(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA— Jazz Enthusiasts, coming to the Inland Empire Labor Day Weekend Saturday, September 1, for the I. E. Jazz Experience in Rancho Cucamonga at the Beautiful Mountain Vista Winery.
It will be a day of great live jazz music and bands, great wine, selection of food vendors and a marketplace. The artist lineup for this year is Jason Weber, Michael Haggins, Vaughn Fahie, Nick Gomez and the Latin express, Jazz Zone, and more.
There will also be a Paint n Sip event throughout the festival for those that want to learn how to paint and sip on some great wine.
In the tasting room, sample great wines also featuring various wine demonstrations, fun lectures, more live entertainment and workshops. Listen to http://BACRadio.com to win tickets and for more details go tohttps://iejazzfestival.com
Advance tickets are on sale now. Get them before the price goes up!
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- MONTCLAIR, CA— Sterling Venue Ventures, the owner and operator of five premier live music and event venues throughout Southern California, announces planned expansion with the opening of The Canyon Montclair, conveniently located at Montclair Place. Owner/CEO Lance Sterling comments, “We are ready to roll, and excited to open our new venue.”
With the advent of the new venue, residents of Montclair and the surrounding area can expect to see a dynamic array of iconic classic entertainers without having to make the trek into Los Angeles and other distant locations. Artists as acclaimed and diverse as Stone Temple Pilots, Styx, Todd Rundgren, Smokey Robinson, Paul Anka, Foreigner, Air Supply, Psychedelic Furs, Kris Kristofferson and Kenny Loggins have all played Canyon venues within the past year, and the new Inland Empire venue will likewise host concerts of this elite stature.
At The Canyon patrons enjoy an intimate setting far superior to attending concerts at some of Southern California’s larger theatres and arenas where the actual entertainers are so far away they can barely be seen. At The Canyons, no seat is further than 70 feet from the stage, the sound and lighting are top-notch, and video screens enhance the performance.
In addition to the intimate, state-of-the-art concert experience The Canyons also feature full dinner service at every event, turning each concert into a true night on the town. Fans can enjoy a diverse menu prior to the show, and then retain their comfortable table seating for the remainder of the evening.
Further, all of SVV’s Canyon venues are available for special events and private parties, and the ambiance of the venues along with the menu selections, can be transformed to fit the thematic pulse of any special occasion.
Other venues under the SVV/Canyon umbrella include The Canyon Agoura Hills, The Canyon Santa Clarita, The Canyon at The Rose in Pasadena, The Canyon at The Saban in Beverly Hills, and The Canyon Concert Series at The Libbey Bowl in Ojai.
Residents of Montclair and surrounding areas are encouraged to visit:www.wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com, where, not only can they learn more about The Canyon, but will also have the opportunity to communicate directly to The Canyon management team with regard to the artists they would like to see up close and personal at the new location.
More About The Canyon & Sterling Venue Ventures:
Sterling Venue Ventures is solely owned by Lance Sterling, one of the original founders of The House Of Blues. The company produces over 700 concerts per year in Southern California. The company’s management team owns decades of experience in promotion, finance, marketing, and the execution of concerts performed by national headlining talent. Each of Sterling’s Canyon venues have become well known throughout Southern California as prime entertainment destinations for the 30+ demographic.
Lance Sterling, who is also a chef, an avocado farmer, and football coach, envisions each of his venues as a place not only to enjoy great live music, but also to sit and relax over dinner with good friends for a great night out. The delightful ambience that fills all of the Canyon venues illustrates the SVV slogan – “Where the Music Meets the Soul”.
For more information about the Sterling Venue Ventures Canyon locations, “Where Music Meets The Soul,” please visit:
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— Don’t you see what the enemy is doing in your life? He has you so bound up that you think that the way it is, is the way it will always be. The devil is a liar! Do yourself a favor and emancipate yourself from the devil. Understand that his mission is to kill, steal and destroy. He doesn’t care nothing about you! He wants to keep you bound, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually because He knows that if you ever realize the potential God has placed in you, and if you ever wake up from your slumber, you will turn this world upside down and he does not want that. But I say to Hell with the devil! Free yourself from the restraint, control, and power of him knowing that he is already a defeated foe. His legal authority was neutralized by the finished work of Christ on the cross [Colossians 2:15]. Take your stand and tell the devil to Hell with you!
You see, as a believer you need not fear Satan but realize and exercise the authority which God has given you over him. You have the right to use the authority of the name of Jesus to repel and drive Satan out of your territory and to break his grip over spiritual strongholds [2 Corinthians 10:4]. Just as Jesus and the early apostles did, command Satan to leave [Mark 16:17]. Have an Angela Bassett Moment: [Waiting to Exhale] and go certifiably nuts … “Get your shat, get your shat, and get out! Screw me for not leaving your behind sooner!” That’s right! Let him know that he has been given a pink slip and his termination date is on the calendar when he will once-and-for-all be cast down to the most intense of judgments [Revelation 20:10].
You see, Christ made a promise in the first sermon he ever preached that fulfilled the sacred revelation given to the Prophet Isaiah that He has come to open the prison door, release the captives and proclaim freedom in every corner of our lives. Christians should not be in bondage or captive to anything as Christ became the great rescuer of all those who are bound by the chains of captivity. Jesus comes to set you free today. And if you really want to be free, the devil that has had you locked up and shackled will have to lose you today by the power of Jesus Christ.
Decide today to deal the death blow to an enemy that has been plaguing your life, breathing down your neck, making your life miserable. Decide today to put something that has been over your head, under your feet. You and I never have to fall prey to the devil! If we can shut every door, close every window, and seal every place in our lives through which the enemy would try to access us, we can prevent him from getting into the middle of our affairs.
I tell you, don’t give place to the devil [Ephesians 4:27]. Know that you have been given authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome ALL the power of the enemy… [Luke 10:19]. “Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” [Galatians 5:1]. Trust in the truth of God’s Word. It is finished!
John Jennings discusses the challenge of transforming the beloved classic into a best-selling graphic novel.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— RIVERSIDE, CA— For graphic novelist and illustrator John Jennings, transforming Octavia E. Butler’s classic “Kindred” into a graphic novel was both physically and emotionally draining.
Jennings, a professor of media and cultural studies at the University of California, Riverside, created the adaptation with fellow scholar, graphic novelist, and longtime collaborator Damian Duffy for Abrams ComicArts.
Published in January 2017, “Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation” debuted at No.1 on the New York Time’s Best Sellers list for hardcover graphic books and has received wide acclaim, garnering a Bram Stoker Award among other honors. Now, it is a finalist for this year’sEisner Awards for best adaptation from another medium.
Jennings, who provided the illustrations for the 240-page book, called the 11-month process “a small miracle.” The work took a physical toll — Jennings injured his shoulder while working on the illustrations — but also an emotional one.
Originally published in 1979, Butler’s story focuses on Dana, an African American woman who is transported to a pre-Civil War-era Maryland plantation, returning numerous times to help her white ancestor Rufus whenever he finds himself in grave danger. Trapped in the past, she experiences firsthand the harrowing cruelty inflicted on her own enslaved ancestors and later, herself.
Turning Butler’s book into a graphic novel presented Jennings and Duffy with several unique challenges, from figuring out how to truncate Butler’s seminal work while doing it justice, to the many aesthetic considerations involved in converting prose to a highly visual medium.
“You can’t go word-for-word with a comic book adaptation because they handle storytelling differently,” Jennings said. “We actually had less pages to tell the same story. Octavia was a masterful writer, but even with the terseness of her words, we still had hundreds of words that had to be cut and instead shown. That’s the thing in comics books; you need to show, don’t tell.”
To depict the time periods, Jennings played with the book’s color schemes, muting the present day and making the past full-color.
“Normally when you’re doing flashback stories, the current day is vibrant and in color and the past is kind of sepia-toned, but we wanted to do something different,” Jennings said. “We wanted to play around with the fact that in the book, Octavia talks about how vibrant and how real the past was, and how bright and harsh it is, so we decided to do the opposite.”
For the scenes in the present, Jennings drew inspiration for the color tones from an unlikely place.
“I actually sampled some of the colors from bruises and blood. The idea is that it’s her blood relationship to Rufus that continues to pull her back. It’s about family ties. That red is actually the color of what scabbed-over blood looks like.”
In Butler’s novel, time travel is more supernatural than scientific. To achieve this transition in the graphic novel, a subtle breakdown of the borders of the panels occurs. The lines become fractured and frenetic as Dana is pulled back and disappear completely when she finds herself on the other side of time.
Jennings found the experience of immersing himself so deeply in slavery especially difficult, noting he is a descendent of slaves in the South.
“I was crying physically onto the pages that I was drawing, because it’s so powerful, and so prescient, and so meaningful still today in the middle of the Black Lives Matter era. How do you get across visually the feeling of this book? My drawings were really manic, and energetic, and they make people uncomfortable.”
Despite the arduous process of creating the graphic novel, Jennings found the experience hugely rewarding, and it served as his first foray into mainstream work.
“These are things that really effect black people in America still, the wages of slavery which I think our country is still paying, and you can see how that presents itself in our current political climate,” Jennings said.
In graphic novel form, “Kindred” is offering new audiences a chance to experience Butler’s thought-provoking work.
“Some people who have never read comic books before have picked up ‘Kindred,’ Jennings said. “A lot of the time, it’s the first sci-fi or speculative story people have read, because sci-fi is still dealing with representation issues with people of color.”
Jennings will be at this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego, participating in several panels and attending the Eisner Awards ceremony on July 20. Known as the “Oscars” of the comic book industry, the awards are named for the pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist Will Eisner. Jennings previously received an Eisner for his scholarly work, “The Blacker the Ink,” but the nomination for “Kindred” marks the first time he has been nominated for his graphic novel work as an artist.
“It’s a huge honor, especially to represent Octavia Butler’s legacy,” Jennings said of the author, who died in 2006. “I’m so glad we are a part of getting people to read her work and push her into the future. I’m hoping that if she’s out there somewhere looking at us, that she’s happy with what we’ve done, and we want to continue celebrating her.”
A softcover adaptation of “Kindred” is due at the end of July, and the adaptation will also be translated to Spanish, French, and Swedish, with those editions released in the fall.
John Jennings at Comic-Con
Jennings will be participating in five panels during Comic-Con International: San Diego. In addition to the various panels, he will also be attending the post-con offsite event, AfroFuturism Lounge, which he helped organize. Catch Jennings at the following panels and events:
Inland Affiliate Hosts Breakfast Wednesday Dedicated to Empowering, Supporting Community
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA —- Susan G. Komen IE is hosted a special breakfast on Wednesday, August 1 at Dignity Health St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino to educate, empower and mobilize the African-American community in the fight against breast cancer.
The breakfast was part of a broader statewide program known as the Susan G. Komen Circle of Promise Initiative that focuses on addressing breast cancer disparities among African-American women by educating the community and providing better access to care. The statewide program is made possible in part by a grant from the Anthem Blue Cross, Foundation, LLC. Proceeds from the breakfast help fund education, screenings, diagnostics, treatment, patient navigation and research to help find cures for breast cancers.
“All women and men, regardless of race, ethnicity, place of residence or socioeconomic status, should be empowered to take personal action and access appropriate breast health services. However, many African American women still face barriers to screening, diagnosis and treatment services,” said Jill Eaton, Susan G. Komen Inland Empire executive director. “The Circle of Promise initiative will make a significant impact on the lives of women in the Inland region, across the state, and ultimately, save lives.”
Gains from the war on breast cancer have sidestepped African-American women. Prior to 1980, African-American and white women faced nearly identical mortality rates of approximately 33 deaths per 100,000. But today, African-American women are 40 percent more likely to die of breast cancer than white women.
In fact, these women are between 40 to 70 percent more likely to have a late-stage diagnosis, are more likely to be diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, and are also more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age.
For women without health coverage, the burden is even greater – uninsured women have a 30 to 50 percent increased risk of dying from breast cancer than those with insurance.
In San Bernardino County, there is a mounting crisis in the lack of quality and affordable breast health care services. There has been a dramatic decline in the number of surgeons, oncologists and primary care physicians available to serve African-American women, regardless of their insurance status.
The breakfast at St. Bernardine Medical Center, Matich Conference Center, featured speeches by:
Dr. Margaret Hill, a member of the San Bernardino City Unified District Board of Trustees who will share her own story of battling breast cancer;
Michelle Melancon, a certified oncology nurse and accredited oncology nurse navigator who recently was honored by Dignity Health St. Bernardine Medical Center for her work as a breast cancer navigator
Dr. Krissa Smith, director of research programs for the Komen Research Programs Department
Follow the Susan G. Komen Inland Empire affiliate on Facebook Susan G. Komen Inland Empire and or Twitter.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino County Superintendent Ted Alejandre was
Superintendent Ted Alejandre
unanimously chosen as president-elect in 2019 for the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA).
Alejandre, who was elected to his second term as San Bernardino County superintendent in June, will serve as president-elect beginning Jan. 1, 2019. In 2020, he will serve as president of the organization, which includes the 58 county superintendents throughout California. CCSESA’s mission is to strengthen the service and leadership capabilities of the state’s county superintendents in support of students, schools, districts and communities.
“It is a tremendous honor to be selected as the president-elect of the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association,” Alejandre said. “I look forward to the leadership position and helping support the terrific work being accomplished at the state level by CCSESA.”
As president-elect of CCSESA, Alejandre will serve on the group’s executive committee for three years. Currently, Alejandre serves as the Region 10 chair for the organization.
For more information about CCSESA, visit the organization’s website awww.ccsesa.org.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—— Canvassing in the scorching heat, knocking door-to-door, talking to residents to get pledge cards, and testifying during public hearings. Sounds extensive, doesn’t it? These sorts of actions are typical for local volunteer, Mariana Lopez.
A recent 23-year-old graduate from the University of California at Irvine, Lopez triple-majored in international studies, sociology, and political science. She’s been a resident of Rubidoux for the majority of her life–a community she says she “wouldn’t leave at all.”
“You can empower and uplift your community when you truly understand the issues affecting people.”
Because of Lopez’s efforts, industry led efforts like Proposition 70 (Cap and Trade Vote Amendment) are being defeated at the ballot box. She was also CCAEJ’s top signature getter in our efforts to repeal Proposition 13. Lopez obtained 55 signatures, more than twice the number volunteers were asked to get.
CCAEJ Civic Engagement Director Italia Garcia notes that Lopez took “a lot of self-initiative” in the process, going above and beyond to attain signatures.
“Mariana really stands out among volunteers because she has great leadership skills and work ethics,” Garcia explains. “She really cares about making a change in her community.”
Civic engagement has always been an important aspect of Lopez’s life. She began volunteering at St. John’s Church, supporting her father’s weekly food pantry program. Interacting with others in the community, especially those from low-income backgrounds, motivated Lopez to dedicate herself to making a difference. While studying abroad in Barcelona, she organized students for a Sisters/Women’s march–where she became truly passionate for “advocating and uplifting everyone’s voices, especially those of women.”
“If you’re truly passionate about what it is you are supporting, I think that will be reflected when you’re communicating with people,” Lopez says about her experiences.
Shortly after returning from Barcelona, Lopez learned about a controversial incident at Rubidoux High School, in which various teachers made derogatory comments about students who chose to participate in the ‘Day Without Immigrants’ protest.
“I was so mad that teachers we looked up to could make racist comments and mock those who participated,” she said about the incident at her alma mater.
With the help of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Lopez learned how to “mobilize the community” in a manner that was non-violent, yet direct.
Through phone banking, Lopez contacted community members–urging them to attend and testify at public hearings to demand action against the teachers. Lopez also testified at one of these hearings, an experience she admitted was frightening for her.
“[My siblings and I] had a close relationship with one of those teachers…so for me it was really scary to go out and testify…but that didn’t hold me back,” she recalls.
In fact, Lopez is now helping lead an effort to bring further resources to undocumented students. The goal, she explained, is to have DREAM Resource Centers at all three Jurupa Unified School District high schools.
“To me, I know that the little action I’m taking will hopefully impact or motivate others to volunteer or help out in the community,” said Lopez. “It’s like voting. If you truly want to see a change within your community, go out and do something. Be relentless about it.”
Gylbert Eusebio, 16, Lake Elsinore, with Brandon Carlson of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, picks out some school supplies before going to the clothing section of the store.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—LOMA LINDA, CA— More than 30 Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital patients and their siblings were each given $200 to purchase school supplies, new clothes and healthcare items. Each child was accompanied by a law enforcement officer from the community during the bi-annual Shop with A Cop event on July 29.
The event, organized by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Employees’ Benefit Association, was designed for families who don’t have the time or resources to prepare for the back-to-school demands.
“It gives parents of patients one less thing to worry about,” said Mike Tulisiak, the association’s events director. “It also shows the kids that officers are there to help and protect them.”
This is the first year the Shop with a Cop event has included siblings, in addition to the patients.
“This is a chance for us to get the supplies we need to start the next chapter in our lives. It’s something I didn’t expect, but something I’m so glad I get to be a part of,” said patient Gylbert Eusebio, 16, from Lake Elsinore. Eusebio shopped with Brandon Carlson of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department.
Carlson said he loves the program because it gives the children the school supplies they need so when they go back to school, they feel prepared. “I hope it gives them confidence in a time when their lives are unsure.”
The Swansons (Photo credit: Ricardo H. Photography)
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— A true artist creates music that can cross over into any dynamic. The Swansons have been selling out shows across the coast performing hit songs from their latest album, “Country This”, capturing the likes of fans from all demographics.
The husband and wife duo are an Alternative County Rock-Pop band founded by Joe and Angie Finley. They released their third album entitled, “Country This” which is a 14-song record featuring songs such as, “Let’s Talk” and “Where Did Everybody Go.”
The duo will be receiving an award for “Outstanding County Duo” in Las Vegas on November 7. Check out the interview session below:
Naomi: Can you guys give the readers a brief bio of who you guys are, etc?
The Swansons are an alternative country rock husband wife duo, Joe and Angie Finley.
We have been making a big splash by performing at the hottest venues all over Southern California for the past 5 years. Along with some performances in Nashville TN & Chicago IL.
Joe writes All the songs and we send it to our producer Bill Watson (Nashville Trax) in Nashville TN for production. We are so blessed to have the best musicians in Nashville playing on our albums. (Jim Riley~ Drums Rascal Flatts, Bill Watson~ Bass, Brent Mason on Guitar, Jenee Fleenor~ Fiddle Blake Shelton Band, Steve King~ Keyboards formerly on tour with Keith Urban, Michael Douchette~ Harmonica zztop)
When you listen to The Swansons music, you’ll experience something you’ve never heard before in country music. We guarantee that you be dancing & singing along. And when you see us in concert, you can expect an incredible live performance with abundance of love & positive energy!!
You guys recently had a big show last month. How was that? How was the crowd?
We performed on Friday, July 6 at The Study in Hollywood. It was our first time performing there and it is a beautiful venue. We have never seen anything quite like it as it is set up like a library with hundreds of books all over the walls. The sound was great, and the audience was very receptive and enthusiastic. We made and met a lot of new fans!!!
You also recently released your third album, “Country This”. For those of us who have not heard of it, what can we except?
‘Country This’ is country music with a NEW Flavor. It’s a little bit country and a little bit rock n roll. You can expect a variety of songs with strong lyrical content intended to move our listening audience in a positive way. The combination of our voices combined with inspired material and brilliant Nashville musicians resulted in an extremely original country record.
What other projects are guys working on?
Besides continuing to promote ‘Country This’, performing live concerts and releasing new music videos as much as possible. We have been working on our follow up album to ‘Country This’ which is untitled and our 4th album to date. The music is done and in June we travelled to Nashville to lay down our vocals. We have 12 new songs recorded so far and are working on a couple of new additions. We are planning another trip to Nashville before summers end to completely finish production and prepare it’s release. We are hoping to release the beginning of 2019!
What inspired you guys to get into music?
We inspire each other, and that inspiration has carried on in to our music. We feel blessed to be able to express our love for one another and this world through our gift of music. We literally owe this entire experience to God. That faith has inspired us to take the leap and trust that we will sooner or later achieve our musical goals.
Who are some of the artist that you have opened for and or shared the stage with?
Wayne Newton
Berlin
The Motels
Pato Banton
XEB (3rd Eye Blind)
Missing Persons
Malo
The Dan Band
Live Dead Riders 69 (some original members of the Grateful Dead)
Stan Bush
Robert Tepper
Where could our readers find your calendar of events?
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— She ain’t fat ya’ll, just a little thick! Porscha Dillard is an aspiring model with a lot of drive and ambition.
Stepping into the world of modeling with only a few years of experience, she’s definitely making a name for herself. Ms. Dillard possess a natural beauty which shines through her photos. Her uniqueness allows the relationship between her and the photographers to create magic. This is just a sneak peek of my girl, ‘Porscha Dillard’ the model. Wait for it! L’s!!!!!!!!!!
Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
