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Congratulations to the 59 deputies, first responders and community members who were honored during last week’s Sheriff’s Exceptional Service Awards Ceremony!

Throughout the past year, these individuals displayed extraordinary acts of bravery. Stories included saving families from burning buildings, public outreach to help those in need, and the incredible efforts to save local Sheriff’s Deputies Dustin Whitson and Carlos Velasco.

Thanks to all the awardees for your willingness to help others in a time of need. You are all heroes!

YUCAIPA, CA — When Maria Cristina Valencia tried to convince her son Alder to stay in school, she never anticipated the question he would then ask her:

How could she insist he continued his studies when she did not have a high school diploma herself?

That moment in 2014 sparked the beginning of Valencia’s return to school. The now 50-year-old realized her son was right.

“So, I enrolled at (Yucaipa) Adult School and got my high school diploma,” explained the Yucaipa resident.

But she was not done yet. With encouragement from her family and the Yucaipa Adult School (YAS), Maria enrolled in her first class at Crafton Hills College (CHC) in the summer of 2019 to continue her studies.

In May 2022, Valencia graduated from CHC with an Associate in Arts in Spanish. Alder graduated alongside his mother in May with his Associate in Arts in Business Administration. Together, they will attend California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB). Valencia said she plans on pursuing a bachelor’s in early childhood development. She said her primary motivation continues to be her children.

“It was a family goal,” she continued. “(Alder) was the one who inspired me. He was the one who kicked my butt.”

Valencia migrated to the United States after leaving El Salvador during its civil war. She worked while raising her two sons, who are now in their 20s, and added school to her already busy schedule to prove that she could do it.

“Maria was one of my hardest working students,” said Marcia Stewart, a YAS teacher. “She completed her schoolwork every week, even as she was working two to three jobs, and has always inspired me and other students with her great work ethic.”

“Maria is the embodiment of perseverance and determination,” Stewart continued. “She is an incredible woman, and I am so honored I got to witness part of her journey.”

Her children also took notice.

Valencia said she knows she still has plenty of work ahead, but she is ready to face her challenges head-on.

“Before starting (my public speaking class), I was in a bit of a panic that I couldn’t speak in front of someone because of my English,” she explained. “But everybody, every single person encouraged me not to be afraid and to not be afraid of my accent.”

Valencia’s most significant piece of advice for students following in her footsteps: persist.

“Never give up, because right now, there’s a lot of help out there. But if you don’t ask, you will never get that help,” she said. “I never thought I could graduate from Crafton, but otherwise, I would just be sitting down doing nothing.”

Each year, Crafton and YAS partner to help students pursue higher education. Last semester, Roadrunner officials worked closely with 22 YAS adult learners by providing them with the necessary resources to make their educational goals a reality. Eight YAS learners are currently enrolled in either Crafton’s summer or fall semester credit courses, while two YAS students are participating in the site’s Adult Summer Bridge Program.

To learn more about the program or Crafton Hills College, go to craftonhills.edu.

To access a PDF of the press release, and to download Maria Cristina Valencia’s photo, click here.

By Cynthia Ellis

Basketball and civil rights legend Bill Russell has passed at 88 years old. He redefined how basketball is played and changed how sports are viewed in a racially divided country.

William Shelton Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana, where his father, Charles, worked in a paper bag factory.

His childhood and seared by racism. His mother, Katie, was nearly arrested and threatened by a police officer because her stylish white outfit “looked like something a white woman would wear.”
As a young boy, he witnessed his father growing weary of the Jim Crow-era laws that allowed White people to be served first at a gas station. When his father tried to leave to find another gas station, the owner put a shotgun to his face and told him to wait his turn.

When Bill was nine years old, the family moved to Oakland, CA, and his mother died when he was twelve. His father opened a trucking business and then worked in a foundry to raise Bill and his brother, Charles Jr.

Later in life, the man, the athlete, stood tall. He was dangerous. He was “woke,” daring anyone to challenge his consciousness, his boots-on-the-ground stripes, or his authenticity.

Russell will always be remembered as one of the most impactful athletes in American history. His accolades include:

• 2X NCAA Champ
• 11X NBA Champ (2 as coach) of the Boston Celtics
• Olympic gold medalist
• The 1st Black head coach of any North American pro sports team
• *Received Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011

From All American to the NBA…

At McClymonds High School in Oakland, Russell became a senior starter on the basketball team, already emphasizing defense and rebounding.

A former University of San Francisco basketball player, Hal DeJulio, who scouted for his alma mater, recognized his potential and recommended him to coach Phil Woolpert. Russell was given a scholarship and became an All-American, leading San Francisco to NCAA championships in his last two seasons. He was the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955 and the U.P.I. Player of the Year in 1956.

“No one had ever played basketball the way I played it, or as well,” Russell told Sport magazine in 1963, recalling his college career. “They had never seen anyone block shots before. So now I’ll be conceited: I like to think I originated a whole new style of play.”

During the 1956 N.B.A. draft, the Harlem Globetrotters were reportedly willing to offer Russell a lucrative deal. However, he refused to sign with them and found the prospect of yearlong worldwide traveling unappealing.

“Their specialty is clowning, and I had no intention of being billed as the funny guy in a basketball uniform,” Russell was quoted to say.

Russell led the United States Olympic Team to a gold medal in the 1956 Melbourne Games and joined the Boston Celtics. Playing in 48 games as a rookie, he averaged 19.6 points and helped the team win its first N.B.A. title, defeating the St. Louis Hawks in the finals.

Player and Protester…

Bill Russell playing with the Boston Celtics and at the Cleveland Summit in 1967 with Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown

Russell joined the Boston Celtics in 1956, just two years after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision declared the unconstitutional notion of “separate but equal” schooling. As one of the few Black players on the Celtics, Russell experienced a unique kind of trauma.

He endured the “city-hall-crony-racist, brick throwing racist, and send them back to Africa racist.But as he became one of the country’s most visible athletes in the civil rights realm, he charged the predominately White NBA in the late 1950s with purposely excluding Black players. In 1961, after two black Boston Celtics players were denied service at a Lexington, Kentucky, coffee shop before a preseason exposition game, Russell led a boycott in which he and other Black players refused to play in the state. In 1964, he led a faction of players at the All-Star Game who threatened not to play unless NBA owners formally recognized the players union and granted them a pension plan.

On court, Russell was subjected to racist taunts and slurs. During games, people yelled hateful, indecent things: “Go back to Africa,” “Baboon,” “Coon,” and “Nigger.” In the town of Reading outside Boston, where he resided, Russell and his family endured threats, break-ins, and vandalism.

But Russell was present time and time again at key moments of the Civil Rights Movement. He was at the March on Washington in 1963 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. He visited Mississippi following the assassination of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. He also supported Muhammad Ali when he refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War.

The NBA’s First African American Head Coach…

Russell broke ground in 1966 when he became the NBA’s first Black head coach, all while still jumping center for Boston. He helped the Celtics become one of the most successful franchises in the league.

The team’s successes eventually helped win over the Boston fans, but the relationship was beyond repair. Russell said he “played for the Celtics” but “not the city of Boston,” according to his daughter Karen, who movingly wrote about the family’s encounters with racism in an essay for the New York Times.

Medal of Freedom…

In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Russell the Medal of Freedom Award alongside Congressman John Lewis, billionaire investor Warren Buffett, then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and baseball great Stan Musial.

At the ceremony, Obama said: “Bill Russell, the man, is someone who stood up for the rights and dignity of all men. He marched with King and stood by Ali. he endured insults and vandalism but kept focusing on making the teammates he loved better players and made possible the success of so many who would follow.”

Celebrating Bill Russell’s Legacy…

Bill Russell was my hero and role model, not because of the 11 out of 13 years as an NBA champion. It was because of what he stood for in fighting for justice, equality, and civil rights. Bill Russell paved the way for me and others in making a difference in my life. I followed his journey; he was born in Louisiana, attended McClymonds High School in West Oakland, CA, and attended the University of San Francisco. Boston Celtics, you will be missed but not forgotten. Rest in Heaven — Sonny Parker (former NBA player, Golden State Warriors)

William Felton Russell, nicknamed Bill, was the first basketball player I watched play this great game in 1965. I was around 9 or 10 years old, and his speed and determination made me want to stop playing baseball outdoors every day and made us want to trade my baseball mitt in for a basketball. Bill, with his goatee, reminded me of the older intelligent brothers from my southside neighborhood.

Bill Russell was a winner in high school, college, and the pros. He was a team player, and it showed on and off the court. He marched in the civil rights movement and Dr. King.

I met Bill Russell at St. Sabina’s Church during the 1988 NBA All-Star weekend in Chicago. When I shook his hand, I told him how he had impacted me to play high school and college basketball and the goal of achieving my college degree. Bill laughed, he hugged me and gave me an autograph. I felt as though I had met “Mr. Black History” himself. – Alan Hunt (former player, SIU Edwardsville)

Bill Russell was a legendary player and coach, an even better person. He approached everything he did with determination, principle, and wisdom. I will always be grateful for the chance to call him my friend. – President Bill Clinton

Bill Russell, the icon, the idol, the champion. As a young black child growing up in Chicago in the 60s and playing sports, Bill Russell was always one of my idols because he constantly displayed a winning attitude. Although he spent his basketball career in Boston (one of the most prejudiced and racist cities in America at the time), his attitude and professionalism for being a constant champion never wavered as he led the franchise to 11 NBA championships in 13 years. I was amazed by his accomplishments, and it showed young black kids like me that success in basketball was possible and any limitations you faced were only the ones you put on yourself. Bill’s persona showed us that no matter what he faced, just be who you are and be the best at what you do, and you can make a difference in society using your sports platform.

Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins, and other individuals like them were my idols. They were men that I wanted to be like. They stood up for what they believed in. They were helping change the world and not just basketball, regardless of the consequences they faced.

I have memories of Bill Russell sitting next to Muhammad Ali at the Cleveland Summit which also included Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (formerly Lew Alcindor), and many other iconic sports figures from the black community who were standing with Ali against the war in Vietnam.

It wasn’t until 2003 that I met this man I revered as one of my idols while coaching at Marquette University. Our head coach, Tom Crean, had Bill Russell come on campus to address our players and coaching staff. He spent the day with us talking about his life experiences on and off the court. He shared with us how to use our sports platform to make a difference in life. I listened diligently as he spoke, and after he was done, it was clear to me the importance of helping our next generation of young people by sharing my life stories with them. This was a very memorable time in my life. It was clear that he had made an impact on me, and I knew it.

Bill Russell was truly an icon, he was a champion, he was my idol, who stood for more than just basketball. He was truly an amazing individual. – Bo Ellis (former Marquette Warriors Championship, former NBA Denver Nuggets)

Trailblazer. Icon. Greatest Champ in basketball. Made the world on and off the court a better place. Thank you, and rest easy! – Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

The image, the voice, the dignity, the leadership, the values, the integrity, the intestinal fortitude, the credibility, and the winner. These are just a few characteristics that describe Bill Russell to me. As I absorbed this Black man on TV, he gave me a sense of pride. It created an insatiable desire to know more about him and where he came from. This was about the same time I was learning and falling in love with the game of basketball. My seventh-grade basketball coach loved the Boston Celtics and Bill Russell in particular. He told us the Boston Celtics won because their best player didn’t care who scored the most points, only that they played as a team.

I became even more curious about him when I learned that his life was marred by racism and bigotry and was the impetus for him taking a stance and not becoming an idle victim. His mom and dad were forced to move to the projects after facing this nefarious behavior. In college, he and his teammates were denied hotel rooms because of the color of their skin in North Carolina and Kentucky. His disdain for White people was expressed on several occasions when he said, “I dislike most White people because they are people, I like most Black people because I’m Black. This was after his house in Massachusetts was burglarized, with epithets written on the walls and feces placed in his bed.

Bill Russell was an unbelievable winner, with two high school championships, a collegiate Championship, an Olympic Gold Medal winner, and 11 NBA Championships in 13 years, two as the Head Coach. In my opinion, he’s the greatest winner of all time, period. With all that winning, he was a better man and an advocate for his Black people, i.e., Cleveland Summit, Black Power Movement, and Black Causes. Bill, you will be missed on every level. – Dr. Lloyd Walton (former NBA player Milwaukee Bucks)

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen, IV

A surveillance video depicting the July 16th shooting of 23-year-old Robert Adams, shows a plain looking dark colored auto driving onto a parking lot… Simultaneously a man with something in his hand begins walking towards the car but suddenly turns and quickly takes off running away towards some cars parked near a wall… As he is running away, two men exit the car, one starts shooting… The man running falls to the ground.

I am told by authorities that the men in the dark colored auto were police investigating an illegal gambling site and that the man shot was working as illegal security for the illicit operation… And that he was running to a place of shelter from where he could shoot at the police… So the officer felt threatened and began firing… Robert Adams died with multiple bullet wounds in the back.

Police say the object in Robert’s hand was a gun… Robert’s mother says that she was on the phone with Robert when he was shot… She says that she heard the gunshots that took her son’s life! Was the object in his hand a gun or a phone?

The video, as I see it, does not look like a police operation… The car the police are in does not appear to be a police car nor do the men in the car look like police! The only thing that identifies this as a police operation is the police explanation of what my eyes see! My eyes, without the police voice-over description, see two men jumping from an auto and after two or three steps, one immediately starts shooting at a fleeing man!

I was enticed to be influenced by negative statements about Robert’s past. Enticed to believe that he was a ‘bad dude’ that deserved to be shot. My logic injects, if Robert was all that they say he was, why did they not arrest him sooner… Why wait for fate to put Robert on the table… Wait for fate to bring this ‘bad dude’ to them during a police operation that the police say was based on investigating illegal gambling? That means that the police did not go to that site with Robert Adams as their subject of attention! If Robert was not their reason for being there, it appears that the description of Robert as a ‘bad dude’ is a convenient after-thought to justify the killing!

The video content does not look like a police operation… It looks more like a low budget film depicting a gangland hit job!

Does police policy identify everyone that has a gun in their possession as someone police officers can shoot with indemnity? There are many people who have the right to carry a gun! How does the police policy deal with that? If officers have clearance to shoot because they feel threatened by someone that appears to have a gun, how does the public deal with that? Is it policy to shoot people because they run from people with guns who don’t look like police? If police are threatened enough by people with guns to shoot them, surely, we can understand why people are threatened enough by people with guns to run from them!

If the San Bernardino Police Department policy allows for officers to wear unofficial looking uniforms and drive plain looking autos to go out to investigate, but, end up shooting first and figuring out why later, the City is going to both, go broke from being sued and go to hell for being the devil!

Robert Adams was a Black Man, loved by his family and respected by his friends… And, even the police who ended his life, point out that he had a job!

By Voice Media Ventures/Black Voice News Staff

This week the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships named Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds, founder of Voice Media Ventures, publisher of Black Voice News in Riverside, CA, and a leader in community news media, as a 2022-23 JSK Senior Journalism Fellow.

Brown-Hinds will spend her senior fellowship at Stanford exploring ways to empower smaller newsrooms serving diverse communities in California to use solutions-focused data reporting through training, highlighting resources for journalism and seeking strategies to sustain those efforts.

“With such innovative programs and initiatives at Stanford, like Big Local News, The Starling Lab, and digital repositories at the Stanford Libraries, being on campus presents a unique opportunity to tap resources in data reporting for smaller independently-led news organizations — especially those serving diverse communities. I am excited by the possibility of connecting interested news organizations in California with these resources and opportunities.” said Dr. Brown-Hinds.

Will join 13 other veteran and emerging journalism leaders
Brown-Hinds will be joining 13 John S. Knight Journalism Fellows previously announced for the Class of 2022-2023. It is the first cohort to return to a residential fellowship program on the Stanford University campus since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. JSK fellows for 2022-2023 are veteran and emerging journalism leaders who will work on practical solutions to address the industry’s long-standing neglect of underserved communities. The international JSK Fellows for 2022-2023 are accomplished journalists from five countries who will pursue a range of innovative ideas that seek to champion press freedom in a world where journalists and independent media are increasingly under attack.

The fellowship runs from Sept. 6, 2022, to June 2, 2023. The fellows will document their work publicly throughout the year, highlighting key strategies and lessons learned.

Brown-Hinds was a 2022 JSK Community Impact Fellow, a remote fellowship program for U.S. journalists working to address news and information gaps in their local underserved and underrepresented communities. During the past two years, JSK supported 21 local journalism leaders with stipends, coaching and peer-to-peer learning via Zoom as they worked in their communities.

Building on previous work
In her senior fellowship, Brown-Hinds will build on work she began remotely as a JSK Community Impact Fellow. Her project included identifying data sources, resources, and datasets with the goal of making solutions-oriented data reporting on racial justice accessible to the Black press in California. During her impact fellowship, she learned the resources at Stanford were many, quite accessible and could enhance reporting, especially for news organizations serving communities of color, not just the Black press.

“There’s a real need for a connector between available resources – including data training opportunities and funding – and local news organizations who serve the information needs of diverse communities in California. Paulette has deep experience and is perfectly situated at the intersection of community journalism serving diverse communities, data innovation and philanthropy. We are thrilled that she’ll be doing this work at Stanford, and hope she might create templates that could be used by local news organizations across the country.” said Dawn Garcia, JSK director.

Second generation legacy publisher
As a second-generation publisher of Black Voice News, Brown-Hinds is transforming the 50-year-old weekly print outlet into a digital, solutions-oriented data journalism and justice-focused community news organization. She is leading the transformation to data reporting through two projects: Mapping Black California and DaHUB. Structured within a community mapping framework, Mapping Black California encourages community collaboration around data and information by bringing together community media, community based organizations, and educational institutions.

As past president of the California News Publishers Association and current board member of the California Press Foundation, she works to strengthen the state’s information ecosystem as an essential part of the civic and community infrastructure. In 2019 she co-founded Media in Color, a philanthropically funded initiative designed to assist legacy media outlets serving communities of color with digital transformation. She has also led an effort to create a guidebook for California-based community foundations, community media, and philanthropy to financially support local journalism.

Brown-Hinds has been awarded Google News Initiative Innovation Challenge funding, was a Knight Digital Media Fellow and a Salzburg Seminar in American Studies Fellow. She is a member of the American Press Institute, James Irvine Foundation, and Inland Empire Community Foundation boards of directors.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—Come and get enlightened at the Victor Valley Museum on Saturday, July 30 at 1 p.m. for an Artist Talk with Barbara Gothard who will speak about her visual interpretation, Contradictions – Bringing the Past Forward exhibit honoring the legacy of 23 African American homesteaders who settled in the far eastern Mojave Desert in 1910.

She will be joined with special guest, Mojave National Preserve archaeologist David Nichols, who will be onsite to provide insight on some of the objects discovered in the Mojave Desert occupied by the African American homesteaders.

The exhibit will continue to be on display through Aug. 10, 2022. Read more about it here.

LOS ANGELES, CA— The University of California Board of Regents today (July 20) appointed University of California, Los Angeles doctoral student Merhawi Tesfai to be the 2023-24 student regent.

Tesfai is the 49th student regent, a position established in 1975. He will serve as the student regent-designate for the coming year, able to participate in all deliberations, and will have voting privileges when his one-year term as a regent begins in July 2023.

Currently, Tesfai is a doctoral student in social welfare at UCLA, where he earned dual master’s degrees in social welfare and public policy. He also received his bachelor’s degree at UCLA in African American Studies, and his associate degree for transfer from Los Angeles City College.

Born in Eritrea, Tesfai immigrated to the U.S. as a child and is a first-generation, non-traditional transfer student. Tesfai has a background in counseling and uses his own experience to engage in outreach to assist community college students in navigating the transfer process. He also encourages students from underrepresented communities to apply to graduate school.

“UC offers incredible opportunities for learning, research and economic mobility to countless students from California and beyond. I am grateful for this opportunity to bring my experiences as a first-generation, non-traditional student to be one of two representatives of the student voice to the Board of Regents and advocate for our priorities and needs,” said Tesfai. “There is much work ahead for the University to provide critical academic resources and necessary support to ensure students have the tools for success. I cannot wait to get started in this important work.”

Panels appointed by the UC campus student body presidents and the UC Student Association and UC Graduate and Professional Council reviewed the applications for the student regent position and interviewed semifinalists. A special committee of the Regents interviewed the finalists and nominated Tesfai.

You may find more information about the Board of Regents’ policy on appointing a student regent here.

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

SACRAMENTO, CA — The office of California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Webber has qualified seven ballot initiatives for the November 8 statewide General Election. Seven is the lowest number of measures to appear on a statewide general election ballot since 2014.

One initiative is Senate Constitutional Amendment 10 (SCA 10). It is asking voters to safeguard a person’s right to reproductive freedom. To qualify for the November ballot, SCA 10 received the required 2/3 supermajority vote in each chamber of the Legislature.

The other six measures initiated by citizen groups are asking voters to decide on sports betting, funding K-12 art and music education, kidney dialysis clinic requirements, income tax to fund zero-emission vehicle projects, and a flavored tobacco products ban. To be on the ballot, the initiative proponents were required to gather a minimum of 623,212 signatures verified by county elections officials. June 30 was the deadline for the measures to qualify for the November ballot.

Two other measures could have qualified for the ballot but were withdrawn by their sponsors. An initiative to increase the cap on medical malpractice lawsuits was withdrawn when the sponsors reached agreement with the Legislature and Assembly Bill 35 by Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes and State Senator Tom Umberg, was passed and signed by Gov. Newsom. An initiative to reduce plastic waste reduction was withdrawn after it was clear that Senate Bill 54 by State Sen. Ben Allen would pass. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law in June.

Assembly Constitutional Amendment 3 (ACA 3), the California Abolition Act, which would have removed a clause in California’s Constitution that allows the practice of involuntary servitude as a means of punishing crime is not on the ballot because, while it passed the Assembly with the required 2/3 vote, it failed to get enough votes in the Senate.

Special interest groups have raised more than $370 million to convince voters to either pass or reject the initiatives. Over 88% of the money raised is for settling whether two sports betting proposals should be legalized.

The following are details on the fall ballot measures.

Proposition 1 – California Constitutional amendment to prohibit the state from denying an individual’s reproductive freedom

In response to the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn federal protections for women seeking abortions, California lawmakers proposed a California Constitutional amendment to protect the reproductive freedom of women. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, Gov. Newsom stated “Abortion is legal in California. It will remain that way. We will not cooperate with any states that attempt to prosecute women or doctors for receiving or providing reproductive care.”

Proposition 26 – Authorizes new types of gambling 

This proposition would allow federally recognized Native American tribes to operate dice games, roulette and sports wagering on tribal lands. On-site wagering at privately operated horse-racing tracks in four specified counties for betters 21 years or older would become legal. Prop 26 also imposes a 10% tax on sports-wagering profits at horse-racing tracks and directs portion of revenues to enforcement and problem-gambling programs.

Proposition 27 – Allows online and mobile sports wagering

Currently, sports’ betting online is illegal in California. This proposition would allow Californians 21 and older to place bets online through federally recognized Indian tribes and eligible businesses like Draft Kings and FanDuel. Prop 27 is estimated to increase state revenues by tens of millions of dollars yearly and potentially direct hundreds of millions of dollars in fee revenue to housing services for homeless Californians.

Proposition 28 – Provides additional funding for arts and music education in public schools

This proposition sponsored by former Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent Austin Butner would require the state to set aside $800 million to $1 billion annually beginning in 23-24 for arts education in school. A greater proportion of the funds would be allocated to schools serving more economically disadvantaged students.

Proposition 29 – Requires on-site licensed medical professional at kidney dialysis clinics and other state requirements 

This measure requires a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant with six months’ relevant experience to be on site during treatment at outpatient kidney dialysis clinics. It authorizes an exemption for staffing shortages if a qualified medical professional is available through telehealth. Prop 29 prohibits clinics from closing or substantially reducing services without state approval and prohibits clinics from refusing to treat patients based on source of payment. This is the third attempt by SEIU United Health Workers West, a union representing over 100,000 health care workers and patients across the state, to pass the measure. Opponents of Prop 29 cite it would cost tens of millions of dollars annually for clinics to implement.

Proposition 30 – Provides funding for programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Individuals with a personal income of over $2 million would receive a tax increase of 1.75% to raise between $3 billion to $4.5 billion a year to fund greenhouse gas initiatives. A majority of the funds would go toward incentives for Californians to buy zero-emission vehicles and build new electric charging or hydrogen fueling stations. 25% of the funds would go toward wildfire fighting and prevention initiatives.

Proposition 31 – Referendum challenging a 2020 law prohibiting retail sale of certain flavored tobacco products 

This proposition sponsored by the tobacco industry, aims to overturn Senate Bill 793 signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020 banning the sale of all flavored tobacco products. A “yes” vote keeps the law and a “no” vote overturns the law.

California ballot measures require only a simple majority of the votes cast to be approved.

As new initiatives enter circulation, fail, become eligible for, or qualify for an election ballot, the Secretary of State’s office will issue status updates.

The Board of Directors of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra has elected former San Bernardino Mayor Judith Valles as its new president. She will serve a two-year term ending June 30, 2024.

She described her vision for the organization including more accessible music and music education.

“The beautiful concert at San Bernardino Valley College on July 2 brought out hundreds of people who had never attended a performance before, and our new Youth Wind Ensemble, dedicated to the performance of new works by underrepresented artists, is an outstanding addition that will reap extraordinary rewards for young musicians. When I think of these things – and everything else we are doing – I see a future where people are drawn to San Bernardino because they know this is a place where the arts are alive.”

This is the second time Valles has served in this role having previously completed the term of former president Mary Schnepp who retired mid-term in 2013. Valles served until 2015 when outgoing president, Dean McVay was elected and served until the end of the Symphony’s current fiscal year.

It was McVay who suggested that Valles be considered as president once again.

“Five years ago, Judith turned over the reins of the Symphony to me and I could not be more proud to return the Symphony back into her capable hands,” said the now Immediate Past President, adding “Judith is an incredible leader and will continue to guide our Symphony to new heights.”

Affirmed Symphony Music Director and Conductor Anthony Parnther, “Judith Valles is an icon in San Bernardino. I look forward to exploring new ways to spotlight our outstanding orchestra alongside this highly respected civic leader.”

Described as “a strong woman of outstanding character” by Symphony Executive Director Dr. Anne Viricel, Valles was born in San Bernardino and has made the city her home for her entire life. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the University of Redlands and her Masters of Arts from the University of California at Riverside. From 1988-1995, she was President of Golden West Community College. She also served as interim president of both Coastline College and Oxnard College.

In 1998, Dr. Valles was elected Mayor of the City of San Bernardino. As a two-term mayor, she oversaw numerous community revitalization programs including: renovating the City’s historic areas, increasing the number of neighborhood associations, expanding youth programs, and, of course, bringing about greater support for the arts. During her time as Mayor, the city’s crime rate was greatly reduced, and business, employment, and housing opportunities grew. She was also instrumental in restructuring the Economic Development Agency, which greatly reduced the City’s debt.

After leaving her position as San Bernardino’s Mayor, she served for three years as President of Los Angeles Mission College. In addition to her work with the Symphony, Valles continued to lead, serving on the City of San Bernardino Board of Water Commissioners, the Inland Empire Leadership Council, and the Ramona Academy Charter Board. She is also an author of a semi-autobiographical book, “As My Mother Would Say.”

Concluded Valles, “I am pleased to lead an organization that so effectively promotes the arts. The arts are the life blood of a community and I can think of no organization that is more successful in bringing the arts to the Inland Empire than our marvelous Symphony.”