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SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Medical billing and coding are making a strong comeback in the employment market, and San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) is welcoming students to get ready for the many well-paying opportunities ahead.

This semester, the campus has launched classes for students to earn a medical billing and coding certificate.

In the past, similar certificates have been available, including office technology certificates, but SBVC’s Dr. Stephanie Lewis said this is the first year the college is specifically offering the medical billing and coding certificate.

“It’s a wonderful program. It’s the first step to either work in the front office or back office for physicians offices or in the hospital setting or areas that specifically deal with billing in the medical field,” said Dr. Lewis, Dean of Mathematics, Business & Computer Technology.

Students carrying a full load of courses can realistically expect to finish the certificate within two to three semesters, depending on how they build their classes within their schedule, she said.

The field is in high demand, and pays well.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, last year the median annual wage for medical records and health information technicians was $40,350. Going forward, the demand for health information technician jobs is expected to increase as the population ages. Growth projections are 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. According to Salary.com, medical and billing technicians can earn between $38,666 and $46,963.

Students are required to take the core courses, including biology as an introduction to anatomy and physiology. They will take keyboarding, business English and medical terminology. Also, medical insurance billing and coding along with an introduction to electronic health records and personal computers.

The certificate is also attractive to students that are pursuing nursing, pharmacy technician or other related health fields.

“Sometimes, they’ll take these courses just to broaden their background in the medical field in general,” she said.

She said the course also gives students a good understanding of the depth and breadth of the field. Within the certificate, there are three medical type courses, including medical insurance billing and coding, electronic health records, along with medical terminology. Conversational Spanish along with medical office procedures are recommended courses.

Students will also gain a broad mix of adjacent skills.

“They have to be able to use the keyboard and to write and speak well, that’s the Business English course,” she said. “The total units for this is 22, so a student could finish this within two semesters if they went full time.”

Currently, there is a national movement to get medical records digitized and accessible. The field is open for healthy employment prospects, and earnings potential for years to come. She said they recently brought on two new adjunct faculty members to better serve the growing interest and student needs.

“We are pleased to have them on board. We’re pretty excited about it,” she said.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – Members of the San Bernardino-Riverside Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated invite the community to join them this December in the celebration of its Diamond Jubilee Anniversary. Since the Chapter’s charter on December 6, 1959, the sisterhood has served communities throughout the Inland Empire to improve economic and educational development, enhance physical and mental health, and to broaden political and international awareness as well as involvement.

This fundraising celebratory event will help support the Chapter’s annual scholarship awards, programs, and activities that: mentor school-aged youth; increase voter education and registration; advocate against domestic violence and human trafficking; support health-based groups such as the American Diabetes Association and the March of Dimes; and help youth as well as adults become more financially resilient.

WHAT: Celebrating Our Diamond Jubilee Anniversary: 60 Years of Community Service

WHO: San Bernardino-Riverside Area Alumnae Chapter of
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Guest Host, Comedian Angel Gaines

WHEN: Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 6:00PM – Midnight

WHERE: Doubletree Hotel, 285 E. Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino, CA 92408.

Ticket cost is $100 per person. The deadline to purchase tickets is November 10, 2019. For purchases contact a Chapter member or go to the Chapter website at www.sbraacdst.org and use the PayPal link.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— RIVERSIDE, CA—- Join us for an evening of inspiration, for our children, and our community.  This concert is featuring a wide range of performances by young, relevant string players, showcasing the breadth of their craft.  From classical to pop, traditional to experimental, YOU do NOT want to miss it!!!

The purpose of curating this concert is to inspire more youth of color, to participate in the orchestral instruments (violin, viola, cello, string bass).  The concert is also a means to provide a fundraising opportunity to allocate scholarships for private music instruction, so students can build the skills necessary to qualify for college scholarships, join professional orchestras, and/or land professional jobs within the music and entertainment industry.    

Date: Sunday, November 3rd, 2019

Place: La Sierra University Hole Memorial Auditorium

Time: 4:00 PM

Attire: Elegant

Tickets can be purchased online http://musiclifecrescendo.org/concert.  For more information or questions, please call 951-290-8323. 

Crescendo is a musical term which means to increase to a peak or climax. We believe our lives should reflect this progression: constantly growing, striving to reach one’s fullest potential. Many of the qualities needed to crescendo in life are cultivated by studying music. It is our mission to cultivate discipline, determination, tenacity, and build self-esteem, through music education. It means so much to us at Crescendo to be able to directly impact lives in our community. In addition to enhancing academic success and building self-esteem, music also provides tremendous therapeutic relief. As stress levels are through the roof and tension is high, music is such a powerful unifying force. We are extremely humbled and thankful to be a part of a unifying chord. 

Crescendo is Co-founded by brother sister duo Kybra Minisee & Keith Tutt II, along with friend Matthew O’Rane.  They each bring over 30 years plus of experience to the organization.  Kybra serves as Crescendo’s master teacher and musical director; Keith as performing artist & producer, and Matt, as conductor & curriculum specialist.  Crescendo’s students are trained not only to play read music, but to compose as well.

This concert is sponsored by Onyx Star Media and the BEMER Group.

Onyx Star Media, co-founded by Rita and Mirthell, produces family-friendly, comedic videos starring them and their four children. This rapidly-growing multi-media business has drawn a YouTube subscriber following of over three million people and accumulating over one billion views worldwide by living out their motto on camera: “Tell the Story…Feed the Soul…Make them Laugh…Heal the Heart.”

BEMER applications boost the blood flow, thus benefiting the body’s cardiac system, regenerative abilities and even mental acuity. Using BEMER every day in combination with the sleep program is the formula for the best results.  Just two 8-minute sessions per day are needed to improve your circulation. It is that easy to enhance your physical well-being.  Ask your independent BEMER Distributor if you want to know more.

In collaboration with local employers, San Bernardino County Child Support Services is hosting the Fall Job Fair. The job fair will be Tuesday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Loma Linda Child Support office at 10417 Mountain View Ave. in  Loma Linda. The job fair highlights the department’s purpose of making a positive difference in the lives of children, supplying employment opportunities to help assist parents in supporting their children and the continued effort to help build stronger, healthier families.

Employers will be filling multiple positions in various fields. Select employers will hire potential candidates on the spot. Employers will be set up outside the Loma Linda child support office court yard.  Interview stations will be available for employers who want to conduct job interviews on-site.  Laptops will be available for candidates to complete applications online. All attendees should bring their resumes and dress for success.

Employment opportunities will be available from TMT Communications Inc., Staffmark, Saladino’s Foodservice, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, California Conservation Corps, County of San Bernardino Real Estate Services, Riverside County Probation Department, FedEx Ground, Majestic Terminal Services, Dignity Memorial, US Census, Stater Bros. Markets, and the US Army.  West Coast University and Chamberlin University will also be providing information about their educational opportunities. 

“Many know us as the collectors of child support, we are much more,” Child Support Services Director Marie Girulat said. “Child support payments provide a measure of financial stability for families and create better outcomes for children. It is our job to help parents meet their medical and financial support and connect them to employment opportunities and other vital services to ensure they can provide for their children.”

San Bernardino County Department of Child Support Services is committed to serving the community by partnering with local employers to provide resources, educational opportunities and improve the quality of life for the customers served.

DCSS assists families by establishing orders for child and medical support, establishing parentage, locating parents, enforcing support orders, and collecting and distributing child support payments. DCSS is focused on helping the whole family with all aspects of services to gain self-sufficiency. DCSS is responsible for a caseload of approximately 106,000 cases with collections of over $189 million last fiscal year.

For questions, please contact Child Support Services at (909) 478-7182.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- October is Bullying Prevention Month, and San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) credits its innovative undercover anti-bullying teams with reducing student-on-student harassment.

The District’s Positive Youth Development Department, in collaboration with university professors, designed an effective, holistic system to respond to incidents of bullying centered around empowering students to encourage kindness and respect.

Known as the Bullying Intervention Team, the system involves a reporting process, tracking system, and a team of experts that assist school sites in conducting a Restorative Justice Practice called the Undercover Anti-Bullying Team (UABT) from start to finish. In place at more than half of the 72 SBCUSD schools, the UABTs have experienced success rates not seen with other bullying-intervention efforts.

“The traditional responses to school bullying, including suspensions, bullying contracts, or school policing, can make matters worse for the student being bullied,” said Marlene Bicondova, a former middle school principal who now leads the District’s Positive Youth Development Department. “What is very unique about this approach in particular is that influential students are empowered to do the work that has been deemed almost impossible for adults. Once the bullying issue is completely resolved, the team celebrates the success.”

Since the beginning of the UABT, 48 cases across the District have been resolved through this approach, while many more have been concluded at schools where counselors are trained to use the UABT intervention. Cal State San Bernardino professor Dr. John Winslade and Michael Williams, authors of the book Safe and Peaceful Schools, have been the catalysts in this groundbreaking work.

Although Bicondova and her team of experts agree that no single strategy is 100 percent effective, not one of the UABT efforts have failed to date. In fact, the Bullying Intervention Team has a bank of video testimonials from principals, parents, teachers, counselors, and students to prove that this is a highly effective and positive approach to eliminate bullying and restore relationships.

Join SBCUSD and the Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center in celebrating Unity Day on Wednesday, October 23 by wearing orange. Unity Day is about standing together against bullying and uniting for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Learn more at https://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/unity-day.asp.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Social Lites, Inc. of San Bernardino 53rd Beautillion Scholarship 2019-2020 program under the leadership of Mrs. Tina Darling, Beautillion Chairperson is now in progress. Its’ not too late for young men seeking scholarship opportunities in addition to being mentored by leaders in the community to participate in this fabulous program.

It is great to have leaders such as Dr. Rose Culpepper and Bessine Little, City Council Woman, 6th Ward mentor young men this past Saturday.

The next meeting will be on Saturday, October 12, 2019 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Center for Youth & Community Development (formerly Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino) located at 1180 W. 9th Street, San Bernardino, CA 92411.

For more information, please telephone chairperson, Mrs. Tina Darling at tribicu2@msn.com or Ms. Lisa Blacksher, President at lisasocialities@gmail.com or Mrs. Bettye Brewster, Business Manager, bettyebrewster@yahoo.com

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County (CAPSBC), Young Visionaries, and Family & Kids Foundation will be hosting a “Teacher Appreciation Day” on Saturday, October 26, 2019 for all teachers in the Inland Empire. Teachers will be able to “shop” from a wide assortment of age-specific educational materials for their classrooms at no cost. This event is made possible through a generous donation from Family & Kids Foundation and their corporate donor, Teacher Created Resources. Teachers will have access to choose from thousands of various school supplies such as text books, bulletin board materials, charts and student guides for all grades. 

Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County will also supplement school supplies with 3-ring binders, glue sticks, pens, pencils and many other items.

“A recent article published by Business Insider on August 15, 2019 stated that while the federal government reports that teachers spend an average of $500 out of pocket on school supplies, some public school teachers who were interviewed reported that they spend as much as $1,000. As a collaboration, we’re honored to support local school teachers and help alleviate some of their out of pocket spending. We value every teacher’s dedication and commitment to  ensuring the academic success of their students, and we believe that if we work together we can create a greater impact and provide a brighter future for the students.” – Patricia L. Nickols-Butler, CAPSBC President/CEO

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Imagine writing a 50,000-word novel in a single month. That means writing approximately 1,667 words each day of character dialogue, scene descriptions, and plot. It might sound impossible, but it isn’t because hundreds of thousands of people all over the world have done it, some multiple times. That’s the magic of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).

NaNoWriMo celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, inspiring writers online and in person to get their ideas down on the page to share with the world. For everyone who has ever dreamed of being a writer, ever dreamed of completing the novel that has been playing out in their head, November becomes a call to action to start writing and keep writing.

By joining the NaNoWriMo website, writers can declare their novel to the world, earn badges for their writing achievements, and join a worldwide community of writers all working in November towards the same goal—50,000 words.

Supporting Writers of All Ages

This is the 14th year of the Young Writers Program (YWP), which brings NaNoWriMo’s unique style of creative writing into classrooms. The YWP helps young writers—participating both in classrooms and independently—set individual word-count goals and divide their work into daily, achievable milestones.

NaNoWriMo’s Young Writers Program website features an interactive, youth-friendly writing space, a robust suite of admin tools, and the ability for educators to create multiple virtual classrooms. Resources such as Common Core-aligned lesson plans and Young Novelist Workbooks are also available. In addition, NoNoWriMo sends out free classroom kits each year filled with posters, stickers, and other offline resources.

An Entire Community With You As You Write

This November, Municipal Liaisons (MLs) will coordinate hundreds of local, in-person writing events, working with local businesses, libraries, and community centers to bring creative writing into cities and regions across the globe. In San Bernardino County alone, a team of two MLs will be holding meet-ups during October to help potential novelists prepare and schedule write-ins during November to offer support, inspiration and free swag to participants. The Come Write In program (CWI) includes partners at more than 1,000 libraries, book stores, and community spaces around the world. This year, that includes the Feldheym Central Library in San Bernardino.

SanBerdooNaNo

The San Bernardino County region of NaNoWriMo, known as SanBerdooNaNo, has its own social media accounts and a special area on the official NaNoWriMo online forums. The local MLs will also be hosting NaNoWriMo prep sessions across the county in October. Drop by one or more prep sessions to learn about NaNoWriMo, get some tips on planning for your novel, and get access to some amazing resources.

NaNo Prep Highland!Wednesday, October 16, 5 p.m.Highland Branch Library7863 Central Avenue, Highland 92346Informational and plotting session at the Highland library

Get Ready to Novel!Sunday, October 20, 4 p.m.Starbucks Coffee4365 University Parkway, San Bernardino 92407Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while you learn about NaNoWriMo, get familiar with the new website and forums, and have your burning novel prep questions answered
San Bernardino City Prep EventTuesday, October 22, 6 p.m.Feldheym Central Library555 West 6th Street, San Bernardino 92410Learn about NaNoWriMo and the new website and forums and get access to resources for planning your novel

High Desert Planning NightThursday, October 24, 5:30 p.m.Comic Cult HD9594 I Avenue, Suite F, Hesperia 92345Hang out with local High Desert writers and get help planning your NaNoWriMo project.

NaNoWriMo Kick Off PartySunday, October 27, 2 p.m.Comic Cult HD9594 I Avenue, Suite F, Hesperia 92345A social and motivational event before you start your novel

By John Coleman, Community Photographer

Depending on who you were and on how you knew Emma (Armstrong) then  Mrs. George Bernard Shaw, and possibly more importantly,  how she knew you,   you may have known and called Mrs. Emma Shaw by many different names and titles.  

Her titles were simple: daughter, sister, aunt,  wife,  mother;  Mrs Shaw,  etc.   None of us grew up with her during her early years, but we can see the evidence of  her strength,  honor,  charity,  faith,  and  LOVE  that was baked into and built  into the 300 or more Shaw children, grandchildren,  grandchildren,  and Great-Great-grandchildren. and beyond.  

Mrs. Emma Shaw was born in Louisiana in 1912.   She and her family moved to San Bernardino, California  in 1944 where she found jobs, including work at Norton Air Force Base and the National Orange Show.

The Shaw family,  now estimated to include more than 500 members,  reside throughout the U.S., but primarily around the Inland area.

Mrs. Shaw  passed on  September 18, 2019, at the age of 107 years old.  The Funeral Services were held on October 4, 2019, at Ecclesia Church in San Bernardino and were followed by a burial at Mt View Cemetery in San Bernardino.

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SAN BERNARDINO – Brenda Dowdy, homeless education project manager for San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, will receive the 2019 Sandra Neese Lifetime Achievement Award at a national conference in Washington, D.C., in November.

Dowdy will be honored at the 31^st annual National Association for the Education of Homeless Children Conference on Nov. 3.

For the past 13 years, Dowdy has worked in County Schools’ Children Deserve Success program, working with liaisons of the county’s 33 school districts in homeless education to provide services for students and families.

San Bernardino County is home to more than 33,000 students identified as homeless as defined by the federal McKinney-Vento Act.

Dowdy has led efforts through County Schools to provide backpacks with school supplies, clothing and personal hygiene items for students. She also has helped raise and coordinate distribution of college scholarships for high school graduates annually.