Desert Star Weekly Friday Feb. 10, 2023 issue!

Your adjudicated newspaper for Riverside County

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‘Black Rose Awards’

Black Community Foundation Honors Exemplary Community Service Providers at 30th Annual Gala.

By Desert Star Staff

SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. The 30th annual Black Rose Awards Gala held on Saturday, February 4, at Cal State San Bernardino’s Santos Manuel Student Union

North Hall drew more than 250 attendees to recognize the 2023 recipients.

The Black Culture Foundation sponsors the annual event, and its mission is “to bridge the cultural

differences through nurturing, educating, and encouraging the building of lasting, respectable communities.”

Robert Nava, Cal State’s Vice President for Advancement and Executive

“Different Drum: The Music of Linda Ronstadt.”

By Desert Star Staff

Palm Springs, Calif., –

One of the Coachella Valley’s Cabaret sweethearts, Francesca Amari, is bringing the music of Linda Ronstadt to Palm Canyon Theatre on Wednesday, February 15 – for one night only. Amari is an award-winning and versatile entertainer who’s performed at top-rated cabaret clubs from New York City to Hollywood, including Birdland Jazz Club, the Metropolitan Room and the 92nd Street Y in NYC; The Gardenia, Catalina Jazz Club, and Feinstein’s at Vitello’s in L.A. Now calling the valley her home,

she performs regularly at the Palm Springs Cultural Center in the “Mod Squad Variety Show” and with P.S. Underground. She has also been known to fill the Purple Room Palm Springs.

Kay Kudukis wrote in Broadway World Palm Springs, “One of our brightest stars in Palm Springs is vocalist and cabaret artist Francesca Amari. She’s a terrific singer, and I enjoy her performances around town, but her Cabaret shows really knock my socks off.”

And now, Amari is bringing one of those special shows to PCT, produced by

Rickie McCabe. “Different Drum: The Music of Linda Ronstadt” highlights the iconic songs of one of the biggest names in pop/ rock music history. Earning 12 Grammys and selling more than 100 million albums, Ronstadt helped shape the music of the 1970s and 1980s. Amari pays tribute to Ronstadt’s ability to adapt to various musical styles, including country, rock, jazz, and Spanish-language classics.

“Linda Ronstadt has remained one of my three favorite singers of all time,”

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Director for the CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation, welcomed the guests and honorees to the celebration.

Pastor Raymond W. Turner Sr., D.Min., of Temple Missionary Baptist

Church gave the Invocation, followed by the presentation of the American and California colors and the Pledge of Allegiance led

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(From left) Accepted for Linda D. Wright; Arlington Rodgers Jr., President of the Black Culture Foundation; Rose Mayes, Humanitarian of the Year honoree; Gloria Macias Harrison, Black Rose awardee; Jim King, Foundation co-founder; Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson, Black Rose awardee; Accepting for San Bernardino Community Hospital Dr. Ruby Skinner, Medical Director, and Roz Nolan, Chief Nurse Executive Officer, and Genevieve Echols.

Beautify your Home with a Bit of Greenery

Check plant tags for tips on light and water needs. Use large floor plants to create a focal point, provide height and balance, and brighten bare walls. Fiddle leaf and weeping figs, rubber plants, dragon trees (Dracaena marginata), and palms are a few popular plants available as indoor trees. Set them on a plant caddy to protect your floors. This also makes it easier to move them for cleaning and maintenance.

Large plants and indoor trees are often pictured far from a window or in a dark corner of the room. Make sure the plants receive sufficient light or supplement natural light with attractive energy-efficient plant lights like the Alden Grow Lamp with a full spectrum LED bulb to help keep them healthy and looking their best.

By Melinda Myers

Whether you want to create a tropical oasis indoors or dress up your décor, plants are the answer. A few plants set on the floor, hanging from the ceiling, or displayed on a table can beautify any room, boost your mood, and reduce stress.

Select plants suited

to the growing conditions and your gardening style. This reduces ongoing maintenance and increases your growing success. For example, if you tend to overwater, look for plants that thrive in moist soil conditions. Grow more drought-tolerant plants if you are a gardener that tends to underwater.

Hang trailing plants like pothos, philodendrons, ivy, and others from the ceiling, in front of windows, or set them on shelves. The cascading foliage provides a bit of screening and softens hard surfaces for a cozier look and feel. Elevating plants also help keep them away from curious pets and children. Dress up any small

or large room with wallmounted planters like the Kira Grow Light Hanging Planter with a built-in light or the Triple Wall Planter or Wall Shelf with Planter. Plant-filled wall planters serve as living art, adding color, texture, and form to any blank space.

Use plant stands like the Crisscross Cascading Plant Stand to expand your indoor garden to various levels throughout the house. In addition, furniture grade and multifunctional stands like the Mobile LED Grow Light Cart (gardeners.com) allow you to maximize your home’s function and growing space.

Brighten any room with colorful and flowering plants. Crotons, prayer plants, dracaenas, and philodendrons are indoor plants with colorful leaves. Also, grow peace lilies, anthuriums, bromeliads, and moth orchids for a bit of floral beauty.

Boost the renewal powers of a good night’s sleep by including a few plants in your bedroom. The added greenery can create a sense of calm. The oxygen and boost in humidity the plants provide are also beneficial.

Elevate your bathroom to spa level with some

“Different Drum: The Music of Linda Ronstadt.”

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says Amari (the other two being Johnny Mathis and Ella Fitzgerald). “I have a visceral reaction the second I hear her gorgeous, pristine voice, and I have since I was a teenager. I’m

thrilled to celebrate the music of one of my idols and do it at the historic Palm Canyon Theatre. It was pure joy to work with my friend and producer, Rickie McCabe, to research and create the show.”

“Different Drum: The Music of Linda Ronstadt”

‘Black Rose Awards’

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by San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran and the City of San Bernardino Police Department Honor Guard.

JhuMaani Chess then sang a stirring National Anthem. Makeda Fransico then led the attendees in singing the Black National Anthem. With opening agenda items done, honorees and guests enjoyed an Italian-themed dinner.

World-famous Black artist Charles A. Bibbs donated limited edition prints of his work to the Black Rose awardees and his original signed work to Foundation co-founder Jim King.

“This year’s Award Gala is held in honor of Rosa Parks’

birthday,” said Black Rose Committee Co-Chair Jim King.

The Foundation paid tribute posthumously to four stalwarts of community contributions that had passed away since the last in-person Gala before the pandemic: Dr. Margaret Hill and Senior Black Rose Kings Don Griggs, Jimmy Jews, and Jess Nichols. Black Rose Committee members Erika Johnson and Terrance Stone then presented the newly renamed Dr. Margaret Hill Black Rose Young Adult Inspiration Awards and scholarships to Liyah Belvins, a student at California Baptist University majoring in psychology, and Prince Ogidikpe, a recent graduate with a bachelor’s

is part of Palm Canyon Theatre’s new Cabaret Fundraising Series, which is running this season with a variety of one-night-only performances. Performers donate their time and talents, and each unique show supports the 26-yearold nonprofit theatre, its

degree from Cal State San Bernardino, now working with Assemblymember Eloise Reyes.

“The Black Cultural Foundation prides itself on having presented more than 125 scholarships to students over the years,” said Black Rose Committee Co-Chair Kristine Scott.

The Foundation recognized its 2023 Black Rose Awards honorees: Gloria Macias Harrison, cofounder of the El Chicano newspaper and Board of Trustees member for the San Bernardino Valley Community College District; Deborah Robertson, Mayor of the City of Rialto with 22 years of service to the City of Rialto; and Linda D. Wright, veteran nonprofit organization leader. Black Culture Foundation co-founder and past president Jim King then presented

greenery. The humidity in the bathroom is excellent for ferns, air plants, prayer plants, and a variety of other tropical plants. You’ll enjoy this splash of greenery when stepping out of the shower or tub.

Add a few plants to your home office. Looking at and tending plants can help increase focus and creativity.

Containers are an essential part of your indoor garden. They should contain drainage holes to reduce the risk of soggy soil and root rot. Self-watering pots help take the guesswork out of watering, minimize maintenance, and, for many, will increase gardening success. No need to have matching pots but consider using those made from similar materials and design elements. This helps provide unity throughout your indoor garden and home’s décor.

Start your plant makeovers one room at a time. Like any home decorating project, dividing it into smaller tasks is easier on the budget and makes the process less overwhelming.

Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books; her website is www. MelindaMyers.com.

education programs, and the culture it cultivates in the Coachella Valley. The Cabaret begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 15. All tickets are $30. Group discounts are available. For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or other information, call the PCT

Box Office at (760) 3235123 or order online: PalmCanyonTheatre.org. The Palm Canyon Theatre is located at 538 North Palm Canyon Drive, at the corner of Alejo Road and Palm Canyon Drive. Box Office hours are currently TuesdaySaturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

the Jim King Black Rose Corporate Award to Dignity Health Community Hospital of San Bernardino. Roz Nolan, the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer, and Dr. Ruby Skinner, Chief Medical Officer, accepted the award.

Christie “Mirraje” Malone treated the audience to another musical interlude, singing an original composition with the crowd moving with her rhythms.

Mirraje’s experience singing with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Salt and Pepper shone brightly as she brought people to their feet in appreciation.

Rose Mayes received the 2023 Juanita H. Scott Humanitarian of the Year award. Mayes is the Executive Director of the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County. Her passion and commitment to promoting fair opportunities,

regardless of race, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability, have born noteworthy results.

Mayes’s contributions include being co-founder of the Eleanor Jean Grier Leadership Academy, cofounder and past president of the Riverside Black Historical Society, and co-founder and co-chair of The Group, a grassroots public policy advocacy forum addressing community issues affecting Riverside’s people.

Black Culture Foundation President Arlington Rodgers Jr. delivered the epilogue to the event, noting the Foundation’s achievements and continuing aspirations, a fitting summary, and a conclusion to an entertaining and successful event.

To join or for more information, go to: https:// sbbcfoundation.org.

California Has the 3rd Worst Roads in the U.S.

No shortage of roads needs fixing, and total highway expenditures have grown over the past 20 years, highlighting the government’s commitment to improving America’s most common form of transportation. Funds dedicated to capital outlay, or the cost of equipment or expenditures to make improvements, including construction, grew the most and secured the most funds, increasing from $87.4 billion in 2000 to $127.7 billion in 2020. In addition, spending on maintenance increased by nearly $20 billion, from $43.7 billion in 2000 to $61.4 billion in 2020.

be farther down the list.

The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. To determine the states with the worst roads, researchers at Construction Coverage calculated the share of significant roadways in poor condition. In the event of a tie, the state with the lower percentage of roadways in good condition was ranked higher. Major roads include interstates, other freeways and expressways, principal arterials, and minor arterials.

By Desert Star Staff

Roadways are a vital component of infrastructure in the United States. The vast majority of goods are transported by truck, highlighting the economy’s need for reliable roadways to connect supply chains and move goods and services efficiently across borders. In addition, most commuters use roads daily to get to work, and individuals rely on roadways for crucial access to resources, including employment, social, health, and education services. However, many highways, major roads, and bridges need repair. Hazardous road conditions can negatively impact the

economy, contribute to traffic congestion, and impact the safety of Americans. The passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package) highlights the importance of reliable roads in the U.S. and the commitment to improving America’s infrastructure. The 2021 bill signed by President Joe Biden dedicated $110 billion in funding to repair and update roads and bridges, in addition to supporting major transformational roadway projects across the U.S.

Despite this massive investment, America still has its fair share of hazardous roads. From 2000 to

2020, the percentage of significant roadways in poor condition remained relatively steady, rising from 11.8% to 13.8% over 20 years. While frustrating for vehicle owners and operators, there’s more promising news: the share of roads in good condition has steadily increased since 2000, rising a total of 8.4 percentage points, from 45.5% in 2000 to 53.9% in 2020.

The share of major roadways in fair condition, or the category between excellent and poor, was the only category to shrink over the last 20 years, falling from 42.6% in 2000 to 32.3% in 2020—a decrease of over 10 percentage points.

Highway costs aren’t isolated to physical improvements. Expenditures in administration, highway law enforcement, and bond interest have also increased to maintain orderly and safe roadways. This particular area of spending grew from $36.6 billion in 2000 to $55.1 billion in 2020.

While roads serve as critical infrastructure, and investments in roadway improvements are growing, there are still regions where road quality is lagging behind. For example, a surprising amount of East Coast states—where individuals are more likely to commute via public transit—are home to a large share of roadways in poor condition, while Midwest states are more likely to

The analysis found that 30.8% of the major roadways in California are in poor condition, compared to 13.8% of roadways across the country. Out of all states, California has the 3rd worst roads. Here is a summary of the data for California:

Share of major roadways in poor condition: 30.8%

Share of major roadways in fair condition: 32.9%

Share of major roadways in good condition: 36.3%

Daily vehicle miles traveled per capita: 20.9

For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:

Share of major roadways in poor condition: 13.8%

Share of major roadways in fair condition: 32.3%

Share of major roadways in good condition: 53.9%

Daily vehicle miles traveled per capita: 24.4

Save the Capitol - Proposed Project to Demolish the State Capitol Annex

By Desert Star Staff SACRAMENTO, CA

- Four retired legislators called Senate President proTempore Toni Atkins’ claim that it would cost just as much money to rehabilitate the historic Capitol Annex as it would construct a new luxurious glass annex as “humbug.” They urge the newly elected members of the Legislature to have the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) assess the proposed project and the pro-Tem’s claim.

“It is difficult for the public to determine reality and illusion,” said former Republican Assemblyman Bill Bagley. “We appear to be awash in the wake of institutional fiction. The State can absolutely rehabilitate the Annex, just like they are doing with the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building and the Jesse M. Unruh State Office Building.”

Last month, the LAO announced that the Governor’s budget should make more cuts than his office anticipated, advising

the Legislature “not to adopt the Governor’s spending solutions” but come up with other solutions.

“We believe that the LAO may find that rehabilitating the Capitol Annex would save more money in the Budget for education and helping the homeless,” concluded Bagley.

Former Democratic Assemblyman and Congressman Sam Farr added: “I believe that the Department of General Services and the Legislative Joint Rules Committee unlawfully entered into a confidential Memorandum of Understanding in November 2018 that defined the project as demolition without input from required state agencies.” As a result, Farr said, the Chair of the State Historic Capitol Commission and another member resigned in protest.

Former Senator Quentin Kopp, the Independent, declared that the State Historical Capitol Commission was established, by law, to “review and advise the Legislature on any

development, improvement or other physical change in any aspect of the historic State Capitol.” In carrying out its duties, the Commission, he read, “ ... shall follow accepted standards for restoration, preservation, and maintenance of historic structures promulgated by the US Department of Interior.”

In addition to not taking input from the State Historical Capitol Commission, the former chair of the Joint Rules Committee also bypassed the law requiring the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to evaluate the project. Was he and (then) Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom apprehensive that SHPO would make a finding similar to that which saved San Diego’s famous Balboa Park from desecration? The proposal to demolish part of the Cabrillo Bridge and construct a new roadway there would have seriously affected the historic park.

Former Senator Alan Sieroty proclaimed that the State Historical Building Safety Board (SHBS) was

created in 1975 by past Senate Pro-Tem James Mills (now deceased but a strong opponent of the proposed glass annex). The law gives authority to SHBS to consult and review issues of qualified historic buildings. “A former Legislature created these laws, and now the Governor and current Legislature is ignoring them,” Sieroty said.

It appears that the socalled people’s house will become a palace unless

something Is done to stop it, despite the original legislation calling for consideration of rehabilitation, which is feasible, cost-¬effective, and time efficient,” Sieroty concluded.

“We strongly encourage the new members of the Legislature to obtain an opinion from the LAO about preserving one of the capital city’s last ties to its 19th and 20th-century history,” they stated in a joint statement.