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All Californians are Urged to Add Their Phone to the Fight

SACRAMENTO, CA – Following the announcement by Governor Gavin Newsom to expand CA Notify statewide, the California Department of Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Technology (CDT) today launched the digital tool designed to notify Californians of their possible exposure to COVID-19. The free, mobile technology is now available to all Californians and can be accessed on mobile devices. 

Starting today, Californians can receive notifications informing them if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the virus so they can take immediate actions around quarantine and testing. Californians with iPhones can enable CA Notify in their settings and Android phone users can download the CA Notify app from the Google Play Store to immediately start receiving exposure alerts on their phones. Use of the technology is completely voluntary, private, and secure. CA Notify does not collect the location of a phone or individual to detect exposure, and it does not share a user’s identity. Californians opt in to use the tool and may to opt out at any time. 

“We want all Californians to add their phone to the fight to slow the spread of COVID-19 because the tool works best when more people sign up,” said Dr. Erica Pan, Acting State Public Health Officer. “Combined with other actions like physical distancing and wearing masks, CA Notify helps Californians anonymously keep themselves, their loved ones, and their communities safe.”

When individuals voluntarily activate CA Notify, the tool uses Bluetooth technology to exchange random codes between phones without revealing the user’s identity or location. When someone is tested for COVID-19, they will receive a text message from (855) 976-8462. This text will remind CA Notify users who receive a positive test result from a provider or laboratory to enter their verification code into their phone using CA Notify. Any other CA Notify users who were within six feet of the COVID-19 positive individual for 15 minutes or more when that person was most likely to be infectious will get an anonymous notification of possible exposure. 

“The technology is 100% voluntary and secure and provides Californians immediate information and links to resources when they’ve been exposed to COVID-19,” said Amy Tong, Director of CDT. “We are proud the Golden State is making this innovative tool available statewide to encourage more Californians to do their part to keep others safe.”

The state launched a pilot in September for students, staff, and faculty at UC San Diego and UC San Francisco and expanded it to include five other UC campuses in mid-November. The privacy-first focus of CA Notify does not allow the state to know how many people opted into the system, but the UC system estimates more than 250,000 individuals are utilizing the technology as part of the pilot. CA Notify has helped identify exposed individuals early, allowing them to quickly quarantine and reduce virus transmission. The CA Notify pilot has been successfully evaluated, and similar programs have been launched in other states.

“Our pilot experience starting at UC San Diego and expanding to other UC campuses showed this technology was effective in identifying exposed individuals early for quarantine and testing, and helping keep our communities as safe as possible,” said Christopher Longhurst, MD, chief information officer of UC San Diego Health. “This free and reliable smartphone technology can help all Californians. As we enter a new, and hopefully final, surge in the pandemic, now more than ever is the time to put every possible tool to use to slow the spread of the virus.”

CA Notify is not a contact tracing app but augments the contact tracing process by issuing exposure notifications to people you may not know. Contact tracing identifies the close contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and contact tracers reach those individuals by phone, email, and text. CA Notify does not track or trace information about the people you are in contact with and does not collect or exchange any personal information.

Visit CANotify.ca.gov to learn more about how CA Notify works. 

Read the Governor’s Dec. 7 announcement.  

SANTA RITA, GUAM— Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) 1st Class Nicholas Miller, assigned to the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723), from Ontario, California, poses for a photo on the pier after completing his retirement ceremony. Miller is retiring from the Navy after serving 21 years. Oklahoma City is one of four forward-deployed submarines assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 out of Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam.

‘Black on the Block’ Hosts ‘Walk with a Purpose’

Written by Naomi K. Bonman

RIALTO, CA— With new stay at home orders in California, many are wondering how they can stay in shape, be social at a distance, and support local community efforts. On Saturday, December 12 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Black on the Block: Young Entrepreneurs’ Expo will be hosting ‘Walk with a Purpose’ at Jerry Eaves Park located at 1485 N Ayala Dr. in Rialto.

Black on the Block is brought to you by Tomorrow’s World non-profit (501c3). Tomorrows World (est. 2001) is licensed by the state of California to serve mentally ill and chronically homeless men. Last Year, Black on the Block held the first annual Young Entrepreneurs’ Expo in an effort to build up the community by supporting local businesses in the Inland Empire area.

The group will convene at Jerry Eaves Park at 9 a.m. Masks and social distancing practices are required. There will be water and refreshments at each designated rest area. The walk will end at Rialto City Park where free lunch will be provided to all volunteers.

Visit www.westsidestorynewspaper.com for the link to register for the walk. For further information, please contact Vickie Davis at (951) 255-7382 or by email at blackontheblock.missd@gmail.com.

Get Tested from November 30 to December 9

In the height of COVID and now flu season, it is critical that people get tested and get a flu shot. Here are a few locations that are offering FREE testing and shots. Appointments are recommended; walk-ins accepted based upon availability. No symptoms required. No appointment needed for flu shots. All clients MUST wear a face covering.

Rancho Cucamonga – Rancho Sports Center
8303 Rochester Ave., Rancho Cucamonga
Dec. 4 from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
*Offering FREE flu shots! No appointment required*

Redlands – The Contemporary Club
173 S. Eureka St., Redlands
Dec. 4 – 5 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Rancho Cucamonga – Victoria Gardens Cultural Center
12505 Cultural Center Dr., Rancho Cucamonga
Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Upland – George M. Gibson Senior Center
250 N. 3rd Ave., Upland
Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Fontana – Jessie Turner Health and Fitness Community Center
15556 Summit Ave., Fontana
Dec. 8 from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
*Offering FREE flu shots! No appointment required*

Rancho Cucamonga – Chaffey College (Building 10, CCA)
5885 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga
Dec. 8 – 9 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

To make an appointment for COVID-19 testing or to see all other County testing sites, please visit https://sbcovid19.com. For directions on how to register, call 909-387-3911.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY— The county has extended their deadline to December 13th and increased its grant amount to $5,000 for its COVID-Compliant Partnership Program. This is a grant and businesses must agree to follow COVID-Compliant business procedures.

To support local small businesses and help ensure ongoing compliance with State and County Health orders and direction, San Bernardino County is implementing the COVID Compliant Business Partnership Program.

This program has two components.

Original Funding of $2,500 has now increased to $5,000 for eligible Small Businesses and Nonprofits with 1-100 employees (some exceptions made for businesses with 0 employees)

Previous funding recipients that applied before October 31, 2020 will receive a check for the additional funding (Except Short Term Rentals and Private Schools).

Support and Partnership for ALL eligible County businesses who wish to become a COVID Compliant Business Partner.

This program will support our local small businesses by reimbursing and/or offsetting costs and impacts directly related to complying with COVID-19 related business protocols and providing support to all eligible County businesses who apply for the program. Additional business locations in the County under the same ownership will be eligible to receive an additional $2,000 per eligible location. 

Prior to receiving funding, San Bernardino County small businesses must demonstrate compliance with State/County public health orders, and incorporate safety and social distancing practices and measures in their business operations. Again, the business must agree to follow COVID-Compliant business procedures

Total funding available for this program is $30,000,000. Eligible businesses, per qualifying location, can receive up to $5,000. Deadline for Application Extended to December 13, 2020 or until funding is exhausted, on a first-come, first served basis. Visit: SBCovid19.com

On May 13, 2020, Carlos Buford, Chief Financial Officer of Clearwater Residential, Inc. in Moreno Valley announced that the organization received a grant from Stater Bros. Charities. With two (2) homes located in Moreno Valley and San Bernardino, Clearwater is dedicated to residential shelter services for homeless men and women, focusing on the senior community and veterans.

Mr. Buford thanks Stater Bros. Charities for their gift as it has positively impacted the Homeless Meals Project; therefore, uplifting the homeless population and making lives better in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

For more information including how to donate or volunteer, please reach out to Carlos Buford at (951) 443- 6849 or visit www.clearwaterresidential.org.

From the staff of CSUSB

We were deeply saddened by the recent news of Walter S. Hawkins. For those that had the opportunity to know him, we are sure countless memories rushed through your mind as you learned about his passing on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. As we reflected, one shared, “We lost a conscience of our community, this past week.”  

He made a lasting impact on our program statewide and wanted to share some background on him. Walter S. Hawkins, 72, was a resident of Rialto, CA for more than 40 years, and was a loving and devoted husband, father, mentor, colleague, and friend to many. He was born in San Angelo, Texas, the only son of Maiso and Altamae Hawkins. His father was a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, so he lived in Japan and Germany for a period of his young life. Eventually, his family relocated to San Diego, CA, where Walter received a football and track scholarship to San Diego State University.  

From the beginning, Walter was a champion for those who had none. He began as an intern at the Neighborhood House Association, one of the largest Non-Profit Social Service Agencies in San Diego, while he was pursuing his graduate degree. During this time, he solidified his belief that a better tomorrow for all is possible through empowerment, education, and wellness.  

Once he earned his Graduate degree, Walter began his professional career as a Social Worker. He worked for Tayari, a California based adoption agency, and a division within the San Diego County Department of Public Welfare. During his time there, he worked tirelessly on finding permanent families for African American children. He later served as a leader in the field of social work as a member of the Black Social Workers Association.  

Walter devoted over thirty years of his life to California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). He joined the CSUSB family in 1974 as one of the first Upward Bound Director’s. Shortly after, he became the Director of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). During his tenure with EOP, he developed, implemented, and enhanced many comprehensive student support services that later the university began to adopt and expand across the campus in the late 1980’s. Some of these services included but were not limited to the first early warning/intervention system at the university, tutoring support for students, peer mentoring programs, proactive academic advising procedures, among others. He was also one of the first Black Student Union staff advisors to the BSU student group organization. In addition, he served in two temporary assignments: as Acting Dean of Educational Support Services and as a programmer and unit lead for what was once the CSUSB Computer Center, to assist with software development to prepare university entities for a transfer to a new campus-wide data system. He went on to serve as the Director of Research & Policy for the Department of Undergraduate Studies until his retirement in 2007. 

When relocating to the Inland Empire to join CSUSB, Walter continued to serve his local community and youth. He provided an immense amount of his time volunteering and offering his research skillset and policy recommendations to numerous organizations, which included but not limited too; First 5 San Bernardino Strategic Planning committee, the American Red Cross, Option House, the NAACP, the San Bernardino City Unified School District African American Student Achievement Task Force, as a founding Board Member of Black Future Leaders, founding member of Ecclesia Christian Fellowship, Board of Directors for Boys and Girls Club, as a Kappa Alpha Psi Member, Vice President, and Executive Board member of the Westside Action Group (WAG) and as a Board Member for the Rialto Unified School District for many years.  

Even after he retired from CSUSB, he worked on several African American initiatives in our local region. He continued his servanthood through his consulting firm, NewHAWK, where he focused on demographic research and geographic information to advocate for several campaigns. Most recently, he was commissioned by California Black Media to conduct the research for the “The Counting Black California,” report for the 2020 Census. The data was used and overlaid with the state COVID data that helped the African American Community Empowerment Council secure 2.5 million dollars for testing African American’s statewide. He received numerous awards and recognitions throughout the years for his work, including a Pioneer Award at the inaugural CSUSB Pioneer Breakfast. 

Walter was a straight-talking man, he used research, data and logic to address and support his efforts. He earned the respect of everyone who encountered him as a gentle giant, who through hard work and good humor, gave of himself and focused on ensuring the success of others. He helped guide many, and often was the foundation of integrity and high expectations for those who served youth. He certainly did become known as a “conscience of our community”. 

Walter’s life work was not to champion those with wealth or power or special connections. It was to give a voice to those who were not heard; to extend a ladder of opportunity; to make real the dream of many who are disadvantaged or underserved. He worked hard to ensure the social mobility of those without and of their families for generations to come.  

Not only did his family thrive because of Walter’s commitment and hard work – he did because of theirs, and especially because of the love and the life he led with Dr. Jean Peacock. They found each other at CSUSB. He deeply loved this remarkable woman, and she didn’t just love him back; she gave him strength, joy, and friendship; and stood by him always in all his endeavors. 

We cannot know for certain how long we each have here, however, what we can do, is to live out our lives as best we can and help as many as possible along the way, and that’s exactly what Walter did. He used each day and much of his time to make a difference and strived to make a better, stronger Inland Empire for generations to come.  

Walter touched the lives of many. Students and community members benefitted from his advocacy, counsel, and friendship. Anyone who knew Walter will miss his humor and his innate ability to refocus a group to take care of business. 

He leaves his beloved wife Jean, his sons Paul and Christian and daughter Regina. He was blessed with both adopted and biological grandchildren and several nieces and nephews among his extended Hawkins/Peacock and Newman family, his daughter-in-law Torria and sister-in-law Mary who all love him dearly. A private family service will be held to celebrate Walter. 

If individuals would like to make a memorial gift in Walter’s honor, so for years to come, more youth can continue to pursue their dreams, please give to The Walter S. Hawkins and  Dr. M. Jean Peacock Endowed Scholarship. You can either contribute online or submit a check payable to CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation. Please be sure to reference on Check Memo: #P400261 Hawkins/Peacock Endowed Scholarship.  

Mail to: 

CSUSB 

Attn: Terri Carlos 

Office of Philanthropic Giving 

5500 University Parkway 

San Bernardino, CA 92407 

To make a gift online visit www.csusb.edu/makeagift 

When visiting the make a gift web link listed above: 

· Select “Multiple Funds, Specific College, Program or Dept” under the “I want my gift to support,” header 

· A pop up box will show up. Select the area you want to support by clicking “Other” 

· Enter the amount of your contribution and type in “#P400261 Hawkins/Peacock Endowment” 

· Then follow the remaining prompts 

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

Facebook is making investments in different efforts to address the gathering storm of social and economic problems facing America, particularly the ones hitting African Americans with unequal force. Through two community-focused initiatives, the Menlo Park-based tech company is shoring up three Black-Women-owned California-based businesses with mentoring and promotional opportunities. 

Increased misinformation; the diminishing of truth and objectivity in news programming; the COVID-19 crisis’s impact on small businesses; ongoing racial biases; the loss of newspaper ad revenue due to competition from the internet; and more. 

Many of those challenges if left unchecked, experts on both the political Left and Right agree, can chip away at the foundations of our democracy. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, the country’s Gross Domestic Product dropped by 32.9 %by the second quarter of last year. 

“COVID-19 is impacting all businesses. But Black businesses are closing at a faster rate than all other businesses,” said Erica Woods, State Public Policy Manager at Facebook. She was telling California Black Media about the company’s new #BuyBlackFriday campaign. 

According to Woods, #BuyBlackFriday is Facebook’s “holiday program that redirects the energy of Black Friday to encourage consumers to support Black owned businesses throughout the holiday season.” 

Woods says the campaign features 60 Black-owned businesses from around the United States. Two of them are based in California — both owned by Black women in the Los Angeles Area: Amethyst Soul Home, which makes scented candles and Gracemade, a clothing and accessory company. 

“I am elated for the opportunity for more people to experience SouLuxe Amber Noir scented coconut wax candles and fill their homes with a sultry fusion of Warm Amber, Sandalwood, Jasmine and Mandarin,” said Jillene Williams, owner of Amethyst Soul Home.  

 It’s an honor to be a part of the gift guide, as well as the Facebook Elevate program alongside many other great black-owned companies,” Williams continued. “Being featured in the Facebook #BuyBlack Friday Holiday Gift Guide has certainly introduced my scented coconut wax candles to a vast audience I would never be able to reach otherwise.”

Facebook is inviting all Black businesses across the country to use the hashtag #BuyBlackFriday to support their businesses, beginning now and particularly the day after Thanksgiving when the holiday shopping season unofficially kicks off. 

Gracemade and Amethyst Soul Home will both be featured on a show as well on the digital platform’s Black Voices page. 

“Small businesses are the backbone of our products,” Woods said. “So many businesses have used our platforms to connect with their audiences. We found that the pandemic was closing doors, that impacts us as well.  So, we want to support businesses and make sure that they flourish and grow.”

Earlier this month, the biggest social media platform in the world, also announced that it has invited the African American-owned Black Voice News in Riverside as well as 19 other local news publishers from around the United States to participate in the Facebook Journalism Project Sustainability Accelerator Program. 

“It’s a wonderful opportunity. It is forward-thinking. It is necessary. This program provides the support and mentorship that Black Voice News can use at this very critical time to be strong and sustainable,” said Paulette Brown-Hinds, Publisher of the Black Voice News and CEO of Voice Media Ventures. Based in Riverside, Black Voice News, is a nearly fifty-year-old publication founded by Brown-Hinds’s parents: the organization’s publisher emeritus Hardy Brown and his wife, former California Assemblymember Cheryl Brown. 

“Facebook’s intensive five-month Accelerator program is going to enhance our capabilities as an organization and team by providing opportunities to learn from industry best practices, benefit from the experiences of other members of our cohort in the program and grow from unique feedback customized for our organization and provided by a coach dedicated to the Black Voice News group,” Stephanie Williams, Editor, Black Voice News.  

According to Facebook, the training program will provide “intensive training” to local media outlets. Through the program, industry experts will also coach newspaper publishers on improving their news coverage, growing their audiences and enhancing their technology. Earlier this year, Facebook announced that it was investing $5 million in local news organizations that serve audiences in marginalized communities. The company has also awarded $10.3 million to 144 local newsrooms around the country as part of its COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program. 

The Facebook Journalism project is supported by Facebook but run through the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), an advocacy and support organization that works around the world to grow news media outlets. 

“We are honored to partner with this impressive group of publishers, whose newsrooms make a difference in their communities,” said Joyce Barnathan, ICFJ’s president. 

About half the media outlets Facebook has invited to participate in the program are Black-owned or Black-led publishers, and about the same percentage are non-profit organizations.  They include established local African American newspapers that have over the years become institutions in the communities they serve, as well as digital publications that have launched more recently. 

Facebook, which also owns the social media platform Instagram, averages more than 2.7 billion active users a month. In 2019, the company’s revenue was estimated around $70 billion. 

Jasmine Rennie, who owns Gracemade says she’s excited that more women – not only in California, but around the world – are being introduced to her “faith-driven” brand that designs modest but fashion-forward apparel, including a bestselling jumpsuit. 

“A lot of women want clothes that don’t reveal too much but are still trendy, stylish and beautiful. This program will help us reach so many of them and provide the clothing that fits their lifestyles,” Rennie said.

ONTARIO, CA—- Living through a historic global pandemic and civil unrest, one school is seizing this critical time to foster global citizenship and teach its students to think outside school walls. Ignite is a first-of-its-kind partnership between Ontario Christian High School and the global Christian humanitarian organization World Vision. This innovative program will inspire students to take action and equip them to find solutions to the needs of today’s world.

Ontario students will also be committing to sponsor children in Kalapata, Kenya through World Vision, but in an empowering twist, the students will be Chosen by the children in Kalpata. The Ontario students had their photos taken and sent to the Kalpata community in Kenya where their photos were displayed for the Kenyan children to choose what Ontario student, they want to be their sponsor. 

“One of Ontario Christian’s goals is to be a community that considers loving your neighbor as an essential part of faith, as a non-negotiable. I’m really excited about this experience for the students,” said Ontario Christian Principal Ben Dykhouse. “I’m excited that I get to experience this along with them, with the child that my family is sponsoring.”

On November 18, the Ignite program will hold a powerful event where the students will find out who chose them as their sponsor. They will receive a picture of the child holding their photo and a note letting them know about the child and what made the child choose them. This will be the emotional beginning of a transformational relationship that, accompanied with an experiential curriculum, will shape the students into global leaders with a biblical worldview. 

Just this week, the students participated in the Social Innovation Challenge, which is a competition that empowers students to create real-world solutions to humanitarian issues. This year’s challenge invited students to come up with solutions to tackle youth drug abuse in Ethiopia. Competing against a team from a school in Las Vegas, the winning team gets a chance to see their solution implemented in a community in Ethiopia. 

World Vision is one of the largest Christian humanitarian organizations in the world, working in nearly 100 countries. Through the organization’s efforts every 30 seconds, a family gets water, a hungry child is fed, and a family receives the tools to overcome poverty.

Ontario Christian High School will launch the World Vision Ignite partnership with nearly 100 9^th grade students, who will build relationships with their sponsored child in Kenya through the remainder of their high school career at Ontario. They will also learn about the root causes of poverty and how to tackle critical world issues. By connecting with vulnerable kids in the developing world, students will gain empathy, learn to love their neighbors, and provide tangible help to meet the basic needs of others. The students will also lead out on local action, to help neighbors in need in the Los Angeles area.

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About World Vision: 
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.?For more information, please visit https://www.worldvision.org/about-us/media-center or follow us on Twitter @WorldVisionUSA. 

The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) Board of Education recently promoted career educator and San Bernardino native Ana Applegate to assistant superintendent of the Educational Services Division, which oversees the academic achievement of students from kindergarten through high school. 

Applegate, first hired to teach at Hunt Elementary School in 1993, will oversee key departments like Elementary Instruction and Secondary Education, Professional Development, and Multilingual Programs, among others vital to student learning. With an estimated 48,000 students, SBCUSD is the ninth largest school district in California.

Applegate assumes her new leadership role amid challenging school closures prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, which has placed greater emphasis and demand on remote teaching and learning. She will be tasked with strengthening the District’s distance learning program while also preparing for the eventual return of students to in-class learning when it’s deemed safe to reopen schools, as guided by local and state guidelines.

Although Applegate is a familiar face inside and outside the District, she was formally introduced to the community during the November 17 virtual Board of Education meeting. 

“I’m committed to working to provide all our students the highest quality educational experience in order to prepare them for college and careers,” Applegate said. “The relationships we build with students, families, and employees are an important foundation for our work.”

Most recently Applegate served as director of Multilingual Programs, where she was responsible for overseeing all of the English Learner programs, implementing the International Newcomer Academy at Pacific High School, and the trilingual program (English, Spanish, and Vietnamese) at Belvedere Elementary School. Prior to that role, she held a variety of positions, including mentoring new teachers. Applegate earned her bachelor’s degree and bilingual cross-cultural credential from California State University, San Bernardino. She earned her master’s degree in Education Administration from Azusa Pacific University.

Applegate is the third cabinet member to be promoted from within the District’s administrative ranks in recent months, which is attributed to the quality of educational leadership within the District, said Interim Superintendent Dr. Harold J. Vollkommer.

“As educators, we are in the business of building human potential,” Vollkommer said. “Ana is a progressive leader with a clear vision to help our students succeed academically. She takes that responsibility very seriously. Her passion for students and institutional knowledge are assets to our school district.”