RIALTO, CA— It was wall to wall packed as Inland Empire, and out of state residents, came out to support San Bernardino native and author, T’ana Phelice, at her book release party for “Pigs & Pearls” at Raquel’s Jazz Lounge on Saturday, January 30. Guests took plenty of photos with Phelice on the step and repeat, had their books signed, and celebrated the author’s birthday. It was definitely an epic night!
The journey for Phelice is just beginning. “Pigs & Pearls” is part two of her Jaded Diamonds series which is her platform of promoting and discussing the importance of women’s empowerment. These days and times, women are one of the most important assets in our communities. From the start of building and maintaining families, when we as women support each other, our male counterparts will also put forth a greater effort in respecting women.
In addition to the Jaded Diamonds series, Ms. Phelice has plans on taking the book to the stage in the fall, as well as hosting a variety of book signings. The book is now available for purchase at www.tanaphelice.com. T’ana will also be calling into Empire Talks Black this Sunday at 10 a.m. To listen in, please visit www.kcaaradio.com.
BOTTOMLINE… Publisher’s Commentary By Wallace J. Allen
Bessine Littlefield-Richard
San Bernardino 6th and 7th wards elected their City Council members in a special election on Tuesday. Bessine Littlefield-Richard won the 6th ward seat and incumbent, Jim Mulvihill won the 7th ward seat. I congratulate them both for executing and winning hard fought campaigns and I fully expect that both will work to the benefit of their constituents and the City!
I do think that all four of the candidates were good and I hope that Roxanne Williams and Scott Beard, the unchosen ones, will continue participating in San Bernardino’s “quest for excellence”. The City needs progressive thinkers and vigilant activists to take advantage of it undeniable resources. A bankrupt San Bernardino is still a better place to live and raise a family than much of the rest of the nation.
San Bernardino’s potential is worth the effort to achieve. The world is waiting for San Bernardino to develop its Route 66 entertainment strip… San Bernardino is the West Coast transportation hub waiting to happen! Our international airport is ready to ship and receive freight from all over the planet. The warehousing is already here. Inland Empire universities and hospitals have earned international acclaim… The weather and area beauty, snow-capped mountains as a backdrop to sunshine and palm trees, make San Bernardino one of the great places on the planet!
It is important that as we create winners, that we do not allow ourselves to create losers. Ours should not be a “winner take all” atmosphere, especially when we are choosing from people who want to aid in our “quest for excellence”.
As I congratulate Bessine Littlefield-Richard and Jim Mulvihill for their victories, I also congratulate Roxanne Williams and Scott Beard for their efforts and encourage them to continue to participate in San Bernardino’s “quest for excellence”!
“…Cause a Holy Ghost Party Don’t Stop… If you know the Lord’s been good to you… Come on, and dance, dance, dance, dance, dance….” [Cory Asbury: Holy Ghost Lyrics] It’s Party Time Y’all… God’s banquet has begun! And you’ve been summoned to the party! Come to the wedding feast. Come, for everything is now ready. Yes, God has made all the preparations, and he wants you to come. Everything is prepared. God has spared no expense. He has given his costliest gift for you, His Son. Your invitation is sent by the Father, penned in the crimson ink of Christ’s blood, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. If you don’t respond; if you don’t R.S.V.P; if you make light of the invitation, the servants of the King will find others who will attend. He will find other guests for his party, and declare those previously invited as unworthy, they “do not deserve to come” [Matthew 22:8]. Don’t ignore the invitation! Don’t make excuses, and don’t refuse or reject God’s call to the banqueting hall. For coming to God’s party at once addresses your greatest need and gives you your greatest treasure. The Spirit says “Come.” It’s a never-ending celebration, the greatest feast of joy and gladness and community there has ever been or ever will be. It starts now, and it will last forever! As the Book of Revelation has it, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Yes, blessed indeed!
So come, it is the feast of forgiveness, commitment and life. You see, the Son of God purchased your salvation, gained the forgiveness you needed for your sins, supplied the righteousness you were lacking –and destroyed the power of death for you. All of it, freely and plenteously given. And the Holy Spirit has called you to come and partake. Come and receive the gifts he has for you; share in the celebration of victory. The only action required is to say “Yes” to the invitation. “Will your heart and soul say, “Yes?” Will you Spirit say ‘Yes?’ …Open up your heart and tell the Lord, “Yes!” Say, “Yes!” Say, I’ll obey Jesus; I won’t stray Jesus; This time I’ve made up in my mind, I’ll say “Yes!” “My soul says, “Yes!” My mind says, “Yes!” My heart says, “Yes I will Jesus.” Yes, I’ll do what you want me to do. I’ll say what you want me to say; I’ll go, if you lead me; Oh, lift your hands and tell the Lord, “Yes!” Come on open up your heart and say, “Yes” All God wants is, “Yes!” Submit your way to His; Tell Him, “Yes.” There’s more that He require of thee; He’s calling you higher; don’t be afraid of men and their faces; don’t be afraid! — He said, He’s calling you out of your dry places for He predestined you before the world begin to do His will. Yeah, there is work to do and that’s why he sent me. Seek His face. Hear His voice. The day you hear His voice, harden not your heart. I tell you, He’s calling you higher, so let your heart and soul say “YES!” [Yes…by Shekinah Glory Ministry].
(L-R) Terrell Wheeler, Damian Thompson and Brooks Brantly rehearse a scene in “FLY.”
PASADENA, CA- Preview performances of the West Coast Premiere of FLY begin tomorrow and play through Feb.21, 2016 at The Pasadena Playhouse. The production, which is presented in association with Crossroads Theatre Company, will officially open on Sunday, January 31, 2016 to usher in Black History Month. FLY tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and dramatizes the historic contributions made by the heroic men to desegregate the American military and further civil rights.
Co-written and directed by Ricardo Kahn, FLY explores themes in overcoming adversity and pursuing dreams. The story follows four main characters’ experiences through training in Tuskegee, Alabama, whose common goal was to defend their country despite the persistent racism they dealt with daily. Unable to express their emotions as military men, director Ricardo Kahn brought in the unique character Tap Griot played by Omar Edwards to express the airmen’s resentment toward racial inequality through the artistic output of tap dancing.
“Trey and Ricardo have conceived of a wonderfully theatrical and exciting way to approach this important chapter of American history,” says Sheldon Epps, artistic director of The Pasadena Playhouse. “Their work will be excitingly brought to life by this fine group of actors and the rest of the creative team. I know that all of them will bring their artistry to the creation of our production in a way that will truly make the play soar.” The New York Times hailed the play as a “superior piece of theatrical synergy.”
FLY plays from January 26 through February 21, 2016. Tickets start at $25 and are available by calling The Pasadena Playhouse at 626-356-7529, online 24 hours a day at www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org or by visiting The Pasadena Playhouse Box Office at 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101.
Though young and in good health, Marcus Sesay of Riverside enrolled for health insurance in 2015 to fulfill the mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Sesay, a 35-year-old native of Sierra Leone, was not motivated by free services like an annual checkup and other health screenings, but wanted to avoid the tax penalty consumers will face if they fail to get coverage in 2016.
“Having insurance is the law, and I obey the law,” said Sesay, a security guard who has a plan with Health Net and pays $65 a month for his coverage. “Insurance also gives me peace of mind. We don’t know what tomorrow might bring.”
Protecting your financial tomorrow is one of the many reasons to sign up for affordable, high-quality health care.
“It’s impossible to predict when or whether someone will get sick or have an accident, which makes purchasing health insurance a wise decision for anyone,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said. “Now there’s another reason to get insured — taxes.”
The “shared responsibility payment” is a new tax penalty that Americans have to pay this year if they can afford health insurance but choose not to buy it. It is called a shared responsibility payment because everyone in the United States is now required to be part of our health insurance system — buying health coverage for themselves and their families rather than relying on others to pay for their care.
Those who do not buy health insurance in 2016 may be subject to the penalty, which is $695 per person in a household or 2.5 percent of their income, whichever is greater. That’s the stick the law can whack you with, but Covered California prefers offering most consumers a helping hand —financial help paying for coverage.
Of those already enrolled, almost 90 percent got financial help to cover their premiums. In 2014, consumers who qualified received an average of $5,200 to pay for their insurance. For more information and to find local, no-cost assistance, visit CoveredCA.com and click the “Find Local Help to Enroll” button in the middle of the page.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Friday, January 15, 2016, Youth Action Project hosted YAP TALKS: A Martin Luther King Jr. event, to commemorate and honor Dr. King’s life and legacy. This event was held at the San Bernardino Valley College Library Viewing room.
YAP TALKS strongly resembled a TED Talks. Four speakers were invited to deliver 15-minute speeches that incorporated the philosophies, teachings and principles of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to current issues experienced by San Bernardino community members and its youth. Each speaker projected a positive message by bringing awareness to these issues and by sharing their insight on how we can resolve them. The speakers consisted of:
Enrique Murillo, Professor at California State San Bernardino and Executive Director of Latino Education Advocacy Days (LEAD); Johnathan Buffong, co-founder of Buffong Consulting and Mental Health Consultant with the County of San Bernardino; Raihanah Medlock (Grand Terrace High School, Junior), Sheba Jennings (Summit High School, Junior), & DeVon Clay (California State University, San Bernardino, Freshman); Lolita Lyles, Professor at California State Long Beach and University of La Verne; and Rev. Dennis Brown, influential speaker who is also known as the “Voice of King.”
The event also featured a special guest, R&B sensation, Abraham McDonald. You may have seen him on The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Voice. He graced everyone with his humorous personality and beautiful voice.
Jonathan Buffong, a speaker for this event, said, “To see the community celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King life’s work and dreams is always a great thing. Youth Action Project went an extra step when they did YAP TALKS, as each speaker not only analyzed King’s memory, but also forced the audience to look at ways to actualize how they can implement Dr. King legacy in their daily life. That’s when you will see true change in the way we engage with each other”.
Eleven-year-old student, Alexis Gallarzo, simply said, “I loved listening to everyone’s speech, especially since I am learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in class right now. The best thing about this event were the girls who free-styled their poems. It was so cool!”
Carol Flores, one of the event coordinators, said, “It was an honor working on an event that served as an agent to promote social change. My goal was to construct an event that would make people think about their current predicament and take action by fighting for social justice and equality as Martin Luther King Jr. did.”
Youth Action Project had one purpose in mind when planning YAP TALKS and that was to host a community event that would impact a diverse audience. C.E.O Joseph Williams closed the night with a powerful quote stating: “Youth Action Project was pleased to host this event. Our aim was to see Dr. King’s dream implemented. I believe we did just that.”
The Model Experience (TME) – is WHAT IT DO WITH THE LUE this week. LUE Productions photographer, Mr. Freddie Washington of Freddie’s Photography, was out and about. Sunday, January 10 he was doing what he do in Orange County. Mr. Washington had the opportunity to be one of the many talented photographers for the fashion show “The Model Experience.”
The Model Experience is based in Los Angeles, California. A modeling development firm for individuals aged 4 to 28. Spoke person for TME, Ashley Covarrubias, says that “The Model Experience is a CATALYST for unsigned Models creating unique opportunities and experiences for emerging models.”
More than 400 individuals attended this year’s event. The Inland Empire was represented by two beautiful young ladies. If you’re thinking about getting into the model industry please check out TME website for upcoming audition dates. Shows are in San Diego, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. Until next week L’z Up!
The website is www.themodelexperience.net and contact email is: info@themodelexpereince.net. Congratulations to Local I.E. Model, Erika Bardere. Erika was born in Fontana and grew up in Riverside. She is now living in San Bernardino and has done a few videos with Kid Ink, Chris Brown, Omarion, and Nervo. Her designer was Higher Level Design and the photographer was Michael Moriatis. The other local I.E. Model was Mussett Gonzalez, 19. She graduated from Eisenhower High in 2015. Her designer was B.I.M. Mode and the photographer was Freddie Washington.
They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, which stands true when it comes to being from a musically inclined family. David Ruffin Jr., son of legendary former lead singer of the Temptations David Ruffin, understands the expectation that has been placed upon him and he has been on the rise of making his voice heard while continuing to keep that RUFFIN soul with a little hip-hop twist.
David originally created wrote, and sung the chorus/hook for “Gin & Juice,” from the Doggy Style LP released by Deathrow Records in November 1993, which was one of the hottest hits of the 90s featuring Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Ruffin Jr has also worked with other unforgettable artist such as: Chuck D, Redman, TmoneyG, MistaPerkins, Classified (Canadian Mc), Spyder D, Kurupt, Daz, Nate Dogg, Sisquo & Jazz of DruHill to name a few.
(From left to right): Naomi K. Bonman, David Ruffin Jr., and Ms. Toi
He has also toured, performed with and opened for the legendary singing group The Dramatics. Over the years, several highly touted music publications such as The Rolling Stone, The Source and Rap Pages have labeled him as “talented and up?and-coming.”
Currently, Mr. Ruffin Jr. is preparing for his first television documentary entitled, “Real Blood Lines,” which portrays the ups, downs, and in between of a couple dozen of his friends that also happen to be children of world known entertainment, acting, and sports icons as well. The show is anticipating an air date on Discovery-Life sometime this year. He is also working on The Sons of Motown project which is a presentation or production of Temptation music and songs, performed and or recorded by 5 of the Sons of “a” Temptation.
I recently interviewed Mr. Ruffin Jr. where had a great conversation about his father’s legacy, his career and what he has in store.
For those who do not know, we have some youngins’ our there reading this interview, first and foremost, who is David Ruffin?
David Ruffin was the former lead singer of The Temptations and is well-known for songs like, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”, “I Wish It Would Rain”. As well from his solo career. One of his solo hits was, “Statue of a Fool”. He was also recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award. That’s who David Ruffin is. I am his son.
So you’re pretty much brought boring into the music industry right? And most would automatically assume that of course you would go into music in some aspect. Has this only been a passion of yours?
No, it wasn’t. I wouldn’t say I was born with the bug immediately. I was more in the sports and automobiles.
Definitely far off from the music scene (LOL). So what eventually got you into music?
I guess what really got me into the first of all I had my first tape deck, and then after that I became a deejay. My first real experience in music. My real first experiences in having music published was, “Gin and Juice”. I’ve been around I’ve done some work.
What are you currently working on right now?
I’m working on a few things right now. I’m finalizing mixing and mastering, another LP entitled, “Bloodline,”. I released, “All my life”, E.P.. back in 2010. Then I released, “Live and You Learn”, the single in 2014. And I’ve been really trying to decide if I want to release a single and then the album. But over the next few weeks I’ll make that decision. Either it’s gonna be the album or single, just before the album.
And we can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeve. But what can we except?
Western style. It’s kind of like my style. Well, I mean I’m an artist. Okay, so like people paint. Some people paint all different types of art and some people stick to one genre. I write music from different standpoints depending on what the music sounds like is where I might put those songs. But I write Country-Western, Hip-hop, R&B, Jazz and Gospel. I’ve done a little bit of everything.
But I guess I would have to call my own style rough and risque. It’s it’s a lot of conscious music, combined with a good, old fashioned and some seductiveness. Rough and risque would be the kind of approach to the blurred lines. And of course there is a story in each song about my life and about what. I’ve been through and where it has brought me.
Sounds very interesting! Do you have any featured artists on the album?
Yeah yeah. We featured artists that’s gonna be on on this album. I have a couple of people who have shown interest. Miki Howard is one of them. I’m trying to get a couple of people featured. But more than anything because it’s taken us a minute to really work this out, I have to really try to stick to the core and the essence of me and not use other people’s names that to branch or spring off of.
Aside from music, I know you do a little acting. Do you have any projects in the works?
I have been placed as an attorney in the Bridget Harris story, which was shot last August. We’re just waiting for the budget to kick in with that. Other than that, I guess that’s about it. I’ve done some voiceover work. Not much though. The. Biggest thing that I did was an animation called Paradox. The acting thins is growing as time goes on though.
When you’re free, I know you’re a very busy man, but when time permits, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I really enjoy hitting the resorts and sliding down the slopes on the snowboard. I also enjoy making making music. I’ve just recently gotten into production. I like I spending time trying to produce music to pass by time. I enjoy watching and participating in sports, like basketball and football. Every now and then I play PlayStation 2. I try to keep life simple.
BOTTOMLINE… Publisher’s Commentary By Wallace J. Allen
The passing of Dorothy Pryor Rose, known as “Mommie Helen,” was acknowledged on Tuesday at a lovefest disguised as a memorial service. The celebration of Dorothy’s life suggested that the sweetest thing at Mommie Helen’s Bakery, the celebrated home of peach cobblers, potato pies, red velvet cake and other “desert-heaven” items… That the sweetest thing was not the deserts, the sweetest thing was Dorothy Pryor-Rose herself, the Mommie Helen!
The recurring theme of the memorial service was “Dorothy was so very nice to me”… “Dorothy was the smile that never went away”… “Dorothy was the forgiver”… Dorothy was my inspiration” and on and on… But nothing I heard was as powerful as what I already knew.
You see, Ms. Dorothy had proven to be a member of the “Band of Angels” on the day that I first met her… The bakery had recently opened and we had completed our first meeting discussing advertising. I was leaving to meet my wife to take her for a very important Dr. Appointment, but my car would not start! To make a long story short, despite just meeting me, Ms. Dorothy gave me the keys to her car saying, “Go take your wife to the doctor”!
She did not buy advertising from me, but Mommie Helen’s never really needed advertising because of the constant echoes from the screaming accolades and praise that apparently are caused each time someone bites into one of her cakes, cobblers or pies.
So though Mommie Helen’s Bakery will still produce cakes, cobblers and pies that will make you scream with joy, its sweetest item, Mrs. Dorothy Rose-Pryor, has moved on to a new heavenly address! All of us who knew her will miss her, because we will surely remember her.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Sunday, January 24 the community lost another pioneer. Dorothy Pryor Rose, known to most as “Mommie Helen”, was the founder and namesake of The Original Mommie Helen’s Bakery. She was renowned by celebrities and locals for her pies and widespread friendship. She was 69-years-old.
A San Bernardino native, Rose was given the inherited the name Mommie Helen from her mother, Helen Williams, who opened the family-ran bakery in 2000 in Colton before it outgrew two locations before moving to San Bernardino in March 2015. Some of Mommie Helen’s renowned customers included Oprah and Shaquille O’Neal. O’Neal ordered 250 peach cobblers from the bakery for his wedding. Magic Johnson was also a customer.
“After “Mommie” had a major heart attack in 2003, she shifted to a consulting role and handed ownership to her daughter Tedra Rose, who kept the business open after her mom died Sunday. “She was — she is — a guardian angel, and she’d want someone to always be at the counter,” Tedra said.
A person of strong faith, Pryor Rose was always getting into long conversations with people she’d just met and helping them out whenever she could, although she rarely told others what she’d done, said Tedra Rose.
Scholarships, loans, free baked goods — it added up, Tedra Rose said. To make that charity a bit more organized, a foundation will be created in her name, she said.
Loved ones and community members paid tribute to Mommie Helen this past Tuesday, January 26 at Sunrise Church.
Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
