By Lue Dowdy

Artist’s WORK ethic is what it do!! Trying to get something without puttin’ in work will leave you so far behind in the entertainment game. Understanding the value of pouring into yourself financially, along with networking, shows, recording, and self promoting on a consistent basis can only get you one step closer to your DREAM.

This week I would like to highlight RnB singer Yung Muusik for his non-stop hustle. This sexy and talented Cali artist understands in order to be relevant and make it in the music industry you GOTTA WERK. YUNG MUUSIK will be performing live on Saturday, December 9 in the City of Colton. Come check him out on stage. The night will be lit with dope performances by other talented artist as well, and red carpet interviews will be in full effect. The event will be hosted by the funnyman Kyru of EverythangNycce PRODUCTIONS. Until next week. L’zzz!

Publishers Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

Greetings and Merry Christmas! As we enter this season of holidays and goodwill, I encourage you to remember the importance and impact of where you spend and invest your money. Please, all of you, regardless of your race ethnicity or political persuasion, help balance America’s economic opportunity by supporting Black Owned Businesses (BOB) whenever possible. There are jobs that follow your spending and being that the Black unemployment rates are the highest, spending with BOB creates potential employment opportunities that otherwise do not exist for some Black males. There are several Directories of Black Owned businesses on the web. Google, “Black Owned Business Directory” and you will find a variety of directories.

As we ask your participation in supporting the economic wellness of America via supporting BOB, we will make it easier for you by highlighting businesses in the Inland Empire.

This week we are highlighting a familiar face and place. Most of us can find the time and appetite to patronize McDonalds. Yes you can support BOB by eating at certain McDonalds restaurants! The following list of McDonalds restaurants is owned and managed by Webb Family Enterprises.

Reginald Webb, the founder and patriarch of Webb family Enterprises will be my guest on this Sunday’s “Empire Talks Back” (ETB) radio show. Listen to the program at 10: 00 AM via 1050 AM in San Bernardino/Loma Linda, 102.3 FM in Riverside/Moreno Valley and 106.5 FM in Redlands/Yucaipa.

The program streams live video via www.kcaaradio.com

FONTANA, CA- The Ephesians New Testament Church and the City Of Fontana cordially invites you to participate in the 29th Annual Birthday Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Nobel Peace Prize Winner) and slain Civil-Rights leader. The celebration will encompass two (2) days, January 13th and 14th, 2017

On January 13, 2017 the Annual Worship Service will be hosted by the Mountain View Community Church, 8833 Palmetto Avenue, Fontana, California at 7:30pm. This year’s annual speaker will be the Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr., Sr. Pastor Emeritus of Riverside Church of New York.  A renowned speaker and much sought after lecturer ranked and noted by Newsweek Magazine as one of the top “10’” preachers the country. He has written several books his most recent books “Who’s Gospel”, “The Holy Spirit and Preaching” to name a couple of his works.

Special music guest that evening The Grammy Nominated Los Angeles Gospel Messengers under the direction of Rev. Quincy Fielding Jr. and also the renowned Psalmist, Ms. Betty Griffin Keller. This worship service is free to the community and open to all faiths.

In a tribute to culture, a Jazz Concert will be hosted January 14, 2017 at the Fontana Steelworkers Auditorium 8427 Sierra Avenue, Fontana, California at 7:30pm; featuring the following artist:  

Kirk Whalum, Smooth Jazz Artist and Grammy Award Winner, he  has worked with artists such as Whitney Houston, Willie Norwood, Babyface, Nancy Wilson, Yolanda Adams, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Barbara Streisand, Kirk Franklin, Quincy Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Al Green and Luther Vandross just to name a few. He has also worked on film scores including those for The Prince of Tides, The Bodyguard and Grand Canyon. Kirk Whalum is known for his gospel hit, Falling In Love With Jesus.

Ms. Jeanette Harris and the Jeanette Harris Band, Whom have served as the  opening act for artist such as the late BB King, Kirk Whalum, Grammy Award winner Denise Williams, Eric Marienthal, and Paul Jackson to name a few.

Ticket prices are: You & Me tickets $100, VIP tickets $95, and General Admission tickets $60. Show will begin at 7:30pm. Doors will open at 6:30pm. For ticket information: www.ephesianschurch.com or call the church office (909)823-2310; there are also hotel packages available through the Fontana Hilton Garden Inn.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Sherman Garnett was elected as the new president of the San Bernardino County Board of Education during its meeting on December 5.

Garnett, who was the vice president of the Board, takes over the presidency from Alen Ritchie, who held the position for the past year. In addition, Hardy Brown II was elected vice president of the Board.

Garnett has served on the Board since 2014. He represents Trustee Area B, which includes the districts of Alta Loma, Central, parts of Chaffey Joint Union High, Etiwanda, Mt. Baldy, Ontario-Montclair and Upland.

Brown represents Trustee Area D, which includes the districts of Rialto, San Bernardino and Snowline.

In addition to the reorganization of the Board, members Laura Mancha and Ritchie took the oath of office from County Superintendent Ted Alejandre, after they were elected to new four-year terms in November.

The Board establishes policy, adopts an annual budget, approves building plans and hears

student expulsion, inter-district transfer and charter school appeals. The Board meets monthly, regularly the first Monday of the month.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Settling for “good enough” instead of for God’s best. What’s wrong with you? You got to know that sometimes ‘good enough’ just ain’t good enough.  There are sometimes and some situations when you should demand excellence and perfection. Considering all that God has done for you, in giving you life, creation, salvation, and forgiveness, “good enough” just doesn’t seem appropriate.  God gave you His best: His only begotten Son to die on the cross for you, so why would you settle for “good enough?”  

I tell you the Lord really impressed on me that the main reason we aren’t receiving His best is because we are willing to settle for less. Very few are committed to God’s best. Why? We have been influenced more by the world than by God and because of it Malcolm X said, “We’ve been bamboozled, hoodwinked, led astray.” Accepting far less than what God has provided. Slap yourself! The problem is you ain’t sick and tired of being sick and tired. Because when you sick and tired of being sick and tired you will aggressively pursue God’s best. You will have a holy dissatisfaction with mediocrity so you can experience all that God has for you. But I tell you, if you don’t pursue it, you won’t get it because it doesn’t happen accidentally or automatically. You have to reach a point where you won’t live with anything less than God’s best; an attitude that is missing in the lives of far too many Christians. The bar of expectations, even within the church, has been lowered. There is such a fear that someone might be disappointed and, therefore, condemned that many ministers have been teaching people to settle for less and avoid the disappointment. But I tell you, as Christians we ought to be walking in supernatural healing. We ought to be walking in financial prosperity. But most of us, however, are just as sick and broke as our unsaved neighbors. You will never receive God’s best until you become completely dissatisfied with second best—mediocrity. You may not initially consider it second best; but as time goes by you will begin to realize the blessings you threw away, and you will live with regret and inner turmoil. It has been said the minute you settle for less, you get even less than you settled for. Do not settle for a submission that has exceptions and a consecration that has holes in it.

Know that one of these days, you are going to stand before God. And when you do, you will know all things even as you are known [1 Cor. 13:12]. In an instant, you are going to know what you could have had while on this earth. You will understand that the same power that raised Christ from the dead was resident within you all along [Eph. 1:18-2]). You will discover that you didn’t have to be sick, that you didn’t have to live broke, and that you didn’t have to be depressed and discouraged. You will realize that love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance were living inside you the whole time [Gal. 5:22-23]. What you settling for less for? Good enough ain’t good enough!

NORCO, CA- Several thousand young female soccer players descended on SilverLakes, the newly minted 130-acre soccer facility in Norco, California, for the three day SilverLakes’ College Soccer Showcase, November 25-27, 2016. The young athletes participating in this signature event hoped to seize the rare opportunity to have their athletic prowess assessed by college coaches from around the United States. The annual College Soccer Showcase is focused on welcoming college coaches as well as U.S. Soccer youth national team scouts, to evaluate the skills and abilities of aspiring young female soccer players as they look to earn scholarship offers and invitations to attend U.S. youth National Team camps. More than 2,500 players from more than 140 teams, including some of the top clubs from the Western Region, were on-hand for this unique event.  A highlight of the showcase was an All Star Game between the Canadian Whitecaps and USA All Stars.

“We are incredibly excited to host this first-of-its-kind showcase event for young women at SilverLakes. The participation by high-level coaches throughout the country, including among others, Stanford, Texas A&M, Cornell, North Western, UCLA, Cal Berkeley and the thousands of young women was incredible to see. It is often difficult for youth players looking to take their game to the next level to gain access to key coaches who will enable them to fully realize their abilities and play at the collegiate level. Our first annual College Soccer Showcase has already succeeded in providing this access and it is our hope that this experience will be a ‘game changer’ for these young people,” said R.J. Brandes, President, SilverLakes.

As SilverLakes continues to build a full offering of programs and events to fulfill its mission to empower young athletes to reach their full plans to add an event for men’s soccer in the near future.  The competition for more than $2.7 billion in athletics scholarships granted annually by the NCAA Divisions I and II schools is extremely competitive and often comes down to demonstrating an athlete’s skill to a select few, and hard to access, coaches and recruiters. SilverLakes hopes to tear down the barriers for student athletes by convening showcase events, such as the November 25-27, 2016 opportunity.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- “It’s not about the food, it’s about human connection, feeling that they belong and included,” said The Way World Outreach Senior Pastor Marco Garcia.  “What’s missing in a lot of people’s lives are relationships, and we’re here to fill that gap and to show them they are loved.”

Garcia bent down and placed his hand on a woman’s shoulder to pray privately with her during the 12^th annual Thanksgiving luncheon on Tuesday, November 22 where over 1,500 people gathered at The Way’s downtown mission in San Bernardino.

Nearly 500 volunteers bustled from the kitchen to the courtyard and main dining hall to dish and serve plates brimming with turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn and stuffing to the area’s underserved population.

According to Garcia, the volunteers gain as much, if not more, joy than the recipients.

“It’s a blessing to serve others and to feel that love and sense of family,” said Vanessa Miranda, celebrating 3 years of sobriety from a 12-year methamphetamine addiction with help from The Way.  “I am so thankful that I am healthy today and able to give back and show others that they are cared for.”  

A homeless mother and her two young children who found shelter by means of The Way two weeks prior to the Thanksgiving event were eager volunteers.  

“Her 10-year-old son told me how much joy he was getting through service to others and that he will never forget this experience,” Garcia said.  

Dozens of gift baskets filled with groceries were raffled away.  Winner Scott Collins, who lives at the Gibson House for Men battling drug addiction, gave his basket away to a stranger, Eddie Weaver, because he felt moved to do so.  Others followed suit.

That same sentiment of generosity, inclusion and connection was palpable amid the lively conversation and laughter among strangers bound by prayer and breaking bread.

“People aren’t looking for a handout, but a hand up,” Cuencas said.  “This event shows the nature of this community, one that comes together in communion, love and service.”

VICTORVILLE, CA- On Thanksgiving Day, Recording Artist Justified connected the dots with Ronalds Fish Market in Victorville and served 200 residents with an awesome Thanksgiving Meal, all for free.

Ronald Butler, owner of RFM, stated that he wanted to show his appreciation to his customers and the community by serving up some excellent food by bringing a blessing to families of the High Desert. Justified, who has been well known for his HEAL THE VILLE efforts, was more than willing to step up and Co-sponsor this awesome act of giving back.

Justified and his daughters attended the situation and brought along his friends from Sunshine Face Painting to make balloon hats and distribute candy leis to the kids. Justified also gave away free advanced copies of his latest project “Man On A Mission”, including legendary features from E40, WC, Suga Free, AV LMKR, Blue Flame Mega, and more.

Overall, it was a successful event and Ronald says he’s looking forward to doing it even bigger next year. Justified’s next form of giving will be his “12 days of christmas giveaway” from December 13 to 25, where everyday one family will be blessed with a gift from justified and participating sponsors including Street Positive, LA Stereo, Yakety Yak Wireless, IMOB, and more. 

If you’re heart leads you to want to donate to Justified’s HEAL THE VILLE efforts, please visit Gofundme.com/healtheville. 

For more information and updates on Justified visit JUSTIFIEDMUSIC.NET and make sure to FOLLOW THE WINGS on Social Media. Twitter: @Darealjustified and Instagram: Justified_Smith. 

Raquel Herring

Former Disney Mouseketeer, actress, and Christian Soul Artist, Raquel Herring, has decided to put a twist on to your traditional Christmas carols. As her manager Steven Wimberly stated, “It’s definitely not your Grandma’s Christmas carols,” but songs that you can rock out it to in every atmosphere.

Christmas All Over The World is a compilation of 4 of your favorite holiday songs and 1 original with an EDM, alternative twist. Raquel, who is normally not a fan of Christmas songs, decided to opt into the idea of doing this album after hearing a few samples of what Wimberly came up with. Plus, it’s not common for a Christian Artist to break out into the EDM world.

To complement and get people hyped and excited about Christmas, the first single “Christmas All Over the World,” released with the EP this past “Black Friday”, November 25. The single has that Popish, New Age feel that the new generation will fall in love with, but one that the Christian World and older generation will still want to “roq” out it too.

The concept and idea behind creating this unique EP was not only to increase Herring’s fanbase, but to give DJs something to spin during the festive season. Amping up to the debut of the Christmas All Over The World, Raquel released a few album samples, along with her favorite holiday activities to give everyone a little taste of what to look forward to.

To get your album, please visit www.raquelherring.com and be sure to follow her on all social networks. 

By Lue Dowdy

What It Do I.E. LUE PRODUCTIONS is LOOKING FOR THE NEXT B.B.W. QUEEN. IS IT YOU?

Register now for LUE Productions 2nd Annual BIG Beautiful WOMEN MODEL COMPETITION and FUNDRAISER! A night of Girl Power at its finest!

There will be special performances and more. This a great opportunity to gain exposure in the modeling industry. No experience needed. Must be 18 or older to participate.

The winner will receive a crown, sash, $500.00 cash prize, a radio interview, a feature in the Westside Story Newspaper, a photoshoot, hosting gigs, and speaking engagements.

For more information please text (909) 567-1000 or contact Deeveatva Foy at (909) 556-7637 or Freddie Washington at (714) 833-3196. Email us at Lue.info@yahoo.com.