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    Behavioral Health Professionals Continue Education at CSUSB

    (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.)—Behavioral Health professionals can learn the latest advances in child behavioral health treatment from nationally known speaker Jack Calhoun and a panel of local experts, while receiving continuing education credit for their attendance at a summit hosted by California State University, San Bernardino.

    The Behavioral Health Summit begins at 8:45 a.m. Friday, Feb. 18 and runs through 5 p.m. at Cal State San Bernardino’s Santos Manuel Student Union.

    Registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, attorneys and others will be able to receive continuing education credit by attending the Behavioral Health Summit, said Dr. Mark Agars, professor in the Psychology Department at CSUSB and chair of the summit organizing committee . Also u can check more about hair removal Toronto here .

    “This is a unique opportunity for professionals in the Inland Empire to learn about cutting-edge practices in child behavioral health and to earn highly affordable continuing education units,” Dr. Agars said.
    Registration, which begins at 7:45 a.m. the day of the event, is $150. It can also be made in advance online at bhs.csusb.edu A continental breakfast and sit-down lunch are included in the registration.

    “We have purposefully kept the cost of registration as low as possible for this conference, because we believe no Inland Empire behavioral health professional should miss out on the opportunity to attend,” Dr. Agars said.

    With Calhoun as the keynote speaker, professionals from mental health, psychology, social work, law enforcement and health will discuss topics related to “Improved Mental Health Outcomes for Children and Their Families: A Multidisciplinary Team Approach to Treatment.”

    “Children and their families impacted by mental health problems have multiple risk factors including family violence, substance abuse, health issues and poverty which contribute to family dysfunction,” said Kent Paxton, director of the San Bernardino Mayor’s Office of Community Safety and Violence Prevention, and one of the conference organizers.
    Local guest speakers will include:

    • Allan Rowland, director of the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health;
    • Xiomara Flores-Holguin from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services;
    • Clare Matney, assistant professor of pediatrics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine;
    • Karen Bell of the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s;
    • Patrick Morris, mayor, San Bernardino.

    Speakers and an expert panel will discuss the value of a multidisciplinary team approach to addressing mental health problems. In afternoon presentations, real-world applications of the multidisciplinary approach to addressing mental health problems will be presented by noted researchers and scholars including CSUSB professors Teresa Morris, Laura Kamptner, Faith McClure and Kent Paxton, chair of the Development Council at CSUSB’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

    The Behavioral Health Summit is sponsored by CSUSB’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Local funders including First 5 of San Bernardino, Kaiser Permanente, The California Wellness Foundation and Bank of America will take part in a funder panel during lunch. Representatives of these four groups will discuss their priorities for funding areas including behavioral health.

    Additionally, behavioral health providers and interested organizations will be on hand displaying their products, services and literature to summit attendees.

    For more information, contact Jackie Carrillo at (909) 537-3676 or hoodj@csusb.edu.
    The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (CSBS) offers programs that explore a wide range of human issues. It is dedicated to the growth and support of undergraduate and graduate education, research, public service, and professional development. For more info please visit : buygarciniacambogiaaustralia.com,

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    BRIDGING CORPORATE CULTURES FOR TWENTY YEARS

    Kathleen Dameron, president and founder of KD Conseil, works to build international partnerships with companies that are going through cultural changes.

    Kathleen Dameron returns home to the Inland Empire to be with her family, as they celebrate the marriage of Carl and Malaika Dameron in the summer of 2000. (Left to Right: Crystal Dameron, Sister; Brian Mathis, Cousin; Kathleen Dameron; Carl Dameron, Brother; Malaika Dameron, Sister-in-Law; Cherise Griffin, Sister; Jason Bell, Brother; Denise Dameron, Sister; Shiane Dameron, Niece; Thomas Talbert, Nephew; Alan Dameron, Nephew and Barbara Dameron-Bell, Mother)

    Kathleen smiling, as she takes a little time to enjoy a day away from work, as she joins her brother Carl Dameron and his family on a trip to LEGOLAND in San Diego.

    (PARIS, France)  Almost twenty years ago, an African-American woman living in Paris took stock of the many cultures she had experienced, and of the growing interdependence the world’s cultures had developed, especially in business. Her name is Kathleen Dameron.

    The world’s growing multiculturalism fascinated her.  However, she saw room for much improvement.
    “I want to stimulate people into multicultural competency,” Dameron said. “In many ways, the world is becoming more multicultural, but we also still see people saying ‘There is one right way to do things, and that’s my way; if you don’t do it my way you don’t deserve to be on this planet.’ I want people to use their company’s diversity as a means to accomplish more than they could alone.”

    With that in mind, Dameron opened KD Conseil (KDConseil.com) for business in 1992, with the mission of improving communication skills of those whose work brings them in contact with many different cultures.
    Dameron actually began to lay the foundation to successfully coach global corporations in bringing their diverse cultures together for common good prior to opening KD Conseil.

    The seeds were planted when she studied cross-cultural studies and communication in Southern California at the University of Redlands. It continued when she studied social and economic administration at the Universitè de Paris, a major focusing on law, business, politics and economics.

    This foundation really began to take shape when she managed training programs for Thomson Consumer Electronics, the parent company of RCA and Technicolor, and other products worldwide She had also taught English as a second language in the corporate environment.

    “A lot of what I do is help people to understand that they have a culture,” she said. “When you are in your own culture, everything goes more or less the same way. When you go to work with a different culture, they will do the same things for very different reasons. And sometimes they will do things very differently; the unexpected is to be expected.”

    Dameron’s experiences with different cultures began early.  She grew up in East St. Louis, Ill., a neighborhood that today is mostly African-American, suffering from high crime and poverty rates. However, when she lived there in the 1960s to the early 1970s, the neighborhood was very much an American middle class existence. This is what the Dameron family experienced, as her parents were both civil servants, and the family members were leaders in the African American community.

    Several years after her father’s death, her mother moved the family to Rubidoux, in Southern California’s “Inland Empire” region. Rubidoux is more ethnically diverse, but there, Dameron encountered people who expected less of her because of her race.

    With support from her family, and educators at both Rubidoux High School and the University of Redlands, Dameron proved them wrong.

    When she was 18 years old, Dameron moved to Paris, a city that fascinated her from childhood. Although the culture and language was even more diverse than that of the two regions she had lived in the United States, she felt very at ease in France.

    “I have always loved Paris,” she said. “It is very diverse culturally, and very open-minded, as well as having amazing architecture and food!”

    After completing her college education on two continents, Dameron initially worked as an English teacher, before taking a position with Thomson Consumer Electronics as an in-house trainer.  When the company “right-sized” their headquarters, it created an opportunity for her set up her own organization and sign Thomson as her first client.

    “I was privileged to start my own business with three year’s worth of contracts in Poland, England, Germany and France dealing with topics ranging from accompanying the French / Polish joint venture to European teambuilding projects to improving communication skills in English,” says Dameron.
    Shortly after this, Dameron was hired as the executive secretary for Fashion Fair Cosmetics, which marketed ethnic cosmetics to women in Europe and Africa, and is a subsidiary of Johnson Publishing Company, the publisher of magazines Ebony and Jet.

    At Fashion Fair Cosmetics she was responsible for human resources functions, such as motivating employees, hiring and terminations.  She was also legally responsible for the organization.
    “It was my job to maintain good relations with the French labor inspectors, unions and the equivalent of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” adds Dameron.

    Having launched KD Conseil while starting with Fashion Fair Cosmetics, Dameron recalls those early years as very intense.

    “The heads of Fashion Fair were open to me working part-time, while I ran my training and facilitation business,” she said. “In those days, I worked almost seven days a week, and generally 12 to 14 hour days.  I was so passionate about working with Black women from the West Indies, Africa and France.  Working on the corporate side of business, as well as the training/coaching side, I gained empathy and insights for what my clients experience on a daily basis.”

    Demand for someone who could help business grow on a global level helped KD Conseil grow rather quickly into its own international business.

    “One of my best work experiences from those days was the Polkolor project at Thomson,” Dameron said. “They signed a memorandum of agreement and I was on the ground the next week in Poland. I was working as an employee when the managing director called on KD Conseil to assist the newly restructured company to work more effectively with its Polish employees.”
    For two years, she spent one week a month facilitating and mentoring cross-cultural relations.

    “I was there just after Poland had opened up to private enterprise,” Dameron said. “It was fascinating watching the transition of Poland from a Communist economy to a free-market economy.”
    Since then, KD Conseil has helped companies based in Europe, America and other continents develop their own cross-cultural relations strategies. One of her recent clients is an Internet networking company with 70,000 employees in 165 different countries, for whom KD Conseil did a multicultural team building. She has also designed and runs a leadership program for high potentials in a Fortune 500 company.
    Her other recent clients include:

    • AGF of the Allianz Insurance Group
    • Rio Tinto Alcan
    • BNP Paribas
    • College de Polytechnic, which is the premier engineering school in France, she trains management/leadership executives enrolled in the continuing education program
    • ESSEC, the premier business school in France, she trains students enrolled in the Masters of Business Administration and Master of International Affairs programs for executive management
    • Thales
    • KCI Laboratories
    • Thomson Multimedia
    • Tyco Electronics
    • Veolia Water

    She is certified as a coach by the International Coaching Federation, and she holds certificates in Team Management Systems©, Success Insights©,  Situational Leadership II©, Coaching & Modeling, and Self-Relations (Ericksonian Hypnotherapy). In addition, Dameron has a Masters level in Neurolinguistic Programming.

    For more information about KD Conseil, call +33(0) 142210073, or go to www.kdconseil.com.
    About KD Conseil
    Established in 1991, KD Conseil helps multi-national firms understand the different cultures within their organization. By understanding and working through cultural differences, KD Conseil helps the firm develop “shared practices” that will be highly efficient ways of delivering their services and products in a global market.

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    Salvation Army Fund Raisers Meet Bare Bones Goals

    Highland resident Adrian Ayaly, age 2 in December 2010, helped the Salvation Army provide for others' needs by donating to the Red Kettle campaign, with encouragement from Lynda Graham (holding her 2 month old daughter Zoey), his mother Pam Spaun, and Bell Ringer Joy Tornow.

    (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Two major fund raising efforts at the end of 2010 by the Salvation Army Corps of San Bernardino brought in about $160,000, but that’s only the bare minimum it needs to keep services at their current level.
    “We met our goal this year,” said Capt. Stephen Ball. “But the goals are set as low as possible. Just because we achieved them doesn’t mean we won’t have additional expenses that will need to be covered as well!”
    “There are also expenses we haven’t put into the budget,” Capt. Ball said. “For instance, the roof of our Corps headquarters building needs about $30,000 to $40,000 in repairs, but we will have to defer those repairs until our donations are substantially more than what we received in 2010.”
    The Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps receives most of its annual budget through its Fall Fundraiser and its Red Kettle programs. The donations in 2010 were approximately $50,000 from the Fall Fundraiser, and approximately $110,000 from the Red Kettles.
    In October, at the Fall Fundraiser Lunch, the Salvation Army had only raised $40,000. This would have required the Salvation Army to cut its budget by $10,000, but Sempra Energy Foundation supplied a grant to make up the shortfall.
    In the Red Kettle campaign, people ring Christmas bells, encouraging donations of any size to plastic red kettles with the Salvation Army logo, placed in front of variety and grocery stores.
    This campaign started Nov. 15 in San Bernardino and the other communities served by the San Bernardino Corps (Highland, Rialto, Colton and Bloomington) and continued daily, except on Sundays, until Christmas Eve.
    This year, the Red Kettle campaign was hampered by a week of rainy weather from Dec. 17-23, which is typically when it receives the most donations. Although donations had gone well prior to Dec. 17, the total given was below the Corps $75,000 goal until Christmas Eve.
    “We started before Thanksgiving,” Capt. Ball said. “Last year with Christmas falling on a Saturday, that also gave us more days in the Thanksgiving to Christmas season, which is when we receive most of our Red Kettle donations.”
    “Variations in the length of the Christmas season, or more bad weather just before Christmas could cause us to fall below goal in future years,” Capt. Ball said.
    Also affecting the Red Kettle donations is the size of the volunteer force the Salvation Army recruits each year to supervise red kettles in San Bernardino, Highland, Colton, Rialto and Bloomington.
    If the Salvation Army can’t find enough volunteers, it hires Bell Ringers. This year, the payroll costs for the non-volunteer Bell Ringer force cost about $35,000, bringing the total profit from that fundraiser to about $75,000.
    The rest of the income the San Bernardino Corps receives is from various types of smaller donations made throughout the year. This does not include any proceeds from Salvation Army thrift stores, as they are used entirely to fund a different Salvation Army program, the residential drug treatment centers run by the Adult Rehabilitation Centers.
    Through these donations only, the Salvation Army provides a variety of ministries, including its emergency family shelter and two daily meals for up to 80 people at once, a residential and educational program called Path to Prosperity serving 27 men who have successfully completed a drug treatment program and are now reintegrating into society, dinners six days a week for up to 300 people, and several youth programs benefiting more than 100 children and teens.
    To make sure the Salvation Army doesn’t fall short throughout the year, it encourages donations through other means. One way is to simply visit the Salvation Army Corps headquarters at 746 W. Fifth St., San Bernardino and make a donation there.
    “We can accept cash or checks at our Headquarters building,” Capt. Ball said. “Any size donation is welcomed.”
    For more information about how to make a one-time donation to the San Bernardino Corps of the Salvation Army, call (909) 888-1336.
    Two other ways to donate to the Salvation Army are 21st-century innovations, online giving and text-to-give.
    Online donation is possible at any time by going to www.salvationarmy.org and clicking on the Red Kettle icon that is always on the left side of the international organization’s home page. This method allows you to specify a certain amount, and specify the Salvation Army location that you would like to give your donation.
    Text-to-give, introduced in November of 2010, allows anyone to make a $10 donation via cell phone by texting the word “give” to 85944. These donations appear on the cell phone bill, and are sent to Salvation Army programs in the same area code as the donor’s cell phone.
    The Salvation Army also has methods to accept major donations of cash, corporate stock, securities or real estate throughout the year, and to designate the Salvation Army as a beneficiary on a will or in another planned gift. In either case, these can be designated for a specific local branch of the Salvation Army.
    For more information about major donations, contact Nancy Tortorelli at (760) 324-4748 or email Nancy.Tortorelli@usw.SalvationArmy.org. For more information about designating the Salvation Army as a beneficiary in a planned gift, call Greg Mattox at (760) 644-0561 or (888) 861-7125, or email Greg.Maddox@usw.SalvationArmy.org.
    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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    Grant Helps Former Drug Addicts To Get Healthy

    Catholic Healthcare West, owner of St. Bernardine Medical Center and San Bernardino Community Hospital, recently presented the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps a $17,000 grant to help with the health care needs of men enrolled in the Salvation Army’s Path to Prosperity program. Presenting the check on behalf of Catholic Health Care West were Joanne Claytor, center, a licensed clinical social worker at St. Bernardine’s and Linda McDonald, vice president of San Bernardino Medical Center’s Mission Integration program, which serves as a liaison between the hospital and outside community benefit programs such as Path to Prosperity. Accepting the check on behalf of the Salvation Army were Capt. Stephen Ball, corps officer for the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps, John Fletcher, director of Path to Prosperity, and Nancy Tortorelli, major gifts coordinator for the Salvation Army Corps in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

    (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) A $17,000 grant awarded recently to the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps will help men who are recovering from alcohol and drug addiction start their new lives in better health.
    The Salvation Army’s Path to Prosperity program will use the grant to provide additional health care services to the men in its care, including dental exams and treatment, and physical health screenings. It received the grant from Catholic Healthcare West, the owner of both St. Bernardine Medical Center and Community Hospital of San Bernardino.
    Path to Prosperity is a residential and educational program allowing 27 men at a time who have completed a substance abuse recovery program to transition back into society. It has served more than 200 men so far.
    “There are many health issues faced by men recovering from drug addiction,” said Capt. Stephen Ball, Corps Officer of the San Bernardino Salvation Army. “Often they have dental problems, because the drugs have damaged their teeth, or they are missing teeth and most of them have not seen a dentist in awhile. Dental problems also lead to many more serious health problems, such as not being able to digest food properly.”
    The grant presented to the Salvation Army was one of 14 Inland Empire non-profit organizations to receive a grant from Catholic Healthcare West as part of the two hospitals’ combined Community Grants program.
    “Times are tough for everyone, but they may be especially tough for these organizations, who serve people who don’t have many financial resources,” said Steve Barron, president of St. Bernardine Medical Center. “We appreciate the work they do, and are happy to help them.”
    Men seeking help to overcome drug or alcohol addiction should call their local Adult Rehabilitation Centers at (909) 889-9605 in San Bernardino County or (951) 940-5790 in Riverside County. 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.
    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 the San Bernardino Corps headquarters at (909) 888-1337.

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    People of Color Hit Hardest By HIV/AIDS Infections

    (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) An estimated 56,300 Americans are newly infected with HIV (the Human Immunodeficiency Virus that causes AIDS) each year, and 1.1 million Americans live with HIV/AIDS. It is estimated that 21 percent of HIV-positive people don’t know they are infected and many did not know they were at risk of contracting the virus.

    People of color continue to be at a disproportionate risk for HIV infection. Nearly half of all new infections, 45 percent, were among African Americans, who account for only 12 percent of the U.S. population.  Hispanic Americans account for 17 percent of new infections, but only comprise about 15 percent of the U.S. population.

    According to the County of San Bernardino Department of Public Health 2009 Morbidity Report, African Americans and Hispanic Americans account for just over half of the County’s population and outnumber any other ethnic group impacted by HIV.  Together, they account for approximately six out of 10 of those reported to be living with HIV/AIDS.

    “It is important to remember that HIV is transmitted primarily by unprotected sexual behavior and sharing needles for drug use,” said Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare, Health Officer, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health. “Testing is key to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care.”

    HIV/AIDS now ranks as the third leading cause of death for African Americans and fifth leading cause of death for male and female Hispanic Americans, ages 35 to 44.  “Early detection is extremely important for linking people who are HIV positive to medical care, reducing the mortality rate and greatly improving quality of life,” noted Dr. Ohikhuare.

    Rapid and Standard HIV Antibody testing is available through the AIDS program at the San Bernardino County Public Health Clinic located at 799 East Rialto Avenue in the city of San Bernardino.  Testing is offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Standard HIV Antibody testing is offered by appointment.  To make an appointment, call (800) 722-4777.

    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.sbcounty.gov/pubhlth.

    -end-

    LAS PERSONAS DE COLOR MÁS AFFECTADAS POR EL VIH/SIDA

    (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Un estimado de 56.300 estadounidenses son infectados con el VIH (el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humano que causa el SIDA) cada año, y 1.1 millones de  estadounidenses viven con el VIH/SIDA. Es estimado que 21% de las personas que son VIH positivas no saben que están infectadas y muchas de estas personas no sabían que estaban en riesgo de contraer el virus.

    El riesgo de contraer el VIH es desproporcionadamente más alto para las personas de color. Casi la mitad de las nuevas infecciones, el 45%, fueron entre la comunidad afro-americana, que representa solo el 12% de la población. Los hispano-americanos tuvieron el 17% de nuevas infecciones y representan el 15% de la población.

    Según el Reporte de Morbilidad del 2009 del Departamento de Salud Pública del Condado de San Bernardino, los afro-americanos y los hispano-americanos son un poco más de la mitad de la población del condado y son los grupos étnicos mas impactados por el VIH y SIDA.  Juntos representan aproximadamente seis de cada diez personas reportadas viviendo con VIH/SIDA.

    “Es importante recordar que el VIH es transmitido principalmente por tener relaciones sexuales sin protección y compartiendo agujas o jeringas para drogarse,” dice el Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare, Oficial de Salud, Condado de San Bernardino Departamento de Salud Publica. “Hacerse el examen del VIH es la clave para la prevención, tratamiento y cuidado del VIH/SIDA.”

    EL VIH/SIDA es la tercera causa principal de muertes en los afro-americanos, y la quinta causa de muerte para hombres y mujeres hispano-americanos entre las edades de 35 a 44. “La detección temprana es extremadamente importante para conectar a las personas que tienen el VIH con cuidado médico y reducir las tasas de mortalidad y para mejorar la calidad de vida” nota el Dr. “Ohikhuare.

    Pruebas para detectar el VIH, rápida y estándar, están disponibles a través del programa de SIDA en la Clínica de Salud Publica localizada en 799 East Rialto Avenue en la ciudad de San Bernardino.  Las pruebas son ofrecidas los lunes, miércoles, y viernes de 8:30 a.m. a 4:30 p.m.  Pruebas estándar del VIH también son ofrecidas por sita. Para hacer una cita llame al (800) 722-4777.

    Para mas información sobre el VIH/SIDA y las pruebas, llame al Condado de San Bernardino, Departamento de Salud Publica programa de SIDA al (800) 255-6560, o visite el sitio de la web en www.sbcounty.gov/pubhlth.

    # # #

    Tips For a Healthy New Year

    Photos: Start your family off right in 2011 by following 10 tips for better health, offered by LaSalle Medical Associates and the Center for Disease Control.

    (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) “The new year is a time to celebrate and make resolutions for better health,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga of LaSalle Medical Associates.

    The Center for Disease Control offers 10 tips that almost everyone can follow to make their new year a great one.
    1.    Wash hands often.

    “Keeping your hands clean is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others,” Dr. Arteaga said. “Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and if they are not available use a hand sanitizer or similar alcohol-based product.”
    2.    Stay warm and dry.

    “Cold temperatures can cause serious health problems, especially in infants and older adults,” said Dr. Arteaga. “In inclement weather, people should take special precautions to stay dry, and dress warmly in several layers of loose-fitting clothing.
    “While this may not seem to be a big problem in Southern California, the recent rainy weather proves precautions are necessary,” Dr. Arteaga noted. “We also sometimes must contend with frost, and even snow in the higher elevations of the Inland Empire.”
    3.    Manage stress.

    “The holiday season is often a time of over-commitment and over-spending,” Dr. Arteaga noted.  “Now that they are over it is a good time to resolve for more balance between work, home and play. Keep a relaxed and positive attitude, and if you are struggling to find that balance, get help from family, friends or a physician.”
    4.    Travel safely.

    “Whether traveling across town or around the world, stay safe,” said Dr. Arteaga. “Don’t drink and drive. Don’t travel with a driver who has been drinking. Fasten your seat belt, and if you are traveling with children, make sure they are buckled into a child safety seat, booster seat or seat belt, as appropriate for their size and age. Infants should be in rear-facing car seats if they are less than 1 year old or weigh less than 20 lbs.”
    5.    Be smoke free.

    “Avoid smoking and don’t breathe others people’s smoke,” said Dr. Arteaga. “Talk to your LaSalle doctor or other health care provider if you need help quitting.”
    6.    Get check-ups and vaccinations.

    “Exams and screenings can help find problems before they start, or at least early, when the chances for treatment and cure are better,” Dr. Arteaga said. “Vaccinations can help prevent diseases.”
    Dr. Arteaga recommends scheduling a consultation with your LaSalle doctor or other health care provider to determine what tests and screenings are needed, as they vary based on a person’s age, lifestyle, medical and family health history and even plans for travel to foreign countries.
    7.    Watch the kids.

    “Children are at higher risk for injuries that can lead to death or disability, so keep a watchful eye on kids when they’re eating or playing,” Dr. Arteaga said. “Keep potentially dangerous toys, food, drinks, household items and other items out of kids’ reach.”
    8.    Prevent injuries.

    “Injuries can occur anywhere, anytime,” Dr. Arteaga said. “Many occur in winter months, and most residential fires occur during winter months. Prevent fires by never leaving fireplaces, stoves or candles unattended, and don’t use generators, outdoor grills or other gasoline or charcoal burning devices inside your home.
    Dr. Arteaga also recommends every home have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, which residents test monthly and replace batteries in twice yearly, at the start and end of daylight savings time.
    9.    Handle and prepare food safely.

    “Keep you and your family safe from food-related illnesses,” Dr. Arteaga said. “This is another reason washing hands is important. It’s also important to keep food preparation surfaces clean, and avoid cross-contamination by keeping eggs and raw meat, including poultry and seafood, away from other food preparation and eating surfaces. Foods should be cooked to the proper temperature, and that which isn’t consumed immediately should be refrigerated promptly, at the very latest within two hours of cooking.”
    10. Eat healthy, and be active.

    “Choose fresh fruit instead of candy,” Dr. Arteaga said. “Find fun ways to stay active for at least 2.5 hours a week. Kids and teens should be active at least one hour a day.”
    For help in making any of the above tips a part of your new lifestyle for 2011, contact a health care provider such as LaSalle Medical Associates.
    The LaSalle medical clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, (909) 823-4454; 1505 West 17th St, (909) 887-6494, and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave., (909) 884-9091 in San Bernardino, and 16455 Main St. in Hesperia, (760) 947-2161.
    For additional information about LaSalle Medical Associates, call (909) 890-0407.

    -end-



    Printing Green

    Brian Melzer, Print & Promotion Plus production manager hard at work providing consumers with eco-friendly printing solutions Photo by Chris Sloan

    (COLTON, Calif.) It seems every decision to communicate in our world today impacts the environment.  Regardless if you label it as “going green” or you use the term “eco-friendly”, the desired result is the same – doing what we can to keep our planet habitable for future generations.

    Our society has blazed a trail into the digital age, accompanied by a high turnover in electronic gadgetry.  As a result, it is increasingly important that environmentally smart choices are made by businesses in their daily operations.

    One business dedicated to this effort is Printing & Promotion Plus. This Southern California family owned printing company, has made the commitment to printing green and using renewable resources.

    As a commercial printer, committed to operating totally Eco-Friendly, Brian Melzer points out that Print Promotion Plus began its journey to be Eco-Friendly several years ago, by ensuring all inks and cleaners used were Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliant.

    “We now only use environmentally smart products, such as ink, paper and all the fluids required in the printing process,” says Melzer.

    “Paper is a primary raw material and is renewable,” says Terry Avery, a representative for International Paper Company, a global leader in the paper packaging industry. “Trees are replenished at a rate of 1.7 million newly planted trees everyday. That means for every tree harvested, two or three new trees are planted.  In fact, today there are 12 million more acres of forest in the US than in 1987.”

    Because paper is recycled, the solid waste sent to landfills has dropped dramatically. More paper containers are recycled than all the glass, plastic and aluminum combined.

    “It is important educate customers as to what is best for them,” said Melzer. “We need to help them understand what it means to truly be eco-friendly.”

    Melzer urges consumers to come see Printing & Promotion Plus, a printer that uses renewable resources and environmentally conscious. Melzer stresses that Printing & Promotion Plus is doing all they can to be eco-friendly. Their machines are Energy Star rated and uses Simitri Polymerized Toner, which achieves an approximately 40 percent reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions during production.

    “We also use vegetable-based or soy inks instead of solvent-based inks, like petroleum which emits volatile organic compounds and contributes to air pollution,” adds Melzer.

    The next step is that Print & Promotion Plus uses paper that has been Forestry Certified. “There are two standards to consider when becoming eco-friendly,” said Melzer. “One is to use recycled paper. The other is to use paper that carries a forest certification. For us, the choice came down to which has a better impact on the environment, we selected certification.”

    Certification is a market-based, non-regulatory forest conservation tool designed to recognize and promote environmentally responsible forestry and sustainability of forest resources. The certification process involves an evaluation of management planning and forestry practices by a third-party according to an agreed upon set of standards. Certification standards address social and economic welfare as well as environmental protection.

    The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) are two of the main standards operating in North America for larger ownerships. The American Tree Farm System (ATFS) is the largest certification system for small private landowners. Green Tag, a program of the National Woodland Owners Association, also offers certification for small private landowners.

    “All our products are either FSC or SFI certified,” said Avery. “By ensuring that our products receive certification in all forestry-related operations, we are embracing the highest standard of responsibility and traceability that a company can provide to its customers.”

    Third-party certification organizations assess the management and the care of forests, as well as how they are complying with federal law and international agreements relating to the rights of indigenous peoples. They are concerned with enhancing the socio-economic well being of workers, neighboring communities and conserving the biological diversity, water, soil and eco-systems surrounding the forest.

    They also require a management plan.  Applicants for certification must describe the scale and intensity of logging and renewal operations, as well as the long-term objectives and monitoring of the forest, making sure that what is cut down is being replanted. If the management of the forest meets all the criteria, then the forest will receive certification.

    Paper made from wood taken from certified trees is given the certification as well. Certified paper does not have anything to do with the paper being recycled, only that it was derived from trees from a well-managed forest.

    Recycled paper is made from either 100 percent discarded (post-consumer) paper, or a mix of post-consumer and pre-consumer paper (paper that is discarded during the paper-making process, but never gets used by consumers), or a mix of post-consumer and either Forestry Certified or just regular, non-certified paper.

    While also a very good option there is one drawback. When processing recycled paper, several solvents are used during the “deinking” process, when ink is removed from the fibers of recycled paper, some that are toxic.

    “With so much waste being dumped in landfills, its more important than ever for people to continue to use the print industry for both economic as well as environmental reasons, to reduce landfill waste and air pollution,” concludes Melzer. “Printing & Promotion Plus is taking the necessary steps to be eco-friendly. We are constantly evolving to meet the needs of our customers, to be cost effective and environmentally smart as well.”

    For more information about eco-friendly printing, contact Printing & Promotion Plus at (909)370-0860 or visit them at www. PrintProPlus.com.

    About Printing & Promotion Plus

    Printing & Promotion Plus is family owned and operated business, serving Southern California since 1984. They are located in the Inland Empire and is dedicated to giving clients the highest quality with rapid turnaround, Printing & Promotion Plus helps clients succeed in the attainment of their goals.  Printing & Promotion Plus offers printing services that include: B&W Copies, Brochures, Business Cards, Bulk Mailing, Catalogs, Color Copies, Digital Printing, Envelopes, Flyers, Graphic Design Letterhead, Newsletters, Postcards and much more. Go and visit http://www.suppliers-compared.co.uk/photocopiers-rental-leasing/ for more info.

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    Theater Redesign Will Bring Immediate Benefit

     

     

    Theater-goers in Indian Hills can park at a central location and enjoy not just their local Edwards Theater, but also six restaurants and several retail stores that are entered separately, but in the same building. When the San Bernardino Economic Development Association leases its downtown movie theater to Edwards’ owner Regal Entertainment Group, theater-goers there will enjoy a similar experience, as four of the current theaters will be converted to restaurants. Photo by Chris Sloan

    Leasing the downtown San Bernardino theater to Regal Entertainment Group could, in time, jump-start development in the area, perhaps including remodeling or rebuilding Carousel Mall to become an open-air retail center similar to Corona Crossroads, which is anchored by an Edwards Theater. Photo by Chris Sloan

    (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) A family arrives at an Inland Empire Edwards Cinema one or two hours before the movie they wish to see begins, knowing the adjacent restaurants will give them a variety of choices for dinner.

    Shall we have chicken? Or Mexican? Or perhaps Italian or Chinese? Maybe we also want yogurt or coffee after the movie? Should we go shopping after that?

    Those are the real-life choices that family would have at one particular Edwards Cinema, located in Indian Hills near Riverside. At this location, six restaurants, a high-end grocery store, two smaller retail stores and the theater form a semicircle around the front of the parking lot, beckoning guests to a quality dinner and movie experience.

    That experience, and much more, could happen in San Bernardino when the City’s Economic Development Agency leases the former cinema at 450 E Street to Regal Entertainment Group, operator of Edwards Cinemas Regal Cinemas and United Artist theaters. In time, that theater could be an anchor to a new retail center where Carousel Mall now stands.

    Regal Entertainment Group’s plan is to lease only 14 of the 20 screens the former theater operated. Four of the other six would become restaurants, the other two offices, storage and dressing rooms for the California Theater.

    “Twenty screens in one theater is too many in the current market, so Regal Entertainment Group wants to give the front six theaters back to us,” said Interim Agency Director Emil Marzullo. “That creates an additional $1 million in value to us.”

    That value comes primarily from leasing four of the theaters to restaurants. Like the restaurants at the similarly designed Edwards Cinema near Riverside, these restaurants would share a building and parking with the theater, but would each have their own entrance.

    “When we publicly announced our intention to enter into a lease with Regal Entertainment Group, representatives of several major retail outlets asked us about the possibility of doing business in San Bernardino,” Marzullo said. “That includes some restaurants that would be great fits with the downtown theater.”

    Four restaurants next to the theater is just a start. The Economic Development Agency staff hopes a theater the caliber of Regal’s Edwards Cinemas will jump-start development in the downtown area.

    For instance, it could spark a private developer to remodel Carousel Mall into an open-air mall that would extend to the premises of the theater. This would be similar to Riverside Plaza, Ontario Mills and many other retail centers that have Edwards Cinemas as one of their main draws.

    “The public must realize that any redevelopment of the Carousel Mall will not occur quickly,” Marzullo. “It is crucial for the Economic Development Agency to help start other projects in the downtown area in the meantime. This will remove empty, blighted buildings and make the downtown area a more desirable place for the Inland Empire region’s residents to visit and for nationally recognized companies seeking to do business here.”

    The Economic Development Agency is negotiating a 34-year lease with Regal Entertainment Group. The lease starts with a 10-year term. After that, if it’s mutually beneficial, the lease could be renewed in five-year increments for up to 34 years.

    And, by then, with the Economic Development Agency’s help, downtown San Bernardino will look much different and better than it does today.

    The Economic Development Agency will present an update on its lease negotiations with Regal at the city council meeting, 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 10. Regal Entertainment Group is the largest cinema operator in the world with 546 multi-screen theaters, containing almost 7,000 screens.

    Everyone is invited to attend this presentation. Residents of San Bernardino who have Time Warner Cable can also view the presentation live on Channel 3. It will also be shown over the Internet at www.iemediagroup.tv.

    For more information call Deputy Agency Director Don Gee at (909) 663-1044.

    About the San Bernardino Economic Development Agency

    The City of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency is a focused, diversified organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of San Bernardino by creating jobs, eliminating physical and social blight, supporting culture and the arts, developing a balanced mix of quality housing, along with attracting and assisting businesses both independently and through public-private partnerships.

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    Regal-Edwards Best Fit For Downtown Movie Theater

    Members of the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce Koffee Klatch listen to San Bernardino Economic Development Agency Interim Director Emil Marzullo present the Agency’s reasons for seeking to lease the downtown San Bernardino theater to Regal Entertainment Group. Photo by Carl Dameron

    San Bernardino Economic Development Agency Interim Director Emil Marzullo explains to members of the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce Koffee Klatch why he believes Regal Entertainment Group will bring the best economic development to San Bernardino of any theater operator chain from which the Agency received proposals for operating the downtown San Bernardino theater. The Agency staff believes Regal Entertainment Group will attract additional development to the downtown area. Photo by Carl Dameron

    The San Bernardino Economic Development Agency is giving a series of presentations to explain why it seeks to lease the downtown San Bernardino theater to Regal Entertainment Group, owner of Edwards Cinemas, Regal Cinemas and United Artist cinemas. The first of these was to the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce Koffee Klatch on Dec. 22, 2010. Photo by Carl Dameron

    (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The City of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency is holding a series of community presentations to explain why it’s seeking a lease with Regal Entertainment Group, owner of 540 multi-screen theater chains including six Edwards Cinemas with a total of 98 screens in the Inland Empire.
    San Bernardino Economic Development Agency Interim Director Emil Marzullo leads these presentations, which have been given to business and community leaders.

    The first of these presentations was to the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce Koffee Klatch, at 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 22, 2010.

    Marzullo has been with the San Bernardino Economic Development Agency since 2008. When he began working there, it had leased the theater to Cinemastar, a now defunct theater chain that had also operated theaters in other Inland Empire locations.

    “When I came to the agency, Cinemastar was in its final meltdown phase, going out of business,” Marzullo said. “They weren’t cleaning the carpets. Their late movie ended before 9 p.m. They were doing all the things they should do if they wanted to go out of business.”

    The San Bernardino Economic Development Agency obtained a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) loan to assist in financing a portion of the construction project. This costs the Agency $60,000 a month, but would be paid by a theater operator.

    After the theater was built in 1999, the developer was experiencing financial problems, and transferred the theater ownership to the Economic Development Agency.

    Cinemastar originally made the payments on the loan. But for two years before the theater closed in 2008, the Economic Development Agency had a forbearance agreement in place with Cinemastar, which allowed them to defer half of the payment.

    “When the forbearance agreement ended, Cinemastar closed its doors,” Marzullo said.
    A short time later, the San Bernardino City Council approved the theater’s outright sale to Maya Cinemas, which operates theaters in Bakersfield and Salinas.

    “Maya Cinemas’ owners said all the right things, like we don’t need your money, we want to do this on our own dime,” Marzullo said. “Eighteen months later, they still couldn’t pull off the deal.”

    The Economic Development Agency then marketed the vacant theater building to mid-size and large theater chains, and received proposals from Regal Entertainment Group and seven other theater operators.
    Regal Entertainment Group’s proposal was one of four the City of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency selected for further analysis. Two operators, including Regal Entertainment Group, sought to lease the theater and the other two sought to purchase.

    The other theater proposals analyzed are from Cinema West, which operates 12 multi-screen theaters in northern California; Brenden Theaters, which has six theaters, four in California and two in Nevada, with a total of 86 screens; and United Entertainment Corporation, which has 15 multi-screen theaters in eight states, including one in Lake Elsinore.

    “Regal doesn’t own theaters, they lease them,” Marzullo said.  “But this isn’t a real estate deal. It’s a theater deal with economic development at its core.”

    “Since we announced our intent to enter into a lease with Regal Entertainment Group, we have had several inquiries from other nationally known retail companies who are interested in locations in downtown San Bernardino,” Marzullo said.

    “We clearly did not want a real estate deal, because that’s what we had with Cinemastar,” Marzullo said. “We had a real estate deal with a low-profile theater chain that could not sustain itself over time.”
    “The real question is ‘will they be here 10 years from now?’”  Marzullo said. “If a company can be in place, and not only survive, but thrive, they become a springboard for additional private development.”
    “San Bernardino does not have all the money needed to develop downtown,” Marzullo said. “We have to bring in business that will attract other businesses.”

    Although the Economic Development Agency staff has formally recommended the Agency enter into a lease with Regal Entertainment Group, theater operator Cinema West is still requesting the Agency give consideration to its proposal to buy the theater.

    “We asked Cinema West if they would sign a 10-year operating covenant, and they would not,” Marzullo said. “That tells me they are coming in to buy it at the lowest price, put in a tenant and sell it in three years. Then we would be right where we were with Cinemastar, which was a low-name theater operator that can’t compete in this market. That’s why we propose Regal as the tenant.”

    For more information on the Regal/Edwards Cinema project, call Deputy Agency Director Don Gee at (909) 663-1044.

    About the San Bernardino Economic Development Agency

    The City of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency is a focused, diversified organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of San Bernardino by creating jobs, eliminating physical and social blight, supporting culture and the arts, developing a balanced mix of quality housing, along with attracting and assisting businesses both independent and through public-private partnerships.

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