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Riverside County health officials are encouraging young people to get tested for coronavirus because it is believed the group has been underrepresented in testing so far.

More than 71,000 people have been tested in Riverside County – at county- and state-run testing sites, clinics, hospitals and private facilities – and health officials say it is important that all segments of the population get tested to help determine the spread of coronavirus in the community. While adults have been well represented in testing, officials said they would like more of those 25 and younger to get screened.

According to census data, those 18 and under make up about 25 percent of Riverside County’s population, but that group has made up only 6.6 percent of the testing appointments at the county’s coronavirus testing sites.

“We would like to get a more complete picture of the illness as it has spread among young people,” said Kim Saruwatari, director of public health for Riverside County. “This will helps us better understand who in the community has the disease and how it might be moving among children and families.”

The county currently operates four drive up testing sites – Indio, Perris, Riverside and Lake Elsinore – and those who want to be screened do not have to have symptoms, although they do need an appointment. Parent permission is required for testing of minors. For an appointment, call 800-945-6171.

Appointments are also required at the eight state-operated walk-up testing sites spread throughout the county. To make an appointment at the state sites go online, click https://lhi.care/covidtesting, or for those without internet access call 888-634-1123.

“Testing is for everyone, regardless of immigration status or insurance, and it is free,” said Riverside County Board Chair and Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “Testing has been expanded to be available for those with and without symptoms, and we encourage our young people to get themselves tested at one of our many testing sites.”

There is no cost to the person being tested at either the county or state operated facilities.

YUCAIPA, CA—- – Crafton Hills College will virtually celebrate the institutions 48th Annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 22, 2020 at 6 p.m.

“We are proud of our graduates and hope they will join us to celebrate their accomplishments at this virtual event,” said Crafton Hills College President, Dr. Kevin Horan. “We also invite the Class of 2020 to celebrate in person during Commencement in May 2021.”

The 2020 Commencement Ceremony will recognize the 794 graduates who earned 1,281 degrees and certificates. During the reading of the names, there will be an accompanying slide with each graduate’s information and photo. Students who want to participate are asked to submit their information by May 13th.

The event will include all traditional elements of the ceremony. The ceremony order will follow as:

• Salute to the Flag – Tyrone Ross, CHC Student Senate President (Class of 2020)
• National Anthem- Performed by Vanessa Terry (Class of 2020)
• Welcome – Dr. Kevin Horan, President, Crafton Hills College
• Introductions- Jose Torres, Interim Chancellor San Bernardino Community College District
• Student Commencement Speaker- Karina Lewis (Class of 2020)
• Commencement Keynote Address- Dr. Judith Valles
• Presentation of Graduating Class- Dr. Keith Wurtz, Vice President, Instruction, Crafton Hills College
• Awarding of Degrees- Dr. Anne Viricel, Chair Board of Trustees, San Bernardino Community College District
• A Thought for the Future- Julie McKee, President Academic Senate, Crafton Hills College.

Crafton Hills graduate, Vanessa Terry, will sing the National Anthem. Terry is a part of the CHC class of 2020 and is a theater art major. Terry will be graduating with two theater arts degrees one with a concentration in performance, the other in technical theater and a fine arts degree. She served as president for the Theater Arts Association Club on campus this semester, and earlier this year performed for the Black History Month Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

The 2020 Crafton Hills student speaker will be graduate, Karina Lewis. Lewis is a communication studies AA-T major. She is transferring to CSUSB and will be dual majoring in English and communication studies. Lewis works at the Crafton Hills Tutoring Center, tutoring in English and communications studies. She is also a member of the Crafton Hills Honors Institute and the vice-president of the Communications club. Lewis is graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 G.P.A.

This years’ Keynote Address will be given by Dr. Judith Valles. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Judith Lopez Valles graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1951 and attended San Bernardino Valley College from 1952 to 1953. Valles taught elementary and high school for several years and simultaneously graduated from the University of Redlands with a bachelor’s degree in English (1964). She later earned her master’s in Spanish literature at the University of California, Riverside (1970) and did doctoral work at UCLA. Valles was appointed to the SBVC faculty in 1965 and taught Spanish until 1984. She headed the department of foreign languages from 1972 to 1976, chaired the division of humanities from 1976 to 1981 and was dean of Extended Day and Summer Session from 1981 to 1983. 

Valles was the administrative dean of academic affairs from 1983 to 1987, she also held the position of chief instructional officer at the college and the position of executive vice president of academic and student affairs from 1987 to 1988. Valles was appointed president of Golden West College in 1988 and was chief executive until retiring in 1993. Valles has also served as acting president of Coastline Community College, Oxnard College and was a San Bernardino Community College District trustee. She produced and hosted a Spanish-speaking television show, “Impacto,” for KVCR-TV and “La Voz” at KCSB and has been involved in the performing arts.

Valles has been the subject of three doctoral dissertations on leadership and invited to lecture on gender and leadership issues as a visiting professor at Harvard University. She received the Citizen of Achievement Award from the League of Women Voters in 1989 and the YWCA Outstanding Women of Orange County Award in 1990. She was inducted into the SBVC Alumni Hall of Fame in 1991. In 1998, Valles established the Valles Family Scholarship at San Bernardino Valley College as an embodiment of her love of family and commitment to students and higher education. She received an honorary doctorate from the University of Redlands in 2000 and the California Community Colleges’ Distinguished Alumni Award the same year. She received the Ohtli Medal in 2003 from the government and people of Mexico for her contributions to the Mexican-American community. Valles was elected mayor of the City of San Bernardino on February 3, 1998 and was reelected in 2002. Valles was the first Hispanic mayor of the City. After completing her terms as mayor, she was appointed President of Los Angeles Mission College.

The 2020 Virtual Commencement event will be live on the Crafton Hills YouTube channel and Crafton Hills College Facebook with links posted within a few days prior to the event so students, faculty and staff can share with family and friends. Everyone is encouraged to join in the celebration by using #chcgrad2020 when posting on their personal social media accounts.

For additional details, please visit www.craftonhills.edu/commencement.   

ONTARIO, CA— – Eric Danhof’s battle with a rare form of bladder cancer has forced him to step away from the best job he has ever had, but the beloved principal of Colony High School has no intention of staying away from the calling that came to him as a young man.

“It’s been the highlight of my career to serve as principal of this school,” Danhof, 52, says as he prepares to formally hand off those responsibilities to Thomas Mitchell, who has served as Colony’s interim principal since Danhof took ill in August. Danhof, who has been Colony’s principal for three years, plans to return to the Chaffey Joint Union High School District in another role once he has time to heal from surgery and chemotherapy treatments.

“Being a principal is a full-time job – days, nights, weekends. I love it, but I’m just not in the physical condition to do that,” he says. “This is not something that anyone would choose to go through, but I’m overwhelmed by the support I’ve received from the student body, teachers, the District and the community.”

Chaffey District Superintendent Dr. Mathew Holton describes Danhof’s legacy as one of professionalism, perseverance and hope.

“Everywhere Mr. Danhof has gone is enriched by his presence and his commitment to enhancing the lives of students. You can immediately spot people who love what they do, and Eric is one of them. His spirited passion for education is leaving a lasting legacy at Colony High School,” Dr. Holton says.

Danhof’s ties to the District run deep. He spent half a decade at Ontario High School, as an English teacher, department chair and coach. He spent another eight years as assistant principal at Etiwanda High School, followed by two years in the same role at Montclair High School. He joined Colony as an assistant principal in 2016, and became principal the following year.

During Danhof’s tenure, Colony has been honored for its work in civics education, hosts hundreds of veterans and service members every year for its Colony Commemorates event, and has seen an impressive increase in academic performance.

But it’s the daily interaction with students that he misses the most.

“The energy of a high school campus is not something you can find anywhere else,” Danhof says. “You’re there and encouraging them when students are making the biggest decisions of their lives.”

The Southern Illinois native comes from a family of teachers and discovered early on that he had a passion for education. He moved to Southern California in 1992 and “never left … I loved it out here.” He taught in the San Fernando Valley for four years before moving to Ontario Christian High School, where he served as athletic director. After five years, he landed at Ontario High.

Danhof’s motivation throughout his career was helping students expand their thinking. “I love that feeling – to hook a classroom and see kids develop in their thinking,” he says.

And while his health is forcing him to walk away from the highlight of his work life sooner than he had planned, he does so with no regrets. He and his wife have raised a family, and now have nine grandchildren.

“It’s one day at a time,” Danhof says. “I’m not retiring, but the school needs steady presence and leadership, and I need time to heal.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Rep. Pete Aguilar announced $1,121,862 to expand coronavirus testing capabilities in San Bernardino County. The funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will be distributed to three Inland Empire health care providers and agencies, with SAC Health System (SACHS) receiving $640,264, Inland Behavioral and Health Services, Inc. (IBHS) receiving $224,449 and the County of San Bernardino receiving $257,149.

“We know increased testing is one of the best ways to track and limit the spread of this virus, which is why the House worked to ensure additional funding for tests in the last coronavirus relief bill. I’m proud to announce this funding, which will help more members of our community get tested and will play a major role in helping our community defeat this virus,” said Rep. Aguilar.

“Testing continues to be critical for our communities and patients,” said Dr. Jason Lohr, CEO of SAC Health System. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with our local health plan and health department to provide COVID-19 testing to any IEHP member who needs it.”

“Inland Behavioral and Health Services, Inc. (IBHS) is grateful to Congressman Aguilar for his continued support. The Board of Directors and the Medical Team are planning on hosting both walk-up and drive-thru testing, with a focus on the uninsured populations, in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. IBHS is also in talks with our local churches to assist in offering the testing to the communities and to those staff members who wish to be tested,” said Dr. Temetry Lindsey, CEO/President of IBHS.

Rep. Aguilar serves as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, the committee responsible for allocating funding to agencies like HRSA.

Face coverings are no longer required but are still strongly recommended in San Bernardino County as the result of new health order requested by the Board of Supervisors.

The new order repeals the April 23 omnibus health order that required face coverings as well as social distancing at essential businesses, and banned gatherings and short-term rentals.

Although no longer regulated by a county health order, gatherings and short-term rentals are still prohibited and social distancing at essential businesses are still required under the state’s “stay-at-home” order.

“The County strongly urges everyone to continue wearing face coverings in public to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and businesses may still require face coverings for customers and employees,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “But repealing the local health orders and deferring to the less-restrictive state orders will allow the County to reopen businesses more quickly as the governor continues to relax standards.”

Many types of businesses were allowed to reopen this week under certain conditions. The Board of Supervisors last Thursday adopted a Readiness and Reopening Plan and made plans to seek the governor’s consent to open many other types of businesses next week. The board plans to discuss additional details on Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. That meeting can be viewed on the CountyDirect Broadcast Network at http://www.sbcounty.gov/Main/Pages/ViewMeetings.aspx .

Information related to COVID-19 in San Bernardino County can be found at http:// sb covid19.com/ .

Pal Charter Academy (PCA) is now registering students for Virtual Summer School. PCA is a grade 6th to 12^th charter academy. Students may take up to three classes. Please call today at (909) 887-7002 to register your student. For other information and school updates, visit www.palcenter.org/summerschool.

Below are the high school graduates and valedictorians for the 2020 school year. Congratulations to all of our graduates. Our hearts go out to you during these difficult times.

Anderson School: Graduates: Undetermined at this time

Arroyo Valley High School: Valedictorians: Veronica Banuelos, Edward Dominic Castaneda, and Jesus Giselle Pantoja. Salutatorian: Natalie Luna. Graduates: 580*

Cajon High School: Valedictorians: Tomas Ascencion Flores, Randy Gerond Medley, Elysia Rios, Brad Joseph Bolluyt, Serenity Ngoc Chavez, Thu Anh Nguyen, Ryan Daniel Chapin, Trevor Allen Chapin, and Yulissa Guadalupe Sanchez. Salutatorians: Raziel Plata Serrato, Moremi Elize Olora, Saul Mercado, and Abigail Grace Willis. Graduates: 652*

Indian Springs High School: Valedictorian: Kyla Duhart. Salutatorian: Kacey Lam. Graduates: 376*

Inland Career Education Center (formerly San Bernardino Adult School): Graduates: 125*

Middle College High School: Valedictorians: Naeli Marie Mills and Adriana Toledo Calvillo. Salutatorians: Lester Cedeno, Antonia Lopez-Vega, and Samuel Rojo-Aguayo. Graduates: 62*

Pacific High School: Valedictorian: Valerie Gonzalez-Caloca. Salutatorian: Vanessa Gonzalez-Caloca. Graduates: 224*

San Andreas High School: Graduates: 220*

San Bernardino High School: Valedictorian: Remijia Plascencia. Salutatorians: Anthony Craddock and Jose Rosales-Torres. Graduates: 311*

San Gorgonio High School: Valedictorians: Matthew Jackson, Henry Luu, and Jeffry Umana. Salutatorians: Maia Garcia and Dennis Phan. Graduates: 400*

Sierra High School: Graduates: 200*

Approximately 3,150 San Bernardino City Unified School District students will receive their high school diplomas or GED certification this year. This does not include those graduating from vocational programs.

Side Note: Anderson serves students ages 12 to 22 with a variety of physical and intellectual challenges. Graduates receive a certificate of completion, not a high school diploma. Graduate counts are approximate at this time.

The services are meant to help vulnerable seniors fight food insecurity during COVID-19 pandemic

From quick meals that can be picked up to food dropped off at homes, Riverside County is offering several free food options to disabled and vulnerable adults as stay-at-home orders continue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adults who have a disability or are over age 60 can contact Riverside County Office on Aging, which offers food delivery for critical emergencies, two weeks supply of pantry and essential items, home-delivered meals, and Grab-and-Go meal packages at community center locations.

“We have a number of programs, depending on our callers’ needs and nutritional risk. We will tailor enrollment to any one or more of these important nutrition programs,” said Gary Robbins, Deputy Director for Programs and Operations with Office on Aging. “We’re averaging almost 1,200 calls a day at this point, and our requests for food have tripled. I’d encourage folks who want to find out more to visit the Office on Aging website or send us an email.”

Seniors or disabled adults can call 800-510-2020 or visit rcAging.org to determine their need for any one of the following service options:

• Grab-and-Go Meals: Up to seven to 14 days of cooked and frozen meals ready for pick up
• Courtesy Pantry: Two weeks supply of food delivered within five to seven days
• Home-Delivered Meals: Up to seven to 14 days of delivered food with no contact for vulnerable adults
• Emergency Meals:  Up to three days of immediate food delivered to fragile adults and seniors

Details on Office on Aging’s program can be found at rcAging.org. Riverside County has also released a map showing where senior meals, school meals and food pantries are available.

To meet the growing need, the state of California is also launching a restaurant meal delivery program specifically for seniors who don’t qualify for other food assistance programs.

“I am very proud of the Riverside County Office on Aging, which has been leading a number of innovative programs and will soon have this new effort up and running to further support Riverside County’s senior population,” said Board Chair V. Manuel Perez, Fourth District Supervisor. “This is a great program because it enhances food security and the senior safety net that provide service and dignity that all senior citizens in our community deserve. This program has many wins for our communities, it will help our seniors, our restaurants and taxi industry. We encourage any senior in need and any restaurant in our community that wishes to partner in this program to contact us.”

Office on Aging wants restaurants, especially those who deliver, to fill out a contact form or email rcaging@rivco.org if they want to participate in the program.

Once implemented, seniors will be able to select from preapproved restaurants, who will deliver a maximum of three meals a day to their homes.  More details on the newly announced statewide program can be found here or at rcAging.org.

Firefighters responded to a 3-alarm commercial structure fire at the vacant Splash Kingdom water park early Saturday morning, May 2. No injuries were reported.

Crews arriving to the 5:30 a.m. blaze found heavy smoke showing from the distinctive pyramid-style structure located beside the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 at California Street.

It took firefighters approximately an hour to knock down the blaze. The structure suffered major fire and smoke damage. No other structures were damaged.

While the building was equipped with fire sprinklers, the sprinklers didn’t activate.

In addition to Redlands, crews from Loma Linda, Rialto, Colton, San Bernardino and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians responded to the blaze along with an ambulance from American Medical Response and a crew from Southern California Edison, who cut power to the building.

Damage to the structure is estimated at $750,000. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

REDLANDS, CA—-First responders from Redlands and surrounding agencies paid tribute to health care workers at Redlands Community Hospital with a parade of fire apparatus, police cars and ambulances outside the hospital Tuesday morning, April 28.

Organized by members of the Redlands Fire Department, the parade also included emergency vehicles from the Redlands Police Department, Loma Linda Fire Department and American Medical Response.

After parading by the front of the hospital with lights flashing, the vehicles stopped near the hospital’s emergency entrance where first responders got out of their vehicles and applauded the hospital staff that had briefly assembled outside the building.

The parade was organized as a gesture of gratitude and respect for medical personnel currently treating patients affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.