Theme: “Make Waves- what you do today can change the world around you”

The entire community is invited to Loveland Church’s vacation bible school on July 13-15th, 2022 from 6PM to 8:45PM. It’s free. It’s fun for the entire family; ages 3- 103. There will be music-games-crafts-bible study- and food offered each night. This years’ theme is “Make Waves” “What you do today can change the world around you.” At this year’s VBS, families will learn that how to change the world around them. When you put your trust in Jesus, you can make waves, because of God’s spirit living inside of you. At Loveland we are on a mission to restore God’s people.

For more information or to register go to lovelandchurch.org/vbsregistration.   Contact Karen Joy at the church office at 909-356-5683. Thank you. Pass the word.

BALTIMORE, MD— After an extensive international search, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Brother Sean L. McCaskill as the Executive Director of the Fraternity. Brother McCaskill, who has been serving as the Interim Executive Director since March 1, 2021, assumes the official role at the General Office, effective, today, Friday, July 8.

Brother McCaskill, who was initiated at Xi Sigma Chapter on April 7, 1990, is no stranger to Alpha Leadership having served as both the District Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Alpha Chapters and the 26th Eastern Regional Vice President. He is a Life Member and currently an active member of the Alpha Omicron Lambda Chapter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“The Board of Directors and I are excited to appoint Brother McCaskill as the Executive Director for the Fraternity’s General Office,” said General President Brother Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III. “Brother McCaskill has done an exceptional job in both motivating and empowering staff, which has ensured the stability in the operations of the General Office. His appointment provides consistency in our operations as well as ensures the high level of customer service we offer our Brotherhood. These challenging times will require dynamic leadership from Alpha, and Brother McCaskill provides the Board and I the best partnership to meet the ambitions we have in developing Alpha men into leaders needed to provide superior advocacy and service in our communities.”

Brother McCaskill attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) on a football scholarship, where he was a four-year letterman in football and two-year letterman in track and field as well as earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology and a master’s degrees in sociology.

For more than 20 years, Brother McCaskill, who also serves as an educational consultant, leadership coach, and entrepreneur, has successfully worked in the social service field gaining experience in individual and family therapy, treatment plan design, prevention, as well as team building and organizational leadership development.

“I am honored to accept this appointment and to be able to continue to do the work of Alpha in this capacity,” said Brother McCaskill. “I am also appreciative and incredibly proud of the General Office staff who have come to work every day over the last year with a shared commitment to improving systems and serving this Brotherhood at the highest level. I continue to be inspired by the work Brothers are doing across the country in their communities and will work to ensure the staff at your General Office is able to support that work in a meaningful way.”

The Board of Directors of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra has elected former San Bernardino Mayor Judith Valles as its new president. She will serve a two-year term ending June 30, 2024.

She described her vision for the organization including more accessible music and music education.

“The beautiful concert at San Bernardino Valley College on July 2 brought out hundreds of people who had never attended a performance before, and our new Youth Wind Ensemble, dedicated to the performance of new works by underrepresented artists, is an outstanding addition that will reap extraordinary rewards for young musicians. When I think of these things – and everything else we are doing – I see a future where people are drawn to San Bernardino because they know this is a place where the arts are alive.”

This is the second time Valles has served in this role having previously completed the term of former president Mary Schnepp who retired mid-term in 2013. Valles served until 2015 when outgoing president, Dean McVay was elected and served until the end of the Symphony’s current fiscal year.

It was McVay who suggested that Valles be considered as president once again.

“Five years ago, Judith turned over the reins of the Symphony to me and I could not be more proud to return the Symphony back into her capable hands,” said the now Immediate Past President, adding “Judith is an incredible leader and will continue to guide our Symphony to new heights.”

Affirmed Symphony Music Director and Conductor Anthony Parnther, “Judith Valles is an icon in San Bernardino. I look forward to exploring new ways to spotlight our outstanding orchestra alongside this highly respected civic leader.”

Described as “a strong woman of outstanding character” by Symphony Executive Director Dr. Anne Viricel, Valles was born in San Bernardino and has made the city her home for her entire life. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the University of Redlands and her Masters of Arts from the University of California at Riverside. From 1988-1995, she was President of Golden West Community College. She also served as interim president of both Coastline College and Oxnard College.

In 1998, Dr. Valles was elected Mayor of the City of San Bernardino. As a two-term mayor, she oversaw numerous community revitalization programs including: renovating the City’s historic areas, increasing the number of neighborhood associations, expanding youth programs, and, of course, bringing about greater support for the arts. During her time as Mayor, the city’s crime rate was greatly reduced, and business, employment, and housing opportunities grew. She was also instrumental in restructuring the Economic Development Agency, which greatly reduced the City’s debt.

After leaving her position as San Bernardino’s Mayor, she served for three years as President of Los Angeles Mission College. In addition to her work with the Symphony, Valles continued to lead, serving on the City of San Bernardino Board of Water Commissioners, the Inland Empire Leadership Council, and the Ramona Academy Charter Board. She is also an author of a semi-autobiographical book, “As My Mother Would Say.”

Concluded Valles, “I am pleased to lead an organization that so effectively promotes the arts. The arts are the life blood of a community and I can think of no organization that is more successful in bringing the arts to the Inland Empire than our marvelous Symphony.”

McDonald’s USA, through its Black & Positively Golden movement, surprised its Future 22 leaders with $10,000 each, totaling $220,000, during a celebratory event in their honor at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola®. These grants were awarded to help further the community-driven causes of these 22 change leaders, introduced earlier this year. Award-winning actress, singer & entertainer, Keke Palmer, took part in the surprise announcement as the Future 22 spokesperson.

From a STEM educator who is leveling the playing field for Black and brown children in computer science to a financial literacy champion who is bridging the financial gap in inner cities, these visionaries are shattering ceilings and breaking barriers to create meaningful change in communities across the country. Since February, their stories have been told through an integrated marketing campaign that includes videos on Instagram at @wearegolden and McDonald’s YouTube channel, as well as TV and radio spots voiced over by Keke, and more.

“It’s an honor to join McDonald’s to recognize and celebrate these awesome leaders, while also supporting their work and mission,” said Keke. “They are creating bright futures for themselves and the next generation – and, really, all of us – and the excitement on their faces during the McDonald’s surprise gave me joy.”

During the celebratory event held at Essence Fest last weekend in New Orleans, which McDonald’s sponsored for the 22nd year, Keke and Marissa Fisher, a second-generation McDonald’s Owner/Operator in New Orleans, participated in a fireside chat moderated by McDonald’s Senior Director of Cultural Engagement, Elizabeth Campbell, to inspire Future 22 leaders and provide tips on staying true to one’s mission, finding balance while changing the world and paving the way for others, among other topics.

“This year’s Essence Fest theme was Black Joy, and we couldn’t wait to celebrate all 22 leaders and bring them to New Orleans, in honor of their accomplishments,” said Campbell. “We certainly could’ve surprised them virtually but making them a part of our Essence Fest moment meant unlocking the additional community of supporters who are McDonald’s Owner/Operators and the Essence Fest family, to further celebrate them and demonstrate our belief in their work. It was more special than imagined, representing our commitment to feeding and fostering the communities we serve.”

McDonald’s has sponsored Essence Fest for more than 20 years to help shine a positive light on the Black community, culture and youth. All weekend, the Golden Arches celebrated and brought to life “Black Joy.” This included impactful booth experiences like show-stopping performances from R&B singer Jacquees, and award-winning gospel artists Sir the Baptist and Jekalyn Carr who previewed the 16th annual Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour that kicks off (in person) this fall. Booth guest were also treated to a star-studded celebrity meet and greet lineup featuring Toya Johnson, Reginae Carter, Uptown Angela and actor and musician Jacob Latimore.

McDonald’s also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Black media and communities of color by convening some of the leading voices in marketing, media, business, and tech for panels that offered tips and resources for opportunity creation and breaking barriers.

McDonald’s Future 22 and the Essence Fest partnership are two of the many company initiatives that celebrate Black excellence. For more than 65 years, McDonald’s and its Owner/Operators have awarded scholarships to HBCU students, created impactful partnerships with community organizations like the National Urban League, NAACP, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and more. And this year, McDonald’s is proud to congratulate the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association for 50 years of entrepreneurial and community excellence.

NORTH DESERT, CA— Congratulations to Battalion Chief Kelly Anderson, who was promoted to Assistant Chief of the North Desert Division 5 following the retirement of Chief Dave Corbin.

Chief Anderson will oversee fire, rescue and emergency medical response in the many parts of the First District, including Silver Lakes/Helendale, Phelan, Wrightwood, Spring Valley Lake, Hesperia, Adelanto and other locations.

In 1994, she began her career as a Fire Explorer in Hesperia. She was hired as a Limited Term Firefighter in 1999 and promoted to full-time status in 2002 as a Firefighter/Paramedic.

Chief Anderson has served throughout the ranks, promoting to Battalion Chief in 2015 assigned to North Desert Division. Her responsibilities have included the oversight of the Ambulance Operator program as well as the Fire Corps volunteer program.

“It’s an honor to serve the North Desert. I love the High Desert and its uniqueness. I was born and raised in the City of Hesperia, went to school there and it’s where I began my journey in the fire service,” said Chief Anderson. “I look forward to working with our partnering agencies as we continue to look for ways to further enhance our fire, rescue and EMS services.”

Welcome, Chief Anderson!

And thank you, Chief Corbin, for your 33 years of service to the citizens of San Bernardino County!

IONIAN SEA (June 4, 2022) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Josiah Garcia, from Chino Hills, Calif., signals to the pilot of an F/A-18E Super Hornet attached to the “Sunliners” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81 for launch from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), June 4, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and Partner interests.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Right after Tina McKinnor was sworn in as a member of the California State Assembly representing the 62^nd District, she reintroduced a housing affordability bill.

First introduced by Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside) in January, Assembly Bill (AB) 1743, would require planning agencies to include in their annual reports the number of units that have received a certificate of occupancy in the prior year. “On my first full day as an Assemblymember, I presented my first bill, AB 1743. My bill will help guide our efforts to make sure every Californian has a safe & affordable place to call home. The bill was approved on a vote of 7 to 0! #caleg,” McKinnor tweeted June 22.

With her oath, McKinnor, a Democrat, became the 12^th member of the California Legislative Black Caucus.

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D–Lakewood) conducted McKinnor’s swearing-in ceremony on June 22.

The winner of a June 7 special election to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Autumn Burke, McKinnor now represents the cities of El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lenox, Los Angeles, Marina del Rey, Venice, West Athens, Westchester, and Westmont and surrounding communities in Los Angeles County.

“I am excited to add our newest member here, Tina McKinnor, to our Assembly. She stands for things that I and all of us strongly believe in,” Rendon said. “She has worked with an organization to promote the idea that we can work across communities to be more equitable and economically successful at the same time. I know she will hit the ground running here in Sacramento.”

Assemblymember Burke resigned in January. After a seven-year run in Sacramento, Burke said she left the Legislature to spend more time with her family.

A nonprofit director, businesswoman and mother of two adult sons, McKinnor, 58, ran against Lawndale Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles, 55. The candidates survived an April 5 special primary election for the 62nd Assembly District that pushed them into a run-off last month,“I am honored by the trust voters have placed in me,” McKinnor said. “California is a place where the possible becomes a reality. By harnessing our progressive spirit and strong work ethic, I am confident we can address the biggest challenges facing us and build an equitable future for all Californians.”

As a legislator, McKinnor said she will prioritize California’s continued COVID-19 recovery and fight to increase funding for public education, expand universal access to healthcare, and address the state’s housing and homelessness crises.

McKinnor says she will also work with colleagues to reform the state’s broken criminal justice system, demand environmental justice for communities most impacted by the climate crisis, and seek equity for communities of color in the cannabis industry.

Prior to her election to the State Assembly, McKinnor served as civic engagement director for the non-profit LA Voice. She also previously served as operational director for the California Democratic Party and chief of staff to several members of the State Assembly.

McKinnor’s term representing the 62^nd District ends in December. She is on the ballot in November to represent the 61th District. Her opponent is Lawndale Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles who she defeated in the special election.

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

A little over a week ago, the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) handed down a 6-to-3 decision making it more difficult for a handful of states – including California – to keep strict laws they have in place against carrying guns in public.

Late last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom fired back by signing two pieces of new legislation intended to strengthen the state’s hardline position on possessing firearms in public. He says, together, the bills, AB 1621 and AB 2571, will take on ghost guns and prohibit the gun industry from “advertising to children.”

“From our schools to our parks to our homes, our kids deserve to be safe – in California, we’re making that a reality. As the Supreme Court rolls back important gun safety protections and states across the country treat gun violence as inevitable, California is doubling down on commonsense gun safety measures that save lives,” said Newsom, who also pointed out that gun violence is the leading cause of death among children.

“The lives of our kids are at stake and we’re putting everything on the table to respond to this crisis,” the governor added.

News about the SCOTUS decision on guns June 23 was drowned out by coverage of the national outrage, and applause, that followed its ruling on Roe. V. Wade the next day.

Reactions nationally to the court’s gun restriction decision – the most significant change to the country’s firearm laws in a decade — were swift, passionate and strong. But the protests and celebrations mostly happened on the sidelines of the country’s more intense reactions to the abortion ruling.

In California, where more than 60 % of all adults favor stronger gun laws, elected officials, activists and civil rights leaders have blasted the SCOTUS’ decision.

But not everyone agrees.

Micah Grant is Black, Republican, a father, husband and Natomas School Board member in Sacramento County.  He agrees with the SCOTUS’ decision on guns, arguing that the New York law had a built-in racial and class bias.

“I think it’s a fundamentally sound ruling that comes at, obviously, a very sensitive time,” Grant says. But the laws as they were created created two separate classes of people, where in many regions, only the connected and elite could exercise their fundamental right to protection.”

Grant says with crime on the rise in many cities across California, just going outside is “cause enough” to carry a gun.

“The state can simply implement reasonable training requirements to ensure those who apply for permits are knowledgeable, responsible, trained and that they understand the liability that comes with gun ownership,” Grant added.

California is one of five states with gun restrictions on the books, both statewide and municipal, that are affected by the ruling. The others are Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Hawaii.

SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanagh said states are still allowed to ban handguns in certain sensitive places like courthouses, statehouses, polling places, etc.

Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37) is running for Mayor of Los Angeles, a city where the homicide rate has seen a steep 50% increase between 2019 and the end of last year.

“Only 31 days after 19 students and 2 teachers were murdered in one of the most devastating mass shootings in the history of this country, the Supreme Court has responded by striking down a law that was on the books for more than 100 years, making it easier now to carry a weapon in public,” Bass said in response to SCOTUS’ ruling.

Craig DeLuz is Black and Republican like Grant and also the publisher of 2ANews, an online news and opinion outlet focused on gun rights.

“When you have a patchwork of laws from one city to another you don’t know what the regulations are. You are setting someone up to violate the law,” he says.

DeLuz says as Gov. Newsom and State Legislators draft new public safety laws to comply with the SCOTUS’ ruling, he hopes they do not violate the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution that grants citizens the right to bear arms.

“His lack of knowledge on the issue on of firearm policy and firearm technology is evident every time he speaks about it,” DeLuz said, criticizing the governor.

“Gun control laws in the state of California and nationally have been about disarming people of color going back to the 1870s,” he said. “It has been about making it illegal for Native Americans, Chinese Americans, Blacks and other people of color from owing firearms.”

Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) has been the strongest voice in the California Legislative Black Caucus calling for strong gun control laws.

“Alarmingly, we are finding that more and more, no region or demographic is exempt from gun violence – our hospitals, grocery stores, schools, and even places of worship, are no longer safe. The proliferation of ghost guns, which are intentionally untraceable weapons to evade law enforcement, has only worsened the issue,” Gipson said.

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) says the current Right-leaning Supreme Court has shown a double standard in the way the Justices ruled on gun rights and women’s rights to abortion.

“This conservative Supreme Court has ruled that states shouldn’t be trusted to make their own laws on gun control but can keep people from making their own health care decisions. It is unconscionable,” Lee said. “We are seeing the horrific consequences of minority rule playing out in real time—and this is only the beginning of their radical agenda to take America back in history and take another step toward eroding our democracy.”

There is overwhelming support and widespread commitment among elected officials in California for finding ways to strengthen gun laws in the wake of the SCOTUS Decision.

In the state budget that Newsom signed last week, lawmakers and the governor’s office agreed to fund $176 million in gun violence prevention grants going to 79 cities and nonprofits.

Attorney Gen. Rob Bonta announced that he is working with the State Legislature on a bill, Senate Bill (SB) 918, to preserve California’s existing concealed carry laws. He reminded residents of the state that “general prohibitions” against carrying firearms in public are still in effect.

“The data is clear, and the consequences are dire — more guns in more places make us less safe. In California, we are committed to passing and defending commonsense, constitutional gun laws that save lives,” Bonta said.