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LOS ANGELES, CA— Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Alton Sinclair, from Ontario, Calif., wets fiberglass casting material during orthopedic training aboard the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) April 7. Mercy deployed in support of the nation’s COVID-19 response efforts and will serve as a referral hospital for non-COVID-19 patients currently admitted to shore-based hospitals. This allows shore base hospitals to focus their efforts on COVID-19 cases. One of the Department of Defense’s missions is Defense Support of Civil Authorities. DoD is supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency, as well as state, local and public health authorities in helping protect the health and safety of the American people.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Rep. Pete Aguilar announced over $47 million in federal funding to support Inland Empire colleges and students during the coronavirus crisis. The funding, which was appropriated by the CARES Act, provides $26,243,781 for California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), $6,732,563 for San Bernardino Valley Community College, $3,388,020 for University of Redlands, and $11,446,484 for Chaffey College. The CARES Act requires that the at least 50 percent of all funds go toward direct relief for students in the form of tuition assistance, financial aid, meal programs and other student services.

“The Inland Empire’s students, colleges and universities have always been points of pride in our community. This funding will help these institutions keep their doors open and continue serving students during this difficult time. It will also help students and their families navigate the financial hardships created by this crisis. I was proud to help pass the CARES Act to provide these resources to our community, and I’ll continue to advocate for the Inland Empire as Congress debates next steps,” said Rep. Aguilar.

“This is wonderful news that will offer a welcome relief to our students and their families in the face of the threat of the coronavirus,” said CSUSB President Tomás Morales. “The funding will help our students live and pay for their essential needs, while keeping them attending CSUSB, as they deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am grateful for their support.”

“Our students will be our future scientists, doctors, nurses, and first responders, and they’re at home right now, eager to learn and fulfill their potential,” says San Bernardino Community College District Board of Trustees Chair, Dr. Anne Viricel. “We applaud the urgent action and bipartisan leadership of Congressman Aguilar, and our Inland Empire delegation, in passing the CARES Act to protect the well-being and future of our students, our families, and our communities,” said Dr. Anne Viricel, Chair of the SBCCD Board of Trustees.

“While the full extent of the financial disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic is still unknown, passage of the CARES Act is an important step in sustaining the capacity of our nation’s colleges and universities to provide higher education,” stated University of Redlands President Ralph W. Kuncl. “This critical funding will allow us to respond to the unprecedented financial and operational challenges of the pandemic, as we work to continue meeting the needs of our students, who represent the country’s future workforce.”

“Nearly 70 percent of our students receive financial assistance as they pursue their academic goals at Chaffey College. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our students greatly as many have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet for themselves and their families. The college is still determining a methodology for funding allocation, however, we believe the funding should be distributed to our students most in need, particularly in the areas of technology and basic needs. The college’s Panther Care Program, which is designed to help our students who are food and housing insecure, will have an integral role in helping us determine the best way to distribute this funding,” said Dr. Henry Shannon, Superintendent and President of Chaffey College.

Rep. Aguilar serves as a Chief Deputy Whip in the House Democratic Caucus and as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, the committee responsible for allocating federal funds.

REDLANDS, CA—- As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, many Redlands senior citizens continue to need assistance.

The Redlands Community Senior Center and Family Services are currently distributing 120 meal packages to seniors every Wednesday at the center.

But the needs of low-income seniors and those at high risk, unable to leave their homes, is growing.

To assist, the City of Redlands Senior Services Division has teamed with the Redlands Community Foundation to establish a “Meals for Seniors Fund.”

Donations to the fund are used to provide a Meals on Wheels service with Senior Services Division employees and volunteers delivering lunch and providing a daily welfare check-in Monday through Friday. Every $30 donation provides meals for one senior citizen for a week. A separate supplemental package including food and sanitation supplies is also available for pickup at the senior center.

Donations to the Meals for Seniors fund may be made online at:

https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/meals-for-seniors1/redlandscommunityfou.

Donations may also be made payable to the Redlands Community Foundation and mailed to:   PO Box 8908, Redlands, CA 92375.

Contact your tax professional to determine if your donation is tax deductible.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—-Omnitrans will further reduce transit service on Monday, April 13 and has implemented additional safety procedures in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Omnitrans has been designated an essential service, and we are committed to providing that service while protecting the safety of our employees and customers,” said Interim CEO/General Manager Erin Rogers. “As we continue to closely monitor this health emergency, the agency will make adjustments as needed to ensure that we achieve both of those goals.”

Under the new reduced service plan, detailed below, six routes will be eliminated, service frequency or trips will be reduced on four routes, and two routes will be operated with smaller minibuses. This plan is in addition to Omnitrans’ initial service reduction, which saw routes that regularly operate every 15 minutes operate every 30 minutes, and routes that typically operate every 30 minutes operate every hour. Since the inception of COVID-19 and the state of California “Stay at Home” order, Omnitrans ridership has decreased by approximately 65 percent.

Since last month, the agency has asked customers to board and exit buses through the rear doors to encourage social distancing and has stopped collecting fares (customers with disabilities continue to board via the front doors of the bus). Additionally, the agency has implemented a policy of 20 customers maximum per bus and requires face masks onboard in conjunction with the San Bernardino County health order mandating face coverings when leaving home.

Route	Areas Served	Change	Reason/Explanation
5	San Bernardino	Changed to 45-minute frequency	This schedule is being changed in conjunction with Route 7’s cancellation.
7	San Bernardino	Permanently Eliminated	This route was scheduled to be eliminated in September and is being implemented early due to low ridership and CSUSB closure.
12	San Bernardino, Rialto, Fontana, Muscoy	Use of smaller vehicles operated by contractor	Schedule and route will NOT change, Route will be operated with smaller Access vehicles due to low ridership.
20	Fontana, Unincorporated County	Permanently Eliminated	This route was scheduled to be eliminated in September and is being implemented early due to low ridership and Fontana HS closure.
29	Fontana Bloomington	Use of smaller vehicles operated by contractor	Schedule and route will NOT change, Route will be operated with smaller Access vehicles due to low ridership.
67	Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga	TEMPORARILY Eliminated	This route will be temporarily eliminated due to low ridership and school closures along the route.
80	Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario	TEMPORARILY Eliminated	This route will be temporarily eliminated due to low ridership, school closures, and decreased hotel and airport activity along the route.
81	Chino, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga	Weekday short trips to Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center eliminated.	This short trip is being eliminated due to low ridership.
290	San Bernardino, Colton, Ontario, Montclair	TEMPORARILY Eliminated	Low ridership. This freeway express route has local route alternatives.
308 309 310	Yucaipa	308 Permanently Eliminated. 309/310 frequency reduced to 60 minutes	Route 308 was scheduled to be eliminated in September and is being implemented early due to low ridership. Routes 309/310 service frequency is being reduced due to low ridership.
365	Chino Hills	Saturday service 6 days/week; Sunday service on Sundays.	Route 365 service is being reduced to eliminate school trips due to closures; Sunday service will continue.

RIVERSIDE, CA— Tamara Marquez didn’t know much about the U.S. census before last year, when she applied for a job as a canvasser with the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, a nonprofit organization based in Jurupa Valley.

Marquez, a senior at the University of California, Riverside, is forthcoming about why she wanted the job. Originally from Mexico City, she immigrated to the U.S. as a child and remains undocumented, which limits her employment opportunities.

She also admits she didn’t know much about canvassing, going door to door to talk to people about why, exactly, they should care enough about the census to fill it out. 

Between November and March, Marquez spent as many as six days per week canvassing in Riverside, later alternating door-to-door sessions with phone banking. At first, she said, talking to strangers was intimidating — especially when they didn’t want to hear what she had to say. 

“But you learn pretty quickly to change your script depending on who you’re talking to,” Marquez said. “If you’re talking to a Spanish-speaking household, a family with kids, you might tell them about how the census can affect schools. You’re trying to convince people, so you start by feeling out the environment to figure out which strategies to implement.”

Accurate census representation is critical for UCR students like Marquez because it informs funding for things like Pell Grants, the Federal Work-Study Program, and research activities, said Marlenee Blas.  

Blas is the associate director of UCR’s Center for Social Innovation, and since October has served as director of UCR Counts, the university’s official Complete Count Committee. 

UCR Counts is situated within a regional network that also incorporates two county governments and about 80 nonprofits, Blas said — all of which have united in an unprecedented effort to ensure the Inland Empire is accurately counted.

The two-county region’s more than 4.6 million people are at dangerous risk of being undercounted, a trend reflected in the 2010 census. That year, nearly one in four Inland Empire households didn’t mail back their census questionnaire; another 40,000 people didn’t receive one at all. 

A substantial portion of the region’s residents are part of “hard-to-count” communities, which include undocumented immigrants, non-English speakers and households, and racial and ethnic minorities, among other groups.

Marquez said undocumented communities, in particular, are still likely to view participating in the census as a risk, namely because they fear public data about their communities being weaponized by law-enforcement agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

“Taking the census is a risk for undocumented people, but many just have to be informed about the benefits,” she said. “In my experience, the Hispanic households we’ve spoken with are the ones who are most ready to learn and be active. Immigrants already do so much for our communities, and the lack of a citizenship question allows immigrants not only to participate but to continue to help by making sure we all get the resources we need.” 

Blas said Inland Empire census activities have had a collateral benefit of bringing together people from different nonprofits and other organizations, allowing many to begin interacting with each other for the first time. 

The nonprofit Inland Empire Community Foundation is largely leading the efforts. The foundation was designated an administrative community-based organization, or ACBO, by the state, and thus given funding to drive outreach in hard-to-count communities within the region. 

In 2019, the foundation launched Census IE, a coalition of nonprofit and community-based organizations within Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and began to distribute funding to those organizations. It’s divided the Inland Empire into seven subregions, with a regional coordinator assigned to each. 

The Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, which Marquez works with as a canvasser, is the regional coordinator for the Riverside metropolitan area, where more than a quarter of the total population — nearly 696,000 people — lives in hard-to-count tracts. 

The patchwork of initiatives has made major gains in the region since ramping up efforts last year. As of March, Census IE canvassers had knocked on more than 130,000 doors in the region. According to Blas, the efforts have paved the way for a new generation of civic leadership in the Inland Empire.

“At the regional level, most of these efforts are being led by young women, many of them Latina,” she said. “They’re truly at the forefront, and because many of them were born and grew up here, the census is a personal project. And because so much is at stake, they’re able to call other people out and hold them accountable. They’re asking questions that matter: ‘Why is money being allocated here and not here?'”

To learn more about census organizing in the Inland Empire — and the young women who are largely leading the charge — click here: https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2020/04/20/movement-census-awareness-swells-inland-empire 

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The Westside Story Newspaper has been featured and selected by the Feedspot panelist as one of the Top 3 San Bernardino News Websites on the web.  

According to Feedspot, this is one of the most comprehensive lists on the internet and we are honored to be a part of it.

Check out the list below:

Top 3 San Bernardino News Websites To Follow in 2020 (California)

POMONA, CA— Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) recently announced more than $184.5 million in Department of Education funding that will benefit residents of California’s 35^th Congressional District as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This includes more than $43.5 million going to institutions of higher learning within the district, and more than $140 million for the surrounding region that will benefit constituents who attend commuting schools.

Each institution is allowed to keep a portion of the money it receives to help cover financial losses suffered in the economic downturn, but at least half of all funds must be distributed to students in the form of emergency cash grants to help students pay for housing, food, and other basic essentials.

Rep. Torres is a leading voice in addressing student hunger and homelessness. In November 2019, she introduced the Basic Assistance for Students in College (BASIC) Act, which would provide $500 million in grants to ensure institutions of higher learning have the resources they need to support students’ day-to-day needs, and direct the federal government to streamline data sharing across agencies to help students who qualify for aid access it.

Rep. Torres released the following statement:

“The funding I’m announcing today will help Inland Empire students keep a roof over their head and food on the table throughout the economic downturn – it will also ensure they have a school to return to when the pandemic is over,” Rep. Torres said. “This is urgently needed relief for our young people, and stabilizing support for our region as a whole. As Congress continues to negotiate the next round of COVID-19 emergency relief, Inland Empire residents can rest assured that my singular focus is to bring as many of these vital dollars to our community as possible.”

Funding distribution within California’s 35^th Congressional District:

School	Total Allocation	Minimum Allocation to be Awarded for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona	$30,904,089	$15,452,045
Pomona Adult School	$245,993	$122,997
Chaffey Community College	$11,446,484	$5,723,242
Western University Of Health Sciences	$1,105,699	$552,850
Total:	$43,702,265	$21,851,134

Funding distribution in surrounding region:

School	Total Allocation	Minimum Allocation to be Awarded for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students
Mount San Antonio College	$17,457,959	$8,728,980
San Bernardino Valley College	$6,732,563	$3,366,282
California State University, San Bernardino	$26,243,781	$13,121,891
University Of La Verne	$5,658,977	$2,829,489
University Of California, Riverside	$29,734,626	$14,867,313
Fullerton College	$9,700,734	$4,850,367
California State University, Fullerton	$41,021,512	$20,510,756
Harvey Mudd College	$516,332	$258,166
Pomona College	$1,285,644	$642,822
Claremont Graduate University	$295,107	$147,554
Claremont Mckenna College	$855,579	$427,790
Pitzer College	$625,861	$312,931
Scripps College	$546,083	$273,042
Keck Graduate Institute Of Applied Life Sciences	$189,117	$94,559
Total:	$140,863,875	$70,431,942

Approximately 493,833 vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed to voters starting today, April 13, for the special general election in the 28th Senate District on May 12. To be counted, completed ballots must be received at the Registrar of Voters office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, or be postmarked on or before Election Day and received no later than three days after Election Day.

Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned through the postal service or deposited in vote-by-mail drop-off boxes located at the Blythe City Clerk’s office or the Registrar of Voters office.

Early voting at the Registrar of Voters office begins today, April 13 and continues Monday through Friday (excluding county holidays), from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Please call (951) 486-7200 if you need to schedule an appointment to vote in person.

The May 12 election encompasses only the 28th Senate District and is not a countywide election.  It is also an all-mail ballot election, so there will be no established polling places. If you have any questions about your eligibility to vote, please contact the registrar’s office at (951) 486-7200.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—  The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) continues improvements on the southbound off-ramp at Soquel Canyon Parkway on State Route 71 (SR-71) in Chino Hills. Caltrans is widening the Soquel Canyon Parkway off-ramp and adding a right turn lane. 

 Crews will continue asphalt concrete paving operations and landscape work. 

A full closure of the southbound SR-71 Soquel Canyon Parkway exit will be in place from April 13 through April 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. Please follow the posted alternate route. 

Remember to reduce your speed in the work zone. Be advised, weather conditions may affect this operation. 

Know before you go! To stay on top of roadwork in the Inland Empire go to Caltrans District 8 and sign up for commuter alerts. Follow us for the latest information on Facebook and Twitter. To assist in planning your commute, view live traffic conditions using QuickMap and planned lane closures. 

For those with sensory disabilities requiring alternate formats (i.e. Braille, large print, sign language interpreter, etc.) and those needing information in a language other than English, please contact Kimberly Cherry at 909-383-6290 or TTY 711 by April 15, 2020. 

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The County’s efforts to protect the community from the spread of novel coronavirus by temporarily sheltering the homeless population are underway with the arrival of 20 state-funded trailers at Glen Helen Regional Park in Devore and the placement of 26 people in a hotel in San Bernardino.

Agreements are in the works with lodging facilities in other cities within the county to house additional homeless individuals and families. The county is exploring other options as well to ensure homeless people who are elderly and who have underlying health conditions, as well as those who are or are suspected of being COVID-19-postive, are sheltered during the crisis.

“This sheltering effort is critical for not only protecting the health of homeless individuals or families but also for protecting the entire community from the spread of the novel coronavirus,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “That is why we are working closely with city and community leaders throughout our county to get these sites up and running. The county is leading the fight against COVID-19, but protecting our communities from this pandemic has to be a team effort involving all of our cities and residents.”

There are more than 2,000 unsheltered homeless individuals living in San Bernardino County. There are approximately 300 homeless identified as extremely high risk by medical doctors due to their age and serious health conditions.

The County’s goal is to secure at least 300 units throughout the county in multiple communities as quickly as possible to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the unsheltered community and the entire county population. Staff from the County Department of Behavioral Health and organizations that serve the homeless will make phone contact with each homeless individual daily. The county will provide security at each site 24 hours per day, seven days a week. The County, Inland Empire Health Plan, and Molina Healthcare will provide meal packages to all persons in placement.

“The County is maximizing our collective effort to fight this health crisis head-on, which demands the necessary and expedient action of sheltering the homeless in place to reduce the spread of the virus and protect everyone’s safety,” said Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Josie Gonzales.

“We must value the efforts and sacrifices of those who are sheltering at home, by using every means possible to ensure everyone is sheltered in place in order to abate the fast spread of COVID-19,” added Supervisor Gonzales, who is also founder and chair of the San Bernardino County lnteragency Council on Homelessness.

In response to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order to protect public safety and the spread of COVID-19 among the state’s most vulnerable populations, San Bernardino County will receive a portion of $800 million in emergency funding to quickly implement creative temporary housing solutions to address the complex

public health challenge of protecting vulnerable homeless individuals and communities against exposure to COVID-19.

The Executive Order requires counties to protect public safety and reduce the spread of COVID-19 by providing vulnerable homeless people access to temporary housing, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). San Bernardino County partnered with federal, state, and local agencies to create a plan to provide extensive supportive services to homeless individuals during their 14-day stay.

“Although COVID-19 has forced everyone in our community to make difficult decisions, it has also provided us with an unprecedented opportunity to support people experiencing homelessness,” said San Bernardino County Chief Executive Officer Gary McBride. “Homeless individuals, who once declined the offer for immediate supportive housing, now, like the rest of us, desire protection against COVID-19 in the safety and comfort of a shelter’s four walls. Our hope is that through this crisis, some homeless individuals will recognize the county and the community’s commitment to end homelessness and seek extended services which lead to permanent housing, employment, wellness, and resiliency.”

Homeless individuals over the age of 65 and persons of any age who have underlying health conditions or are immunocompromised, will receive priority housing, followed by pregnant homeless women, and homeless people meeting this criteria who are exposed to the virus and require isolation, but are non-symptomatic.

Homeless people who meet the criteria are contacted by County staff including the Sheriff’s Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement team and Behavioral Health’s Homeless Outreach Support team. Homeless people requiring extensive healthcare services or hospitalization are directed to medical facilities, while others are offered the temporary housing on a voluntary, but conditional basis. Individuals who decline are reminded of social distancing requirements and provided referrals to other resources and services.

Homeless people who desire temporary housing sign an admission agreement, which includes a pledge for no visitors, abstinence from alcohol and substance use, vacating upon the ending of the 14-day stay period or rescinding of the Governor’s Executive Order, and participating in regular meetings with a case manager to develop a plan for immediate and subsequent housing needs. In addition to shelter, food, physical and behavioral health care, laundry facilities, and other resources are provided.

Temporary housing locations approved by the State of California include hotels, motels, trailers, shelters and other areas that allow the ability to practice social distancing and handwashing. Various San Bernardino County agencies, homeless service providers, business owners, cities, and communities are working in collaboration to determine which locations best allow for access to needed services while meeting strict CDC requirements for public safety.

Part of this solution are the 20 trailers that arrived at Glen Helen Regional Park. Each trailer can house one person or a family of two. Occupants will sign agreements requiring them to remain on the park grounds for the duration of the emergency.

For information about the coronavirus crisis, visit the County’s coronavirus website at sbcovidl 9.com. New information and resources are updated daily. The public can also contact the coronavirus public information line from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at (909) 387-3911, or email the County at coronavirus@dph.sbcounty.gov.