Supporter help Break Ground on the new Pacific Street Corps: left to right: Salvation Army Advisory Boardmember Kristine Scott, Field Representative for San Bernardino County Supervisor James Ramos, John Futch, Bill Leman, San Bernardino Mayor Patrick Morris, Salvation Army Advisory Boardmember Brian Cronin, Lt. Kathleen Griffins, new Corps Officer Capt. Anaya Henderson, new Corps Officer Major Dan Henderson, Division Commander Major Lee Lescano, San Bernardino Valley Community College District Trustee Dr. Kathleen (Katy) Henry, Salvation Army Advisory Boardmember Jack Katzman, California State Assemblymember Cheryl Brown, Salvation Army Advisory Boardmember, Tom Brickley.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The Salvation Army appreciates the financial support its donors can provide. The San Bernardino Corps will recognize many of these donors on Friday, May 16 with a luncheon.

Supporters who have donated $100 or more to the San Bernardino Corps within the last 12 months prior to the luncheon or will donate at the event is invited.

“This will be a wonderful event to learn about all the exciting things our Corps is doing,” said Tom Brickley, chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board. “We will give a full report of what we have done this year and we will have testimonials from some of the people whose lives have been impacted.”

This luncheon takes place, for the last time, at the Corps Headquarters Building at 746 W. Fifth Street.

“The Salvation Army has been using this building for more than 50 years, but we will be moving to a beautiful new building in October,” Brickley said.

The luncheon coincides with a fund-raising effort the Salvation Army used to refer to as the Fall Fundraiser, which was last held more than 18 months ago. The Salvation Army’s goal for this usually annual fundraiser is to generate at least $50,000 in donations.

The fundraiser typically was held in October. Since the current Corps Officers, Major Daniel and Captain Anya Henderson, were newly arrived in San Bernardino last October the advisory board decided to postpone the fundraiser until spring.

While supporters who donated $100 or more are invited to attend the luncheon, the fundraising effort has resulted in some exceptional and greatly appreciated donations of $5,000 or more. These donors will be given special recognition as members of the international Salvation Army’s William Booth Society.

Locally, the honorary chairman of the William Booth Society is Bill Leman, a partner in the San Bernardino law firm Fullerton Leman Schaeffer & Dominic, Leman, for several years, has spearheaded the fundraising efforts, with help of the Advisory Board and other volunteers.

“I would urge everyone, business owners and individuals to give during this year’s fund raiser,” Brickley said. “The Salvation Army in San Bernardino does great things which impact the lives of those less fortunate than we are. The Salvation Army has been in San Bernardino since 1887, and has always impacted the lives of those less fortunate. Today, it is doing so more than ever.”

Brickley also noted the Salvation Army delivers about 85 percent of its revenue to programs rather than administration, which is a much higher percentage than most charities.

This fund raiser, although it did not take place in 2013, is typically the one in which the San Bernardino Corps takes in the most revenue for day to day operational costs. Its other large fundraiser, the holiday Red Kettle Campaign, helps more with the many extra services the Salvation Army provides at the end of the year.

Year-round, the San Bernardino Corps of the Salvation Army operates a homeless shelter for women and families, which provides both emergency shelter and longer-term help transitioning to independent living. It also has a separate transitional living program for men, feeds hundreds of people dinner six nights a week, operates a vast array of youth programs, and provides other resources for those in need.

“Last year 52,504 free, hot, nutritious meals were served to the hungry from The Salvation Army’s homeless shelter and Sunday through Friday at 4:45 p.m. at the Corp Office on 746 West 5th Street in San Bernardino,” said Major Henderson.

“Homeless families received 16,500 nights of shelter last year. Many supportive services are provided with each night of shelter including: meals, laundry, hot showers, tutoring and case management,” said Anne Metu, MILR, CADC-II director of the Transitional Housing Center.

For more information or to make a donation, call the San Bernardino Corps headquarters at (909) 888-1336. You may drop off your donations at the headquarters building, located at 746 W. Fifth Street, San Bernardino.

Friday, May 16 at the House of Blues Sunset Strip located at 8430 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood at 8 p.m. For more information call (323) 848-5100 or visit www.hob.com/LA.

Thursday, May 15 at 6 p.m. at CSU San Bernardino (Santos Manuel Student Union), 5500 University Parkway in San Bernardino. Registration is $5 and is limited to the first 300 students. Registration is required for participation.  For more information or to register, contact Keynasia Buffong at (909) 915-1714 or by email at KBuffong@youthactionproject.org.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The community is invited to come out to Open Mic Night at the American Legion Post #14 located at 863 North “D” Street in San Bernardino (92401). The show begins at 8:10 p.m. There are still FREE tickets available through Eventbrite. Chef Johnson will be preparing a chicken wing basket special and dessert. The first ten ladies will receive a glass of wine. Early arrival is suggested.

Come on down and forget about the long lines at the overbooked restaurants, crowded freeways, and other Mother’s Day trappings, and do something original, creative, personal, thoughtful and most of all fun! Be the first to celebrate the special women in your life– your mom, sister, wife, bestie, In-law, auntie for a special, classic, unforgettable night. Make it your own tribute. Sign up for open mic and serenade her, read her a poem, play her a song, give her a personal tribute, or just sit back and enoy the sounds of the “Fabulous Four” Leon Hawley, James Groves, Reuben Brewington, Joseph Hernandez, and featuring special guest spokenart artist Derrick Dzine.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors celebrated the launch of Give BIG San Bernardino County, a 24-hour online day of giving to local nonprofits. Give Big will be our county’s first ever dedicated give day and this philanthropic effort is meant to build a culture of philanthropy and giving in our community. The idea of Give Big is to make giving 1) easy, by bringing information about the county’s wonderful nonprofits to you, right to your fingertips on your smartphone or laptop at home where you can donate as little as $10 or as much as $10,000 in less than 2 minutes, and 2) fun, there will be several events hosted throughout each city on May 8th to bring people together to promote this philanthropic campaign. There are currently 400 community leaders volunteering for Give Big, 256 participating nonprofits and we have raised $35,000 in sponsorship dollars for the giving day. Such sponsorship dollars will be used for prize money for NPO’s to compete for on May 8th.

ONTARIO, CA- Enjoy Mother’s Day Brunch for your entire family or party. Convention Center staff can accommodate any size group so your Mom is surrounded by the entire family she loves. For this special day, the Ontario Convention Center has designed the ballroom to provide an intimate setting filled with the sounds of live latin jazz for your entertainment. Enjoy a champagne brunch featuring a Prime Rib carving station, fresh seafood and delicious made-to-order omelets and waffles, and end your meal with unique desserts. Prices for adults are $35 and children 11 and under are $15. The Ontario Convention Center is located at 2000 E. Convention Center Way in Ontario (91764).

SafeCare Financial Services delivers on its pledge of $5000.00 and extends a challenge to other IE businesses to do the same. (L to R) Leilani Palmer, Excutive Director of YouthPower Solutions I E Youth Build Program; Wallace J. Allen, Host ETB; Reverend Jim Peterson, SafeCare Director; and Andrew Valles, SafeCare CEO and ETB Co-host.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The CEO of SAFECARE Financial Services recently delivered a $5000 check to the YouthPower Solutions IE Youth Build Program. The Monday afternoon presentation resulted from a pledge made during a conversation on the EMPIRE TALKS BACK (ETB) radio talk show.  Leilani Palmer, YPS Youth Build Executive Director,  and Felix Marchany, Development Director,  were there discussing the program’s goals and policy.  Andrew Valles, ETB Co-host, became so enthused with them and their program that he pledged $5000.00 and challenged other IE entities to match him in an effort to raise $30,000 for the program.

Valles had this to say about his donation,

“Some have asked ‘why has SafeCare of San Francisco chosen to financially sponsor YouthPower Solutions Youth Build (in San Bernardino)?’ Though I am the chief executive officer of the company, I could answer, ‘Why not?!’  However, the Youth Build organization commands an answer which is complete and respectful. So here is my answer, I was invited to come see so-called at risk youth and young adults express their desire to achieve more for themselves. I was skeptical.”

He continues,

“What I observed were young people poised to defy the odds of a decaying inner city, but all they needed were a few resources. Resources denied to them by their own families and their communities. In short, there was a need and a want. I merely used the power of my office to commit a small amount of money, which I thought and felt with this organization would shift lives and perspectives. If there is a disappointment which I have then it would be that no other individual, company, group or band of community members have taken me, an outsider, up on my matching funds challenge. That says plenty to me about a community. A community where the political leadership years ago was content with eroding education funding, which is the same ilk which insults the children they failed prior be depriving them of opportunities and resources in adulthood.”

You can find more about the YouthPower Solutions Youth Build Program at their website www.Youthbuildinlandempire.webs.com. The ETB radio talk show,  hosted by WSSNews Publisher Wallace J. Allen is broadcast each Sunday morning at 10 a.m. on KCAA 1050-AM radio with video streamed live from www.kcaaradio.com. The new hi-tech way to hear the show is to simply dial up the program on your phone at (832) 999-1050!

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- San Bernardino radio station KCAA 1050-AM is now available to listeners via telephone.  No internet connection is necessary. You can listen to the station’s broadcast by simply dialing (832) 999-1050 on your phone! Fred Lundgren, KCCA owner, used this announcement to push his station’s slogan saying, “This is another tool that helps KCAA’s goal to “Leave No Listener Behind”!

KCAA is an affiliate of NBC featuring a Talk Format that includes national as well as local programming.  Westside Story News produces a weekly program on KCAA titled “EMPIRE TALKS BACK” (ETB) that is hosted by Westside Story Publisher, Wallace J. Allen.

“This is great news,” said Allen. “Being able to listen to ‘ETB’ directly by calling on the phone will make hearing the program easy for people who are outside of the broadcast signal. That is good for the listeners and for advertisers!”

ETB is broadcast on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. You can now hear the program several ways: on the radio at 1050-AM on the dial, on your phone, and on the internet via www.kcaaradio.com where the program streams live video and where pod-casts are archived.

UPLAND, CA- Mother’s Day is a few days away, and you don’t yet have plans? Treat that special woman in your life, or better yet, treat yourself (if you are a mother), to a special Mother’s Day Champagne and Jazz Brunch. In addition to the brunch you will also be able to indulge in some clean comedy. The event kicks off at 10 a.m. and last until 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 11 at Imagine That located at 1318 West Ninth Street in Upland (91788). Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door and $30 for mothers and seniors. There will also be special entertainment and a lunch for youth in the Imagine Zone at a cost of $15 for youth 15 and under. For more information call (909) 931-1044. To purchase tickets visit PhatX.com.

Dr. Misee Haris

Interview and write-up by Naomi K. Bonman

Mother’s Day is not just about celebrating women who are biological mothers, but it is also about celebrating those women who possess motherly traits. You do not have to be a mother to be recognized on Mother’s Day. There are several women out there who are role models for youth and other young women that do not have any biological children of their own, but they care about leading others in the right direction and making their lives better through their careers and passions.

Dr. Misee Harris is one of those women who can be classified as phenomenal.  She is a model, philanthropist and nationally recognized leader in the realm of pediatric and sports dentistry, as well as in the advocacy for children with developmental disabilities. Dr. Harris graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2006. She then went on to attend the University Of Kentucky College Of Dentistry where she earned a Doctorate of Dental Medicine Degree. Upon receiving that degree, she became the first African American woman to be accepted into the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program.

The successful demist has definitely been making power moves in her medical career. In addition to medicine, she is also an aspiring actress who has sought out to change the perception of how minorities are viewed in entertainment. In 2013, Dr. Harris launched a social media

Dr. Harris is a dentist, philanthropist, model and aspiring actress who is changing the game in entertainment

campaign to become America’s first African American Bachelorette after she opted out of season 9 of The Bachelor upon realizing that she was only cast on the show to fill a quota for the African American woman who would get voted out in the first round. Her social media campaign received great feedback, “I had no idea that it would go viral. It showed that America wanted to see minorities on the show and for thing to be mixed up, especially with interracial dating being popular. It would bring in a new audience,” Harris stated.

Since then Harris has been busy taping anew reality show called “On The Rise” that features three professional Black women as they go about their everyday lives and chronicles events that take place on a daily basis. The stars are Misee Harris, a pediatric dentist, model and actress from Columbia, Tn.; Fawn Stone, an inspiring actress from Los Angeles, Ca.; and Lakesha Yvette Walker, a screenwriter from Graceville, Fl. “On The Rise” will be a “down to earth” reality show that will allow viewers an inside peek into what these three busy women deal with in their professional careers and private lives during their downtime at home. It is not your ordinary reality television show. “On The Rise” is currently filming and set to debut sometime this year.

“African American woman are showed in a negative light,” Harris explains. “We want to show the ones who have goals. Since the early 2000’s and the hit show ‘Girlfriends’, there haven’t been as many shows that portray [us] in a positive light.”

In addition to her reality series, Dr. Harris has made it through several rounds of casting for ABC‘s reality show “Shark Tank” and is now waiting to see if she will make the final cut. If so, she will be presenting her newly designed and customized ProFit Athletic Mouth Guards.

For more information on Misee Harris, please visit www.miseeharris.com.