Riverside Magazine

CITY LIFE & FINE LIVING

RIVERSIDE a u g u s t- s e p t e m b e r 2 014

m ag a z i n e

Fire in the kitchen

Family farms local roots a determined few seek to reshape Riverside agri-economy

Behind the scenes in reality TV

Soulful sounds Dap-Kings boast R’side influence

Higher ed

Leaders tackle today’s issues

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contents

RIVERSIDE M

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FEATURES

Ron Hasse PUBLISHER & CEO

10 FARM-TO-FORK FANS There was a time — not that long ago — when fruits and vegetables available in Southern California were for the most part locally grown. While a globalized and industrialized food system has greatly expanded the places where our produce comes from, many say there’s much to be gained by reducing the distance from the farm to the dinner table.

16 TV PRESSURE COOKER Think competing on a reality TV cooking series like Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” is a piece of cake? Think again. Rochelle Bergman, below, discovered that the insane challenges chef Gordon Ramsay puts the show’s contestants through leads to some crazy things.

21 HIGHER ED Q&A From the cost of a college education to helping graduates succeed in the workplace, the leaders of Riverside’s four major institutions of higher learning offer their perspectives on top issues facing students — and also reveal what’s in the works at the campuses.

Don Sproul MANAGING EDITOR

Jerry Rice EDITOR

Jim Maurer V.P. SALES & MARKETING

Lynda E. Bailey SALES DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR C O N TR I BUT I N G W R I TERS & E D I TO RS

Amy Bentley, Luanne J. Hunt, George A. Paul e di to r i a l g r a p h ic D ES I G N

Steve Ohnersorgen

28 SOUL’D ON THE SOUND After successfully battling pancreatic cancer, Sharon Jones is on the road again with the Dap-Kings, taking their stomping, soulful music to venues far and near, including the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 20. For one of the band’s performers, bassist Gabriel Roth, it’s a journey that always brings him back to Riverside.

DEPARTMENTS From the editor 6 Calendar 7 Save the date 9 Weddings 26 Seen A. Gary Anderson Memorial Golf Classic, Relay for Life 31 Judge John Gabbert Scholarship Fund 32 Nonprofits YWCA of Riverside County 17 Second Harvest Food Bank 33

Rick Sforza PHOTO EDITOR PH OTO GRAPHER

James Carbone, Will Lester, Eric Reed

Tom Paradis, Jack Storrusten SALES MANAGERS A DV ERT I S I N G SA L ES E X E C UT I V ES

Vikki Contreras, Carla Ford-Brunner Willie Merriam, Adil Zaher SA L ES ASS I STA N T s

Flo Gomez, Dixie Mohrhauser Maria Rodriguez, Victoria Vidana m a r k e t in g

Veronica Nair, Ginnie Stevens

LANG Custom Publishing Frank Pine EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Bryan Muldoon V.P. OF CIRCULATION

On the cover Mariela and Raul Buenrostro recall the classic “American Gothic” at RS Farms, a family owned business on Victoria Avenue.

Photo by Eric Reed Makeup, hairstyling by Dani Tygr

CONTACT US Editorial: 909-386-3015; fax 909-885-8741 or jerry.rice@langnews.com Advertising: 909-386-3006; or lynda.bailey@langnews.com Riverside Magazine is produced by LANG Custom Publishing of The Sun and Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

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from the editor

‘American Gothic,’ with a Riverside twist

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n 1930 when Grant Wood painted “American Gothic,” he intended it to be a positive statement about rural values.

That slice of Americana — which went on to become one of the most famous paintings in the history of American art and, of course, the inspiration for countless parodies — was created at a time when much of the nation’s food traveled only a short distance from the farm to the dinner table.

Certainly there were exceptions, and Riverside benefited as one of those during the late 1800s and early 1900s when local growers shipped tens of millions of dollars worth of citrus to cities all around the country. Still, food was largely a local affair.

But recently for reasons of health, the economy, environment and even a bit of nostalgia, locally sourced produce

Eric Reed’s cover photo.

Their family’s business, RS Farms, is part of a local food system that includes farms in Riverside’s greenbelt area, community gardens on small plots throughout the city, and even backyard plantings of fruits and vegetables.

With all the activity “American Gothic,” 1930, by Grant Wood, courtesy The Art Institute in the field, which is of Chicago, left; and “Riverside Gothic,” 2014, photo by Eric Reed. the subject of the story is being embraced by a devoted and that starts on Page 10, it will be exciting seemingly growing number of people. to see where it grows from here.

To help us illustrate the trend, we approached Raul Buenrostro and his sister, Mariela, to help us re-envision Wood’s iconic work and they cheerfully bought into the idea — regardless jerry.rice@langnews.com of the expressions they’re wearing in 951-541-1825, @JerryRice_IE

Jerry Rice

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‘BUILDING IMAGINATION’ THROUGH SEPT. 14 – Art of Garner Holt Productions, the San Bernardino-based designer of animatronics, animatronic figures, special effects, parade floats and interactives.

Company’s work includes the recent makeover of the Calico Mine Ride at Knott’s Berry Farm.

Riverside Art Museum, 3425 Mission Inn Ave.; 951-684-7111; www.riversideartmuseum.org.

Also: “Obsession: The Stadium Photography and Soccer Shirt Collection of Jim Dow,” continues through Sept. 24.

‘THE FULL MONTY’ AUG. 8-16 – Unemployed steel workers come up with a new plan to earn a living, in a show presented by Bellajohn Theatricals.

The Box, Fox Entertainment Plaza,

calendar

THE SHOPS AT DOS LAGOS THROUGH AUG. 16 – Taylor Made (James Taylor tribute), Aug. 9; Savor (Santana tribute), Aug. 16. Bring lawn chairs and blankets; concerts 7-9 p.m. in the parking lot near T.G.I. Friday’s. 2780 Cabot Drive, Corona; 951-277-7601; www.shopdoslagos.com.

CANYON CREST TOWNE CENTRE THROUGH AUG. 26 – B-Side (rock), Aug. 5; The Night Tides (surf ), Aug. 19; Working Poets (classic rock), Aug. 26. Canyon Crest Towne Centre, 5225 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside; 951-686-1222; www.cctownecentre.com.

RIVERSIDE PLAZA THROUGH AUG. 30 – The Devious Means, Aug. 9; Johnson Trio, Aug. 16; Moonsville Collective, Aug. 23; Nico Adams, Aug. 30.

3639 Riverside Plaza Drive; 951-683-1066; www.shopriversideplaza.com.

‘UNCOMMON PLACES’ THROUGH SEPT. 6 – Featuring works by Stephen Shore, a talented photographer who as a teenager sold prints for a collection at New York’s Museum of Modern Art,

3635 Market St., Riverside; 951-826-2427; www.bellajohntheatricals.com, www.riversideblackbox.com.

Also: “The Little Mermaid,” Aug. 30-Sept. 7; “Next to Normal,” presented by Creative Arts Theatre, Oct. 17-26.

MARIACHI FESTIVAL SEPT. 19-20 – Music, mariachi and ballet folklorico acts from throughout Southern California plus cultural foods. Fairmount Park, 2601 Fairmount Blvd., Riverside; 951-826-2000; www.riversideca.gov/park_rec.

HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS SEPT. 3 – In concert. Fox Performing Arts Center, 3801 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside; 951-779-9800; www.riversidepac.com.

Also: Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Aug. 6; Amos Lee, Aug. 8; Ballet Folklorico, Aug. 10; Pimpinela, Aug. 16; Matisyahu, Aug. 30; Yanni, Sept. 17; Last Comic Standing, Sept. 19; Melissa Etheridge, Sept. 21; Natalie Cole, Sept. 24; Leann Rimes, Sept. 27; Larry the Cable Guy, Oct. 5; Jerry Lewis, Oct. 11.

‘LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL’ SEPT. 26-OCT. 5 – Popular musical with a peppy score and playful book opens the 2014-15 slate for Performance Riverside.

Subsequent shows this season include “Shrek the Musical” (Nov. 7-16), “Kinetic Conversations” (Dec. 4-6) and “In the Heights” (Feb. 6-15). Landis Performing Arts Center, 4800 Magnolia Ave., Riverside; 951-222-8100; www.performanceriverside.org.

and in 1968 started a series of cross-country road trips that resulted in an extended photographic exploration of everyday America.

UCR/California Museum of Photography, 3824 Main St., Riverside; 951-827-4787; http://artsblock.ucr.edu. Also: “Flash: Dana DeGiulio,” through Aug. 9; “CMP Projects: U,” through Sept. 20.

LAKE ALICE TRADING CO. THROUGH SEPT. 27 – Little George (acoustic), Aug. 6 and 27; The Groove (classic rock), Aug. 8; 212 Band (classic rock), Aug. 9; Monty Sommer (acoustic/original), Aug. 13; Lady & the Tramps (classic rock), Aug. 15; Pac Men (1980s), Aug. 16 and Sept. 13; Scatterbrain (classic rock to today’s hits), Aug. 20; Driven (rock/classic rock), Aug. 23; David Paul Band (classic rock to today’s hits), Aug. 29; Band of Brothers (classic rock), Aug. 30; Straight 78s (funk), Sept. 5; Heymakers (1990s), Sept. 6; Jacob Cummings (original rock), Sept. 10; The Groove (classic rock), Sept. 12; Eclipse (rock and today’s hits), Sept. 19-20; Gravity Guild (alt/rock), Sept. 27.

3616 University Ave., Riverside; 951-686-7343; www.lakealicetradingco.com.

ROMANO’S CONCERT LOUNGE THROUGH OCT. 1 – Sweet and Tender Hooligans (Morrissey and The Smiths tribute),

Huey Lewis and The News

hot list

Sept. 20; The Real ABC featuring Martin Fry, Oct. 1. 5225 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside; 951-781-7662; http://theconcertlounge.com.

FILM SCREENINGS THROUGH OCT. 18 – “The Wind Will Carry Us,” Aug. 8; “Who is Dayani Cristal?”

Aug. 15-16; “Rocks in My Pockets,” Aug. 22-23; “Finding Vivian Maier,” Aug. 29-30; “The Dance of Reality,” Sept. 5-6; “We Are the Best!”

Sept. 12-13; “Sol LeWitt,” Sept. 19-20; “The Last of the Unjust,” Sept. 26-27; “Manakamana,” Oct. 3-4; “The Immigrant,” Oct. 10-11; “Omar,” Oct. 17-18. Culver Center of the Arts, 3834 Main St., Riverside; 951-827-4787; http://culvercenter.ucr.edu.

‘JOHN MUIR & THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF NATURE’ THROUGH OCT. 26 – Exhibit focuses on Muir’s contributions as a scientist and also nature’s role in the lives of individuals and the history of the United States. Screenings of the Ken Burns documentary “Yosemite: A Gathering Spirit” every Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Metropolitan Museum, 3580 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside; 951-826-5273; www.riversideca.gov/museum. Also: “Telling Riverside’s Story in 50 Objects,” through Jan. 4; “Force of Arms” and “Nature Lab,” ongoing. august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 7

ARTS WALK AUG. 7 – Theme: Botanical Prints on Paper and Clay. Browse more than 20 art galleries, studios and museums with exhibits in various art mediums. Special performances, poetry, theater, hands-on art activities, refreshments and more. Continues the first Thursday of every month. Downtown Riverside; 6-9 p.m.; 951-682-6737; www.riversidedowntown.org.

“Brawl,” a 1999 oil on linen by Megan Williams, is one of the works featured in “Figurative Languages.”

‘FiGURATIVE LANGUAGES’ THROUGH NOV. 1 – Selections from seven artists working in painting, drawing and collage that explore creative approaches toward the figure.

Sweeney Art Gallery, UCR ARTSblock, 3824 Main St., Riverside; 951-827-4787; http://sweeney.ucr.edu.

Also: “Domesticating Disturbances,” new work by Nathan Huff, through Nov. 1.

BRUSH OFF AUG. 10 – Seven artists will be challenged to create an assemblage piece of sculpture in two and a half hours using only a box of cast-off “junk” presented to them just before the contest. A fundraiser for the Riverside Art Museum, the event will be emceed by Greg Adamson. Riverside Art Museum, 3425 Mission Inn Ave.; 3-6 p.m.; $50, $75; 951-684-7111; www.riversideartmuseum.org/brushoff.

Queen Nation (Queen tribute), Sept. 13; 17th annual Comedy Night Starring Andy Kindler, Sept. 20; Amon Amarth, Sept. 25; Social Distortion, Sept. 26; Fitz & The Tantrums, Sept. 27; Savoy, Oct. 3; Cherub, Ghost Beach and Gibbz, Oct. 16; Mint Condition, Oct. 17; The Janoskians, Oct. 24.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY PHILHARMONIC SEPT. 6 – Guest artist Joseph Swensen and The Phil will perform the Sibelius “Violin Concerto” and other works. The concert has been rescheduled from an earlier date. Fox Performing Arts Center, 3801 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside; 951-787-0251; www.thephilharmonic.org.

TWILIGHT GARDEN TOUR AUG. 15 – Evening tour of the UCR Botanic Gardens, with refreshments on the patio following the tour. 900 University Ave.; 7-8:30 p.m.; 951-784-6962; www.gardens.ucr.edu. Also: Fall Plant Sale, Oct. 25-26.

CHINESE MOON FESTIVAL SEPT. 7 – Lion dance performance, games, crafts, storytelling, tai chi demonstration and more. Festival is presented in partnership with Riverside’s Huaxia Chinese School and the Riverside Astronomical Society. Heritage House, 8193 Magnolia Ave., Riverside; 6-8 p.m.; free; 951-826-5124. www.riversideca.gov/museum/heritagehouse/ chinese-moon-festival.asp.

COHEED AND CAMBRIA SEPT. 5 – In concert with Thank You Scientist; show launches a national tour. Riverside Auditorium & Events Center, 3485 Mission Inn Ave.; 951-779-9800; www.riversiderma.com.

Also: Which One’s Pink (Pink Floyd tribute),

GREEK FEST OCT. 3-5 – Second annual celebration of Greek cuisine, music, dance, art and culture.

St. Andrew Orthodox Christian Church, 4700 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside; 951-369-0309; http://riversidegreekfest.com.

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CITRUS CLASSIC BIKE RIDE OCT. 12 – Rides of 28, 50 and 100 miles in addition to a 7-mile family ride and a kiddie ride.

Free bike festival for everyone featuring music, food, vendors, beer garden and other activities.

Proceeds benefit the Riverside Educational Enrichment and Alvord Educational foundations.

Riverside Plaza, 3535 Riverside Plaza Drive; first ride begins at 6:30 a.m.; www.rusdlink.org/citrusclassic.

CHORAL FESTIVAL OCT. 15-18 – La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside; 951-785-2241; www.lasierra.edu. Also: Wind Ensemble Concert, Nov. 1; Orchestra Concert, Nov. 15; Wind and Percussion Chamber Concert, Dec. 2; Jazz Combo Concert, Dec. 3; 67th Candlelight Concert, Dec. 5; Chamber Music Series, Dec. 7; Student Chamber Music Recital, Dec. 10.

RIVERSIDE TRIATHLON OCT. 19 – Third annual 5K run, 12-mile bike ride and 150-meter swim, featuring individual competitors and team relays, to benefit the Riverside Police Foundation’s efforts to promote youth programs and community outreach.

Bobby Bonds Sports Park, 2060 University Ave., Riverside; race-day registration 6-7:30 a.m.; www.riversidetriathlon.com.

GHOST WALK OCT. 24-25 – Original tales of ghosts and ghouls incorporating local landmarks. Downtown Riverside; $15; 951-787-7850; www.crballet.com.

sav e th e date charitable events Aug. 23 — Fifth annual Riverside Medical Clinic Charitable Foundation Dinner Auction, Brazilian Nights. Brazilian appetizers, dinner, drinks, live and silent auctions, and dancing.

Riverside Convention Center, 3443 Orange St.; http://rmccharity.org/dinner-auction.

Sept. 15 — Fourth annual Tom Pernice Jr. Charity Golf Classic, a benefit for The Unforgettables Foundation and the Tom Pernice Foundation. Bear Creek Golf Club, 22640 N. Bear Creek Drive, Murrieta; 909-335-1655; http://unforgettables.org.

Sept. 19 — 30th annual Women of Achievement, presented by the YWCA of Riverside County. Event honors extraordinary women who exemplify the ideals of the YWCA organizational mission. Riverside Convention Center, 3443 Orange St.; 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; $65, $600 for table of eight; 951-687-9922; www.ywcarivco.org.

Sept. 20 — Inland Empire Heart & Stroke Walk to benefit the American Heart Association, with a 3.1-mile walk/run and 1-mile optional survivor route. Rancho Jurupa Park, 4800 Crestmore Road, Jurupa Valley; registration 7 a.m., opening ceremonies 8 a.m., walk starts at 8:30 a.m.; 310-424-4174; www.ieheartwalk.org.

Sept. 22 — 29th annual Golf Classic, presented by the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce. Jurupa Hills Country Club, 6161 Moraga Ave., Riverside; 8 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. shotgun start; 951-683-7100; www.riverside-chamber.com.

Sept. 27 — Paint the Town Pink, Riverside Community Health Foundation’s annual celebration. Physicians Parking Lot, Riverside Community Hospital; 6-10 p.m.; 951-788-3471; http://rchf.org.

Oct. 4 — Light the Night Walk, to support efforts by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to fight cancer. California Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia Ave., Riverside; 4 p.m.; www.lls.org/aboutlls/chapters/ocie.

Oct. 13 — SmartRiverside’s eighth annual charity golf tournament to support and expand the programs and services the nonprofit organization offers. Victoria Club, 2521 Arroyo Drive, Riverside; 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 951-826-5109; www.smartriverside.org.

Nov. 8 — Second annual Unforgettable Bachelor Auction, a benefit for The Unforgettables Foundation. Morongo Casino, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 6 p.m.; $50 entry, $75 VIP ticket with pre-event party; 909-335-1655; http://unforgettables.org.

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cover story

A taste for l

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hristina Kerby is a member of Riverside’s 1 percent. That figure has nothing to do with economic status — often a talking point during political campaigns — but rather how and where she shops for the fruits and vegetables her family consumes.

“The produce here is fresh, and there’s a good variety,” Kerby said as she was leaving the Certified Farmers

Market on a recent Friday morning, holding four bags filled with green onions, lettuce, squash, strawberries and other items. “I try to get everything I need to cook with for the week. What we really like about what’s here is they don’t use pesticides, and it’s much cleaner and fresher.”

Most, if not all, of the produce displayed on tables set up that morning in the Sears parking lot was picked only a few hours earlier or the previous day at Gaytan Family Mariela and Raul Buenrostro pick strawberries at RS Farms, a family owned business on Victoria Avenue that also grows cantaloupe, corn, kale, onions, squash and tomatoes among many other items.

r local

Farm-to-fork movement is gaining ground in Riverside and the IE Written by Jerry Rice Photos by Eric Reed

Farms to market Fresh, locally grown produce may be purchased at farmers markets and other locations in Riverside, including: Clark’s Nutrition & Natural Foods Market 4225 Market St. Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

951-686-4757 www.clarksnutrition.com Downtown Farmers Market Main Street between Fifth and Sixth streets Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. www.riversideca.gov/ar ts/ farmers-market.asp Galleria at Tyler 1299 Galleria at Tyler (in the Barnes & Noble parking lot) Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. www.galleriatyler.com/events/ farmers-market Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center, 10800 Magnolia Ave. Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. bit.ly//sL0EQg Riverside Certified Farmers Market 5261 Arlington Ave. (in the Sears parking lot) Friday, 8 a.m. to noon 209-955-0949 www.riversidecfm.com

Farm in Mira Loma, Rios Farm in Banning, Crown Ranch in Corona or at one of about a half-dozen other nearby locations. Should shoppers have a question, they can ask someone who was directly involved with the planting, growing and harvesting of the crop.

“The customer service here is really good,” Kerby said.

She is part of a small but enthusiastic community of consumers who want to shorten the distance fruits and vegetables travel from the farm to the dinner table. Some do it for health reasons. Others want to support growers and jobs in the area. There’s also an aspect of nostalgia.

“As recently as just before World War II, everybody in Southern California ate locally produced food,” said Bob Knight, a Redlands area farmer who works 67 acres of land with thousands of orange trees — producing sweet Valencias, seedless navels and other varieties — as well as an assortment of vegetables.

“After the war, our society globalized

the food system and industrialized it,” he added. “With the distribution systems that were set up, it meant that you could source from a broader distance and have any kind of food you want at any time of the year. But what we gave up was our local food culture.

“Now we have fruits and vegetables that don’t taste all that great because they’ve been bred for durability and ship-ability.”

Knight and others like him hope to turn back the clock. They’re working overtime to save the region’s agricultural heritage by cultivating new and regular customers everywhere they can find them, including at farmers markets and through Community Sponsored Agriculture programs.

One CSA that serves both Riverside and San Bernardino counties is the Old Grove Farm Share (www.oldgrovefarmshare.com), an alliance of more than 30 farmers, including Knight.

Families sign up and pay in advance to receive a weekly supply of fresh-picked

produce — avocados, carrots, kale, salad greens, tomatoes, apples, oranges and more — for a 13-week period.

“Farmers like the subscription model because they know in advance they will have customers during the growing season. It’s a sort of job security for them,” said Erin Gettis, Riverside’s historic preservation officer.

Earlier this year, Gettis organized the inaugural Grow Riverside conference, which brought farmers, produce buyers and distributors, health and nutrition experts, government officials and other stakeholders to the Convention Center to share ideas and to develop strategies to create a more robust local food system.

Lessons in healthy eating When it comes to putting what was preached at the conference into practice, Rodney Taylor has been doing that for more than a decade. As director of nutrition services with the Riverside Unified School District, he led an effort to put salad bars, all stocked

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with items from Southern and Central California growers, into cafeterias at 30 of the district’s elementary schools.

That was just the beginning.

Then it became a matter of encouraging students to eat what’s good for them by making the salad bar the first stop in the lunch line and also having cafeteria employees demonstrate what a colorful, wholesome salad looks like and why it’s healthy to eat.

In the classroom, farmers and chefs stop by to talk to the students, plus there are hands-on experiences including “cooking cart” lessons, taste tests and school gardens. Students also go on field trips to farms and farmers markets.

“Our salad bar is not just a salad bar.

It’s a program that we use to teach children how to become lifelong healthy eaters,” said Taylor, adding that he often is questioned by skeptical parents who face challenges at home getting their children to eat fruits and veggies.

At school, though, he estimates that more than 85 percent of students

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actually do.

“It works because of all the other activities that are involved,” he added.

“Offering fruits and vegetables alone is not enough. I’ll give you an example: We’ve always had apples, bananas and oranges in schools. But give a kindergartener an orange and they can’t peel it, give a third-grader an apple and he can’t eat it because he doesn’t have teeth. Our fruit cup is cut up, it’s userfriendly, and it’s at the peak of the season. It appeals to all the senses.”

A two-year study by the University of North Carolina’s Center of Excellence for Training and Research Translation showed that the program did, in fact, result in an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables among RUSD students.

The healthy-eating effort extends into middle and high school, where students can select from several items developed

by Ryan Douglas, the district’s executive chef and catering supervisor. Lunchtime options include specialty sandwiches like the Turkey Caesar Ciabatta, and The

“Research has shown that when kids don’t have proper nutrition during the summer, they fall behind,” says Rodney Taylor. The Riverside Unified School District has a program that serves healthy lunches to kids at parks and libraries throughout the city during the summer break.

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august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 13

FILE PHOTO

Malourdes Cayetano shops for beets at the Riverside Certified Farmers Market.

Wallie, a salad with greens, dried cherries, diced apples, chicken and chopped walnuts.

Besides teaching kids how to be lifelong healthy eaters, Taylor says the program has two other primary goals: First, it provides the district’s 43,000 students — 68 percent of them from families at risk of facing hunger on a regular basis — with access to fresh fruits and vegetables five days a week.

That aspect of it continues even during the summer with a free lunch served Monday through Friday to children ages 2-18, regardless of their financial status or where they live, at 19 parks and five schools in Riverside plus the downtown and Highgrove libraries.

Called the FEEDS program, it’s funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and includes nutrition instruction and activities led by student interns from California Baptist University and Loma Linda University Medical Center.

Second, for local and regional farmers it opens a huge year-round market, which has grown as the program has expanded.

In 2005, the RUSD spent $30,000 for produce from three farms in Bloomington and the Redlands area.

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Last year, more than $275,000 in goods were purchased from nine farmers, including navel and Valencia oranges from Gless Ranch in Riverside; romaine and specialty lettuce, spinach and kale from Unity Farm, a 16-acre USDAcertified organic operation in Rubidoux; cherry tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini and other items from Doug Powell’s organic farm in San Timoteo Canyon; and avocados, citrus, lettuce, tomatoes and stone fruit from Knight.

“We’re hearing that students are going home and telling their parents what they’ve had for lunch,” Taylor said.

“Our chef does demonstrations in the classroom and for parents. He’s teaching them how to use produce that’s sourced locally, that’s inexpensive, and how they can make quick dishes that are costeffective.

“What we’re trying to do is be a catalyst for change in a community, especially for those families that are most vulnerable to diabetes, obesity and other related illnesses that are caused by obesity. We can bring about change just through a change of diet.”

Growing movement At RS Farms on Victoria Avenue in

Riverside’s greenbelt area, work begins early — often before sunrise. That’s especially true on weekends when as many as 20 people are busy picking, cleaning and boxing fruits and vegetables that will be sold at the farmers market at Kaiser’s Riverside Medical Center on Fridays, the Downtown Farmers Market on Saturdays and at several other area markets.

While the work is physical and can be a challenge in the elements, Raul Buenrostro enjoys it. His father, also Raul who goes by the nickname “Cuyo,” has owned the five-acre farm for 17 years, and Buenrostro, his two brothers and sister, Mariela, have practically grown up on that farm or a second one the family rents on La Sierra Avenue.

“In elementary school, I would have 20 bucks from pulling weeds, and nobody would believe me,” he recalled.

“When I got to middle school, I would have $200 or $300. I’d tell people I was a farmer, but back then being a farmer was not cool. They would make fun of me, so I stopped telling them I was a farmer.”

That’s not the case today. Buenrostro, who has a degree in criminal justice from California State University Chico, happily returned to his farming roots.

“I couldn’t stand being in an office all day. It’s not my thing,” he said. “I like the air and seeing people and talking to them.”

Many customers rave about the taste of the produce — particularly the strawberries, which are available eight to nine months during the year — and they like the fact that pesticides are rarely used at RS. While the farm is not certified organic, workers control pests via crop rotation and the use of a soap and olive oil solution or a mixture of vinegar and water.

“We like to keep it to the old, traditional ways,” Buenrostro said.

“If we ever have to use pesticides, we will, but we let people know.”

Many farms in this section of Riverside, and elsewhere in the Inland area, follow the same philosophy — an appealing point for not just families, but

business owners as well.

At Mario’s Place, for example, Chef Leone Palagi buys top-quality produce grown at seven farms within an hour’s drive of his downtown Riverside restaurant; Hangar 24 Craft Brewery has a Local Fields Series with six new selections introduced every other month to take advantage of what’s in season; and Clark’s Nutrition & Natural Foods Market has a section stocked with fresh-picked fruits and vegetables.

“If it’s locally produced, there’s much more visibility,” said Knight, the Redlands area farmer. “When you eat something, you can see how you helped save a local open space, how you gave that farmer a job, and that farmer is hiring your kid for the summer. That’s a big value proposition compared to buying the cheapest orange in the supermarket.”

Still, it’s only a small percentage of consumers who actually seek out locally sourced produce — in the low single digits statewide, according to the USDA. So what will it take for that number to grow?

“We have to get all of the participants in the food system rallied together, thinking about and working toward ways to make local food happen again,” Knight said. “We have to get the Hangar 24s, the restaurateurs, city and county governments and others promoting a foodie Inland Empire that will be so rich and fabulous and attractive that people from all over California will come and partake in it.”

Events like Grow Riverside naturally fit that goal, Gettis says, and a second edition already is on the calendar for April 23-25. It will be expanded to include more community components such as greenbelt and local farm tours.

“The local food idea cuts across all political parties, segments of society and income levels,” she said. “There are so many people who support this for a variety of reasons. It’s a conversation piece now, and I don’t think it was before. We’re kind of at the beginning of where it starts to become a value system.”

Thursday, October 2, 2014 Fashion Show: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Main Street between University Ave. and Mission Inn Ave. Don’t miss Riverside’s premier fall fashion event featuring everything from vintage wear to tuxedos.

Fashion District Downtown Riverside presents the latest fall and winter looks.

Enjoy shopping specials at participating downtown retailers.

Strut the red carpet at the photo opportunity at Mezcal Cantina Y Cocina.

FREE EVENT

/FashionDistrictDowntownRiverside @RiversideFashion For more information: www.RiversideDowntown.org 3666 University Ave., Ste. 100 951.781.7335

august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 15

reality check

Standing the heat in TV’s

photo by Patrick W ymore / FOX

Chef Gordon Ramsay, left, and Rochelle Bergman during an episode of “Hell’s Kitchen.”

Written by George A. Paul

R

ochelle Bergman is a rare Inland area contestant on “Hell’s Kitchen,” Fox TV’s long-running cooking reality series. But when she learned about an open casting call for the show while attending the culinary school at Riverside City College, she initially was hesitant.

“I didn’t know if I wanted to subject myself to crying in front of millions of Americans if I didn’t perform well,” the Riverside native admitted.

Yet Bergman, 28, gave it a go, and she found success in the culinary gauntlet 16

| riversidethemag.com | august-september 2014

that is Chef Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen, making it into the final four out of 20 contestants during the show’s 12th season.

A North High School grad who completed the business economics program at UC Riverside, Bergman owns her own catering company, which will re-launch in the near future. We recently caught up with Bergman to talk about her experience: Question: What surprised you most about being part of a reality show?

Answer: Watching past seasons, I always thought, “I could do this; it’s not that difficult.” But when you’re in the moment and Chef Ramsay is there

putting crazy pressure on you, that definitely made me realize, “Wow, it’s a lot harder than it looks.”

Q: Any strange incidents during filming?

A: On one episode, we’re making ice cream and I’m spinning [the machine] for 20 minutes without realizing there’s nothing inside. Doing the show, you’re so tired, you forget dumb little things. …

Mostly it was really funny watching how other people handle pressure and seeing them have meltdowns.

Q: Following one dinner service where you excelled at making Beef Wellington, Ramsay said you cooked as if you’d been working on the line in a restaurant for five years. Did that praise provide a confidence boost?

A: Absolutely. Any compliment from Chef Ramsay is amazing. At that moment, I thought, “If I go home now, I will be content.”

Q: Were there any aspects of the dinner services that you’d like to see applied to a local restaurant?

A: The quality of food. We have a lot of chain restaurants where you’re getting the same dishes over and over. … The concept of having seasonal food when Chef Ramsay had us do our own menus; incorporating what types of side dishes you have based on what’s available.

Q: What are your favorite Riverside eateries?

A: I like Mario’s Place. Really delicious Italian. I also like The Salted Pig. They just changed the menu, which is exciting.

Q: What was the biggest lesson you learned?

A: Being able to handle myself under pressure. Before I went on the show, that was my biggest fear. Not only from being inexperienced, but realizing you’re going to have verbal abuse from the other contestants and Chef Ramsay.

Just being able to realize my self-worth.

I’m not identified by the negative words that other people speak over me. I also cooked a lot of things I’d never done before. There was a learning curve right out of the box.

YWCA & WO ME N O F A C H IE V E ME N T

Michelle Baldwin-Adams at the YWCA of Riverside County

Building blocks for success At the YWCA of Riverside County, long-held values remain at the center of today’s mission

S

ince its founding in 1906, empowering females of all ages and from all walks of life has been the raison d’être for the YWCA of Riverside County.

In addition, there is well-placed pride in today’s programs that promote unity, work to eliminate racism, build strong community leaders, and advocate for women’s rights, according to Michelle Baldwin-Adams, the executive director.

“When the organization first began,

it was put in place to assist women and children who came to the city to secure housing and employment,” she said.

“Over the years, the program’s focus became more about offering health and fitness programs much like the YMCA. But now, we are getting back to our mission and what we were originally about — which is empowering people to build happy and successful lives through human service-oriented programs rather than physical services.”

Such efforts include the after-school and educational scholarship programs and professional development.

One of the YWCA’s longest-running and most successful programs is Avenues, which sets out to instill self-esteem in middle school-aged girls and help them

make intelligent and informed choices for their futures. Participants work to identify the vocation to which they are best suited, what they value most and the difference between healthy and unhealthy behaviors.

“This program is a great example of how we work to eliminate racism,” BaldwinAdams said. “We bring middle-school girls together from all backgrounds and races and provide a safe space for them to bond and discover what they have in common.”

For young women in high school and college, as well as those returning to the workforce, the YWCA has a new Professional Women’s Academy. The curriculum is designed to equip students with strong leadership and networking skills to ensure their career.

(Continues on page 20)

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august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 17

YWCA & WO ME N O F A C H IE V E ME N T

Meet the Honorees Women of Achievement

Donna Doty Michalka Community Relations Manager Parkview Community Hospital Donna’s lifetime commitment to the community began early, volunteering at Riverside Community Hospital as a teenager. She is a past president of Community Connect, past president of Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful, president elect for the Riverside Public Library Foundation and a board member for the Riverside Educational Enrichment Foundation.

For the past several years, Donna, along with her husband, Bob, has worked tirelessly on the July 4th fundraiser, taking a leadership role in organizing Front Row Fireworks, an annual event benefiting the restoration and maintenance of Evergreen Memorial Historic Cemetery.

Stefanie Field Senior Counsel Gresham Savage Nolan & Tilden, PC

Leni Zarate Director of Special District Financing and Administration Psomas Engineering

Stefanie is both a leader in the community, actively involved in several nonprofit organizations, and a role model providing an example for professional development and community participation.

Stefanie is the community directorelect for the Junior League of Riverside and board member for the Corona Rotary, chairing the Personal Rotary Youth Development Experience Committee (PRYDE).

At North High School, she volunteers as a student mentor for the Law and Protective Services Academy. Because there was a shortage of female mentors this past academic year, Stefanie served as a mentor for two girls.

The projects that touch Leni’s heart are those involving foster children, disadvantaged youth and the homeless population.

Leni is the first vice chair of the Riverside Ending Homelessness Fund Advisory Committee, president/chair of the board for Path of Life Ministries, an advocate for Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA), vice chair of The SWAN Foundation, a mentor for the Global Business and Information Technology Academy at North High School and board member for the Athletic Commission at California Baptist University and board member with the California Riverside Ballet.

With her huge heart and tireless energy to serve, Leni continuously empowers the less fortunate.

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Y W C A & WOM EN OF A CHIEV EM ENT

Emerging Leader

Gold Sponsors

Kathy Wright & Dwight Tate Silver Sponsors

Jennifer O’Farrell Regional Executive Director Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire Jennifer thrives in creating a positive work environment through a culture of teamwork, trust and enthusiasm to heighten collaboration within the staff and agency partners. Jennifer has served as president of the YWCA of Riverside County, secretary of The Pick Group, and serves on the board of the Riverside Community Health Foundation.

Her accomplishments include being a 2010 graduate of the Riverside Chamber of Commerce Leadership Riverside Class, 2010 Woman of Distinction by state Sen. Bill Emmerson, 2012 Attorney General’s Award of Citizen Appreciation, 2013 and 2014 Soroptomist International Ruby Award recipient, 2013 Woman of the Year from the Riverside County Commission on Women, 2014 Soroptomist International Golden West Region award winner, 2014 NAACP Community Service Freedom award recipient and 2014 HOPE Collaborative Advocate of the Year award recipient.

Jennifer is the mother of Marleigh and the daughter of Sharon, and values the legacy of confident women that through life and work empower other women and girls.

Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon Where: Riverside Convention Center, 3637 Fifth St., Riverside When: Sept. 19, 11:30 a.m.

Cost: $65 per person Information: 951-687-9922, www.ywcarivco.org

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august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 19

YWCA & WO ME N O F A C H IE V E ME N T (Continued from page 17)

“We’ve received a lot of feedback from the community that there needs to be more mentoring for young women going into the workforce,” Baldwin-Adams said. “Thanks to so much community support, we feel the program is going to be a great success.”

With education as a focal point, the YWCA has been awarding scholarships to area high school students since 1990 through its Brown Family Scholarship.

Recipients from the Riverside and Alvord school districts are chosen based on GPA, community service, class ranking and school involvement.

Scholarship funds are raised through the YWCA’s Men Who Cook event, which is held every spring.

About $1,500 in scholarships are awarded to three college-bound students every year, and thanks to increased donations from Men Who Cook, $1,600 will be presented this year.

“We received over 30 applications, so we had a tough job narrowing it down to three recipients,” Baldwin-Adams said.

Beyond providing education and awarding scholarships, the YWCA recognizes exceptional women in the community through its Women of Achievement and Emerging Leader awards.

They are presented to those who serve as role models through noteworthy contributions to the civic, economic and cultural life of Riverside County.

Kathy Wright, one of last year’s Women of Achievement winners, says receiving the honor was a special experience.

“I had a feeling I had been nominated, but when I received the phone call that I would be getting the award, it was quite a feeling,” said Wright, a 34-year veteran of the Alvord Unified School District, who served as its superintendent before retiring in 2008. “It was particularly special to be in the company of all the great award winners who came before me.”

Other YWCA programs include a childbirth preparation class. It is held multiple times each month and includes instruction on anatomy and physiology,

Michelle Baldwin-Adams, center, helps Pat Cook, left, and Lindsay Dixon with an in-house mailer.

Fast facts • The YWCA of Riverside County helps more than 500 women every year via programs and classes that include career and networking guidance, childbirth preparation and the awarding of scholarships.

• The Women of Achievement awards luncheon, now in its 30th year, is the organization’s signature annual fundraising event.

Photo by LINDSAY DIXON Micah and Cameron Council take part in a childbirth preparation class.

signs and stages of labor, how to cope with labor pains and medical procedures associated with giving birth.

The goal of the classes is to help women and their coaches feel informed and empowered in order to make the best choices for delivering a healthy child, says Baldwin-Adams.

“We are growing beyond the walls of a community center,” she added. “Our resources are now being used to fund programs that are mission-driven in order to bring about positive and lasting change.”

YWCA of Riverside County

Where: 8172 Magnolia Ave., Riverside Hours: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday Information: 951-687-9922, www.ywcarivco.org Sponsored content

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• Started in 1990 by former Riverside Mayor Ab Brown (1978-1990), the annual Men Who Cook event raises funds for the Brown Family Scholarship. During the past decade, $25,000 has been awarded to college-bound students to help with tuition, fees, books and other expenses.

• More than 1,000 local businesses of all sizes, families and individuals support the organization through donations.

• From 1929 to 1967, the YWCA of Riverside County was located in a Julia Morgan-designed building that now is home to the Riverside Art Museum.

Morgan, a renowned architect who died in 1957, designed hundreds of buildings in California, including Hearst Castle.

EDUC ATION

College costs,

&

career prep

what’s ahead

Conversations with 4 of Riverside’s leaders in learning

E

ach new school year brings with it fresh possibilities and, certainly, challenges.

With thousands of college students in Riverside about to begin classes, we reached out to the leaders of the city’s four major institutions of higher learning to get their thoughts on education issues.

Ronald L. Ellis President, California Baptist University Question: What are the biggest challenges beyond the cost of an education facing college students today? What are some workable solutions to help students meet those challenges?

Answer: First, the competition for jobs. Students need to learn not only marketable skills to help them in their careers, but also networking and interviewing skills that will help them stand out by demonstrating their abilities and value to prospective employers.

Second, the need for real-world work experience. Internships can provide students practical work experience that often gives them a competitive advantage when entering the workforce, sometimes even before they graduate.

Q: The affordability of higher education and rising student debt are issues that parents and students have faced for some time. What changes in thinking and/or practices need to happen to ensure students have access to education that won’t leave them or their parents saddled with enormous debt?

A: First, plan ahead. Parents and students need to begin saving ahead for college expenses just as they do for other significant investments in life.

The earlier they begin preparing financially for college, the greater the potential to minimize education-related debt.

Photo by Jim Veneman/California Baptist University

Ronald L. Ellis august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 21

photo by Joshua Scheide/Riverside Community College District

Wolde-Ab Isaac

Second, pay as you go. Even though college often is a full-time pursuit, students can help avoid long-term debt by working to help pay expenses while they are in school, thus reducing the need to borrow money that will have to be paid back later.

Third, pursue all available options for scholarships and grants that do not have to be repaid.

Q: What are three major trends you see coming to higher education in California during the next five to 10 years? How will CBU be involved?

A: I think we will see a growing interest in STEM education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), distance learning, and programs in health-care fields, such as nursing and allied health. California Baptist University already has strong programs in all of these areas and will continue to look for opportunities to provide training that will prepare students for meaningful careers that will also benefit society.

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Wolde-Ab Isaac Acting President, Riverside City College Q: The affordability of higher education and rising student debt are issues that parents and students have faced for some time. What changes in thinking and/or practices need to happen to ensure students have access to education that won’t leave them or their parents saddled with enormous debt?

A: The California community college system continues to be the most affordable higher education system in the nation. Increasingly, students and parents are seeing the community college as a viable alternative to complete the first two years of college education without incurring high debts by going directly to the four-year universities.

Furthermore, the student success pathways with strategies for reducing the time for remediation and shortening the time for graduation will also

contribute to the reduction of financial burden on the student and the state.

Q: The “pay it forward” concept, where students receive free tuition in exchange for a commitment to pay a certain percentage of their future annual income for a number of years, is gaining traction in Oregon, Washington and other states. Similar proposals have been made that would benefit students majoring in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. What are the chances of “pay it forward” or something similar being broadly adopted in California and locally?

A: California is the eighth largest global economy and since it is a knowledge- and technology-based economy its competitiveness is dependent on having highly collegeeducated manpower in all areas but mainly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The current forecast shows that the needs of the economy cannot be fully met by the present output, therefore it is clear that the state will need to invest even more than it is doing at the present if it is to enable the state to remain competitive in this global economy.

Therefore, it seems to be wise for the state to study the “pay it forward” concept and adopt it as part of its investment package in strengthening and growing higher education.

Q: As the economy has improved and employers have ramped up hiring, there has been plenty of dialogue about America’s “skills gap” and the need for higher education to do a better job preparing future workers.

What are the most notable areas where RCC is partnering with the local, regional and national business community to ensure that the college is offering classes and programs that will best meet the needs of tomorrow’s economy?

A: With improvements in the economy and with better prospects for employment, the areas that Riverside City College is working on include: 1) Discussion with the hotel and

hospitality industry about the expansion of our culinary academy to include hospitality management to respond to the growing tourism industry in the Inland Empire.

2) Discussions are also underway with the legal community to support the rare opportunity that was granted to Riverside City College to develop the 2+2+3 pathways to the law field in collaboration with a number of universities including UC Irvine, UC Davis and USC. 3) Discussions with the health-care industry and UC Riverside are ongoing to develop a pathway to the medical school for Riverside City College students in the STEM areas (science, technology, engineering and math).

4) Riverside City College continues to invest in certificated programs, like automotive, welding, air conditioning and refrigeration in order satisfy the need for technicians in areas with high employment opportunities.

Kim A. Wilcox Chancellor, UC Riverside Question: The “pay it forward” concept, where students receive free tuition in exchange for a commitment to pay a certain percentage of their future annual income for a number of years, is gaining traction in Oregon, Washington and other states. Similar proposals have been made that would benefit students majoring in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. What are the chances of “pay it forward” or something similar being broadly adopted in California and locally?

Answer: Interestingly, UCR students were the ones who popularized the concept several years ago, as they lobbied for “Fix UC” during a meeting of the UC Regents on the Riverside campus. (A related story from Governing.com is at bit.ly/1ql3dpv.)

I admire their creativity and their thorough research, but I believe the challenge is much more complex than this solution implies. As long as state and other funding for higher education continues to decline, it will be very

PHOTO BY CARRIE ROSEMA/UC RIVERSIDE

Kim A. Wilcox

difficult to create a forward-looking system of tuition payments.

The future is simply too uncertain.

When students are in school, we have the ability to withhold the diploma or the transcripts. But if they are out of school, with a diploma, and they decide not to pay the university, what recourse would we have?

I would love to be wrong about this, but I don’t think it would work.

Q: What are three major trends you see coming to higher education in California during the next five to 10 years? How will UC Riverside be involved in those areas?

A: One major trend is globalization.

During their careers, future UCR graduates will travel to other countries, negotiate with international business partners, and engage in international planning and development.

To be effective in that world market, we must prepare students as citizens

of the world, with the experiences, knowledge and sensitivities that entails.

Part of that preparation will come from traveling abroad, but most of our students are unable to study abroad, so we must make our campus a “global campus.”

We will soon be hiring a vice provost for international affairs to assist us in developing a global strategy that builds on our historic strengths and connects students with willing partners, both academic and political, across the globe.

Second, filling the nation’s need for truly life-long learners. Graduates of the 21st century will change jobs (and often fields) many times over the course of their careers. We must be sure that they are prepared to take on new challenges and new opportunities as America evolves in the coming decades.

Universities are in the business of not only thinking about, but helping to create the future through research and august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 23

scholarship. We are proud of the fact that more than half of our students work with faculty on cutting-edge research while at UCR. Those students have experienced the challenges and the rewards of discovering things that no one has known before.

They will surely be life-long learners and that is why we continue to expand those opportunities so that every student can be part of the creation, as well as the utilization of knowledge.

Third, working to provide adequate access and success.

We are already in the midst of this transformation, as our state’s demographics continue to evolve and the composition of our student body changes.

But providing access to higher education is only part of the challenge. The rest of the challenge is ensuring that those students who enroll at a university succeed — they go on to graduate and become contributing members of society.

We are proud that of all of the research universities in the country, UCR is one of the very few where all students graduate at about the same rate regardless of family income or racial-ethnic identity.

Our plan is to build on that success, improving graduation rates for all and serving as a model for others across the country who are striving to emulate our success.

Q: What’s the latest regarding an arena for UC Riverside?

And, is partnering with the city on its arena project downtown near the convention center an option for UCR? A: Most agree that UCR needs a facility where we can gather, to celebrate our students’ accomplish-ments, to host athletic events, and to simply enjoy entertainment.

I plan to pursue the creation of such a center on the campus within walking distance for our students, believing that a downtown location is not appropriate for fulfilling most of our needs.

Randal R. Wisbey President, La Sierra University Question: What are the biggest challenges beyond the cost of an education facing college students today? What are some workable solutions to help meet those challenges?

Answer: An increasing number of students desire a university education, but they are neither prepared academically nor are their families equipped to provide them with the support that they need — generally because they are the first person in their family to enroll in college.

Family members are often supportive and proud of their sons and daughters, and they express high hopes for them, but due to their own circum-stances, they do not have experience with higher education and so the students require additional academic, personal, and social support from the learning community.

Although a university education should not be evaluated 24

| riversidethemag.com | august-september 2014

Photo by Natan Vigna/La Sierra University

Randal R. Wisbey

in the same way that one considers a degree from a technological or vocational institute, students and their parents still hope for better employment possibilities as a result of earning a four-year degree.

While on average this does in fact occur, an analysis of the top 100 employment opportunities in Riverside and San Bernardino clearly shows that only a very few of the jobs require a college degree.

Most of the hiring in these counties is for jobs that require a high school diploma or GED. It is important for our city officials and business leaders to find ways to increase employment opportunities for students who have successfully earned a four-year degree and have developed the dispositions and critical thinking and problem solving skills that are needed throughout the Inland Empire.

It is imperative that we increasingly educate families as well as the students. Parent orientation is crucial to ensure family support of the new college student. The more knowledge about college the parents have, the better the support for the student.

Finally, the current job market, along with the lack of certainty as to the future of certain professions, makes it quite challenging for students to address their future. Institutions of higher education must seriously help students learn how to clearly identify and market their skills to employers.

Q: What changes in thinking and/or practices need to happen to ensure students have access to education that won’t leave them or their parents saddled with enormous debt?

A: A university education should not be seen as either an entitlement or as an expense, but rather as an investment in the student’s future.

At La Sierra we work diligently with families to help them address their budgets so that funds can be available for investment in an education which will, according to the Department of Labor, provide on the average, a very handsome return.

While there are no easy answers to lowering the cost of higher education, everyone needs to pay attention to this issue. Universities need to grapple with the question along with the parents and students. We must stop seeing it as someone else’s problem.

Q: What are three major trends you see coming to higher education in California during the next five to 10 years?

How will La Sierra be involved in those areas?

A: There will be a continued emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineer-ing and math), continued exploration of the value of competency-based diplomas (as compared to credit-based diplomas), and continued demands for the convenience of asynchronous online learning opportunities.

Use of tech-nology will be a key component of all classes.

There will be a growing need for, and return of, competency learning incorporated into higher education — students and the job market will demand that they know “how to do” in addition to knowing the history, concepts, theory behind and within the discipline.

A strong university education will continue to be seen as the most effective way to improve one’s financial and career opportunities and to enhance the quality of life of a community.

There will be an increasing awareness that education is of the “whole person” and for the common good. Thus, there will be at least some mitigation of the laser-like emphasis on job-related outcomes and at least a little more attention to what has been the goal of a broad “liberal arts” education.

One of the major trends in higher education across the country is the challenge of coping with the “swirling student” who sculpt their college experience in more unusual ways by attending a variety of institutions and participating in online and hybrid classes. La Sierra has been successful in developing a number of cohort programs in various locations to help students who are in the workplace complete their degrees.

Another trend that higher education must pay attention to is often referred to as “stacking credentials” — the idea of providing ways in which students can demonstrate their skills through certificates, badges, etc., in addition to traditional bachelor or master’s degrees.

At La Sierra, our Division of General Education is discussing

how best to embrace this. We are also recognizing that there is significant interest in more fully providing recognition for students completing pre-professional transfer programs.

Finally, at La Sierra we are recognizing the need for more mentoring and guidance for students as they complete their degrees and move into the job market or to graduate programs. We believe the new career center will prove helpful in connecting our students to opportunities within Riverside and the Inland Empire.

Q: Riverside Mayor “Rusty” Bailey has talked about the importance of reading at a young age. Certainly elementary schools have a leading role with these young students, but is there also a place for the local colleges? If so, please elaborate.

A: Yes. La Sierra University invests in the future of K-12 students in several primary ways including: • Service-learning experience in area elementary schools. In many of these classes, students take time to read weekly with kids in the early elementary grades and provide other kinds of literacy programming assistance for the local school districts.

• Highly effective teacher preparation programs, along with administrator certification, EdS, and EdD programs in La Sierra’s School of Education. Research by one of our doctoral students has connected reading ability by the third grade with the ability to resist involvement in gangs.

More of Riverside Magazine’s Q&A with local university and college presidents is online at bitly.com/RivCollegeQA

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weddings

Your day, your song

C

lassic rock or country? Hip-hop or pop?

What about Top 40, swing and big band?

Because music is the soundtrack for the wedding reception, it can make the entire event memorable and successful — or not — which is why the music and disc jockey are worthy of careful consideration.

After all, you’ve already tried on 50 wedding dresses, visited a dozen venues and interviewed several caterers before making those decisions, didn’t you?

Most brides and grooms already know what they want to hear during their first dance, but outside of that special song the reception playlist

Written by Amy Bentley

should include selections that appeal to all ages and generations, says Jay Fitzgerald, owner of the D’Jay Company in Rancho Cucamonga.

“If the DJ just plays rock because that’s your favorite, you’ll lose people,” Fitzgerald said, adding that it’s wise to be “cross-genre” and have a mix of dance songs that are fast and slow. “They will cater to young and old and everybody in between.”

Longtime DJ Chuck Hornsby agrees.

“Variety is the spice of life, and at receptions you should try to play for everyone,” said the owner of Audio Concept DJ Service in Riverside, a business Hornsby started 34 years ago. “Some couples fall into the trap

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of choosing the music that they like. They forget to take into account that the party is for their guests too.”

Hornsby offered a few more wedding music tips: Encourage guests to make requests and have the DJ play requested songs, if possible; and have the DJ play group dance songs, such as “Macarena,” “Electric Slide” and “Cupid Shuffle.”

Gretchen Strutzenberg, who had worked as a wedding planner for nine years and operated Riverside-based Entertaining as Always!, says some guests, especially older ones, will appreciate hearing classics including favorite R&B songs or soft rock from the 1950s and ’60s.

“That’s the music that typically Reception playlist gets everybody Here are the top 10 songs up because requested at wedding par ties, it’s nostalgic,” according to Jay Fitzgerald, owner of the D’Jay Company. “These are the she said. ones being picked by brides and When it comes grooms, not DJs,” he says. “You can to selecting a see the trend here — they’re singsong for that along and group dancing songs.” special first dance, • “Don’t Stop Belivin’,” Journey couples should • “I Gotta Feeling,” Black Eyed Peas choose one they’ll • “Par ty Rock Anthem,” LMFAO remember, advises • “Sexy and I Know It,” LMFAO Fitzgerald, who • “Cupid Shuffle,” Cupid has 26 years in • “You Shook Me All Night Long,” AC/DC the business and • “Livin’ on a Prayer,” Bon Jovi during one year • “Sweet Caroline,” Neil Diamond did 42 wedding • “Moves Like Jagger,” Maroon 5 events at the • “Brown Eyed Girl,” Van Morrison Mission Inn Hotel & Spa and another 20 at the Canyon Crest Country Club.

“Pick a song they are going to remember for years to come,” he said. “Country music always has a big influence on the first dance.”

The first dance song represents the bride and groom’s relationship and their life as a couple, Strutzenberg adds.

“Instead of picking something off the radio that has the word ‘love’ in it, give it some thought,” she said.

The bride and groom also should present the DJ with a list of songs he should avoid playing, such as ones with too much sexual innuendo or profanity, Strutzenberg says.

In addition, couples should hire a DJ who fits their personality and can orchestrate the type of wedding party they want. If the newlyweds want a lively party, Strutzenberg says they should hire a DJ who will get out from behind the booth and rev people up.

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music

Fresh-flavored

sound

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings go for ‘honest and soulful,’ says the group’s bassist, a Riverside native

Written by George A. Paul

W

Sharon Jones PHOTOs BY Kyle Dean Reinford

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| riversidethemag.com | august-september 2014

ith computerized recording shortcuts so readily available and songs crafted by committee, finding fresh and genuine soul music can be an arduous task these days.

Look no further than Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. The multiracial New York City band takes an old school approach.

“People look to us to make music that is honest and soulful,” said Dap-Kings bassist Gabriel Roth (aka Bosco Mann) from his cozy downtown Riverside mixing studio, where vocals are often done amid vintage gear.

“One thing that sets us aside from retro acts we get compared to is we don’t really fall into the clichés of the genre. The arrangements are new.

We’re not taking licks from people or putting on Afro wigs. In that way, I think it’s more revolutionary, bold and innovative than a lot of music now that people would never dare call retro.”

Roth likens his group’s approach to punk rock labels and techno music producers.

“It’s not a genre thing; it has to do with being true to your heart,” he said.

Sixth and strongest studio effort, “Give the People What They Want,” reflects Roth and the Dap-Kings’ attention to sonic detail. Dynamic first single “Retreat” finds lead vocalist Jones belting away (key lyric: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”); “Slow Down Love” boasts a smooth luxurious groove; the jaunty upbeat sax work on “Stranger to My Happiness” recalls vintage Motown while “Making Up and Breaking Up” is pure bliss.

Originally scheduled to come out last year, the album release date was pushed to January following Jones’ battle with stage 2 pancreatic cancer. Fortunately, it was caught early. The front woman has a clean bill of health, and the Dap-Kings began a world tour in February.

“She’s singing stronger and better than she ever has before. On the road, I’ve seen a really renewed and thankful [attitude],” noted Roth, a two-time Grammy winner for studio work on albums by Amy Winehouse and Booker T. Jones.

Roth also handles Dap-Kings production, engineering, arrangements and co-songwriting.

Since the acclaimed band’s 1996 inception, Jones has become a real force in concert à la Tina Turner, prone to dancing up a storm as female backing harmonies and the

SEE & HEAR In person Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings perform during John Legend’s Tribute to Marvin Gaye with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. Info: www.daptonerecords.com Album credits Selected releases featuring Gabriel Roth (aka Bosco Mann)/Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: 2014 – Paloma Faith, “A Perfect Contradiction” 2014 – Jennifer Nettles, “That Girl” 2013 – James Hunter Six, “Minute

by Minute” 2013 – Michael Buble, “To Be Loved” 2013 – Various Ar tists, “The Wolf of Wall Street” soundtrack 2011 – Amy Winehouse, “Lioness: Hidden Treasures” 2011 – Booker T. Jones, “The Road from Memphis” (Grammy winner, best pop instrumental album) 2009 – Michael Buble, “Crazy Love” 2008 – Al Green, “Lay it Down” 2007 – Lily Allen, “Alfie” 2007 – Mark Ronson, “Version” 2006 – Amy Winehouse, “Back to Black” (Grammy winner, record of the year)

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, with bassist Gabriel Roth at the bottom right.

horn section elevates it all.

“She has this strength, a soulfulness about her that’s almost super human,” Roth said. “When she’s up there pouring her heart out, it’s not an act.

It’s very real. Through the years, we’ve had real challenging shows … and she rises like a phoenix through all of it and lays waste to the place.”

New songs like “You’ll Be Lonely (After I’m Gone),” “People Don’t Get What They Deserve” and “Retreat” took on added resonance in light of Jones’ illness, despite being penned pre-diagnosis.

“I wrote that for Sharon because she is a fireball,” Roth said of the latter track. “There are times when you don’t want to get in her way. It’s very empowering now and about her perseverance and power; being a survivor.”

Roth, a North High School graduate

and “proud Riversider,” corrects anyone who refers to his old hometown as Los Angeles. As a North student, he was the drummer in a “funky blues” band.

“We’d play house parties and a coffeehouse downtown,” but nothing serious, he says. “My sister taught me music theory as a kid and showed me chords on the piano and guitar. I used to take drum lessons at Liers Music on Magnolia Avenue (currently Music Mike’s). I learned a lot of music theory there too.

“I’ve always had a math head,” admitted Roth, who would be open to teaching high school mathematics here in the future. “I thought of everything systematically, but never really aspired to be a musician.”

Forced to pick a major during junior year at NYU, he chose music technology. Eventually, Roth joined a friend and “crazy millionaire dude” label

Discography Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings 2014 – “Give the People What They Want” 2010 – “I Learned the Hard Way” 2007 – “100 Days, 100 Nights” 2005 – “Naturally” 2002 – “Dap Dippin’ ”

august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 29

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owner in New York specializing in reissues, compilations and bootlegs.

“We started making records for fun in basements and heavy metal studios on the cheap on weekends,” he said. “The first one I did was a fake kung fu soundtrack.”

A few years later, Roth started the funk and soul-oriented Desco Records. By 2001, he and Dap-Kings saxophonist Neal Sugarman had launched the Brooklyn-based Daptone Records.

Among the more successful indie labels in America, Daptone operates from a two-level residence.

Everything from recording and distribution to design is done in-house. Roth produces or oversees most releases on the company’s eight-act roster. The catalog includes CDs, vinyl releases on 45 and LP and even some cassettes.

Eagle-eyed fans who saw “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-nominated drama, might’ve caught Jones and the DapKings’ brief cameo as a wedding band. They performed the Shirley Bassey hit “Goldfinger.”

The band was asked to do two James Bond themes that were “beautiful and fun, but definitely not in our wheelhouse,” said Roth, plus some other “challenging” tunes.

Then the film’s star Leonardo DiCaprio (“who is a cornball, by the way,” Roth says) wanted the DapKings to do Sir Mix-a-Lot’s 1992 chart-topping rap novelty hit “Baby Got Back.”

“We’d [already] spent days in the studio a month before, working hard on these other songs to lip-sync them on the set,” said Roth, adding that he and the musicians were surprised to be asked to return and record something else.

“Personally, I was lucky enough to be stuck elsewhere,” he said with a grin. “But some of the Dap-Kings went and knocked it out for them.”

seen

A. Gary Anderson Memorial Golf Classic

The 22nd annual A. Gary Anderson Memorial Golf Classic at Red Hill Country Club recently raised more than $500,000 to help the Children’s Fund in its efforts to support at-risk and abused children in the region. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $6 million, and is the nonprofit organization’s largest annual fundraiser.

Information: www.childrensfundonline.org

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(1) Matt Jordan (2) Dr. Robert Sorosky, left, Roland Troxel, Jim Poppen and Ray Crebs (3) Jim Milam, left, Joe Barr, George Wiens and Bob Lancaster (4) Erik Anderson, Erin Phillips, Jeff Burum, Erin Lastinger, Matt Jordan, Jane Nottingham and Gary Lastinger (5) Will Harris, left, Mark May and Tim and Merideth Maloney

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Ph o t o s by B r e n d a Fl owe r s

Relay for Life

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The fight against cancer drew hundreds of people — many of them cancer survivors or caregivers — to the California School for the Deaf recently for the annual Relay for Life fundraiser.

Nearly 700 participants representing 51 teams raised more than $97,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Information: www.relayforlife.org 2

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(1) Some of the nearly 700 Relay for Life participants during their walk at the California School for the Deaf. (2) Sarah Vasquez, holding the Eiffel Tower replica, and Brandy Johnson (3) Nicole Flores More, left, and cancer survivor Barbara Bee (4) Savannah Gonzalez-Cummings, left, breast cancer survivor Keiko Cummings and Jack Cummings (5) Candy Llamas, who had been fighting cancer for nearly eight years. She died July 14, about five weeks after the event.

Ph o t o s by S i m p l e Ph o t og r a p hy a n d R a c z Ph o t og r a p hy

august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 31

seen

Judge John Gabbert Scholarship Fund

Family, friends and supporters of the late Judge John Gabbert attended a luncheon recently at Mario’s Place to celebrate what would have been his 105th birthday. Gabbert, who died in December, was one of Riverside’s most prominent citizens. Proceeds will benefit a scholarship fund in his name to support UC Riverside students from the Inland area.

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(1) Ann and Bill DeWolfe (2) Mayor Rusty Bailey, back, and the three children of John Gabbert: Katherine Smith, left, Sarah Schmerl and Scott Gabbert (3) Catherine Ghipriel and Karl L. Hicks (4) Mary Brinkerhoff, left, and Sylvia Martin-James (5) Victoria Brodie, left, and Ruthann Smith (6) Assemblyman Jose Medina, left, Linda Fregoso, Congressman Mark Takano, Amy Harrison and Marcia McQuern (7) Chuck and Sally Beaty (8) Nora Teasley and Charlie Field Ph o t o s by A n d r e a D e L e o n

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| riversidethemag.com | august-september 2014

NONPROFIT

Second Harvest

Help for the hungry

Photos by James Carbone

Gregory K. Wilkinson, left, and Bill Carnegie at Second Harvest Food Bank

Written by Amy Bentley

H

unger: it’s “hard to see and easy to overlook.”

That’s what Gregory K. Wilkinson, board chairman at the Second Harvest Food Bank, says about an issue that affects many people who live in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. “[The region has] about one out of six families and one out of every four children who are food insecure, which means they don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” he said. “Those are the highest percentages after Fresno, so we’ve got a big job.”

Maria Pina selects fresh strawberries at Second Harvest Food Bank in Riverside.

And it’s the size of the task that motivates the attorney with Best Best & Krieger to stay involved with the Riverside-based nonprofit, which serves 425,000 people in the two-county area every month.

Established in 1980, the food bank acts as a wholesaler and distributes about 28 million pounds of donated food each year to 440 charities. Second Harvest employees collect food donated by large warehouse facilities and transport it to a Riverside warehouse, where volunteers inspect and sort the donations, then get them ready for the charities to pick up.

Going forward, Bill Carnegie, the president and CEO of Second Harvest, says the organization is pursuing initiatives to do even more — raise more funds, serve more people, expand and start new programs.

They include: • Boosting annual food distribution to 50 million pounds.

• Establishing a “kids farmers market” at a Riverside school near the Second Harvest warehouse on Jefferson Street where fresh produce would be given to students one Friday each month. Second Harvest has received $10,000 in funding from the Carmax Foundation to launch a pilot project, and Carnegie says that teachers, volunteers or the PTA could bag the goodies. “It’s going to teach kids about eating healthy,” he added. “We know we are doing something really good with highly nutritious food.”

• Reducing, then eventually eliminating, the current “shared-maintenance” system by which charity groups pay a small percent august-september 2014 | riversidethemag.com | 33

of up to 19 cents per pound of food to offset costs. “We want to give the food away,” Wilkinson said.

• Setting up an online system so charities could order food in advance and then collect it faster and more efficiently.

• Expanding warehouse hours from the current 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. “We’re looking at opening earlier in the morning.

Organizations want to be here earlier so they can be back earlier to distribute the food,” Carnegie explained.

• Doing a better job with a revamped, more user-friendly website — www.feedingamericaie.org — that was scheduled to be launched Aug. 1 and also produce better direct mail pieces to encourage giving.

We need to get the message across that we are the safety net for many people in the Inland Empire,” Wilkinson said.

• Adding a service to deliver donated food to some charitable organizations instead of requiring them to pick it up.

David Bruner has avocados for his church, above, and food is moved to vehicles.

To do this, Second Harvest would need to acquire smaller trucks with lift gates.

(Currently, the food bank delivers to only to senior centers.)

Carnegie, a former U.S. Coast Guard officer who also has 23 years of experience working for and leading food banks including, most recently, one in Tucson, says it’s important that Second Harvest raise its visibility.

“A lot of the problem is that people think the issue of hunger is too big, and they can’t make a difference.”

“Every dollar we get and every can of food we get is one more can that we

have. They can be part of making a difference and trying to eliminate hunger in the IE,” he added.

Second Harvest Food Bank Where: 2950-B Jefferson St., Riverside When: 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday Information: 951-359-4757 Save the date: Black & White Gala to End Hunger, Oct. 18 at the Riverside Auditorium & Events Center.

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