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THE SALVATION ARMY’S DUAL MISSIONS HELP SAN BERNARDINO

Written by Carl Dameron on March 30, 2011. Posted in The Salvation Army

James Lee, Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center's Resident Manager, oversees the 125-bed residence and non-working hour activities of the men enrolled in the program's drug and alcohol treatment program. Photo by Chris Sloan

Priscilla Luna is a Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center of San Bernardino warehouse employee working in the laundry area. While Priscilla is one of the paid employees, who are male and female, most of the workers in this warehouse are men enrolled in the Adult Rehabilitation Center drug and alcohol treatment program. The warehouse is a central processing and distribution center for seven thrift stores in San Bernardino County, plus one in Pomona, all of which support the Center’s program. Photo By Chris Sloan

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) In San Bernardino, The Salvation Army is known for helping people to have better lives. Many of these are men overcoming drug and alcohol addiction who benefit from the services of The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center.
The San Bernardino Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center is a 120-bed treatment center operating at 363 S. Doolittle Road, serving men from throughout San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County’s Pomona Valley.
The six-month program is for men, known as beneficiaries, who have completed the detoxification process and are ready to leave their drug or alcohol addiction behind. The program helps them to begin a new and better life.
“We teach them to feel good and confident about their lives,” said Jack Katzman, president of the Adult Rehabilitation Center advisory board. “They learn work ethics, how to dress properly, and how to make eye contact when speaking to others. We teach them to look beyond their past, and to look forward to a future with a renewed life. We teach them these values because the Salvation Army’s mission is changing people’s lives for the better.”
The Adult Rehabilitation Center provides one-on-one and group counseling, meetings for Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous and recreational activities for the beneficiaries to enjoy as part of their new sober lifestyle.
“We have a basketball court, a batting cage, a pool table, air hockey and an outdoor weight room,” said Residence Director James Lee. “There’s also a dining room with a restaurant-style kitchen where they eat like kings and a canteen where they can snack between meals.”
They enjoy all of these things when they’re not at work. With very few exceptions, residents of the Adult Rehabilitation Center put in a full day helping with their residences’ primary means of raising money.
The Adult Rehabilitation Center operates seven used goods stores, known as Salvation Army Family Stores. These stores are located in San Bernardino (one on E Street, another on Highland Avenue,) Pomona, Fontana, Redlands, Hesperia and Victorville.
The Family Stores raise almost all of the program’s revenue and teach the treatment center’s residents new job skills, thus helping them become more productive members of society after they complete the program. The beneficiaries learn the value of working hard, cooperating with others and having goals.
The treatment center is next to a warehouse and the offices of the Adult Rehabilitation Center. The center has operated the warehouse there since the 1980s, in a building that previously served as a distribution center for PepsiCo.
The Salvation Army accepts donations of any household items at its warehouse, including vehicles and furniture. Most items can also be donated at its stores, except for vehicles, furniture and large appliances. Donors also can arrange for The Salvation Army to pick up items by calling 1-800-SATRUCK, which is 1-800-728-7825.
Most of the men at the Adult Rehabilitation Center have the job of receiving and refurbishing Salvation Army donations before shipping them to the stores. This involves cleaning items, determining clothing sizes, and making minor repairs.
“When something comes into our warehouse, we refurbish the product, we repair the product, we make it look good,” said Victoria Bennett, administrative secretary for the Adult Rehabilitation Center. “Some of the men are very skilled. So of course we will put those skills to work.”
For instance, some men come with the carpentry skills necessary to repair broken furniture. Others can fix torn upholstery, or troubleshoot a malfunctioning piece of electronics equipment. As a result, most of The Salvation Army’s donations, even if they weren’t top quality when they arrived, can be sent to the used goods stores in an almost-new condition.
“Most of the donations we receive are really nice,” Bennett said. “Some of them are junk.”
Many items damaged beyond repair can still be salvaged in a different way. The Adult Rehabilitation Center sells tattered clothing donations as rags and puts irreparable appliances and electronics in its “as-is” bin. The public may come to the warehouse any non-holiday weekday before 9 a.m. to bid on the defective items in the as-is bin.
“Most people buy these items just for the parts,” Bennett said.
The warehouse is also a place to buy used cars, trucks and other vehicles. The Adult Rehabilitation Center accepts donations of these vehicles, then fixes them so they are safe to operate and are smog-certified.
It sells them to anyone who is in need of quality used transportation, often at prices lower than a similar vehicle would cost on a commercial used car lot. These vehicles can be purchased 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“All of the Family Store proceeds and the warehouse sales support the rehabilitation program,” said Katzman. “We receive no government funding.”
About 70 of the 120 men living at the Adult Rehabilitation Center work in the warehouse, along with 16 paid employees. Additional residents work as assistants to one of the 12 paid Salvation Army truck drivers, and one to two residents work in each store along with a much larger paid staff.
The remainder of the residents either have “jobs” in the treatment center itself, or because of illness (not related to their addictions) or injury, are medically excused from work.
“They work at the front desk, in the kitchen, in the laundry or in the canteen,” Lee said. “Everyone who can work has a job.”
Adult Rehabilitation Center has operated the warehouse and distribution center on Doolittle Road for about 25 years. In March 2009, it realized a long-time goal of having both parts of its ministry in one place, when it moved its treatment center to a newly constructed adjacent building.
“It had been the goal of our former advisory board president, John Tillman, to have both of these programs together,” said Katzman, who has served as advisory board president since Tillman’s death in 2001. “We had purchased the land just before he died, so I took over that project. After several years of groundwork, we were able to build the new treatment center John Tillman envisioned.”
“Having the residence and the warehouse in one central location allows us the opportunity to greatly increase our service to the community. We can serve more men, and we don’t have to spend time and money transporting beneficiaries from their residence to the warehouse,” Katzman said. “Also, The Salvation Army is now using our old building to feed and shelter homeless people.”
Prior to 2009, the Adult Rehabilitation Center had a 77-bed treatment center on Tenth Street.
The old treatment center is now home to The Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps emergency family shelter, known as Hospitality House.
While the building at 925 W. Tenth St. has belonged to The Salvation Army for about 35 years, its current owners are a separate division of the organization from the Adult Rehabilitation Center.
The Hospitality House is a service of the San Bernardino Corps, which also offers a variety of other programs. These include serving up to 300 meals six days a week to the needy, a weekly church service, and youth programs offering both recreation and spiritual development for boys, girls and teens.
The Adult Rehabilitation Center encourages donations of any size, from clothes and small household items to appliances and cars. Donors can drop off items at the 363 E. Doolittle St. warehouse, any of the Salvation Army Family Stores (except vehicles) or can call 1-800 SATRUCK (1-800-728-7825) to arrange a pick-up.
About the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center
The Adult Rehabilitation Center is a six-month program, combining treatment and work therapy for men who wish to overcome drug or alcohol addiction. These men attend Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings, receive one-on-one and group counseling, and learn about stress management, anger management, parenting and overcoming addiction. They also participate in recreational activities they can continue after their treatment as part of a sober lifestyle.
Men in San Bernardino County or Pomona Valley who are seeking help to overcome drug or alcohol addiction should call the Adult Rehabilitation Center in San Bernardino at (909) 889-9605. The Salvation Army offers a similar program for men in Riverside County; for more information about that program, call (951) 940-5790.
Women can learn about Adult Rehabilitation Centers for them by calling the center in Anaheim at (714) 758-0414, or the center in San Diego at (619) 239-4037.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. To donate, call 1-800 SATRUCK.

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Jennifer Castro – Intern to Employee

Written by Carl Dameron on March 28, 2011. Posted in Dameron Communications

Jennifer Castro joins Dameron Communications. Photo by Chris Sloan

(SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF.) Before being hired, Jennifer Castro started at Dameron Communications as an intern in November of 2010, while still attending United Education Institute (UEI).
Upon graduating from UEI in December of 2010 with a degree in business administration, she was hired full-time as a public relations coordinator. Currently she is responsible for maintaining client and company press books, updating the Master Contacts database with more than 92,000 contacts, clerical work, Spanish translation and supporting Public Relations Executives in all functions.
Before going back to school, Jennifer was a stay-at home mom. As a mother of three, Jennifer said she wanted to show her children that it is never too late to go back to school and get your education to better yourself and improve your work environment.
“I enjoy the atmosphere here at Dameron Communications. I learn something new everyday. The office is very busy, and I like that. I look forward to coming here and doing what I can to help or clients meet their communication needs,” said Castro.
A native of San Bernardino, Castro says in her spare time she enjoys being with her children.
About Dameron Communications, LLC
Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of our diverse client base locally, regionally and nationally. It is an award-winning agency that creates integrated advertising and public relations solutions to increase clients’ sales and profits, win elections, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues.
Dameron Communications creates advertising for television, radio, newspaper, magazine, and billboards, web sites, mobile web applications, email and more. Public relations services include press releases, press conferences, media relations, television programs, web sites, opinion editorials, promotions, event creation and management, government relations and community relations.
Dameron Communications has earned media coverage for clients from: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNBC, CBS MarketWatch; Fox News, CNN, Nightly Business Report; The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Dow Jones News Wire, Bloomberg, Reuters, Associated Press, The Press Enterprise, The Sun, The Daily Bulletin, The Daily News, The Daily Press and many more.

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New Salvation Army Trailer Increases Service To Firefighters

Written by Carl Dameron on March 25, 2011. Posted in The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army Corps of San Bernardino and other corps in the Inland Empire assist during disasters by providing meals to firefighters and other personnel working on the front lines. They will be able to do so more effectively the next time disaster strikes, because of a new trailer donated to the San Bernardino Corps by Salvation Army Team Emergency Services Radio Network member Tony Stephen. Photo by Tony Stephen

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) A new eight-foot trailer will help the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps when it needs to provide one of its least used but most critical community services.
The trailer is specifically for the Salvation Army’s Emergency Services Division, which provides water, snacks and light meals to firefighters and other emergency service workers in the event of a disaster.
“It is a beautiful trailer with its own generator and three Easy-Up canopies,” said Corps Officer Capt. Stephen Ball. “We will be able to take the trailer to disaster areas, and set up a lighted patio area, where we will be able to serve during a disaster.”
The Salvation Army also assists residents in disaster areas to communicate with their families, through its Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Network, also known as SATERN. Tony Stephen, a member of SATERN, donated the trailer to the Salvation Army during SATERN’s annual seminar, held Jan. 29, 2011.
“This will help the Salvation Army in its mission of helping those who are in need,” Tony Stephen said. “As a long-time supporter of the Salvation Army and emergency services volunteer, it is an honor for me to be able to help in this way.”
The Emergency Services Division will use the trailer along with its mobile canteen, a 30-foot RV that is often put into use when firefighters are at a location for more than one day at a time. These are typically during large wildfires in the mountains above San Bernardino and Highland.
For help or more information call (909) 888-1336.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.

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North Rialto Poised For New Development

Written by Carl Dameron on March 24, 2011. Posted in Rialto

Rialto, California’s north end is nestled at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. North of the 210 Freeway it has many parcels of vacant land with easy freeway access and suitable for industrial or commercial development. Photo by Chris Sloan

Rialto has hundreds of acres of vacant land, zoned for industry, near the Alder off-ramp of 210 Freeway. Photo by Chris Sloan

The City of Rialto plans in the near future to convert Rialto Airport to Renaissance Rialto, a commercial and residential planned development. Nearby, hundreds more acres of vacant land are also suitable for commercial development. Photo by Chris Sloan

(RIALTO, Calif.) As the economy gains strength, the City of Rialto is encouraging developers to look to the north end of the city, where large parcels of land near the 210 Freeway are suitable for business or industry.

“Along the 210 Freeway, we have lots of land poised for full development,” said Robb Steel, Director of the Rialto Redevelopment Agency. “This is especially true of the areas north of the freeway near the Ayala and Alder interchanges.”

“Many areas west of here are approaching buildout,” Steel noted. “That means Rialto is a great place to grow a business in southern California.”

The Ayala properties are near what is currently the Rialto Airport, but will soon become Renaissance Rialto, a 1,500-acre master planned community.

The Rialto City Council recently approved a specific plan and environmental impact report for Renaissance Rialto. This clears the way for developer Lewis-Hillwood Rialto to market industrial, retail and residential sites when market conditions improve.

“With those homes and others nearby in the preliminary planning stage, we would like to see businesses come into the community to serve the future residents, as well as thousands who already live near the 210 Freeway and farther north,” Steel said. “It will soon become a growing area. Our goal is to make it a commercial center to serve all residents of Rialto and surrounding communities.”

The 210 Freeway interchange at Alder Avenue is an already established industrial park, and the City hopes this area will expand due to the close 210 Freeways’ close proximity..

About Rialto

Although the City of Rialto is located in the middle of one of the nation’s fastest growing regions, it has retained a small town atmosphere and similar quality of life. Rialto is an ethnically diverse and progressive community, which boasts several unique community assets including its own police and fire departments, a city-owned fitness center, performing arts theater, nine beautiful parks, a community center and senior center. Rialto is within easy range of mountains, beaches, deserts and other recreational areas.

Rialto’s housing mix and home costs are some of the most affordable in Southern California. First-time homebuyers find Rialto more affordable than almost any other comparable community in the region. Executives and those seeking high-end residences also find they can purchase much more home for their money in Rialto. This lower cost translates into more discretionary income for residents, thus benefiting retailers and service providers.

For more information about Rialto, go to www.rialtoca.gov or call (909) 879-1140.

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Yucaipa Center Will Find The Property You Need

Written by Carl Dameron on March 22, 2011. Posted in ABO Enterprises

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) “We will handle the Inland Empire’s small business and residential real estate needs, from Pomona to Palm Desert, and from Victorville to Temecula,” said Jack Katzman, owner of ABO Enterprises, Inc.
A commercial real estate center opening April 1 at 12782 California St. in Yucaipa will help small business owners find the right amount of office space to serve their clients effectively, and will match rental property owners with great tenants.
ABO Enterprises, Inc. already owns and leases more than 600 offices from its headquarters in San Bernardino. ABO Enterprises, Inc. also leases office space on behalf of owners of other buildings.
At its new California Street office, ABO Enterprises, Inc. is opening a new division, ABO Real Estate Services. This new division will offer commercial and residential property management, including site management of apartment complexes, commercial and residential property leasing and property maintenance and repairs.
Another division of ABO Enterprises, Inc, SMA Construction, Inc., will also operate from the same location. This company renovates office buildings and homes.
ABO Enterprises, Inc. will offer conventional office space for lease, starting at $200 a month. It also will offer mailbox service for $20 a month and virtual offices for $75 a month.
Mailboxes and virtual offices serve both small business owners who are working from home, and larger business owners who have offices in other cities, need a satellite office to better serve their clients, but may not have the resources to staff another office.
“A mailbox gives them a corporate address and a local phone number,” Katzman explained. “We will collect their mail and answer the phone for them, so they don’t have to miss contacts if they are unavailable.”
“With a virtual office, business owners actually have an office here for eight hours a month,” Katzman said. “When they need to be here, they will have a place they can come and work, with a secretary, high-speed internet access, and the ability to install their own phone line. They also will have access to a conference room and restrooms.”
A conventional office provides not just a place to work full-time and a secure office, but on-site security and janitorial services. Conference rooms and restrooms are in each office suite.
“We have the lowest prices in all of California,” Katzman said. “If anyone can find an office at a lower advertised price, we’ll lease it to them for that price.”
Anyone who is leasing an office from ABO Enterprises, Inc. doesn’t have to worry about it changing owners.
“We buy large, empty buildings, renovate them and lease them, but we never sell the buildings we own,” Katzman said. We will be here to serve our tenants for the long term. We provide them with quality service that isn’t going to go away.”
To learn more about the mailboxes, virtual offices, conventional offices and other real estate services available through ABO Enterprises, Inc. call (909) 886-4123.
ABO Enterprises, Inc. has met the real estate needs of small business owners since 1999. It owns more than 600 offices in buildings throughout Southern California. The luxury real estate listings agency also provides real estate services including property management, purchase and leasing, and property maintenance and renovation.

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NEW TARGET FOR HIV/AIDS – WOMEN AND ADULTS AGES 47-65

Written by Carl Dameron on March 16, 2011. Posted in San Bernardino County Department of Public Health

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health is urging everyone to know their status and get tested. Photo by Chris Sloan

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections continue at high levels, with an estimated 56,300 Americans becoming infected each year. Additionally, more than 18,000 people with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) still die each year in the United States.

While major strides have been made in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, the disease continues its devastating effects on all sectors of American society. The impact however, has become increasingly more serious among women and adults between the ages of 47-65.

The CDC reports that in 2007 more than a quarter of HIV diagnoses in the United States were among women and girls aged 13 years and older. Women are more likely to be infected through sex with a male partner.

Minority women continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV infection. The rate of new HIV infections for African American women is nearly 20 times the rate for white women. The rate of new HIV infection among Hispanic women is nearly four times that of white women.

In San Bernardino County, African American and Hispanic women together accounted for 83% of HIV diagnoses among women in 2009 and 14% of all HIV diagnoses.

Many factors contribute to the increasing rates of HIV infection in adults aged 47-65. One contributing factor is that older adults have often been overlooked by targeted education and prevention messages. Sexually active adults between 47-65 years of age may use condoms less often due to a lower concern of pregnancy, thereby increasing their risk for HIV.

The use of sexual enhancement medications among this age group also contributes to the increased risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections, including HIV. Further, the lack of communication between adults and their doctors regarding sexual practices contributes to a perceived low HIV risk among this group and a lack of testing.

In 2008 adults 50 years of age and older represented 17 percent of all new HIV diagnoses in the United States, Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare, Health Officer, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health attributes this to “the simple reason that older people don’t get tested for HIV on a regular basis.”

Although HIV is a manageable disease, education and prevention continue to be the ultimate goal in stopping the spread of infection among all groups, especially women and adults ages 47-64.

It is important to be aware of specific challenges faced by women and adults ages 47-64 and to ensure that they are informed and know how to protect themselves from infection. Dr. Ohikhuare states that, “Testing is key in HIV prevention and I encourage everyone to make HIV testing part of their routine medical care.”
For more information about HIV/AIDS and testing, call the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health AIDS Program at (800) 255-6560, or visit the website at WWW.KnowSBC.com.

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Apartment Fire Victims Get Help From Salvation Army

Written by Carl Dameron on March 16, 2011. Posted in The Salvation Army

One way the Salvation Army helps those in need is by helping them to acquire new clothes. It recently did this for victims of an apartment complex fire in San Bernardino. Photo by Chris Sloan

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) As 26 families begin to rebuild their lives after a fire destroyed their homes, the Salvation Army is there to help.
The fire, in the Garden Breeze Apartments near Mill Street and Mt. Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino, broke out in the wee hours of the morning Feb. 20. It caused $1.3 million damage, gutting 26 apartments.
Since then, many of those families have lived in motels, paid for by the American Red Cross and the City of San Bernardino. Other relief organizations such as the Salvation Army are also helping. Many of the displaced tenants lost nearly everything they owned in the fire, and do not have renter’s insurance to replace the items.
“We have given clothing to about 15 families that were displaced by the fire,” said Corps Officer Capt. Stephen Ball. “We are waiting to see if they will need additional help when, over the next few weeks, they transition from local area motels where they were given temporary lodging.”
“We can help them obtain furniture for their new homes,” Capt. Ball continued. “We have also offered to make space available at our Hospitality House Emergency Family Shelter to further assist families who need additional time to secure a new home.”
For help or more information call (909) 888-1336.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.

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Rialto Easing Congestion With New Freeway Bridge

Written by Carl Dameron on March 15, 2011. Posted in Rialto

Work has begun to ease congestion on the Riverside Avenue bridge over Interstate 10 in Rialto. Harber Construction workers Saul Castenoa, Jacob Gracia, Janie Barralaga amd Bruce Siekierski remove the railing of the old bridge. The City of Rialto will close this five-lane bridge in April to replace it with a nine-lane bridge. It anticipates finishing the project in early 2012. Photo by Chris Sloan

The new freeway bridge soon to be built over Interstate 10 at Riverside Avenue in Rialto will resemble the Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy. It and the freeway on and off-ramps at Riverside Avenue will also contain features reflecting Rialto’s history as a place where citrus was grown and packed.

(RIALTO, Calif.) Driving on Riverside Avenue over or onto Interstate 10 will soon be easier as the City of Rialto has begun work to widen Riverside Avenue at its intersection with the freeway.
“This interchange has experienced high traffic for years,” said Robb Steel, director of the Rialto Redevelopment Agency. “This creates a safety hazard, as well as long delays.”
The Redevelopment Agency is financing most of the $32 million project. State and federal funds make up the balance, and also will partially reimburse the Redevelopment Agency’s $30 million up-front contribution.

Revenue generated by Measure I, a half-cent sales tax approved by San Bernardino County voters in 2009, also will reimburse a portion of the Redevelopment Agency’s costs.

The City of Rialto’s intersection widening project coordinates with the ongoing California Department of Transportation project to widen the on and off-ramps at the Riverside interchange.

Rialto is working in partnership with the California Department of Transportation and San Bernardino County Associated Governments to complete this $32 million project. When complete, it will replace the existing five-lane bridge with one featuring nine lanes, including two left-turn lanes in either direction.
The new bridge and ramps will give travelers a taste of Rialto’s history. “This is the only interchange on Interstate 10 that is completely within Rialto’s city limits,” Steel said. “The City wants to make sure it showcases Rialto in an attractive way.”

The bridge itself will be fashioned in the style of the Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy, which is depicted in Rialto’s City seal. Under the bridge, travelers along Interstate 10 will see decorative walls incorporating the city seal. This seal will also decorate the ends of the bridge’s support columns.

When entering or exiting a ramp facing Valley Boulevard, travelers will see walls featuring oranges and grapes, in a nod to Rialto’s early history as a center for packing houses.

The first phase of this project is to replace the existing one-lane on and off-ramps with two-lane ramps. The existing ramps will remain open during the project, except for brief closures (usually between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.)

Construction of the bridge itself is expected to take about seven months, beginning in April. During this time, traffic will detour by taking either Valley Boulevard or Slover Avenue to Cedar Avenue, or by taking Rancho Avenue and Agua Mansa Road to continue south on Riverside Avenue. Drivers may also use the Interstate 10 on and off-ramps, provided they can access them without crossing over the freeway.
After the finishing touches, which include installing new signals and painting new lane stripes, the City of Rialto will hold a dedication ceremony for this project. The goal is to have everything completed in early 2012.

The Rialto Interchange is one of several projects the Rialto Redevelopment Agency is currently funding. Others include:

$15 million to extend Pepper Avenue to the 210 Freeway, opening up 175 acres for future economic development.
$5.8 million to replace the fire station that was at 1925 N. Riverside Avenue. The new fire station will have modern features, allowing firefighters and paramedics to better serve Rialto residents.
$7 million to improve Fergusson Park, including creating two new football fields.
$2.4 million to relocate utilities and upgrade infrastructure on the old, recently demolished fire station property, making the freeway-frontage location suitable for new commercial development.
$2 million for construction of 75 units of senior housing on Foothill Boulevard.
$1 million to expand the Rialto Library and add a new computer lab.

“The Rialto Redevelopment Agency has an aggressive redevelopment program to reshape the community and help both businesses and residents,” Steel said.
For more information about how the Rialto Redevelopment Agency can help a business to upgrade, expand or relocate within the city, contact Robb Steel at (909) 879-1140.

About Rialto
Although the City of Rialto is located in the middle of one of the nation’s fastest growing regions, it has retained a small town atmosphere and similar quality of life. Rialto is an ethnically diverse and progressive community, which boasts several unique community assets including its own police and fire departments, a city-owned fitness center (see their yourelliptical schwinn review), performing arts theater, nine beautiful parks, a community center and senior center. Rialto is within easy range of mountains, beaches, deserts and other recreational areas.

For more information about Rialto, go to www.rialtoca.gov or call (909) 879-1140.

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Media: If you would like any of the photos in the slide show below please send an email to Chris@DameronCommunications.com with the photo id number and i will have it to you within 24 hours. If you require the photo sooner please call Chris Sloan at (909) 888-0017.

Overcoming Challenges Through Strength

Written by Carl Dameron on March 11, 2011. Posted in Rialto

The Rialto Women’s Conference featured a panel discussion by four female elected officials – Rialto Unified School District Board Member Joanne Gilbert, Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren, San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor and Board Chairman Josie Gonzales and California Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter. Photo by Chris Sloan

Anita Iglesias, senior accounting assistant for the City of Rialto; Milele Robertson, associate transportation planner for the California Department of Transportation; and Lelia “Charli” Harris, a media arts major at California State University, Dominguez Hills, formed a second panel at the Rialto Women’s Conference. These women are graduates of Rialto’s Bethune Center, where as high school students they learned job-seeking and career development skills. The Bethune Center’s sponsor, the Inland Empire Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, co-hosted this conference. The conference host, Deborah Robertson, is the mother of Milele Robertson and grandmother of Lelia Harris. Photo by Chris Sloan

Rialto Council Member Deborah Robertson, along with City Clerk Barbara McGee and the Inland Empire chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, hosted a women’s conference at the Rialto Senior Center on Saturday, March 5. At the conference, four female elected officials and three young women shared how their strengths have helped them achieve. Photo by Chris Sloan

(RIALTO, Calif.) Rialto celebrated Women’s History Month on Saturday, March 5 by examining what local women have done, and still need to do, to improve life in the Inland Empire.

The Fifth Annual Rialto Women’s Conference highlighted the contributions of four women who currently serve as elected officials representing the Inland Empire, and three younger women. These seven women made up two panels whose discussions tied into the national Women’s History Month celebration theme of “Our History, Our Strength.”

The elected officials were State Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter, San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor and Board Chairman Josie Gonzales, Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren and Rialto Unified School District Governing Board Member Joanne Gilbert. These women shared how they serve their community in their elected office, what challenges they have faced, and what they hope for the future.
State Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod had also been confirmed to speak at the conference, but did not attend because of a family illness.

Rialto Unified School District voters re-elected Gilbert to the Board of Trustees in November. Although she received the highest number of votes, and almost 1,000 more than any other candidate, Gilbert said she wasn’t certain of her re-election during the campaign.

“By electing me, we were able to maintain a female voice on the Rialto school board,” Gilbert said. “It is very important that we maintain diversity, because while we have done much for our students, we are still striving for excellence.”

Gilbert also noted voter support of Measure Y, which allows Rialto Unified School District to obtain funding for school modernization, will help the district to improve children’s education.

Voters elected Mayor Warren as Fontana’s first-ever Black mayor in November. She had previously served on the Fontana City Council since 2002.

During the conference, Warren emphasized the importance of all women working with each other to improve their communities.

“As women, we all have to help each other,” she said. “Women make the difference, but we are not active enough. If we don’t stand up for what we believe, the result could be bad for everyone.”

Warren urged all women attending the conference to be concerned not only about their own communities, but all of the Inland Empire, and to be advocates for their families.

“We have to take those little jewels we are raising and make sure they get what they need,” she said. “We only have one chance. If we don’t get it right, we will leave behind a generation of uneducated, uninformed and illiterate people.”

Supervisor Gonzales also urged women to support each other. She likened a network of people who work for each other’s best interests to a warm blanket.

“A continuum of support keeps us warm and safe,” she said. “It takes every single one of us, and the God-given strengths we have been blessed with.”

Gonzales acknowledged needing support from others recently, including the only other woman on the Board of Supervisors, Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford. Without Rutherford’s support, and that of Fourth District Supervisor Gary Ovitt, Gonzales would not have been elected chairman of the Board of Supervisors in January.

“There is a brick wall that is camouflaged as a door,” she said. “Prejudice still exists in 2011.”
Gonzales urged women to overcome prejudice they face, for whatever reason, by exerting the same reliance on support from others as she does.

“We’re not quitters,” she said. “To get what you need, figure out who you need to network with. Who do you need to identify with to build a base of strength?”

“You are intelligent. You are strong. I am proud to count myself among you,” she said.
Assembly Member Carter urged women to focus on the needs of a larger area, the entire state of California. She also assured participants the state government can still be a resource in helping to meet residents’ needs.

“We don’t have any money right now, but I still serve, and I still can provide some hope,” she said. “We still have resources. My job is to find them and bring them to you. I serve the whole state. What works for one district works for the whole state.”

National Council of Negro Women Inland Empire Chapter President Lois Carson moderated the elected official’s panel discussion. Carson, the recently retired executive director of Riverside County Community Action Partnership, is herself a former elected official, having served as a member of the San Bernardino Valley College Board of Trustees.

Rialto Council Member Deborah Robertson and City Clerk Barbara McGee hosted the conference, along with the Inland Empire Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women.

Susan Doyle, executive director of the chapter’s Bethune Center in Rialto, moderated the younger women’s discussion. These women, who took part in the Bethune Center’s job preparation program as high school students, shared how that program has shaped their careers since then.

Deborah Robertson’s daughter Milele Robertson, associate transportation planner with the California Department of Transportation, and her granddaughter Lelia “Charli” Harris, a media arts major at California State University, Dominguez Hills, were two of the three speakers on the panel. Anita Iglesia, a senior accounting assistant for the City of Rialto, also spoke.

For Deborah Robertson, the Women’s Conference was a family event. Not only did she host, and two members of her family speak, but her mother, two toddler-aged granddaughters and their mother also were among the approximately 120 women who attended.

Other female elected officials attending include Rialto Mayor Grace Vargas who gave a welcome address, and council members Susan Olivas of Colton, Debbie Franklin of Banning and Lydia Wilbert of Fontana.

About Rialto

Although the City of Rialto is located in the middle of one of the nation’s fastest growing regions, it has retained a small town atmosphere and similar quality of life. Rialto is an ethnically diverse and progressive community, which boasts several unique community assets including its own police and fire departments, a city-owned fitness center, performing arts theater, nine beautiful parks, a community center and senior center. Rialto is near mountains, beaches, deserts and other recreational areas.

Rialto’s housing mix and home costs are some of the most affordable in the southern California region. First-time homebuyers find Rialto more affordable than almost any other comparable community in the region. Executives and those seeking high-end homes also find they can purchase much more home for their money in Rialto. This lower cost translates into more discretionary income for residents, thus benefiting retailers and service providers.

For more information about Rialto, go to www.rialtoca.gov or call (909) 820-2525.

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Media: If you would like any of the photos in the slide show below please send an email to Chris@DameronCommunications.com with the photo id number and I will have it to you within 24 hours. If you require the photo sooner please call Chris Sloan at (909) 888-0017.

Car Wash Sends Youth to Salvation Army Retreat

Written by Carl Dameron on March 9, 2011. Posted in The Salvation Army

Pine Summit Retreat in Big Bear Lake is in a beautiful forest location, not far from San Bernardino, but far enough that many of the youth served by the Salvation Army have never been there. They will have an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Pine Summit when they attend the Salvation Army’s division retreat April 8-10, but first will raise money for the retreat by holding a car wash on Saturday, March 26 at the Corps Headquarters.

Like these recent guests to Pine Summit Retreat in Big Bear Lake, youth from the Salvation Army will enjoy a time of fellowship when they attend their division retreat there from April 8-10. The Salvation Army youth will hold a car wash on Saturday, March 26 at the Corps Headquarters, 746 W. Fifth St. ,to raise money for the retreat.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps youth will hold a car wash Saturday, March 26 at the Corps Headquarters, 746 W. Fifth St., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Money raised from the car wash will help sponsor youth attending a spring retreat at Pine Summit in Big Bear Lake, April 8-10.
“We will send 15 to 20 youth to our division’s retreat,” said Kelly Raabe, the Young People’s Sergeant Major for the San Bernardino Corps.
“The retreat is an opportunity for our young people ages 14 and up, to get out of San Bernardino and to visit the beautiful mountains that they have seen their whole lives from afar but never had the chance to experience first hand,” Raabe said. “We need help to send these kids on an adventure of a lifetime.”
Free time activities at the retreat include a rock wall, ropes course, bungee run, paintball and tubing if there is snow.
The Salvation Army will accept a donation of any amount for the car wash.
Raabe hopes the car wash will raise about $2,000, which will pay for most of the cost of the retreat. Each Corps must pay $125 per young person attending.
“We are asking our youth to pay $20 each,” she said. “Some of them don’t even have that.”
The Salvation Army also will accept mail-in donations from those who can’t take part in the car wash, but still want to help send youth to the retreat. To make a contribution, mail donations to the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps Headquarters, 746. W Fifth St., San Bernardino, CA 92410.
If the car wash fundraiser and other donations specifically for the retreat aren’t enough to pay the expense of each youth who wishes to attend, the Salvation Army will use its general fund to cover the difference. However, with larger fundraisers held in 2010 barely meeting their goals, the Salvation Army’s general fund budget is tight this year.
For more information about how you can help, call (909) 888-1336.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
For local help, call (909) 888-1336.

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