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In efforts to impact chronic diseases like obesity and Type 2 diabetes among low-income populations, the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health’s Nutrition Program is partnering with the faith-based community to host a series of events and activities on June 4 that support healthy lifestyles and communicate positive health messages. 

Ecclesia Christian Fellowship will host a free Body & Soul Health and Wellness Gospel Jam that will feature gospel singers, delicious healthy food samplings from the Champions for Change Soul Food Cookbook, praise dancers, and free goodie bags for all attending. Dr. Joshua Beckley, Senior Pastor, Ecclesia Christian Fellowship, will be the event’s keynote speaker. The Jam begins at 5 p.m. at the church’s 1314 E. Date Street location in San Bernardino.

“The Body & Soul program is designed to raise awareness among faith-based organizations about the serious health disparities that put their parishioners at greater risk of obesity and other chronic health issues like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and certain types of cancer,” said Teslyn Henry-King, Program Coordinator for the county’s Nutrition Program. “We want the entire San Bernardino community to join us for this free event as we both reflect on our current condition and rejoice in the power to change for the better.”

During the Body & Soul Jam program, the Nutrition Program also will release the findings from a quantitative health assessment that surveyed approximately 150 parishioners from three partner churches.  The initial findings, which indicate a significant presence of hypertension, obesity, diabetes and stress among the congregations, will be used by church leadership and health ministries to guide and influence the development of programs and initiatives to address the health issues identified in the survey.    

Henry-King added, “We believe that understanding the health conditions we’re facing in our community will better prepare us for making healthy change happen. We wanted the Body & Soul Gospel Jam to also be a time for assessment and self-improvement, as well as a time for beginning to build a legacy of health in San Bernardino County.”

The Public Health Nutrition Program is also calling on all faith-based leaders throughout the county to participate in Perfecting the Temple Sunday on June 4 by delivering inspirational messages that connect healthy living with spirituality and encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyles.

“We want faith-based leaders regardless of their religion or denomination to partner with us and our Perfecting the Temple Sunday by delivering important messages that will help people throughout San Bernardino County live healthier lives,” said Bronica Martindale-Taylor, Health Education Assistant for the county’s Nutrition Program. “Because so many families are touched by faith-based organizations, we see them as very important partners in our fight against chronic diseases in the county.”

She added that for this year’s event, five churches already have pledged their support and plan to participate in Perfecting the Temple Sunday. Those churches include The Light Church, San Bernardino First Church of the Nazarene, Ecclesia Christian Fellowship, The Kingdom Worship Center, Our Lady of Hope, and Ecclesia Spirit Lead Fellowship of Churches International. The Nutrition Program is also working with churches on other healthy lifestyle programs ranging from weight-loss programs, community walking events, church gardens, to mobile vans used for health screenings.     

According to Martindale-Taylor, the Nutrition Program plans to make Perfecting the Temple Sunday an annual event.  “Over time, we want Perfecting the Temple Sunday to help us create a legacy of health throughout San Bernardino County,” said Martindale-Taylor. 

The Countywide Vision, www.sbcounty.gov/vision, identifies wellness as one of the key elements of a complete county. The Vision is emphasizing wellness in its recently lunched Vision2BActive campaign, http://wp.sbcounty.gov/vision2bactive/.

For more information about Perfecting the Temple Sunday, the Body & Soul Health and Wellness Gospel Jam, and the health assessment survey, contact Donna Panganiban, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, at 909-388-5689, or Bronica Martindale-Taylor, Health Education Assistant, at 909-649-6900.

The Champions for Change Body & Soul program is funded by USDA SNAP-Ed, an equal opportunity provider and employer. Visit www.CaChampionsForChange.net for healthy tips.

Alumni, whom are also professors at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo Credit: Lou Coleman)

By Lou Coleman

On Friday, May 26, San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) bid farewell to another Graduating Class.   It was a wonderful graduation – the largest class of seniors, great speeches, a huge crowd, many alumni in attendance, plenty of emotion, and no rain as we gathered in the heart of the campus.

The graduation ceremony was the culmination of years of hard work and dedication by students from many cultures, countries and walks of life. Many have overcome personal, financial or other barriers to achieve their success and now have reached their graduation from SBVC, a venerable 90-year old institution.

We salute the graduates from all the different schools and divisions of San Bernardino Valley College and we look forward to seeing them follow in the footsteps of thousands who have made a difference in the community, the city, the country and the world.

“Sending you a day full of sunshine, a heaven filled with rainbows, and a pocket full of dreams. May the future ahead of you be as wonderful as you are.” [Judith Wibberley]

SAN BERNARDINO, CA– Local youth can get around town a little cheaper this summer, thanks to a special discounted bus fare on Omnitrans.  Riders 18 and under will pay just $1 per trip in June and July.

While Omnitrans offers Youth discounts on its 7-day and 31-day bus passes, there was not a youth discount for single trips until this summer.   In comparison, the regular one-way cash rate is $1.75; a 1-day pass is $5.

“Summer is a great time to get out and explore,” said Omnitrans spokesperson Wendy Williams. “We hope the discounted summer youth fare will make it more affordable for youth and families to get to the community pool, the library, the mall or the movies.” 

The discount is good on all Omnitrans bus routes serving the San Bernardino Valley including 26 local routes, three freeway express routes, five OmniGo community shuttle routes and the sbX bus rapid transit line in San Bernardino and Loma Linda. 

During the traditional school year, Omnitrans averages nearly 40,000 youth trips per month.  That drops to about half during the summer months.

Students who appear to be close to age 19 should be prepared to show bus drivers proof of age or a high school ID card to prove they are eligible for the discount.

Personalized routing assistance is available at 800-9-OMNIBUS (800-966-6428) or online at www.omnitrans.org.

LOMA LINDA, CA- Pediatric patients at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH) were treated to an afternoon of crafts, reading and fairy tale visits at the annual “Spring into Reading” event in the hospital lobby on Monday, May 15.

Hosted by the Big Hearts for Little Hearts Loma Linda Guild, each patient received an age appropriate book to keep and a teddy bear. Young family members were also able to take a book and do crafts. 

As a special treat, author Shereen Rahming read aloud her new children’s book, “Ahni and Her Dancing Secret,” to those in attendance.

Patients who were not able to leave the units were given kits to craft at their bedside, as well as books and a teddy bear.

LLUCH patient Nixxin Castille, 2, from Hemet enjoyed making crafts with her mom, Nastacia Jones, who also helped her pick out a new book.

The Loma Linda Guild is committed to supporting the children hospitalized at LLUCH by developing programs and projects that address the critical needs of these children and their families. They have raised over $1.6 million since its inception in 1999.

MORENO VALLEY, CA- On Saturday, May 13, Music Changing Lives, (MCL) hosted a spectacular evening of student performances at the 6th annual Changing Lives Showcase.  The Showcase was held at the Moreno Valley Conference Center and featured talented students from Moreno Valley Unified who have worked passionately for 21 weeks on their performance to see ‘Who is the Best at Music and Art.’ 

The Showcase is no ordinary school competition, MCL rolled out the red carpet for its talented performers and  the fate of these young artists were in the hands of  celebrity guest judges from the EDMHipHopRebels group ZupaNova and the popular Pop group Holiday State.

The evening was a night to remember. As nearly 500 guests arrived they walked onto the red carpet, which led them to an art display to view the incredible student paintings, and then they entered the theater to be entertained by fantastic vocal, instrumental, audio production and dance performances. Guests were also treated to delicious food, delectable desserts, exciting raffles and the event was completely free for everyone invited.

Five schools from the Moreno Valley School District, where MCL offers its programs, brought their A-game to compete for the Bruny Awards. Participants competed for the Bruny Award in five categories – Musical Instruments, Vocal Performance, Production, Dance and Visual Arts, while the schools competed for Overall Performance.  Plus one student from each MCL school-site who held the highest GPA and had the best School Attendance was awarded with laptops!

The competition was fierce, but in the end Butterfield Elementary beat Edgemont Elementary and Mountain View Middle triumphed over Palm Middle and Bayside High reigned on top!

First place winner for the Bruny Award in Musical Instruments was Tanya Hernandez from Butterfield Elementary, Bonnie Murillo from Palm Middle and Isaac Ramirez from Bayside High!  In the Vocal category, Travonn Lester from Butterfield, Jehnny Carrion from Mountain View and D’ashawn Brown from Bayside reigned in first place.

Butterfield Dance Team dominated the elementary Dance category and took home the first place Bruny Award. Kamarie Henderson from Mountain View Middle triumphed over all other dancers and also took home the first place Bruny Award.  The very talented Ariana Gomez from Butterfield and Gabriela Sandoval from Palm both took home first place in Visual Arts.

Every student who participated was honored with a certificate from Senator Richard Roth’s office and Assemblymember Jose Medina for their dedication to make a difference in their community through the arts.  Each student who performed was required to volunteer for a minimum of five hours. Participants were instilled with the message, “Together we can be the change we would like to see in our community.”

Music Changing Lives, (MCL) created the Showcase six years ago for youth in Moreno Valley, and since then they have produced several musicians, artists, fashion designers and more.  The program was designed to ignite passion through performance by using music and art as a motivation for students to stay focused on their education and their future.

The Showcase is sponsored by Moreno Valley Unified School District, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Edison International, Wells Fargo Foundation, Niagara Cares Foundation, Kaiser Family Foundation and more. 

For more information about Music Changing Lives, please contact Josiah Bruny at MusicChangingLives@gmail.com or call 951-992-0721.  You can also visit them on the web at www.musicchanginglives.org.

MORENO VALLEY, CA- On Monday, May 29, the City of Moreno Valley will host several Memorial Day events to honor the sacrifices of our military men and women who selflessly laid down their lives defending our freedoms.

The day of somber remembrance begins in the morning with the annual West Coast Thunder Memorial Day Bike Ride/Parade along Sunnymead Blvd. The City of Moreno Valley will hold a Memorial Day Ceremony beginning at 2 p.m at the City’s Veterans Memorial.  

“It is important for the community to come together to honor the sacrifices made by our service men and women, and their families,” said Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez. “As a nation and as a community, we must always remember the high price of freedom – and those who paid that very dear price.”

West Coast Thunder Motorcycle Parade  

After the flag unfurling parade passes Riverside National Cemetery, the West Coast Thunder Bike Run/Parade will exit the 60 Freeway at Frederick St./Pigeon Pass Rd. at 9:30 a.m., then continue eastbound along Sunnymead Boulevard, re-entering California State Route 60 at Heacock St.

Riders will continue to Soboba Casino’s outdoor arena for a musical tribute to those who have given their lives for their country. 

The parade will last approximately an hour. Moreno Valley Police will begin closing the necessary streets at 8 a.m. to assist with the safety of all pedestrians and vehicles during this event. For road closure details, please visit the City of Moreno Valley’s website   

For information about the West Coast Thunder Memorial Day Bike Run, please visit www.westcoastthunder.com.

City of Moreno Valley Memorial Day Ceremony

Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez will preside over the Memorial Day Ceremony at the Veterans Memorial beginning at 2 p.m.

Major General Randall A. Ogden, Commander of the nation’s 4th Air Force, will deliver the keynote address.

Other special guests will include:

Mayor Pro Tem Victoria Baca

Council Member Jeffrey Giba

Council Member David Marquez

Blue Eagles Total Force Honor Guard

Moreno Valley Master Chorale

Valley View High School Vocalist Yensid Anderson

Vista Heights Middle School Student Speaker Morgan Lowry

 Light refreshments will be served and student artwork will be on display following the ceremony.  

Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive

The City of Moreno Valley is collecting donations of jars of peanut butter and jelly in support of a volunteer-led hospitality service for departing and returning war zone soldiers at March Air Reserve Base. Chunky peanut butter and strawberry and grape jelly are always in high demand. 

Please bring your donation of peanut butter and jelly to the Memorial Day ceremony to support our military members. 

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media

After a teacher at a Moreno Valley elementary school allegedly referred to a student as a slave, a local group of black men decided to hold an impromptu “men’s mob,” on Monday, May 24, to show support for students and emphasize the importance of education.

Moreno Valley is located about an hour and a half east of Los Angeles in a region called the Inland Empire. The city is about 20 percent white, 30 percent Latino and 20 percent black.

The Men’s Mob gathered at Edgemont Elementary School and formed a welcoming line to encourage and support students. A women’s group held a similar event on Tuesday morning.

“The goal was to show the administration that we, as black men, support education,” said Jerry Green, a community advocate and member of the group.

The group was also joined by Moreno Valley School Superintendent Dr. Martinrex Kedziora and Moreno Valley School Board President Cleveland Johnson. Kedziora said he was appreciative of Green and his group. 

Kedziora said he attended the event to show students that adults care about them. He added that children absorb a lot of the negativity they see in the media, and it’s important for them to know that adults value their welfare.

“It (the men’s mob event) sends a valuable message to our community,” said Kedziora. “I wish it happened more often.”

According to Green, the teacher in question has been put on administrative leave while the issue is being investigated. The situation will also be addressed at a school board meeting on Wednesday.

“The district handled it correctly,” said Green.

A school district representative said he couldn’t comment on the situation while it was being investigated.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA– Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County (CAPSBC) is celebrating National Community Action Month, dedicated to recognizing the success of the National Community Action Network that fights poverty across the United States. This month, CAPSBC will be conducting healthy food cooking workshops at partnering soup kitchens to educate their staff on the importance of healthy food preparation.  The project, funded through a grant from Kaiser Permanente, is focused on educating our communities on how to prepare and consume healthful food.  The cooking demonstrations will be done by Graduate students of the Loma Linda University School of Public Health.  Nutrition education resources and healthy food preparation tips will be shared with the staff.

“Community Action Month is a wonderful time to honor and celebrate the impact Community Action has in the lives of families and communities across the country.  Agencies are successful every day in helping families achieve economic security. Given that the needs of each family and community are unique, Community Action can use a range of resources and programs to meet local needs in creative and impactful ways.  This month we are pleased to showcase the fantastic work of our Food Bank in helping our partner soup kitchens who serve food insecure families and individuals who need nutritional assistance,” stated Patricia L. Nickols-Butler, Chief Executive Officer of CAPSBC.

COLTON, CA- Smart & Final Stores, Inc. opened their doors on last week on Wednesday, May 10 in Colton. The new store is located at 1023 N. Mt. Vernon.

The day before the public opening, representatives from Smart & Final and leaders from the Colton civic, business and non-profit communities participated in a ceremonial ribbon cutting during an in-store preview event for business customers. Representatives from the Smart & Final Charitable Foundation also presented checks, each in the amount of $2,500, to the Ken Hubbs Memorial Little League and Seeds of Hope. The donations are part of Smart & Final’s corporate commitment to supporting organizations and causes in the communities where it operates stores.

“We’re excited to bring Smart & Final’s high-quality products at warehouse prices to the Colton community,” said James Christie, Store Manager at the new Colton store. “I’ve had the opportunity to work in a few Smart & Final stores before joining to open Colton, and to see our new Colton store built from the ground up has been incredible. We look forward to welcoming our new friends and neighbors of Colton to visit us. Whether they’re shopping for their family, an event or a business, they’ll discover we offer club-sized products, the quality of a grocery store, and prices that are 25% lower than supermarket.”

The Smart & Final Extra! store in Colton is approximately 27,000 square feet and offers products in both household and club sizes at warehouse prices – without the membership fee. Compared to traditional Smart & Final stores, the new Extra! format Colton store provides an additional 6,000 club size items; high-quality perishables; and expanded frozen, deli and meat sections. Additionally, the Colton store will feature unique products such as cut fruit, floral arrangements, oven-roasted chicken and self-serve dry bulk goods by the pound.

RIVERSIDE, CA- Starting this month, the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside and UCR Health, the clinical arm of the medical school, have been providing people with more access to medical services through a new office space in downtown Riverside. Located at Citrus Tower, 3390 University Ave., Riverside, the new space had its grand opening ceremony on Wednesday, May 10.

“This really is a milestone for the UCR School of Medicine,” said Deborah Deas, M.D., M.P.H, the Mark and Pam Rubin Dean and Chief Executive Officer for Clinical Affairs. “The new clinic puts a platform in place where we are not just training physicians but also treating patients in the area.”

The new office space at Citrus Tower contains a suite for UCR Health psychiatry and a second suite for UCR Health multispecialty services, which includes neurology, primary care, reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery, and more. There are also plans to add women’s health and pain management in the near future.

The new clinic anticipates 33,000 patient visits each year. Doors opened to patients on Monday, May 1.

For more information, as well as a slideshow, please visit: https://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/47024.