SACRAMENTO - Assemblyman Anthony Adams, R-Hesperia, today strongly objected to an irresponsible measure pushed by Democrats that would extend taxpayer-funded food stamps to hardcore convicted drug felons, calling the bill a dangerous threat that goes far beyond helping those in need.



"This bill goes beyond the very principle of government programs, which exist to help the truly needy and deserving," said Adams. "Providing convicted drug felons with food stamps is essentially providing them with a tax-payer supported debit card to continue their dangerous activities. It will not do anything to stop their illegal activity."



Assembly Bill 508, by Assemblyman Sandre Swanson, D-Oakland, would extend eligibility for the food stamp program to anyone who has been convicted of any type of drug felony by eliminating all of the eligibility requirements under current law.



Currently, individuals who are convicted of drug-related felonies qualify for aid under the Food Stamp Program as long as they meet certain requirements, such as participation in a government-recognized drug treatment program. AB 508 would throw out these standards, and instead extend taxpayer-funded food stamps not only to those convicted of using hardcore drugs like cocaine and heroin, regardless of whether they have completed treatment programs, but also to more serious specified drug felons, including drug dealers, importers and manufacturers.



"With AB 508 we are ultimately pushing our youth toward the danger of drug abuse by extending benefits not only to drug users, but also to drug traffickers, distributors and importers, who target our youth," said Adams.



AB 508 was approved on a party-line vote during today's Assembly floor session, with only Democrats voting in support of the measure.



Assemblyman Adams represents the 59th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Hesperia, Apple Valley, Glendora, Claremont, La Verne, San Bernardino, San Dimas, Monrovia, Highland, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, Bradbury and Redlands.



Submitted by Rebecca Bloomfield, Office of Assemblyman Anthony Adams, 59th Dist., Press Secretary/Field Representative

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Posted at http://www.inlandempire.us/news/2007/06/democrats-vote-to-give-convicted-drug.html

Chien-Ju Lin and Gabriela Jauregui receive grants for advanced degrees in journalism and fine arts.

(June 4, 2007)



RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) - Two UC Riverside students have won prestigious fellowships for graduate study.



Senior Chien-Ju Lin has been awarded a Newhouse Graduate Newspaper Fellowship and Apprenticeship for Minorities, one of two presented nationally.



Graduate student Carolina Gabriela Jauregui won a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, one of 31 awarded nationally.



Lin's fellowship provides full tuition for a master's degree at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, living expenses, health insurance, moving and travel expenses, and other academic expenses. It also includes an internship at The Post-Standard, a daily newspaper with a circulation of about 120,000, during the academic program, followed by a one-year paid position at a Newhouse newspaper after completion of the master's degree.



Lin, an English major, was news editor of Highlander, UCR's student newspaper, this year and is a math tutor for elementary school students.



Journalism is a family tradition. Lin's paternal grandfather was a journalist in Taiwan. Her parents met as crime reporters in Taiwan, where Lin was born, and her father, Jih-Hsi Lin, works in Monterey Park for the World Journal, a Chinese-language newspaper serving Chinese living in North America. Her family lives in Monterey Park.



Lin, 21, hopes to work in newspaper or online journalism as a crime or investigative reporter.



"It's exciting and never the same," she said. "It's challenging. I'm looking for opportunities to better myself and challenge myself."



Jauregui is a second-year student in UCR's Master of Fine Arts program for creative writing and a Ph.D. candidate in comparative literature at the University of Southern California. She was one of 31 fellowship winners out of more than 800 applicants.



The fellowship pays half of the tuition for her graduate studies and $20,000 a year for two years for living expenses. Jauregui expects to complete both graduate degrees in 2008.



Jauregui, 28, was born and raised in Mexico City, immigrating to the United States in 2000. She holds a B.A. in English from Loyola Marymount and an M.A. in English and comparative literature from UC Irvine. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, performance artist Yoshua Okon.



Her first book of poetry, "Controlled Decay," is scheduled for publication in spring 2008 by Akashic Books/Black Goat Press in New York. She is writing a three-narrative novel about jai alai with the working title "Ball Game."



"The Soros fellowship buys me time to do my writing," she said. "It allows me to have a community of experienced writers to share with and get advice from. Without it, my novel would not do as well."



While at UCR Jauregui worked as poetry editor of Crate, journal of literary borders and boundaries, organized readings at the Sweeney Art Gallery in downtown Riverside, and will host a series of arts podcasts the UCR/California Museum of Photography launches in June with Los Angeles public television station KCET. She also was a Gluck Fellow, teaching poetry at area secondary schools.



Jauregui hopes to become a published writer and teach in the U.S. and Mexico.



The University of California, Riverside is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment of about 17,000 is projected to grow to 21,000 students by 2010. The campus is planning a medical school and already has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Graduate Center. With an annual statewide economic impact of nearly $1 billion, UCR is actively shaping the region's future. To learn more, visit www.ucr.edu or call (951) UCR-NEWS.



Bettye Miller, News Media Contact, UC Riverside

More than 3,300 students are eligible to participate in ceremonies June 15, 16 and 17.

(June 4, 2007)



RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) - A graduating senior who survived genocide in Rwanda and alumni who are distinguished in poetry and diplomacy are among the speakers at UC Riverside's 53rd Commencement ceremonies that begin Friday, June 15.



More than 3,300 students are eligible to participate in ceremonies planned on June 15, 16 and 17:



Friday, June 15, 7 p.m. - College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences-Business Administration. Swapan Nag (M.B.A. 1986), chief executive officer of Nag, Inc. (dba Engineering Systems), will be the keynote speaker. Elise Galanto, a business administration honor student who will work for PricewaterhouseCoopers, will be the student speaker.



Saturday, June 16, 8 a.m. - College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Departments of Art, Art History, Comparative Literature and Foreign Languages, Creative Writing, Dance, English, Ethnic Studies, Film and Visual Culture, Hispanic Studies, Interdisciplinary Programs and Liberal Studies, Music and Theatre. Billy Collins (M.A. 1965, Ph.D. 1971), United States Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2003, will be the keynote speaker. The student speaker is Heather Andrews, an English major who plans a career as a professor of ethnic/cultural studies.



Saturday, June 16, 6 p.m. - College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Departments of Psychology, Sociology, Religious Studies and Women's Studies. California Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero (M.A. 1980, Ph.D. 19983), D-Los Angeles, will give the keynote address. J. Marie Hicks, an English and psychology major, honor student and mother of four grown children, will be student speaker.



Sunday, June 17, 8 a.m. - College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Departments of Anthropology, Economics, History, Philosophy and Political Science. The keynote speaker will be Yolanda Moses (M.A. 1975, Ph.D. 1976), vice provost for conflict resolution, special assistant to the chancellor for excellence and diversity, and professor of anthropology. The student speaker is Paul Rudatsikira, a history major, survivor of the Rwanda genocide and founder of the nonprofit Africa Global Partnership.



Sunday, June 17, 6 p.m. - Bourns College of Engineering and College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Wally Rippel, principal power electronics engineer for Tesla Motors, will be the keynote speaker. He appeared in the documentary, "Who Killed the Electric Car?" The student speaker is Joana Aquino, a neuroscience major who was born in the Philippines. She plans a career as a surgeon.



Monday, June 18, 7 p.m. - Graduate Division and Teacher Education Program. The keynote speaker will be Ronald E. Neumann (B.A. 1966, M.A. 1967), former ambassador of the United States to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Algeria and Bahrain. The student speaker is Mary Link, a Ph.D. candidate in education and a special education teacher at Badger Springs Middle School in Moreno Valley.



For the first time the ceremony will be ticketed, with graduates receiving a particular number of tickets for family members.



With more than 35,000 people expected on campus for ceremonies this weekend, traffic will be heavy. Visitors may park free in any lot on campus.



The ceremony will be broadcast inside an air-conditioned environment for people who don't want to be in the sun.



The University of California, Riverside is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment of about 17,000 is projected to grow to 21,000 students by 2010. The campus is planning a medical school and already has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Graduate Center. With an annual statewide economic impact of nearly $1 billion, UCR is actively shaping the region's future. To learn more, visit www.ucr.edu or call (951) UCR-NEWS.



Submitted by Bettye Miller, News Media Contact, UC Riverside

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Posted at http://www.inlandempire.us/news/2007/06/six-ceremonies-planned-for-53rd-ucr.html

CLAREMONT, CA - Last Chance! All good things must come to an end... Don't miss out on this spectacular event! Call now to see this show closing weekend.



Call now for reservations. Great seats still available.

(909) 626-1254 ext. 1



Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theater

455 West Foothill Blvd

Claremont, California 91711



The reviews have raved:



"The show was definitely a star quality production, but don't go to the venue expecting imitations. 'Sin City Five' is a tribute to the Rat Pack in the best sense of the word."

-Darcie Flansburg

Redlands Daily Facts



"Ben Bollinger brings it in with sass and class transforming the theater into a Vegas-style showroom..."

-Connie Keenan

Mid Valley News



"A significant strength of the show is the constant presence of a 13-member stage band, The Blue Note Swing Orchestra..."

-Jim Cavener

Daily Bulletin



"The songs were memorable and the band unforgettable. An important night to remember."

-Philip A. Rue

Fontana Herald News

Something "Fantastick" is coming to the Candlelight Pavilion



The end of a good show is drawing near, but a "fantastick" new show is coming on June 15!



The Fantasticks

June 15-July 8

Reserve your tickets now!



Submitted by Michael Lopez, Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theater

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Posted at http://www.inlandempire.us/news/2007/06/sin-city-five-tribute-to-rat-pack.html

Professor of biology at UCR Leonard Nunney to lead research supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

(June 4, 2007)



RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A research team led by UC Riverside's Leonard Nunney, a professor of biology, has received a grant of $1.75 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to battle a bioterrorist less than half an inch long and bearing a lethal weapon that is microscopic in size.



Nunney's team will study Xylella, a pathogen that has potential, along with its vector, the glassy-winged sharpshooter, to wipe out California's grape, peach and almond industry, as well as much of the state's ornamental bushes and trees. In time, the state's citrus industry also could be destroyed by the sharpshooter and the Xylella pathogen.



"Xylella causes damaging diseases in a wide range of economically important crops," said Nunney, who also is director of the Graduate Research Unit in Evolution and Ecology at UCR. "The North American varieties of Xylella attack grapes, almonds, and peaches, and have devastated the ornamental oleander bushes that line Southern California freeways - at enormous replacement cost."



There are four main Xylella subspecies, three in North America and one in South America. The South American variety feeds on citrus. "But it has not yet crossed our border," Nunney said.



Among the North American varieties, subspecies fastidiosa, the one that causes Pierce's disease, is found on grapes and almonds; subspecies sandyi on oleanders, day lilies, magnolias, and jacarandas; subspecies multiplex on almonds, brittlebushes, sages, olives, oaks, plums, and peaches.



"There are several puzzles about this bacterium," Nunney said. "If you find Xylella on a certain plant, you can't predict what else it might be found on. Most bacteria will attack a group of related organisms. If they attack a peach tree, they might also attack apricots. But with Xylella there's little phylogenetic pattern as to which species each type of Xylella will be found on. We need to understand what it is about these plants that makes each type of Xylella favor them."



According to Nunney, new Xylella strains are evolving, thus complicating the research being done on the bacterium. "We started to pick up some strains that showed a mixture of all three North American subspecies. They may have picked up pieces of DNA from dead bacteria. We think this interchange of genetic material is relatively recent - probably during the last 100 years or so."



Each of the new strains of Xylella identified so far attacks different plants than do the original Xylella subspecies "That's worrisome," Nunney said. "Clearly, we need to know more about the genetic basis of host specificity."



In the next four years, Nunney and his research group will develop a nationwide map of different subspecies of Xylella, and an effective monitoring system both to catch foreign forms introduced into the United States and new forms evolving within the country. With its South American partners, Nunney's group will explore the geographical origins of the different forms of Xylella.



"Are there yet more unknown forms of Xylella in the native plants of Central and South America?" Nunney asked. "Citrus is not native to South America, so Xylella must have been living in something else before citrus was introduced, since that form is older than the citrus introduction on that continent. We have to understand the interrelationship with all forms before we can understand the current and future dangers posed by Xylella to grapevines and to other plants as well."



Nunney's interdisciplinary group includes co-PIs Richard Stouthamer, Bob Luck, Don Cooksey and Frank Wong of UCR. Additional collaborators are Lisa Morano, the University of Houston-Downtown; Don Hopkins, Mid-Florida Research and Education Center of the University of Florida; Erin Schuenzel and Norm Schaad of the Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Fort Detrick, Md.; Guillermo Logarzo, the South American Biological Control Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Hurlingham, Argentina; and Carlos Coviella, Universidad Nacional de Lujan, Argentina.



Funding for the research is being provided by the USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES). CSREES advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations.



The University of California, Riverside is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment of about 17,000 is projected to grow to 21,000 students by 2010. The campus is planning a medical school and already has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Graduate Center. With an annual statewide economic impact of nearly $1 billion, UCR is actively shaping the region's future. To learn more, visit www.ucr.edu or call (951) UCR-NEWS.



Submitted by Iqbal Pittalwala, News Media Contact, UC Riverside

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Posted at http://www.inlandempire.us/news/2007/06/ucr-biologist-receives-175-million.html

REDLANDS, CA - Join the museum's education division and the San Bernardino Valley Amateur Astronomers for a telescopic look at the solar system at the San Bernardino County Museum on Saturday June 23 at 8:30 p.m. Open to public, this event is free of charge.



"We will have a lovely first-quarter moon with stunning views of mountains and craters brought into extremely high relief by their long cast shadows," said astronomer Chris Clarke. "The ringed giant, Saturn, will reveal its grand set of rings, while a brilliant Venus will show off a very plump crescent. Gigantic Jupiter will just be past opposition, making it appear slightly bigger than normal and showing off great atmospheric detail, such as the colorful bands, belts and Red Spot. All in all, it will be a wonderful night to observe three distant worlds and the moon."



The Amateur Astronomers will set up telescopes in front of the museum to share the solar system with museum visitors.



The San Bernardino County Museum is at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sbcountymuseum.org.



The San Bernardino County Museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. If assistive listening devices or other auxiliary aids are needed in order to participate in museum exhibits or programs, requests should be made through Museum Visitor Services at least three business days prior to your visit. Visitor Services' telephone number is 909-307-2669 ext. 229 or (TDD) 909-792-1462.



Submitted by Kamelyta Plimley, San Bernardino County Museum

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Posted at http://www.inlandempire.us/news/2007/06/planet-party-at-county-museum.html