Happily Divorced And After

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Perris Hill Pickleball is thrilled to announce a bold and forward-thinking proposal to transform Perris Hill Park into a premier destination for pickleball and tennis enthusiasts. This state-of-the-art facility promises to enhance recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike, while fostering community engagement and bolstering the local economy.

The proposed pickleball and tennis center is set to include cutting-edge amenities such as 12 pickleball courts, 4 tennis courts, new open sided shade structure for players and spectators. A spectacular grand main entrance with a featured sign structure. By creating a shared space for players of all ages and skill levels, the vision for this project reflects the club’s commitment to inclusivity, health, and growth of racquet sports in our region.

“Our vision is to create a world-class facility that inspires connection, competition, and wellness,” said Sam Catalano, spokesperson for Perris Hill Pickleball. “This center will be more than just courts-it will be a vibrant community hub where people can gather, learn, and celebrate the joy of sport.”

In addition to enriching the recreational landscape, the center is poised to deliver significant economic benefits. By hosting tournaments, leagues, and community events, the facility is expected to attract visitors, support local businesses, and generate revenue for the city.

To turn this vision into reality, Perris Hill Pickleball is seeking public and political support to secure necessary approvals and funding for the project. The club is working closely with city officials to ensure that the project aligns with the City of San Bernardino’s goals for sustainable development and community well-being.

“We expect the new pickleball and tennis center will be a high activity hub that will generate significant traffic all the hours and days the park is open,” said Catalano.

By Joseph R. Williams

Community College Month is a time to reflect on how local institutions create opportunity, close equity gaps, and drive economic mobility. In the Inland Empire, that mission is being realized through San Bernardino Valley College’s new Applied Technology Building—a bold, future-facing investment in career education.

This facility is more than just steel and concrete. It’s a symbol of progress. Inside are programs that prepare students for high-growth, high-wage careers—fields like industrial automation, HVAC, clean energy, and advanced transportation. These aren’t abstract degrees; they’re direct connections to jobs that begin at $80,000 a year or more.

For students in San Bernardino and across the region—many of whom are the first in their family to attend college—this kind of access is life-changing. It represents not just education, but empowerment. It means the ability to support a family, purchase a home, or start a business.

Career Technical Education (CTE) is one of the most effective tools we have to create upward mobility. Yet CTE programs—and community colleges more broadly—don’t always get the attention or investment they deserve. While four-year universities dominate the conversation, it is our community colleges that are doing the heavy lifting: training workers, responding to local labor market demands, and meeting students where they are.

San Bernardino Valley College’s new building changes the game. It’s a clear, physical commitment to preparing students for the jobs of today and tomorrow. It’s also a reflection of what can happen when we align vision with resources—when we move beyond conversation and into action.

But buildings alone don’t close equity gaps. Continued investment is needed—not just in infrastructure, but in outreach, support services, and strong partnerships with employers. The success of this project will be measured not only by the number of students enrolled, but by how many of them graduate with industry-recognized credentials, secure good jobs, and stay rooted in the Inland Empire.

This Community College Month, I urge business leaders to partner with us, policymakers to prioritize CTE funding, and community members to see the promise in our public colleges.

Because when we invest in students, we invest in our region. And when we strengthen our colleges, we strengthen our economy.

Joseph R. Williams is a Trustee with the San Bernardino Community College District and a long-time advocate for educational and economic equity in the Inland Empire.

INLAND EMPIRE, CA— The 2025 Remarkable Women program celebrated an extraordinary milestone as Dr. Kimberly Carter-Tillman was named the National Remarkable Woman of the Year. Dr. Carter-Tillman, who represented KTLA as their local finalist, joined 124 other remarkable women from across the nation for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Los Angeles, where they experienced the glamour of Hollywood while being recognized for their contributions to their communities.

The finalists, selected from more than 200 Nexstar Media Group owned or partner stations across 116 U.S. markets, were treated to a special Hollywood experience. The group enjoyed accommodations at the Loews Hollywood Hotel, a poolside reception catered by Wolfgang Puck, and a special “Remarkable Women” presentation.

A highlight of the experience included a visit to Warner Bros. Studios, where the 125 Remarkable Women were invited as special guests to The Jennifer Hudson Show. The women were welcomed warmly and had the opportunity to be part of the show’s audience during a taping.

Dr. Carter-Tillman’s exceptional work clearly stood out among the impressive group of finalists, specifically for what she is doing to transform women from economic dependents to economic leaders through entrepreneurship and supportive housing.  She was first selected as one of the five regional finalists, each of whom received $5,000 towards a charity of their choice. Ultimately, Dr. Carter-Tillman was crowned the National Remarkable Woman of the Year, receiving the grand prize of $25,000 from the Nexstar Charitable Foundation for her designated charity.

The announcement was made during the one-hour “Remarkable Women” special which aired on The CW Network on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Viewers who missed the special can find more information about Dr. Carter-Tillman’s achievements and the program on their local Nexstar station websites.

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

 Is Trump manipulating his way to declaring Martial Law? He has placed troops on the Southern Border in the name of a fictional invasion. He is  using the Alien Enemies Act to make his point by deporting  immigrants, documented or not. He is securing subtle support from closet racist by focusing his immigrant hate on people of color! If someone is not an anti-racist, one might fall into the category of racist.

He is deporting non-white people that he simply declares to be here illegally, while expressing the idea that there should be more people from places like Sweden and Denmark coming to America! See it live daily! He calls Immigrants  invaders in America, the country created by immigrants! He cites immigrants as invaders in order to say that America is in fact at war! If he can convinces us that he believes that America is at war, he can declare a State Of Emergency, which is what he did to place our military troops along the Southern Boarder. The resistance to that unconstitutional move was very slight, and thus a green light for his next assault on the Constitution!

The door has been opened to Martial Law and his apparent ultimate dream status of President for life. He has started so many fires of distraction that I fear we are ignoring his most dangerous plot.

The increasing chaos and confusion caused by his assault on the Economy, Social Security, Healthcare, Education and Foreign Relations is engineered chaos! This chaos will fan the flames of resistance. Protests will increase! Adding to the probability of a protest being used as the final excuse for him to declare Martial Law! No law prevents him from doing it and he certainly has the audacity and cult following to force the question!

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

On April 9, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GO-Serve) Director Josh Fryday announced that California is seeking 10,000 people to join the California Service Corps. Members gain meaningful work experience while helping their communities and earning money.

Over the coming year, the goal for the California Service Corps programs is to recruit over 10,000 volunteers who will serve nearly five million hours. Service members help communities by taking environmental actions; tutoring and mentoring students to help them succeed; supporting communities impacted by disasters; working to end hunger; and connecting vulnerable people to vital resources and services.

“As Californians, the spirit of service and giving back is in our DNA — it’s why we have the largest service corps in the nation, bigger than the Peace Corps and a model for other states,” said Newsom. “In the coming year, our service members will provide critical support — whether responding to disasters like the L.A. fires or tackling critical issues like loneliness — as we work to build a California for all.”

Combined, the California Service Corps is a force larger than the United States Peace Corps and will be mobilized at a time when California is addressing post-pandemic academic recovery, the L.A. fire recovery and the future of the state’s workforce.

“These are California’s future leaders, and we need their passion, energy and enthusiasm to address our greatest challenges,” said Fryday. “There is no better example of what they’re capable of than how they immediately mobilized to support the L.A. fire recovery efforts.”

California Service Corps members gain skills and experience?while connecting with others and making a difference. Additionally, service experiences aim to foster a positive sense of connection and belonging, an answer to the loneliness crisis — as defined by the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. 

Current partners and volunteers with the corps joined the digital press conference to share what they’ve experienced so far during their service.

Luckie Diwa, Program Director of Improve Your Tomorrow, was one of the speakers at the press conference. Her organization, which partners with the corps, aims to increase the number of young men of color who attend and graduate from colleges and universities.

“Our service members are absolutely pivotal to our mission we wouldn’t be able to achieve our mission really without our mentors,” said Diwa. “I have personally witnessed so much growth in brothers from just having this one-on-one guidance. A lot of school counselors are just outnumbered at a lot of our schools and can’t have that unique one-to-one connection that a lot of them would desire. So, our service members really come and help carry a huge torch.”

Service members at her organization meet with students once a week providing academic and socio-emotional support. Diwa shared stories of students starting with 1.0 GPAs and improving to 3.0 GPAs while working with the program. She also commented on the benefits she’s seen for the service members themselves.

Marybeth Carranza, an AmeriCorps California member working with Improve Your Tomorrow, spoke about how joining the corps has impacted her life.

“Serving with Improve Your Tomorrow as an AmeriCorps California member has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” said Carranza. “I’ve grown tremendously in a space dedicated to supporting young men of color on their path to higher education and leadership. Through this work, I’ve gained valuable skills, expanded my professional network and developed a lifelong commitment to contributing to this important cause.”

If you or someone you know are interested in joining the corps, you can learn more and register at  CAServiceCorps.com.

In February, when the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) announced its “Road to Repair 2025 Priority Bill Package,” which consists of 16 bills, Caucus Chair Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) said, “This bill package is about repairing centuries of economic damage and abuse that was inflicted on Black Californians.”

 “This legislative package,” she added, “is a chance to transform the promise of equality into a lived reality, so that everyone can achieve the American dream.”

CLBC Vice Chair Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) echoed Weber Pierson’s commitment.

“This year, as we do every year, we will fight repair the harms of the past and create new ladders of opportunity for Black Californians.” said Bryan.

Two months later, all the bills except for one, ACA 6 — a constitutional amendment aiming to ban slavery in all forms in California – have been assigned to various legislative committees for consideration.

Over the next four weeks, California Black Media (CBM) will cover the 16 bills in the package to detail what each proposes and learn more from the authors. We will also track the bills and give you an update as they make their way through the legislative process.

Here are the first four:

Assembly Bill (AB) 7

AB 7, introduced by Bryan, would allow admission priority to the descendants of slaves at the University of California and California State University. The two institutions are among the largest public university systems in the nation.

“For decades universities gave preferential admission treatment to donors, and their family members, while others tied to legacies of harm were ignored and at times outright excluded,” said Bryan. “We have a moral responsibility to do all we can to right those wrongs.”

This bill comes in the wake of actions from the Trump administration to dismantle affirmative action and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Black students made up about 4% of the California State University’s student population and about 4.7% at the University of California in 2023, according to the university systems’ latest reports.

AB 7 is currently under review in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 6

ACA 6, introduced by Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), would ‘prohibit slavery’ in all forms. The Assembly Constitutional Amendment would also clarify that its provisions do not prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from awarding credits to an incarcerated person who voluntarily accepts a work assignment.

The proposed amendment is a third attempt to amend the California Constitution to ban slavery and involuntary servitude in all forms. It shares the spirit of Proposition 6, which voters rejected in the 2024 voting cycle.

“We’re doing this again and going back because we felt like it was a moral obligation and a righteous thing to do,” said Wilson in a statement. “What we heard from the voters during that time was a lot of misunderstandings around the bill. But when we educated on Prop. 6, they were all behind it. I didn’t talk to any person that wasn’t behind the bill once they knew what the bill did, but that took a lot of time.”

ACA 7

ACA 7, introduced by Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) would amend Proposition 209, a California law passed in 1996 prohibiting the state from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, or contracting.

The proposed amendment would seek to address disparities in health, education and economic outcomes for communities of color in California.

“For too long, certain communities in California have faced significant barriers to success, with the state being extremely limited in their ability to provide the appropriate support,” said Jackson. “This ACA is a crucial step towards addressing the barriers that certain communities in California face in achieving their full potential. Our goal is to provide equal opportunities for all Californians to lead healthy and productive lives.”

ACA 7 also confirms that remedies for violations would align with existing California anti-discrimination laws and do not affect existing court orders or consent decrees.

The Assembly Judiciary Committee is currently reviewing ACA 7.

AB 801

AB 801, introduced by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), seeks to uncover and outlaw discriminatory mortgage and lending practices.

Existing law, the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act, generally provides for the licensure and regulation of people engaging in the business of making residential mortgage loans or servicing residential mortgage loans. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to residential mortgage loans.

“This legislation will help families struggling with rising bill costs,” said Bonta.

“All eyes will be on California to see how we continue to support bold, compassionate, and evidence-based policies in the face of federal chaos. I look forward to working with my colleagues to craft the best possible legislation and serve each and every Californian,” Bonta said.

AB 801 is under consideration in the Assembly Committee on Banking and Finance.

San Bernardino County officials are warning residents to be on the lookout for misleading letters demanding payment for liens. These letters, which may appear official and reference legitimate public records, are being sent by third-party solicitors attempting to deceive residents into sending money. Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk Josie Gonzales, Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector Ensen Mason, and District Attorney Jason Anderson urge the public to exercise caution when receiving such correspondence.

“These scam letters misrepresent legitimate recorded liens and are designed to intimidate residents into paying unauthorized third parties,” said Gonzales. Mason emphasized the importance of verifying the source before making payments, noting that government offices will never use threats or pressure tactics. District Attorney Anderson added that residents should carefully examine any notices from a government organization and report if they are found fraudulent.

To protect yourself, verify the legitimacy of any letter by checking official records through the Recorder’s office or by visiting arc.sbcounty.gov. Avoid sharing personal or financial information with unverified sources, and be wary of urgent demands for payment. If you suspect fraud or need assistance, contact the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk at 909-387-8306 or the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector at 909-387-8308 or visit mytaxcollector.com.

By Megan Lemly, Navy Office of Community Outreach

NORFOLK, VA. – Petty Officer 1st Class Laura Chavez, a native of Ontario, California, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, Virginia Capes (FACSFAC VACAPES).

Chavez graduated from Colony High School in 2008.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Ontario.

“I learned growing up to never give up, to always do my best, and to push through whatever obstacles I faced,” Chavez said. “In the Navy, it is hard to come up through the ranks, so you have to push through and study hard for each exam. Deployments are also not easy, but you have to look for the light at the end of the tunnel and just keep pushing through.”

Chavez joined the Navy 13 years ago. Today, Chavez serves as an air traffic controller.

“I joined the Navy because I married and had a child at a young age, and I needed stability after the ‘08 financial crisis,” Chavez said.

Established in 1977, FACSFAC VACAPES maintains the scheduling, control and surveillance of military operating areas and training routes for the northeastern United States. The command now routinely oversees more than 112,000 miles of offshore air, surface and sub-surface operating areas from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island to Charleston, South Carolina.

On Friday, April 11, 2025, The New York Stock Exchange welcomes Project H.O.O.D. Communities Development Corp to the podium. To honor the occasion, Pastor Corey Brooks, Founder & CEO, joined by Will Goodwin, Head of Corporate Affairs, NYSE, rings the Opening Bell®.

Single Turns the Preacher/Singer’s Recent Social Media Controversy Into a Melodic Message of Restoration

DALLAS, TC— Marvin Sapp was recently in the news over a misinterpretation of his words while he was taking up offering at the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World 2024 National Convocation.  Sapp was vilified on the internet and received threatening messages at his church from people who were angry over a video clip that showed him telling the ushers to “close the doors.”

After appearing on the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell, CBS News Texas and WFAA Fort Worth to add context and clarity to the video clip, Sapp is now turning that “momentary affliction” into an affirming message with a new single titled “Close the Door.”

In the song, written by Sapp and Kolten Perrine, and produced by Rodney East, Sapp recounts the harrowing last few weeks and sings:

Close the door on anxiety, on the pain and disdain that keeps chasing me, Close the door on the ridicule and on the noise that tries to make me lose my cool…God has a purpose, He will restore…Though I’m hurting, I’m still hoping, My victory is worth fighting for, So I close the door…

Sapp posted about the single on social media, saying “’Close the Door’ isn’t just a song, it’s a soundtrack for survival…I’m closing the door on the noise, the pain, and everything that tried to break me. This song will bless you. I believe with everything in me my assignment through this season through this song is to help you close the door too.”

“Close the Door” will be released Good Friday, April 18, 2025, and will be available to download and stream on all digital music outlets.