.” We are so afraid of being nar­row that we have opened the doors to worldliness. Christ would share the grief of Jeremiah who grieved, “Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets” (23:9). So many preachers these days are talking but not saying any­thing. The tragedy of today’s preaching is that most preachers give the people what they want to hear, not what God’s Word declares. Woe unto you!

So what can be done for pathetic preachers and pitiful churches you may ask? Consider the Potent Cure; “Begin at My Sanctuary,” says the Lord [Ezek. 9:6]. “Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord,” declared Prophet Isaiah [52:11)]. “Carry forth the filthiness out of the Holy place” [II Chron. 29:5].

Listen, Christ said, “He would spew the Laodicea church out of His mouth.”  “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God…” “The hour is late. The invitation is open by the Savior Himself: Repent! “Behold, I stand at the door~ and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door~ I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me,” [Rev. 3:20]. Don’t wait too late! The clock is ticking… Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock!

By Ronda Racha Penrice, Urban News Service

The roots of soul food run deep.

Mary McCallum-Stewart isn’t as well-known as Sylvia Woods, purveyor of Harlem’s legendary eatery, Sylvia’s Restaurant. But McCallum-Stewart also built a soul food legacy.  The Jackson, Mississippi native launched her own soul food empire in 1969.  Los Angeles’ M&M Soul Food Restaurant was inspired by her nickname, “Mississippi Mary.”

Although McCallum-Stewart passed away in 1998, her contribution thrives through various restaurants that bear some form of her name. They reach from southern California to Las Vegas, where her younger brother Ventress McCallum expanded the business. Her daughters Nicole Shaw and Debra Ratliff run Mary Stewart’s Southern Soul Food in the city of Rialto in the L.A. metro area.

“We had to learn by our mom showing us,” Shaw says of their culinary inheritance. “It’s not like us cooking by watching Food Network, by measurement. You can’t cook by measurement . . . We had to learn by our mom showing us, ‘This is what you do,’ and you cook by taste.”

Oxtails — cow tails, actually — are their most popular dish, along with greens, mac and cheese, yams, and red beans and rice.

For most, the term “soul food” harkens back to the 1960s’ civil rights and black power movements. But the term has a longer history, says Adrian E. Miller, the Denver-based author of Soul Food: The Surprising Story of An American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time. Shakespeare employed the expression in his first play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona. During early American history, black Americans used “soul food” in a religious context for centuries. Black jazz musicians created a style of play in the 1940s known as “soul food” that white musicians couldn’t easily duplicate. Soul food became most popular, though, during the 1960s.

“What happens in the ’60s is that ‘soul food’ as a term gets racialized and radicalized,” says Miller, also known as “the Soul Food Scholar.” “The Black Power advocates were trying to figure out, ‘How do we connect the very diverse African-American communities around the country?’ because what was happening in the rural South resonated with people to some extent, but what was going on in the urban North and out west was different. So they decided that culture was one of the best ways to connect people, and food was the great connector.

“[Also,] the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, by this time in the mid-’60s, had expelled all the white members. A manifesto of theirs was leaked to The New York Times, and that manifesto said that white people can’t understand things like ham hocks, brains, pig’s feet, which was news to white Southerners because they’d been eating the same foods for 200 years.

“So, at that point, in that decade, ‘soul’ becomes ‘black,’ and ‘Southern’ becomes ‘white,’ and we’re still living with the legacy of that today. So much so that African-American contributions to Southern cuisine have been obscured,” Miller says.

National Soul Food Month, observed in June, is in its 15^th year, says Charla Draper, a former food editor for both Ebony and Southern Living magazines. She now provides food consulting and public relations through her company, It’s Food Biz.

“National Soul Food Month grew out of a conference that was hosted in Chicago by one of the organizations I belong to, the Culinary Historians of Chicago,” Draper says. “The conference occurred in 2000 and 2001. The conference was called Grits and Greens and, in the second year of the conference, we created the National Soul Food Month identity, just really to help spread the word.”

Today some may view soul food as the unhealthy cuisine that black Southerners carried over from slavery. But the “unhealthy” assessment, Miller says, is untrue. “When you look at what people were eating, it’s actually closer to what we call ‘vegan’ today because there wasn’t a lot of meat,” he says. “[Meat] didn’t anchor the meal the way it does now.”

Food pioneer Edna Lewis — whose grandparents were enslaved — recalled in her revered 1976 cookbook, The Taste of Country Cooking, fried chicken was “a very special dish … produced only once a year in late spring through early summer” in her native Freetown, Virginia. Today, fried chicken is widely considered a soul food staple.

One main soul food feature never changes, however. “We just cook from the heart,” says Nicole Shaw. “We just cook from the foundation of what we were brought from.”

Minister Keith Pringle

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Ephesians New Testament Church is hosting a FREE Concert featuring Minister Keith Pringle along with Special Guest: The Pentecostal Community Choir. The concert will be held on Sunday, June 26 at 5 p.m. at the church’s new location, Mountain View Community Church, 8833 Palmetto Avenue, in Fontana.  For additional information, contact the church office at (909) 823-2310 or visit www.ephesianschurch.com.