Local

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—Inland Center, Macerich’s regional mall destination in the heart of Southern California’s fast-growing Inland Empire, today announced a series of important updates to benefit shoppers at the market-dominant property. 

A major component of the refresh is the complete update of the 53-year-old freeway pylon sign, located at the high-profile I-215 and Inland Center Drive exit. The new signage features modern graphics, new metal and stone veneer cladding, LED lighting throughout and the addition of individual sign panels promoting major anchors at the property. Updates at Inland Center, all expected to be complete in fall 2019, also include new comfortable furnishings in common areas, remodeled restrooms and more. 

“We’re very pleased that Macerich continues to invest in its Inland Center retail powerhouse property that means so much to our community,” said John Valdivia, Mayor of the City of San Bernardino. “The highly visible new outdoor signage, in particular, will showcase major destination and attractions at the property, which has been a vital part of our City for more than 50 years.” 

Newly elected City of San Bernardino Third Ward Councilman Juan Figueroa said “I fully support Inland Center’s efforts to enhance and update their presence, and appreciate the positive impacts it has had on the greater San Bernardino community for over five decades. As shopping centers evolve into their next iteration, and begin to introduce non-traditional offering and new experiences, we will continue to support our hometown retail destination. Specifically in the 3rd Ward, I’m encouraged and thankful of the mall’s investment in our community.” 

 Office of Mayor John Valdivia 

Arun Parmar, Inland Center’s Senior Manager, Property Management, added, “Inland Center is a vital part of life in San Bernardino and the surrounding communities and a top choice for successful retailers and brands. While the new outdoor signage certainly will appeal to shoppers, it also provides a tangible benefit to our retail and major partners that more than ever value prime placement and positioning at key properties, like Inland Center. Great experiences matter to shoppers and retailers today, which is why our refresh also includes welcoming new common area furnishings, remodeled restrooms and a variety of other amenity updates all of which will be complete in stages over the next three months. Construction on the I-215 freeway pylon sign is underway and is expected to be unveiled in August.” 

(SAN BERNARDINO, CA)— Assemblyman James Ramos delivers a $3 million check to Mayor John Valdivia and City Councilman Juan Figuroa of San Bernardino. The state of California issued the check as a result of Ramos’ advocacy! The money is earmarked for updating the City Plan for San Bernardino. Mayor Valdivia also presented The Assemblyman with a Resolution thanking him for his support. A series of community meetings will occur to facilitate creating the development document. Call the San Bernardino City Clerk for more information.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- FONTANA, CA—- The Fontana Boxing Club will hold the Ring of Champs Boxing Show on August 10, 2019, at 1 p.m., in the Jessie Turner Center in Fontana, CA. This event is scheduled to hold 20 bouts of young amateur boxers and will showcase the work of the Fontana Boxing Club and the young boxers that are learning boxing skills, training in building self-confidence and self-discipline.

City Pride Magazine is partnering with the Fontana Boxing Club and Fighting 4 the Tatas to help promote the Ring of Champs Boxing Show. We are providing advertisement and media promotion and providing a special issue of City Pride Magazine that will be a souvenir program for the Ring of Champs Boxing show. This special edition will feature stories about the activities at the Fontana Boxing Club and the young people that they are helping to grow into champions. This edition will also feature Fighting 4 The Tatas Breast Cancer Awareness Organization and the work they are doing to alert the community of this dangerous health threat. We will also cover other important events and news in Fontana and the Inland Empire. 

We are offering business, community leaders and individuals an opportunity to join us and be a part of this great event. We are offering pages in the magazine/program where businesses can advertise and show their support for what these community organizations are doing. The advertisement will help support the activities of the Fontana Boxing Club and Fighting 4 The Tatas Breast Cancer Awareness Organization. 

Join us by getting a full-page ad for only $200 and ½ page ad for only $100. Cover page ads for front and back page is only $500. Please join us in our efforts to make this event successful and continue to provide these great services to our communities. Call City Pride Magazine at (424) 222-2296 or email citypridemag@gmail.com for more information on how you can participate. 

The Ring of Champs Boxing Show will be a great event for the entire community.. The cost is only $10 General, $20 Ringside and part of the proceeds will go toward Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Cancer Awareness. For more info on Fontana Boxing Club visit at 7893 Sierra Ave. Fontana CA or call (909) 997- 5724 or view www.fontanaboxing club.com

Aviation Electronics Mate 2nd Class Vinh Nguyen, from Orange County, Calif., right, and Aviation Electronics Mate 3rd Class Andrew Cancino, from San Bernardino, Calif., use a multimeter on an MH-60R Sea Hawk, assigned to the “Scorpions” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49, on the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115). Rafael Peralta is conducting routine operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Isaacs/Released)

On Saturday, August 3, the Adrian Dell and Carmen Roberts Foundation will be hosting its annual backpack giveaway

RIVERSIDE, CA—- (JULY 23, 2019) —- Summer is coming to an end! But before school officially starts, the Adrian Dell and Carmen Roberts Foundation will be assisting parents with school supplies by handing out FREE backpacks at its 18^th Annual Backpack giveaway. The giveaway will be held at Castle Park located at 3500 Polk Street in Riverside from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Backpacks are given on a first come, first serve basis to K-12 aged students, so early arrival is highly suggested! This year foundation is partnering with City of Riverside, Riverside Unified School District, Cold Cutz Barbershop, Raceway Ford, Assemblymember Jose Medina, Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes, Castle Park, Riverside Police Department and Riverside Fire Department.

For more information or to be a sponsor or vendor, please email bhcriverside@hotmail.com.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- SAN BERNARDINO, CA—-The public is invited to meet District Police officers and personnel during National Night Out at Davidson Elementary School on Tuesday, August 6, 5 to 8 p.m.

National Night Out is held each year by law enforcement organizations across the country so the public can interact with police officers in a friendly and positive way. The campaign was started in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch, according to the association’s website.

“National Night Out is a great event for our District Police officers and the community. Most of the time, officers only get to interact with the public when something is wrong, like reporting a crime. This gives us all a chance to connect on a different level. The community can get to know us as people, not just cops, and officers are reminded that what we do helps the good, upstanding citizens in our community,” said Sgt. John Guttierez, an event organizer. “We hope to see many families and children come out to meet our dedicated officers and have fun.”

National Night Out is a free event held on the Davidson Elementary School playground, 2844 Davidson Avenue in San Bernardino. There will be food, beverages, and activities for children. For more information, please call (909) 388-6030 or follow District Police on social media @SBCUSDPOLICE.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Aaron Moore has joined Omnitrans as Director of the Special Transportations Services department. He succeeds current Director, Douglas Stanley, who will retire in August after a 30-year career at the transit agency.

For the past seven years, Moore served as the Mobility Manager and Consolidated Transportation Service Agency Director at Victor Valley Transit Authority in Hesperia, California.

“We are fortunate to have Aaron on board.  He brings tremendous experience in developing and managing successful special transportation programs in the region,” said Omnitrans CEO/General Manager P. Scott Graham.

At Omnitrans, Moore will lead a department of 14 employees. Special Transportation Services (STS) oversees contracts to deliver Access and OmniGo services and manages special programs for seniors and persons with disabilities such as travel training, volunteer driver reimbursement program, taxi/LYFT subsidy program, and paratransit eligibility certification. STS also develops partnerships with local governments, social services agencies, and private non-profits to provide funding assistance for programs that transport seniors and individuals with disabilities in the Omnitrans service area .

“My favorite part of the work I do in public transit is helping people and seeing the positive effects of the programs which I help to create and operate are having on improving the quality of life for people,” said Moore. “Though many served by our programs are from the vulnerable demographics, public transit has the potential to be a benefit to everyone in the community and also to the environment.”

Prior to working the public transportation industry, Moore held teaching positions at area high schools and churches. He earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, San Bernardino and a master’s degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.  Moore also completed numerous transit certificate programs including a Transit and Paratransit Management Certificate from the University of the Pacific and a Managing Community Mobility Certificate from the National Transit Institute.

Beloved restaurant fires up the grill with refreshed look and feel

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Black Angus Steakhouse, the original American Steakhouse, announced today it will officially re-open the doors of its San Bernardino location on Monday, July 15^th. A mainstay in the area since 1979, the restaurant will reveal a renovation that is the second for the chain this year, giving the coveted 55-year-old steakhouse a 21^st century refresh.

“There aren’t a lot of restaurant chains with over five decades of history, but Black Angus wears it well,” said Chris Ames, CEO Black Angus Steakhouse. “As our customers evolve, we must evolve with them – paying homage to our roots but in a more modern way. Our newly renovated space will continue to offer a dining place that is at the border between casual dining and fine dining, a lively and approachable restaurant with booths that are home to family dinners, date nights, celebrations and more.”

Traditionally known for tall booths, a cozy bar, and western vibe, the Black Angus remodel will keep the original sensibility, but with larger windows, a lighter palette and more open floor plan. A spacious private dining room, a destination-worthy bar, and the comfortable lounge are new features that bring more cause to dine in for longtime restaurant-goers and new ones alike.

The Black Angus Steakhouse menu its guests know and love will return, including USDA choice, 21 day aged steaks, chops and prime rib. Guests can expect to see a revamped beverage program where flavors are highlighted in classic drinks, new brewery partnerships, trending flavors and robust wines.

The San Bernardino location will be open for both lunch and dinner and is located at 290 E. Hospitality Lane. To learn more about Black Angus Steakhouse, visit www.BlackAngus.com or follow Black Angus on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @BASteakhouse.

National Science Foundation award will help promote and retain newly hired historically underrepresented minority faculty in STEM fields

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— POMONA, CA—- Today, U.S. Representative Norma J. Torres (D-Pomona) announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $310,588 grant to Cal Poly Pomona to promote, recruit, and retain underrepresented minority Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty to address the achievement gap between minority and non-minority undergraduate and graduate students. Faculty members often serve as role models and academic leaders for students to learn from, work with, and emulate.

“The faculty at Cal Poly Pomona plays a powerful role in the lives of students pursuing degrees. They’re more than just teachers—they’re mentors who guide young leaders through challenges in and outside of the classroom,” said Torres. “This grant will help bolster diversity in STEM education, provide faculty with the support to succeed, and give students the representation they need to see that a future in these fields is a real possibility for them.”

“It is important that our faculty reflect the diversity of our students,” said Dr. Victoria Bhavsar, Director of the Faculty Center for Professional Development. “This important work will help Cal Poly Pomona retain excellent faculty, and in turn, our STEM students will be better equipped for their own futures and for addressing the big issues in California’s future.” 

Dr. Bhavsar continued, “I would like to thank Congresswoman Torres in her role on the House Appropriations Committee in supporting funding for the NSF, which makes funding for programs like these possible.”

The funding for the grant is made possible through the NSF’s Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program. The AGEP program provides trainings about culturally-informed strengths and identity, senior faculty mentoring, peer coaching and networking, and grant proposal writing trainings. Advancing the careers of minority faculty ultimately leads to improved academic mentorship for students from underrepresented groups.  

Torres is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for appropriating federal spending.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- San Bernardino Valley College is once again ranked among the best community colleges in California. SR Education Group, an educational research publisher, just released its inaugural ranking of the Best Online Community Colleges by state, and SBVC ranked #12 in California. 

SR Education Group considered retention and graduation rates, percentage of online enrollment data, and the number of online associate degrees offered.

“Community colleges offer some of the most affordable degrees in the country,” SR Education Group CEO Sung Rhee said in a statement.

“With a growing number of these degrees becoming available online, we wanted to let prospective students know about these great, accessible options near them. By providing these resources, we hope to help more people reach their educational and professional goals.” 

The ranking acknowledges SBVC’s offerings of associate degrees in various fields, including Administration of Justice, Anthropology, Liberal Arts, Philosophy, Sociology, and more. Students can also pursue a variety of online certificates, where all remote students have the opportunity to still participate in free tutoring sessions through the campus writing centers.

For more information about San Bernardino Valley College, visit valleycollege.edu.