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(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- When people think of the holidays, they often think of the red and green lights of Christmas; the blue and white colors of Hanukkah; the green, red, and black of Kwanzaa; or the yellow-gold light of a burning yule log or candles.

This holiday season, many in the community felt the holiday spirit when they saw red and blue—the lights on the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) Police cars that delivered holiday food baskets, toys and more to families in need.

District Police officers launched Stuff-A-Bus earlier this month. So far, they have collected more than 1,500 unwrapped toys and books for underprivileged children, and the bus is expected to make a few more stops before the toy drive is complete. The goal is to make sure that as many children as possible have a gift to unwrap on Christmas morning. And, since the District Police officers are almost as competitive as they are generous, they decided it would be fun to see which SBCUSD school or department could stuff the most toys in the bus.

“Our team thought that if we could just stuff a bus with toys, we can have a significant impact on underprivileged kids in our community during this holiday season,” Sergeant John Guttierez said. “The joy from the participating students and staff from Pacific, San Gorgonio, San Bernardino, Cajon, and Indian Springs High Schools coupled with the District’s Maintenance & Operations (team) and Thinkwise Credit Union was unbelievable to see.”

As of December 17, San Gorgonio High School was in the lead, collecting more than 1,000 toys. Although, the real winners are the children.

Stuff-A-Bus is just one of many programs that District Police has launched this school year in order to reach out to and support the local community. Although each program has its own specific purpose, the overall theme has been about connecting with the adults and children in the SBCUSD community and showing them that District Police officers exist to keep children safe and help families succeed, not just to hold them accountable.

The community outreach began in August with National Night Out at Davidson Elementary School. Students, parents, and local residents were all invited to enjoy some free hamburgers cooked by officers while they learned about local resources that can help families stay safe and stable.

The department launched Coffee with a Cop back in October at Paakuma’ K-8 School as an opportunity for officers to meet with parents in a safe and open space where they can share a cup of coffee, courtesy of Starbucks, and conversation. District Police held six more Coffee with a Cop events in just under two months, meeting with 400 community members.

“We hope it’s a chance for people to learn more about what police officers, and especially District Police officers, do and also to understand that we’re people, just like they are, and we want our community to flourish,” Guttierez said.

Last month, officers used their black and white police cars not to transport criminals, but to deliver Thanksgiving meals, complete with frozen turkeys, directly to the homes of 52 needy families.

According to officers, it was among the highlights of their day. Corporal Jonathan Falcon personally delivered Thanksgiving dinner to a family of four in an older apartment complex plagued with crime, and although he was originally met with suspicion, by the time his good deed was done, the residents were grateful.

In the past six months, other initiatives have included the Pink Patch Project and No Shave November, both of which bring awareness to and raise funds for breast cancer support and research, and Shop with a Cop, which involved 15 District Police officers shopping with needy students for clothes and toys. Officers, along with students in the Police Explorersprogram, also supported the SBCUSD Craft Faire, which raises money for scholarships.

District Police Chief Joseph Paulino and Assistant Chief Stephen Donahue have supported the efforts of their officers to reach out to the community, and they have been equally pleased that the community has responded with so much support. In addition to Thinkwise Credit Union and Starbucks, Durham Bus Company, NBC4 News, the District Police Cadets, and the entire SBCUSD multimedia team in Communications/Community Relations have stepped up to offer their assistance.

That has sparked District Police to do even more. In January 2019, officers will be participating in the Battle of the Badge Blood Drive and launching the Chief’s Read Across the District campaign, which involves law enforcement officers from multiple agencies coming together to read books to students. “District Police is an agency that is on the move,” Guttierez said. “We’re taking community engagement to a new level and using it as a catalyst for hope.”

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—- MIRA LOMA, CA—- Santa came to town early this year to make a magical stop at Troth Elementary School in Mira Loma.  Santa and his elves from the Christmas in the Classroom and HRBC Insurance delivered toys on Tuesday, December 18, to the nearly 900 students who attend the underprivileged elementary school.

During this magical visit, the elves served cookies and milk to all the students while they listened to an inspiring message about pursuing their dreams and the meaning of Christmas from their Principal, Ilsa A. Crocker, Maria Vasquez, Founder of Christmas in the Classroom and Henry Romero, CEO of HRBC Insurance. Followed by a countdown for students to open their gifts together.  The multi-purpose room where the festivities were held was filled with a huge buzz of excitement, lots of giggles and countless smiles.

“HRBC Insurance looks forward to supporting the Christmas in the Classroom agency and Troth Elementary School every year. Giving back is a big part of our culture, and we love to see the big eyes and cheerful smiles of the students when they receive their gifts,” stated Mr. Romero, of HRBC Insurance.

Troth Elementary School was adopted by the Christmas in the Classroom organization and its sponsor HRBC Insurance nearly a decade ago because it’s identified as a Title 1 school, which means that students are at-risk of academic failure and living at or near poverty.   Sadly, for some students, the gifts they receive from the Christmas in the Classroom Foundation will be the only presents they receive this Christmas.

Christmas in the Classroom was founded in 2004 by Maria Vazquez when her daughter, an elementary school teacher, told her the heartbreaking news that the majority in her class did not celebrate Christmas because their families could not afford to. Maria was emotionally compelled to bring the joy of Christmas to these under privileged school children by providing them gifts.

For more information or to become a sponsor for the Christmas in the Classroom please visit them on the web at www.christmasintheclassroom.com or call 909-374-4307.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—- LOS ANGELES, CA— The Board of Directors of Metrolink today named Stephanie Wiggins Metrolink’s Chief Executive Officer. Wiggins is currently the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). 

“Stephanie has held high-level positions at three of the five-member agencies that comprise Metrolink. She is well known as a leader who finds solutions from a regional perspective. Stephanie is the right person to lead Metrolink now and going forward,” said Metrolink Board Chair Andrew Kotyuk. “Stephanie’s extensive experience in transportation and infrastructure development will be essential as Metrolink brings its service to more people in the coming years.” 

Wiggins was responsible for overseeing the Metro departments of Vendor/Contract Management, Congestion Reduction, Human Capital & Development, Management and Audit Services, and Systems Security & Law Enforcement. “I am pleased to accept the unique challenge of leading Metrolink at this important time,” Wiggins said. “Metrolink is a nationally-recognized leader in safety with the installation of Positive Train Control and I will continue the commitment to safety. As a mobility provider that reduces congestion and air pollution in the Southern California region, I look forward to having a laser focus on enhancing the customer experience for current and future riders.”

Wiggins will lead a 261 employee-strong regional commuter railroad that covers 2.8 million train miles per year and 400 million passenger miles per year.

The Agency is embarked on the Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) Program, a $10 billion plan to improve rail safety and service in time for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Metrolink received a total of $875 million in grants from the state and is moving to secure additional funding for this program.   

As part of Wiggins’ more than 24 years of experience, she oversaw Metro ExpressLanes, commuter rail, rideshare, rail capital programs, served as Regional Programs Director for the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), and was Administrative Analyst for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA). Metro, RCTC and SBCTA are three of the five county transportation agencies that govern Metrolink.

Wiggins is a member of the Board of the American Public Transportation Association and is the founding president of the Inland Empire Chapter of WTS. She is the recipient of many awards including the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) 2018 Women Who Move the Nation Award.

Interim co-Chief Executive Officers Don Del Rio and Ronnie Campbell will remain as General Counsel and Chief Financial Officer respectively.

Wiggins replaces Art Leahy who announced his retirement on Oct. 12 after 48 years in transportation. Wiggins earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Whittier College and a Master of Business Administration from USC.

For more information about Metrolink, please visit www.metrolinktrains.com

 (EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—-RIVERSIDE, CA— On Monday, December 17, the NAACP Branch of Riverside will be swearing-in new officers. The ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. at Bordwell Park/Stratton Center located at 2008 Martin Luther King Blvd in Riverside.

Officers getting sworn in include: Dr. Regina Patton-Stell, President; Sharron Lewis-Campbell, 1^st Vice President; Natasha Ferguson, 2^nd Vice President; Mary Welch, 3^rd Vice President; Nina Moore-Hailiburton, secretary; Collen Hairston, assistant secretary; Charles Walker, treasurer; and Maudie Wilson, assistant treasurer.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—- SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools’ Expanded Learning program has been notified that it will continue to receive state and federal funding for the 2018-19 academic year.

The Expanded Learning program, which will receive a total of $304,500 between two grants, has been recognized as a statewide model for initiating training opportunities and increasing access to programs for schools and districts across the region. For the 2018-19 academic year, there were 266 after-school programs countywide, including five being implemented at the high school level in the Apple Valley and San Bernardino school districts.

“This funding makes a tremendous difference in assisting our schools and districts to provide high-quality, after-school, academic and educational opportunities for our students,” County Superintendent Ted Alejandre said.

Funding for the grant is split between support from the California Department of Education and the federal government.

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(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—-LOMA LINDA, CA— Loma Linda University Health’s fourth annual No Shave November fundraiser partnered with the San Bernardino Police Department and finished with over $8,000 donated to Loma Linda University Cancer Center.

The two organizations collaborated for the awareness month, during which male and female participants skipped shaving in order to raise awareness about cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Kerry Heinrich, JD, CEO of Loma Linda University Medical Center, said he is thankful for this partnership that has been established on behalf of patients. 

“I am grateful for the San Bernardino Police Department and their commitment to engaging in helping make the Loma Linda University Cancer Center an institution that is focused on research for a cure, and support for patients,” Heinrich said. 

For Captain Paul Williams of the San Bernardino Police Department, and his team, their motivation for participating in this annual fundraiser lies in their faith for generational impact.

“All of us have been touched at some point in our lives, by cancer,” Williams said. “What I’m hoping for — and what these officers are hoping for — is that the money they can help raise will help their kids and their grandkids.”

To close out the fundraiser, a celebratory event was held at Loma Linda University Health – San Bernardino Campus Friday, November 30. At the event, all participants were judged and awarded for everything from best beard to best attempt. 

After the program, two local barbershops offered free straight cut shaves on site to those men who had participated in the month-long awareness. The one female participant opted out of the service.

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EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—- SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The San Bernardino City Unified School District Board of Education honored 12 students with Outstanding Student Awards at the November 6, Board meeting. The San Bernardino Symphony also recognized students by providing them and their families with free symphony tickets.

Outstanding Student Award winners are recognized for achievement in academics, athletics, fine arts, citizenship, or for showing significant improvement in these areas. Students are awarded and inspired to have hope for their future by thinking about long-term educational and career goals.

Emmerton Elementary School Outstanding Students

Second-grader Diego Florido has already mastered all of the high frequency words, and he is eagerly expanding his vocabulary beyond that. He is always eager to take on new challenges. Right now, his goal is to play soccer and attend UCLA to study epidemiology.

Second-grader Emperor Martin has an amazing heart. He is kind and friendly with everyone. He is well-behaved, inquisitive, and enjoys a challenge, making him a model AVID scholar. Emperor’s long-term goal is to become a police officer.

Third-grader Matara Teava is a respectful and responsible student. She is doing well in reading, writing, and math, but math is her favorite subject. Matara wants to become a middle school teacher and a famous hula dancer.

Highland-Pacific Elementary School Outstanding Students

Fifth-grader Heaven Calaway is the type of student every teacher wishes for. She works hard, participates in classroom discussions by posing in-depth questions, and is an all-around great student. Heaven likes to help people, so she is thinking of becoming a doctor or owning her own bakery.

Third-grader Allysa Villarreal never hesitates to seek out information or help to overcome a challenge. She is a model for her classmates, not only academically, but because of her strong moral character and compassion. Allysa wants to attend college and write a mystery comic book.

Sixth-grader Achilles War Cry Hart Zavala is a true leader. He has a positive attitude, empathy for others, and good communication skills. He wants to study computer science and robotics at CSUSB and become a game designer.

Jones Elementary School Outstanding Students

Sixth-grader Kimberly Martinez is an English learner, but she hasn’t let that challenge stop her from serving three years on the student council and helping incoming students successfully transition into the Jones Elementary learning environment. Kimberly plans to study nursing at Valley College before transferring to UCLA.

Third-grader Khloe Mendez is an exemplary student who is dedicated to her studies. She is achieving at or above grade level in reading and math. Khloe wants to attend Harvard University and someday become a surgeon.

Third-grader Melanye Reyes is a great role model. She is respectful, responsible, and works hard. She is in the Dual Language program and is reading at a 4th-grade level. Melanye wants to become a biliterate teacher someday.

Muscoy Elementary School Outstanding Students

Sixth-grader Diana Moran is a pleasant and positive student. As a result of her hard work and growth mindset, she has made tremendous academic progress. She is advanced by two grade levels in reading. Diana wants to go to college and eventually work in a bank.

Fifth-grader Arianna Puga is always thinking of others. She helps out at school and she does it with a smile. She even helped launch a clothing drive for the needy. Arianna knows she wants to attend college, but she hasn’t decided which one yet.

First-grader Nigel Tamallo is a model citizen. He is an active listener and classroom participant. He struggled in kindergarten, but now he is working at grade level in all subjects. Nigel wants to become a firefighter.

Pacific High School Outstanding Students

Twelfth-grader Marissa Ocasio is a kind, giving person. She helps her classmates and volunteers regularly with the Tzu Chi food distribution program, all while taking A.P. courses. Marissa wants to major in psychology or sociology and become a high school counselor.

Ninth-grader Miranda Owen has a 4.0 GPA, ranks #3 on the school’s singles tennis team, and plans to try out for basketball and track and field. Miranda said she wants to attend college and search “the multiple opportunities available in the world.”

Eleventh-grader Joseph Pratt is known for his hard work, positive attitude, and kindness. He plays football on the varsity team and string bass in the City Honor Orchestra. Joseph plans to attend a university in California, but he hasn’t decided on a school or major yet.

San Gorgonio High’s starting linebacker to play prominent role in Friday’s semifinal game

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—-Heidi Gonzales will never forget the day her then 10-year-old son was told he couldn’t play football.

“They told us they had no use for him,” Gonzales said, referring to representatives for the local football league. “They said he was a liability because he was deaf. But Desi didn’t listen.”

Fast forward seven years.

Today, Desi Gonzales is starting linebacker for the San Gorgonio High School varsity football team, a position he earned with pure grit and the help of an American Sign Language interpreter who excitedly signs play to him from the sidelines.Born with congenital hearing loss, Desi, 17, attended California School for the Deaf, Riverside until earlier this year when he decided to transfer to his home high school for his junior and senior year.It was a difficult decision that worried his mom, who wondered whether her only child would adjust to life in the hearing world.

Desi has more than adjusted.

At San Gorgonio High, he’s thriving academically and he hasn’t looked back.

“He can’t hear, that’s it,” Gonzales said. “There’s nothing else that’s different about him.”

Desi is anything but ordinary.

In his 16 years as San Gorgonio’s athletic director, Matt Maeda has seen a handful of deaf athletes try their luck in sports like track and basketball. But none had the perseverance and athleticism that made Desi stand out.

“Nothing’s been given to Desi,” Maeda said. “He’s had to earn it by working hard, harder than most other kids.”

On Friday, when Heidi Gonzales watches her son and his team take on Anaheim’s Western High School at 7:30 p.m., on San Gorgonio High’s home field, she’ll be beaming with pride that her son didn’t listen.

Partnership addresses long-term healthcare needs of Coachella Valley

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—-RIVERSIDE,CA— The School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, and Eisenhower Health have formally established an affiliation for the joint training of future physicians to address the Coachella Valley’s medical workforce shortage.

Deborah Deas, the Mark and Pam Rubin Dean of the UCR medical school and chief executive officer of clinical affairs, and G. Aubrey Serfling, president and chief executive officer of Eisenhower Health, signed the affiliation agreement in an informal ceremony attended by leadership, faculty, and staff of both institutions in the Annenberg Health Sciences Building on the Eisenhower Health campus.

UCR Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox, who attended the event, described the new partnership as an investment in the long-term healthcare needs of the region.

“It’s about shared values, an improved quality of life in the Coachella Valley, and a world-class medical education — but it is also about a deeper vision,” he said. “The commitment is really a focus on the future, designed to serve upcoming generations, not only treat the patients of today. It is about helping to create a different Coachella Valley in 10, 20, 30 years from now, as these physicians become part of the environment here in the region.”

“With this affiliation, the future of health care in the Coachella Valley is moving forward,” Serfling said. “Establishing an affiliation with such a respected institution like UCR underscores our commitment to provide the very best care to our patients now and for years to come.”

Initially, the two institutions will partner to expand residency and fellowship training opportunities in the Coachella Valley. The UCR School of Medicine sponsors a variety of residency training and fellowship programs, including in psychiatry, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and cardiovascular medicine. Eisenhower Health currently offers residency training programs in family medicine and internal medicine, a fellowship in sports medicine and, beginning next July, a residency training program in emergency medicine.

Together, the two institutions will start additional graduate medical education programs. The strategy of expanding residency training in the Coachella Valley capitalizes on the primary driver of where physicians practice: where they complete their medical training.

This partnership “will allow us to be an example for other communities of similar demographics, communities that have so few physicians, of how we can come together to make something great,” Deas said. “We all share the common vision of providing the best quality care for the people of our communities. We will epitomize the African proverb, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ I’m sure we will go far together.”

“From the very start, our discussions were predicated upon the notion that this has to be a win-win situation for both institutions, and I believe we’ve achieved that,” said Dr. John Stansell, designated institutional officer of Eisenhower Health, who will work directly with Dr. Gerald A. Maguire, UCR’s associate dean for graduate medical education.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—- SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, located at 1355 W. 21st Street, San Bernardino, CA, is pleased to announce and welcome the Reverend Godfrey R. Patterson as the church’s new senior pastor.  He was appointed by the Rt. Rev. Clement W. Fugh, Presiding Prelate of the 5th Episcopal District of the AME Church, at the 94th Session of the Southern California Conference on October 21, 2018. 

Rev. Patterson has more than 40 years of a successful pastoral experience where he has served congregations in Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, California and Kansas.   His most recent pastoral assignment was at St. Paul AME Church, Wichita, Kansas. 

A native of Chicago, IL, he graduated from Northside High School, attended and graduated from Lambuth College in Jackson, TN; after which he responded to the “call of Gospel ministry” and enrolled at the Howard University School of Religion.  At Howard, he distinguished himself as both a campus leader and community organizer, co-founding the Howard University Student Aid to Political Prisoners and becoming a coordinator with the Wilmington 10 Defense Committee.   He is also the founder of InFocus Ministries, an “evangelistic social gospel workshop” and has traveled extensively throughout the nation winning souls to Christ and organizing these converts to become agents of positive change in the black community.

His credits as an author include: The Ten Black Commandments (Principles of Survival); two books, The Autobiography of a Stranger; Just Trusting in God; and a screenplay, “Framed.”  He is currently working on his third book, Meditations from the Heart of a Stranger, as well as video project connected with his book, Just Trusting in God.  His personal motto is taken from the words of Hale, “I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  What I can do, I ought to do.  And what I ought to do, by the grace of
God, I will do.”