Local

New Vaccination Sites Will Provide Equitable Access to Latinx, Black and Other Communities Disproportionately Affected by Pandemic

Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC) has opened two new COVID-19 vaccination sites, in their San Bernardino and Victorville health centers, dedicated to eliminating barriers to vaccine access for Latinx and other diverse communities. PPOSBC’s patient population in San Bernardino — 81% of whom identify as Black, Latinx and people of color — have been disproportionately affected by both the virus and the pandemic’s economic fallout. PPOSBC has capacity to vaccinate up to 180 community members a week at the centers and offers both weekday and weekend appointments. The new vaccination sites are dedicated to making it as easy as possible to schedule an appointment, as well as providing accurate information and answering any questions a patient might have about the vaccine.

“At Planned Parenthood, we understand the only way to end this deadly pandemic is with COVID-19 vaccines, and we are proud to be part of the solution by offering these safe, effective vaccines to the communities we serve,” said Dr. Janet Jacobson, medical director of Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties. “We are dedicated to being a trusted health care provider and that includes helping those facing inequitable access to comprehensive medical care and resources. We trust the vaccines to help make our future stronger and having them readily available at our health centers is key to increasing confidence that the best thing to do to keep you and the ones your loved ones safe is to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.”

As the vaccine rollout accelerates across the country, and officials focus on ensuring the hardest-hit communities get access to shots, PPOSBC has launched an educational campaign including social media and digital ads to help build public confidence around the vaccines in these areas with a special emphasis on vaccinations in the Latinx community. Both health centers offering COVID-19 vaccines are located in zip codes that have been heavily impacted by the coronavirus. PPOSBC staff accurately reflect the populations in the communities they serve, and most of the support staff working at both sites are official translators and can provide care in multiple languages.

The organization will be offering the Moderna vaccine and will be a part of BlueShield’s “MyTurn” web appointment system. Anyone who is eligible (currently, any Californian aged 18 and up) can choose to get vaccinated at a PPOSBC location through the MyTurn scheduling system. The vaccine is free and available to all eligible people, regardless of citizenship status. Insurance is accepted, but not required.

Vaccination Sites

PPOSBC’s vaccination sites are located at:

  San Bernardino Health Center

1873 S. Commercenter Dr. W., San Bernardino, Calif. 92408

Vaccines offered on Thursday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Please check the MyTurn website for most up-to-date information. Vaccination walk-ins are currently being accepted on the days and times above only, but advance appointments are encouraged.

Victorville Health Center

15403 Park Ave. E., Victorville, Calif. 92392

Vaccines offered on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Please check the MyTurn website for most up-to-date information. Vaccination walk-ins are currently being accepted on the day and time above only, but advance appointments are encouraged.

To Make an Appointment

?      Visit www.MyTurn.CA.gov or call (833) 422-4255

?      Register and check your eligibility on the website

?      Enter your address or zip code after confirming eligibility

?      Scroll down to look for a Planned Parenthood location. In addition to the new locations in San Bernardino and Victorville, vaccines are also available in Orange County at Planned Parenthood’s Anaheim location, located at 801 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, Calif. 92805

?      Appointment slots are limited, so if you don’t see one of the Planned Parenthood locations, it means the appointments are full for that day. But you can check back later. 

Helping Hesitant Family and Friends 

For those with family or friends who are hesitant or have questions about the vaccine, Dr. Jacobson offers three helpful tips for handling conversations about why they should get their shots: 

1. Listen to their concerns with empathy. “These vaccines, while remarkably effective, are still very new. It’s natural for people to have questions about them. The sheer amount of information—and misinformation—about COVID-19 vaccines out there can be overwhelming for anyone. That’s why it’s so important to listen without judgement when a family member or friend expresses fear about getting vaccinated and identify the root of their apprehension.

“Acknowledge their emotions so they know they have been heard. For example, you can say something like, ‘It sounds like you’re stressed both at work and at home, and concerns about the vaccine are another source of stress. That’s really tough.'” 

1. Ask open-ended questions to explore those concerns. “Open-ended questions are meant to get more than a “yes” or “no” response. Asking open-ended questions can help you understand what a person is worried about, where they learned any troubling information, and what they have done to get answers to their questions. For example, you can ask, “How did watching that news report make you feel? What did you do next?” 

“As difficult as it may be when you are passionate about making sure everyone is vaccinated, do not be judgmental. Respectfully ask open-ended questions that help you understand their fears, and avoid saying things like, ‘That’s silly to think that,’ or ‘why would you be worried about that?'”

1. Once you understand their concern, ask their permission to share information with them. “Once you feel you understand where they are coming from, even if you do not agree, ask if you can provide some information. Tell them where you get information you trust and be careful not to push information on them. You can find answers to common questions they may have from reputable sources, including the CDC, San Bernardino County of Public Health, or other trusted sources such as the person’s doctor, nurse or pharmacist. 

“Sometimes, simply sharing quick, accurate answers to common concerns your friends or family members can go a long way toward moving someone from worry to confidence to empowerment. If you don’t know the answers to their questions, offer to help them look for information. Remember that the overwhelming data regarding the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines may not be enough to change someone’s mind about getting vaccinated right away. It may take a while for the idea to grow so be patient and kind.” 

“We are always here for every patient who walks through our doors, helping them make informed decisions about their health,” said Dr. Jacobson. “We will never let up on our commitment to giving everyone who uses our services high quality essential care, the most up-to-date information and the resources available to help them live the life they envision for themselves.” 

To book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment, please visit www.MyTurn.CA.gov or call (833) 422-4255. 

For more information about Planned Parenthood’s COVID-19 vaccination sites, and for answers to frequently asked questions, please visit: www.pposbc.org

RIVERSIDE, CA— Join host Makeda Kumasi for a free three-week Saturday Zoom Class series in West African Drum and Dance as we engage in strength, wellness and community support that is the Doundounba. The festival will be held on May 15 to May 29 from 12: 30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• Film Festival
• Community Forum
• Classes in West African Drum and Dance

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

SCHEDULE

May 15, 2021

Film Festival and Community Forum: Documentary Films by Makeda Kumasi and Imani Maat -Discussion w/ Master Dancer, Moustpha Bangoura and Dunham Scholar, Janice Blunt  -Introduction to West African Dance and the Doundounba w/ Moustapha Bangura & Company, direct from Guinea, West Africa

May 22, 2021

Introduction to West African Drums w/ Master Drummer, Bara M’Boup and Will Gordon

May 29, 2021

Master Dance Class w/ Master Dancer, Mouminatou Camara
*Classes will begin with Kemetic Yoga and conditioning lead by Makeda Kumasi

Contract award moves forward with replacement of another important bridge connecting San Bernardino communities

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— During its regular meeting on April 21, 2021, the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino awarded a construction contract for replacement of the 2nd Street Bridge over Warm Creek between Arrowhead Avenue and Mountain View Avenue.

In early 2020, the bridge was inspected by the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) Structures Inspection Division. On March 17, 2020, the 2nd Street Bridge was closed to vehicular traffic due to the findings of the advanced state of its structural deficiencies.

In anticipation of initiating construction, the 2nd Street Bridge Replacement Project funding was included in the City’s FY 2020/21 Capital Improvement Plan. Further, the project has been approved by Caltrans for Advanced Construction status, which allows the City to fund the construction work and seek reimbursement from Caltrans.

On April 21, 2021, the Mayor and City Council awarded a construction contract in the amount of $2,604,290 to Ortiz Enterprises, Inc. for construction of the 2nd Street Bridge Replacement and $404,107 in construction contingency, engineering and inspections.  “We are thankful to be moving forward with replacement of important infrastructure in our City. Improving our community streets for those who live, work and visit our City is our #1 priority” said Mayor John Valdivia.

“We understand the importance of improvements to our dilapidated structures. We are honored to be able to move forward with this significant project, in addition to the replacement of the Mount Vernon Bridge” said City Manager Robert Field.

The bridge should reopen to traffic in late 2023.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- On Friday April 30th, 2021, student leaders with Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC) and Inland Empire Prism Collective (IEPC) will host a youth-led conversation with San Bernardino Unified School District board members around access to mental health resources on their school campuses. The meeting starts at 5 p.m. via Zoom at: https://bit.ly/3mUluhK.

Now more than ever, students need support for their mental health needs. Covid 19 has proven to increase anxiety and depression in adults and children due to the mandatory social distancing, stay at home orders, and home circumstances youth have no control over. Youth leaders have been vocal advocates for properly equipped mental wellness centers to aid students in need within SBCUSD. Prior to Covid 19, students have been pressuring district leadership to allocate more funding to mental health resources because of the fear of mass shootings at schools across the nation. Over the past year, youth have also experienced trauma at large rates. From Covid 19 to police brutality, it is evident that students need these resources available to them to effectively handle the emotional impacts that these crises have had on them.

Many students within SBCUSD come from low income and marginalized backgrounds where access to mental health resources is often beyond their reach. By pushing forth this conversation, youth leaders are continuing to pave the way for the implementation of mental wellness centers by holding school board members accountable to allocating money towards the creation of these programs on all high school campuses and continuation schools within the district.

“As youth, we experience many forms of oppression that directly affect our mental health. Having mental wellness resources, such as therapists, available to us at our schools is a necessity for many of us that needs to be implemented as soon as possible.” – Scarlett Juarez, ICUC and IEPC Youth Leader

By Carl Dameron

Being accepted by just one major university is a life-changing event for many high school students.  Monique Vobecky is in a very different position.

Monique Vobecky a 17-year-old senior at Glendora High School, recently received her 18th acceptance letter, this one from another Ivy League University.  Many of the universities offered her full scholarships.

“This completed 18-for-18 high profile universities that accepted her as a freshman for the 2021 school year,” said her mother, Bianca Vobecky.

Monique is an excellent student with a 4.67 grade-point average, as well as an athlete and philanthropist.

“This is unreal!” said Monique, who is 17.  “I cannot believe all the letters said, ‘accepted.’”

Monique plans to make the most of this fantastic opportunity.

“I want the world to see that Black Girls are capable of amazing things.  We must be recognized and accepted for who we are and the talents, skills and passion we bring to the world…no matter how different we are… doctor, scientist, artist, musicians, or even a young poet like Amanda Gorman!”

How did Monique become such a sought-after student?

“She earned it,” said her father, Pete Vobecky.

Monique fell in love with sports and started playing soccer at an early age.  She’s been a captain on the Glendora High soccer team where she excelled as the 2017-18 “Defensive player of the year,” and she was selected MVP of the Soccer team for the 2019-2020 school year.

In 2018, Monique, then 14, created the Little Sunshine Foundation.  Her start-up was selected by the Glendora Chamber of Commerce as the ‘Nonprofit of the Year’ in 2019.

The Little Sunshine Foundation’s mission is to provide underserved youths with the necessary resources to improve their quality of life through tutoring, increased access to sporting gear, civic engagement and leadership.

Monique said she started the foundation because she believes “that every child deserves a little sunshine!”

Her parents said Monique gets to decide which university she’ll attend since she is the one who put in all the work.  Although Obama did go to Harvard, one noted.

“We don’t know all the reasons why all the universities accepted her.  What we know is that my daughter, a Black teenager from Glendora, California, put in the work to excel academically and take time to shine light in the lives of so many others,” said her mother, Bianca.

Her father, Pete, said, “Maybe it is time for Monique to be given an opportunity to have the light shine brightly on her for a while.”

Monique said she wants to major in medicine and become a doctor “to heal people and help them lead longer, happier lives.”

Pressed to name the lucky university she’s chosen, Monique said she doesn’t know yet.  She said she’ll let friends, family and the universities know when she decides.

The universities accepting Monique include:

1. Harvard University
2. Stanford University
3. UC Berkeley
4. UCLA
5. Cornell
6. Yale University
7. Princeton University
8. Cornell University
9. Duke University
10. Johns Hopkins University
11. University of Southern California
12. Northwestern University
13. Brown University
14. UC San Diego
15. UC Santa Barbara
16. UC Irvine
17. Cal Poly SLO
18. Cal State Long Beach

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Dameron Communications has been retained by the RDCIO partnership of Renaissance Downtowns USA and ICO Real Estate Group to serve as the public relations firm for the development and reuse of The City of San Bernardino’s 48.2-acre Carousel District site in the heart of downtown San Bernardino. 

The development is expected to serve as a catalyst for Downtown San Bernardino by building upon the pre-existing foot traffic brought in by the Regal Cinema and California Theatre.  

“We are very excited to work on this epic project.  This bold development will launch San Bernardino into a prosperous 21st century,” said Carl Dameron, principal of the 30-year-old San Bernardino agency, Dameron Communications. 

“The plan includes housing for all and business opportunities for all,” said Don Monti, Renaissance Downtowns President and CEO.  

On March 3, 2021, the San Bernardino City Council selected RDICO to redevelop the Carousel Mall. The RCICO plan is the best way to launch San Bernardino’s short term, mid-term and long-term growth, said Dameron.

For more information on RDICO and San Bernardino’s new Downtown Development, go to www.SanBernardinoDowntown.com.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday appointed interim Public Defender Thomas Sone to serve as the county’s new Public Defender.

“We are very fortunate to have someone with Tom’s credentials, experience, and dedication on our team,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman.

Sone has served as interim Public Defender since December and previously served as Assistant Public Defender. He joined the Public Defender’s Office in 2001 after briefly working for a private law firm in Los Angeles. Sone began with the County as a Deputy Public Defender I and worked his way up to the position of Lead Deputy Public Defender V before being named Chief Deputy Public Defender in 2013 and Assistant Public Defender in 2018.

Along the way, Sone litigated serious and complex felony cases, trained and mentored newer attorneys, assigned cases, participated in community programs, and collaborated with various agencies to develop programs that better deliver services to our community.

“The Public Defender’s Office and this county hold a very special place in my heart,” Sone said. “For the past 20 years within the department, I’ve grown not just professionally but also as a person. Both the leadership of this department as well as this county have shaped who I’ve become. I am humbled and honored by the appointment.”

Sone is the county’s first Asian American and Pacific Islander Public Defender. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego, School of Law and holds two Bachelor’s degrees from Washington State University. He is also a graduate of the San Bernardino County Management and Leadership Academy.

The Public Defender provides legal representation to criminal or civil commitment defendants who cannot afford to hire an attorney. The office represents adults and juveniles charged with misdemeanor or felony crimes, and persons facing involuntary civil commitment for mental disorders or commitment under the Sexually Violent Predator statute.

In addition to attorneys, the San Bernardino County Public Defender employs investigators to fully investigate cases handled by the department. The Department also has a staff of social workers and support staff to provide the best representation for clients.

Using a holistic approach, the Public Defender seeks to increase client opportunities for achieving self-sufficiency. In addition to providing legal defense, the office also seeks to arrange client access to social service programs and assistance with receiving alcohol and drug rehabilitation services and counseling for mental health issues.

The San Bernardino City Unified School District’s (SBCUSD) Positive Youth Development department is organizing another Operation Student Recovery (OSR) on Tuesday, April 27, 2021, 9 a.m. to noon, the third operation of the 2020–2021 school year.

OSR takes a proactive approach to reversing attendance issues, with administrators personally visiting the homes of truant students to invite them back to school and offer assistance in overcoming whatever barriers are preventing good attendance.

Past events have helped students, and their families, address the problems that prevented good school attendance. During the February 23 OSR 1000 event, more than 165 volunteers wearing personal protective equipment assisted 102 homeless students, 14 foster youth, 234 English learners, and 360 African-American students. A total of 40 students received immediate technical assistance. Other students received medical and mental health referrals, and some families received food assistance.

For more information about the April 27 OSR event or past OSR efforts, contact Positive Youth Development at (909) 880-6812.

Kit Enters Digital Age with Online Version of Resource-Packed California Parent Guide

SACRAMENTO, CA—- In 2001, First 5 California debuted its informative and resource-packed Kit for New Parents to millions of families and caregivers throughout the state. However, many parents of young children, especially families from under-resourced neighborhoods, are not aware of this free and valuable tool.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents of children under the age of 5 who face barriers of literacy, poverty    or disability experience difficulty accessing valuable information and resources that are essential during this time,” said First 5 California Executive Director Camille Maben. “The Kit for New Parents fills that gap by delivering essential parenting resources right to their doors.”

The Kit contains everything from practical advice and parenting tips to child development and finding childcare information. It also includes information about health and safety best practices during the current global pandemic. The Kit’s contents include:

• California Parent Guide
• What to Do When Your Child Gets Sick book
• Numbers Touch and Feel children’s board book
• California Poison Control brochure and magnet
• Colorful, reusable First 5 California “Talk. Read. Sing.” tote bag

First 5 California developed the Kit as an innovative evidence-based approach to reach new families with information about parenting practices and community resources. Over the years, it has evolved with technology and the needs of parents and is continuously updated to include information relevant to today’s families and childcare providers. For example, the California Parent Guide is now available online at parentguide.first5california.com for parents to access with their smartphones and mobile devices.

Parents and organizations can receive the physical Kit by visiting First 5 California’s ordering page at https://apps.ccfc.ca.gov/First5ParentingKits or by contacting their local First 5 county commission.

To date, First 5 California has distributed more than 5 million Kits for New Parents, including approximately 145,000 in 2020. To learn more about First 5 California, visit ccfc.ca.gov.

The garden will support healthy eating, active living

ONTARIO, CA— On Saturday, April 17, the Carmel Connections Foundation (CCF) and the City of Ontario hosted a ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the Seeds of Joy Community Garden. The benefits and positive impacts that come from gardening inspired the name “Seeds of Joy” – meaningful to describe the garden itself, as well as those who will be tending to everything, and everyone, that will grow here.

Phase 1 is complete, and it is because of the efforts of all of the community. A special thank you to Hap Kellogg and Kellogg Gardening Products for helping the foundation to tend their garden by donating Kellogg Organic Products to Seeds of Joy.

Caramel Connections Foundation would like to thank all of our volunteers, sponsors, and community partners that have made great strides to bring the Seeds of Joy Community Garden to this point. Partners include San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chair Curt Hagman, West Side News, United Way of the Inland Empire, American Beverage Association, First 5 San Bernardino and the Inland Empire Health Plan. Additional supporters include UC Cooperative Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP), Master Gardener Program (MFP), and Master Food Preserver Program (MFP).

CCF was established in 2016 to empower families in the Inland Empire to access healthier food and lifestyle choices. Through educational and enrichment programs for children and adults, CCF offers low-income families opportunities to grow, cook and eat healthy food and participate in fitness activities that address the high rates of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure that are prevalent in the community.

The Seeds of Joy Community Garden is located at 1240 W. 4^th Street in Ontario, California.

• 

• 

• 

• 

•