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SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) is proud to announce that she is running for re-election to the California State Assembly’s 47^thAssembly District. The 47^th Assembly District encompasses the cities of Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Rialto, the southwest parts of San Bernardino and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy. Her re-election campaign is set to launch on Sunday, February 16 at the Hampton Inn, 250 North 9th Street in Colton, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. During her first year in office, jobs, economic development, small business growth, education and public safety were among her top priorities. She also sponsored and supported various bills to promote economic development, spur small business growth, support student success and assist homeowners and veterans.

The California State Legislature approved four of her bills last year, two of them, AB 379 and 1094, becoming laws. AB 379 protects financing for manufactured home owners and AB 1094 increases CalWORKS benefits for veterans, allowing them to receive the financial assistance they need to care for their families.

Additionally, she hosted 16 community events that brought resources into the District, including a back to school giveaway, where she distributed 400 free backpacks to students in Bloomington and Muscoy; a green collar jobs fair; and a business summit to help small businesses gain access to resources to further their development. Assemblymember Brown has already won the pre-endorsement of the delegates from the California Democratic Party. To RSVP contact Ashley Jones at 909-645-3853.

Edith Lara-Trad, information officer at Covered California, welcomes representatives from Inland community groups to the first Covered California regional meeting at Loma Linda University Health.

LOMA LINDA, CA – Representatives of community groups working to enroll more San Bernardino County residents for affordable health insurance through Covered California kicked off their first regional meeting on Wednesday (Feb. 12) at Loma Linda University Health (LLUH).

About 40 people, representing dozens of community groups, stakeholders, health organizations, elected officials, and local health officials, took part in the gathering, hosted by LLUH.

“One of the objectives of the regional meeting is to focus on increasing partnerships and collaboration within the region, and to share lessons learned from the first weeks of enrollment,” said Edith Lara-Trad, information officer at Covered California, and the regional coordinator for the effort.

“It is about the people who are in dire need of health coverage. We have 47 days to continue mobilizing our efforts and enroll them now. One focus is to use in-person assistance to maximize enrollment,” she said.

LLUH, in partnership with Community Clinic Association of San Bernardino County, is one of 48 lead organizations that received grant awards totaling $37 million from Covered California to help residents access affordable health coverage.  Covered California is the state’s new health care insurance marketplace responsible for reaching out to 5.3 million Californians in need of individual insurance, many of whom may be eligible for financial assistance with the premiums.

“LLUH wants to ensure the residents of the Inland Empire are informed regarding the historic changes in our health care system and we are getting our residents the coverage they need to improve and maintain their health,” said Gerald Winslow, Ph.D., vice president for mission and culture at LLUH, and director of the Institute for Health Policy and Leadership, the organizational entity responsible for administering the grant.

The regional meeting provided opportunities for grantees, certified counselors, providers, community and health agencies, and elected officials to mingle and work in partnerships in existing enrollment events. Covered California partners and the health community have played an integral role to accomplish enrollment to many people thus far and Covered California is providing specific support to the community and partners to drive the regional effort.

Lara-Trad said the challenge is to encourage more people to enroll by March 31, which is the deadline for open enrollment and for obtaining premium assistance and guaranteed health coverage. She said, “We are focusing on key gaps. Latinos, African Americans, and other under-represented communities and young adults are especially targeted for enrollment.” More information is available at www.CoveredCA.com

Rosie Salazar, Covered California certified counselor at Inland Behavioral Health Services, attended the event because she wanted to expand her network and get ideas for getting more people to sign up for health insurance.

“We are in a community where we deal with many homeless and low-income people,” she said. “We do not want them to be left out of affordable health care.”

The members of Riverside
Alumni Chapter celebrate Founders Day at Clayton home.

On January 5, the brothers of the Riverside Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi F?raternity, Inc., gathered at the home of Brother Larry Clayton to celebrate the 103rd year of the fraternity. Over 25 Brothers and their Silhouettes attended. The Loving Cup
was passed and provided a chance for Brothers initiated in 1956 through the 2013 Neophytes to rededicate themselves to achievement in every field of human endeavor.

Chapter Polemarch, Dr. Samuel Gibbs, sliced two cakes prepared for the occasion. Chapter Historian, Alvin Stephens, summed up the history of the chapter saying, “The March and Norton Air Force Bases were going strong in our history and Brothers would be stationed in and mustered out but we were successful in gaining great recognition in the community for our service projects.”

On the heels of this auspicious celebration, over 20 members of the chapter traveled on January 25 to co-sponsor the Los Angeles Metro Founders Day Event. Baseball great Brother Don Buford provided the keynote and encouraged all as he told of his path to achievement in the field of sports.

Audrey Matthews

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board, which oversees the use of federal dollars to train local job seekers and support employers, has announced the appointment of two new members and a vice chair.

The Board has named Audrey Mathews as interim Vice Chair. Mathews was honored in 2013 for more than 35 years of work in local and state governments as a professor, budget director, planning commissioner and consultant. She received the American Society for Public Administration’s Elmer B. Staats Lifetime Achievement Award.

In addition to serving on the Workforce Investment Board, Mathews works with the County’s Planning Commission and sits as a legislative advisor to the National Association of Workforce Boards, and the California Workforce Association.  She has written multiple workforce initiatives and testimony that was submitted to Senate and House subcommittees on workforce issues.

Audrey is CEO of Mathews and Associates, an organizational behavior and diversity management-consulting firm.  She will be Interim vice Chair until elections are held in March.

Dr. Dale Marsden, newly appointed member of the Board, is Superintendent of San Bernardino City Unified School District. He is well known for his work in engaging employers and community partners to help students graduate and pursue college and a successful career. With the Alliance for Education, a partnership between businesses and educators, he played an integral role in a national initiative, called STEAM, to ensure more students enter careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.  The father of four began his teaching career in 1985, working his way up to Superintendent of Victor Elementary School District before being appointed to his current role in 2012. He also served in the US Air Force, where he earned several awards.

Gary Watson, Deputy Director of the Employment Services Program (ESP) for the County of San Bernardino Transitional Assistance Department, was also appointed as a member of the Board.  The ESP helps clients receiving cash aid remove barriers to employment, develop self-esteem, and prepare to find and retain employment. Watson has more than 20 years of human services experience including programming, budget and operations to provide support to needy families in San Bernardino County.

“The San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board has a national reputation for excellence due to the active leadership and team work of its members,” said San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chair Janice Rutherford. “These dedicated individuals, collectively representing business, government, and community organizations, bring their best to the table.”

The Workforce Investment Board partners with the County’s largest industry sectors to identify the needs of the workforce and employers and to support training programs that prepare residents to enter careers in growing industries.

“Our Workforce Investment Board has become a national model due to the efforts and creativity of our members,” said Sandy Harmsen, Executive Director of the Board. “Their decisions impact the lives of thousands of at-risk youth through our Workforce Investment Act Youth program as well as adults and veterans who find career and training opportunities through our three America’s Job Centers of California.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office has completed its review of the fatal officer-involved incident involving Christopher Jordan Dorner, 33, of La Palma, on February 12, 2013.

Under the facts, circumstances and law applicable to this case, the use of deadly force and non-deadly force by law enforcement personnel was in response to an immediate threat of death and serious bodily injury to themselves and to members of the public posed by Christopher Dorner’s actions, and was therefore legally justified under the laws of self-defense, defense of others, and laws of arrest.

The report of the written case evaluation is available at www.sbcountyda.org by selecting Press Releases under the Newsroom tab at the top of the home page. The identities of the involved law enforcement officers are not included in this memo as a result of security concerns for the officers and their families.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA-  The San Bernardino County Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) is offering free tax preparation and e-filing services for qualifying low to moderate income taxpayers through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Services are available to those who earned less than $52,000 in 2013. Tax returns are filed electronically, for both California and federal taxes. Taxpayers can call to make appointments and there are extended hours and Saturday appointments available. Walk-ins are also welcome. Bilingual tax preparation services are available. Refunds are received in as few as 7 days after acceptance. In addition to locations at TAD offices, there are several  VITA Mobile Tax Locations for San Bernardino County residents to visit. It is the ninth year that TAD has partnered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to offer free, accurate, certified tax preparation services through the VITA program. The VITA campaign is focused on increasing awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, which most VITA qualified taxpayers are eligible to receive. This credit was developed to help assist those who are in financial need as well as to reward employment. Every year, thousands of families miss out on this tax credit; money that could be used to help meet their families’ basic needs. The additional money that taxpayers receive from the EITC has proven to help boost the local economy. In 2013, TAD provided tax preparation services to more than 7,700 taxpayers in our local communities and processed more than $15.2 million in combined federal and state refunds; of this, $7.2 million was a direct result of TAD’s efforts in increasing families’ access to the Earned Income Tax Credit and other refundable credits. “For those who are eligible to receive this free service, it can provide life changing outcomes,” said Nancy Swanson, Director of Transitional Assistance. “The earned income credit can be a much needed financial boost for taxpaying individuals and families in our local community and we are proud to be partnering, once again, with the IRS on the VITA program.” For further information regarding VITA program eligibility requirements, please visit our VITA website at hs.sbcounty.gov/VITA or call 909-252-4903.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA- The renowned Harlem Globetrotters will take fan interaction to a new level when the 2014 “Fans Rule” World Tour comes to the Southland for games at Honda Center in Anaheim on Saturday, February 15 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.;  the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 16 at 12:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.; and Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario on Monday, February 17 at 2 p.m. Online voting is now open at harlemglobetrotters.com/rule, where all fans can choose which new game-changing rules they want to see in their hometown.

The Globetrotters were the first organization in sports and entertainment to let fans vote on rules when the team introduced the concept last year.  Since the fan response was so overwhelming, the team is doing it again – but with a major twist. Tickets are also available at harlemglobetrotters.com and each respective arena box office.  Information on group and scout tickets can also be found at harlemglobetrotters.com. A collaboration with METRO allows riders to save $5 on select tickets by showing their valid TAP card, Metro employee ID at the box office, or use the promo code: METRO when purchasing tickets online.

2014 Mr Cardinal group07

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On April 5, thirteen young men from San Bernardino High School (SBHS) will attempt to demonstrate that they have the Cardinal City virtues of justice, fortitude, school spirit, and charity. The contestants, all SBHS juniors, will take to the Sturges Center for the Fine Arts, 780 North E Street in San Bernardino, stage at 6 p.m. to compete for the title of Mr. Cardinal City 2014-2015. Mr. Cardinal represents the high school at local events with co-royalty Miss Cardinal City. The pageants were named to honor San Bernardino High’s status as a chartered city, Cardinal City. Local businesses and community groups interested in supporting the event should contact Jamie Rios, bilingual school outreach worker, by phone at 909-881-8217 or by email at jamie.rios@sbcusd.com. Mr. Cardinal City 2013-2014 sponsors included Stater Bros. Markets, Trophy House, San Bernardino High Class of 1952, The Sun newspaper, Toyota of San Bernardino, D’Arca Formal Wear, Angel’s Closets, San Bernardino City Unified School District, Virginia Marquez, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hickey, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Arellano, Miss Corina Borsuk, and San Bernardino High School Associated Student Body. Tickets for the April 5 Mr. Cardinal City pageant are $7 pre-sale and $10 at the door. Tickets are available from any contestant and Jamie Rios.

Joe Smith

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- To promote awareness and education about mental awareness in the African American community, the Department of Behavioral Health’s African American sub-committee in partnership with the African American Coalition and San Bernardino Valley College will be presenting a day honoring African American Mental Health Awareness week on Tuesday, February 11 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Library of San Bernardino Valley College, 701 S. Mt. Vernon Avenue, San Bernardino, CA 92410.

There will be a special message by guest speaker, Joseph Smith, former Los Angeles Lakers player. Smith, born and raised in Norfolk, Virgina, played power forward with the Lakers. He was the College Player of the Year at Maryland in 1996 and the umber 1 draft pick of that season;’s draft. Smith has created an Independent Record Label, novaunitrecords.com, signing his first Latino artist Dino Durand, Smith is intent with breaking boundaries, and bridging gaps between all nationalities. Alter ego “Joe Beast” enjoys writing, rapping, and performing, and has braced many stages through–?out the U.S. Joe Smith continues to participate in several charitable events per year, and enjoys motivational speaking to youth all across the country. For more info email: lynlaneliaison@gmail.com

Miss Black San Bernardino 2014, Noelle Lilley

The Westside Story would love to send out a congratulations to one of our interns, Noelle Lilley, who was crowned the 2014 Miss Black San Bernardino this past Saturday, January 25. She will also be graduating from Arroyo Valley High School this summer, and will be attending Arizona State University where she will major in Journalism.

Noelle Lilley, Queen (Left); Leanna Pollard, 1st Runner Up (middle); and Bobbie McFerson, 2nd Runner Up (right)