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LOS ANGELES, CA- OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center is hosting two weekends at Camp Erin-LA this summer (June 10-12 and August 19-21) at the scenic Camp Bloomfield in Malibu. Camp Erin-LA is a weekend-long camp experience for children and teens ages 6 to 17 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or guardian in the past 3 years. Camp is free of charge for all children and combines traditional camp activities with grief support, education, and remembrance projects. Typical fun and engaging camp favorites such as rock climbing, swimming, arts and crafts, and campfires are interspersed with projects and experiences used to facilitate expression of feelings, memorialize their loved one who died, and promote healing.

When campers arrive on Friday, they are greeted with open arms by the dozens of grief specialists and trained volunteers who guide the campers through a series of bonding and grief-related exercises, as well as fun high-energy physical activities. They begin their camp journey with an intimate Friday evening ceremony where each camper shares their name, the name of their loved one who died, and places a photo of that person on a “memory board.”   Saturday evening’s Luminary Ceremony is equally powerful and another opportunity to come together to say goodbye to their loved one by writing a message or drawing on a lantern that’s lit and set adrift across the pool. OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center recognizes every person’s grief is unique in duration and intensity, and that commonalities of experience strengthen the value of a grief support group in helping the healing process. “By offering Camp Erin-LA, OUR HOUSE puts a support system into place, offering a safe space to talk and providing the tools to cope with their grief,” said Michele Prince, Executive Director of OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center. “Camp might be the only opportunity they have to work on their grief with other kids.”

Camp Erin is an initiative created and funded by The Moyer Foundation in Seattle, WA, a non-profit organization established by Major League All-Star pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen.  Camp Erin is named in memory of Erin Metcalf, a friend of the Moyers who lost her battle to cancer at age 17.   Camp Erin-LA was featured in an Emmy award-winning HBO documentary “One Last Hug: Three Days at Grief Camp”, which was produced in association with The Moyer Foundation and OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center.

For more information about Camp Erin-LA, please visit www.ourhouse-grief.org/volunteer-opportunities/camp-erin-los-angeles.

Derman Redman

Sixteen-year veteran Omnitrans Coach Operator (CO) Derman Redman was taking break one recent day at the San Bernardino Transit Center, and stopped to catch up with fellow CO Urbanita Ramon. She mentioned a flyer that she’d seen, asking for help finding a missing local man with developmental disabilities. He’d been away from home for two weeks.

“It lay heavy on my heart,” said Urbanita. “My brother is physically and mentally disabled, and I feel a kinship to people who live with disabilities. That’s what made me share the information with my fellow drivers – I even posted it online to help get the word out.”

The story also captured Derman’s attention, and he asked what the man looked like so that he could keep an eye out for him. Urbanita’s description sounded familiar; when she showed Derman the photo from the missing person flier, he couldn’t believe it.

“I know that guy!” said Derman. He recognized Roger, a regular passenger from his days driving Route 10. “But two weeks, wow. That’s a long time. Who knows what could have happened by now?”

Derman went on his way, but the story stayed with him all day, through his shift, and that night at home. Roger rode Derman’s bus for almost 10 years, and they had developed a good rapport.

“He was always friendly and nice,” Derman remembered. “Very quiet, but he would give you the shirt off of his back if you asked him.”

At work on his route the next morning, Derman pulled up to a stop and opened the doors as usual. There was a man waiting who looked a bit the worse for wear – his socks were muddy, and his hair was long and unkempt. But Derman thought he recognized him. He did a double take. Yes, he was pretty sure – the man was Roger!

“To be honest, the thought crossed my mind, ‘Did I summon this guy?’” Derman said. “I couldn’t move at first. Then I went up to him and asked, ‘Roger, is that you?’”

Roger simply said, “Yes,” as if all was normal.

“Are you lost?”

“No.” Very firm.

“Are you sure you’re not lost?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“When was the last time you went home?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you sure you’re not lost?”

“I’m trying to get home right now,” Roger said. But Derman realized that he was at the wrong bus stop.

At that point, Derman decided to take action. Asking his bus full of passengers to “please wait, I’ll be right back,” Derman told Roger to “sit tight, and don’t move.”  Trusting Derman, Roger stayed put. Derman ran as fast as he could into the transit center, to find Supervisor Ricky Williams. He burst into the break room, out of breath, shouting “Ricky, I found that guy! The missing guy!”

Running back out to his stop to check on Roger and his passengers, Derman saw the missing person flyer on Roger hanging from the fence.

“I kept looking at the flyer and at the man. Could it really be him? And it was,” said a relieved Derman.

Ricky contacted Roger’s caregiver, Brigette Flowers, who drove all the way from Riverside to pick him up. She and her husband had been out looking for Roger every night for 12 days. He now is reunited with his family and recovering well from his ordeal.

“We got lots of calls during that time from people who said they saw Roger, but we never could pin him down,” Brigette said. “It’s drivers like Derman who see people like Roger every day, and care about them.”

Brigette isn’t Derman’s only fan. When he arrived home that night, he told his family about what had happened during his eventful day. “Daddy, you’re like a hero!” his daughter said.

“No, we just do a lot of things out there,” said Derman, trying to play down his role. But she wasn’t having it. “No, Daddy, anything could have happened to that man. You did a good thing.”

Dr. Jean Peacock is pictured with a quilt from her grandmother Mrs. Ella Lee of Sulphur Springs, Texas. Her grandmother was 96 when she died in 1978. The Anthropology Museum at California State University, San Bernardino opened an exhibition this week called, “Re/Collect: Memories of Childhood.” Check out the museum at: “Re/Collect: Memories of Childhood, Curated by Dr. Arianna Huhn & student Assistant Curators,” anthro.csusb.edu/resources/anthropology_museum.htm.

PASADENA, CA – Over a hundred community members attended an informational briefing on California’s nearly one million Black youth, hosted by Assemblymember Chris Holden (AD – 41) and The Education Trust–West at Pasadena City College. The “Black Minds Matter” briefing examined the recently published Education Trust-West report, “Black Minds Matter: Supporting the Educational Success of Black Children in California.”

“Over the past 165 years, court cases and policy decisions have shaped the educational experiences of Black children,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden.  “Despite some progress, the unfortunate reality is that opportunity and achievement gaps continue to persist, leaving California’s nearly one million Black youth under age 25 facing an uphill battle to get the education they desire.”

“Black students are the least likely to graduate high school in four years and the most likely to be placed in remedial, non-credit bearing courses in college,” said Ryan J. Smith, Executive Director, and The Education Trust–West. “We can dismantle the obstacles placed in front of California’s Black students – if we collectively believe it’s possible.”

The panel of experts and guest speakers highlighted the findings and promising practices legislators and educators can consider in addressing disparities and inequities in access, opportunity and achievement.

“I agree with the report. We need to do more, and we need to do better,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson. “We are implementing several specific recommendations in the report, increasing funding, particularly for the neediest students, and increased local control. We are focused on equity, working with stakeholders to ensure high-quality education for all students.

Recommendations for school districts leaders in the report focus on expanding access, improving school climate and strengthening and supporting meaningful authentic family engagement efforts. Black Minds Matter stresses the need to use data to identify gaps in access to rigorous courses and target more resources and opportunities to students who are struggling academically. To further address closing these gaps, districts can build and strengthen formal partnerships between districts and community-based organizations representing African American communities.

“I applaud Assemblymember Holden and Assemblymember Weber for displaying the very type of leadership and firm commitment that we need to close opportunity and achievement gaps for all of California’s students,” said Smith.

Participants in the briefing included Chris Holden, Assemblymember for 41^st Assembly District; Ryan Smith, Executive Director for Education Trust – West; Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Yvette Gullatt , Vice Provost and Chief Outreach Officer for the University of California Office of the President; Dr. Christopher D. Jimenez y West, Instructor, Social Science Division, Pasadena City College; John Pointer, Student Body President, John Muir High School; Felita Kealing, Pasadena Unified School District African-American Parent Council; Trudell Skinner, Principal, Blair High School; Dr. Mack Hines, Pasadena Unified School District African-American Student Success Initiative; and Darvin Jackson, Monrovia Unified School District, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources.

LOS ANGELES, CA- It’s Spring time and we’re that much closer to summer, and the go-getters are already amping for the start of fall. In preparation for the next season, Afrowear founder Latanya Alexander will be launching the label’s first annual End of the Summer Fashion Show and Expo, which kicks off on September 3 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at The Reef LA located at 1933 S Broadway in Sunny Los Angeles.

Afrowear was established in 2011 as an urban apparel line that provides quality tees, hats, and accessories that empower the community to triumph through daily obstacles, become resilient, and inspired to reach new heights.

“I’m very excited to put on this wonderful fashion show. My goal is bring communities together to an event that celebrates small business, entertainment, and fashion as they brand their businesses.”

In addition to the message behind the brand, the ultimate purpose of the event is to serve as a platform in bringing together entrepreneurs of the community to celebrate fashion, culture, and music while building new connections in expansion of their own brands. For those that would love to be involved, vendor booths and sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Latanya Alexander at (323) 842-0549 orafrowear.byladyt@gmail.com; or Shanelle Williams at Shanellebwilliams@gmail.com. For fashion show inquires contact Edna at (909) 586-0079 oreventswithedna@gmail.com. Additional information on Afrowear can be found by visiting www.afrowearapparel.com.

FONTANA, CA- Close to 3,200 students from Fontana Unified School District’s five comprehensive high schools, two continuation schools and adult school capped their high school careers with graduation ceremonies last week at the Citizens Bank Arena. Among the Class of 2016 graduates, two are headed to Stanford University and several others bound for UCs, CSUs and universities across the nation.

Summit High School and Birch and Citrus continuations schools held their ceremonies on May 23. Fontana and Kaiser high schools held their ceremonies May 24. A.B. Miller and Jurupa Hills high schools held their ceremonies May 25. The Fontana Adult School held its event on May 27.

Fontana Unified Board President Lorena Corona congratulated members of the Class of 2016 for their academic and personal achievements and encouraged students to pursue post-secondary dreams.

 “Words cannot express how proud I am of everything these students have accomplished and that they have demonstrated their ability to reach a high level of academic success,” Corona said. “I wish all of them the best of luck in whatever endeavors they choose to pursue after high school.”

Carlos Ciudad-Real is one of two Kaiser High School valedictorians headed to Stanford University, where he will major in environmental systems engineering. Joining him at the prestigious university will be Jaime Hurtado-Lopez, who will study bioengineering/environmental engineering.

Hurtado-Lopez, a Gates Millennium Scholar and QuestBridge scholarship winner, has advice for the next generation of students: “Don’t lose track of what is important. Enjoy your time here, but stay focused.”

Fontana Unified’s graduates will attend state and national universities, including UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, Cal Poly Pomona as well as many other campuses in the University of California and California State University systems.

“The fact that we have students moving onto some of the most prestigious universities in the country shows that our schools are engaging students in way that prepares them for college and careers,” Fontana Unified Superintendent Dr. Leslie Boozer said. “Fontana Unified strives to empower all students to be successful. The caliber of universities and colleges they attend demonstrates our ability to live up to that mission.”

For more information on this year’s valedictorians and salutatorians, visit www.fusd.net/announcements2/2015-16/vals_and_sals.stm.

Cate Kortzeborn

By Cate Kortzeborn

Have you recently enrolled in Medicare, or will you in the near future?

If so, let me be the first to say, welcome! What should your first step be as a new Medicare beneficiary? I recommend taking advantage of the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive-care benefit.

During the first 12 months that you have Medicare Part B, you can get a “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit with your doctor. This visit includes a review of your medical and social history related to your health. Your doctor will also offer education and counseling about preventive-care services, including certain disease screenings, shots, and referrals for other care, if needed.

When you make your appointment, let your doctor’s office know that you’d like to schedule your “Welcome to Medicare” visit. You pay nothing for this if your doctor or other qualified health care provider accepts Medicare payment rates.

If your doctor or other health care provider performs additional tests or services during the visit that aren’t covered under this preventive benefit, you may have to pay coinsurance, and the Part B deductible may apply.

Here’s what your doctor will do during your “Welcome to Medicare” visit:

• Record and evaluate your medical and family history, current health conditions, and prescriptions.
• Check your blood pressure, vision, weight, and height to get a baseline for your care.
• Make sure you’re up-to-date with preventive services such as cancer screenings and shots.
• Order further tests, depending on your general health and medical history.

Following the visit, your doctor will give you a plan or checklist with free screenings and preventive services that you need.

You should do a little preparation before you sit down with your doctor. Pull together your medical records, including immunization records. Even if your current physician does the visit, gather as much medical information as you can to make sure nothing is overlooked.

Try to learn as much as you can about your family’s health history before your appointment. The information will help you and your doctor understand what screenings you should get and what to watch for in the future.

And bring a list of any prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements that you currently take, how often you take them, and why.

If you’ve had Medicare Part B for longer than 12 months, you can get a yearly “Wellness” visit to develop or update a personalized plan to prevent disease or disability based on your current health and risk factors.

Medicare covers this visit once every 12 months.

Your doctor or other provider will ask you to fill out a questionnaire, called a “Health Risk Assessment,” as part of this visit. Answering these questions can help you and your provider develop a personalized prevention plan to help you stay healthy and get the most out of your visit. The questions are based on years of medical research and advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When you make your appointment, let your doctor’s office know that you’d like to schedule your yearly “Wellness” visit.

Note: Your first “Wellness” visit can’t take place within 12 months of your enrollment in Part B or your “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit. However, you don’t need to have had a “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit to qualify for a “Wellness” visit.

As with the “Welcome” visit, you pay nothing for the yearly “Wellness” visit if your doctor or other qualified health care provider accepts Medicare payment rates.

If your doctor or other health care provider performs additional tests or services during the same visit that aren’t covered under this preventive benefit, you may have to pay coinsurance, and the Part B deductible may apply.

Cate Kortzeborn is Medicare’s acting regional administrator for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Territories. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The “Chicken Man” joined “The Lighthouse For The Blind” in vouching for “Captain Mike’s” Fishing Association. A Congressional candidate explained why and a major Juneteenth event was announced during Sunday’s Empire Talks Back” (ETB) radio show.

ETB guests pictured above are (L to R): “The Chicken Man” Albert Okura, Founder of Juan Pollo Chicken; Emily and her grandmother Sandra Wood, the Executive Director I.E. Lighthouse For The Blind;“Captain Mike” of the California Fishing Association and Trudy Coleman, Chairperson of the Pomona valley Juneteenth Festival. Congressional candidate, Kaisar Ahmed is not in the photo but is on the show.

ETB is broadcast each Sunday morning at 10 a.m. on KCAA 1050-AM Radio. You can hear and see Sunday’s show via the following link www.ustream.tv/search?q=empire+talks+back.

The San Bernardino County Library invites you to strengthen your superpowers and participate in our Summer Reading Program: Heroes Assemble!

Throughout the summer, we will be hosting amazing programs and activities as well as giving away fantastic rewards at all 32 of our branch libraries. Participating is easy: fly in to your local San Bernardino County Library to sign-up and become part of this read for rewards program to earn exciting weekly incentives. Reading for rewards is just the beginning. The Library will be hosting various super hero-themed programs including storytime, crafts, discovery time as well as awesome performers who provide exciting, entertaining and educational shows the whole family can enjoy. The Summer Reading Program is open to all ages so come on in and sign up the entire family. The best part – this program is absolutely free!

The fun doesn’t stop there. The County Library will offer special drawings for children and teens who meet the County Library Reading Challenge. The children’s challenge is to read at least 45 books or the equivalent in pages and minutes to receive a ticket. For teens, the challenge is to read at least eight books or the equivalent to get a ticket. New this year: each kid and teen who reached the challenge will receive a ticket for a chance to win a Kindle Fire 7” tablet at their branch library. Also, for every 25 items checked out this summer, receive a ticket for our countywide drawing to win one of the grand prizes which include Samsung Galaxy Tablets, a WiiU gaming system, a super hero-themed bike, and a kids Spider-Man Dune Buggy.

Check out the San Bernardino County Library website for details on the kick-off events and program information. Come sign up for the program and be a part of our Summer of Reading Challenge to increase summer reading participation among youth by 15 percent throughout the county.

The San Bernardino County Library System is a dynamic network of 32 branch libraries that serves a diverse population over a vast geographic area. The County library system strives to provide equal access to information, technology, programs, and services for all people who call San Bernardino County home.

The library plays a key role in the achievement of the Countywide Vision, by contributing to educational, cultural, and historical development of our County community.

For more information on the San Bernardino County Library system, please visit www.sbclib.org/ or call (909) 387-2220.

Metrolink and Riverside County Transportation Commission officials recently announced service along the 91/Perris Valley Line (91/PVL) will begin Monday, June 6. The 91/PVL is the first extension of Metrolink service since the Antelope Valley Line was built in 1994.

 “We are very excited the residents of the Perris Valley will soon be able to board Metrolink stations in their community and reach areas through Southern California,” said Metrolink Board Vice-Chair Daryl Busch, who is also the mayor of the City of Perris and a member of the Riverside County Transportation Commission. “Metrolink and RCTC staff has worked incredibly hard to make this concept a reality.”

The extension of the 91 Line will serve four additional Riverside County stations: Riverside-Hunter Park/UCR, Moreno Valley/March Field, Perris-Downtown and Perris-South.

Weekday 91/PVL trains 701, 703 and 705 will all originate at the Perris-South Station with service beginning at 4:37 a.m. In the evening, trains 702, 704 and 706 will all return to Perris with the last train reaching its final destination at 7:50 p.m. There will also be three round trips each weekday between Perris and the Riverside-Downtown Station. There will be no weekend service to or from the four new stations.

The 24-mile 91/PVL extension enhanced 15 at-grade crossings in Riverside County.  The variety of safety measures includes: flashing warning devices, gates, raised center medians, striping and pavement markings. The project also added pedestrian crosswalks at two railroad crossings and permanently closed two others.

To increase awareness of the dangers of crossing railroad tracks, a continuing public outreach program, “See Tracks? Think Train,” was launched in 2014 to select Riverside County schools, neighborhoods and community groups. Also, an extensive outreach campaign with the University of California, Riverside is ongoing.

For more information about Metrolink and the new service, please visit www.metrolinktrains.com/pvl.