Carter
November 2011 E-Newsletter
Shortly before Thanksgiving 2009,
Assembly Member Carter and Community Action Partnership Executive Director
Patricia Nickols packed Thanksgiving food boxes for families in need at St.
Paul’s African Methodist Episcopal Church in San Bernardino. Assembly Member
Carter encourages everyone to volunteer in the community to make this
Thanksgiving holiday a meaningful one.
Dear Friends,
The Thanksgiving holiday is a
time to gather with friends and family to reflect upon what we care about most
and what we are most thankful for. I am thankful for the veterans and the men
and women currently serving in the Armed Forces, many of whom are overseas and
away from their families. We honor their sacrifices.
I encourage you to volunteer
in your community to make this holiday a meaningful one. Make it a priority to
donate funds, food or your time to nonprofit and community organizations that
are serving those in need. You alone can make a positive impact in the lives of
those around you.
Here is a list of local
organizations to get you started so that you may be able to assist as the
holiday season approaches.
- Frazee Community
Center
1140 West Mill Street
San Bernardino, CA 92401
(909)
889-4424
- Hutton Community
Center
660 Colton Avenue
Colton, CA 92324
(909) 370-6168
- Mountain View Community
Church
8833 Palmetto Avenue
Fontana, CA 92335
(909) 357-9377
- Loveland Jubilee
Pantry
1436 North Ayala Drive, Suite G
Rialto, CA 92376
(909)
873-2710
Best wishes for a happy and
healthy Thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
Wilmer Amina
Carter
Assembly Member, District 62
Protect your
Children from Harm
November is Child Safety and
Protection month. Here are a few tips to keep your children safe during this
holiday season:
- Be cautious of choking
hazards – coins, marbles, keys, jewelry, paper clips, water bottle tops, safety
pins, removable rubber tips on doorstops, jeweled decorations on children’s
clothing, crayons and hard, round foods.
- Injuries from hot liquids
are the leading cause of nonfatal burns. Use anti-scalding devices for faucets
and showerheads to help prevent burns.
- Install child-proof locks on
anything and everything that can open. This is especially important on medicine
and kitchen cabinets.
- Use carbon monoxide alarms
near sleeping areas and test smoke alarms to make sure they are in good working
order.
Remember to keep a list of
all emergency numbers on your refrigerator or other easily accessible area. For
a list of local resources in your county, please visit http://www.sbcounty.gov/dph/documents/cah_community_resources.pdf.
Legislative Wrap-up:
Assembly Member Carter’s Key Bills Signed into Law
A number of Assembly Member
Carter’ bills were signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, all centering around
her policy priority issues, which include education, jobs and economic
development, public safety and health.
Assembly Bill 230 is a joint
effort with the students of San Bernardino Middle College High School. This bill
exempts a middle college high school student from being assigned a
“low-enrollment priority” by a community college. This will give the students in
these programs increased access to California Community College (CCC) courses
and expand their opportunities to complete the middle college high school
program.
The Governor also signed
Assembly Bill 316, a crucial piece of legislation to help combat the rise of
metal theft in the district and across the state. The bill provides that a
person who steals copper materials including wire, cable, and piping, exceeding
$950 in value, is guilty of grand theft and will be punishable by a fine,
imprisonment or both.
Assembly Bills 221 and 892
streamline processes and provide flexibility for both housing and transportation
projects. This helps jobs and shovel-ready projects to move forward. AB 221
allows the Department of Housing and Community Development to use bond funds for
the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) and the Supportive Housing
Program. AB 892 allows Caltrans to continue the federal National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) by waiving sovereign immunity for certain programs resulting
in eliminating one layer of government review and allowing projects and jobs to
begin in a timely manner.
Assembly Bill 1077 supports
growth and economic development around Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
while also providing protection to this unique historical and cultural
resource.
Assembly Member Carter is
pleased that the Governor saw the merit and importance of these measures, and
signed them into law. For more information on Assembly Member Carter’s
legislative package, please visit her website at www.assembly.ca.gov/a62.
If you have a bill idea,
Assembly Member Carter would love to hear about it. Please email her at assemblymember.carter@assembly.ca.gov.
Back Row, from left: Craig Scott, San
Bernardino Police Department; Matt Ballinger, Fontana Police Department; Pastor
Owusu Hodari, San Bernardino County Public Defender; Joe Martinez, Rialto Fire
Department; Jim Eason, San Bernardino County Fire Department; Assembly Member
Wilmer Amina Carter; Jon Montgomery, San Bernardino County Fire Department;
George Alaniz, San Bernardino County Probation Department; Richard Dewberry, San
Bernardino Police Department; Eugene Chavez, San Bernardino County Probation
Department; Linda Bourke, Rialto Police Department; John Lapioli, San Bernardino
County Sheriff’s Department; Louis Johnson, Fontana Police Department; Dr.
Mannie L. Brodie, San Bernardino County Public Defender; front row, Joyce
Roberts, Colton Police Department; Yuriana Nava, Colton Police Department; Greta
Hodges, Rialto Police Department; Cecilia Chavez, Fontana Police Department; and
Paul Dennert, California Highway Patrol.
Assembly Member
Carter Honors Public Safety Volunteers
Assembly Member Carter hosted
her third annual awards program to honor volunteers in public safety agencies on
October 28 at the Inland Regional Conference Center in San Bernardino. She was
joined by San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops, San Bernardino Police Chief
Robert Handy, County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig, Fontana Police Chief Rod Jones,
Colton Police Chief Steve Ward and other officials.
The volunteer honorees have
given thousands of hours in service to their communities through the Sheriff’s
Department, the Public Defender and Probation Departments, Police Explorers,
County Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the Colton, Rialto,
Fontana and San Bernardino Police Departments.
Assembly Member Carter says,
“Those individuals who offer their time and talents to their communities are
truly our unsung heroes. Too often, we forget to stop and acknowledge the great
contributions volunteers make to the fabric and character of our communities. I
want to publicly thank and recognize these heroes.”
Assembly Member Carter, THINK Together
student Cheyenne Young; and Chantal Anderson, Principal of Bemis Elementary
School in the Rialto Unified School District
National Lights on
Afterschool at Bemis Elementary
Assembly Member Carter
visited THINK Together’s extended learning time program at Bemis Elementary in
the Rialto Unified School District (RUSD) on October 19. Her visit was tied to
National Lights On Afterschool, an initiative of the National Afterschool
Alliance. Lights On Afterschool is held annually to bring visibility to the
importance of after-school programs in providing safe, supervised learning
environments for school-aged children. The THINK Together model is unique in the
state, providing a structured, academically-oriented program which includes
homework help, academically-oriented activities, structured physical education
activities/nutrition instruction, as well as leadership and team-building
activities. THINK Together serves about 3,000 students in 32 schools in the 62nd
Assembly District. Learn more at www.THINKTogether.org.
From left, honorees Cheryl Brown,
Laura B. Goodly, Brenda Odell, National Council of Negro Women Inland Empire
Section President Lois J. Carson; Keynote Speaker and TV newswoman Beverly
White, Assembly Member Carter; Geraldine Foxall-Kater; Beverly Powell; and
Melody Anye Riley attend the National Council of Negro Women Bethune Recognition
Luncheon at the Inland Empire Regional Conference Center in San
Bernardino.
Former Carter Staff
Honored at NCNW Luncheon
Assembly Member Carter
presented the Community Award to Eldred Marshall, former Carter legislative
staffer and talented musician. Ms. Carter called Marshall a genius who began
playing the piano at age six. He recently received a Master of Music degree and
is working on a Masters of Organ degree. The award was presented at the 32nd
Annual National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Mary J. McLeod Bethune Recognition
Luncheon on October 29, 2011 in San Bernardino.
Each year a different NCNW
Section hosts the event in commemoration of Mary McLeod Bethune, the
organization’s founder and the Inland Empire section hosted this year. The
keynote speaker was Beverly White, KNBC newscaster. She offered an inspiring
message about the life of Henrietta Lacks, the woman whose cancer cells have
been mass marketed for research worldwide and about EPA Administrator Lisa P.
Jackson.
Raise Awareness of
Alzheimer’s Disease
Today, in the United States,
there are an estimated 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease
with more than 580,000 in California. According to the Alzheimer’s Association,
this figure will rise to 678,446 by 2015, and 1,100,000 by 2030. The warning
signs of Alzheimer’s disease are often dismissed as side effects of normal
aging. If you or someone you know is experiencing memory loss or changes in
behavior or thinking skills, it’s time to learn the facts. Early detection,
diagnosis and intervention are vital because they provide the best opportunities
for treatment, support and planning for the future. To learn about the 10 signs
of Alzheimer’s disease or for more information on Alzheimer’s disease, please
visit http://www.alz.org/californiasouthland/
Commending Native
Americans for their Contributions
Millions of Americans will
commemorate the contributions that Native Americans have made to our country,
our state and our society during Native American Heritage Month in November. The
beautiful culture and heritage of many nations are ingrained in the names of our
communities, rivers, lakes, cities, streets and food.
Assembly Member Carter honors
the legacy of American Indians for their contributions to our rich history.
Among the Native Americans to receive the United States Medal of Honor for their
heroism are: First Lieutenant Jack C. Montgomery and Second Lieutenant Ernest
Childers, both United States Army, 45th Infantry Division during WWII. Also,
John Bennett Herrington is a former NASA astronaut who flew on the STS-113
Endeavour, the sixteenth shuttle mission.
Assembly Member Carter
commends the many Native Americans who continue to make our communities stronger
by serving as community college board members, police officers, teachers,
doctors, firefighters, civic leaders, military service men and women and public
servants.
Recognize the
Seriousness of Diabetes
During National Diabetes
Month, take a moment to recognize just how many people are affected by this
disease. According to the American Diabetes Association, a person is diagnosed
with diabetes every 17 seconds and diabetes remains as the leading cause of
heart attack and stroke.
From 1999 to 2008, the
highest number of deaths due to diabetes was among San Bernardino County
residents who lived in postal zip code 92335, which is in the 62nd
District.
Learn more about diabetes on
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov. Another resource is the American Diabetes
Association’s Center for Information and Community Support at 1-800-342-2383 or
visit the website www.diabetes.org. Let’s take an active role to stay as healthy
as possible!
Assembly Member Carter’s intern Alicia
Barrett is from Ontario and is currently an undergraduate student at the
University of California, Irvine. Her academic interests center on Political
Science and Women’s Studies. While interning for Assembly Member Carter, Alicia
hopes to gain insight into the policy issues that affect constituents. Her
future plans include a career in public policy or government.
Ellison Ma is Assembly Member Carter’s
newest intern in her Capitol Office. Originally from San Francisco, Ellison is
currently in his third year at UC Davis in the fall, majoring in Political
Science. He plans to pursue graduate studies in public policy.
Levi Swindell of Elk Grove is a
graduate from Virginia Military Institute, where he majored in history and
attended on a football scholarship. He was honored to march with the VMI corps
of cadets in the President Barack Obama Inauguration Parade. Levi plans on
obtaining a master’s degree to work in federal law enforcement or Homeland
Security.
Carter in the
Community
From left, Assembly Member Carter,
Assembly Member Sandr� R. Swanson (AD 16) seated; Senator Curren Price, Chair of
the Legislative Black Caucus, and Assembly Member Steven Bradford (AD 51), at
the Legislative Black Caucus Leadership Symposium on October 15th.
Assembly Member Carter joins the
sponsors and children who participated in the Grand Opening of The Leaven
Tutoring Center at Quail Ridge apartment complex in Rialto. From left, back row,
Ricardo Lorenzo and Khalid Alwan, Directors, Oracle Communities Corporation and
owners of Quail Ridge; Mark Lillis, Executive Director, The Leaven and Assembly
Member Carter. This photo was taken by W. Jordan Bennett.
Assembly Member Carter presents the
co-chairs of the Inland Empire Disabilities Collaborative with a resolution
recognizing their service and the five-year anniversary of the Collaborative.
From left, Ann Kasper and Bill Nessel, co-chairs, Inland Empire Disabilities
Collaborative; Assembly Member Carter and Carol Fitzgibbons, Executive Director,
Inland Regional Center; Lisa Hayes, Manager, Senior and Disability Services,
Molina Health Care; and Ben Jauregui, Disability Program Manager, Inland Empire
Health Plan (IEHP).
From left, Barbara Ward, Deputy
Secretary, Women and Minority Veterans; Assembly Member Carter; Senator Gloria
Negrete-McLeod; and Tina Lifford, motivational speaker at CalVet Women Veterans
Conference, “Enhancing Inner Beauty, Inner Strength,” at the DoubleTree Hotel in
Ontario on October 7.
At the George E. Brown, Jr. Elementary
School Groundbreaking on October 21 were: from left, San Bernardino Unified
School Board Member Danny Tillman, Mrs. Marta Brown, Assembly Member Carter,
Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod, and San Bernardino Unified Assistant
Superintendent of Facilities and Operations John Peukert (in back). The
elementary school is the newest in the San Bernardino Unified School District,
located at 25th & Highland Ave., adjacent to Arrow View Middle
School.
On Saturday evening, October 22 at the
National Orange Show Valencia Room, Assembly Member Carter received the 2011
Distinguished Benefactor Award from the San Bernardino County Safety Employee’s
Benefit Association (SEBA) at an event to benefit the SEBA Charity Fund. SEBA
represents 3200 San Bernardino County Deputy Sheriff’s, District Attorney
Investigators, Welfare Fraud Investigators and Probation Corrections Officers.
From left, Assembly Member Carter and Safety Employee’s Benefit Association
President Laren Leichliter. The main sponsoring organizations were: SEBA, San
Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Tommy and Maria Ramos, James and Rowena
Ramos.
The NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner on
October 27 at the San Bernardino Hilton Hotel, recognized health educators.
Assembly Member Carter was presented with the Healthy Living Advocate Pioneer
Award by Cheryl Brown, President of the NAACP San Bernardino Branch.
Assembly Member Carter presents
certificates to representatives of The NAACP, the Inland Empire Concerned
African American Churches and Time for Change to acknowledge the organizations’
ninth annual health fair on October 22. From left, Kim Carter, Time for Change;
Beverly Jones Wright, NAACP; Assembly Member Carter and Veatrice Jews,
IECAAC.
At the Inland Empire Concerned African
American Churches 9th Annual Health Festival, Assembly Member Carter
demonstrates a unique stationary bike which includes a blender powered by
peddling and allows the rider to make a smoothie.
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