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(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— POMONA, CA—- This year the Cooperative Economic Empowerment Movement (CEEM) will have a youth-led art exhibit at the Los Angeles County Fair (LACF) during the weekend of September 13-15th. This year the LACF is highlighting Pop Culture, and CEEM will feature all youth artists to showcase their visual and performance art. We would love to have students from your schools, organizations and communities featured in the art exhibit and/or stage performances. We also have a “Kids Zone” where we will have art classes and information about community partners available to parents and children. Please let me know if you have students and adults that would like to feature their art (sculptures, paintings, drawings, poetry/spoken word, dance, music, etc.). If you would like additional information about the art exhibit or kid zone please feel free to contact at Ashley.harding23@gmail.com.

Learn how to apply July 13 and 14 at community meetings in San Diego and San Jose; Applications close August 9

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—-ENN)— African American and Black community members need to apply for a commission that will draw California’s voting districts to ensure all communities are fairly represented over the next decade, said Sean Dugar of California Common Cause.  

Since applications opened in June for the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission, about 6 percent of applicants have identified as Black or African American voters, according to theCalifornia State Auditor’s website. About 7 percent of the state’s voting-age population identifies as Black or African American.  

The Citizens Redistricting Commission is required by law to have 5 Republicans, 5 Democrats and 4 unaffiliated or independent voters. But Dugar said it is imperative that the applicants and selected commissioners represent not just political diversity, but all the diversity of the state.  

Without such diversity, commissioners could draw districts that dilute the political power of certain communities by slicing them into different voting areas. Commissioners who are dedicated to fairness and equity are encouraged to apply before the deadline of August 9. 

“California voters aimed to end racial and partisan gerrymandering when they set up the citizens redistricting commission a decade ago and that goal continues today,” Dugar said. “This is your chance to shape California’s future by drawing fair district boundaries that serve the best interests of all of the people of California.”   

The outgoing commission is majority voters of color and is viewed as the best citizens redistricting commission in the nation. The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a leading research center at Harvard University, awarded the California commission the 2017 Roy and Lila Ash Innovation Award for Public Engagement in Government. Commissioners used a $100,000 grant award to support the replication and dissemination of the California model in other states where gerrymandering suppresses voters.  

How can I learn more? 

Join Sean Dugar of California Common Cause and our allies for informational meetings on how to apply.  

What: San Diego Counts 
When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, July 13 
Where: Balboa Park Club, Santa Fe Room, 2150 Pan American Road West, San Diego 
RSVP to San Diego 

What: All Things Redistricting 
When: 1-4 p.m., Sunday, July 14 
Where: SEIU Local 521, 2302 Zanker Road, San Jose 
RSVP to San Jose 

What is the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission?  

Every 10 years, after the federal government conducts the census, California must redraw the boundaries of its congressional, state senate, state assembly, and state board of equalization districts so that the districts correctly reflect the state’s population. The 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission is the entity that will draw all the district lines.  

Why do we have a Commission?  

California voters authorized the creation of the commission when they passed the Voters FIRST Act in 2008 and stripped the power to draw lines from politicians and gave it to the people. In 2010, the Voters FIRST Act for Congress added the responsibility of drawing congressional districts to the commission. The goal was to end racial and partisan gerrymandering in California.  

Who can serve on the Commission?  

The Act requires applicants meet these minimum eligibility requirements:

• Registered to vote since July 1, 2015  
• Have been registered without a, or “independent” of any, political party (decline-to-state or no party preference) or registered with the same political party since approximately July 1, 2015 
• Voted in at least two of the last three statewide elections  

How do I apply for the Commission?  

You may submit an application to the California State Auditor through www.shapecaliforniasfuture.auditor.ca.gov before August 9, 2019. Applicants who meet all of the qualifications for serving on the commission, and do not have a disqualifying conflict of interest, will be invited to submit a supplemental application containing additional information about their qualifications.   

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Infectious Bavarian Tunes by Four German Bands Fill Big Bear’s Fall Months

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— BIG BEAR LAKE, CA—- Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest steps up its game with an entertainment lineup that brings more Bavarian-style oomph, or in musical terms oom-pah-pah, than ever before. The 49^th Annual Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest is pleased to announce it will feature not two, not three, but four different bands direct from Germany in a nine-weekend stretch that spans from September 7 to November 2, 2019. This marks the first-time ever that Southern California’s number-one-rated Oktoberfest will have four different German bands perform live in the same season. Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest’s audience is treated with a unique blend of traditional German polkas, sing-alongs and of course the Chicken Dance, but will also get its fair share of classic rock covers, country hits and today’s dance favorites. All four German bands help create the same vibe and pageantry of the original Bavarian Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

“We want to give our guests a little slice of Bavaria right here in Big Bear Lake,” said Monica Marini, director of Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest. “Instead of taking that long expensive flight to Munich, Germany, they can take a short trip up to Big Bear to experience a truly authentic Oktoberfest celebration.”

The first German band that is slated to take the stage at the 49^th Annual Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest is Franken Power Express direct from Hammelburg, Germany. The energy of this band is certain to stir up a lively atmosphere September 14-15 and September 21-22. Frankenrebellen Express performs the next two weekends September 28-29 and October 4-5. This band that hails from the Franconia region of Bavaria sings with thick German accents and delivers a fun-style of party music. Die Bohmische Straßenmusikanten, from the eastern province of Bavaria, brings its unique style of Bohemian brass music during Oktoberfest’s peak weekends October 12-13 and October 19-20. Die Bohmische Straßenmusikanten combines street music, fast-paced rhythms, Bavarian folk standards and contemporary pop hits. Goldeisen, a nine-piece band that also resides in Bavaria, returns by popular demand. Goldeisen plays pulsating German-tunes that are certain to get patrons out of their seats and onto the dance floor on October 26-27 and at Oktoberfest’s special encore event Saturday, November 2. The Express Band, Southern California’s premier German band performs the first weekend September 7-8.

Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest – 3 Different German Bands                                2-2-2-2-2

Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest delivers a genuine Bavarian-style celebration with alpine scenery and heritage that sincerely reflects the spirit of the original Oktoberfest, even serving the very same beer poured at Munich’s Oktoberfest! There are two full service bars located inside the Convention Center and four different bier gartens (beer gardens) outside, including the Craft Haus, which provides a variety of micro brews and craft beer, ideal for beer connoisseurs. The food is very authentic to German tradition, too. The bratwurst and knockwurst is from a German butcher in Los Angeles, and fresh apple strudel as well as pretzels are delivered weekly from a German bakery in Downey!   

Fun competitions and contests at Oktoberfest include log sawing, stein carrying, shoot & yodel, a version of beer pong, and stein holding. Children’s fun and games include kiddy mug holding matches and an enhanced kids’ play area with five different giant inflatables. Dance troupes perform customary dances, and festivalgoers get into the action by flapping their arms and clucking away to the Chicken Dance.

The 49^th Annual Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest begins Saturday, September 7 and runs for nine consecutive weekends (Sat. & Sun.) through Saturday, November 2, 2019. The weekend festivities takes place at Big Bear Lake Convention Center, located at 42900 Big Bear Blvd. Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest kicks off with American’s Hero weekend on Saturday, September 7 and Sunday, September 8, offering free admission for all past and present military, fire fighters and law enforcement. Tickets to all 2019 dates go on sale Thursday, August 1, 2019. It is highly recommended to pre-purchase tickets in advance, especially October dates. For more details regarding tickets, Burgermeister / Uber-Bugermeister Party Packs, and general information, log on to BigBearEvents.com, or Facebook, or call 909-585-3000.  

 Recent donation from a longstanding Casa Colina donor funds construction of a Spiritual Garden at Casa Colina Hospital. 

(EMPIRE NEWS NEWORK—ENN)—POMONA, CA—- Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare welcomed members of the John P. Previti Memorial Foundation Monday for a $100,000 check presentation supporting the development of a non-denominational Spiritual Garden on its 20-acre Pomona campus. 

Set to be built in an inner courtyard at Casa Colina Hospital, the John P. Previti Memorial Spiritual Garden will feature a soothing water fountain and ample seating set beneath a wooden portico framed by lush plants and flowers. Construction of the new garden will begin this month and is expected to be completed late 2019.

Felice Loverso, PhD, president and CEO of Casa Colina, thanked the Previti Memorial Foundation for its on-going support of Casa Colina, adding that their latest gift will provide patients and their families a place for prayer and contemplation. 

“The Previti Memorial Foundation has been a long-time and generous supporter of Casa Colina and of our goal to lead and define excellence in medical and rehabilitative care,” Loverso said. “This enduring gift will contribute to the recovery of our patients and bring solace to their families, as well as to our own staff.” 

Casa Colina Board Chair Randy Blackman also thanked the Previti Memorial Foundation for its continued philanthropic support. “We are grateful not only for this significant contribution, but for the far-reaching work being done at the Previti Memorial Foundation,” Blackman said. “By teaming with local charities and nonprofits, the Previti Memorial Foundation is creating a real, lasting impact on the health and vitality of many communities, including Casa Colina.” 

 

Inland homebuilder Jimmy Previti created the John P. Previti Memorial Foundation in 2009 to honor the memory of his late brother, John, and to provide philanthropic support to worthy organizations. 

“We are honored to be a part of this incredible project and humbled to have our Foundation and our family forever associated with this special place of healing and wellness,” said John’s daughter, Alessandra ‘Lexie’ Previti, who was on hand for the check presentation. 

Lexie’s mother and member of the Previti Memorial Foundation Board of Directors, Christina Previti, also expressed her joy to be supporting Casa Colina. “This beautiful new Spiritual Garden will provide a peaceful and calming space for quiet reflection, prayer, and meditation by Casa Colina patients and their loved ones,” she said. 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SACRAMENTO, CA—- In an effort to retrofit his controversial bill SB 276, Senator Richard Pan recently made amendments that would send prohibitively expensive shockwaves through state agencies, schools, and families of medically vulnerable children.

SB 276 heads to Appropriations on Wednesday, where the committee will determine if and how the newly amended bill could be made fiscally viable. The new amendments include utilizing the state’s California Immunization Registry (CAIR) databases to track medical exemptions, limiting doctors to writing a maximum of five medical exemptions per year before being placed under review, andperhaps grandfathering in existing exemptions. 

Upon further examination, these amendments add complexities to SB 276 that only serve to increase costs, add liabilities to state agencies, and compromise the best practice of medicine, all while depleting the California General Fund. In short, the negative impacts of this costly bill will far outweigh any of its perceived benefits.

Pan’s amendments thus far have served up a tsunami of financial implications.  While Senator Pan has underplayed the cost at $2.5 million, the actual cost considering all ramifications of this bill is much greater.  A Voice for Choice Advocacy estimates the cost of SB 276 to be in excess of $50 million in the first year and in excess of approximately $35 million in each subsequent year, with an additional estimated $650 million potential loss in school ADA (average daily attendance) and/or $5 billion potential increased healthcare costs. All to go after an extremely small and unquantified number of “unscrupulous” doctors and to mitigate the 11 cases of measles in California children this year. 

There has to be a better, more cost effective way.

“This is not just about loss of privacy and freedoms for families working closely with their physicians,” said Christina Hildebrand, Executive Director of the medical-freedom non-profit A Voice for Choice Advocacy. “This bill has devolved into a two-headed monster, where on the one hand you have attacks on the doctor-patient relationship, and on the other you have placed liability on the backs of government bureaucrats who now hold the health of children they have never met in their hands. This beast will force families out of California, taking their tax dollars with them.”

The amendments, which were added in response to concerns voiced by Governor Newsom, the California Medical Board, expert witnesses, Assembly Members, and parents, were intended to make the bill more palatable, thus more likely to gain support. With the ever-increasing price tag and magnitude of liabilities, along with mounting objections from parents, it appears they may have the opposite effect. 

In its current form, the bill does nothing to address the fact that California already has a Medical Board (MBC) which, given the right authorities, could sufficiently address all of the concerns addressed by SB276, at significantly less cost, liability, and risk to the small minority of vulnerable children with medically-necessary exemptions.

In what he called a preventative measure in response to a measles outbreak (11 cases in children) earlier this year, Senator Pan introduced SB 276 with the intent of holding “fraudulent doctors” responsible for “selling” medical exemptions. Overshadowing these unsubstantiated allegations is the financial impact of what amounts to a bureaucratic behemoth, one that discriminates against a medical minority whose doctors determined were at risk of injury from government-mandated medical procedures. 

Senator Pan appears to be unmoved by the moral and ethical objections of this minority, seeking instead, on the basis of unsubstantiated fears, to intervene in private doctor-patient decisions. While we all desire to protect people from infectious disease, there is no compelling evidence that SB 276 would advance that objective. Rather, this bill draws a prohibitively expensive fault line between theoretical intent via the depletion of scarce public funds, and an assault on already precarious public confidence.

The multifaceted attack on California’s medical, educational and moral institutions unveils the extreme nature of SB 276. Rather than moving us into a bright new future, it sets California back on its heels, harkening back to historic human rights violations protected by the Hippocratic Oath, the Nuremberg Code, and common decency.  SB 276 is set to make an unprecedented, unnecessary, expensive leap to the wrong side of history.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) and the District African American Advisory Council (DAAAC) are holding the first Black Family Summit on Saturday, July 20 at San Gorgonio High School.

A free breakfast will be provided for the first 200 people to register. All Summit participants will receive a free lunch.

The event begins at 9:30 a.m. After the keynote speaker, participants will rotate through three sessions of special programs and parent leadership workshops, all of which are geared toward helping African-American families navigate the school system in a way that leads to excellence for their children.

Black Honor Roll students from the District’s middle and high schools will be honored along with African-American elementary students who met or exceeded the standards on the CAASSP standardized tests.

The Black Family Summit will end with special giveaways to help prepare students for the new school year.

Families are encouraged, but not required, to RSVP by July 15 to Sharon Ellis, Department of Equity and Targeted Student Achievement, at (909) 473-2098.

San Gorgonio High School is located at 2299 Pacific Street in San Bernardino.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— LOMA LINDA, CA—- Three Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital patient families received a refurbished vehicle from the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) Recycled Rides™ program at Hamblins Body and Paint in Riverside on Tuesday, July 2.

The three patients who received cars for their families were:

1. Antoine Davis, 14, from Hemet, has rheumatic disease, kidney disease and orthopedic issues.
2. Elijah Bacchus, 4, from Hesperia, has a combination of medical conditions including a hole in his heart, cerebral palsy and was born with only one kidney.
3. Nathaly Padilla, 19, from Pomona, diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Brett Walls, assistant vice president of ambulatory services at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, said these vehicles will help the families get the care they need.

“There is a connection between transportation and the health of a child,” Walls said. “These Recycled Rides will provide these families with reliable transportation for necessary medical care and other needs, such as to get groceries or to get to work or school.”

In addition to the cars, the trunk of each was filled with toys, snacks and/or household items for the family to enjoy.

Often challenged with daily medical appointments for their children, the families juggle demanding finances, employment, and transportation schedules. One patient family said they took the bus to get to the event.

GEICO donates vehicles to the NABC Recycled Rides™ program to help individuals, families, or organizations in need of a hand. Over 1,000 cars have been donated through the Recycled Rides program since its inception in 2007.

Brian Wright, auto damage director at GEICO said, “We can’t take these patients’ medical issues away, but we hope we are able to help out their situations.”

Hamblins Body and Paint and its employees have volunteered their time, expertise and labor to refurbish the vehicles to a like-new condition, and Enterprise provided a donation to Recycled Ride recipients.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—-ENN)—- MORENO VALLEY, CA—Riverside University Health System opened five new beds in its emergency department and trauma center this week to meet the growing demand for services at its Moreno Valley-based Medical Center.

The additional beds bring the total number of emergency and trauma beds at the hospital to 45. At the 125-year-old public teaching hospital, more than 90,000 patients are seen annually in the emergency department and level 2 trauma center, where the most gravely injured patients are treated.

Doctors at RUHS Medical Center are developing a robust research program and recruiting internationally renowned trauma surgeons with an eye on becoming Riverside County’s first level 1 trauma center by summer of 2020. A level 1 trauma center serves as a regional leader in trauma prevention and education with all the resources to stabilize and treat traumatic injuries.

“We are the safety net for our community and becoming a level 1 trauma center is essential, said Dr. Raul Coimbra, who serves as surgeon and chief at RUHS Medical Center after building one of the world’s leading trauma programs at UC San Diego Health Hillcrest. “When we put patients in the center of our decisions we provide better care. We become more efficient and ultimately we have better outcomes,” he added.

The expansion also includes a new lobby and flexible space that can be shifted to accommodate the ebb and flow of a busy emergency department.The entrance is being remodeled and will open later this summer.  It’s all  part of an effort by RUHS officials to improve services and expand access to primary and specialty care in an expansive 7,300 square-mile county that has only half the physicians needed for the 2.5 million people who live here.

“We are focused on always being prepared for any emergency that presents to our hospital, and we are committed to providing high-quality patient-centered care,” said Leah Patterson, executive nursing director of critical care services at the Medical Center. “We hope you’ll never need our emergency department or trauma services but you’ll be in good hands if you do.”

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Class of 2019 earned more than $11.6 million in college and military scholarships, far surpassing previous years’ totals.

Cajon High School had the largest graduating class in the District, with 624 students earning a high school diploma in June. More than half of Cajon’s graduates received scholarships or grants to help them pay for college. In all, Cajon graduates received over $3.1 million in scholarships and grants, including $1.1 million shared by 14 students who received military scholarships and signing bonuses for enlisting in nearly every branch of the armed forces.

Seniors graduating from San Andreas High School, a continuation school serving students who need to catch up on credits to graduate, received close to $400,000 in aid, with the majority of it going to six students who signed up to serve in various branches of the military.

In comparison, the Class of 2018 received $8.1 million in grants, scholarships, and military aid. That sharp increase in financial aid is partly due to the number of San Andreas High students who enlisted in the military.

The San Bernardino City Unified School District is grateful for the generosity of scholarship donors, said Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden.

“Those who donate so generously are investing in our community and in doing so, they are making hope happen for students who may otherwise struggle to pay for college,” Marsden said. “There’s no better way to improve our city than to help young people realize their dream of going to college.”

SBCUSD is unusual among public school districts in that it has two organizations dedicated to providing scholarships to graduates. Founded in 1957, the San Bernardino Community Scholarship Association is a non-profit with the sole purpose of coordinating contributions from individuals and local groups to award scholarships to SBCUSD graduates. More than 85 donors contribute more than $250,000 annually, with individual scholarships ranging from $100 to $9,000. The Making Hope Happen Foundation is a non-profit geared toward helping the San Bernardino area become a thriving community. To that end, the Foundation awards scholarships to SBCUSD and volunteers mentor recipients so students can have a successful college experience. If you would like to donate to the Making Hope Happen Foundation, visit http://makinghope.org. If you would like to establish your own scholarship through the Community Scholarship Association, call (909) 381-1250.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The California Arts Council announced a grant award of $14,400 to the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra as part of its Arts Education Exposure program.

Arts Education Exposure supports attendance at high-quality performances and exhibits for students with limited access to these experiences. As such, the Council selected experiences that offered deep cultural resonance with the student communities served and which would be complemented by pre- and post-attendance activities.

The award will help to fund back-to-back student concerts featuring Cirque de la Symphonie scheduled for February 2020. This talented international group choreographs traditional circus acts to classical music and will perform them on stage with the Symphony at its primary performance venue, the historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts. Transportation and logistics will be provided by longtime Symphony partners, the San Bernardino City Unified School District, as well as by the other schools in attendance.

The February student concerts have been a part of the Symphony’s commitment to the Inland Empire for many years, but it has only been in the past three years that they increased from one to two performances, effectively doubling the number of local youth served.

“We are incredibly grateful to the California Arts Council,” said Symphony Executive Director Dr. Anne Viricel. “This is so much more than just a field trip. Because of this grant, more than 3,000 local youth will experience the fine arts in a venue close to home and this local access, together with the engaging and educational performance planned, creates the kind of pride of place that is exactly what children in our community need.”

The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra is one of 124 grantees chosen for the Arts Education Exposure program. The award is part of a projected $24,508,541 in grant funding for 2018-19, the highest investment in statewide arts programming since the 2000-01 fiscal year.

“Arts and culture are inextricably linked to our humanity,” said Nashormeh Lindo, California Arts Council Chair. “They serve as a universal touchpoint for understanding and addressing our societal issues—dismantling inequity, healing trauma, reframing justice, inspiring truth and shaping futures. The Council is humbled to support the vital work of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra and its passionate efforts to make a better California for us all.”