Local

County Schools’ Deputy Superintendent Ted Alejandre (left) puts supplies in backpacks, along with County Schools’ Homeless Education specialist Brenda Dowdy (left) and Earl Smith, coordinator of Child, Welfare and Attendance for County Schools.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The Homeless Education program for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools soon will distribute a shipment of 1,920 backpacks donated by the national organization, Feed The Children, to homeless students across the county. The backpacks are stuffed with accompanying school supplies, books, snacks and hygiene products.

Feed The Children, which was founded in 1979, distributed more than $344 million in food, essentials, education supplies and medicine to more than 10 million individuals last year. The organization delivered its backpacks and supplies to County Schools’ Homeless Education program on October 7.

During the last reporting year, more than 35,700 homeless students were reported countywide, said Brenda Dowdy, County Schools’ homeless education specialist.

Many of this year’s supplies will be delivered during the week of Oct. 20 to 30 districts across the county.

For more information about the donations of the County Schools’ Homeless Education program, contact Dowdy at (909) 386-2634.

Kim Carter, CEO of Time For Change Foundation, speaks at the Monday morning protest that the foundation held on the steps of city hall.

Submitted by Time for Change Foundation staff

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Time for Change Foundation held a press conference on the steps of City Hall Monday, October 13, to expose the dirty politics, once again plaguing the bankrupt City of San Bernardino.  Concerned citizens, community activists, spiritual leaders and the homeless joined with Time for Change Foundation (TFCF) to demand that the City Council do at least what the community does for them, VOTE.  The community united in one voice for Honesty, Integrity and Transparency (HIT) within the city leadership holding signs declaring “Stop the Dirty Politics” and “Cheating is Bad for Business.”

TFCF, a local non-profit organization, and low income housing developer, dedicated to serving the disenfranchised, has been denied Federal Home Investment Partnership Funds designed to be administered through the City after winning a recent bid competition for their new low income housing development project.  “We won that competition fair and square. This is about the jobs that are going to be created in our community, it’s about the safe and decent housing that we are going to have in our community,” said Kim Carter, Executive Director and Founder of TFCF, “we’re not going to allow dirty politicians to rob us one more time.  We’re here today about the residents of San Bernardino who can’t afford to be cheated out of one more taxpayer dollar in our city.  We need investments in our community and that’s not going to happen if we keep allowing leadership to come in here and play dirty politics.  Is this city open for business or what?“ San Bernardino is a city trying to rebuild itself.  No entity will be willing to come to San Bernardino to invest if the City does not hold to the competition process.

The community, along with the hardworking staff at TFCF want answers.  If the City Council went through the pretense of soliciting proposals, having the proposals analyzed by a Proposal Review Committee, publicly declaring a winner, and writing a Resolution to award the funds, the least the City Council can do is VOTE!  Today, the community called for the City Council to place the project item back on their agenda and to VOTE, publicly, yes or no.   The community is calling for the matter to be moved forward according to the democratic process which has been set in place for the orderly conducting of business.

Sergio Luna of Inland Congregations United For Change (ICUC) asserted “this is a fight that every single person in San Bernardino should take…we at ICUC we are standing with Time for Change in every way possible…we will continue to collaborate until we find justice in our community.”  Reverend Bronica Taylor was passionate, declaring “we are the people. It is our vote that can truly make the change. “

HERE ARE THE FACTS:

• an open bid competition RFP was released by the City for the purpose of low income housing development
• a Proposal Review Committee declared TFCF the agency scoring the highest in the competition
• the Mayor and City Council issued a Resolution stating the funds had been identified and were available
• the Resolution authorized the City Manager and City Attorney to negotiate terms of the development project
• the Resolution was placed on the City Council agenda 9/15/14 and then removed
• the Resolution was placed on the City Council agenda 10/6/14 and then removed

No one within the City government will publicly state why this development project is not moving forward in the normal course of business.  The community, attempting to pull out of bankruptcy, has been disappointed once again because of the lack of Honesty, Integrity and Transparency within the new leaders they voted into office.  How can you ask people to vote for you during reelection time when you are sitting in the seat and not living up to the promises of openness, transparency and accountability?  If the City was truly moving forward, the transparency and accountability would be obvious.  Kim Carter reiterated: “This is not about me, this is about the process which is honest, integrity filled and transparent … a healthy competition.  Is any business safe to come here and enter a competition only to be awarded but not rewarded? No one likes a “cheater!”

The next City Council meeting will take place October 20, 2014 and the public was encouraged to attend and demand answers from public officials, from the dais, in that public forum.  TFCF put the matter publicly to the City Council to place the development project item back on the agenda and for every member to publicly vote to approve or disapprove.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- It is with great expectation that The Fire Center Church of San Bernardino will host a special event with world renowned guest speaker Bishop & Prophet William Tomusange. The message will take place on Thursday, October 23 at 6 p.m. at 1700 W. Highland Avenue in San Bernardino. For more information on the church please visit www.facebook.com/thefirecenterchurch.

Bishop Tomusange grew up in Kampala Uganda Africa, where at the age of 12-years-old he was an orphan who was eventually taken in and cared for by a deeply spiritual Bishop that raised him in the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Tom, as he is affectionately called by his family fellow ministers and co-laborers in the gospel, received the Holy Spirit at the age of 15. He preached his first sermon two years later at the young age of 17 at Mount Carmel Church in Uganda Africa.

Currently, Bishop Tom travels all over the globe speaking the prophetic heart of God to people of many nations. His prophetic Mantel is unparallel and news of the anointing that flows through his vessel is spreading like Holy Ghost Fire. Founder of Joy Mission International Ministries and Joy Christian Center, Bishop Tom is also C.E.O of 98.0 Kampala Uganda Joy FM radio.

He also continues traveling around the globe raising funds for Source of Hope Orphanage, which is filled with Uganda’s precious and most desperate children left abandoned and orphaned by the ravages of civil wars. S.O.H.O continues to rescue children forced to live in deplorable conditions in Africa.  To visit the orphanage’s website, please visit www.facebook.com/sourceofhopeorphanage .

“Bishop William Coming to our humble Church is a grand blessing of epic proportions. I had the pleasure of serving with this man when I visited Africa and I personally witnessed firsthand his endless passion for Christ and compassion for God’s people,”           The Fire Center Church Apostle Ulysses Watson said.

He continues, “I am extremely excited for those here in America who will have the opportunity to see a move of God such as this in our homeland, and I’m blessed beyond words to host such an amazingly honorable man of God at The Fire Center.”

Darralyn

Explain exactly what you business is.         

I’m in the beauty industry.

What type of services or products do you offer?

I perform all phases of hair care; however, I specialize in natural hair. I use products containing natural ingredients like sea kelp, vanilla bean etc, that add shine and promote growth and health, and that are free of parabens and sulfates and other ingredients which have been shown to be harmful.

Why did you start this particular business?

I’ve always been intrigued by fashion and hair makes a statement in fashion all its own, from there I learned the importance of beautifying hair in the most healthy way.

What in your background or what did you have to do to prepare for this business?

I always welcome a challenge; I have a creative mind so those things along with education and experience allow me to assist clients with special circumstance to abusive their desired results

What are the special or unique features of your business that distinguish you or are different from your competitors?

In this area I’ve heard that clients with locks or other natural hairstyles must travel a distance, but I do service those clients.

If, through this article you could reach out and touch just one person and aid them in turning their lives around, what would you say?

I would stress the importance of regular maintenance if only once per month or at least every 6 weeks have a professional look at your scalp to help alleviate long term damage from dryness, buildup, split ends or other conditions that may not be really detected

“We are excited to launch the next phase of our grantmaking,” said Judy Belk, president and CEO of The California Wellness Foundation.  “Advancing Wellness builds on the Foundation’s long history of responding to the needs of California communities and addressing the root causes of health and wellness inequities.”

The process for submitting letters of interest to the Foundation has been streamlined with the introduction of an online grants application process to increase efficiency and support grantees’ efforts. Grantseekers can apply here.

Building upon its legacy, the Foundation remains committed to responsive, statewide grantmaking; core operating support; funding of direct services, public policy and capacity building; and improving the health of underserved populations.

Grants made under the Bridging the Gaps in Access and Quality Care portfolio will be related to: the equitable implementation of the Affordable Care Act; the health care safety net; oral health care for low-income adults, including seniors; and increasing diversity in the health care professions.

Grants made under the Promoting Healthy and Safe Neighborhoods portfolio will be related to: ensuring that effective systems, infrastructures and resources are in place to support healthy living and to minimize trauma and injury resulting from violence, particularly gun violence.

Grants made under the Expanding Education and Employment Pathways portfolio will be related to: charting a path to greater access to resources, opportunities, and support for adolescents and young adults whom Cal Wellness defines as “resilient youth,” i.e., young people who are in, or have exited, the juvenile justice system; are current or former foster youth; have been or are currently homeless or runaways; or are pregnant and/or parenting youth. The goals of this portfolio are also to ensure that there is access to sufficient income and other resources through fair employment and appropriate government benefits, as well as the building and protection of financial assets for resilient youth, military veterans and formerly incarcerated adults.

The Opportunity Fund will support capacity building, public policy and innovation among nonprofit agencies and philanthropic organizations working to improve the health of Californians.

To view a video and other materials on the grantmaking program, please visit the CalWellness.org newsroom.

The California Wellness Foundation is a private independent foundation created in 1992 with a mission to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention. Since its founding in 1992, Cal Wellness has awarded 7,523 grants totaling more than $899 million.

After months of waiting, the official arrival is now here! While teens are surrounded by a world of social media, selfies and hashtags, one teen in Fontana is making a difference by breaking the mold of conformity. Her name is Brittany Evans, 18, unlike most teens Brittany would rather be about business than taking tons of pictures to show off to her friends.

She not only has beauty and brains but she is the first in her family to become an inventor. Her invention is called Sparkbudz (patent pending) it is an all new earphone in which you can magnetically attach and detach when you are alone or with a friend.

The product is now available through IndieGoGo. She is asking for your support. For more information, visit www.Sparkbudz.com or www.Facebook.com/Sparkbudz.

REDLANDS, CA- The “Pink and Green Divas” team of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc., Eta Nu Omega Chapter participated in the Stater Bros. 7^th Annual Believe Walk.  The walk benefits several cancer fighting organizations in the Inland Empire where Eta Nu Omega is chartered and their members reside.

“It is very important for us to participate in this walk because all of the funds generated will go to support cancer patients and their family’s right here in our community,” stated Team Captain Kimberly Isaac.

The members of Eta Nu Omega are very invested in health education and awareness and participate in many activities such as health fairs, monthly health education tips for members and even ran a Men’s Health Month campaign to spread the word about prostate cancer by visiting barbershops, men’s groups, and churches where they distributed materials from the Prostate Cancer Foundation. For future events, please visit www.etanuomega.org.

LOS ANGELES, CA- Maxwell Dickson: Creative Canvas Art Print Company will host the “Pink Tie Affair” art show fundraiser on Saturday, October 11 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the California Market Center, with the goal of raising $200K for the Breast Cancer Care and Research Fund.

The event is powered by Coca Cola, Amante Restaurant, California Market Center, APT2B.com, Valley Voice, Zizi Showroom, The Cougar Chronicle, Bakersfield News Observer, Wantickets, OPI, ABS Special Events, Trea Day PR, Maddalena Vineyard Brands, Event Message Services and Gents Closet, just to name a few. “Pink Tie Affair” will feature red carpet, gourmet cuisine, wine and spirits, gift bags, massage services, live entertainment and more. Art world enthusiasts, celebrity guests, elite Los Angeles philanthropic taste-makers and socialites will be sporting pink ties in support of BCCRF a non-profit 501 © 3 organization.

The art gallery is located on the 9^th floor of the California Market Center at 110 E. 9^th Street, C919 in Los Angeles (90079). Remember to get social at the event by using the event hashtags #PINKTIEAFFAIR #THINKPINK #MAXWELLDICKSON.

By Audrey Thompson

In 1964  President Johnson, a Democrat,  received 94 percent of the Black vote and since then no Republican presidential candidate has gotten more than 15 percent of the Black vote. Today, in the new Millennium, our vote is the most reliable block of votes for the Democratic Party from local elections to the Presidential elections. We are not new Democrats, but for almost 100 years, not 45 years since the voting rights act was passed and not even since President Barack Obama was first elected, but for almost 100 years, we have been the most reliable block of voters for the Democratic Party. No other group can boast the same.

Yet, all other groups get support, money and their voices heard by the Democrats. For me, I think I have seniority! My people have been their most reliable block of voters for almost a Century. Time vested in this Democratic Party with blood, sweat and tears and nobody else can say the same. It’s so bad, you can count on one hand how many African American’s are on staff for the California Democratic Party, it’s bad, it’s real bad!

We still have the highest unemployment rate, the highest incarceration rate and the highest school suspension rate. In fact, we have the highest of all the bad things and the lowest of all the good things. The Democratic Party does not support our agendas and they don’t support our candidates. If we continue to vote for the Democrats blindly they will never respect us nor give us a thing. This election look closely at the candidate, don’t vote blindly!  Please don’t go for the okeedoke again, stop voting on a promise! As the late comedian Joan Rivers used to say, “Can we talk?”

On  Monday, October 13 at 9:30 a.m., community activists and concerned residences, led by Kim Carter, of Time for Change Foundation, will be holding a Press Conference on the steps of City Hall, to bring national attention to the back door politics of our new city leaders.  This comes on the heels of yet another scandal like the City’s bankruptcy.  Recently, during an open competitive process, a bid competition set up by the City for the purpose of community development, after receiving the highest score in that competition, the City Council final approval was placed on the agenda only to be pulled off, not once but twice!  One would think that with a “Review Committee” and the published results of that competition showing the winner (pgs. 14-16) (pgs. 370-372) that the City would honor their commitment!  But, NO!  If you don’t like the winner, you can change the rules?  The message this sends is “San Bernardino is not open for business!”  Or is it only for a chosen few?  Don’t enter the competition because it won’t work, a handshake won’t work, only back door politics work.  Are we there again?  Did we not just vote in a new regime to move our City in a new direction?

We are in a period of rebuilding our city.  No entity will be willing to come to San Bernardino to invest if the City does not hold to the competition process.  As all citizens are aware, we are supposed to be living in a free market society without the back door politics that plagued the City for the last 15 years and led to bankruptcy. This is not good for the citizens of our City or the future of our children, and we won’t stand for it.  This is the scandalous politics that we said would be long gone.  We voted in new people for an open, transparent and accountable City Council.  We stood for change and the voters’ voices were heard; we have new leadership and a new Council, yet the same only dirty politics. They are letting all businesses know that we don’t have a new regime; we are reminded of the old antics.  Has the new City Council been infiltrated or did we vote in new people who write rules and then change the game when they don’t like the result?  We live in a democratic society, a free market society with open competition.  When someone wins fair and square, there should be no rebuttals.

How can you ask people to vote for you during reelection time when you are sitting in the seat and not living up to the promises of openness, transparency and accountability?  How can you ask the citizens to trust the City to vote yes on Q when we can’t trust the results of Q; when the City takes money from agreements and then reneges?  If the City was truly moving forward, the transparency and accountability would be obvious.  Instead, what we have here smells like a rat!  According to Kim Carter: “I’m not a sore loser, because I was the winner.  This is not about me, this is about the process which is supposed to be open and transparent…a healthy competition.  Is any business safe to come here and enter a competition only to be awarded but not rewarded?”   It’s obvious the game is rigged when the rules change once the winner has been declared.  We are also seeing that the City is attempting to reward contracts following secretive RFPs which only has one person in the race.  There is a motion on the City Council agenda for October 20^th to award an out of town agency … a $200,000 contract … in which there was only one agency in the race.  Hear me clearly … no competition = agency gets awarded contract … However, a healthy competition = winner gets shafted.

It is a rigged game when the rules change if the winner isn’t what … liked?  the right color? the right gender?
the right political party?  in the right family?   As an African American entrepreneur, I have to wonder, is this discrimination or just the City changing the game when they don’t like the winner?  The government is supposed to be open, transparent and accountable.  Has there been some Brown Act violations?  To not honor the process which is clearly laid out sends the wrong signal to people outside and inside San Bernardino.  Where is the accountability?  Where is the transparency?  Where is this new leadership?