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(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Back in the 1880’s California experienced its largest silver strike in the high desert of San Bernardino County, and Calico became the place to be!  Businesses bustled, the presses hummed, and the town was alive with commerce and trade.

The glory days of Calico will be relived as Calico Ghost Town presents the 53rd annual Calico Days Celebration, September 28th & 29th, 2019.

The town will come alive with music, shows, and games for every age that will recall the days when silver mining was king.  Returning to Calico Days this year is the Pico Pistolero Old West Card Room. Learn how to play the table games of the old west like The Earps, Bat Masterson and Doc Holiday. Even join in a “Q & A” session with Mr. Doc Holiday himself.

Between the music and games, make sure to take a stroll through the Old West encampment on Main Street.  Guests are invited to wander through this living historical display, interact with the “towns people,” and see how life was lived during that era. Enjoy hands on activities, such as, Arrowhead Making, Adobe Brick Making, Rope Making and more. 

Favorite features of past Calico Days events will also return, including the Old West Character Costume Contest, The Miner’s Triathlon, old west gunfight shows, and the crowd favorite — Burro Run.

Calico Ghost Town shops and attractions will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  Admission to the event is $10 for adults, $5 for youth (4-11), and free for children 3 and under.

There are still camping accommodations available, and reservations include admission to the event for up to four people per site.  Camping reservations may be booked by calling 800-86-CALICO.  Calico also offers cabins and bunkhouses.

Please visit www.calicotown.com for up-to-date information on Calico Days and Calico Ghost Town. All activities subject to change without notice.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— REDLANDS, CA—- Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital patients were treated to a visit from members of the University of Redlands football team on Thursday, August 29.

Gearing up for their first game on September 7, the players and team coaches took time away from the field to spend time in the playrooms on the hematology/oncology and cardiac units, and were even able to visit some patients at the bedside.

Dante Hollins, 13, of Victorville, found common ground with the players in their love of video games, spending their time battling it out with their controllers.

University of Redlands football head coach, Mike Maynard, said on behalf of the team, he appreciated the opportunity to visit the hospital.

“We teach our young men that when it is within our power to act, we should,” Maynard said. “We hope we were able to give the children some moments of optimism and joy to strengthen their recovery.”

The athletes also toured areas of the hospital and looked in awe at the new hospital towers currently under construction.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Last week, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-San Bernardino) took his Job for a Day tour of the Inland Empire to Anita’s Snack Foods in San Bernardino. Aguilar spent the day packing and preparing Anita’s products for shipments, providing him an opportunity to learn more about the business and hear from Inland Empire residents who work there.

“Companies like Anita’s are creating good jobs in our community by focusing on quality and innovation, and I wanted to see up close what’s made their business a success. My Job for a Day tour is all about spending time with working people and learning how I can better serve Inland Empire businesses and families, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to do that at a business with such deep roots in Southern California,” said Aguilar.

“It was a great pleasure to have Congressman Aguilar visit and work in the facility. It was great to hear that we all shared the same passion and point of view on the need to develop our workforce. The Congressman’s willingness to meet the team and jump into some of our daily jobs shows his commitment and dedication to the people of San Bernardino County,” said Mauro Gomez, Vice President of Sales at Anita’s Snack Foods.

Aguilar began his Job for a Day in 2017 to work side by side with the employees and small businesses who drive the Inland Empire economy. This is the tour’s fourth stop in 2019, and twelfth stop overall.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—-ENN)—- SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Addressing California’s homeless crisis is the responsibility of the community at large. San Bernardino County has identified over 2,600 homeless individuals during the San Bernardino County 2019 Point-in-Time Homeless Count. 

Shelia, who has been homeless for 5 years, called our office for help and my staff immediately connected organizations throughout the region to find housing for Shelia. This model of collaboration should be replicated both state and nation-wide to address the issue. The entire community must work together to return dignity, support, and respect for our homeless neighbors.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— REDLANDS, CA – Music Changing Lives, (MCL) will host their 4^th annual “Ball 4 A Cause,” a celebrity basketball game to support their music and arts program for local youth. The game will take place at the Redlands Community Center, located at 111 W. Lugonia Ave. Redlands, CA 92374 on Saturday, September 14, 2019 from 12pm-1pm.

This exciting event will include an incredible half-time show with live performances, special guests, studio tours, raffles and activities for the entire family. Red carpet festivities and media interviews take place from 12pm-1pm and guests are encouraged to arrive early.

CEO of Music Changing Lives, Josiah Bruny, explains that, “Access to music and art programs are so critical for youth, as we have seen first-hand the impact and changes made within our student’s lives time and time again.  This fundraiser helps us to continue to change lives through the arts and we hope to have the entire community show up and show out again this year.”  

Tickets for this event are only $10, and can be purchased at the door or online at  https://ball4acause2019.eventbrite.com.  Admission for children 12 years old and younger is free.  Tickets will sell out, so purchase yours soon! Celebrity artists and special guests, to be announced.

Proceeds from this event will directly benefit programs that keep music and art alive and accessible for the children in the community.

Sponsorship and vendor opportunities are available. For more information on sponsorship, media or general event information, please contact 951-992-0721 or email MusicChangingLives@gmail.com.

Music Changing Lives is an innovative after-school program whose mission is, “to offer the highest quality music and art enrichment programs to underprivileged and at-risk youth, between the ages of 5-19 years old, helping them improve their chances of achieving a positive and successful future.”

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— MORENO VALLEY, CA—- As overt and deadly racism continues to rise all over the world, local civil rights leaders, community leaders, and social workers launch the Center Against Racism & Trauma (CART) in the Inland Empire. The mission of CART is to eliminate racism in all of its forms and provide healing for all suffering from its trauma.

“This is not a research or documentation center, this is an action center,” said Corey Jackson, Director of CART and civil rights leader. 

CART is designed to actively fight against racism by offering counter narratives to the racist propaganda of the day and training a new generation of youth in anti-racism ideology and strategies.

CART is also dedicated to initiating conversations of racism, oppression, and marginalization, while providing opportunities for affected people to heal from the ravages of historical and intergenerational trauma that racism causes.  

This first strategy that CART will be providing is a public blog t hat will focus on current racist actions all over the world, and anti-racist videos to further educate the public and help prevent the spread of racism. 

“We chose the anniversary of Emmett Till’s lynching, to ensure that everyone can see how dangerous and evil racism is. Emmett Till laying in that coffin is exactly what racism looks like in our nation and in our souls,” said Jernine Williams, Director of Research.

Emmett Louis Till (July 25, 1941 – August 28, 1955) was a 14-year-old African American who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955, after being accused of offending a white woman in her family’s grocery store.

Cause of death?: ?Lynching

Resting place?: ?Burr Oak Cemetery?; ?Alsip, Illinois

Died?: ?August 28, 1955 (aged 14); ?Money, Mississippi

Born?: ?Emmett Louis Till; July 25, 1941; ?Chicago, IL

To access CART content, please go to: www.DestroyRacism.org

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Akoma Unity Center to receive $140,000 grant from More Attractive Communities (MAC) Foundation towards the beautification of Anne Shirrells Park on the Westside of San Bernardino. Akoma Unity Center (Akoma) is located in the heart of the Westside in Anne Shirrells Park. The Beautification of Anne Shirrells Park aims to inspire and recharge the community’s spirit, while boosting the financial resilience of this neighborhood —giving residents a sense of pride and ownership.  

This project is made possible, largely due to the support of MAC Foundation whose mission is to support San Bernardino’s underserved communities by creating curb appeal to physical local businesses, organizations, parks and recreation facilities. Akoma is seeking additional support from the City of San Bernardino and other stakeholders to contribute to the Beautification Project. 

Improvement plans include: refurbishing the basketball court, improving landscaping and irrigation of the Anne Shirrells Garden, creating a Zen Garden inside the gated area of Akoma Unity Center, along with a new volleyball and tether ball court. Each space serves a purpose for the youth and families of the West side of San Bernardino and those who visit Akoma Unity Center. In addition, MAC is sponsoring the painting of a vibrant mural on the building facing California St. Akoma has partnered with a home-grown muralist to create a welcoming art scape that encompasses the culture and values of this neighborhood.  

“Murals have been noted to be extremely impactful in bridging communities and creating pride. We at Akoma Unity Center are extremely grateful to the MAC Foundation and all philanthropic organizations who will find it deep in their generous hearts to give to this worthy community project. As Executive Director of Akoma Unity Center, it is my heartfelt mission to bring about change and improvements to the very much marginalized Westside of San Bernardino. It takes strong leadership, insight, and understanding of community development in order to forge revitalization within a community where People feel no hope. Akoma Unity Center welcomes all community collaborations with this Beautification project” says Executive Director, Kimberly Calvin.  

Akoma has previously received support from CA ReLeaf through the 2019 Arbor Week Grant which assisted with planting the Shirrells Garden bountiful orchard of fruit trees.  

Akoma Unity Center is a 501 C(3) Non-Profit organization committed to providing children with high quality, nocost afterschool structured recreation, and development programs in a safe and supervised environment. If you would like to learn more information about Akoma Unity Center, please visit our website at www.akomaunitycenter.org or call (909) 217-7956. 

Pictured: Anne Shirrells Park basketball court. Left, is the basketball court in its current state, right, is mock up image of the newly remodled basketball court.

By John Coleman, Community Photographer

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Drivers, passenger bus riders and others could have been excused if they had paused in their travels last Saturday evening, feeling a need to ‘check out’ what was going on in Downtown San Bernardino.

It looked like party time at Court Street Square. Bright lights were strung through the trees and there were plenty of banquet tables, chairs and other seating with a lot of people standing about. Some were in lines of giant food trucks, others eating and well dressed people taking photos of each other.  People were having a good time!

THIS in Downtown San Bernardino?  A flashback of the past?  Or a vision of the future?

Assembly Member Eloise Gomez Reyes presented the 3rd Annual 30 Under 30 Award Ceremony and Art Showcase, presented at dusk, in otherwise apparently deserted Downtown, City of  San Bernardino was an outstanding success.

It was real, it was creative, and it focused on local youth and their roles in advancing the quality of life HERE in the Inland Empire (I.E.).

Opening the event, AssemblyMember Reyes did what is almost unheard of in the world of practical politics;  she gave credit to an earlier political leader for the model of this event AND shared the platform with that person.

The 30 Under 30 program recognizes the special services and other contributions young people from different backgrounds for years have been providing here in the Inland Empire. THEY are our future! 

A well-designed  printed brochure containing the photo of each honoree was distributed;  music chosen by each honoree was broadcast as the honoree contributions were read, he or she ….. received a plaque;  The honorees,  their families and friends and people from the community  were there to see them honored!  It was a warm, sultry evening; A great party.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Three San Bernardino City Schools started the 2019–2020 school year with new principals and two District departments welcomed new directors.

Students at Highland-Pacific, Lankershim, and North Verdemont Elementary Schools met their new leaders in August, while children at E. Neal Roberts Elementary are getting to know their principal a little better after Yosan Hailemariam took the helm just before the last school year ended.

Lauryn Wild is principal of Highland-Pacific Elementary.  M. Evette Peters, former principal of Highland-Pacific Elementary, is now the principal of Lankershim Elementary.  Kimberly Robel, previously a vice principal at Cajon High, is looking forward to leading North Verdemont Elementary, a tightknit school where staff and students are like family.

“I’m so excited to return to the closeness of an elementary school,” Robel said. “I’m looking forward to creating opportunities for students and teachers to stretch their wings and be their best selves.”

At the District level, longtime principal Ernestine Hopwood, who most recently led Chavez Middle School, was promoted to director of Charter School Operations, a department that oversees more than a dozen charter campuses in San Bernardino and Highland.

Dr. Wil Greer, who most recently taught in the Educational Administration department at Cal State San Bernardino, is the District’s new director of Equity and Targeted Student Achievement. Known as ETSA, Greer’s department is at the forefront of closing the academic achievement gap by promoting equitable learning outcomes for targeted and underachieving student groups.

Stater Bros. Charities and Inland Women Fighting Cancer presented a check for $125,000 to the Loma Linda University Cancer Center on August 20. The funds were a portion of those raised at the 11th annual Believe Walk in October 2018.

Judy Chatigny, MSN, executive director of Loma Linda University Cancer Center, said the donation will be used to support the psycho-oncology program, which assists with services not typically covered by insurance, such as psychologists, spiritual chaplains, financial guidance, dietitians, wig banks, and the new offering of massage services for patients.

During the check presentation at Stater Bros. corporate headquarters, Chatigny said the Cancer Center is constantly finding new ways to serve patients. This year they have added a massage therapy service specifically for cancer patients. The therapists have been trained to service patients who are undergoing chemo. 

In addition, Chatigny said the Cancer Center has hired a financial coordinator to help offer financial support to patients who need high-cost treatments. In 2019 alone, the center has received $2.6 million in free drug and co-pay assistance for patients. 

“Patients face many challenges, and our focus is to at Loma Linda University Cancer Center is to help alleviate them in any way we can,” Chatigny said. “We are so very grateful for the continued partnership with Stater Bros. Charities and Inland Women Fighting Cancer, who help our patients thrive during some of the toughest times in their lives.” 

Stater Bros. Charities chairman and president, Nancy Negrette, said Stater Bros. Charities believes in making sure the funds they raise stay in the community that Stater Bros. serves. 

“Many of us have had family members and friends who have received services at Loma Linda University Cancer Center, so we know firsthand how important the resources are to cancer patients in our community,” Negrette says. “We are proud to continue our partnership with the Cancer Center so they can continue the work they do for our community.”

The Believe Walk was created through the partnership of Inland Women Fighting Cancer founding members Cathy Stockton, Annie Sellas and the late Nancy Varner, along with Stater Bros. Charities. 

Negrette said the first Believe Walk had 1,400 walkers in 2008. The walk has now grown exponentially to approximately 12,000 participants. Since its inception, the partnership between Stater Bros. Charities and Inland Women Fighting Cancer has donated over $5.1 million to support programs, services and equipment for cancer patients in the Inland Empire.

The 12^thannual Believe Walk will take place in Redlands on Sunday, October 6.