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Free First 5 California Kit Remains Essential to New Parents, Especially Now

Kit Enters Digital Age with Online Version of Resource-Packed California Parent Guide

SACRAMENTO, CA—- In 2001, First 5 California debuted its informative and resource-packed Kit for New Parents to millions of families and caregivers throughout the state. However, many parents of young children, especially families from under-resourced neighborhoods, are not aware of this free and valuable tool.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents of children under the age of 5 who face barriers of literacy, poverty    or disability experience difficulty accessing valuable information and resources that are essential during this time,” said First 5 California Executive Director Camille Maben. “The Kit for New Parents fills that gap by delivering essential parenting resources right to their doors.”

The Kit contains everything from practical advice and parenting tips to child development and finding childcare information. It also includes information about health and safety best practices during the current global pandemic. The Kit’s contents include:

  • California Parent Guide
  • What to Do When Your Child Gets Sick book
  • Numbers Touch and Feel children’s board book
  • California Poison Control brochure and magnet
  • Colorful, reusable First 5 California “Talk. Read. Sing.” tote bag

First 5 California developed the Kit as an innovative evidence-based approach to reach new families with information about parenting practices and community resources. Over the years, it has evolved with technology and the needs of parents and is continuously updated to include information relevant to today’s families and childcare providers. For example, the California Parent Guide is now available online at parentguide.first5california.com for parents to access with their smartphones and mobile devices.

Parents and organizations can receive the physical Kit by visiting First 5 California’s ordering page at https://apps.ccfc.ca.gov/First5ParentingKits or by contacting their local First 5 county commission.

To date, First 5 California has distributed more than 5 million Kits for New Parents, including approximately 145,000 in 2020. To learn more about First 5 California, visit ccfc.ca.gov.

The Carmel Connections Foundation Completes Phase 1 of the Seeds of Joy Community Garden

The garden will support healthy eating, active living

ONTARIO, CA— On Saturday, April 17, the Carmel Connections Foundation (CCF) and the City of Ontario hosted a ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the Seeds of Joy Community Garden. The benefits and positive impacts that come from gardening inspired the name “Seeds of Joy” – meaningful to describe the garden itself, as well as those who will be tending to everything, and everyone, that will grow here.

Phase 1 is complete, and it is because of the efforts of all of the community. A special thank you to Hap Kellogg and Kellogg Gardening Products for helping the foundation to tend their garden by donating Kellogg Organic Products to Seeds of Joy.

Caramel Connections Foundation would like to thank all of our volunteers, sponsors, and community partners that have made great strides to bring the Seeds of Joy Community Garden to this point. Partners include San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chair Curt Hagman, West Side News, United Way of the Inland Empire, American Beverage Association, First 5 San Bernardino and the Inland Empire Health Plan. Additional supporters include UC Cooperative Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP), Master Gardener Program (MFP), and Master Food Preserver Program (MFP).

CCF was established in 2016 to empower families in the Inland Empire to access healthier food and lifestyle choices. Through educational and enrichment programs for children and adults, CCF offers low-income families opportunities to grow, cook and eat healthy food and participate in fitness activities that address the high rates of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure that are prevalent in the community.

The Seeds of Joy Community Garden is located at 1240 W. 4th Street in Ontario, California.

Sidewalks for Muscoy Project to Become Reality as Funding for Project is Announced

EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes and the County of San Bernardino announce that the California Transportation Commission has voted to approve funding for the Muscoy Area Safe Routes to School Pedestrian Improvements Project. This funding will come from the state’s Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 5 and will provide the project with a $1.88 million grant. The grant will be matched with funding from the County of San Bernardino.

The approval of the funding for the project represents the culmination of several years’ worth of collaborative efforts to improve the area. The project was first conceived at the “DREAM BIG IE” Youth Empowerment Summit hosted by Majority Leader Reyes in 2017. At the summit, parents and students from Muscoy advocated for improved sidewalks and safer route infrastructure around the two elementary schools: Vermont Elementary and Muscoy Elementary.

A community partnership was formed at the summit to ensure that Muscoy’s children and their families could safely walk to and from school. This promise led to the formation of the student-led group known as SOAR IE, which created a diverse coalition known as the Sidewalks for Muscoy Coalition. This coalition consisted of community members working together to improve the sidewalks, crosswalks, and other infrastructure around the schools.

“The idea for this project came from high school students who used to walk to school in Muscoy. I honor their work, and I am so proud that they have worked with us to make it a reality. Our community deserves safer routes to school,” said Majority Leader Eloise Reyes.

“When walking the streets of my community, I’m afraid of what can happen, I’ve seen how kids struggle to walk on our streets, risking getting hurt because of a lack of sidewalks,” said former Vermont student Angela Loera.

“The County is proud to receive this grant and we are eager to get to work on these projects,” said San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “People deserve to feel safe when they walk through their neighborhoods. We are thankful to be part of a collaborative effort.”

The Sidewalks for Muscoy Coalition served as the initial wave of improvements for the Muscoy community. The coalition rallied their community as they built sample crosswalks, bus shelters, and curb extensions using funding from Southern California’s Association of Government’s (SCAG) Go Human Campaign.

This initial collaborative effort led by SOAR IE would in turn become the Muscoy Safe Area Routes To School Pedestrian Improvements Project, which sought out and received a commitment from the County Public Works to make streets safer for residents to walk and bike. By 2019 the coalition was hosting events such as the first “Walk to School Day” for National Clean Air Day to promote safe routes.

In 2020, the San Bernardino County Public Works Department submitted the Muscoy Area Safe Routes to School Pedestrian Improvement Project for funding consideration for 2021 under the state’s Active Transportation Program. The funding will allow the project to upgrade existing crosswalks to more visible ladder-style crosswalks; install pedestrian flashing beacons, signage, red curbs, and sidewalks.

“When I went to the Youth Empowerment Summit, the Assemblymember asked for legislative ideas. We suggested protection for our siblings who attend elementary school in Muscoy. Assemblymember Reyes believed in our idea, and now we are excited to see the idea become a reality,” said SOAR IE member Guadalupe Tellez.

After unsuccessfully applying for a similar project in Cycle 4 of the Active Transportation Project, the Department of Public Works improved the application this year by adding more safety improvements and agreeing to a collaboration with the Department of Public Health and local CBO Mental Health Systems to provide educational and encouragement programming.

The Safe Routes Partnership assisted the applicants with the application process, which is well known for its difficulty. The Active Transportation Program is heavily oversubscribed, with fewer than 11% of applications funded in most cycles.  “Let Muscoy’s victory serve as a reminder of the urgent need to prioritize funding in environmental justice communities and rural communities of color across the Inland Empire and the state,” said Demi Espinoza from the Safe Routes Partnership. Jonathan Matz, also from the Safe Routes Partnership, added: “We’re incredibly proud of the agencies, NGOs, and most importantly community members who worked so hard to make this application stand out among the hundreds that were submitted. It’s a testimony to the need for safe walking infrastructure in Muscoy, and the community’s unity behind achieving it.”

Ultimately, the Muscoy Area Safe Routes to School Pedestrian Improvements Project represents what can be achieved through collaboration.

“If we want to improve the quality of life in a particular community, we cannot pretend to know what’s best.  The only way to do it is to bring the community together and ask “What do you need? How can we help?” And only then can we work together toward a goal of making life easier and better for the community. In this case, it was the students and then the parents who voiced the dream for Muscoy. And they helped make it come true.” .said Majority Leader Eloise Reyes.

“Margaret Mead once said, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’ This quote defines Muscoy, a community of leaders that refuses to give up, engaged in collaborative dialogue to create a vision of a better future that includes safer conditions for youth en route to school. A job well done,” said Mirza Martinez, Mental Health System prevention specialist.

Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes represents Assembly District 47, which includes the cities of Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, San Bernardino, and the unincorporated areas of Muscoy and Bloomington.

California’s Largest Public Health Care Purchasers Unite to Address Gaps in Childhood Immunizations and Colorectal Cancer Screenings Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and CalPERS are taking the lead in addressing gaps in preventive care created by COVID-19 and will pay specific attention to racial and ethnic disparities that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Covered California, DHCS — which operates the state’s Medi-Cal program — and CalPERS announced complementary efforts to ensure that everyone covered by the programs gets vaccines to prevent COVID-19 as they become available while addressing preventive care gaps caused by patients not getting needed services.

“As we focus on the immediate health and economic impacts of COVID-19, we must be proactive to address downstream effects the pandemic can have on the health of Californians and our communities,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “Taking action now, on childhood immunizations and colorectal cancer screenings, is an investment in future good health, and these policies are intended to help avoid a surge of bad health outcomes in the future.”

Covered California will require its 11 health insurance companies to reach pre-pandemic levels of childhood immunizations and colorectal cancer screenings by the end of 2021 and to exceed those numbers by the end of 2022.

Dr. Alice Hm Chen, Covered California’s chief medical officer, said the motivation to act was data showing that COVID-19 has led to a sharp drop-off in primary and preventive care. At the same time, the pandemic has had a strikingly disproportionate impact on people of color. 

“Coverage is a means to getting better care and ideally better outcomes,” Dr. Chen said. “We wanted not only our health plans, but all health plans and providers in the state, to address the impact of COVID-19 on preventive care. Our hope is that by working collectively, we can make up critical ground that was lost over the past year.”

Data from California’s Department of Public Health shows that vaccination rates in the state have fallen. As of November 2020, 12 percent fewer children had received their first dose of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine compared to the year before, and 20 percent fewer adolescents received their Tdap (tetanus) shot. Dr. Chen said Covered California and its fellow public purchasers, DHCS and CalPERS, felt a sense of shared urgency to act.

“DHCS shares this focus on equity and childhood wellness, and we are finalizing a roadmap to reduce health inequities in Medi-Cal with measures to recognize health disparities among beneficiaries,” said DHCS Director Will Lightbourne. “Early in the pandemic, we identified growing gaps in well-child visits and immunizations. We are committed to closing those gaps and others, in part through our ongoing requirement that Medi-Cal managed care plans conduct performance-improvement efforts on youth preventive health care.”

“As the largest purchaser of public employee benefits in California, CalPERS is committed to providing high-quality, equitable care to our members. Our data shows that the use of preventive care, including cancer screenings and immunizations, has declined during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Don Moulds, CalPERS chief health director. “Together, with Covered California and DHCS, we are taking action to close gaps in care created by the pandemic, and are working with our health plans to ensure our members have access to much needed chronic care and preventive care services.”

Dr. Chen said colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death and a source of significant racial and ethnic disparities. Data from the Epic Health Research Network found that at the onset of the pandemic, colorectal cancer screenings had declined by nearly two-thirds compared to the historical average. Dr. Chen said those trends need to be reversed immediately.

“As a cancer that is amenable to prevention rather than just early detection, it’s critical we get people between the ages of 50 and 75 screened, and it’s a process that can be started without an in-person visit,” Dr. Chen said. “Treatment for colorectal cancer in its earliest stage can lead to a 90 percent survival rate after five years.”

Lee said these provisions chart a path for future collaboration for a bolder shared agenda in support of quality, equity and delivery system transformation.

“Covered California is proud to be joining with both other major purchasers and the health plans. We put a spotlight on core issues of health care equity and quality that matters, and they stepped up for the communities they serve,” Lee said. 

American Rescue Plan Special-Enrollment Period

The announcement comes during Covered California’s special-enrollment period in support of the American Rescue Plan. The new and expanded financial help that is now available will allow the uninsured to sign up for coverage at dramatically lower premiums, with many being eligible for high-quality plans that cost as little as $1 per month. Californians who are insured directly through a health insurance carrier can also switch to Covered California, often with the same carrier and coverage level, and save hundreds of dollars a month.

Californians are encouraged to check their health care options, even if they have checked in recent months or years, to see how affordable coverage can be. On CoveredCA.com, consumers can easily see exactly how they can benefit from the new law. Consumers just need to enter their ZIP code, household income and the ages of people in their household to see their monthly cost and the health insurance options in their area.

Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can also:

  • Visit www.CoveredCA.com.
  • Find local insurance agents or individuals in Navigator organizations who provide free and confidential assistance over the phone or in person, in a variety of languages.
  • Get a call from certified enroller. Covered California will have someone reach out to the consumer to help them for free.
  • Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.

About Covered California

Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies.

Covered California is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program.

Covered California is an independent part of the state government whose job is to make the health insurance marketplace work for California’s consumers. It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the governor and the Legislature. For more information about Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA.com.

About the Department of Health Care Services

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is the backbone of California’s health care safety net. It provides access to affordable, integrated, high-quality health care, including medical, dental, mental health, substance use treatment services and long-term care. DHCS funds health care services for about 13 million Medi-Cal beneficiaries and is the largest health care purchaser in California. It collaborates with the federal government and other state agencies, counties, and partners to invest more than $100 billion for the care of low-income families, children, pregnant women, seniors, and persons with disabilities. For more information about DHCS, please visit www.dhcs.ca.gov.

About CalPERS

For more than eight decades, CalPERS has built retirement and health security for state, school, and public agency members who invest their life work in public service. Its pension fund serves more than 2 million members in the CalPERS retirement system and administers benefits for more than 1.5 million members and their families through its health program. It is the largest defined-benefit public pension in the U.S. CalPERS’ total fund market value currently stands at approximately $446 billion. For more information, visit www.calpers.ca.gov.

Bruce’s Beach Is Just One Example of How Blacks Illegally Lost Land in California

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The disturbing story of Los Angeles County’s Bruce’s Beach Park — location of the first West Coast seaside resort for Black beachgoers and a residential enclave for a few African American families – has been making headlines around the country.

One hundred years ago, Manhattan Beach city officials seized the Bruce’s beachfront property from an African American couple, Charles and Willa Bruce, citing an “urgent need” to build a city park. But the area was not developed for recreational use after it was forcefully taken from the Black owners.

In addition to the Bruce’s land, the city grabbed about two dozen other properties from African American families along the city’s Pacific shore using eminent domain laws.

“This was a strategy and a tactic used everywhere – here in California. That’s why we get so much resistance when we fight it,” said Sacramento resident Jonathan Burgess, referring to Bruce’s beach and other properties he said were forcefully and illegally taken away from Black Californians in the past. Burgess’s family is engaged in a fight of their own to reclaim property in Northern California’s Gold Country that he says authorities stole from his ancestors.

Gold country is a mineral-rich area along the foothills of the Sierra Nevada that was a popular destination during California’s 19th century Gold Rush.

“The timing couldn’t be better because of what’s happening in Manhattan Beach. First, you have to reconcile the wrongs before you talk about reparations. That’s how you repair everything that happened afterward. You have to ask and wonder why there’s not massive wealth passed down from California’s early African American pioneers,” Burgess continued.

Like Burgess, descendants of other Californians whose ancestors’ properties were unlawfully seized or stolen, are beginning to speak up. They are demanding restitution for their losses. With the backing of some lawmakers, advocates and historians, these incidents involving direct land theft, intimidation, coercion, and more, will likely become cases to investigate as California begins to wrestle with its history of slavery and discrimination and how those forces have impacted African Americans throughout the history of the state – and still contribute to racial inequity today.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 3121 into law. Former Assemblymember and current California Secretary of State Shirley Weber authored the landmark law which mandates the creation of a committee to study Californians involvement in slavery and discrimination and make recommendations for how African Americans can be compensated for injustices sanctioned or committed by government.

On April 9, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn announced that the county will return a plot of Manhattan Beach land to the family of the Black couple who purchased Bruce’s Beach in 1912 for $1,225.

But last week the City Council of Manhattan Beach, a mostly-White city in southern Los Angeles County, voted to issue a statement of acknowledgement and condemnation,” stopping short of voting to apologize to the Bruce’s descendants.

There is also support in the California Legislature. Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) has announced new legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 796. It would exempt the Bruce’s Beach property from state zoning and development restrictions and enable the county to return the site to its rightful owners. The legislation is co-authored by Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) and Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance).

After the Bruces bought the ocean-view parcel of land, which was considered a remote area at the time, they began operating Bruce’s Lodge and managed to construct a boarding space, an entertainment facility, café, and tents for changing clothing along with bathing suits for rent. Attracting African American beachgoers, the business incensed White neighbors who began buying property around the beach or posting No Trespassing signs near the front entrance of the beach, forcing guests to walk nearly two miles to get to and from the resort. There was also an arson attack on the resort reportedly committed by local members of Ku Klux Klan.

In Tulare County, the historic African American farming town of Allensworth suffered a similar fate to Bruce’s Beach. It was the first municipality in California to be founded, financed and governed by Blacks with its own schools, library, church, hotels and businesses.

Founded by Allen Allensworth, a man who born into slavery in Louisville, Kentucky in 1842, and later became a Colonel in the U.S. Army and the highest-ranking Black officer when he retired in 1906, the town had as many as 300 residents during its peak in the 1920s. But by 1925, a company called the Pacific Farming Company that was responsible for supplying irrigation water to the town, did not.

The lack of water affected the townspeople livelihood and the farmers’ productivity in the Central California town, and a lengthy and expensive legal dispute ensued between Allensworth and the company, which depleted all of the town’s resources. The residents and nearby farmers soon abandoned their land and slowly left the area in search of employment elsewhere.

Then, there’s the city of Folsom, 20 miles east of Sacramento. Parts of that city sits on land purchased by Joseph Libbey Folsom from the estate of William Leidesdorff, a wealthy African American merchant from San Francisco.

Leidesdorff obtained and owned the property from a Mexican land grant called “Rancho Rio de Los Americanos,” which was initially the city’s name before it was changed to Folsom. When Leidesdorff, 38, passed away in 1848 of Typhoid fever, his estate was passed on to his mother Anna Marie Sparks, and relatives who were living on the Island of St. Croix, according to the book, “William Alexander Leidesdorff – First Black Millionaire, American Consul and California Pioneer.”

Folsom went to St. Croix to negotiate a price to purchase land located on the American River near the Sierra Nevada and close to a boom town where some Blacks became involved in gold

mining. On Nov. 3, 1849, The two parties settled that Leidesdorff’s family would receive $75,000 for the land. Sparks received the first installment of $5,000, but she refused the second amount of $35,000 when she learned that Folsom’s valuation of the land she owned was below the market rate. She filed a lawsuit against Folsom, but California law ruled in his favor.

By then, people in the area had already began calling a portion of the estate “Negro Bar,” an area on the American River where Black people were designated to live in tents and mining camps.

After the Black miners were forced to move, Folsom renamed the town Granite City. After his passing in 1855 at the age of 38, Granite City was renamed in Folsom’s honor. When Folsom took full control of Leidesdorff’s estate, the land’s value increased exponentially and made him a millionaire, according to Leidesdorff’s biography.

“Ms. Sparks was not well educated and could not read well,” said Shonna McDaniel, who operates the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum in Sacramento. “I believe he took an advantage of her, manipulating her into believing the land was worthless. It was just another way to take something of value in California.”

Both Allensworth and Negro Bar are California State Parks now.

Back in Los Angeles County, Hahn describes the arc of the Bruces’ story – from business savvy entrepreneurs for their time and resources to their sad fate — as an “American Dream that turned into a nightmare.”

The parcel the Bruce’s bought was dormant for almost 30 years before it was opened as a park in the 1960s. It was renamed Bruce’s Beach in 2007.

“This land was taken from the Bruce family because they were Black and, before it was stolen, was one of the precious few beaches Black families could enjoy,” Hahn said. “When I realized that the county now had ownership of the Bruce family’s original property, I felt there was nothing else to do but to give it back to its rightful owners.

Bruce’s Beach Park is currently housing L.A. County’s lifeguard training facility.

Last week, Bradford, who is chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus and an appointee to the state’s still-forming reparations task force, held a press conference to share details about SB 796.

“There comes a time when someone must take a position that is neither safe, nor political, nor proper,” said Bradford, quoting Martin Luther King, Jr. “He must take it because his conscience tells him it’s the right thing to do.”

He said the bill “would finally allow Bruce’s Beach to be returned to its rightful owners.”

L.A. County Board of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, L.A. County Fire Department Chief Daryl Osby, former Manhattan Beach Mayor Mitch Ward, Justice for Bruce’s Beach Founder Kavon

Ward, and Bruce family representative Duane Shephard, all attended the news conference, along with Bradford, Hahn and Muratsuchi.

“We’re not looking for an apology. We want our property back. We want restitution for the loss of revenue for 96 years from the generational wealth that would have been built up,” Shepherd said on MSNBC two days after the news conference. “We want punitive damages from the city of Manhattan Beach City Council and the police department at that time for colluding with the Ku Klux Klan to railroad our people out of there.”

Time for Change Foundation 19th Annual Virtual GALA Yields Huge Success

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Time for Change Foundation (TFCF) celebrated its 19th Annual Awards Gala on April 9, 2021 by recognizing the resilience of the homeless women and children they serve and honoring outstanding community champions throughout the state of California.

The event, hosted by author, philanthropist and co-host of The Real Loni Love, highlighted the empowerment of all women. This year’s theme, “She is…” lifted up the beauty that resides in each woman, regardless of their past circumstances.

The challenges of the past year have shown the need for all of us to work in collaboration, and support members of our community. The “She is..” gala applauded the work of the many champions who make daily contributions to our society commended these heroes for their work.

In light of the amazing accomplishments throughout their 19-year history, Time for Change Foundation has continued to live out their mission in ending homelessness for women and their children. What started with humble beginnings as a 6-bed shelter has grown into a vital part of our community, an organization positively impacting the lives of over 1,700 women in helping them reach self-sufficiency and reuniting 303 children from foster care with their moms. TFCF’s expansion throughout the Bay Area with their Brighter Futures shelter is extending greater support for women who are seeking to reunify with their children.

“The work being done by Time for Change quite literally changes lives every day. And what’s so special about Time for Change is that when they take someone on, they invest in the person for the long term — making sure that they have both the skills and the resources to be self-sufficient,” said host Loni Love.

The “She is…” gala also highlighted women’s successes in transitioning to self-sufficiency even in the midst of a global pandemic and an inspiring, narrated painting of one of their client’s journeys by artists Russell Craig and Mahogany L. Browne.

This year’s honorees included California Wellness Foundation with the Visionary Leadership Award, Clay Counseling Solutions with the Mental Health Champion Award, Dr. Guillermo Valenzuela with the Community Health Champion Award, California Criminal Justice Funders Group with the Courageous Philanthropy Award, Erin Brinker with the Community Champion Award, Jan Robinson Flint & Nourbese Flint with the Dynamic Duo Award, and Linda Hart with the Ramos Family Spirit of Compassion Award. The inaugural Nancy Varner Angel Award was presented to Nancy Negrette in honor of Nancy Varner’s legacy in the Inland Region.

To watch a replay of this event please visit our website www.TimeForChangeFoundation.org, or their YouTube Channel.

County Pauses Use of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

San Bernardino County this morning temporarily paused distribution and use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with recommendations made by state and federal health agencies.

The pause was issued in response to six reported cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. None of the six cases were in California. More than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine have been administered in the U.S.

“The county has no higher priority than the health and safety of our residents,” said Dr. Michael A. Sequeira, San Bernardino County Health Officer. “Although this condition is extremely rare among Johnson & Johnson recipients – much more rare than serious blood clots among those who contract COVID-19 – this pause is prudent pending further federal review.”

“The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines remain widely available in our county and have proven to be safe and effective,” Sequeira said. “The public should remain confident in the nation’s COVID-19 vaccination effort.”

Anyone who has received the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine and who develops a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath should contact their health care provider, Sequeira said.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine accounts for 48,600, or 6.6%, of the 738,225 vaccine doses received in San Bernardino County. Pfizer accounts for 49.5% and Moderna 43.9%.

County-run vaccination clinics have primarily used the Pfizer vaccine. County-operated special vaccination events that had been scheduled to utilize the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine have been switched to Pfizer. Second-dose appointments will be made when first doses are administered. Those who have appointments for those events are being notified. There are no plans to cancel events at this time.

The county has 8,500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine on hand. Those doses will be kept in storage pending further direction from the state and federal governments.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food & Drug Administration recommended a pause the use of the Janssen vaccine today until a review by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices convenes on Wednesday to review the six blood-clot cases.

Additional information is available on a fact sheet published by the county at http://www.sbcounty.gov/Uploads/CAO/Feature/Content/Vaccine_Update_4-13-21_FINAL.pdf.

Music Changing Lives to Celebrate 23rd Anniversary of Empowering Youth Through the Arts, with Milkweed Planting Event in a New Urban Plant & Butterfly Garden

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- On Sunday, April 18, the entire community is invited to join Music Changing Lives in a historic 23-year anniversary celebration and milkweed planting event. The celebration will take place from 9 am to 1 pm and will be held at the Music Changing Lives Resource Center, located at 301 W. 40th St, San Bernardino, CA 92407.

Attendees will have an opportunity to engage in live music performances, unique art activities, award presentations plus plant their very own milkweed in the new Music Changing Lives (MCL) urban plant and butterfly garden. The milkweeds will be the first addition to the urban garden which are known for attracting Monarch butterflies.

Several community partners will be joining in on the fun and hosting activity and resource

booths including Dae Gardens, Catalyst Cares, Arrowhead United Way, Centro Del Inmigrante,

Stronger Together Now, San Bernardino NAACP, Garcia Center for the Arts, JessBeU, Sistas

Making A Difference, NSG, Vizard Marketing & PR, Survive Inc, and Vonzelle Creates with more to be announced.

Music Changing Lives has been a staple in the Inland Empire for 23 years, providing children and youth with music, art, dance, financial literacy, tutoring, civic engagement and much more. In addition to their remarkable art programs, MCL now distributes 30,000 lbs. of fresh produce each week at their newly established Resource Center in San Bernardino as a direct response to community needs related to COVID-19.

This event is free to public and all attendees will be required to practice social distancing and mask wearing. If you would like to join this remarkable celebration you can register for the event by visiting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/join-us-to-celebrate-23-years-of-excellence-tickets-148729438755 or for more information call 951-992-0721.

ICLS Hosts Panel Discussion on Child Custody and Visitation Rights in California on April 21

Empire News Network

Join ICLS’ panel of distinguished speakers featuring attorney and author, Shauna Albright-Austin as they discuss helpful information about child custody and visitation, restraining orders, and how to maneuver in family law court. The panel will he held via Zoom on Wednesday, April 21 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There will also be a Book Giveaway.

ICLS is a non-profit 501c(3) corporation serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and receives federal, state, and local county funding. Funders are the Legal Services Corporation, State Bar of California Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, State Bar of California Equal Access Fund, San Bernardino County Department of Aging and AdultServices, Riverside County Office on Aging and Department of Housing & Urban Development.

SBCUSD Names Harry “Doc” Ervin as Superintendent

Empire News Network

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Harry “Doc” Ervin as Superintendent during today’s Board of Education meeting. Ervin will assume the leadership post on July 1, officially filling the seat vacated by Dr. Dale Marsden.

Ervin joins SBCUSD from Bakersfield City School District, where he has served as superintendent since 2016. He was selected during a nationwide search that resulted in more than 20 highly qualified applicants.

“The Board of Education listened closely to our SBCUSD community about the qualities we should look for in a new superintendent, and Doc Ervin stood out for his passionate commitment to equity and excellence,” said Board President Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers. “We are confident we have found a transformational leader as his experience at all levels of the educational system will help us effectively navigate the opportunities and challenges that come as we recover and grow from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Ervin, who is fluent in English and Spanish, has dedicated his career to bringing equity and access to economically disadvantaged students from culturally diverse backgrounds, setting high expectations for their success. He brings more than 25 years of experience in education as a classroom teacher, school principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent in districts across the state, serving areas that include Kern County, Monterey County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County. 

“I am pleased to accept the position of Superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District, and I look forward to ensuring every SBCUSD student has the support they need to be successful,” said Ervin, who was present for the Board of Education’s virtual meeting. “SBCUSD has a lot of great programs in place for students, and I look forward to taking what they have to the next level.”

The SBCUSD Board of Education selected Ervin through a locally driven process where the public was offered multiple opportunities for input. Preparation began a year ago with community listening sessions and surveys to capture stakeholder thoughts about the qualities most important for the new district leader. Among these desired characteristics was a successful track record working in a socioeconomically diverse, multicultural community with similar demographics to San Bernardino. Recruitment was disrupted by COVID-19 and resumed in January of this year where community members were again invited to participate by submitting questions for the Board to consider in their interview process.

Ervin is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and Master of Science in Education Administration from Alliant International University and his Administrative Credential from California State University, Fullerton. He is married with three sons and one daughter.

The SBCUSD Board of Education will formally approve Ervin’s contract at its April 6 meeting. Between now and July 1, Ervin will work with now Interim Superintendent Dr. Harold Vollkommer to ensure a smooth transition.