Local

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The Board of Education of the San Bernardino City Unified School District voted on Tuesday, January 25 to fill a vacancy on the governing body through a temporary appointment, foregoing a costly special election.

Those vying for the provisional seat can begin applying today, January 26 and must be 18 years of age or older, live within the District’s attendance boundaries, be registered to vote in San Bernardino County, and submit a completed application by the February 2 deadline. The Board plans to conduct candidate interviews on February 8 and announce its selection on February 15. The appointed Board of Education member will fill a seat vacated with the December 2021 passing of community icon and longtime SBCUSD administrator and trustee Dr. Margaret Hill.

Candidate applications will be available on the District’s website, www.sbcusd.com/applyforboe, beginning today, Wednesday, January 26, and close Wednesday, February 2, 2022.

The appointed trustee will serve from February 15, 2022, through mid December 2022. Candidates interested in being elected to serve the remainder of the term, which ends December 2024, would need to run for the permanent seat through the formal elections process and be elected by voters.

The seven-member Board of Education provides direction for operating the District through actions taken at its meetings. Board members develop the policies by which the educational programs and other business of the District are carried out. Regular meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m.

Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Marcus Lopez, Ontario, California, conducts maintenance on life rings in the pilot house aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) during routine operations. Charleston, part of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, is on a rotational deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operation to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan M. Breeden)

SAN BERNARDINO, CA. –– Dameron Communications’ launches new sports marketing division with Willie Dee Ellison II Sports Marketing Expert. He has more than 30 years of media and public relations experience in journalism and sports marketing.

Ellison covers major sports and entertainment in the Southern California Region and has since the 1980s.  This includes interviews, articles, photography and public relations with the Lakers, Rams, Raiders, Dodgers and Angels.

Dameron Communications’ new sports marketing division includes marketing of sporting events, sports businesses, individual athletes, stadiums and facilities where sporting activities take place; Public Bodies, Federations, Leagues and Series, with the purpose of promoting, growing, and developing individual disciplines and championships; and equipment for practicing sports disciplines.

“We are honored to have Willie join the Dameron Communications team of diverse, talented Communications professionals.  His knowledge and skill in sports marketing will help local school districts, colleges, universities and professional sports teams grow and prosper,” said agency founder Carl M. Dameron.

The Dameron Communications team and I have developed effective strategies to keep people interested and involved despite the issues that COVID has created in sports and sports involvement,” said Ellison. “I am excited to be a part of the Dameron Communications team,” added Ellison.

Ellison has covered the NFC Championship for the NFL, and The Western Conference Finals for

the NBA, NCAA programs including USC and UCLA, NCAA Basketball Tournaments and several Rose Bowl Games including the National Championship.

The Southern California native has garnered many awards and achievements since his days at California State University, San Bernardino.  Ellison is married with three adult children and seven grandchildren.

About Dameron Communications

Dameron Communications’ is a diverse team of communications professionals delivering inspired advertising: public relations, community relations and government relations. Agency work has won awards and client accolades for more than 30 years.  Uniquely, we blend unsurpassed relationships with proven advertising and public relations methods to deliver winning and measurable results.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Since August 1 of last year, Omnitrans has offered kindergarten to 12th graders in the San Bernardino Valley free rides to school through its Free Fares for School pilot program. To date, the program has provided more than 250,000 free rides for students. Last week, the agency’s Board of Directors approved an extension of the program through May 31.

“The success of the Free Fares for School pilot program has shown that this initiative is welcomed and needed in our region,” said CEO/General Manager Erin Rogers. “We are pleased to extend the program to promote equity and build the next generation of transit ridership.”

The Free Fares for School program allows community members 18 and under to get to school, work, and play with reliable and safe transportation on Omnitrans’ 29 routes. Omnitrans provides service to schools in San Bernardino County, work, shopping, extracurricular activities, and anywhere else students need to travel. Their student ID is their pass to freedom onboard!

In keeping with current CDC guidelines, Omnitrans continues to practice enhanced cleaning measures to keep everyone safe. Masks also are required onboard buses and at transit centers.

To learn more about Free Fares for School, visit omnitrans.org/buy-a-pass/free-fares-for- school/ and for more information on Omnitrans routes and services, please visit www.omnitrans.org.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre appointed Claudia Lopez for a full term on the San Bernardino County Committee on School District Organization as a representative of the Fifth Supervisorial District.

The oath of office was administered to Lopez by County Superintendent Alejandre on Jan. 11. Her term is through 2025.

The 11-member committee addresses school district organizational issues including possible changes to the number of district trustees, trustee area boundaries, school district boundary changes and unifications.

The County Committee’s newest member, Lopez, is a resident of Colton who works within the hotel industry. She stated she has been working with young people for a good 20 years and thought this would be a great opportunity to grow more and contribute to education.

The Fifth Supervisorial District includes cities of Colton, Fontana, Rialto, and San Bernardino and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington, El Rancho Verde, Glen Helen, Arrowhead Farms, Muscoy, Little Third and Rosena Ranch.

The San Bernardino County Committee on School District Organization maintains a webpage athttps://www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/index.php/business-services/business-advisory-services/county-committee

For more news and information, visit the SBCSS Newsroom and follow us @SBCountySchools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.#transforminglives.

Bloomington, CA—– On Saturday, January 15th Supervisor Joe Baca Jr., with the support of the Bloomington community gathered at Kessler Park to unveil monuments in honor of four committed Bloomington High Alumnus. The event had a great turn out and a lot of supporters from all around the community came to support. A huge concrete monument and a baseball field scoreboard at the park was named the “Gary Mendoza Memorial Field,” in honor of Mendoza who was an integral part of our Bloomington Little League. Gary Mendoza’s legacy had a lasting impact on our Bloomington Community and his support for the children will be passed on through generations. During the ceremony we were also able to unveil personalized benches honoring Evric Gray, retired New Jersey Nets Basketball Player; Mike Ashman, retired head coach of Cal Poly Pomona’s baseball team and current batting practice coach; and Lonell Roberts, 11 season baseball player for by the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization.

“Coming together with the Bloomington community and honoring such supportive members of our community was really such a beautiful moment. All those we honored are Bloomington High School Alumnus as well and it goes to prove just how much impact members of our community can have on the world around us. As Gary Mendoza would always say, “At the end of the day, it’s all about the kids.” And that’s exactly why this park was the perfect place to honor these four great people. This park will hold memories and accomplishments of local heroes for generations to come. I would again like to thank all those who showed up and supported our community of such a special day.” – Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— City of San Bernardino Council Member Kimberly Calvin has been appointed to the League of California Cities Community Services Policy Committee by League President Cindy Silva, of Walnut Creek.

“I am honored to serve the people of San Bernardino on this policy committee,” said Calvin, who represents San Bernardino’s Sixth Ward. “We have worked very hard to have a greater voice in California crafting policies on issues that directly impact us.”

The League of California Cities, which represents California’s 476 cities, sponsors, drafts, and takes positions on legislative and regulatory matters impacting cities across state. The Community Services Policy Committee specifically focuses on childcare, parks and recreation, libraries, natural disaster preparation, cultural arts, and community and human services programs, including homelessness.

City Manager Rob Field was pleased to learn of Calvin’s appointment.

“We are the largest city in the county,” said Field. “We need to have a seat at the table when discussions take place in Sacramento that could affect our residents. Council Member Calvin will do an excellent job representing the city of San Bernardino.”

Calvin’s appointment was effective January 3rd and runs through Spring of 2023.

San Bernardino County’s unemployment rate dropped nearly a full percentage point in November, to its lowest level since before the pandemic, as payrolls swelled by more than 13,000 workers, according to the latest data from the California Employment Development Department (EDD).

Joblessness fell from 6.3% in October to 5.5% last month, led by a continued surge in hiring among companies serving the supply chain and the hospitality industry. The 938,800 filled jobs were the most since February 2020, when total payrolls in the county exceeded 945,000.

The EDD data show that San Bernardino County has recaptured 96% of the jobs lost during the early months of the COVID downturn – one of the fastest recovery rates in California.

For the complete November jobs report for the Inland Empire, click here

The community mourns yet another great icon, Jennifer Vaughn Blakely has passed. Since 2010 Ms. Vaughn-Blakely has chaired The Group. The highly respected Riverside-based group is a grassroots public policy organization to bring together diverse groups to address issues affecting African Americans. She and The Group were instrumental in drafting Riverside’s ethics reform code and its later expansion to cover government staff as well as elected officials.

An Inland Empire trailblazer, Ms. Vaughn-Blakely was the historical “first” in many areas of local government in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including becoming City of Fontana’s first Black Assistant City Manager in the early ‘80s.

“Another one of our community Angeles has transitioned to be with the LORD,” Terrance Stone, CEO of Young Visionaries stated. “Mrs Jennifer Vaughn-Blakely was the queen of organizational capacity building in the Inland Empire amongst other things. She mentored my professional career and helped me to navigate success. You will be missed.”

Memorial services shall be posted soon as they are announced.

As the fall semester quickly approaches, there are still eligible students on the fence about enrolling at California community college. Prospective students are encouraged to enroll now in classes and plan ahead for future semesters. The benefits can’t be ignored.

Attending a California community college doubles an individual’s chance of finding a job compared to those who do not complete high school. In addition, students who obtain a degree or certificate from a California community college nearly double their earnings within three years, which puts them on track to earn a good living wage and be able to provide for themselves and their families.

Prospective students should first visit ICanGoToCollege.com, a website available in English and Spanish, that includes information about enrollment, the variety of available financial aid opportunities, transfer and career training programs offered at community colleges all in one central location. The website also offers a short online Career Opportunities quiz that can help prospective students learn about potential career paths that might interest them.

California community colleges are the largest provider of workforce training in the nation, making them a significant contributor to the state’s pipeline of talent for high-demand industries. In fact, there are more than 200 career training opportunities available at the 116 California community colleges statewide. Additionally, students can transfer to a four-year university or college with guaranteed junior status after completing two years at a community college.

Community colleges offer flexible scheduling and access to helpful resources allowing students to remain home or close to home. Support services are also available at community colleges to help with tutoring, counseling, career planning and health and wellness. Additionally, financial aid is available year-round to help cover many of the costs for attending a community college.

The time is now for prospective students to start planning for their future. Visit Icangotocollege.com today to learn more, enroll in classes and apply for financial aid to help cover college costs like books, supplies and sometimes even the rent.