West Valley Water District Board Conducts Public Meeting to Review Professional Service Contracts

 RIALTO, CA – Under the authority of the Board President, President Channing Hawkins initiated a special meeting to review and scrutinize professional services contracts. The direction by the Board President is the next step of strengthening transparency and accountability at West Valley Water District. 

President Channing Hawkins stated, “As President, I will continue moving forward in ensuring our community and ratepayers are given the opportunity they deserve to review, scrutinize, and provide input on how their funds are spent.” He added, “This is an additional step I have directed towards achieving the Transparency Certificate of Excellence.” 

The special meeting held by the Board was live streamed for the public view. It provided the public and ratepayers an opportunity to review contracts approved by the Board or within the $25,000 authority allowed by the General Manager per district policies. Fifteen contracts were reviewed or considered by the Board, which included professional services for software integration, engineering, and employee recruitment among others. 

Vice President Kyle Crowther stated, “Together, our Board of Directors are moving to develop new policies and procedures to ensure the ratepayers funds are spent wisely. We will hold consultants accountable for their agreements with the District.” 

During the meeting, the Board of Directors sought additional information and clarification for scope of services, length of agreements, and a timeline of deliverables. The public scrutiny by the Board is historic as continued action is taken towards gaining the public trust. 

On December 19, 2019, the Board of Directors took action to immediately develop a plan towards earning the distinguished Transparency Certificate of Excellence. The certificate is recognized by the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF). These steps include: 

? applying for a Transparency Certificate of Excellence Award. The certificate covers all general, website and outreach best practices and requirements regarding transparency for special districts. The certificate is administered by the SDLF, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides recognition and certifications to special districts and officials to enhance services to the public. 

? live-streaming the meeting for customers and community stakeholders. New meetings and workshops will now be live-streamed for the public on the WVWD website and Facebook page. 

? producing digital copies of Board of Directors meetings for the public in compliance with the California Public Records Act. 

? publishing a master calendar for scheduled meetings of the Board of Directors and Committees. 

? reviewing our human resources policies. The agency will be conducting a hiring freeze while we are taking action to ensure our policies are fair, transparent, and consistent. 

? review and scrutinize third party consultant/professional services contracts in special public meeting. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Life and Legacy Celebrated by Mentors Mentoring Youth of Beautillion Program

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- A weekend of celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. life and legacy started on Saturday, January 18, 2020 for the participants of the Social Lites, Inc. Beautillion program learning from Mr. Derek Williams, Chief of Police for the City of Ontario and ending on Monday, January 20, 2020 performing community service at the 40th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prayer breakfast held at California State University, San Bernardino Coussoulis Arena.  Dr. Anthony Blacksher professor at San Bernardino Valley College, former Beautillion Sir Knight  who took time to mentor young men in the program along with Mr. Rikke Van Johnson, former Knight and Councilmember for the City of San Bernardino along with Mr. Hardy Brown II, San Bernardino County Board of Education Trustee.  It takes a village to help youth become the best of the best.  “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’

The Beautillion Knights and their court (Fairmaidens, Squires, and Pages) are participants in a mentorship program sponsored by The Social Lites, Inc. of San Bernardino. The five-month extracurricular program centered around academic and community service projects, is focused on leadership, character, life development skills and health education for students of color from elementary to high school.  

The 2019/2020 Beautillion Scholarship Program is in its 53rd year.  The program will commence on Saturday, March 28, 2020 at the National Orange Show of San Bernardino.

For more information regarding the Beautillion Scholarship Program, please telephone chairperson, Mrs. Tina Darling at tribicu2@msn.com or Ms. Lisa Blacksher, President at lisasocialities@gmail.com or Mrs. Bettye Brewster, Business Manager, bettyebrewster@yahoo.com.

Redlands Wins Record 16th County Mock Trial Championship

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Redlands High School extended its record for San Bernardino County Mock Trial championships to 16 on Saturday, January 18 as it defeated Rancho Cucamonga in the 38th annual competition.

The victory marked Redlands’ fifth title in the past seven years as it advances to the state competition in March in Los Angeles.

For Rancho Cucamonga of the Chaffey Joint Union High School District, it was the team’s first time reaching the finals in the competition.

Presiding Superior Court Judge Michael Sachs congratulated both teams for their knowledge and determination during the two rounds of the finals held at the Foothill Law and Justice Center. County Superintendent Ted Alejandre also congratulated both teams for their spirited competition.

Approximately 450 students representing 32 high school teams have participated in the Mock Trial competition this year. This year’s case was the People v. Matsumoto, a murder case. The county Mock Trials competition is co-sponsored by the San Bernardino County 

Superintendent of Schools and the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office.

Under the direction of coach Donna St. George, team members for Redlands include: Julia Baroi, Santino Calvanico, Vidushi Dwivedi, Hailey Farrokhi, Isabella Farrokhi, Lauren Garcia, Ashlynn Lenertz, Alison Marshall, Emma Moralez, Luca Moralez, Anagha Nambisan, Ria Perencksik, Jude Rafter, Matthew Risley, Shaida Shahmohammady, Jackson Shamp and Neha Vijay. For Rancho Cucamonga and coach Arik Boles, team members are: Sebastian Bendezu, Anelly Brown, Brendan Carbone, Brian Donaldson, Riley Espaerza, Alexis Gamboa, Dylan Gono, Zane Gonzalez, Laila Khalilieh, Soffee Khalilieh, Uesli Kuli, Eisen Loc, Jett Otska, Karam Oumran, Lauren Roushin, Devon White and Ophelia White.

The 1920’s Meet 2020: Reclaiming our history of The Cotton Club

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Experience a NEW renaissance inspired by Harlem’s late nights and hot jazz, at The Cotton Club 2020, Saturday, February 15. Come dressed in your 1920’s inspired attire and take a step into an unforgettable era of art, culture and music in the prestigious Renaissance Room at the National Orange Show, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Garrett Management Group (GMG), LLC is pulling out all the stops Valentine’s Day weekend, where guests will enjoy a divine 3-course dinner, dancing and dynamite jazz performances by j.dee and the Big Time Band, songstress Helena V. and Harlem Night Dancers. Guaranteed to be the hippest event of 2020!

Tickets are on-sale now and can be purchased at www.gmgevents.net, and for additional information by calling 1-866-514-3391. VIP Access is available for $100 where guests can expect to enjoy a 3-course pre-fixe dinner in the best seats in the house. VIP Access includes reserved seating, waiter service and a complimentary bottle of champagne at each table. A limited supply of VIP tickets is available, and guests are encouraged to purchase their tickets early. General Admission tickets are $75. General Admission tickets are available for a discounted rate of $70.00 when purchased as a group of 6 or more.

The Cotton Club 2020 celebrates a great turning point in history where blacks began to control their social culture, music and artistry– what is recognized as the Harlem Renaissance. GMG is not just creating the music from this era, but they are creating the space and platform to make it happen. The infamous jazz clubs of the 1920’s were usually run by white gangsters selling bootleg liquor during Prohibition. Black people were not typically stakeholders in the clubs where they performed. However, this Cotton Club is from the black perspective, OUR point of view—reclaiming what makes us great. The event also allows a younger generation to experience the rich history of the Harlem Renaissance. GMG understands this event is different than anything else they have produced. “We’re recreating a historic moment in time, says Managing Partner, Alton Garrett. “From the fashion and costumes of the evening, it is the personal participation that will drive the excitement and energy around this event. Better believe people are going to show up and show out!”

Former Assemblywoman, Wilmer Amina Carter, to be Saluted at the 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast

The 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, hosted by the Inland Empire African American Churches (IECAAC), theme  this year is “ Inland Empire 40th Year Celebration & Liberation!” “The Best of the Best”!” We are inviting  the entire community to come celebrate 40 years of this event occasion,  from its inception in 1980, by  seven forward thinking individuals whose brilliant idea, has now become an Inland Empire legacy.  Amina Carter, Ratibu Jacocks*, Valerie Pope Ludlam*, Vivian Nash*, Sharon Cooper*, Robert Rochelle*, and Maria Brashear* and their families will be saluted at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast, traditionally held the third Monday, in the month of January, this year on the 20th of 2020 at the California State University, Coussoulis Arena, San Bernardino, CA 92407 at 7:30 a.m.

A promenade entrance lead by our only remaining founder Amina Carter and family members of  founding members who are now with our ancestors will open our ceremony activities. This year’s breakfast is a tribute to  some unforgettable people, with a historical slide show of our infamous Martin Luther King Jr. Statue, and immediately following  the breakfast our wreath commemoration at the San Bernardino City Hall statue! 

This year will also mark the 20th Anniversary of the Inland Empire African American Churches, who now continue to host the breakfast. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast is always an engaging atmosphere of unity in which elected officials, corporate businesses, professionals, faith-based entities and churches, community organizations and residents honor a legacy whose principles transformed the world.

In the last 40 years this event has grown tremendously and exceeded capacity at the arena of over 750 persons.  It is a community affair that is valued and treasured by numerous persons who calendar  the event, participate  and bring their families for a generational experience which they share every year.

This year’s keynote speaker is the renowned Dr. Dwight Radcliff, M.Div PH.D , Founding Pastor of the Message in Gardena CA.  A graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary, A contributing author for Urban Ministries, an international speaker and he is considered to be an insightful powerful preacher.

We especially would like to invite you to support our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast. We welcome your attendance and hope that you will continue this annual celebration or begin a new tradition for your family. Music, entertainment food for your mind and soul, all a part of the morning’s festivities.                                                                                           

Sponsorship over the years has been invaluable, each year corporate & community entities are selected and requested to provide assistance. If you desire to be a vendor or place an ad in the souvenir booklet deadlines are approaching fast .   

To confirm your commitment, please contact Beverly Jones Wright, Chairperson at (909) 434-6583 or (909) 474-7036

“Remember God’s Goodness!”

By Lou Yeboah

Talk about starting the New Year off right…..Go back and remember. Go back to the moment when you first met Jesus. Remember the love you felt, the stirring in your heart, the adoration you had for Him? Remember how grateful you were for the forgiveness of sins? Remember, at that time when nothing else mattered only Him? Well, today, God wants you to go back and remember that moment in time. And having that in your memory, He wants you to come back to Him; come back to your First Love, to the place and time in your life to where He was your everything.

For He says, “After all the things that you’ve been through, you should understand Him like He understand you. To love and be loved in return, it’s the only thing that His heart desires. What more can I do? I gave My heart, soul and Spirit to you didn’t I… didn’t I do it. I gave you the love you never knew. I thought that your heart was true. Silly of Me to think that I could ever have you for myself; silly of Me to think that you could ever know the things I do are all done for you.” It’s obvious you don’t love Me as you did at first, look how far you have fallen. You have abandoned the love you had at first – the love that caused you to drop everything to follow Me into the desert. This is the love that captures My heart. So remember, then repent and turn back to Me…[Revelation 2:4-5].

You know, David told himself to never forget the good things God had done. We also must make up our minds to never forget God’s goodness in our lives. Because as [Psalms 107] says, when we forget, it “tests God’s patience, frustrates Him, and makes His anger rise.” I don’t know about you, but that got my attention!  I am convinced that forgetting God’s goodness is a sin. So like David who found he had drifted away from God we too must repent and fervently pray, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit [Psalms 51:12].

Because of all the things we need in the coming days, none is more precious and more essential than the leadership of God upon our lives. So with that in mind, let us as Moses said, recommit ourselves to obedience to the Word of God. Let us refocus ourselves in our relationship with the Spirit of God. And, let us rededicate ourselves to living in the fullness of the Spirit of God. For the greatest investment we can make in this life is a wholehearted pursuit of a deep personal relationship with God. And understanding that it is not enough to just seek God, but to seek Him “First.” Let us not forget God’s goodness!

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. [Matthew 22: 37-40].

The Dark Side of the American Dream: Fontana Rev. Dr. William J. Barber to Speak at MLK Celebration

ByDianne Anderson

Social justice activist Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II is coming to town to talk about the dark side of the American dream – the poverty crisis that has barely budged since the last time the rich-poor gap was this wide in America.

Over 50 years ago, Dr. King’s Poor People’s Campaign in conjunction with SCLC hoped to galvanize the 35 percent of the nation mired in destitution. Just four months from first announcing the plans, Dr. King was assassinated.

Today, Rev. Barber is reawakening that campaign to give voice at this critical point in history, and continuing Dr. King’s quest for economic justice.

On January 18, Pastor Emory James is excited to welcome Dr. Barber as the featured guest speaker at a free Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration sponsored by Ephesians New Testament Church and the city of Fontana to be held at 3:00 p.m. at Westside Baptist Church, located at 15006 Randall Ave. Seating is limited, call (909) 823-2319 for tickets.

“He is a very brilliant man. He’s addressing the systemic elements of people’s living in poverty, and poverty concerns that he has with this country,” said Senior Pastor Emory James of Ephesians New Testament Church of Fontana.

Over the past three decades, James said Ephesians Church has led the charge to bring inspiring speakers to the community. He said it’s urgent the community understand the deeper meaning behind current issues, and to promote Dr. King’s legacy.

James has featured Dr. Cornel West. They also hosted Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Jr., one of the top preachers in the nation.

They’ve held jazz events, as well as the distinguished gospel quartet, Mighty Clouds of Joy. Several years ago, they hosted the Emmy award-winning playwright Jeff Stetson of the plays, Blood on the Leaves and The Meeting, a fictional play about a meeting between Dr. King and Malcolm X.

James said that Barber’s message ties in tightly with the life and goals of Dr. King, and addresses the ramifications of systemic poverty not only in California, but nationwide. Rev. Barber is the president of the NAACP North Carolina state chapter, and originator of the Forward Together Moral Mondays Movement.

“He’s become part of the leg moving with people to march on Washington. He’s coming here to speak about poverty, the homeless and veterans,” James said.

Last year, James held a conference on homelessness to help bring the local problem to the forefront. Various agencies spoke about what they are doing in the Inland Empire, especially in the Fontana area, to tackle homelessness.

“A lot of people like to stick their heads in the sand when it comes to poor people and the homeless, with children outdoors and hungry,” he said.

But for churches, he believes the situation has been a burden because the demand has increased dramatically over the years.

“We seem to be the ears and voices for people that can’t speak for themselves, and do things that call attention to the needs of the community,” he said.

This time of year, everyone is thinking of Dr. King, and how far society has come from his initial fight for the people.

Nationally, the Census Bureau reports there were 38.1 million people in poverty in 2018. Of those, The poverty rate for non-Hispanic whites was 8.1% in 2018, down from 8.5% in 2017. The poverty rate for Blacks was 20.8%, while the poverty rate for Asians was 10.1%. The poverty rate for Hispanics was 17.6%.

Locally, James said one area of increased poverty he sees is that families had bought homes, but some lost their jobs, and renting costs today are more than an actual house payment.

He has seen entire families displaced.

“It’s not just one or two people,” he said. “Kids live and sleep in their cars with their parents. It’s sad,” he said.

Fontana is not as hard hit by poverty as some other cities in San Bernardino County, but James said African Americans are disproportionately represented.

“My whole goal is as a bishop and pastor in the community is to call attention to that. I can’t solve the problem, but I can keep you from sticking your head in the sand, and saying that it ain’t my problem,” he said.

Gov. Newsom Breaks Record With Tens-of-Billions Spending Plan for Public Schools

By Joe W. Bowers Jr | California Black Media

On January 10, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his record $222 Billion state budget for 2020-21. The $84 billion he allocated in it for K-12 schools and community colleges represents a historic high level of funding for education in California.

The proposed investment in K-14 education is 3.03 percent or $3.8 billion more than last year. Total K-12 expenditures from all sources in the budget are projected to be $17,964 per pupil.

While state spending on education is at its highest level numerically, Governor Newsom expressed that “none of us is spiking the ball” because education outcomes for many students are not where it should be or can be.

According to Newsom, “We are making progress, but it is stubborn and slow. We have disparities that are being closed and disparities that are persistent.”

The achievement gap is being closed for Latinx students, students with disabilities, low income students, and African-American students in some metrics. Latinx students narrowed their gap in English language arts scores and high school graduation rates. Students with disabilities made the greatest gains in math and English language arts. African-American students showed the largest graduation rate gain among student groups.

Where progress has been slow has been with students with disabilities, youth in foster care, homeless youth, and African-American students continuing to score below the state standard on English language arts and math tests.

Newsom was very candid in pointing out that 23 low-performing, high-poverty school districts have an over-representation of African-American students.

 “It seems self evident that we should focus and concentrate our efforts in those areas in order to address ….the substance of the vexing issue as it relates to academic achievement for African-American students.”  

 “We have to start getting serious and do something about it. We believe the biggest achievement boost is fully prepared teachers,” Newsom said.

The governor is proposing $900.1 million to be invested in workforce investment grants, professional development grants for existing teachers, and teacher recruitment strategies.

“The plan is to build a diverse teaching workforce of stable, prepared professional teachers, including more teachers that look like their students. That’s incredibly important as related particularly to African-American achievement,” Newsom said.

The budget includes $100 million to fund $20,000 stipends for new teachers who choose to teach in high-need schools. This addresses the stubborn fact that high-poverty schools have three times as many unprepared teachers.

$300 million in grants is being made available to close the academic achievement in the lowest-performing districts.

Another $300 million is proposed to expand community schools to address students’ physical and mental health needs by establishing public-private partnerships with community services.  The funds will also be used to promote parent engagement.

“Special Education in the state of California is in a crisis,” according to Newsom. About $900 million dollars is being allocated to increase base funding for Special Ed students, support specific teacher training, fund early diagnosing and intervention and pay for studies on how districts are delivering services to respond to the learning needs of those students.

The budget calls for establishing a new Department of Early Childhood Development to consolidate under one roof the various efforts to implement the governor’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, a policy initiative he announced last year.

Newsom is committed to adding 10,000 full-time preschool slots this year and providing universal preschool for all low-income 4-year-olds by the end of next year.

Education leaders’ reactions to the governor’s 2020-21 state budget presentation has been mixed.

“The Governor mentioned that students should have teachers that look more like them, and we couldn’t agree more. We look forward to having the opportunity to invest in our teacher workforce and the pipeline of future teachers coming into the profession, specifically teachers of color and in the fields of science, math, and special education,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said.

State Board of Education President Linda Darling Hammond said, “Some students spend the year in classrooms staffed by highly trained, highly prepared teachers. But many others do not. These disparities are particularly grievous for low-income students of color. The 2020-21 budget investments in educator recruitment and professional development will help place California on solid footing moving forward as we work to build, train and support the kind of high-quality educator workforce all our students need and deserve.”

California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd expresses some cynicism.

“Despite California’s economy consistently expanding – now being ranked fifth-largest in the entire world – we have some of the most underfunded schools in the country,” he said. “We rank 39th in the nation in per-pupil funding. We boast the most overcrowded classrooms in the entire country.”

Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner said, “California’s public schools will remain woefully underfunded, especially when compared with the rest of the nation.”

“This budget proposal does not go far enough in funding supports for our most vulnerable students,” Beutner added. “Including students whose families are experiencing homelessness and students with special needs.”

The governor’s presentation begins the formal state budget process. Over the next several months, the California legislature will hold hearings on the budget and special interest groups and the public will have an opportunity to comment on various budget proposals. In mid-May the Governor will release a revised budget plan reflecting changes to spending. The budget will be finalized by the end of  June 2020.

Psalmist Mary Haynes to Perform in Fontana MLK Celebration

By Dianne Anderson

For those who know Mary Haynes, or anyone else who asks, her story is no secret. Wherever she goes, she readily shares her painful past in hopes that someone can benefit from her missteps, and learn the way out.

Haynes, who performed professionally as an R&B artist, got off the musical and spiritual path that she grew up within the church, only to end up trapped in a decades-long battle with drug abuse. Now clean for 15 years, she understands what led to the dark places and what it takes to escape  the depths of a 28-year addiction.

The biggest part of what got her through her struggle for sobriety is that she never denied her faith, she said. Many people didn’t know that she was on drugs.

“My life is a story I tell everywhere I go,” she said. “I was never a closet person, but I always let everyone know that I loved the Lord, that I was just going through a struggle.”

Today, she gives back what she’s learned and gained in her journey through song and praise. Everything around her life, especially the hard times, has strengthened her dedication to gospel music. She writes most of the songs she sings, and says it’s the place where she finds comfort.

She sings her life.

“A lot of things that I’ve done, and the places that I’ve been, that’s what my psalms are about,” she said, adding that she wrote “I Got to Make it Somehow” to shed light on her way back to sobriety.

She tried all kinds of methods to break free, she said, “When a person has been on drugs, no matter what you do it’s not going to work. No matter how much your family fights for you.”

Once her mind was made up, she was able to emerge. In December 2004, she woke up one morning resolute. She wanted her parents to see her free.

“You name it, I’ve been through it. I always share my story and I think that’s why God continues to bless me, elevate me and move me,” she said.

On January 18, Haynes is the guest psalmist at a special event where justice activist Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II is featured speaker at a free Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration. Hosted by Ephesians New Testament Church and the city of Fontana, the event will be held at 3:00 p.m. at Westside Baptist Church, located at 15006 Randall Ave. Seating is limited, call (909) 823-2319 for tickets.

Haynes has known Pastor James Emory and his wife since her early teens, and she is delighted to participate at the upcoming event.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it, I love Dr. King,” she said. “He stood for the rights of everybody.”

Haynes started singing in the church at six years old, where her late father, who passed away two years ago, was a renown pastor. Her father had later hired her to play for the choir. She was a quick study, and a natural. Even as a child, people would come around her to hear and see her play.

But much of her psalms and message today revolves around the harder spaces, and how she has been released from bondage through Christ.

These days, she said being church psalmist carries responsibility. She guides the rhythm of the church, assists the pastor who shepherds the church, and helps directs the flow of service. She keys into the anointing of the Spirit, and praise is the highest calling.

She said it’s all about winning is souls and for the people to find comfort to return back to God. She also prepares for service by arranging whatever songs she may have planned to sing, which she usually doesn’t know until the last minute.

“Sometimes you have to wait till you get there. The Spirit will flow and you have to find out what the church needs,” she said. “I still can’t explain it, the anointing comes over me.”

She counts it her greatest privilege to share the Gospel, and use her talents to reach the hard to reach, some who are no doubt dealing with the same struggle that is behind her.

“I know a lot of people, and people that I bump into in church. A lot of people are gone, and I’m still here. I’m on a mission, I understand my ministry now,” she said.

Letter to the Editor: Fontana MLK

By Bishop Emory B. James, Ephesians New Testament Church

It is my extreme pleasure to host this year’s celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Each year we are challenged to do all that we can to keep the dream alive.

Many have various opinions about the dream of Dr. King which is continually analyzed and interpreted just to meet the diverse opinions that challenge the world today.

I believe that what keeps the dream alive is the fact that it can never be placed in a box nor made finitely interpreted simply because it continues to evolve and is always calling us to a loftier place in humanitarianism.

It would seem that just when we think we have figured out the formula for the dream’s foundation of effectiveness, another door opens to challenge mankind to think and evaluate his place in the social realm of society.

This is the reason that after 50 years the dream is still as fresh as it was the first day that the arrow of moral vicissitude was released and it pierced our hearts and moved us to repent from our immoral spirit of selfish indignation.

As an ever living voice, the dream continues to reach out to the generations of the old, middle aged, young adults and youth. This dream will always call us to live soberly and just as we interact with each other in our social realms. So today marks the 32nd year of celebration here in Fontana, as we remember the fact that it was the spirit of the people inspired by a speech about a dream that has motivated our community to continue to work to provide an overall better quality of life.

We are grateful for the monumental visit of Dr. William J. Barber ll who will join us on January 18th at the Westside Baptist Church, 15006 Randall Ave. here in Fontana at 3:00pm.  Dr. Barber has been commissioned to be a voice in this era to call the people nationally to a new moral level addressing homelessness and poverty.  I also thank Dr. Barber for reviving “The Poor People’s Campaign” that is now moving to march on Washington D.C., June 20, 2020.  After 52 years of dormancy, the peoples voice will be heard again heralding the advocacy for the Poor.

This year we wanted the spirit of Dr. King to look at the homeless epidemic that has gripped our region and society.  Dr. King’s voice reminds us that none of us are very far from being homeless and compassion is what God calls us to walk in so that we are to continue to challenge governments to legislate and put in place the type of governance that is fair to all in terms of rents, employment, environment,  and medical services that covers the whole man physically, psychologically, and spiritually.

So today, let us resolve to work diligently to keep the dream alive!