By Lue Dowdy, CA– I’m happy to announce this week’s selected artist, Michael Echols, Barber/Promoter/Entrepreneur. Hair is an art! It takes a special set of skills to keep folks looking good. Having a good haircut can make a world of difference in a person’s self-esteem.

Michael Echols has been a professional barber for 5yrs. He’s currently working out of Cold Cutz Barbershop in downtown Riverside located at, 4029 Market Street Riverside CA, 92501. Receiving his license from Rosston’s Barber College, Michael specializes in all textures of hair. If you need a bald fade, shadow fade, taper, flat top, mo-hawk, fro-hawk, he’s your guy. No time to go to the shop, ask about his mobile service. Micheal will bring the shop to you. You can find this talented Barber at the shop, Sunday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays by appointment only. Check out his work at facebook.com/tipyourbarber and on I.G @ Riverside_Raised.

Michael Echols, also is one of the producers for “The Underground Poetry & Lyricist Lounge.” This is an event put on once a month on the 2nd Sunday night of every month in the city of Riverside. It’s been in existence for almost a year and is growing fast. Their objective is to create an atmosphere that welcomes and brings together art, poetry, culture, creativity and unity. Michael feels by doing this, it will create a hub that allows individuals to network amongst one another. If you’re interested in performing, please look them up on TWITTER at: The_UPL_Lounge or on FaceBook: TheUndergroundPoetry/LyricistLounge. You can Email Theundergroundpllounge@yahoo.com, last but not least follow them on I.G at UPL_spokenword. Please support the ARTS!

Entertainment Happenings: There will be several awesome concerts and events coming our way. I hope you’re ready! This month, Eryka Badu will be in San Bernardino at San Manuel Indian Bingo, and BBD (Bel Biv Devoe) will be in Riverside at the Riverside Auditorium. Don’t wait, get your tickets now! Ya girl will be in da house!

R&B singer, Erykah Badu is best known for her hit album “Babuism” which went triple platinum and my all-time favorite “Tyrome.” This singer, activist, and actress will be in concert Thursday, May 30th along with Lyfe Jennings and Bobby V.  Tickets are available for the 7:30 p.m. show through Ticketmaster for $40, $50 and $60

Live in Concert BBD on Saturday, May 25, 2013, DOORS OPEN AT 7:00PMSHOW STARTS AT 8:00 PM

Location: 3485 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, CA 92501. Sponsored by Stansell Enterprises Concerts & Events . Information: 800-838-3006, http://www.stansellenterprises.com.

T

he summit in which featured Mrs. Cheryl Brown one of the city’s assembly members, was a great experience and provided a lot of knowledge about the city’s current status and where hopefully it will be in the near future.  Mrs. Brown didn’t speak much but she did get up for a couple of 2-3 minute speeches which were more inspirational than anything.  She also handed out an award to Dr. John Husing who was also in attendance.  Dr. Husing spoke for the majority of the time accompanied by an projector screen in which it had slides of different graphs and photos pertaining to the topic he was currently speaking about.  He touch on several topics about the city and its current condition, and where it stack up against other cities.  Dr. Husing stated that currently the city is one of the lowest scoring when it comes to adults who have graduated high school and went on to obtain a master’s/bachelors degree at 18 out of 100 adults who have done so.  Where the average for most cities is 42-43 out of 100 adults who have done so.  Which ultimately leads to them either being more of a successful adult , or less of an successful adult which has an ricochet effect to their family and children in most cases.  In all for adults he was saying we must make sure we further educate ourselves to ensure an better chance at success as individuals.  He also touched on the difficulties for the small businesses in our area and how it is difficult for most to become successful due to the current financial status of our city.  Stating that most of our local businesses are in competition with competitors that they can’t compete against due to the fact they are big companies with more power and money.  Saying the big companies come in and take over small businesses and consume most of the business real estate in our area and they are coming from different states and cities not locally which takes the money out of our city. Stating that small business can’t go to the next level because of most people’s falling financial status in our city, which ultimately plays a part in companies success.  He also touched on the fact that there is a rise in medical cost for the city which also carries a burden for the city.  Stating that there is a significant rise in medical expenses for the latino community due to their rising population.  Saying that now hospitals will have to become more educated about the latino community when it comes to medical research in the field.  Which ultimately cost more money.  The solution they had to counter act the problems was to try to make sure everyone is properly and highly educated so they can achieve personal success by having the proper knowledge to do so.  Assure that all local business had the proper information and resources to provide great service in their field and provide many more jobs also.  To allow more businesses to open up and become a success instead of open and close within the same year.  To have more business that are local be locally owned and operated. To have more business networking with one another in hopes of generating more income and more projects that provides more jobs and provides better living to the people of our city.  Of course this will take time and must be done one step at a time but as long as we all work together and stay on the same track it can be done in due time.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—Seventh grader Isabel Cholbi, the two-time San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) Collaborative Spelling Bee winner will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, May 28 to 30. As the winner of the San Bernardino spelling bee, the Chavez Middle School student won a trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This will be Isabel’s second time competing in the national event.

The competition begins on May 28 with the Preliminaries Test for all 281 competitors.  The test includes spelling words and vocabulary questions. Competitors who misspell a word in round two or three of the preliminaries, on May 29, are eliminated. A maximum of 50 competitors will qualify for the semifinals. The preliminaries will be broadcast on ESPN3 on Wednesday, May 29 at 8 a.m. and at 1:15 p.m. EDT (5 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Pacific Time). The semifinals will air on ESPN2 on Thursday, May 30 at 2 p.m. EDT (11 a.m. Pacific Time). The finals air on ESPN on Thursday, May 30 at 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. Pacific Time).

Every competitor will receive Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged and, courtesy of Jay Sugarman, a 2013 United States Mint Proof Set, plus and Award Certificate. The SBCUSD Collaborative Spelling Bee is affiliated with the Scripps National Spelling Bee, giving Cholbi access to official study guides and materials.

Isabel is not only an accomplished speller, she also builds websites and is learning computer programming languages; she has also competed in the regional science fair every year since 2010; placing fourth in 2013. The talented Isabel is also a musician and plays the xylophone, glockenspiel and vibraphone.

We will be tuning in on ESPN next week to cheer Isabel on.  We hope the community will join in and show support for one of the many special young people coming up in the Inland Empire, and in San Bernardino particularly! (WSSN-5/17/13)

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—Gabrielle Mays graduated from California State University San Bernardino in 2011 with a communications degree, and she has already been honored as the recipient of the 2012 Broadcasting Award of Excellence for news reporting by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB).

Mays, who grew up in Redlands, works as a news reporter for WLUC-TV 6 in Houghton, Michigan.. The station’s website highlights her work at Cal State San Bernardino where she gained most of her experience as the producer for the campus news station segment ‘Local Matters.’ Mays entered the MAB’s news reporter category with three feature stories she produced in the Houghton/Hancock region. “What makes this award so special is that all of the stories I entered were about the people in this area,” said Mays.

“It’s particularly impressive that Gabrielle graduated from CSUSB in 2011,” said Michael Salvador, chair of the university’s communications studies department. “To win this award in her first year speaks to Gabrielle’s talent and the quality of her professional preparation here at CSUSB.”

Her entries consisted of a story about a young girl with brittle bone disease who wanted an outdoor wheelchair to aid her in getting through the snow; a group called the Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly who assisted senior citizens in their everyday lives; and a fire that broke out in a senior living complex.

“People in the community trusted me enough to tell their story; and to win an award based on how amazing, kind and generous the Houghton/Hancock community truly is; makes me smile,” said Mays.

The award, which she received this March, now sits in the front office of the Houghton news station among the station’s other awards. “I came into this job not being the best on-camera personality, but I learned that if you want to be a reporter, you have to get good at telling the stories of the people that watch you every single night,” Mays added. (WSSN-5/17/13)

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Sixth Ward Councilman Rikke Van Johnson launched his campaign for Mayor of San Bernardino last Thursday May 16 with a kick-off meeting held on the lawn of his home.  Johnson announced that both his campaign and his vision for the city were inclusive, with the theme “Campaign for L.I.F.E.” (Leaders, Investors, Friends and Everyone).

He states his goal is to help “create, grow, and maintain economic value in the city, which will aid the community in realizing and accessing all the necessities that define quality of life.”  He laid out a vision for the city as a safe and prosperous community, offering a wide range of housing, recreation, education, cultural, and employment opportunities for all who come to live and work here.

He also said that San Bernardino residents need to continue to provide a strong sense of community for each other in these economically trying times.  He also laid out three primary areas he would focus upon as the Mayor:

     1. Public Safety to reduce crime rates with a two pronged strategy of, a) Decreasing gang violence and gang activity,; and b) Increasing Citizen Engagement in local government, realizing that a government goes bad when it’s citizens are not engaged;

2. Economic Stimulation through Job Creation, and helping to retain and maintain Local Business by helping them grow and strengthen their Consumer Base;

3. Beautification of areas of the city that have experienced neglect, thereby raising the esteem of both residents and businesses, and providing an attractive environment for consumers, potential home-buyers, and potential new businesses.

Johnson said he would also partner with area school systems to ensure an educated workforce, and would simplify the city’s system of government which he says has become “ambiguous and antiquated.”

“I truly believe that this is the frame work for a pathway to strengthening, sustaining and restoring our City to once again be that proud ‘City on the Move.’  This will be achieved by working together with vision, planning and hope,” he added. (WSSN 5/23/13)

I know that there are a thousand objections to this thought, but if someone will list the objections, I am willing to seek the a means to dismiss them. If the city formed a police academy, most objections would become mute.

Please agree or disagree via this post.

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen, IV –
Edition – Thursday, July 7, 2011 – Volume 25 No. 45

The Question: Is It Money Well Invested Or Simply Spent? – How many projects have been funded by Your City Redevelopment Agency in the last five years? – How much money was funded per project? – How many contracts and subcontracts were involved per project? – How many Contractors and Sub-Contractors were involved per Project? – How many Contractors and Sub-Contractors were used in total? – How many Contractors from Your City were used? – How many Sub-Contractors from Your City were used? – How many jobs have been created by Your City Redevelopment Agency in the last five years? – How many jobs that were created by RDA funded projects, were filled by residents of Your City? I am sure that someone, somewhere in the RDA Agency in Your City has the answers to these specific questions. I think those answers will tell you a little more about who benefits when RDA Agencies spend or invest your tax dollars by the tens of millions. My Answer: If you are one of the people collecting a check… Contractors, Suppliers, Sub Contractors and Workers including Your City Staff’s Earned Wages… You probably think the money was Well Invested! On The Other Hand, (The One That Did Not Get A Finger In The Money Pie)… The Contractor seeking contracts, unemployed job seeking, tax paying stakeholders, that live in Your City, probably think the money was Simply Spent!

Guest Commentary by Lita Pezant

People across Latin America (and many in North America) are mourning the loss of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who died last Tuesday, March 2, at the age of 58, after struggling with cancer over the last two years, and leading his nation for fourteen years. World leaders, including President Obama, sent their condolences, some even going straight to Caracas, Venezuela to mourn directly. People gathered in nations throughout South America, Central America, and the Caribbean; some mourners gathering at Venezuelan embassies, some in communities across the U.S.A, to pay their respects, hold vigils, and bring tributes to remember Hugo Chávez: a President of and for the People. Hugo Chávez was both loved and despised for helping to uplift the people of his nation. Elected four times with overwhelming majorities, the official U.S. government (home of the infamous ‘selected not elected’ Bush presidency) constantly questioned his presidential legitimacy and worked to overthrow him. Chávez’ response was to declare his own manhood and independence by daring to speak to world leaders that were not on the approved ‘guest list’: Castro (Cuba), Khadafi (Libya), Ahmadinejad (Iran), and Bolivia’s first native indigenous President Evo Morales. Upon his first election, Hugo Chávez inherited the reigns of a nation where 3% of the people owned 77% of the wealth — sound familiar? Chávez was a great president and a hardworking leader who changed the landscape of Venezuela, first insisting that oil corporations (who were reaping 87% profits from Venezuelan oil) return 30% to the government; and then he nationalized the resource. Compare that to Nigeria, where the U.S. has ‘good’ relations’ yet Shell Oil destroys the land with impunity, and protesting leaders are assassinated for questioning why the indigenous native tribes are receiving no benefits from the oil extracted from their lands. Tired of the World Bank ‘switcheroo’ that keeps Third World nations poor, Chávez worked with other Latin American presidents of Argentina and Brazil to develop the Bank of the South, so these countries could independently set their own financial standards and establish their own credit markets. Finding that he and other Latin leaders were also fed up with the imbalanced scope of U.S. Free Trade Agreements, Chávez joined Castro and Morales to form the People’s Trade Treaty for their respective nations. Chávez provided free public education to hundreds of thousands of children who had never had access to classrooms before his presidency. The U.S. has ‘good’ relations with Jamaica, but children still have to pay to go to school there. Before Chávez, millions of Indigenous and Black Venezuelans were never issued birth certificates or identification papers, effectively preventing them from full access to the rights of citizenship— that sound familiar too? Through it all, Chávez, a devout Christian, reached his hand out in friendship to those who would help him improve his nation and the quality of life for its people, and in turn he extended his hand in generosity to those in need across the globe. Chávez, along with Castro, offered food, supplies, fuel, and water purifiers to those devastated during the early aftermath of hurricane Katrina, only to be rebuffed by the Bush administration – and we all know how quickly they came to the rescue. The generosity of Chávez and the Venezuelan people is also demonstrated in the provision of free heating oil to thousands of poor people in the United States through the Venezuelan oil company Citgo. Gosh come to think of it, Hugo Chávez probably helped more needy folks in the U.S. than the ‘Do Nothing’ 112th and 113th Congress combined. I for one was a little disappointed that a positive relationship that did not occur between President Chávez and our beloved President Obama. One might think that President Obama could have sought common ground with Chávez on at least a few things. Both were (and are) vilified, called out of name, and have had their rightful citizenship and birthright questioned without any basis in fact. Both were descendants of mixed ‘race’ parentage, and faced obstructionists who despised them for merely being the wrong color to be strong, independent, and ready for the reins of power. Both challenged conventional stereotypes to succeed. Both were elected on an emotional wave of the promise of Hope, seeking to rebuild their nations following economic disaster and massive financial and government corruption. Obama promised to end both wars (Iraq and Afghanistan) his predecessor started; and Chávez promised that he would never order troops to fire upon civilians as his predecessor did. Both held steadfast to those promises. Pointedly, each also established a form of universal health care during their respective first terms. Actually Chávez did his a bit quicker by trading with Castro for the provision of excellent Cuban medical and healthcare services — something many Black Americans have wanted access to for a long time — another example of ‘Free Trade’ not working for us. Unfortunately, U.S. foreign policy is rife with inconsistency and hypocrisy, designed to confuse, perplex, and control the citizenry. It is a pity how the ‘old ways’ of the ‘Cold War’ creep insidiously into the new millennium. Our government allows companies to do Billions in business with Communist China and Communist Vietnam, but continuously restricts, contains, and despises Cuba, home also, like Venezuela, to many of our brethren who are descendants of the African Diaspora and Transatlantic Slave Trade. U.S. backed corporations and their neo-con front men persistently grade the landscape for the continuing rape and pillage of the natural resources of Africa and Latin America, with complete disregard for their populations. Our community needs independent and focused Black voices to reshape a U.S. foreign policy to at least partly reflect the beliefs, hearts, and minds of most Black Americans. The Bush-Cheney industrial war complex has cost American taxpayers upwards of $800 Billion for the Iraq War, and close to $620 Billion so far for the War in Afghanistan. Congress won’t even begin an appropriations bill that would award a tenth of those amounts to put our people to work rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. Our community needs to take a page out of Chávez’ book, reclaim our man-and-woman- hood, and lay the groundwork for a new economic landscape that actually makes a return to our communities. Let us hope that ‘renewed and improved’ relationships with Venezuela is not just foreplay for renewed conjugal relations between U.S. neo-con corporate interests (‘Economic Hit Men’) and the Venezuelan elite, where only the poor and struggling workers are actually screwed. . . sound familiar? Rest in peace, Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (WSSN 3/7/13)

Mayor Patrick J. Morris