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The Inland Empire Alliance of Black School Educators (IEABSE) Presents Inland Empire High School Black Graduate Recognition, Scholarship Ceremony

Black GRAD

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The Inland Empire Alliance of Black School Educators (IEABSE) is proud to announce the 5th annual “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child”, High School Black Graduate Recognition and Scholarship Ceremony. The event will take place at the Santos Manuel Student Union Event Center on the campus of California State University of San Bernardino at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 16.

IEABSE will present over 15 scholarships in the amounts of $500 and $1000 to African American graduating seniors from the Inland Empire. The evening will be filled with cultural celebration, community connectedness, and will end with a mantra from the students who pledge to support each other, be responsible family members, and become leaders within the Inland Empire. San Bernardino native Professor Anthony Blacksher will be the keynote speaker and will be challenging the students to analyze the role education has played in African American history and leverage present opportunities as tools to achieve their desired hopes and dreams.

Over 1000 supportive family members are expected to be in attendance to watch these graduates receive their Kente Stoles. The Kente Stoles symbolize academic accomplishment, community leadership, and personal responsibility. The Dorothy Ingram Award will be given to an educator from the Inland Empire that has inspired students to achieve at high levels. This individual is a drum major for student achievement and is being acknowledged for going the extra mile to ensure the success of our Inland Empire students.

“One of the most pressing issues facing San Bernardino and Riverside Counties is the college going rate and college readiness, events like the IE Black Graduation go a long way in celebrating high school students that will be attending our local colleges and universities,” Dr. Thomas Morales, President of California State University San Bernardino, said.

A special thanks to the Inland Empire High School Black Graduate Recognition Ceremony Planning Committee, San Bernardino City Unified School District and their Communications Department Director Linda Bardere, President of California State University of San Bernardino Dr. Tomas Morales, and San Bernardino Pacesetters. For any additional information please contact Keynasia Buffong at (909) 838-6131 or by email at ieabse@gmail.com

Roundtable Meeting Led by Assemblymember Brown Discusses Vital Transportation Concerns

Assemblymember Brown and Colton Mayor Richard DeLaRosa

Assemblymember Brown and Colton Mayor Richard DeLaRosa

Arlan White shares his concerns about transportation issues facing the Inland Empire

Arlan White shares his concerns about transportation issues facing the Inland Empire

SAN BERNARDINO – Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) recently convened a roundtable meeting at the Gonzales Center in Colton to discuss transportation challenges facing transport, freight and logistics industry professionals in the 47th Assembly District.

Participating agencies included: C.R. England, Patriot Towing, the California Trucking Association, Union Pacific, A-2-Z Emissions Solutions, Colton Planning Dept., Center for Employment Training, Rail and Delivery Service, IE Corridor Transport Inc., The Complete Logistics Company, and Ashley Furniture.

The meeting began with a warm welcome by Mayor Richard DeLaRosa on behalf of the Colton City Council. Thereafter, Assemblymember Brown provided an introduction.

“Trucking and logistics is the most important component of our local economy,” said Assemblymember Brown. “According to recent news reports, the logistics sector, which is warehousing, distribution and trucking, produced one out of every five jobs last year in the Inland Empire. It’s really important that it remains robust because that’s where the majority of jobs are created.”

Following introductions, Assemblymember Brown presented a legislative update on various bills that she introduced to address transportation issues and promote job growth.

She mentioned AB 914, a bill that would allow Caltrans to construct a toll lane on the I-10 and I-15 freeways. “As you know, our roads need to be repaired. One of the ways that we can repair our roads is by considering High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes. The funds obtained by the tolls would go directly toward maintaining, repairing and creating new lanes in the Inland area on the I-10 and I-15 freeways in San Bernardino County,” she said.

Last week, AB 914 passed out of the Assembly Committee on Transportation and now moves to the Appropriations Committee.

Mayor Pro Tem Frank Navarro shares his concerns regarding transportation in the Inland Empire. He's seated next to Colton Planning Commissioner Rosa Granado-Dominguez and Terrill Grant, a

Mayor Pro Tem Frank Navarro shares his concerns regarding transportation in the Inland Empire. He’s seated next to Colton Planning Commissioner Rosa Granado-Dominguez and Terrill Grant, a

She also spoke about AB 1445 and AB 1302, which seek to improve economic opportunities for small businesses and disabled veteran-owned businesses relevant to contracting with the state.

Following her legislative address, various industry professionals spoke about the impact of AB 32 on their individual companies.

According to several participants, retrofitting the trucks to make them compliant with AB 32’s standards presents a great challenge.  “Having to put their money into their trucks to make them efficient for the emissions requirements is going to increase the price of goods and services, which is really going to hurt the Inland Empire,” said Colton Planning Commissioner Rosa Granado-Dominguez.

Arlan White, a member of the Towing Regulatory Oversight Council and past board member of the California Tow Truck Association explained that upgrading the trucks are extremely expensive. “The typical cost of a California Air Resources Board (CARB) compliant retrofit is $10,000 to $20,000 per truck. The purchase price of a new CARB compliant truck typically ranges between $100,000 up to half a million dollars,” he said.

Most trucking companies have to change their equipment every few years to stay compliant in California. On top of that, lack of personnel makes it very difficult to enforce the law, which creates unfair competition, according to a number of participants.

“Truckers are spending millions of dollars to keep up with CARB, but there’s minimal enforcement for those are who are not compliant with the law. They’re coming in and undercutting local businesses that have spent the money to retrofit their trucks,” said Tiffany Gallaway, a representative of the California Trucking Association.

“On average, drivers are on the road for 7-14 days. However, to make up for the cost of retrofitting their trucks, drivers are out there 20-25 days, which takes away time from their families. For a lot of people, trucking is their livelihood; it’s what puts dinner on the table. The cost of overreaching regulations is restricting the productivity and income that a single driver can make,” said

Glen Taylor, C.R. England Global Transportation; Melvin Maclin, C.R. England Global Transportation; Lupe Valdez, Union Pacific

Glen Taylor, C.R. England Global Transportation; Melvin Maclin, C.R. England Global Transportation; Lupe Valdez, Union Pacific

Arthur Jones, owner of IE Corridor Transport, Inc.

Also in attendance was Colton Mayor Pro Tem Frank Navarro, a board member of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). He said, “I think what we need to do is go back to Washington and Sacramento and look at this over-regulation. How can we soften these regulations to allow, not only the big corporations, but also the little guy to become compliant.”

“In partnership with the trucking community, Union Pacific sees the impact of AB 32’s regulations on our partners,” said Lupe Valdez, a representative of Union Pacific. “It’s important for trucking companies to be involved in the policy making process to avoid unintended consequences.”

Other topics raised during the discussion included freight movement at the LA and Long Beach Ports, adjusting to diesel fuel prices and increased taxes for truck drivers.

A follow up to this roundtable will be a Trucking Summit held by Assemblymember Brown in September 2015. The Summit will focus on solutions to the challenges outlined during the roundtable. Details are forthcoming.

For more information, contact Ashley Jones at (909) 381-3238.

 

 

Elementary and High School Students Will Rock the Stage at UCR

Changing Lives Showcase

Changing Lives Showcase

RIVERSIDE, CA – On Saturday, May 16, elementary and high school students will have an opportunity to rock the stage at University California of Riverside in the 4th annual Changing Lives Showcase.  The red carpet extravaganza is presented by Music Changing Lives, (MCL) a non-profit music and art after-school program for at-risk children and youth, which works to inspire kids through performing arts programs to keep them focused on their education and their futures.

This year the competition will be fierce. Students from four schools in the Moreno Valley Unified School District, where MCL offers its after-school programs will go toe-to-toe to see who has the most talent.  Teens from Vista Del Lago High and Moreno Valley High will battle it out, while younger students from Butterfield Elementary and Edgemont Elementary will compete against each other.

There are three categories students can enter in: lyrical, dance and visual arts. The winners will be selected by a panel of celebrity guest judges. As students prepared to compete in the showcase they also fought to increase their school performance and volunteered for a minimum of five hours in their community.  Participants are instilled with the message, “Together we can be the change we would like to see in our community.”

The Changing Lives Showcase is sponsored by Music Changing Lives, MVUSD, Wells Fargo Foundation, UC Riverside, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Target, Edison International, Goliath Graffix and Clothes the Deal.  Through their support, The Changing Lives Showcase helps spread a positive message about the benefits of expressing yourself through the arts while making school “cool.”

For more information about Music Changing Lives or to become a sponsor for the event, please contact Josiah Bruny at jbruny@musicchanginglives.com or visit them on the web at www.musicchanginglives.org.

Peace Officer Memorial video nominated for 2015 Regional Emmy Award

2014 PEACE OFFICER MEMORIAL

2014 PEACE OFFICER MEMORIAL

SAN BERNARDINO, CA.  – The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s video “Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony” has received a nomination for the 2015 Regional Emmy Awards.

The announcement was made Monday by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Pacific Southwest Chapter at a nomination event held in Palm Springs. The film was nominated in the Special Events Coverage category for excellence in coverage of a one-time-only, anticipated community or entertainment event, live or edited.

“I am thankful to the Academy for our nomination and honored that the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and our other local law enforcement agencies allowed me the chance to go behind the scenes while they paid tribute to their fallen brothers and sisters,” said Public Affairs Officer Christopher Lee, who directed and edited the segment.

The video is a 4-minute segment covering the San Bernardino County Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony hosted by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department May 22, 2014, at the Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court. During the event law enforcement agencies from all throughout San Bernardino County were in attendance to pay tribute to their fellow officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

“Given the recent attacks on our peace officers nationwide, this nomination is especially timely,” District Attorney Mike Ramos said. “As we approach this year’s Peace Officers Memorial Day, let’s not forget our law enforcement officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving our communities in the line of duty. And let’s not forget about those still on the front lines, risking their lives every day to make sure that our families and communities are safe.”

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls is known as Police Week.

The 41st Annual NATAS-Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards will be presented Saturday June 20, 2014, in Palm Springs.

Conversations at CAAM Presents a Community Hero and Legend, “Sweet” Alice Harris

Sweet Alice Harris

Sweet Alice Harris

LOS ANGELES, CA-The California African American Museum (CAAM) is pleased to announce the next Conversations at CAAM with Watts community activist “Sweet” Alice Harris, Saturday, May 16, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., The discussion will highlight Sweet Alice’s unwavering commitment to the community of Watts and will be moderated by CAAM’s History Council Member Ruby Quallsgray.

A local hero and legend, Sweet Alice has dedicated her life to servicing residents in the community of Watts.   As the executive director and founder of Parents of Watts (POW), she has organized many programs for the community that focus on education, job training, voter registration, counseling, drug abuse and prevention on behalf of the organization.  Additionally, through POW she provides residents with necessities such as food, clothes and shelter.  During Christmas, Sweet Alice gives away free bikes to disadvantaged youth. She is also known to give the community’s youth five dollars each, under the condition that they place the money into a savings account.

Having founded POW in 1979, Sweet Alice’s drive for change comes from a life of struggle.  She was a mother by the age of 14, homeless by 16 and moved from Detroit to Los Angeles to care for her ailing mother.  It was then, she realized her calling for community activism.  Sweet Alice has received an honorary doctorate from USC and many awards including awards from Essence magazine and former President George W. Bush.

This event is free and open to the public. CAAM is located at 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, 90037. RSVP is encouraged by calling (213) 744-2024.  For more information visit www.caamuseum.org.  Follow CAAM on social media: Facebook/Twitter @caaminLA and Instagram @caaminlosangeles.

 

Immediate Family Hosts Star Studded Opening Night

Immediate Family cast and crew

Immediate Family cast and crew

LOS ANGELES, CA- On Sunday, May 3, “Immediate Family” written by Paul Oakley Stovall and directed by Phylicia Rashad debuted at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum. Several celebrity guests arrived to the theater via red carpet. They included: Debbie Allen, Ava DuVernay, Jackée Harry, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Vanessa Williams, and a countless number of others.

“Immediate Family” is a biting new comedy which explores evolving ideas of marriage and family. When the Bryant siblings come together for the first time in five years to attend a wedding, the family reunion quickly becomes a hilarious family showdown. Secrets are revealed and long-held beliefs are challenged as a spirited game of cards brings all of the family dysfunctions to the table. Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune said the play is “highly entertaining … [it] just bursts with life.”

The Mark Taper Forum at the Music Center is located at 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles. The play will run through June 7. Tickets are available in person at the CTG box office, by phone (213) 628-2772 or online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.

Come Get Your BBQ Fix for Fight Night!

Photo by Jay Parnell

Photo by Jay Parnell

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Just in time for fight night, Willing Winn Association and Mission (WWAM) Inc., will be hosting their second BBQ Fundraiser of the year. They will be barbecuing it up behind the Family Dollar at 146 West Baseline Street in San Bernardino from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For the fight there will be a special “Fight Fix” at just $30 which includes 1 slab of pork ribs, 1 pint of potato salad, and 1 loaf of bread. Regular menu items and price includes: a beef brisket, $14; hot link plate, $11; chicken plate, $11; pork rib plate, $13; combo plate (3 meats), $17; and peach cobbler, $4. Each plate comes with two sides of cabbage, red rice, baked beans, or potato salad.

For more information, please contact (909) 890-8674.

WWAM BBQ 2

Photos by Jay Parnell

 

Run For Hope Raises Over $300k at Annual Event

Children raise signs at the Run for Hope fundraiser for the Best Dollars Raised. Photo by Vivien

Children raise signs at the Run for Hope fundraiser for the Best Dollars Raised. Photo by Vivien

LOS ANGELES, CA- OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center held its sixth annual ‘Run For Hope 5k Festival’, on Saturday, April 25. OUR House ambassador Melissa Rivers presented awards to the largest and most successful teams.

The event took place at the West Los Angeles Civic Center and was a day dedicated to celebrating and honoring the memory of loved ones who have died. This year’s presenting sponsors were The Hollander Family and Best Friends Animal Society. The Run for Hope, deeply rooted in the community, drew close to 1, 600 participants who raised over $370,000 to provide grief support directly to adults and children. Participants wore their personalized t- shirts with their loved ones’ photos commemorating and celebrating their memories.

All participants gathered at the stage following the In-Memory Walk and the 5K Run/Walk with a ?closing ceremony and festival, which included live music by DJ Sherpa and the School of Rock, a kids fun zone and expo.  Melissa Rivers presented awards to the largest and most successful teams, including the Largest Team: Team Tia’s Hope along with the four Top Fundraisers: Team Nico and Steven who raised $134,000; Team #Matthew who raised $10,000; Team Debbie Cohen in memory of Shirley Levine who raised $8,100; and Team Anne’s Angels who raised $7,300.

 

Time for Change Foundation’s Kim Carter to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

Kim Carter

Kim Carter

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – At the Young Visionaries Iron Sharpens Iron Gala this Friday night at The Hotel San Bernardino, Time for Change Foundation Executive Director Kim Carter will be honored with the Dr. Margaret Hill “Lifetime Achievement Award” for her work not only as a powerful voice for women who bear the scars of poverty, homelessness and incarceration for her result driven efforts to empower disenfranchised communities.

“I am humbled and honored” Ms. Carter said when she was informed that she would be recognized  for her work.  Kim Carter started Time for Change Foundation in her garage as a one women organization in 2002 with one shelter with 6 beds.  Today, Time for Change Foundation has a staff of 11, a total housing capacity of 114 annually along with evidence-based programs and supportive services that provide communities with the tools to recover from homelessness, drug addiction, mental and physical abuse, family separation and the effects of incarceration.

In addition to being the national model for housing and supportive services, Time for Change Foundation is also a low income housing developer, has a strong advocacy arm and provides evidence-based training to governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations through its Center for Advocacy and Leadership Training (CALT).

For more information, call 909-886-2994 or visit us on the web at www.Timeforchangefoundation.org.

Alliance for Women in Media, Southern California Prepares for Highly-Acclaimed Speed Mentoring Event

LOS ANGELES, CA- The Alliance for Women in Media, Southern California (AWM SoCal) Prepares for their highly-acclaimed Speed Mentoring event, presented by Sag-Aftra. Held Sunday, May 3, 2015 at Carla’s Café at CBS Radford Lot 4024, the event brings industry leaders together with students and job seekers in a fun, interactive environment similar to the speed dating concept.

Mary Schaffer, Director of Students and Scholarships for AWM SoCal, explains, “Mentors and mentees will be seated at tables. A five-minute stop watch will mark the time and when the bell rings, mentees will move down the line to the next mentor. It’s not only fun, but a great way to meet a lot of people and network with the top leaders in media and entertainment fields.”

The list of scheduled mentors includes:

  • Corinne Baldassano, Senior Vice President, Programming and Marketing, Take On The Day, LLC/The Dr. Laura Program
  • Samantha Brown, Vice President of Strategic Sales for Vubiquity
  • Tish Ciravolo, Founder and President of Daisy Rock Guitars, the only girl guitar company in the world
  • Vic Cohen, TV comedy writer (Emmy nominated), producer, show creator and comedic actor who has starred/written on comedy shows on Fox (“Mobbed”), NBC (“Deal or No Deal”), TBS (“Deal With It”), and other cable networks
  • Bill Denton, General Sales Manager, KFI/KEIB/KLAC, iHeartMedia
  • Tanya Memme, host of two Emmy Nominated TV shows on A&E “Sell This House” and “Sell This House Extreme,” Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family “DIY” Expert, and KTLA’s Best Vacations and mom entrepreneur
  • Jenn Sherry Parry, Emmy award winning television producer with 14 years experience in the Los Angeles market. She is currently Senior Field Producer of “The Doctors”, a daytime medical talk show on CBS.

Desiree Duffy, Co-President of AWM SoCal, adds, “It’s all about meeting people, making connections and helping each other. All ages and career levels, both women and men, are welcome because everyone needs a little mentoring once in a while!”

Speed Mentoring takes place inside Carla’s Café at CBS Radford from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Space is limited. Advance registration is required no later than Thursday, April 30. Tickets are $20 for AWM SoCal members and $30.00 for non-members. Students who bring a copy of their unofficial transcript will receive a free AWM SoCal Student Membership with their registration. To register and for more information, and to see a complete list of mentors, visit www.AWMSoCal.org.