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(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— LOMA LINDA, CA—- Three Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital patient families received a refurbished vehicle from the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) Recycled Rides™ program at Hamblins Body and Paint in Riverside on Tuesday, July 2.

The three patients who received cars for their families were:

1. Antoine Davis, 14, from Hemet, has rheumatic disease, kidney disease and orthopedic issues.
2. Elijah Bacchus, 4, from Hesperia, has a combination of medical conditions including a hole in his heart, cerebral palsy and was born with only one kidney.
3. Nathaly Padilla, 19, from Pomona, diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Brett Walls, assistant vice president of ambulatory services at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, said these vehicles will help the families get the care they need.

“There is a connection between transportation and the health of a child,” Walls said. “These Recycled Rides will provide these families with reliable transportation for necessary medical care and other needs, such as to get groceries or to get to work or school.”

In addition to the cars, the trunk of each was filled with toys, snacks and/or household items for the family to enjoy.

Often challenged with daily medical appointments for their children, the families juggle demanding finances, employment, and transportation schedules. One patient family said they took the bus to get to the event.

GEICO donates vehicles to the NABC Recycled Rides™ program to help individuals, families, or organizations in need of a hand. Over 1,000 cars have been donated through the Recycled Rides program since its inception in 2007.

Brian Wright, auto damage director at GEICO said, “We can’t take these patients’ medical issues away, but we hope we are able to help out their situations.”

Hamblins Body and Paint and its employees have volunteered their time, expertise and labor to refurbish the vehicles to a like-new condition, and Enterprise provided a donation to Recycled Ride recipients.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—-ENN)—- MORENO VALLEY, CA—Riverside University Health System opened five new beds in its emergency department and trauma center this week to meet the growing demand for services at its Moreno Valley-based Medical Center.

The additional beds bring the total number of emergency and trauma beds at the hospital to 45. At the 125-year-old public teaching hospital, more than 90,000 patients are seen annually in the emergency department and level 2 trauma center, where the most gravely injured patients are treated.

Doctors at RUHS Medical Center are developing a robust research program and recruiting internationally renowned trauma surgeons with an eye on becoming Riverside County’s first level 1 trauma center by summer of 2020. A level 1 trauma center serves as a regional leader in trauma prevention and education with all the resources to stabilize and treat traumatic injuries.

“We are the safety net for our community and becoming a level 1 trauma center is essential, said Dr. Raul Coimbra, who serves as surgeon and chief at RUHS Medical Center after building one of the world’s leading trauma programs at UC San Diego Health Hillcrest. “When we put patients in the center of our decisions we provide better care. We become more efficient and ultimately we have better outcomes,” he added.

The expansion also includes a new lobby and flexible space that can be shifted to accommodate the ebb and flow of a busy emergency department.The entrance is being remodeled and will open later this summer.  It’s all  part of an effort by RUHS officials to improve services and expand access to primary and specialty care in an expansive 7,300 square-mile county that has only half the physicians needed for the 2.5 million people who live here.

“We are focused on always being prepared for any emergency that presents to our hospital, and we are committed to providing high-quality patient-centered care,” said Leah Patterson, executive nursing director of critical care services at the Medical Center. “We hope you’ll never need our emergency department or trauma services but you’ll be in good hands if you do.”

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Class of 2019 earned more than $11.6 million in college and military scholarships, far surpassing previous years’ totals.

Cajon High School had the largest graduating class in the District, with 624 students earning a high school diploma in June. More than half of Cajon’s graduates received scholarships or grants to help them pay for college. In all, Cajon graduates received over $3.1 million in scholarships and grants, including $1.1 million shared by 14 students who received military scholarships and signing bonuses for enlisting in nearly every branch of the armed forces.

Seniors graduating from San Andreas High School, a continuation school serving students who need to catch up on credits to graduate, received close to $400,000 in aid, with the majority of it going to six students who signed up to serve in various branches of the military.

In comparison, the Class of 2018 received $8.1 million in grants, scholarships, and military aid. That sharp increase in financial aid is partly due to the number of San Andreas High students who enlisted in the military.

The San Bernardino City Unified School District is grateful for the generosity of scholarship donors, said Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden.

“Those who donate so generously are investing in our community and in doing so, they are making hope happen for students who may otherwise struggle to pay for college,” Marsden said. “There’s no better way to improve our city than to help young people realize their dream of going to college.”

SBCUSD is unusual among public school districts in that it has two organizations dedicated to providing scholarships to graduates. Founded in 1957, the San Bernardino Community Scholarship Association is a non-profit with the sole purpose of coordinating contributions from individuals and local groups to award scholarships to SBCUSD graduates. More than 85 donors contribute more than $250,000 annually, with individual scholarships ranging from $100 to $9,000. The Making Hope Happen Foundation is a non-profit geared toward helping the San Bernardino area become a thriving community. To that end, the Foundation awards scholarships to SBCUSD and volunteers mentor recipients so students can have a successful college experience. If you would like to donate to the Making Hope Happen Foundation, visit http://makinghope.org. If you would like to establish your own scholarship through the Community Scholarship Association, call (909) 381-1250.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The California Arts Council announced a grant award of $14,400 to the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra as part of its Arts Education Exposure program.

Arts Education Exposure supports attendance at high-quality performances and exhibits for students with limited access to these experiences. As such, the Council selected experiences that offered deep cultural resonance with the student communities served and which would be complemented by pre- and post-attendance activities.

The award will help to fund back-to-back student concerts featuring Cirque de la Symphonie scheduled for February 2020. This talented international group choreographs traditional circus acts to classical music and will perform them on stage with the Symphony at its primary performance venue, the historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts. Transportation and logistics will be provided by longtime Symphony partners, the San Bernardino City Unified School District, as well as by the other schools in attendance.

The February student concerts have been a part of the Symphony’s commitment to the Inland Empire for many years, but it has only been in the past three years that they increased from one to two performances, effectively doubling the number of local youth served.

“We are incredibly grateful to the California Arts Council,” said Symphony Executive Director Dr. Anne Viricel. “This is so much more than just a field trip. Because of this grant, more than 3,000 local youth will experience the fine arts in a venue close to home and this local access, together with the engaging and educational performance planned, creates the kind of pride of place that is exactly what children in our community need.”

The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra is one of 124 grantees chosen for the Arts Education Exposure program. The award is part of a projected $24,508,541 in grant funding for 2018-19, the highest investment in statewide arts programming since the 2000-01 fiscal year.

“Arts and culture are inextricably linked to our humanity,” said Nashormeh Lindo, California Arts Council Chair. “They serve as a universal touchpoint for understanding and addressing our societal issues—dismantling inequity, healing trauma, reframing justice, inspiring truth and shaping futures. The Council is humbled to support the vital work of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra and its passionate efforts to make a better California for us all.”

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— APPLE VALLEY, CA—Damage Controlman 2nd Class Ivy Salcido, from Apple Valley, California, uses a radio to communicate with the repair locker from the scene of a simulated fire casualty aboard the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during a general quarters drill. Ronald Reagan provides a combat-ready force, which protects and defends the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Timothy M. Black)

By Aldon Stiles |California Black Media

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Only four percent of California’s African American voters are registered as Republicans, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The majority, about seventy seven percent, are members of the Democratic Party.

Johnnie Morgan, 68, the newly elected president of the California Republican Assembly (CRA), wants to change those numbers. So he’s pushing a message to attract African-American Democrats and Independents to his party by highlighting ways the party’s platform aligns with who they are and the things they care about.

“African Americans place a high value on family as does the Republican Party,” said Morgan, who was sworn into his new position on June 19 during the CRA’s statewide convention in Sacramento.

Morgan, who ran for the position unopposed with the full support of his organization, will serve a three-year term.

“African Americans have a history of being inventors and businesspeople involved in entrepreneurial enterprises,” he said.  “The Republican Party has a focus on free enterprise and economic development.”

The CRA is a conservative activist group that helps Republican candidates it endorses get elected, supporting them with money, volunteers and other resources. Officially chartered by the California Republican Party, the CRA was formed in the 1933 and was praised by Ronald Reagan as the “the conscience of the Republican Party,” according to the CRA official website.

The group, which is the largest and oldest independent Republican organization in the state, played a key role in helping Reagan win California’s gubernatorial race in 1966.

According to Morgan, the CRA implements community engagement programs and voter registration conventions to help expand the membership of the Republican Party and support the party’s goals.

Morgan becomes the head of the CRA at a time when the California COP is making a deliberate effort to attract more members in a state that is heavily Democrat. About 43 percent of California’s voters are registered Democrats. Only 28 percent are Republican. Democrats hold supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature. In the senate, Democrats outnumber Republicans 29 to 11. And in the Assembly, the ratio is 61 to 18.

In national elections, California has not voted for a Republican president since George H.W. Bush in 1987.

In February this year, the California Republican Party elected Jessica Patterson as its first Latina and female president with 54.6 percent of the vote.

“Today we are starting the next chapter of our party history,” Patterson said in her acceptance speech. “We’re going to be about one thing: winning. We’re going to take the fight to Democrats. We’re going to fight them in the precincts and we’re going to beat them in elections.”

At the same convention, Republican delegates from around the state elected Peter Kuo, an immigrant from Taiwan to be its vice chairman and a gay man, Greg Gangrud, as its treasurer.

Morgan has been an active member of the Republican Party for 35 years, four of which he spent as National Committeeman for the CRA. He has also served as a California delegate to the last eight Republican National conventions.

“I am excited by the opportunity to lead this superb organization, to bring good conservative government to California and grow our membership,” he said.

Morgan says he intends to showcase a more inclusive organization to offset the common perception that conservative ideals run counter to the needs of African-American communities in California.

“I plan to expand membership, increase the diversity of membership, and become more integral to the party in a more physical and active capacity,” he said.

The low number of Black Californians who join or support the Republican Party in California, Morgan says, results from a fundamental miscommunication between the state GOP and the African-American community. He believes that getting the word out about how his party’s policies align with the interests and principles of African Americans will be a game changer.

He cites religion, for example, as one way to find common ground.

“Both the Republican Party and the traditional African-American family value the church and its role in the community as it relates to freedom of religion,” Morgan said. “We need to let them know that we are a place for [African Americans] to come to for support of our communities.”

A Los Angeles native and Pepperdine University graduate, Morgan has deep roots in both California and his party. He serves as the National Association of Republican Assemblies Western Region Vice President and is also a delegate to the California Republican Party.

“I absolutely feel that [the CRA] has my back now just as they have had my back throughout much of my career,” Morgan said.“Not only do I want to expand our diversity but also better engage at the national level, state level and local level.”

Morgan hopes his presidency can operate as an inspiration and example for Black voters in California as well.

“I encourage more African Americans to take a hard look at the Republican Party,” Morgan said. “My presence should indicate that there is opportunity in the party for inclusion and leadership.”

By Rachel Silverman and Amanda Glassman

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Healthy competition from generic drugs is often held up as a “cure” for high drug prices — a shared concern across rich and developing countries alike. For many low- and middle-income countries, however, a new report from the Center for Global Development that we co-authored shows that global markets for generic medicines are failing, leaving the poorest patients without safe and affordable essential medicines.

The first point of failure is drug quality. In wealthy countries, residents can usually trust that all drugs on pharmacy shelves are safe, authentic, and potent. Most families and doctors are happy to opt for quality-assured generics that have been tested for bioequivalence, systematically monitored for adverse events, subject to regular inspection for manufacturing quality, and priced well below their branded competitors. As we describe in the report, in the United States and the United Kingdom, for example, non-branded generic drugs account for more than 80% of all pharmaceutical consumption by volume (and roughly 30% by value).

In poor countries, by contrast, regulatory and quality control systems are often ill-equipped and under-resourced to ensure medicine quality, which can allow low-quality or fraudulent drugs to infiltrate the market. In her new book, “Bottle of Lies,”Katherine Eban highlights manufacturing shortcuts and fraud among Indian and Chinese manufacturers that endanger the quality of the global supply of generic drugs. And these challenges are shared across low- and middle-income countries, including emerging economies like Indonesia and Nigeria.

So when a Nigerian woman goes to the pharmacy, she’s rightfully suspicious about whether unfamiliar “no-name” pills work safely. Instead, she looks for other signals of medicine quality. Most likely, she’ll settle on a familiar brand name, usually sold at a substantial price premium. This is a similar story for many people living in the poorest countries where unbranded generics represent just 5% of all medicine consumption. Most health workers and patients there instead opt for familiar brands that (they hope) signal higher quality.

The second point of failure is limited competition. Entering new markets is costly and time consuming for generic manufacturers. For each new generic, each country needs to review and approve a product dossier, a procedure filled with bureaucratic red tape. That means under-resourced regulatory agencies spend much of their time and energy on registering new products, leaving little capacity to inspect them and ensure quality once they hit the market. When market entry is difficult or where government policies restrict purchasing to local manufacturers or middlemen, a single seller can capture 85% or more of the market for entire therapy classes such as contraceptives in Senegal, diabetes medicines in Zambia, or anti-parasitics in South Africa.

Healthy generic competition can help keep medicine prices in check. In the U.S., the entry of additional generic competitors helps push down prices: by 6% after the first entrant, 48% after a second entrant, and up to 95% by the time a 19th generic manufacturer enters the market. In some large emerging economies, generic competition is thriving, and prices are low. But in many smaller low- and middle-income countries, where competition is limited and prices are marked up before they reach consumers, patients can face highly inflated prices: up to 30 times more than a minimum international reference price for basic generic medicines, our report shows.

While some experts tout increased price transparency as an answer to these failures, easing market entry and promoting competition through strategic, effective procurement is a better way forward. The World Health Organization and country governments need to focus on enhancing competition and creating an enabling and adequate policy environment for quality generics competition.

The WHO has already set up a “Collaborative Registration Procedure” to help reduce the costs of market entry of quality-assured generic products into small low- and middle-income countries. Next, the WHO should fully fund, expand, and endorse this process so it can become the norm for relatively small markets.

Country governments, for their part, should ease legal and/or regulatory barriers, such as country-specific labeling requirements, to expedited registration and jump on board a collaborative global or regional registration process. By streamlining national registration processes, they can also reallocate regulatory resources to helping catch and remove fake or tainted drugs from the pharmacy pipeline.

Policies for how countries select and procure products also require reexamination to boost competition and improve access to medicines. Policies that require purchase of nationally manufactured products can inhibit market entry and prevent efforts to pool procurement across countries, creating missed opportunities for savings. Some countries want to expand local manufacturing as a solution, but local monopolies and potential conflicts of interest can keep prices high. Corruption in the procurement of medicines also represents a major challenge. Understanding the scale of the problems in each country and designing bespoke reforms should be a priority for partnerships between the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund and national governments.

Patients around the world are being harmed by failing global markets for generic drugs. With leadership from the WHO and national governments, countries can take a big step in the right direction to close this gap, which severely affects the world’s poor.

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Rachel Silverman is a policy fellow at the Center for Global Development. Amanda Glassman is the center’s executive vice president and CEO of Center for Global Development Europe.

New Approach Improves Connection to Komen’s Lifesaving Work 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— RIVERSIDE, CA— Susan G. Komen Inland Empire announced today key changes to its annual community fundraising event.  Komen is debuting the next evolution in its signature fundraising event series – the Susan G. Komen Inland Empire MORE THAN PINK Walk™ – which will be held on Sunday, October 13, 2019 at Town Square Park in Murrieta.

The MORE THAN PINK Walk brings together an empowered community of hope to raise funds for breast cancer treatment, patient advocacy and lifesaving research. 

Along with a new name, the event (formerly known as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure^®) will include a fresh new experience that demonstrates how the fundraising efforts of every participant fuels lifesaving research, critical patient care, needed community programs and public policy advocacy in a personal and powerful way.  The MORE THAN PINK Walk ensures that participants have a clear understanding of the value they provide in Susan G. Komen’s overall mission and how their fundraising makes an impact in the fight against breast cancer.

“Much of what you have come to love about the Race will continue with our new More Than Pink Walk,” said Jill Eaton, Executive Director of Komen Inland Empire, “The MORE THAN PINK Walk provides an opportunity to come together with others to share stories, laughter and tears while uniting behind a commitment to fight this devastating disease by raising money to save lives.”

Rather than including a timed run element, this inspiring family-friendly event joins participants of all ages and abilities, coming together as one, and supporting those affected by breast cancer today, while helping to search for tomorrow’s cures. This change will create a greater sense of community among participants and will provide a personalized, emotional experience for all who attend. 

Komen Inland Empire MORE THAN PINK Walk

October 13, 2019

Town Square Park, Murrieta

Register Online Now www.komenie.org.

“We’re excited about this evolution of our signature community event and encourage everyone to register and begin fundraising!  We look forward to seeing everyone walking on October 13 for a day of inspiration and hope as we honor those we have lost, celebrate those who have survived and support everyone currently living with breast cancer,” added Jill Eaton. “Come walk with us!”

Early Bird registration for the Komen Inland Empire MORE THAN PINK Walk is going on now through June 30, 2019, which is $15 for all participants.  Register early and start fundraising today. For more information on this event and to register, please visit us online at www.komenie.org.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The San Bernardino Police Department will take part in a bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement operation aimed at educating bicyclists, drivers and pedestrians on traffic laws, rules and responsibilities.

On 06-28-2019,  between the hours of 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., officers will be looking for violations made by bicyclists, drivers and pedestrians that put roadway users at risk. These violations include drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, failing to stop for signs and signals or any other dangerous violation.

Officers will also look for pedestrians who cross the street illegally or fail to yield to drivers who have the right of way. Bike riders will be stopped when riding on the wrong side of the road, not complying with stop signs and signals, or other violation of the same traffic laws that apply to them as drivers.

Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities are rising at an alarming rate. In 2016, 138 bicyclists and 867 pedestrians were killed on California roads. Pedestrian fatalities are up nearly 33 percent from 2012, and the number of bicyclists killed are up nearly 25 percent over the past five years. In 2018, The San Bernardino Police  Department has investigated 16 fatal and injury collisions involving bicyclists and pedestrians.

“Whether you are on foot, behind the wheel or on a bike, you play a part in roadway safety,” Sergeant Jeff Harvey said. “Understanding the rules of the road using all modes of transportation helps ensure we all get to our destination safely.”

People walking should only cross the street using crosswalks or intersections, preferably with a stop sign or signal. People on foot should also look for cars backing up and avoid darting between parked cars, make eye contact with drivers and wear bright clothing during the day and reflective materials or use a flashlight at night.

Drivers should wait for pedestrians to cross the street, avoid distractions like using a cell phone, and be courteous and patient. All bike riders are reminded to always wear a helmet; helmets are required by law for those under 18. Bike riders should always go with the flow of traffic, let faster traffic pass and use hand signals when turning or stopping.

The San Bernardino Police Department supports the new OTS public awareness campaign, “Go Safely, California.” To find out more about ways to go safely, visit gosafelyca.org.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— COLTON, CA— Applications are now being accepted for an intensive program of education, business planning, and business counseling for women who want to start their own businesses or expand an existing business.

The program is offered by the Inland Empire Women’s Business Center, a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration and sponsored by Citibank. 

“It’s Your Time: An Entrepreneurial Training Series for Women,” offers women education, business counseling, and individual support to help them develop a workable business idea or improve an existing business. Participants selected for the program must attend a minimum of 13 workshops, meet individually with a business counselor, and write a business plan. The cost to participate is based on income, and ranges from a minimum of $25 to a maximum of $130 for all program services. The program is open to women living in San Bernardino and Riverside counties and takes about 90 days to complete.

Graduates of the “It’s Your Time” program have gone on to open successful Inland Empire businesses such as hair salons, fitness studios, professional services, personal and business coaching, and bakeries.

Applications for “It’s Your Time” are available at the IEWBC website at www.iewbc.org, and must be completed and submitted by Friday, Aug. 9, 2019 at 5 p.m. Early application is encouraged. Participants who are accepted before the official program orientation on Aug. 20 can begin attending workshops immediately after their program intake session.  Late applications will not be accepted.

The Inland Empire Women’s Business Center, 1003 E. Cooley Dr., Ste. 109, in Colton, is a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino.  Housed in the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration, IECE, which administers the program in collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration, is inland Southern California’s leading organization dedicated to supporting and promoting entrepreneurship. The IEWBC provides business counseling, training and mentoring designed for women business owners. 

The Inland Empire Women’s Business Center hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment only. For more information, visit the IEWBC website at www.iewbc.org or contact Michelle Skiljan at (909) 890-1242.