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SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The  San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, in partnership with Leland F. Norton Elementary School and the San Bernardino City Unified School District, Horace Mann Insurance and Kiwanis of Inland Center, will launch its inaugural STEM Reading Buddies program on Friday, September 6 at 8:45 a.m. The Reading Buddies volunteer  program calls on business, civic, community and education leaders to provide literacy support by committing  to reading to students once a month throughout the school year. The public-private partnership supported by local business, civic and service groups, community and faith-based organizations  has been created and expanded countywide to include East Valley, West End and High Desert school districts. The Norton Elementary program will kick off with an assembly, refreshments and reading at 8:45 a.m. Future Reading Buddies dates for the school are: October 11, November 15, January 24, February 21, April 4 and May 19, which culminates with a finale celebration. Leland F. Norton Elementary School is located at 741 N. Mountain View in San Bernardino. Business or community members who would like to join the voluntary reading program should contact Suzanne Wagers at (909) 388-6534 or Linda Miranda with the County Schools office at (909) 476-6165.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The San Bernardino Police Department will host a Community Police Academy for San Bernardino City residents every Wednesday from September 4 to October 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Classes will be held at the San Bernardino Police Department Main Station located at 710 N. “D” Street, San Bernardino, CA 92401. Academy classes will cover a variety of topics including narcotics enforcement, criminal investigations, code enforcement, the canine program, pan handling, gang enforcement, SWAT and traffic enforcement. Participants will meet members of their police department, learn police department works and how to partner with police to make the community better. The academy is free, but space is limited. Contact the Community Affairs office for more information at 909-388-4946 or 909-384-5753.

SAN BERNARDNO, CA— As of approximately 1:30 p.m. last Friday August 23, 2013 all recall petitions turned into the San Bernardino City Clerk’s office by Scott Beard of the pro-recall group San Bernardino Residents for Responsible Government (www.sanbernardinorecall.org), were in possession of staff from the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters (ROV) office.  This was after the court hearing held on Thursday in which the city clerk was directed to accept the petitions for a count.  ROV staff assisted city clerk Gigi Hanna’ staff in performing a rough county, and now the Registrar of Voters is charged with fine counting the petitions and checking addresses and signatures on the petitions for validation.

The recall petitions turned in Friday were against San Bernardino City Attorney James Penman, Ward 7 Councilmember Wendy McCammack and Ward 5 Councilmember Chas Kelly (Ward 5). The recall petition against Ward 3 Councilperson John Valdivia (Ward 3) was already turned in to the city clerk previously and forwarded to the Registrar of Voters.  On Monday afternoon of August 26, Michael J. Scarpello, the Registrar of Voters, had not yet released the results of the counts on the newly received petitions.

Though the recall group originally announced a recall drive against just about every city elected official, no petitions were turned in for Mayor Patrick Morris, who announced he will not be seeking a third term.  Also no petitions were turned in against three Council Members who are up for re-election in November anyway: Ward 1 Councilperson Virginia Marquez, Ward 2 Robert Jenkins, and Ward 4 Fred Shorret.   Attempts to circulate petitions to recall Sixth Ward Councilperson Rikke Van Johnson (whose council seat is not up for election this November) were unsuccessful as residents in his Ward were primarily supportive of Johnson.

Johnson along with McCammack and Kelly have announced their candidacy for Mayor the upcoming November election, along with a packed field of eight other candidates.

The number of registered voters in the city and in each of the city’s wards as recorded by the California Secretary of State as of February11, 2013, are the base numbers used to determine if the threshold has been met in the number of valid voter signatures gathered in the recall petitions.

Recalls against city-wide office holders require a 15% threshold.  Of the 77,254 registered voters in the city, 11,588 valid voter signatures are needed in the recall petitions launched against City Attorney Penman.  Attorney Tim Prince announced this Monday that he will run against Penman on the recall ballot, and is the first candidate to declare on any of the potential recall elections.

The threshold is higher – 25% – for council seat recalls. There are 14,707 registered voters in Ward 5, so 3,677 valid voter signatures are needed on the petitions against Councilperson Kelly.   There are 12, 802 registered voters in Ward 7, so 3,021 valid voter signatures are needed on the petitions against McCammack (being counted at ROV now).  Voters are waiting for the ROV’s final counts to see if the petitions were ultimately successful against Penman, McCammack, and Kelly.

Voters are already aware that Councilmember Valdivia will face a recall. There are 9,419 registered voters in Ward 3, so 2,355 signatures were needed on the petitions against Valdivia. 2,702 signatures were collected, validated, and sent to the ROV by the City Clerk.  There is some controversy over Valdivia’s response to the recall charges not being included on the actual recall petition that was circulated against him.

The rules for responses to petitions is that once a Notice to Petition (for recall or anything else to be placed on a ballot) with the City Clerk, the target (or opponents) of the recall have 7 days to no

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA- Volunteers from Organizing for Action and five Coalition Partners, which include Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Brady Campaign, MoveOn, SEIU, and Parents of Murdered Children gathered in Rancho Cucamonga for a gun violence prevention rally. According to Curt Lewis, volunteer organizer, over 200 gun similar events were held around the Nation to remind Congress that the overwhelming majority of Americans support the legislation to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

“This was the first gathering of our coalition,” Lewis said. “We all want Rep. Gary Miller to step up and be a part of the solution by co-sponsoring H.R. 1565, the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act, and we thought this would be a way for the Congressman to hear our collective voice.

 

BLOOMINGTON, CA- Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) in partnership with the San Bernardino County Library, the National Investment Division of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NID) Housing Counseling Agency, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), Westech College and the Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County hosted the 1^st Annual Tools for Success Day, a back to school celebration with giveaways, entertainment, food and gifts on Saturday, August 17 at Ayala Park in Bloomington and Saturday, August 24 at the Baker Family Learning Center in Muscoy. Between both events, nearly 250 students were provided a backpack stuffed with pencils, pens, notebook paper, coloring books, activity books, colored pencils or crayons, back to school haircut coupons, stickers, a ruler, a cookbook and literature.

During the event, special remarks were given by Assemblymember Cheryl Brown, San Bernardino County Librarian Leonard Hernández, San Bernardino County Superintendent Gary Thomas and Executive Director Linda Jackson, NID Housing Agency.  Assemblymember Brown shared information about California’s Legislature implementing the local control funding formula. This initiative allows our school districts to control the money that comes from the state and use it to close the achievement gap in our struggling schools at the local level.

Assemblymember Brown encouraged parents to be proactive and engage their children’s school principals, teachers and counselors to ensure that funding is being used to meet the educational needs of their children. The 1^st Annual Tools for Success Day also featured free health screenings, financial literacy information, financial assistance services for homeowners and other valuable educational resources for classroom success.

 

GARDENA, CA- On Saturday, September 14, the City of Refuge Church and Consultant Entertainment will be presenting their 16th Annual ‘Stop The Violence, Think Education, Put God First’ Back to School Conference and Concert. The conference and concert will be held at City Refuge Church, 14527 S. Pedro Street, Gardena, CA 90248. From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. there will be dynamitic workshops and seminars by fashion designer Clotee McAfee, Rev. Johnetta Tarkington (“Youth Empowerment 4 Destiny” Panel), Minister Lawrence Levy and Pastor Michael JT Fisher (“Hip Hop Power Hour”.). From 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. there will be a red carpet event followed by a celebration concert honoring those who bless our youth. The concert will be hosted by actor Kel Mitchell, songstress Adrian Anderson (Trin-i-tee 5:7) and radio personality DJ Elvee Scott (KJLH 102.3). R&B group Mindless Behavior will be in attendance as special guests. Tickets are on sale for $5 with proceeds benefiting the Noel Jones Scholarship. There will also be over 2,000 Back to School supplies given out. For more information please call 310-516-1433 or email edwardsdorean@yahoo.com

RIALTO, CA- On August 24 and 25, Relay for Life Rialto will be held at Eisenhower High School, 1321 N. Lilac Avenue,  Rialto, CA 92376. The agenda will include registration at 7 a.m., survivor ceremony at 9 a.m. and a Luminaria Ceremony at 8 p.m. For more information, please contact Event Chair, Delynda Kobbe at 909-816-3364 or at relaykobbe@sbcglobal.net. If you would like to form a team contact Development Chair, Kathleen Holm at 909-644-1902 or kiholm@dslextreme.com.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- HOPE NOW, the voluntary, private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers and non-profit counselors, is bringing several of the latest mortgage insurers and non-profit counselors to San Bernardino on Saturday, August 24. The event will take place at Santos Manuel Student Union-California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA. This special event is being held in order to work one on one with all Service Members, civilian base employees and veterans seeking mortgage assistance or financial guidance. Face to face assistance will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free of charge.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA-  InnovAge Greater California PACE-Inland Empire will hold a job fair on Thursday, August 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the center, 410 E. Parkcenter Circle North, San Bernardino. InnovAge Greater California PACE is an innovative Medicare/Medi-Cal program for older adults and people over 55 living with disabilities. It includes integrated healthcare, in-home services and a day program. The InnovAge San Bernardino facility opens October 2013. At the job fair, InnovAge will hire for several open positions, including: Home Care CNAs, Day Center Health CNAs, Administrative Assistant III, CDL Drivers, Physical Therapists, Activities Assistant, Receptionist, Occupational Therapists, Marketing Specialist, Manager-Home Care, IT Applications Specialist II, Eligibility RN, Medical Records Technician and Facilities Maintenance Tech. In addition to these positions, InnovAge will interview for a number of other future jobs based at the center. For more information about InnovAge, please visit www.MyInnovAge.org.

FONTANA, CA-  A group of girls from Hunters Point Family organization based in San Francisco made a visit to KRESTMORE Farms in Fontana where they helped Sis. Nova with weeding in the farm. Hunters Point Family organization has an entity called Girls 2000, a safe haven where girls give and receive support as they overcome the complex challenged they face in becoming self-filled individuals, future leaders and role models in their community. Through project-based learning and opportunities to exercise leadership, girls gain the knowledge, skills and self-confidence required to participate fully in their own empowerment process. GIRLS 2000 develops and leads activities based on the HPF philosophy that our youth can transform their current reality if they are given opportunities to gain awareness of their capabilities, develop the courage and ability to make life-affirming decisions, and have access to necessary resources and support. For more information on the program, please visit hunterspointfamily.org.