(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Akoma Unity Center has been selected at the beneficiary of Macy’s 2019 Your Extra Change Can Help Your Community Round Up Campaign from May 1 – May 15, 2019. Each year, Macy’s chooses a local based charity to support. With Akoma Unity Center serving over 2,500 youth and parents in San Bernardino since its inception in 2017, the choice was made clear.
During the Macy’s Round Up Your Change Campaign customers are encouraged at the register to round up change to .99 cents that will be donated to Akoma.
“The best way to contribute is to purchase each of your items separately and round up with each purchase,” Akoma’s Executive Director, Kimberly Calvin stated. “On Saturday, May 4, 2019 Girl Scouts Troop #1419 will be present to meet with customers and are excited for their first outreach event.”
For an extra 30% off, stop by Akoma to pick up a Friends and Family coupon just in time for your Mother’s Day shopping. Macy’s is also sponsoring the School Cents Program, where customers can shop at any store in the Inland Center Mall and earn points for every dollar spent. Points are then accumulated to a dollar amount that will be donated to Akoma. There are three ways to turn in receipts: turn in receipts into management office, log receipts online at shopandlog.com/inland or drop them off at Akoma. Either way, your receipts will go a long way!
Akoma Unity Center is a 501 C(3) Non-Profit organization committed to providing children with high quality, no-cost after school structured recreation, and development programs in a safe and supervised environment.
If you would like to more information about Akoma Unity Center, please visit www.akomaunitycenter.org or call (909) 217-7956.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— On Wednesday, the last day before San Bernardino High School graduate Alexander Mattison headed for the Minnesota Vikings’ rookie camp, he returned to his alma mater one more time.
Walking into the school’s weight room on May 1, Mattison reflected on the remarkable journey from his native San Bernardino to the NFL.
“It feels good to be back in San Bernardino because I feel the love and the energy of my community,” Mattison said. “This is a new beginning for me and for my city. I want to be an ambassador. I want to help rewrite the narrative because it tends to be negative. But we have so much talent right here, so many intelligent individuals.”
Mattison is one of them.
He graduated from San Bernardino High in 2016 with a 4.6 GPA and earned the state’s prestigious Seal of Biliteracy, validating his fluency in English and Spanish. Mattison is a product of the San Bernardino City Unified School District‘s award-winning Dual Immersion Program. Mattison started in the program at Hillside Elementary, later transferring to LincolnElementary and then continuing at Arrowview Middle School.
As far back as elementary school, Mattison knew he was destined to succeed.
“Whether it be through academics or athletics, I knew I would reach my dreams,” Mattison said. “To everyone here in San Bernardino, I would say don’t let your dreams die. Every day you wake up is a new opportunity to chase your dreams, so chase them with 110 % energy and passion. Don’t let your opportunities go to waste.”
Mattison, a running back, is not the only SBCUSD graduate to take the first big step toward an NFL career this year.
San Gorgonio High School graduate Nate Meadors was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. Meadors attended Thompson Elementary, Serrano Middle School, and graduated from San Gorgonio High in 2015.
Meadors and Mattison are representative of the high caliber of students in San Bernardino, said Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden.
“These young men are proof that if you dream big, hold on to hope, and work hard, anything’s possible,” Marsden said. “Alexander and Nate are key players in our collective efforts to change the narrative about San Bernardino.”
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— PAL Charter Academy is a small High school located in San Bernadino, California. PCA had a standout player in last weekends HBCU Combine. Donavon Becker received a second-day invite, at the 2nd Annual HBCU event held at Lynnwood High School in Los Angeles.
He was one of the hundreds of football players who came out to compete in a rigorous two-day Combine. All players that met the first-day evaluation received a callback to compete in the second day of the Combine.
Donovan Becker is a 6’6, 220 lb junior player at PCA High school that caught the eyes of HBCU’s and Junior College recruiters, and received a second-day invite.
Coaches came from all over to evaluate players from all over California to showcase their talent and to compete for a football scholarship. It was a robust combine that gave local players a huge opportunity to compete for a scholarship. PCA’s Head Coach Julian Patrick said. Donovan held his own against Juco and High school players, and that earned him a second-day invite.
The HBCU combine has been an excellent platform for players to receive a football scholarship, quality education and the opportunity to experience college life outside of California.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) announced today that the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra is the recipient of the 2019 Kris Sinclair Leadership Award for its successful implementation of a new strategic direction, which has led to impressive growth in concert attendance and community engagement over the past three years.
This award is named in honor of Kris Sinclair, ACSO’s longtime former executive director, and is given to an ACSO Organizational Member that demonstrates recent and measurable leadership initiatives by its staff and/or board in one or more of the following areas: finance, governance, staff development, audience development, education, or community engagement.
“The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra is a great example of how orchestras that have been in operation for decades can still continue to evolve and grow and provide relevant and meaningful art experiences for their diverse audiences,” said Sarah Weber, executive director of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.
“In the last few years, the leadership of the orchestra has programmed innovative concerts, provided music education for thousands of at-risk youth, and increased community awareness and ticket sales through expanded media coverage. They did hard work to make a plan for improvement, and that plan is yielding amazing results.”
With the Sinclair Award comes a $5,000 prize, which the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra will use to install new software for ticketing and to train staff to effectively utilize the system.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK–ENN)— FONTANA, CA— The James Irvine Foundation awarded the Chaffey College Foundation a $1.3-million grant this month to support pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs at the Industrial Technical Learning Center in Fontana.
The two-year grant will provide accelerated training programs and paid internships in advanced manufacturing for low-income Inland Empire residents.
Chaffey College Superintendent/President Dr. Henry Shannon said the grant will help InTech continue to close the gap between skilled workers and the needs of industry in the region.
“We are grateful to the James Irvine Foundation for its generosity,” Shannon said. “This support will change many lives by giving more students access to a quality education and lucrative careers.”
Sandra Sisco, director of Chaffey College economic development and the InTech Center, said the grant will help InTech strengthen the Inland Empire’s economic footprint by training its residents to take on in-demand careers.
“The James Irvine Foundation grant is critical to helping InTech continue building partnerships with employers, which allows us to offer training programs specifically designed by industry to meet their employment needs,” Sisco said.
Programs benefiting from the grant include welding, machining, additive manufacturing, as well as heating, ventilation air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R). The grant will also support a new industrial electrical and mechanical pre-apprenticeship pathway. Students who successfully complete one of these programs will then be eligible to be placed at a company for a 240-hour paid internship at $17 an hour.
“The Chaffey College Foundation is pleased to be able to facilitate public-private partnerships such as The James Irvine Foundation’s Better Careers initiative,” said Foundation Executive Director Lisa Nashua. “This partnership benefits the community by helping Chaffey train Inland Empire residents for living-wage jobs.”
U.S. manufacturing is facing an unprecedented talent shortage as the economy continues to grow and the aging workforce looks to retire. In a 2018 study by The Manufacturing Institute, there will be an estimated 2.4 million jobs that will go unfilled by 2028 due to a lack of skilled workers available to take those positions.
For employers interested in selecting a paid intern, contact Rosalinda Rivas at (909) 652-8482 or rosalinda.rivas@chaffey.edu. For general information or to learn about qualifications to participate in one of InTech’s training programs, contact the InTech Center at (909) 652-8488.
The popular show in its 4th year hosted by Lashaun Turner (Lady I.M.PRE$S) is impacting radio audiences across multiple platforms giving exposure to artists & entrepreneurs across the country!
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— REDLANDS, CA— Cali’s Best Radio Show airs on CNBC/NBC affiliate radio station KCAA on 102.3FM and 106.5FM in the Inland Empire Wednesdays at 7 p.m. PST. The show is a unique platform which showcases the Who’s Who and What’s “BEST” in Music, Business, Entertainment, and Lifestyle. For indie music entrepreneurs it’s an opportunity to share the spotlight with established artists and to have their music played among mainstream music.
Cali’s Best has been picked up by numerous outlets including Crazy Genius TV network on Roku, KHUR, WCDR, Indie Central Radio, WHTL 95.2FM, 98.2TheBeatLA, 98.5FM Kmix and more. For the full lineup, times & listen links visit www.CalisBestRadioShow.com orwww.LashaunTurner.com.
LASHAUN WILL BE COVERING THE RED CARPET MAY 4 & 5- 320 N E St, San Bernardino, CA 92401-1510, United States LUE Productions 3rd Urban Fashion, & Music Event JOIN THE FACEBOOK EVENT HERE TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— JCPenney has partnered with the career service center at California State University, San Bernardino for a college Suit Up event designed to help students dress for success and jump start their careers. This private event will take place at the JCPenney in Inland Center on Sunday, April 28, to accommodate hundreds of students looking for advice on what to wear for job interviews. Faculty, staff and alumni from California State University, San Bernardino, along with members of the JCPenney team, will be on-hand to offer insights into the latest career fashion trends, how a suit should fit, what size to buy, how to tie a tie and more.
JCPenney will offer a special EXTRA 40 percent discount to all California State University, San Bernardino students with a valid school ID during this event. Through this substantial discount, men can easily purchase a JF J. Ferrar suit jacket and pants, shirts, ties, belts and shoes for under $200. Women can buy a Worthington suit jacket, skirt, shirt and shoes for under $100. Students will also be eligible to receive a free mini makeover at Sephora Inside JCPenney.
Loma Linda University Health’s community outreach program
PossAbilities gears up for its 17thannual athletic event
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— LOMA LINDA, CA— Community athletes of all abilities and ages are invited to participate in the 17th annual PossAbilities & Kids Triathlon on Sunday, April 28, at Loma Linda University Drayson Center, 25040 Stewart Street in Loma Linda.
The adult triathlon begins at 7 a.m. and is composed of a 3.1-mile run/walk/roll, 11-mile bike, and 150-yard swim at the Drayson Center Pool. The kid’s triathlon begins at 9 a.m. and includes a 1/4-mile run/walk/roll, a 1/4 mile bike ride and a 25 yard swim. All participants will receive official finish times and a finisher medal. In addition to the two triathlons, the event will feature a 5K run, fun activities, and vendor booths for families to explore.
Cotie Williams, program manager of Community Outreach and Patient Experience at Loma Linda University Health, says “The triathlon was designed to bring a range of athletes together of different ages and abilities for a fun community event. The triathlon is also a unique opportunity to bring awareness to PossAbilities and showcase athletes of all abilities.”
PossAbilities members include individuals who have endured permanent injury from limb amputation, stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and other causes. Williams says their professional athletes and Paralympic hopefuls rigorously train for events such as the triathlon.
Zimri Solis, a trilateral amputee from Jurupa Valley, has been competing in the event for four years. He said his goal this year is to improve his speed in running, biking and swimming. Zimri is a sponsored member of Team PossAbilities training for the Paralympics.
Solis said his time last year was 1 hour and 14 minutes. This year he wants to complete the course in under 1 hour and 10 minutes. “My hope is that all my training will pay off,” he said.
Online registration is open until 2 p.m. on April 26 and can be accessed at teampossabilities.org/events. Additional information regarding parking, adult and kids triathlon route, and volunteer sign-up can be found online.
PossAbilities
is a free community outreach program of Loma Linda University Health that
offers disabled and challenged individuals a sense of community and a healthy
social network. For more information about PossAbilities, call 909-558-6384,
email possabilities@llu.edu, or
visit the website teampossabilities.org.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The PAL Center and PAL Charter Academy held its annual State of Youth Employment Event on April 18, 2019. During this event, various community and state leaders met and spoke about the importance of positively engaging our San Bernardino youth in employment opportunities. The question was, “What are you doing about youth employment?”
Dwaine Radden Sr., Chief Executive Officer for the PAL Center opened the event thanking Mr. Edward Brantley, Director of Community Relations for the PAL Center, for his efforts to connect the dots in our community. Radden’s welcome set the overall theme for the event. He stated that connecting the dots was central to achieving success during and after the conference.
After the introduction, all community and state leaders had an opportunity to describe their organizations and their work with the community. During the speeches, every speaker connected the dots by reflecting on how their organization and others in the room could work together to provide opportunities for students.
Throughout the day, everyone was interchanging business cards and supporting the “connect the dot” analogy that Radden envisioned at the opening of the event. He quoted an old African proverb, “The child who is not embraced will burn the village down to feel its warmth.” Radden said San Bernardino is burning because our youth need to work and have positive activities and facilities for them throughout the city, and their community. He volunteered to put together a website for the Inland Empire community base resource agencies to post and share services for families and the youth.
Various organizations attended the event, from faith-based programs to San Bernardino County programs, businesses that provide job opportunities for youth, and California State Senator, Connie Leyva’s office. Mr. Andre Bossieux, or as he refers to himself, “Dre from TAY,” expressed the power of communication and staying in touch with our people to help guide them. His message was strong and inspiring. He asked the members of the audience to be mentors and leaders for our communities.
Mr. Majadi, Director of the Center for Youth and Community Development, articulated the need for our communities to support our youth and provide opportunities for them to succeed. Mr. Stan “Amini” Futch from the Westside Action Group explained the importance and need to have a resource database. He stated that we should have various events to keep up the momentum and bring in more resources for San Bernardino and its youth. PAL Charter Academy showed a school video where it highlighted their student work. It also showed the real-time work with youth that had graduated from one of their programs.
The video expressed how the morale and life skills for these students could be taken with them professionally. Several enrolled students at the PAL Charter Academy talked about their academic success, their involvement in ASB, the Upward Bound Program, and other involvement at the school that led them to success that they never thought they would achieve.
The milestone event also provided a lot of other resources and information that could benefit the youth in San Bernardino. The event was very positive, motivating, and it supported the continued need to work together.
The landmark occurrence
concluded with an opportunity for all of the audience members to comment and
express their thoughts. Many participants described the event became more
personal when an added theme was tied to the overall message of the event. It
opened the door for many to make sure that they connect with as many other
organizations and programs as possible to strengthen our services and
employment for our youth in San Bernardino and outside of the city.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-San Bernardino) held a press conference to highlight Assembly Bill 1510 which will give victims of sexual assault occurring at a student health center an additional year to file their civil claims. Last year, a series of articles revealed the 30-year history of gynecologist, Dr. George Tyndall’s acts of sexual assaults and mistreatment of patients at the University of Southern California’s student health center. The pattern of behavior revealed in the media coverage and the subsequent witness testimonies provided shocking details of sexual assault and harassment inflicted on patients while he served as USC’s sole gynecologist at its student health center. AB 1510 will give victims of his conscious-shocking behavior an additional year to file their claims in court.
“As women, we are keenly aware of the pervasive culture that fails to value and protect women — a culture that lives in the shadows and thrives off fear,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “This culture was unfortunately extended to the most intimate part of our lives — at student health centers — where the sacred patient-doctor relationship was violated.”
It is estimated that over 14,000 female students were impacted by Tyndall since the start of his tenure in 1989. More than 30 women joined Assemblymember Reyes in solidarity, including speakers such as Nicole Haynes, a Tyndall survivor and broadcast journalist, and Aly Raisman, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and survivor of former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.
“The system is broken when the university seems more intent on putting out propaganda against the women who suffered the abuses of Dr. Tyndall than fully accepting institutional responsibility,” said Nicole Haynes. “The systemic failure continues when we try to bring our case in a California court of law, and are met with antiquated deadlines and a statute of limitations law that threatens to extinguish our rights and voices. AB 1510 will give survivors like me a chance to hold those who harmed us accountable.”
It gives us a choice. We can choose our own path to justice” said Haynes.
Before the story was revealed in the media, USC had found in an internal investigation that Tyndall’s behavior during medical exams amounted to sexual harassment of students. The outcome of the investigation allowed Tyndall to quietly resign with a payout and keep his medical license. Recently, USC agreed to a tentative settlement to pay $215 million to former patients. The settlement calls for a minimum $2,500 payment to any USC students treated by Dr. Tyndall and up to $250,000 to those who were sexually assaulted or harassed. The settlement would only apply to a federal class action lawsuit and not hundreds of other patients suing in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Raisman stated “When a physician abuses that power and trust, it is the worst sort of betrayal. When authorities who could put a halt to the abuse instead turn a blind eye, the betrayal grows even larger still. But we are not victims. We are survivors. And part of survival means seeking justice and accountability. It means that we as a society put aside antiquated time limits that would mute the voices of survivors in these worst kinds of cases. What we saw with USA gymnastics and Larry Nassar we are seeing with USC and George Tyndall: A sexual predator hiding behind a medical coat, and a powerful institution that for too long tried to hide the truth – and that now deserves to be held to account. Full accountability will only come if our justice system is allowed to work.”
AB 1510 creates a one-year window to revive time-barred civil actions, but only for claims for damages “arising out of sexual assault or misconduct by a physician occurring at a student health center.” Specifically, victims whose claims had expired prior to January 1, 2020, would have until January 1, 2021, to file their lapsed claim for damages. This one-year revival window would not apply to any claim litigated to finality in court, or to any case settled to finality, before January 1, 2020.
Assemblymember Reyes concluded the press conference by reiterating the much needed cultural shift society must take to create a safe, transparent, and accountable environment.
AB 1510 passed out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee by a vote of 9 to 0. It will next be considered by the full Assembly.
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