WSSN Stories

Chief Moreno

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- After 24 years of dedicated service to the United States Navy and years of helping to preserve our freedom, Chief Victor Hugo Moreno, 42, will retire on Friday, July 18. Moreno dedicated his life to the service at the young age of 18, and due to being away for work he missed the birth of his four children, their first steps, their first day of school, and the birth of his first grandchild; however, he will not get to spend time with them, who are all now adults.

Prior to his military days, Moreno and his family moved to California from Mexico in 1976 and settled in San Bernardino in 1984. He then graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1990, and from there he joined the Navy. After his basic training he went home and married his wife the former Conna A. Turner.

During his years of service he served as a Logistics Specialist where he completed two Western Pacific Deployments (WESTPAC) “91-92” and “93”. In October of 1994, he transferred to his first Shore Duty at Naval Sub Base Pt. Loma, San Diego.  Picked up SK2 during this time, but more importantly his youngest son, Emmanuel A. Moreno, was born.

In July of 1997 he reported to PCD (Pre Com Detachment) Pearl Harbor and in January of 1998 he went to Avondale, New Orleans along with his crew to take the USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD-52), a Harpers Ferry class Amphibious Assault Ship, from the shipyard. It was there that he completed two more  WESTPAC’s, “00” and “01-02”. He also finished his Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist qualification (ESWS) during this time, and was meritoriously promoted to SK1 under the Command Advancement Program (CAP) in Jun of 2001.

Moreno has received several awards for his service, which include the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy Achievement Medal (four awards), Good Conduct Medal (seven awards), and various unit and campaign awards.

Rudy Maldonado

By Rudy Maldonado, Vice President and Branch Manager (MUFG Union Bank, N.A.)

Every year, it seems stores start playing holiday music and decorating earlier than the year before.  By mid-summer, most national monthly magazines have already completed their special holiday issues, and many financial advisors agree that this a good time to start saving for the holidays.  Whether you are setting a gift budget, making travel plans or scheduling a holiday party, you’re more likely to have a realistic view of your finances and stay within your budget when you aren’t under the pressure of a tight deadline.  In addition to preventing a post-holiday spending hangover, getting an early start on your financial holiday planning may also allow you more time to enjoy the season. Here are some suggestions to consider:

Make a list and check it twice

Develop a list of the people you usually buy gifts for during the holidays.  Next, make a list of items you normally buy this time of year, such as greeting cards, contributions to charitable organizations, holiday meals and traditions, travel and entertainment.  Take inventory of what you already have – wrapping paper, decorations, stored gifts, etc.  Consider selling surplus items online or at a yard sale for extra cash to add to your holiday budget or savings.

Develop a budget and save

Once you’ve taken inventory, determine the maximum you can spend on each item to help determine your budget and the amount you will need to save over the next few months.  It might be helpful to look through last year’s receipts or billing statements to get an idea of how much you spent.  Developing a spending plan before you begin shopping may also help you avoid impulse buying.

To help boost your holiday savings, establish automatic transfers or have part of your paycheck deposited into a targeted savings account.  You might also consider additional seasonal work to bring in more cash, or cut back on your everyday spending.  If you’re still coming up short, early preparation will allow you time to manage the expectations of your family and friends accordingly.

Shop early and take advantage of sales

We all know that seasoned gift giver who completes his/her holiday shopping by September.  Start comparison shopping now for gifts, and keep an eye out for coupons and online deals.  Look into high-demand items that might be more expensive and difficult to obtain during the holidays, and make those purchases when you have the available cash.  It may also be prudent to take advantage of end-of-summer sales, Thanksgiving or Black Friday specials and other opportunities to save.

Keep track of purchases

Keep your holiday gift list handy by considering a smartphone application such as Santa’s Bag-Christmas Gift List (available through the AppleApp Store^SM) that helps manage gift recipients, shopping and budget lists.  Designate a secure spot in your home or garage where you can store gifts and other items, and if you also get a jump on wrapping, be sure to label each gift for easy identification.

Get crafty

Giving handmade gifts can help save on your holiday budget, and starting now will give you plenty of time to get crafty.  For example, if you have a green thumb, planting an inexpensive bulb in the fall will often provide you with a beautiful blooming plant to give in time for the holidays.  For other DIY ideas, there are numerous resources online.

Book travel early

Fares often increase closer to the holidays, so try to book airline and hotel reservations in advance for potential savings.  You will generally get a lower rate if you purchase at least 21 days in advance, so do some research now.  Check with your employer or organizations you may belong to, such as AAA and AARP, to explore travel discounts, or visit online travel sites that might also help you save.

The foregoing article is intended to provide general information about preparing financially for the holidays and is not considered financial or tax advice.  Please consult your financial or tax advisor.

About MUFG Union Bank, N.A

Rudy Maldonado is a vice president and branch manager of MUFG Union Bank, N.A.’s, Coronado Branch.  MUFG Union Bank, N.A., is a full-service bank with offices across the United States.  We provide a wide spectrum of corporate, commercial, retail banking and wealth management solutions to meet the needs of customers.  The bank also offers an extensive portfolio of value-added solutions for customers, including investment banking, personal trust, capital markets, global treasury management, transaction banking and other services.  With assets of $106.7 billion (USD), as of March 31, 2014, the bank has strong capital reserves, credit ratings and capital ratios relative to peer banks.  MUFG Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (NYSE: MTU), one of the world’s largest financial organizations with total assets of approximately ¥258 trillion (JPY) or $2.5 trillion (USD)¹, as of March 31, 2014.  MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation, the financial holding company and MUFG Union Bank, N.A. have corporate headquarters in New York City.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Don’t fall for Satan lies! Satan says, bow to me, turn to the ways of the world, submit to temptation, and I’ll give you whatever you want in this life. The devil is a bold faced LIAR. You bow down to the devil, and no matter what he promised you, even if he could give it to you, it’s a loose, loose situation. He is in the business of deceit and deception, and don’t give a care about you. It is your soul he is after and if he can get you to buy into his lies, your soul he will have and you both will end up in Hell!

So no matter what sweet deal the devil offers you, rebuke him in the name of Jesus…Yell at him like you yell at your kids, (just keeping it real) Get away from me! Get out of here! But know at the same time that even after you done all the yelling, the devil will keep coming. He’ll keep trying. That’s what the devil does. He thinks that maybe, just for a moment, you’ll forget who you are; forgot you belong to Jesus, and fall into his trap. He’ll put you on the slippery slope with little temptations, he’ll play on your pride and your ego, and eventually, when all else fails, just like with Jesus, he’ll offer you the world. But he’s a LIAR, and he won’t follow through and you will have sold you soul for nothing. Jesus remembered who He was and in each of His temptations He quoted from Scripture, and it STOPPED the devil cold. He knew that there was nothing of value the devil could give Him. It was all a trap that led to nowhere.

Anytime the devil hurls something at you, rebuke him in Jesus name. And let me remind you, the devil’s not your friend, he’s not your confidant, he’s your enemy!  Don’t play ball with the devil!  Seek to understand him. If you know what your enemy is like, and what he is apt to do, you can develop a battle plan to defeat him. We as Christians are at war with Satan, but we will never be victorious until we understand the enemy and learn to depend upon our Savior. If we are going to overcome we must adopt a spiritual warfare worldview and put on the whole armor of God, so that we will have the tools necessary to defeat our enemy.

You should understand this fact –. The devil wants to take you out- Period! He wants to murder your purity, he wants to kill your happiness, he wants to destroy your spiritual life, and he wants nothing more than your death. If you are a Christian, your death takes your influence out of this world. If you are not a Christian, your death delivers you into the Devil’s hands. He will tell any lie, and make up any accusation, in order to kill you. Make no mistake about it!

You better hear me now! Once you have heard the truth, you had better respond to it. When you’ve heard God’s message of love spoken to you, respond to it. When you’ve heard the Holy Spirit moving you to change something in your life or to do something for Him, respond to it. Do what He says. Because when you hear the Spirit speaking to you and you ignore it, the Bible tells us that you’re worse off than if you’d never been shown the light. You have no excuse anymore because you know the truth. You know what it takes to get to Heaven. You know what God wants you to do. The mercy of God will extend to great lengths, but God is a gentleman and He won’t keep on pushing you when you keep on ignoring Him. Listen for the voice of God and obey Him when He speaks.

You have been confronted with the truth. And it’s up to you to decide what you’re going to do with it. Are you going to respond to it? Or are you going to ignore it? It’s totally up to you. It’s your choice. But I plead with you to respond to it. Because when you stand before God on that final day and you say, “But I didn’t do anything,” His response will be, “I know, that’s just it; you didn’t do anything…Away from me, you evildoers!”

LOS ANGELES, CA- Help make a difference on Saturday, July 19 at the Peace Walk and Peace Talk, sponsored by the Trayvon Martin Foundation. This event will be hosted by Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton with celebrity guests like Nipsey Hustle, Big Boy of Power 106, and more. Be a part of the change in your community as you support this event at Historic Crenshaw High School located at 5010 11th Avenue in Los Angeles. For more information call (305) 600-8810. (By Noelle Lilley).

ATLANTA, GA— Spelman College today announced that it has exceeded its comprehensive fundraising campaign goal, generating $157.8 million. This is the largest amount raised in the history of the institution. The campaign attracted support for scholarships, academic initiatives, and campus renewal. A record-breaking 12,000, representing 71% of alumnae, made a gift to the campaign.

“When we launched the campaign, we were focused on strengthening the institution’s healthy foundation through increased scholarship support for students, strategic investment in our faculty and academic programs, and capital improvements on our campus. It is very gratifying to have met all of these objectives while exceeding our campaign goal,” says President Beverly Daniel Tatum.

Over the course of the 10-year campaign, scholarship support for Spelman students has tripled, and opportunities for faculty research and development have expanded significantly. The Gordon-Zeto Center for International Education was created with a gift of $17 million, increasing opportunities for student and faculty travel, and providing financial aid for international students. Other highlights include the creation of a signature social justice fellows program, and funding to build a state-of-the-art wellness facility. “From campus expansion and significantly increased housing capacity to dramatic growth in annual alumnae support and a campus-wide focus on wellness, Dr. Tatum has provided exemplary leadership,” says Rosalind Brewer, Chair of the Spelman College Board of Trustees.

With the campaign now at an end, President Tatum has announced her intention to retire on June 30, 2015. “As the campaign closes and I prepare to enter a new decade in my life, it presents a natural time for transition. It is a great time to pass the baton to a new leader, and I am ready to return to my writing,” explains Dr. Tatum, a well-known author, who will turn age 60 this year.

Board Chair Brewer acknowledges this bittersweet moment.

“Dr. Tatum has been a true visionary. She and the entire campus community have demonstrated tremendous leadership and stewardship of the institution over the last 12 years. The entire board truly appreciates the significant strides made under this administration. Now it is time not to rest on our laurels, but to build on these accomplishments. As we look ahead, we take pride in the history of strong leadership that has distinguished Spelman College, and we intend to continue that tradition moving forward. It’s an exciting time.”

2011 Awards Recipients

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation, Inc. will be celebrating its 25th Annual Black Rose, Humanitarian of the Year and Community Service Awards Banquet on Friday, September 12 at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino.

This is a community event in which individuals and/or businesses of the community are recognized by their peers and the community for giving back beyond what could be expected as well as serving as a fundraising event to help provide scholarships for students who live in San Bernardino and Highland and attend San Bernardino City Schools, Aquinas, and Loma Linda Academy.

Applications are now being accepted for potential nominations. If you know someone or a business deserving to be recognized as an unsung hero for volunteer efforts over and above job related activities, please take the time to complete an application which can be downloaded at www.sbbcfoundation.org and submitted to marrobhill@aol.com or Troy Ingram at unicorncol@sbcglobal.net, or mailed to The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 7288, San Bernardino, CA 92411. The deadline for submitting nominations is July 31, 2014.

Celebrity hair stylist, China Upshaw

Its summer time, it’s hot and sometimes we just don’t know what to do with our hair in order to keep cool. Below are a few summer hair trends that are recommended by celebrity hairstylist China Upshaw.

• First trend: Shorter hair is better for the summer because it’s cooler. It’s already hot during the summer and having a bunch of hair to deal with is the worst.
• Second trend: naturally curly bobs for the summer are also great!
• Third trend: really high buns are in for the summer.
• Fourth trend: Going to a lighter hair color during the summer is the best time to do it.

About China:

China Upshaw is a celebrity hairstylist from sunny California with over 10 years of experience in the celebrity hair styling industry. She currently has a salon home with the world famous Kimble Hair Studio in West Hollywood, and is one of the stars of WE TVs LA Hair which is currently in its 3^rd season and shows every Thursday at 9 p.m..  Some of Upshaw’s clients include Chante Moore, Robin Givens, Kelly Rowland and Necole Bitchie.

To stay up to date on China’s endeavors, follow her on twitter @chinaupshawhair and Instagram @chinaupshaw.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

1st Warning.…. Jesus went into the Church and threw out the money-changers, overturned tables, and cast out those who had used the temple of God in vain for their own betterment and gain. Jesus went to set the Church in order. “My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”

2nd Warning……On the appointed day after His death, burial, and resurrection Jesus ascended into the Heavens and sat at the right hand of the Father in glory. But before Jesus relaxed Himself, He called for an old Apostle exiled on Mt. Patmos. Jesus called for John, the Revelator. Jesus told John to come on up, and bring a pad and pen because he needed to write letters to the “Seven Churches.”

Final Warning.…… “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

“The Church of today is filled with whimpering, jealous, defeated Christians.  They are worldly, selfish and cold because they are in bondage under the power of the Devil’s emphasis on their flesh, and the Church won’t preach against it.  Instead of the call of the Church, people hear and give in to the call of the people.  Instead of love for the Father, it is lust of the flesh.  Instead of fishing for men, they are fishing for materialism.”  God says in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Church,God is looking for a Church without spot or wrinkle.”  He’s looking for someone to have a committed Spirit. He needs people that are willing to be the Salt of the Earth, to change the world, not to be changed by the world. Bottom-line: God needs people who will, “Keep the main thing the main thing,” and the main thing is Jesus. Don’t you know that you will have to appear before the judgment seat of God and give an account of yourself?  On that day, I wonder, how many will be able to say that, “The life I’ve lived, will speak for me?”

We have been warned. We have been given notice.  Even though we don’t know and will never know the exact time, day or hour Jesus teaches us that the signs of what God is about to do will be clear. He methodically lists those signs in Luke 21:8.  We could almost keep a checklist: Wars – ?…Rumors of Wars – ?…Famine – ?… Disaster – ? Earthquakes – ?… Pestilences -? …Conflict in Families – ?… Increasing Wickedness – ?… Fearful Events and Great Signs in Heaven arising – ?… Believers arrested and Hated – ?…False Teachings – ?… matter of fact goes ahead and put a “Double- ?” on that last one.”  You know the people of Nineveh were warned to repent. We’ve been warned too. We’ve got to be ready in that hour, in that moment. The Church must be ready. You as an individual must be ready. It pays to heed Warnings, because Warnings comes before Destruction!

Perhaps I need to remind you about Moses and the burning bush; Israelites 40 years in the desert; Samson capture by the Philistines; David when he lost his kingdom; Jonah when swallowed by the whale; King Herod, the Jewish leaders, and the nation of Israel, Pilate, Rome, and all who rejected Jesus, rejected the truth of God, and thereby condemn themselves to an early grave; Paul on the road to Damascus after being blinded by His glory; The thief on the cross had to be sentence to crucifixion before he would listen. Where will you have to be before you will listen? Will God have to allow some tragedy in your life so you will listen? Jesus said in Rev. 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.”

Throughout the Bible God has always given mankind a chance to repent. He would send a warning through one of His messengers. God is still sending warnings. “He, who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.”

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Don’t you know that the ultimate—and severest—consequence of SIN is “DEATH “(Romans 6:23). “This not only refers to physical death, but to eternal separation from God in Hell” (Isaiah 59:2). Russian roulette is a gambling game. A potentially lethal game of chance. You need to know that you are walking a very dangerous path today. You are playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded gun and one day you are going to lose everything, because the Russian roulette you are playing is Spiritual and it is more dangerous, more tragic, more condemning, and more deadly than any kind of Russian roulette played with a man-made weapon. God has made it very clear that the Consequence of Sin is Death,” but “The Gift of God is Eternal Life in Christ Jesus.” The only reason you are not in Hell today is because of God’s grace and mercy. But don’t you know that at any moment, God could sever the golden thread of life and you would plunge into a Christ-less eternity, where you would be lost forever. So are you sure you want to play this deadly game?

“What is my point?” Let me make my point clear. While it is highly unlikely that anyone reading this article has ever or will ever be foolish enough to play Russian roulette with a revolver, I believe there are many who, this very moment, are “Playing Russian roulette with their Soul!” And when I refer to “Playing Russian roulette with your Soul,” I am referring to those who gamble on their eternal destiny by either being Ignorant of or ignoring what the Bible says about how to be saved from your Sins and go to Heaven. Paul made it abundantly clear that Sin has Consequences: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7). The late great Tupac Shakur once said, “You live By the Gun, You die By the Gun.” What a tragedy when men play Russian roulette with God!

And you call yourself a Christian (Ministers included) but you play with “Sin” like a cat plays with a mouse. You go through life “Claiming” Christianity but living like the Devil. You “Toy” with God, not considering that your life is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. Playing Games with God is a very dangerous situation. Living in and Out of Sin is a very dangerous situation. Toying with other people’s salvation to justify your own rotten filthiness is a very dangerous situation. Don’t Play Games with the God of your Salvation! Don’t Play Games with Sin! Because God’s Law of Harvest cannot be broken,and you cannot neglect God’s law without consequences (Heb. 2: 2-3).

Although this message has been preached for 2,000 years. It has been ignored by most of those that have heard it. It is still being ignored in this day. It will be ignored during the dark days of the Tribulation, but as an Ambassador for Christ it is my duty to remind you of the “Final Proclamation” (Revelation Chapter 14). Many people will be saved, thank God for that, but many, many more will be lost. The people in the Tribulation will refuse to hear the 144,000 evangelists. They will refuse the preaching of the two witnesses – but here again the promise and the call of the Gospel is presented to you, John 3:16; John 7:37; John 11:28. –  Where will you be five seconds after death? Quit playing Russian roulette with Death! Quit playing Russian roulette with God!

 The consequence of suppressing the truth is that God gives the sinner over to “The Sinful Desires of Their Hearts,” “Shameful Lusts” and “A Depraved Mind” (Romans 1:24, 26, 28). I tell you, it is a fearful thing to be “Given Over” to your own destructive ways. God has made it clear that “The Soul Who Sins Will Die” (Ezekiel 18:4).  What shall you do?’” The answer, simple yet profound: “Repent!”

Ogom Chijindu

By Naomi Bonman

FONTANA, CA- It has been proven through various events that women can do anything that a men can do, and Los Angeles Temptations football league player, Ogom Chijindu (also known as O.G.), is set to compete on a whole new level as she completes head-to-head battles on Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge, which premieres Sunday, July 6 from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. on CMT.

Each episode features eight contestants of both men and women who will compete until the last woman or man earns the right to take on the toughest obstacle course in America created by Austin himself, the “Skullbuster”, for a chance to win $10,000.

“We’re going head-to-head, toe-to-toe,” Chijindu explained. “It’s difficult for people to imagine women doing it, but we were doing everything that the guys were doing without a problem.”

O.G. was reached out to the talent crew of the show about a few highlights that they had seen online of her and from there asked her to send over her bio. The next day she received a cll back and was cast on the show.

“It happened really fast. I was kind of surprised, but I thought it would be a great fit. I love to play sports. I’m not really a gym rat but I’m very athletic, competitive and live an athletic life, so I figured ‘How hard could this possibly be”, O.G. states.

If she wins, Ogom plans to put the money towards her swimwear line, “My bikini line is different because I designed it specifically for the woman’s body.” She also stated that most are used to triangle bottoms and with her line she has a wide range of bottoms that compliment the curves of every woman.

After the Broken Skull, in addition to it launching her bikini line and being in season for football, the L.A. Temptations girl plans on going to law school sometime in the future. To stay up to date on O.G,’s endeavors visit her website at www.iheartOG.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @iheartOG.