San Bernardino Press MONDAY, JULY 7, 2014 - JULY 13, 2014
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Levi Ponce: a talented muralist envisioning community improvement through painting by Jennifer schlueter A close friend recommended I check out Levi Ponce’s art (www.leviponce.com). Thrilled about what I saw, we set up an interview at the location of his next mural on a Sunday. In the afternoon, I arrive at Plaza de la Raza in Lincoln Heights, where Levi and his crew had already been working for two hours on a memorial painting for Mexican –American starlet Jenni Rivera who died in a plane crash 2012. Approximately a dozen people stand around the shaded spot where Levi is painting alongside his father and a few other artists he had invited to join, including Rivera’s son Mike. While Levi’s father is coloring the yellow flowers at the bottom of a painting, Levi stands on a ladder shading Rivera’s face. The bilingual artist tells me that he has been painting since he was 4 and that he has “always been the kid with a paint brush in his hand.” Levi idolizes his father with whom he regularly paints, and legendary Classics such as Salvador Dali, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci. When I ask him if he prefers realistic styles, he says no; he loves everything that looks good: sculpture, graffiti, pop art, etc. In 2011, the artist, who works
More than half a billion dollars targeted to upgrade transportation and drive job growth New state budget also increases transportation funding by $351 million
California state budget. A California Department of Education press release states that 123 eligible applications were received from various kinds of educational institutions, such as community
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $510 million to 83 transportation projects that will put people to work improving the state’s highways, bridges, and public transit. One of the highlights of the meeting was the CTC revising its funding estimate upward for the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) for the 201415 fiscal year from $2.2 billion to approximately $2.4 billion. The revision was in response to the new state budget, which provides $351 million in new transportation funding through the early repayment of loans made to the General Fund. The new funding includes $210 million for the SHOPP, which pays for transportation safety projects, pavement repair and preservation work, and upgrades bridges; $27 million for Caltrans maintenance projects; $100 million for city and county transportation; $9 million for bicycle and pedestrian projects under California’s new Active
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Levi Ponce painting with his father -Photo Jennifer Schlueter
in visual effects for his day time job in the film industry, started to use his art to bring the community of his hometown Pacoima together. When he paints, he invites everyone to join. Together with his fa-
ther and many other volunteers, he transformed graffiti marked walls of his neighborhood into what is now called the “Mural Mile.” The Please see page 4
$600k grant approved for Public Safety Academy by Vickie Vértiz The $600,000 state-funded California Career Pathways Trust grant was awarded to the Public Safety Academy, a San Bernardino-based middle through high school charter. San Bernardino County only received one of these grants, which will support
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a school focusing on developing professionals with careers in law enforcement and fire service. According to the Daily Bulletin, the California Career Pathways Trust was established as a one-time $250 million competitive grant program in the 2013-2014
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Governor signs bill clarifying protections against retaliation in the workplace Assemblymember Roger Hernández announces AB 2751 was signed over the weekend. This measure makes a number of clarifying and cleanup changes to AB 263 (Employment retaliation: immigration-related practices) signed into law last year. “I want to thank Governor Brown for his continued support of workers’ rights. Last year, Governor Brown signed my bill AB 263 where employers are prohibited from using immigration status against workers who exercise their rights under the California Labor Code or local ordinances. This year, AB 2751 makes a number of clarifying changes to AB 263 to continue protect-
ing workers against intimidation by any employer,” said Hernández. AB 2751 makes it unlawful for any employer to threatened or file a false report with any state or federal agency. Also, the $10,000 civil penalty enacted in AB 263 is to be paid directly to the aggrieved worker who filed the claim. Last year, AB 263 was signed into law which allows a civil action by an employee or other person who is the subject of an unfair immigration-related practice, and would authorize a court to order a suspension of the business license for up to 14 days of a person who violates these provisions for a first violation, up to 30 days
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for a second violation, and up to 90 days for a third or subsequent violation. This bill also protects against retaliatory practices such as an employer to e-verify a worker, or even reverify the worker. Immigrant
workers are more likely to experience wage and work hour law violations. Approximately 76 percent of immigrant workers worked off the clock without pay, while over 85 percent did not receive overtime pay.
Grant for Public Safety Academy Continued from page 1
college districts, county education offices, direct-funded charter schools like Public Safety Academy, and public school districts. Public Safety Academy staff is overjoyed at the news. The Daily Bulletin quoted Kathy Toy, an administrator at the school who said that when she heard the announcement, her “feet didn’t touch the floor for a week.” After several years of difficulties, including leadership and financial challenges, the grant comes at just the right time. The school has two campuses with about 400 students enrolled and an administrative staff of 25. They are located on the former site of the Norton Air Force Base. The Daily Bulletin also reports that the high school section of the Public Safety Academy will move to upcoming portable rooms across the street from the middle school office. The high school section was previously a short drive away in a municipal government building that was being leased. Toy said, “Everything is working out so well.” Public Safety Academy has established partnerships with area fire and police departments, according to Toy. Applications were evaluated by the California Department of Education, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, and the California Workforce Investment Board. The rankings were chosen based on the sustained career pathway programs of an organization that connects, or will connect, businesses with K-12 schools and community colleges to create a school-to-
work pipeline. From the eligible applications, 12 grant recipients will each be awarded up to $15 million, 16 will individually receive up to $6 million, and 11 will each receive up to $600,000, like the Public Safety Academy did recently. Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction said, “The Career Pathways Trust is a much-needed investment that will benefit our state’s economy well into the future.” The Public Safety Academy expects to use the grant funds to start computer-aided dispatch programs, said Toy. The grant money will be distributed in increments over three years establishing paid student internships with area police and fire departments, perhaps the most important use of funding for career development. The Public Safety Academy opened in 1999 and since then, Toy told the Bulletin, the school has gone from the “depths of disparity” to increased student enrollment, school consolidation, topped off with this sizable grant. While public safety careers are not in the top ten fastest growing fields in the county, they are typically careers that pay beyond living wages and great benefits. According to 2013 Employment Development Department data in their “Fastest Growing Careers” report, the top three fastest growing careers in the tri-county area are: home health aides, veterinary technologists and technicians, and emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
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Transportation upgrade and job growth Continued from page 1
Transportation Program; and $5 million to mitigate environmental effects of proposed transportation improvements. The $510 million in CTC funding allocations include nearly $163 million for “fix it first” projects that will repair bumpy pavement, preserve roads that are in good condition from deteriorating and upgrade bridges to make them safer and stronger. Most of California’s highways are more than a half-century old, and they carry nearly half of the nation’s container freight – heavy loads that pound our highways more than any other state. “To get the most bang for the buck for taxpayers, Caltrans targets dollars where they are most effective - pavement preservation,” Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty said. “Every $1 spent on preventive pavement maintenance saves Californians $11 that would have been spent on expensive pavement repairs.” The allocations also include $104 million from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by voters in 2006. To date, more than $17 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been put to work statewide for transportation purposes. Here are some of the significant projects that will improve and/or preserve California’s valuable investments in its transportation system that received allocations: $71 million - Fairway Drive Grade Separation Project - Construct a roadway underpass on Fairway Drive and a doubletrack railroad bridge in the city of Industry. $5.8 million - Washington Boulevard Widening and Reconstruction – Widen Washington Boulevard from two lanes to three lanes in each direction, upgrade traffic signals and street lighting, and improve sidewalks in the city of Commerce.
Join the Arbor Day Foundation in July and 10 trees will be planted in high-need national forests America’s forestland is a prized natural resource, and anyone can help plant trees in these vital areas by joining the Arbor Day Foundation this month. Through the Replanting Our National Forests campaign, the Arbor Day Foundation will honor each new member who joins in July by planting 10 trees in forests that have been devastated by wildfires, insects and disease. The cost for joining the Arbor Day Foundation is a $10 donation. America’s national forests face enormous challenges, including unprecedented wildfires that have left a backlog of more than one million acres in need of replanting. The Foundation has worked with the United States Forest Service for more than 20 years
to plant trees in high-need forests. Our national forests provide habitat for wildlife, keep the air clean and help ensure safe drinking water for more than 180 million Americans. “Keeping our forests healthy is vital to the health of people and the entire planet,” said Matt Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “By planting trees in our national forests, we will preserve precious natural resources and the benefits they provide for generations to come.” To join the Arbor Day Foundation and help plant trees in our national forests, send a $10 membership contribution to Replanting Our National Forests, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 68410, or visit arborday.org/july.
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Supreme Court - Out of touch San Bernardino City Unified with women’s lives? now has district police officers Ruling leaves birth control benefit in place on duty around the clock for millions of women, but gives some employers the new right to deny coverage
Last Monday, in a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court of the United States sided with Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties. These private corporations sought religious exemptions in the Affordable Care Act requirement that they cover birth control for employees. However, the Supreme Court indicated that the government may provide its own alternatives for those who need to access coverage. Planned Parenthood condemns today’s ruling that some for-profit private corporations can deny birth control coverage to their employees, for no reason other than the personal religious beliefs of the corporation’s owners. “Make no mistake, today’s ruling does not strike down the birth control mandate overall,” stated Sheri Bonner, CEO of Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley. “Thanks to the birth control benefit, women have already saved $483 million in the last year alone.” While this is a federal decision, California’s Women’s Contraceptive Equity Act, signed into law by Gray Davis in 1999, ensures access to birth control
through employer health plans. However, in accordance with today’s ruling, some Californians may be subject to a plan-specific co-pay. Women in states without contraceptive equity laws are forced to pay as much as $800 a year out of pocket for birth control. That’s why the mandate is vital to women’s health and economic justice. Studies also show that women who receive birth control with no co-pay or at a reduced cost are able to avoid more than two million unplanned pregnancies each year. It’s not surprising that the public overwhelmingly supports the birth control benefit by a nearly two-to-one margin. “It’s unbelievable that in 2014 we are still fighting for access to birth control,” observed Bonner. “Today’s decision, coupled with last week’s Massachusetts buffer zone decision, shows an alarming trend, a lack of education, and a lack of understanding of the experiences of women today. Regardless of today’s decision, Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley and affiliates across the nation are dedicated to serving all women — no matter where they work.”
As of June 29, the San Bernardino City Unified School District has police officers on duty 24 hours a day to keep campuses safe and protect school property. The District Police Department has 18 sworn police officers and 4 sergeants. The department is in the process of hiring additional officers to support increased patrols and combat a rash of thefts. In addition to increasing its presence across District boundaries, the department wants to partner with residents to ensure that campuses remain free of crime. Residents are encouraged to call District Police at (909) 3886130 or (909) 889-6833 if they see individuals acting suspiciously around school campuses, said Interim ChiefJoseph Paulino. “Our main goal is to keep our schools and our students safe and
free of crime,” Paulino said. “When we partner with our community, we can go from being a District Police Department with two dozen officers to being a department that has thousands of caring citizens being our eyes and ears.” Paulino, who heads the District’s Safe Schools Task Force, is encouraged by the positive conversations he has had with parents and community leaders who have expressed a willingness to work together to make schools safer. “We are working on developing partnerships and raising awareness,” Paulino said. “We know our residents realize that the future of our community is in the hands of our children and that is why it’s important to keep our schools secure and free of crimes that could deprive our students of the tools they need to succeed.”
Levi Ponce Continued from page 1
strip on Van Nuys Boulevard between Arleta and Herrick Avenue now hosts more than 20 murals depicting Levi’s interpretation of Mona Lisa, a tribute to Michelangelo, several portraits, etc. According to a Huffington post article, Kevin Taylor, chairman of the Reseda Neighborhood Council, praises Levi’s and his work: “Levi is without a doubt one of the most important artists in Los Angeles right now, “ he said. “With the work he’s doing, his skill level, talent, the speed with which he works and the positive messages he brings to his murals, what he’s bringing to communities that need his work ... To have the opportunity to have him painting here in Reseda is a huge honor, and the murals that he’s leaving here are treasures.” However, the Cal State Northridge graduate does not limit his murals to the San Fernando Valley. With his art, he wants to “paint cities, not walls,” as he says. His
murals and paintings are all over Los Angeles, but also on the east coast. His eyes light up when Levi tells me about his ultimate goal to tour the world while painting, but especially in Brazil, where they have “a mean street art game,” as he describes it. When I ask the artist for a message that he wants to get out, he says: “You don’t need your city’s permission if you want to do something positive.” He is not interested in starting his own organization to help communities, but would rather have existing organizations work closer together instead of competing with them by starting his own. After all, “I just want to paint,” he states. Levi does not get paid for his murals; he finances them out of his own pocket. By painting them, he not only beautifies communities, but also engages them to work together. More information about Levi Ponce and his art can be found on www.leviponce.com.