San Bernardino On Its Way to 200

Mayor Patrick Morris leads singing "Happy Birthday To Us" over a cake The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire created in celebration of San Bernardino's 199th birthday on May 20, 2009. Photo by Yeekong Yang.

San Bernardino High School cheerleaders put a crowd into the party spirit at San Bernardino's 199th Birthday celebration on May 20, 2009.  Photo by Yeekong Yang.

Aquinas High School students, members of the Bicentennial Youth Committee, are excited about plans for the revitalization of downtown San Bernardino. Some of these may take place before San Bernardino reaches its third century on May 20, 2010. Photo by Yeekong Yang.

(SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF.) “San Bernardino, you’re on your way!”

 

Long-time residents of San Bernardino, including Rabbi Hillel Cohn, remember a City Hall receptionist who used to send callers to the right department with the sendoff “you’re on your way.” Wednesday, May 20 Rabbi Cohn, San Bernardino Mayor Patrick Morris, the San Bernardino High School cheerleaders and about 200 others, including dignitaries from state and local government, sent the city on its way to its third century.

 

Wednesday’s event, a 199^th birthday party for the city, complete with a gourmet cake and cookies from The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, was the preliminary event to a Bicentennial Celebration lasting until July 4, 2010. Rabbi Cohn, as chairman of the City of San Bernardino’s Bicentennial Celebration committee, outlined some of the coming plans for San Bernardino’s 200^th year and beyond.

 

“It’s a great day in San Bernardino,” Rabbi Cohn said, quoting another phrase many city officials have used before. ”But today is just the beginning. We have some fantastic plans for the year to come. We will celebrate in neighborhoods, on the streets, in public venues, through the airwaves and on the Internet.”

 

“As one of California’s oldest communities, San Bernardino has played an important role in the history of our state,” said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a letter read by his Inland Empire District Director Larry Grable. “I commend all the men and women – past and present – who have made your city the fantastic place it is today and applaud those who carry on a legacy of hard work and accomplishment.”

 

San Bernardino will start its Bicentennial Celebration in 2010 with the Bicentennial Celebration’s logo and motto “San Bernardino 1810 – 2010: A Rich History. A Bright Future.”

 

In April 2010, the City will hold neighborhood beautification events all over the city, including the planting of 200 trees.

 

In May 2010, celebratory events take place throughout the month.

·      Saturday, May 1, the San Bernardino Symphony will pay tribute to the city and to the Community Hospital of San Bernardino, which will be celebrating its centennial.

·      Saturday, May 15, a countdown week of celebration begins with a gala at the National Orange Show.

·       Sunday, May 16 is a Bicentennial Mayor’s Run and a Festival of Faiths at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

·      Saturday, May 22 is a Bicentennial Parade on E Street focusing on the city’s history from its start in 1810 to the future.

 

For the finale, the Bicentennial Celebration will conclude with a fireworks show and extravaganza on July 4, 2010 at the Inland Empire 66ers Stadium in Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

 

Students from Aquinas High School have formed a Youth Bicentennial Committee, which is planning even more events.

 

“We have some great plans for our short term future,” said Mayor Morris. “But our long term future is the young people who are here with us today. They and those who come after them will continue to make San Bernardino a great place to be for the next 100 years.”

 

For more information, call Erin Brinker at (951) 323-9337.

 

Brinker serves along with Rabbi Cohn on the Bicentennial Committee, and is the chair of its Public Relations & Marketing and Independence Day Extravaganza committees. Other Bicentennial Committee members are Art Guerrero (chair of Neighborhood Beautification committee) Jim Smith (chair of the Community Engagement committee), Cheryl Brown (chair of the Youth Council, Intergovernmental and Arts committees), Beverly Bird (chair of the Legend of the Arrowhead committee), Steven Shaw (chair of the History committee), David Smith (chair of the Finance committee), Jane Sneddon (chair of the Parade committee) and Martha Pinkney (chair of the Gala committee.)

 

These members were appointed by the mayor and members of the San Bernardino Common Council. Additional community volunteers who have taken on leadership of other committees are: Trudy Freidel (Festival of Faiths), Dr. William Coleman (Leadership Cabinet), Peggi Hazlett (Mayor’s Run), Dr. Charles “Skip” Herbert (Coloring Books for Schools) and The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire (Design).

 

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IE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER HOSTS RECEPTION FOR SUPERVISOR NEIL DERRY

San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry will meet with Black leaders when the Inland Empire African-American Chamber of Commerce hosts a reception for him on Thursday, June 4 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

(San Bernardino, Calif.) – The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce hosts a reception for Black leaders to meet with San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry at the Castaway Restaurant on Thursday, June 4 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

“The chamber is happy to sponsor this reception for the new supervisor.  We believe it is very important for Black business and community leaders to meet with prominent decision makers in the Inland Empire to form positive, long-term relationships,” said Carl Dameron, president of The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce.

Derry was elected as Third District Supervisor on June 3, 2008 beating Dennis Hansberger who held the seat for 20 years.  He was sworn into office on December 1, 2008.

Derry is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. His political experience includes serving two terms on the San Bernardino City Council. He also served as City Planning Commissioner, and was special assistant to the San Bernardino County Treasurer-Tax Collector.

Derry received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at California State University, San Bernardino. He currently serves as an executive board member for the Inland Empire Council of The Boy Scouts of America.

He is also a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a member of the San Bernardino Rotary.

The reception is co-sponsored by Dameron Communications, Castaway Restaurant, Arrowhead Credit Union, and The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire.

For more information, or to RSVP, please call Eddie L. Catoe or Brenda Erickson at 909-888-0017.

About The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce

The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to advance the economic and professional development of African American-owned businesses in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, thus enhancing the quality of life in our community.

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 Supervisor Neil Derry Biography

 Supervisor Neil Derry was elected to a four-year term on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on June 3, 2008 and assumed office on December 1, 2008.  Prior to becoming County Supervisor, Neil was elected to two terms on the San Bernardino City Council, representing the city’s Fourth Ward. Additionally, Neil previously served as a City Planning Commissioner.

Supervisor Derry’s private sector experience includes positions as a Regional Manager for Southern California Edison and Account Executive for O’Reilly Public Relations. Neil also served as Special Assistant to the San Bernardino County Treasurer-Tax Collector.

Supervisor Derry served honorably in the United States Marine Corps and was deployed in Operation Desert Storm. He is also a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Supervisor is an Executive Board Member for the Inland Empire Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and is a longtime member of the San Bernardino Rotary.

Supervisor Derry earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the California State University at San Bernardino. Neil resides in San Bernardino with his wife, Michelle and son, Nathan.

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION KICKS OFF HEALTHY AIR WALK

Fontana Mayor Pro Tem Acquanetta Warren serves as the honorary chair of the Inland Empire Healthy Air Walk for the American Lung Association in California. On May 28, the American Lung Association will kick off this event with a reception at the Fontana Hilton Garden Inn.

(FONTANA, Calif.) The American Lung Association in California – Inland Empire will begin its largest fundraiser of the year, the Healthy Air Walk, with a kickoff reception Thursday, May 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fontana.

Reservations are required by May 20. Call (909) 884-5864 or email JKuester@alac.org to RSVP.

The Hilton is at 10543 Sierra Ave. The reception takes place from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The reception will give participants information about the Inland Empire Healthy Air Walk, taking place Saturday, Oct. 3 at Fontana Park, 15556 Summit Ave., Fontana. Healthy Air Walks are held throughout California to raise money for programs that reduce air pollution and prevent lung disease.

These goals are crucial to the American Lung Association – Inland Empire, as San Bernardino and Riverside counties are among 38 California counties that received failing grades for air quality.

“I am one of many people living in an area with poor air quality, and I am living with lung disease,” said Fontana Mayor Pro Tem Acquanetta Warren, the honorary chair of the Inland Empire Healthy Air Walk. “That’s why I support the mission of the American Lung Association to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.”

Warren will discuss her personal reasons for supporting the mission of the American Lung Association during this reception.

She and other members of the Air Walk’s executive committee will present information about how to take part in this year’s Air Walk.

Potential sponsors, corporate leaders, representatives of local businesses considering sponsoring a team and those who will serve as team captains are encouraged to attend the kickoff reception.

To sign up for the Inland Empire Air Walk itself, go to www.healthyairwalk.org (http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=312020) or call (909) 884-5864.

About the American Lung Association: Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. The American Lung Association is “Fighting for Air” through research, education and advocacy.

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DAMERON COMMUNICATIONS WRITER PRODUCES VIDEO,

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) Jerry McGowan, a freelance writer for Dameron Communications, recently produced a Telly-award winning video for the federal Transportation Security Administration.

The video, titled SAIT HAZMAT Security, promotes training the TSA offers in transporting hazardous materials. It uses the video to encourage people in the transportation industry to obtain this training. It also serves as a refresher course for those who previously obtained the training.

The Telly Awards (http://www.tellyawards.com/ ) honor the best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, and work created for the Web. Since 1978, the mission of the Telly Awards has been to strengthen the visual arts community by inspiring, promoting, and supporting creativity.

“My debut as a video producer will provide valuable information to those employed in the transportation industry,” McGowan said. “since I had so much fun making it, I hope to produce more high-quality videos for clients in the future.”

McGowan produced the video while employed as a project manager for Albuquerque, N.M. company Entereza. Because of his experience as a technical writer, and trainer, he was given the assignment of co-writer and co-executive producer.

The other co-producer and co-writer was Bog Lange of Spirited-USA, an Albuquerque, N.M media production company. A third co-writer was Dr. Angus Reynolds, an internationally known author and instructional technology expert.

About Dameron Communications
Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of our diverse client base locally, regionally and nationally. We are an award-winning agency that creates integrated marketing solutions to increase sales and profits, win elections, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues. We use our 20 years of communications knowledge and experience to advance our clients’ objectives.

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RECEPTION FOR DR. ARTURO DELGADO POSTPONED

(San Bernardino, Calif.) – A reception the Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce planned for Dr. Arturo Delgado, Superintendent of San Bernardino City Unified School District has been postponed.

The event was scheduled for Thursday, May 21^st at Castaway Restaurant and Banquet Center, from 5:30 pm until 7:30 p.m.  A new date for this reception will be announced.

Delgado is a candidate for County Superintendent of Schools running against incumbent Dr. Gary Thomas.  The chamber will have a reception in Dr. Thomas in July. 

For more information, please call Eddie L. Catoe or Brenda Erickson at 909-888-0017.

About The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce

The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to promote the economic and professional development of African American-owned businesses, thus enhancing the quality of life in our community.

 

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Cirque USA to Perform in Inland Empire

Cirque USA will perform at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center on Saturday, June 6 as part of Mood Indigo, The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire's first major fashion show.

(RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif.) Cirque USA will dazzle the Inland Empire with a choreographed display of balance and high wire artistry when it performs Saturday, June 6 as part of the Mood Indigo Fashion Show at Victoria Gardens Cultural Center.

“Cirque USA shows are visually stunning, original and creative,” said Quyenzi Pham, who is producing Mood Indigo on behalf of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “They boldly blend physical and emotional energies to change how the audience views and experiences movement.”

“The cast features world-class dances, top-notch circque performers and world-champion gymnasts, who use trapezes, bungee cords, rings and countless other breathtaking ways to suspend themselves in mid-air,” she said.

Cirque USA, based in several United States cities including Los Angeles, New York and Las Vegas, formed 25 years ago. It has performed with John Travolta, Carmen Electra, Kim Kardashian and Kevin Costner. Performances have taken place at an NFL Super Bowl and on the stages of Las Vegas casinos.

“Because this is The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire’s first major fashion show, I wanted to offer a colorful and visually stunning element to Mood Indigo. So I secured Cirque USA’s top performers,” Pham said, adding she had seen performances in Las Vegas. “I wanted to do something unique and powerful that would leave a lasting impression.”

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate of Science degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management.

Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin July 13 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.

For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/), a system of over 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

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SAN BERNARDINO PARTIES LIKE IT’S 199

(SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF.) San Bernardino is ready to party like it’s 199!

San Bernardino turns 199 on May, 20 2009 and will celebrate with a public birthday party on the steps of City Hall Plaza at 12 noon. There will be a cake created by The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, cheerleaders from San Bernardino High School and a kickoff of a year more of celebrating, leading up to the milestone 200th birthday on May 20, 2010.

Tradition has it that Father Francisco Dumetz made his last trip from Mission San Gabriel to the San Bernardino Valley on May 20, 1810 to set up a new community. Padre Dumetz named the area "San Bernardino" after Saint Bernardine of Siena, the patron saint of the day on the Catholic calendar.

“San Bernardino has accomplished many great things in its first two centuries,” said Rabbi Hillel Cohn, chairman of the Bicentennial Committee. “And the 199th birthday is a time to celebrate and begin our focus on what can be an even greater next 100 years.”

As part of the celebration Mayor Patrick Morris plans to present a bicentennial logo with the motto “A Rich History. A Bright Future.” He will then tell about plans for the downtown area of San Bernardino. Renderings and models of these plans will be displayed.

For more information, call Erin Brinker at (951) 323-9337.

JOHNSON NAMES LONG-TIME COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER CITIZEN OF MONTH

San Bernardino Mayor Pro Tem Rikke Van Johnson

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Mayor Pro Tem Rikke Van Johnson recently named long-time community volunteer Jo Ann Parker as San Bernardino’s Citizen of the Month for May 2009.

Parker, 72, leads the Pacesetters Drill Team and Drum Squad with her daughter Kelly Graham. Parker has been a leader of this group for most of the last 37 years.

“She has been active in the community for almost four decades,” Johnson said. “She has given her time and talent to invest in young people in this community and now her daughter is doing so too.”

The Pacesetters started in the 1960s as the Franklin Junior High School Rhythm Team, as it was part of that school. The school has since been renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School.

Parker began helping the Pacesetters in 1972, which went on to become part of the All American Drill Team circuit and marched in as many as 32 parades a year throughout southern California.

In 1980, the Pacesetters affiliated with the San Bernardino Boys & Girls Club. It remains a part of this organization, where Johnson is president of the Board of Directors.

The Pacesetters have competed in numerous competitions in California, Arizona, Las Vegas and New Orleans. During the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles they marched every day around the Rose Garden at the Coliseum.

Parker is a long-time friend of Johnson’s family, he noted.

“Her brother-in-law and my father were buddies in elementary school,” he said.

Johnson created the Citizen of the Month program in 2004, after he was first elected to the San Bernardino City Council. Citizen is also an acronym for Concerned Investor of Time/Talent, Involved, Enthusiasm and Neighborly.

Rikke Van Johnson represents the Sixth Ward on the City Council of San Bernardino, where he has lived for most of his life. He is the manager for Greenwood Bail Bonds, and previously worked for 27 years as a clerk for the United States Postal Service.

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Mobile Devices Drive Future of Internet

Jason Diehl, academic director of The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire's Web Design & Interactive Media program, will speak about Smartphones at the Inland Empire Software Summit Friday, May 15 at the Greer Pavilion in Riverside City Hall.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Will the desktop computer go the way of the pager? College students seem to think so. According to these students who work, learn and socialize, online, smartphones are the future of the Internet.

Colin Hjulberg, a graphic design student at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, says the ease and convenience of mobile Internet is one of the reasons why PDAs and smartphones are becoming more popular.

“In the future, you won’t need a desktop,” Hjulberg said. “You can surf on your phone all the time.”

Dhani Olive, a graphic design student at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire , says her smartphone, a Sidekick, is an essential tool in her personal and professional life. “When I go online I use my smartphone,” Olive said. “It makes it a lot easier to find directions when I am in a rush. I just go online to Mapquest to find where I need to go.”

Olive said the mobile Internet is a major part of her career as a graphic designer. “I can’t do design without the Internet,” Olive said. “It’s the first place I go for research when I am working with a client.”

Jason Diehl, academic director for Web Design & Interactive Media at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, speaks about “Getting Ready for the Smart Phone: How To Make Your Websites Ready for Smart Phones, PDAs and iPhones” at the Inland Empire Software Summit Friday, May 15, at Grier Pavilion, Riverside City Hall, 3900 Main Street, 7^th Floor Patio, Riverside. Admission cost is $35 per person, $15 for students.

The IE Software Summit is sponsored by the Inland Empire African Chamber of Commerce, Mixergy, Dameron Communications, The Art Institute of California- Inland Empire, SmartRiverside, Riverside County Auditor Controller Robert Byrd’s Office and Inland Empire Weekly.

The summit is part of IE Tech Week, from May 11-15, which is five days of events bringing together technology companies, entrepreneurs and government and business leaders. The goal of IE Tech Week is to promote the Inland Empire as a region for technology companies to relocate and grow.

For more information about the IE Software Summit call Brenda Erickson at (909) 888-0017 or e-mail her at Brenda@DameronCommunications.com.

 As a busy student who is always on the go, Olive uses the mobile Internet to conduct business wherever she is. She has all of her e-mails directed to her smartphone.

“Potential clients have several ways to get hold of me. They can e-mail me, text me, send an instant message, or call me,” Olive said. “Of course I can’t do design work on my PDA yet, but you can do almost anything on a smart phone you can do on a computer.”

Olive adds that accessing the Internet through mobile devices is becoming more popular because smartphones are a lot cheaper than computer, which are still unaffordable for many people.

As smartphones become more sophisticated they will increasingly become an essential tool, which has multiple uses. Olive said the new G-1 phone, which runs on Google software, has an application that allows the users to check prices at the store.

Diehl said the Internet has radically reshaped the classroom and the way students and teachers interact. Diehl stays in touch with his students through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, which can be accessed through mobile Internet devices.

“You have to be Internet-savvy as a student,” said Hjulberg, who also uses the Internet to find images for graphic design projects and upload work to his student Web site. “It’s the primary contact for your instructor.”

About The Inland Empire Chamber of Commerce

The Inland Empire's African American Chamber of Commerce's mission is to promote the economic and professional development of African American- owned businesses, thus enhancing the quality of life in our community.

 

 

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Tech Companies Impressed With Inland Empire

Craig Hinkley of Cisco, keynote speaker for Day 1 of IE Tech Week

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.)  The first day of Inland Empire Tech Week attracted a gathering of leading local and national technology companies, according to Steve Reneker, executive director of Smart Riverside.

“The companies were impressed that we have a venue like the Riverside Convention Center here in the Inland Empire,” Reneker said. “The first event of IE Tech Week was well attended and it shows there is a lot of interest in the technology industry in the Inland Empire.”

The keynote presentation was given by Craig Hinkley of Cisco Systems.  “His presentation was about ‘Cisco on Cisco,’ he talked about the internal architecture that Cisco uses to make its company run more efficiently,” Reneker said,

Reneker said the Tech Expo, Tech Week's first main event, attracted about 75 of the Inland Empire’s top technology companies such as ESRI, Jaguar Systems, Conduit Networks, MarquisNet and Safeway Security Systems.

One of the main highlights of Tuesday, May 12, the second day of IE Tech Week, was Google’s Workshop For Local Governments, from 1:30-3:30 p.m.at the Riverside Convention Center, 3443 Orange St., Riverside. 

Reneker said the aim of the workshop was to show government workers how they can use Google apps to share information online.

Google is the creator of the world’s largest search engine. Founded in 1998, Google is valued at $23 billion. Millward Brown, a leading global market research company, named Google as “the most powerful brand in the world.”

The Google presentation also featured a discussion on www.whitehouse.gov, the U.S. government’s interactive web site featuring social media links, contacts for the president and his cabinet, video and information on the Obama administration’s major issues. Whitehouse.gov uses Google Moderator, hosted on Google AppEngine, a tool that managed an online town hall meeting hosted by President Barack Obama.

Tech Week features five days of events created to help high-tech companies grow. IE Tech Week companies include:  Google, Motorola, Cisco Systems, IBM, AT&T, ESRI, Pivot 3, ShoreTel, Robert Half Technology, The Press Enterprise, SmartRiverside, Dameron Communications, ITT Technical Institute and the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce.

Local government agencies including Riverside County, the City of Riverside, the City of Redlands, the City of Diamond Bar, the City of Big Bear Lake, California State University, San Bernardino and the University of California, Riverside are promoting the Inland Empire as a great place for technology companies to relocate and grow.

For more information about IE Tech Week e-mail smartriverside@riversideca.gov or go to http://www.riversideca.gov/ietechweek/

IE Tech Week, from May 11-15, is five days of events bringing together technology companies, entrepreneurs and government and business leaders. The goal of IE Tech Week is to promote the Inland Empire as a region for technology companies to relocate and grow.

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Corporate Sponsors Allow Students to Showcase Fashion's Hottest Looks

Beautifully embellished blue jeans, formal evening wear and a range of fashions in between, all focusing on the theme "Mood Indigo," take the runway Saturday, June 6 at Victoria Gardens Cultural Center in Rancho Cucamonga when The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire hosts its first major fashion show. Photos courtesy of Miss Me.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Some of fashions hottest looks are coming to the Inland Empire for  “Mood Indigo,” The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s first major fashion show.

 It takes place Saturday, June 6 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center in Rancho Cucamonga. There is no admission charge.

Corporate sponsors for this show include Miss Me Jeans (www.missme.com), which is part of Los Angeles-based fashion company Miss Me and Bebe (www.bebe.com), also based in Los Angeles.

“Miss Me’s denim jeans are highly embellished with studs and beautiful embroidery on the pockets,” explained Sherry West, academic director for fashion at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “And Bebe is all about combining sophistication and elegance with sporty fashion.”

Bebe first opened in 1976 as one San Francisco boutique. CEO Manny Mashouf has now expanded the chain to 213 stores in 35 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. Bebe.com launched in 1998.

Bebe, with southern California stores in Victoria Gardens, Los Angeles’ Century Plaza and Beverly Hills’ Beverly Center, targets young women who are assertive, sexy and stylish. Its fashions are hip, sophisticated and body conscious.

“The Bebe woman is not defined by how she looks, but by her attitude,” said Mashouf.  “She is confident and cutting edge and demands the same from her clothing.”

Miss Me’s lines include Miss Me Jeans, Sweet Miss Me and Miss Me Couture. It also has a children’s line, Miss Me Girls.

 “Our single purpose is to dress the modern girl who is no longer definable, but multi-dimensional in character and style,” said Dorothy Kim, brand manager. “With this recognition and appreciation, Miss Me designs for those who hold a multitude of passions, personas and cultures.

“Successfully capturing the many identities of a woman, Miss Me lines provide versatile pieces that represent every facet of the Miss Me woman – from casual wear, formal wear to nightlife styles. Miss Me has grown to be everyone’s favorite piece in the closet, never compromising comfort for style.”

Mood Indigo, a name West developed, capitalizes on both indigo, the color of most denim products and “Mood Indigo,” a composition by the legendary jazz musician Duke Ellington.

For both of the fashion sponsors, it is their first fashion show in The Inland Empire. Mood Indigo’s professional producer, Quyenzi Pham of Q.Z. Productions, contacted members of the sponsors’ executive teams. Upon learning more about The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire from Pham, they decided Mood Indigo, with its focus on training future fashion industry professionals, is a venture worthy of support.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate of Science degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management.

Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin July 13 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.

For more information, or to arrange a tour, call Richard Green at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/), a system of over 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

 

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Mobile Devices Drive Future of Internet

Jason Diehl, Academic Director for Web Design & Interactive Media at The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire and keynote speaker at the Inland Empire Software Summit on Friday, May 15 in Riverside. Chris Sloan photo

 (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) As an instructor at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, Jason Diehl has a close-up view of how generation wired youngsters who grew up with high-speed Internet and smart phones, are reshaping the future of business, education and entertainment.

Diehl, academic director for Web Design & Interactive Media, speaks about “Getting Ready for the Smart Phone: How to make your websites ready for Smart Phones, PDAs and iPhones,” at the Inland Empire Software Summit Friday, May 15, at Grier Pavilion, Riverside City Hall, 3900 Main Street, 7^th Floor Patio, Riverside. Admission cost is $35 per person, $15 for students.

The IE Software Summit is sponsored by the Inland Empire African Chamber of Commerce, Mixergy, Dameron Communications, The Art Institute of California- Inland Empire, SmartRiverside, Riverside County Auditor Controller Robert Byrd’s Office and Inland Empire Weekly.

The summit is part of IE Tech Week, from May 11-15, which is five days of events bringing together technology companies, entrepreneurs and government and business leaders. The goal of IE Tech Week is to promote the Inland Empire as a region for technology companies to relocate and grow.

“The future of the Internet is going to be through mobile devices,” Diehl said. ComScore, a global Internet information provider, said that 63.2 million Americans accessed news and information on mobile devices in January 2009, compared to 36.8 million in January 2008.

 “The always-on aspect of mobile devices spurs Internet usage,” Diehl said. “For many developing nations like Sub-Sahara Africa and remote regions of China and India, the mobile device is the only way to connect to the Internet.”

Diehl’s presentation is on how mobile device applications are shaping the next mainstream digital industry. 

“Mobile devices offer an incredibly freeing way to develop information services.  Mobile applications can be simple, single-function focused or extremely complex, rich Internet tools,” Diehl said. “They can be produced quickly, often with less coding than desktop applications and web browser-based apps.”

Mobile applications can be used for a host of activities such as tracking politicians voting records, ordering airline tickets, finding directions and ordering music.  

Diehl’s background makes him uniquely qualified to speak about the future of mobile Internet. Before he became an instructor at The Art Institute of California, Orange County, Diehl worked as a Web applications developer focusing on e-commerce, distance education technology and game design. His clients included the Lexus Motor Corporation, Warner Bros. Studios and Roadrunner Cable.

Over the last decade, Diehl has witnessed how the Internet has radically reshaped the academic world. “Five years ago, the primary format for class communication was e-mail, phone calls and the traditional face-to-face class. Teachers at all levels must now blend many different avenues of communication.”

“My students can stay connected to me through all of the traditional methods, but now they also find me on Facebook, follow my Twitter tweets, text message me at all hours of the day, and connect to all of it either through a mobile device or on a computer. Switching between a computer or a mobile Internet device for communication is as easy to them as breathing.”

In addition to Diehl’s presentation on mobile e-commerce, the Inland Empire Software Summit also features a presentation on how to secure $20,000 from SmartRiverside.

The Meet the Funders panel, featuring representatives from California Capital Partners, iBank and Tech Coast Angels, introduces software writers to angel investors, lenders and venture capitalists.

For more information about the IE Software Summit call Brenda Erickson at (909) 888-0017 or e-mail her at Brenda@DameronCommunications.com.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate of Science degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management.

Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin July 13 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.

For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

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Google, Motorola and Cisco Come to IE Tech Week

Craig Hinkley, vice president-information technology, Cisco Systems, was the keynote speaker at the Tech Expo, which is part of Inland Empire Tech Week from May 11-15.  Steve Reneker, executive director of SmartRiverside, said IE Tech Week attracts companies such as Google, Cisco, Redland-based ESRI, the world’s leading geographic information systems provider, Johnson Controls and Motorola.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.)  IE Tech Week, which kick’s off at 8:30 a.m. Monday, May 11, with a Tech Expo at the Riverside Convention Center, is drawing some of the biggest names in the software world.

Major technology companies are eager to collaborate with the cities and counties in the Inland Empire, said Reneker, executive director of SmartRiverside, an organization formed to attract and retain high-tech companies. “Bringing together all the IE’s major players is creating an awareness about the economic power of this region,” Reneker said. “Companies are now realizing that Inland Empire’s buyer power is equivalent to coastal areas such as San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles.”

Reneker said that IE Tech Week, from May 11-15, has attracted companies such as Google, Cisco, Redland-based ESRI, the world’s leading geographic information systems provider, Johnson Controls and Motorola. “Craig Hinkley, vice president-information technology, Cisco Systems, is giving the keynote speech at the Tech Expo,” Reneker said.

Google presents a Workshop For Local Governments, from 1:30-3:30 p.m.,

Tuesday, May 12, at the Riverside Convention Center.  “The workshop is specifically designed for local governments and agencies in the Inland Empire,” Reneker said. “People attending this seminar can see how Google applications are being used to share information online.”

Google is the creator of the world’s largest search engine. Founded in 1998, Google is valued at $23 billion. Millward Brown, a leading global market research company, named Google as “the most powerful brand in the world.”

Local governments across the country are using Google Enterprise IT services to better communicate, encourage collaboration, and significantly reduce costs during this time of tight budgets. In this special workshop, attendees will hear how the cloud computing paradigm (business applications provided from a web browser with software and data stored on a server) is driving new use cases and operational models through live demonstrations of Google's latest technology.

The Google presentation also feature a discussion on whitehouse.gov, the U.S. government’s interactive web site featuring social media links, contacts for the president and his cabinet, video and information on the Obama’s administration’s major issues. Whitehouse.gov uses Google Moderator, hosted on Google AppEngine, a tool that managed an online town hall meeting hosted by President Barack Obama.

Tech Week features five days of events created to help high-tech companies grow. IE Tech Week companies include:  Google, Motorola, Cisco Systems, IBM, AT&T, ESRI, Pivot 3, ShoreTel, Robert Half Technology, The Press Enterprise, SmartRiverside, Dameron Communications, ITT Technical Institute and the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce.

Local government agencies including Riverside County, the City of Riverside, the City of Redlands, the City of Diamond Bar, the City of Big Bear Lake, California State University, San Bernardino and the University of Riverside, California are promoting the Inland Empire as a great place for technology companies to relocate and grow.

Currently in it’s second year, Tech Week has already doubled in size according to Reneker. “The Tech Expo is sold out and attendance numbers are the highest we have seen,” Reneker said. “There is still expansion and growth in the tech industry, even in a down economy.”

For more information about IE Tech Week e-mail smartriverside@riversideca.gov or go to http://www.riversideca.gov/ietechweek/

IE Tech Week, from May 11-15, is five days of events bringing together technology companies, entrepreneurs and government and business leaders. The goal of IE Tech Week is to promote the Inland Empire as a region for technology companies to relocate and grow.

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There's A New Sheriff In Town

Meet San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops at a reception sponsored Thursday, May 14 by the Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce.                                                                                   

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) -The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce is hosting a reception for newly-appointed San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops on Thursday, May 14, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

The City of San Bernardino Mayor Pro Tems Rikke Van Johnson, Acquanetta Warren and Rialto City Council Member Deborah Robertson are inviting members of the community to come out to the reception. The event will take place at Castaway Restaurant and Banquet Center, located at 670 Kendall Drive in San Bernardino. 

Sheriff Hoops was appointed as San Bernardino County's sheriff on February 3, 2009, taking the place of retiring sheriff, Gary Penrod. A long time resident of San Bernardino County, Hoops has been an active member of his community and a respected leader in law enforcement for over 30 years.

 

Sheriff Hoops joined the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in 1978. His many achievements include serving as captain of the Rancho Cucamonga Station, commander of the Sheriff’s Bureau of Administration, and deputy chief. Hoops was appointed assistant sheriff in 2006.

 

According to Carl Dameron, president of Dameron Communications and The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce, “There is a profound need for the leaders in the community to have the ability to establish effective relationship-building dialogue with our elected and appointed officials.

 

 This event is the first of several events planned during 2009 to introduce our community leaders to our elected and appointed officials, and have the opportunity to share their expectations and aspirations for success.”

 

This event is free and will include light refreshments. It is sponsored by Dameron Communications, Castaway Restaurant, Arrowhead Credit Union, and The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. For more information, please contact Brenda Erickson at 909-888-0017.

 

 

About The Inland Empire Chamber of Commerce

The Inland Empire's African American Chamber of Commerce's mission is to promote the economic and professional development of African American- owned businesses, thus enhancing the quality of life in our community.

 

 

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INTERIOR DESIGN INSTRUCTOR RESTORES RIVERSIDE FOUNDER’S VICTORIAN HOME

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – Restoring vintage homes is one way an interior designer can make a living. Designing commercial buildings is another. And teaching others how to do it is a third.

Riverside’s Tony Burton, an Interior Design instructor at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire and a former designer of the new Los Angeles County Medical Center at University of Southern California, does all three.

As a hobby, he loves to restore vintage homes. This passion has recently made him a bit of a celebrity, as a Victorian home he and wife Wilma restored and now live in appears on the March 2009 cover of Victorian Homes magazine.

 “Wilma, and I had an agent looking for a house for my mother-in-law. He found the perfect challenge for me – an 1893 actual city landmark.” David Gilson, one of the five founders of the city of Riverside, and its first treasurer, was the original owner. “But, when we saw it, it had been abandoned for five years,” Burton continues, “and vandals had taken about anything that could be moved.”

And a “challenge” it was. “I worked closely with the contractor at every step, having already designed health care facilities through my former company, Gene Burton and Associates.

“Wilma, an Emmy-winning television writer/producer, took on the task of Project Coordinator. I had to travel to my projects all the time, and left much of the job to her. What was especially good was that since we agree on design issues 99 percent of the time she didn’t have to wait for us to talk before making a decision. She monitored everything that had to be done, and kept the restoration on schedule.”

That schedule targeted one year to get the entire project finished. And they made it. Among numerous other tasks, Tony Burton took on the design and lighting, with the contractor responsible for the plumbing and re-wiring. “Also, my wife and I had been scouring auctions to find over-mantel pieces and period furniture then I do the restoration of it all,” he says.

The most difficult part of this difficult job? “Permits! There were permits for everything, and they seemed to take forever for the necessary approvals. Just a big pain.”

The Gilson home originally had five bedrooms, but the Burtons converted it into three upstairs for themselves. The first floor has been both restored and redecorated, to makeit a fully period showcase. The Burtons have lived in the home for the past five years.

“We often make the house and the first floor available to non-profit organizations,” he adds. “It’s perfect for fund raisers, parties, annual meetings. That sort of thing.”

The house may be seen at 3209 Mulberry and 2^nd Street in Riverside. It’s easy to spot, with its colorfully restored paint job, echoing what David Gilson boasted more than a century ago. And the March issue of Victorian Homes magazine features this painted lady on the cover.

When Tony Burton isn’t captivated by another restoration, or running his clothing and art boutique, Citrus Punch Designs in Riverside, he’s on the faculty of the Interior Design Department at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, a position he’s held since the fall quarter of 2008, under the guidance of Academic Director Sara Sandoval. His classes are Introduction to AutoCAD, Intermediate AutoCAD and Institutional Design. Burton is a graduate of O’More College of Design in Franklin, TN, with a bachelor’s degree in interior design.

Sandoval recalls, “We met at the FHA-HERO design competition in Riverside in 2008. We worked together as judges for the high school interior design section. I realized that Tony’s natural ability to work with aspiring young designers, his critical eye and his keen sense of the latest design trends would make him an excellent addition to our Interior Design team at the school.”

Even though his background encompassed the field of health care facilities design, this made a perfect experiential paring, explains Sandoval. “Part of our curricula includes competencies in health care planning and design.” His vast experience designing health care facilities with computer aided design (CAD) software was a major “plus,” too.

Burton clicked in the classroom right away. “With the first classes he taught,” Sandoval adds, “students were drawn to his professional expertise and his great sense of humor. What a marvelous addition Tony has become.”

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate of Science degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin May 18 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.

For more information or a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. 

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Don’t panic. Swine flu is only a possibility.

This LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. clinic on Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino, along with the other three clinics operated by LaSalle, has temporarily been converted to a flu treatment center. Many people sick with flu symptoms have visited a LaSalle clinic in recent days, a few were tested for swine flu, but LaSalle has not yet treated anyone with a confirmed case of swine flu.

(San Bernardino, CA) LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. has temporarily converted its medical clinics to “Flu Treatment and Prevention Centers” to deal with patients’ concern over the swine flu virus. But only a few patients have symptoms that could be linked to the swine flu, said Dr. Albert Arteaga, CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc.

“We halted all operations except checking people who have come in with flu symptoms,” Dr. Arteaga said. “We have recently seen 300 to 350 people a day at our clinics with flu symptoms. Of those, we recommended three or four be tested for swine flu and only a few of these actually received treatment with Tamiflu or another antiviral drug.”

 Only one case of swine flu has been positively identified in San Bernardino County as of May 1 and this did not involve a LaSalle patient. The case was identified in a Marine stationed in Twenty-Nine Palms.

The media’s high publicity of the swine flu pandemic may have caused undue concern, Dr. Arteaga said. Still, it was necessary that word get out about this disease. He compared it to the necessity of a doctor giving patients a warning about possible side effects of prescription drugs.

“Sometimes people feel the side effects before they even take the medication,” he said. “When we hear a warning over and over again, our suggestive nature makes people think that what is a possibility has become a reality.”

Nevertheless, Dr. Arteaga encourages people with flu symptoms to seek medical attention.

“Don’t panic. Swine flu is only a possibility,” he said. “But it is a possibility with serious repercussions.”

“It is a strain of Type A influenza, which causes tiredness, body aches, fever along with a cough and sore throat,” Dr. Arteaga explained. “As with all strains of influenza, there are other potential complications such as internal infections, pneumonia and possibly even death.”

According to public health officials, swine flu has killed more than 150 people in Mexico and one in Texas.  Many others, especially in Mexico, have been sick enough to require hospitalization. In California, there have been 16 positive cases of swine flu and 43 probable as of May 1.

This strain of flu is resistant to flu vaccines that have been developed so far. However, flu vaccines are modified every year to include new strains.

According to founder Dr. Arteaga, the primary mission of LaSalle’s clinics is “to offer high quality medical care to the whole family with courtesy and respect.” And, right now, that is to help people with flu symptoms.

The LaSalle medical clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 1505 West 17th St. and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino, and 16455 Main St. in Hesperia 

For additional information about LaSalle Medical Associates, call (909) 890-0407 or go on line to lasallemedical.com.

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