INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA has announced a $20 million settlement with former players over college-themed basketball and football video games produced by Electronic Arts.
The NCAA said Monday that the agreement will provide money to plaintiffs headed by former Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller. The case was scheduled for trial in March 2015.
The settlement will award $20 million to certain Division I men’s basketball and Bowl Subdivision football players. Details were still be finalized.
Vetrice Jews and Demitrius Musgrove
Written by Noelle Lilley
SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Temple Missionary Baptist Church presented a wonderful program entitled, “Juneteenth Program: Body and Soul Health and Wellness Gospel Jam” on Sunday, June 8. This event began at 5 p.m. with the invocation led by Senior Pastor Dr. Raymond W. Turner and ended at 7:30 p.m. The program was filled with spiritually led components that promoted physical activity and fitness. This included community health leaders Reverend Bronica Martindale and Adrienne Waters-Riley promoting the Body and Soul Health DVD, praise dancing from New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, song selections, presentations of Certificates of Recognition, and more! The evening concluded with fellowship and a “taste test” from Demitrius Musgrove better known as, Chef D’Lavon. A blessing to all who attended; this event showed ways to be healthy not only in spirit, but in body as well.
Lou Coleman
By Lou Coleman
“I didn’t do it!” “It’s not my fault!”… This is what you say when you blame other people for your problems. It’s a way of explaining why life hasn’t worked out the way you would like. You’ve been treated unfairly; you’ve ended up on the short end of the stick; you’ve been dealt a lousy hand of cards. You’re a victim. And that’s how you get through life—by blaming other people for the bad things that happen to you. If you lose your job, it’s because the boss was unreasonable; he didn’t understand you; he had it in for you; he hated you from the moment you walked into the office – “It’s not your fault!” Couldn’t be! Impossible! Unthinkable!
Sounds familiar?
These days it seem as if everyone has been exposed to the “Blame someone else Syndrome.” It’s your parents, brother, sister, pastor, deacons, preachers, church members, school teachers, classmates, boss, bus driver, friend, children, casino, and the co-workers fault that you have been contaminated with the “Blame someone else Syndrome.”
We are always “Passing the Buck.” In the beginning, Adam blamed Eve – and not only did he blame Eve, but he blamed God for giving her to him! And he was not the only one playing the blame game. Eve blamed the serpent {Genesis 3: 1-14}. Neither accepted responsibility, both pointed the fault-finger away from them and somewhere else and entered into the victim-vortex where the swirl of “It’s not my fault,” kept them and will keep us locked out of truly living God’s unique call on our lives.
The truth is that whether it is physical, financial, or spiritual, whatever the issue, the response of some people will always be, “It’s not my fault!” We live during a time when people are unwilling to take personal responsibility for their own lives, for their own welfare, for their own health, or for their own spiritual growth. There is always a tendency to look for someone else to blame. But the fact is that when we stand before God and the judgment seat of Christ, we will answer for our own failures and the choices we have made. “No Excuses will be Accepted!”
And what’s really sad, is that many in the church today have the “It’s not my fault,” mentality. They either make excuses or blame someone else for their own sins or shortcomings. It is time to take an honest look at ourselves by the standard of God’s Word, look at our sins for what they are, confess them, and ask God to forgive us. Then and only then, can we truly be fruitful in the Lord’s Kingdom.
So stop making excuses. Quit shifting the blame to others. Accept your circumstances and position, and instead of making excuses for your actions, change your behavior. We serve a great God. Our limitations are God’s opportunities to show Himself mighty in our lives. Don’t play the blame game; own it by name and avoid the shame.
Vernell Taylor
Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager
Union Bank, N.A.
By Vernell Taylor
Spring is here and many of us are busy cleaning out closets and dusting the cobwebs that may have accumulated during the winter. While you are taking on spring cleaning projects, consider taking a fresh look at your finances.
Following are a few tips to help with your financial spring cleaning:
Revisit your budget
Review your household budget and look for areas where you might be spending more than you should, or budgeting more than you might need, and then adjust your budget accordingly. Use this time to revisit your short- and long-term goals for expenses, such as college, purchasing a home, or retirement, and make sure you are setting aside enough in savings. Look for ways to pay down debt and contribute more to savings and investments on a regular basis.
Automate
Talk to your banker about technology and services that your bank may offer to help simplify your finances. Take advantage of direct deposit, online banking, and automatic payments for recurring bills, and set up regular automatic transfers to savings, investment and retirement accounts.
Look for ways to cut expenses
If you carry a balance on your credit cards, call your credit card company and ask for a lower interest rate, or seek alternatives elsewhere. If you notice that mortgage rates have dropped two or more points than what you are paying, consider refinancing your home mortgage at a lower interest rate. Compare home and auto insurance plans and contact your insurance agent and ask if you can reduce your rate. Contact your utility company to inquire about possible ways to save on your bill. Consider adjusting your withholding so you get as much money as possible in your paycheck versus a large refund when you file taxes.
Review important financial documents and policies
Pull copies of your will and/or living trust, and other important documents and review them to make sure they are up to date. Obtain a copy of your credit report and correct any errors. To get a free credit report from each of the three major credit-reporting bureaus, go to annualcreditreport.com. Review insurance policies to make sure you have adequate coverage and a designated beneficiary of your choosing.
Consolidate accounts
If you have multiple 401k accounts, consider rolling them into a single IRA account to allow for streamlined control of your investments and to help reduce the paperwork of multiple accounts. Reduce your monthly bills by consolidating debts or loans into as few accounts as possible, and simplify even more by bundling services such as cable, internet and phone.
Control the clutter
Set up a simple filing system, and use it consistently. Assign folders, binders, or other receptacles to gather pending bills, statements, receipts and important financial documents, and store them in a safe place. Shred unnecessary paper, such as old sales receipts that have no tax purpose, or utility bills that can be accessed online. Consider creating digital files by scanning documents and filing them on your computer, but be sure to have that information backed up on a CD, flash drive or back up service. Inquire about paperless billing options to reduce the amount of paper waste and clutter.
Update your calendar
Set up a calendar to remind you when bills are due, policies are up for renewal, tax deadlines and other important financial dates to avoid late fees and penalties. Don’t forget to include reminders for things like year-end charitable contributions, and regular meetings with your banker or investment advisor to review your holdings and take into consideration any changing goals or circumstances.
The foregoing article is intended to provide general information about financial spring cleaning and is not considered financial or tax advice. Please consult your financial or tax advisor.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA– The Assistance League of San Bernardino thanked their out-going executive board and welcomed the incoming 2014-2015 executive board Monday night at the Assistance League chapter house in San Bernardino.
Yearly the chapter installs their new board at their annual meeting. This year their incoming President Deborah Karalun wanted to bring a bit of the islands to their final meeting of the year.
“Being the last meeting of the 2013-2014 year and my first as the 2014-2015 President I wanted to celebrate the hard work of all the members that make this organization great. We all are working for the same cause of making our community better place,” shared Karalun.
The Assistance League is a non-profit organization that serves children in need in our community. Since 1948 they have been helping students with dental needs in the Dr. Earl R. Crane Children’s Dental Center that began a dental hygiene program in 1970 and has been providing clothing since 1983 with Operation School Bell.
Members of Assistance League are required to volunteer a minimum of fifty hours a year, including time at meetings, dental screenings, shopping with students for Operation School Bell and the annual fundraiser Headdress Ball.
Member’s that were installed for the new year’s executive board are: Deborah Karalun, President; Teresa Craig, President Nominee, Marsha Scott Vice President Membership; Carol Dixon-Cahill, Vice President Fundraising; Mindy Erickson, Recording Secretary; Jennifer Hobbs, Corresponding Secretary; Amy Johnson, Treasurer; Sherry Lopez, Assistant Treasurer; Elsa Carlton, Education Chair; Ruth Sandlin, Liaison to Les Confreres; Mary Masasso and Cathy Bechtel, Dental Center co-chairs; Margaret Ortiz and Linda Gordon, Operation School Bell; Bobbi Simenton, Orientation Chair.
“Assistance League has become a passion of mine since I became a member and I am honored to be leading our chapter and working with these phenomenal women to support our philanthropies. I hope my passion is contagious. We welcome anyone interested in joining this incredible sisterhood,” said Karalun.
Assistance League of San Bernardino meets on the second Monday of the month at the League House located at 580 West 6th Street, San Bernardino, CA 92410 at 6:00 p.m. Their next meeting will be held September 8, 2014 guests are welcome.
For more information about Assistance League and their philanthropies visit their website at http://sanbernardino.assistanceleague.org or email them at sanbernardinoassistanceleague@gmail.com
The SBCCD Board members welcome the new student trustees at their installation on June 12. Shown left to right, front row, are Crafton Hills College student trustee Alexis Panaguiton; Trustee Nickolas W. Zoumbos; Board Vice President Kathleen (Katy) Henry; Board President Donna Ferracone; San Bernardino Valley College Student Trustee Tiffany Joy Guzman; Trustee Gloria Macias Harrison; Back row: Trustee Dr. Donald Singer; Trustee John Longville and SBCCD Chancellor Bruce Baron.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA – – The San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) Board of Trustees installed newly elected Student Trustees Alexis Panaguiton from Crafton Hills College and Tiffany Joy Guzman from San Bernardino Valley College. Board President Donna Ferracone swore in the two students at their regularly scheduled meeting on June 12.
SBCCD Board of Trustees President Donna Ferracone said, “Serving on the Board of Trustees provides both students with the opportunity to learn first-hand about balancing the needs of their various constituency groups against the constraints of the state budget. They also will have a wonderful opportunity for training in teamwork, leadership, planning and communication.”
SBCCD Chancellor Bruce Baron said, “Previous student trustees have identified specific issues that their electorates were interested in, have researched those issues, and proffered policies and procedures that the Board has taken very seriously. We look forward to working with both Student Trustees and to providing them with a rewarding learning experience.”
Crafton Hills College Student Trustee Alexis Panaguiton first started her academic career at Crafton Hills College, there pursuing a degree in respiratory therapy. Not only is Alexis the first in her family to attend college, but she had the desire to seek more by joining the Student Senate as the Social Events Officer. As the Social Events Officer, Alexis was the lead on combating the implementation of AB955 at Crafton Hills College which was successful. As Student Trustee, she plans to be the voice of her fellow students by working with administrators, classified staff, and the student senate to help establish a positive learning environment.
After completing her degree and the respiratory program at Crafton Hills College, she plans on obtaining a position at Loma Linda University Health Care for her ultimate dream.
San Bernardino Valley College Student Trustee Tiffany Joy Guzman grew up in Redlands, Calif., where she played Varsity Girls Golf and took health and nutrition classes at Redlands High School. A Liberal Arts student at San Bernardino Valley College, Tiffany is involved with the Associated Student Government and was elected Campus Events Director for the 2013-14 academic year. In addition, she was an assistant moderator for the 31st District congressional forum on campus, which provided more than one hundred students the opportunity of meeting the candidates. The time spent being Campus Events Director led her to pursue a political journey within San Bernardino Community College District, where she campaigned for her new role as a Student Trustee. Tiffany said, “I would love to plant the seed of motivation in student’s lives and help them reach their goals.” Ms. Guzman is actively involved as the secretary of the newly established chapter of the SCTA (Student California Teachers Association) club on the SBVC campus.
In addition to installing the new student trustees, the Board recognized the outgoing student trustees, Yazmeen Flores from Crafton Hills College and Rosalinda Sosa Sanchez from San Bernardino Valley College for their year of service which completed this month.
About the San Bernardino Community College District
The San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) is one of 72 community college districts within the California Community College system, the largest educational system in the world, which encompasses 112 community colleges. The SBCCD has an 87 year history of providing its community and students with quality and affordable vocational certificates, associate’s degrees, and preparation for transfer to a four year college or university through San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) and Crafton Hills College (CHC). In addition, the Economic Development and Corporate Training Division (PDC) and KVCR TV-FM provide professional development and cultural and educational information to the community at large.
For additional information on the SBCCD, please contact Alisa Sparkia Moore, Esq., San Bernardino Community College District Communications and Public Relations at 909.382.4012, 805.717.0347 cell, or by email at asmoore@sbccd.edu.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA – For the 14th consecutive year, Cal State San Bernardino will again operate on a four-day, 40-hour workweek throughout the summer, beginning Monday, June 16.
As has become tradition at CSUSB following June commencement ceremonies, the campus will operate on the 4/40 schedule through Sept. 5. Operating hours are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Some offices will remain open on Fridays during the summer, and University Police remain on duty every day.
The university will return to its traditional five-day work schedule on Monday, Sept. 8.
The condensed workweek has helped the university reduce its energy consumption, while allowing the public more time to access university services during the expanded hours.
The university also has encouraged energy conservation measures such as turning off lights in unused rooms, reducing lighting in hallways and turning off computers and other electronic equipment that are not in use.
During the week of June 30, the campus will revert to an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule and will be closed on Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. The campus also will be closed Monday, Sept. 1, in observance of Labor Day.
The university’s summer session classes begin Wednesday, June 18. The regular 10-week summer session runs from June 18 through Aug 28, while accelerated six-week sessions are scheduled for June 18-July 24 and July 28-Sept. 3.
The fall quarter will begin on Thursday, Sept. 25.
For more information, contact Cal State San Bernardino’s Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.
By Kenn Harris – National Healthy Start Association, Dads Matter Initiative, Armin Brott – Mr. Dad
We all know (or at least we should know) how important fathers are in their children’s lives. Children with involved fathers get better grades and are more likely to graduate high school. They’re less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol or to get involved in criminal activity. They’re more independent, manage their emotions better, are less violent, and have higher levels of empathy than kids whose dads aren’t involved. Boys with involved dads learn how to treat the women in their lives, and girls with involved dads learn what they should expect from the men in their lives.
However, none of this happens if dad isn’t around—a scenario that’s especially common in low-income communities where families tend to be younger, unmarried, less educated, and resource deprived. Most of the services available to these families (prenatal care, new parent classes, and so on) are actually targeted at mothers and for the most part, completely exclude fathers. Dads get the message that they have no role in their children’s lives. Too many take that message to heart and simply back away.
The National Healthy Start Association (NHSA) is committed to changing that dynamic and to giving men the tools and support they need to become the fathers they truly want to be—and their children need them to be. We know from our research that men don’t access services in the same way as women do, and that men and fathers experience great challenges in navigating systems that weren’t designed for them, systems, which traditionally have ignored them.
Recognizing the need to help fathers overcome those obstacles, NHSA developed the Core Adaptive Model© (CAM©) to reach fathers across urban, rural, border, and tribal communities. Building on lessons we’ve learned after 20 years of implementing the federal Maternal Child Health (MCH) program, the goal of our fatherhood programs is to ensure the creation of father-friendly environments that respect the diverse needs (cultural, financial, emotional, and otherwise) of the men and fathers we serve.
One of the most important elements of NHSA Fatherhood programs is training providers and staff about how to approach, engage, and serve men and fathers. Putting a few sports or car magazines in the office waiting room helps but isn’t nearly enough.
NHSA Fatherhood programs are race- and culturally responsive and are designed to promote impactful engagement and focus on inclusion, involvement, investment, and integration. Most importantly, our programs view each father as a unique and valued member of a family, and emphasize his roles and responsibilities across the life-course (before, during, after, and beyond pregnancy). One of our interventions, “Dads and Diamonds are Forever,” is an 11-week curriculum that aims to restore a man’s sense of value to himself, his child(ren), the mother of his child(ren), and his community.
But since fatherhood is just one facet of men’s identity, we also educate our fathers (and their partners) about “men’s health,” in the broadest sense, including mental, physical, social, emotional, and financial. A man’s health influences his ability to successfully engage with his family, and we know that the healthiest fathers—the ones who take charge of their own health, who support their children and the mothers of their children—have the potential to be the best fathers, and to become the most positive contributors to their communities.
To help us achieve our goal of meeting the needs of at-risk fathers nationwide through best-practice and evidence-based programming, we often partner with other organizations that share similar goals and whose expertise complements our own. June is Men’s Health Month, and as men’s unique health needs become more widely known and documented, we’ve partnered with Men’s Health Network (the organization responsible for helping pass the legislation that created National Men’s Health Week) to increase the health literacy of the men NHSA serves and the health providers who deliver those services.
We also recently partnered with MrDad.com on a “Texting with Dads” program that delivers engaging, educational messages about pregnancy, infant and child development, family planning, age-appropriate activities, partner support, and men’s health directly to the dad’s cellphone.
So this week, the National Healthy Start Association and our partners wish each and every father a happy, healthy Father’s Day. We recognize that most dads today aren’t Jim Anderson (Father Knows Best), nor are they Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show), and we recognize that although many dads today face tremendous obstacles—cultural, educational, financial, and legal—to being as involved as they’d like to be, they care about their family and love their children just as passionately as those idealized TV fathers do, and all of us need to do everything we can to support them.
To learn more, go to:
National Healthy Start Association – www.nationalhealthystart.org
Mr. Dad – www.mrdad.com
Men’s Health Network – www.menshealthnetwork.org
Men’s Health Month – www.menshealthmonth.org
Men’s Health Resource Center – www.menshealthresourcecenter.org
“Mental Health Friendly Communities” event kicks off a new statewide initiative in San Bernardino County, harnessing the power of the faith community to address stigma and discrimination.
WHAT: The stigma and discrimination faced by African Americans with mental health concerns will be addressed at the San Bernardino kickoff of Mental Health Friendly Communities (MHFC). The event brings together mental health consumers, providers, and faith leaders to foster the faith community’s important role as a center of support for African Americans. MHFC is being introduced in four regions across California including San Bernardino/Riverside, Sacramento, Solano and Kern counties. It provides culturally focused trainings and resources that dispel misconceptions about mental illness, provides skills for faith leaders as first responders, and speaks directly to the mental health needs of African Americans. The MHFC initiative is administered by CalMHSA, which is funded by the voter-approved Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63).
WHY: A statewide survey of more than 2,600 respondents reports that “72% of African-American mental health consumers and family members across California believe it is appropriate for the public mental health system to address spirituality as a part of mental health care.” Studies show that many African Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental illness but don’t seek help because of fear of judgment, isolation and discrimination. Additionally, mental illness has long been a taboo subject among African Americans and the result is that serious needs for support and treatment often fail to be recognized and addressed.
WHERE: INGHRAM COMMUNITY CENTER, St. Paul AME Church, 2050 North Mt. Vernon St., San Bernardino, 92411
WHEN: Saturday, June 14, 2014, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Program begins at 9:00 a.m.)
WHO: The MHFC Training Team, faith leaders, mental health consumers and community leaders are available for interviews throughout the program.
About CalMHSA
The Mental Health Friendly Communities program, administered by CalMHSA, is funded by the voter approved Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63). The California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) is an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families and communities. CalMHSA operates services and education programs on a statewide, regional and local basis. For more information, visit www.calmhsa.org.
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino) released the following statement in support of President Barack Obama’s new action to help millions of student loan borrowers better manage their debt.
“Our economy is weakened when a generation of college graduates is burdened by large amounts of student loan debt,” said Rep. Negrete McLeod. “This is why I agree with the President’s new plan to help millions of people across the country pay off student loan debt. We must make college more accessible and affordable for the sake of our nation’s economy and its future.”
The executive actions the president took earlier this week will allow millions more borrowers to better manage their student loan debt, directing the Department of Education to expand the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) program. PAYE enables student loan borrowers to cap their loan payments at 10 percent of their monthly income. The new rules will open the PAYE program to borrowers who are currently ineligible because they have loans that originated before October 2007. The administration estimates that these new rules will mean that an additional five million borrowers can cap their monthly student loan payments in relation to their income.
In addition, on Saturday, President Obama urged Congress to pass the Bank on Students Emergency Refinancing Act (H.R. 4582; S. 2292), legislation cosponsored by Rep. Negrete McLeod that would help 25 million borrowers nationwide refinance their existing federal and private student loans to lower interest rates, similar to those that are currently available to new student loan borrowers. In total, American families would save around $55 billion under the legislation, which they can then reinvest in their local economy.
“I urge House Leadership to bring the Bank on Students Emergency Refinancing Act up for a vote. Passage of this legislation would help millions of struggling borrowers pay back their student loans at reasonable accommodations,” concluded Rep. Negrete McLeod.
Learn more about the Bank on Students Emergency Refinancing Act here.
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