San Bernardino Press MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 - JUNE 22, 2014
sanbernardinopress.com
VOLUME 1, NO. 7
San Bernardino plane crash proves fatal Art students to L.A. firefighter, wounds eight-year-old display by Vickie Vértiz work in The summer turned tragic ground and flipped over sevjuried for two families and many eral times. friends this week when a plane The cause of the crash is crash critically injured an still unknown, and is currently exhibition eight-year-old boy and killed under investigation by the Feda veteran paramedic from the eral Aviation Administration at RAFFMA Los Angeles Fire Department. and the National TransportaA few minutes after eleven in the morning last Monday, June 9, 2014, a pilot and the young passenger crashed in a single-engine Grumman AA1A plane that nosedived at the northwest end of El Mirage Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert. The dry lake is about nine miles away from the town of Adelanto and ten miles north of Highway 18. The boy was identified as Sebastian Joshua Grewal from Hesperia. He received a second surgery at Loma Linda University Hospital this week to relieve pressure on his brain. He remains in critical condition. Tracy Martinez, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department, said that the plane struck the
tion Safety Board. Bystanders noticed that the plane was out of control, but it was not obvious was went wrong. Brian Lee, the pilot, was giving the young boy a plane ride during a camping trip when the accident occurred. Although San Bernardino County Firefighters were on the scene caring for the victims, Lee was fatally injured. Lee was 47 and worked for the Los Angeles Fire Department as a paramedic, helicopter pilot, and firefighter for twentyfive years. He was a friend of the Grewal family and knew the boy very well. Lee had two twin girls of his own. According to the Victorville Daily Press, the father of the boy, Josh Grewal, said his son wants to be a pilot when
(political) content that their representatives disagree with. Net Neutrality stands for an open Internet, one which protects and enables our right of free speech. However, in January 2014, court ruled that ISPs can now legally discriminate against websites and applications. ISPs can delay or block content, favor certain websites and corporations, and charge Internet companies various fees.
Cal State San Bernardino’s 44th Annual Student Art Exhibition will feature artwork from the next generation of emerging Inland Empire artists. Original CSUSB student artwork will be on display at the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art (RAFFMA) from June 15-July 31. An opening reception and end of the year party will be held Friday, June 13, from 6:30-9 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. Parking at CSUSB is $5. Art students have been hard at work all year preparing for the highly competitive exhibition, which boasts a 30 percent acceptance rate. “It is always so gratifying and awe inspiring to see what the students have been working on in the studios,” says Katherine Gray, CSUSB professor of art. “An amazing display of work, it illustrates a determination to master a material or genre that shows in the flourishing of their creative vision.” Every year, an outside juror is chosen by CSUSB art department faculty members. This year, artist April Greiman served as juror for the exhibition. Greiman has exhibited in various cultural institutions, lectured academically and professionally, generated public artworks and participated on
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Brian Lee -Courtesy Photo
he grows up. Grewal is the owner of Menchie’s, a frozen yogurt shop in Hesperia. He told a reporter that, “Sebastian just turned eight in March, and he loves airplanes, cars, golfing and dirt bikes.” The father asked that the community keep his son in their prayers.
Net Neutrality: How Internet service providers want to gain more control over our lives by jennifer schlueter How would you feel if your favorite website loaded very slowly, or not at all, because your Internet service provider (ISP) disagrees with its content or wants you to use their favored website instead? Yes, you could switch providers, but most people in the US do not have a choice between more than one or two providers. And what if the other providers block another website that you like? The most famous case of an ISP favoring a certain website over
another was revealed in 2007, when Comcast, the US’ largest ISP, had interfered with file sharing services offered on BitTorrent. Comcast clients reported difficulties, delays, or complete inability to up- and/or download from BitTorrent. The concept of Net Neutrality would prohibit actions like Comcast’s. We as Internet users would be able to use any website at the speed we pay for with whatever information we choose to read. ISPs would not be able to restrict
2 | JUNE 16, 2014 - JUNE 22, 2014
California Fish and Game Commission votes to add gray wolf to state endangered list The California Fish and Game Commission has voted to move forward with listing the gray wolf as an endangered species under California law. The vote took place at the regularly scheduled Commission meeting in Fortuna on June 4. Commissioners Richard Rogers, Jack Baylis and Michael Sutton voted for listing, while Commissioner Jacque Hostler-Carmesin voted no. Commissioner Jim Kellogg was not present. “No land animal is more iconic in the American West than the Gray Wolf,” said Sutton, who is also president of the Commission. “Wolves deserve our protection as they begin to disperse from Oregon to their historic range in California.” The new regulatory language will take several months to
complete and approve. However, today’s decision provides permanent protection for the gray wolf, and immediate protection under the California Endangered Species Act. That protection will remain in place throughout the required regulatory process. The gray wolf is already federally listed as an endangered species and is therefore protected by the federal Endangered Species Act in California. The federal Endangered Species Act makes it unlawful to take any listed wildlife unless permitted by regulation. The term “take” means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect or attempt to engage in any such conduct. The protection provided under federal law overlaps, but does not supersede, protection provided by listing under
Wolf track in snow. Photo by Linda Hay. -Photo courtesy of CA Department of Fish and Wildlife.
California law. At this time, there are no gray wolves known to be in California. A male wolf that originated in northeastern Oregon – known as OR7 – has crossed the Oregon/California state line several times since December 2011. At this time, OR7 is in southwestern Oregon, where he has
found a mate. On Monday, June 3, biologists from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife captured photographs of two wolf pups in the vicinity. For more information about gray wolves, including OR7’s travels in California, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/nongame/wolf/FAQ.html.
Art students display work in juried exhibition at RAFFMA Continued from page 1
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juries worldwide. Her ideas and work have appeared in articles, interviews, reviews and broadcasts in the media ranging from The New York Times to PBS. The exhibit demonstrates the art department’s focus on developing emerging artists and designers who are professional, technically skilled, conceptually astute and innovative. RAFFMA’s galleries will be filled with a variety of media, subjects, approaches and styles that express a wide range of ideas about traditional and contemporary art. About RAFFMA: The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art is a nationally recognized museum accredited by the
American Association of Museums. It is the only accredited art museum in San Bernardino. RAFFMA has accumulated a permanent collection of nearly 1,200 objects focusing on Egyptian antiquities, ceramics and contemporary art. The museum houses the largest permanent and public display of Egyptian art in Southern California. General admission to the museum is free. Suggested donation is $3. The museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and is closed Friday and Sunday. For more information, call (909) 537-7373 or visit the RAFFMA website.
JUNE 16, 2014 - JUNE 22, 2014 | 3
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San Bernardino Community College District awarded almost $300,000 to train unemployed workers The San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) received a one-year $298,836.00 dollar grant to provide training in Advanced Manufacturing or Welding Applications to 60 longterm unemployed adults with barriers to employment. Graduates will receive certification through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) or American Welding Society (AWS) processes and be prepared for entry-level jobs with advanced manufacturing and logistics companies. The Economic Development and Corporate Training (EDCT) Division of the SBCCD, which is responsible for the grant, also obtained the commitment of multiple employers represented by the Inland Empire Manufacturer’s Council as potential sites of employment for the graduating students. “Creating a streamlined structure to return workers to viable employment assists the individuals, the employers and the economic stability of the Inland Empire,” Chancellor Bruce Baron noted. “This serves the mission of the EDCT which is to stimulate the economic prosperity of the Inland Empire through workforce development, and this program exemplifies the Division’s goal.” In crafting this project, the District developed a regional approach and reached out to other area colleges, including Chaffey College and Barstow College. Each college has agreed to align their current industry maintenance programs with the NCCER curriculum guide. As a result, this training will not only address the requirements of the unfilled jobs that now exist but create a pipeline to meet ongoing demand. And finally, having a certification will ensure participants can receive nationally recognized, stackable and transferable certificates.
Dr. Matthew Isaac, the EDCT Chief Executive Officer, noted that the contract award was the product of the dedication of Robert Levesque, Director, Workforce Development, PDC. Dr. Isaac said, “As a result of Mr. Levesque’s on-going collaborative efforts with the Inland Empire Manufacturer’s Council and our colleagues at Barstow and Chaffey Colleges and the EDCT’s commitment to economic and workforce development, EDCT secured the contract.” About the SBCCD: The San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) is one of 72 community college districts within the California Community College system, the largest educational system in the world, which encompasses 112 community colleges. The SBCCD has an 87-year history of providing its community and students with quality and affordable vocational certificates, associate’s degrees, and preparation for transfer to a four-year college or university through San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) and Crafton Hills College (CHC). In addition, the Economic Development and Corporate Training Division (PDC) and KVCR TV-FM provide professional development and cultural and educational
information to the community at large. About the EDCT: The Economic Development and Corporate Training (EDCT) Division of San Bernardino Community College District has partnered with many companies and organizations within the Inland Empire to address workforce improvement and economic development needs through innovative approaches to education, career counseling, talent development, customized training and organizational performance. The EDCT hosts a variety of programs and is innovative and responsive in assisting employers with employee development, retention, and job creation. The EDCT is comprised of the following centers: the Professional Development Center (PDC), the Donald F. Averill Applied Technology Training Center (ATTC), the Entrepreneurship Institute of San Bernardino and the Center for the Advancement of Nanotechnology (NanoCenter). For additional information on the SBCCD, please contact Alisa Sparkia Moore, Esq., District Communications and Public Relations at 909.382.4012, 805.717.0347 cell, or by email at asmoore@sbccd.edu.
4 | JUNE 16, 2014 - JUNE 22, 2014
State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson reports significant drop in number of districts in financial jeopardy A new report shows that the number of California school districts in financial jeopardy has been slashed by more than two-thirds over the past year, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced. This year’s Second Interim Status Report, FY 201314 shows a total of 30 local educational agencies (LEAs) are either in negative or qualified financial status. This is down significantly from the last report—in March 2014— that showed 49 LEAs with this status. This is also down even more significantly from the same report a year ago. In the Second Interim Status report of 2013, there were 92 LEAs in financial jeopardy. See Table 1. “A combination of factors over the past few years has giv-
en schools the tools they need to take control of their own future again,” Torlakson said. “Although we won’t be finished until every school is on stable ground, this is welcome news that school funding is moving in the right direction.” Twice a year, the California Department of Education receives Notice of Interim Certifications on the financial status of the state’s 1,038 LEAs, comprising school districts, county offices of education, and joint powers agencies. The certifications are classified as positive, qualified, or negative. A positive certification means the LEA will meet its financial obligations for the current and two following fiscal years. A qualified certification is assigned when the LEA may not meet its financial obligations for the current or two fol-
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lowing fiscal years. This certification allows the LEA’s county office of education to provide assistance to the district. A negative certification— the most serious of the classifications—is assigned when the LEA will be unable to meet its financial obligations for the remainder of the current year or for the subsequent fiscal year. This certification means the LEA’s county office of education may intervene in the district’s finances. The assistance or intervention by the county office of education may include assigning external consultants, requiring a district fiscal recovery plan, or disallowing certain district expenditures. Of the current 30 LEAs on the list, seven have a negative certification, down one from the last report in March 2014. The remaining 23 LEAs have
a qualified certification, down from 41 reported in March 2014. See Table 2. This new list is a compilation of the certifications by LEAs that were due April 16, 2014, and cover the financial and budgetary status of the districts for the period ending January 31, 2014. The certifications reflect whether the LEAs are able to meet their financial obligations for the remainder of the current fiscal year and subsequent two fiscal years, based on projections at that point in time. These certifications also predate the Governor’s May Revision to the proposed 2014-15 state budget. Because these Interim Status Reports are snapshots in time, the LEAs’ financial status may have changed since these certifications were collected.
Net neutrality Continued from page 1
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The freepress campaign Save the Internet provides a comparison: “Just as your phone company cannot decide who you could call and what you say on that call, your ISP should not be concerned with what content you view or post online.” The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reclassified broadband from “common carriers” or “telecommunications services” to “information services.” The court decided that due to this reclassification, the FCC lacks authority to enforce rules over network owners. Save the Internet informs that, ”freed from any legal restraints, ISPs can monitor everything you do and say online — and sell the information to the highest bidder. ISPs have something that companies like Facebook and Google don’t: direct control over your connections to the Internet and the devices you use to connect to it.” Furthermore, the campaign states that AT&T, Ve-
rizon and other ISPs “have been caught enabling unchecked spying and surveillance by the NSA and other government agencies.” Net Neutrality is important for small business owners and entrepreneurs who use the Internet to promote their products. Without Net Neutrality, their opportunity to grow would be taken from larger companies with more money, who would simply pay ISPs to interfere, delay, or completely block websites from their emerging competitors. On May 15, the FCC proposed to make such actions legal. The Save the Internet campaign along with the American Civil Liberties Union, Common Cause, Slate, and others urge the public to demand a reclassification of ISPs. By signing online petitions directed at FCC chairman Tom Wheeler, whose plans go against Net Neutrality, we can demand our right for an open Internet, where free speech prevails and where our privacy is legally valued.